Government

Two people were arrested on drug-related charges last week in the city of Three Rivers. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant Thursday at a residence in the 900 block of 5th Street following an ongoing investigation. SCAN officers obtained and executed a search warrant. Upon completing …

Several hundred people gathered Saturday for a massive farewell party to honor a county icon. On her 65th birthday, Pattie Bender was recognized for her 45 years of service as a St. Joseph County employee. She served 24 of her final years as county clerk. Staged at the Henningsen Show Arena at the county fairgrounds, the event drew friends, family, …

Motorists along state routes are advised to use extra caution, as the second Adopt-A-Highway roadside cleanup event of the year begins Saturday and continues over an eight-day period. Thousands of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers will be back picking up litter along state roadways starting Saturday, as they’ve done each summer since 1990. Every year, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers collect about 70,000 bags of trash, …

A legislative update from State Rep. Aaron Miller was the highlight of Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. Miller, a first-term legislature from Sherman Township, said the senate plan for road funding was the biggest bit of news he had to offer. He said $400 million in federal funds was allocated for the state’s transportation fund for the …

State officials are trying to determine who is responsible for environmental contamination that occurred as a result of a massive pileup on snowy Interstate 94 in southwestern Michigan six months ago. The Jan. 9 chain-reaction crashes killed a 57-year-old trucker and closed a stretch of the roadway for two days. Police announced in March that dozens of drivers were being …

A ceremony to acknowledge improvements made at the St. Joseph County veterans memorial took place last week. Located at the northwest corner of the St. Joseph County courthouse, the memorial now has eight flags flying overhead. The central focus of last Friday’s ceremony was the raising of each of the flags. The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and …

A warrant is being sought for an Indiana man suspected of being involved in an arson incident Monday at a residence in Three Rivers. Fire crews were called to the 400 block of South Main Street around 2:30 a.m., where the front end of a residence was in flames upon firefighters’ arrival. The victim told investigators she was trying to …

A 33-year-old Constantine man died in a motorcycle accident over the weekend in Constantine Township. Sheriff’s deputies said James Carlson was driving east on Featherstone Road at 3:05 a.m. Saturday when he failed to negotiate a curve a half mile west of Constantine Road. His 2014 Harley Davidson went off the roadway and crashed into two trees. Authorities said Carlson …

The 2015 tax rates for Sturgis city property owners will remain unchanged from a year ago. The Sturgis City Commission recently set the general-operating tax rate at 10.0285 mills and continued a 3-mill levy approved by city voters in 2014 for street and sidewalk improvements. According to Ken Rhodes, city clerk/treasurer, the operating tax rate – about $10.03 for each …

Two members of the Three Rivers Fire Department were recently promoted. Paul Schoon, an 11-year full-time employee, was named captain. Meanwhile, Chad Witt was promoted to lieutenant. He joined the agency in 2010. A pinning ceremony to formalize the occasion took place June 16 before the Three Rivers City Commission.