Government

Multi car crash in Schoolcraft

Five vehicles were damaged last week after the driver of a car fell asleep and it collided into a line of cars stopped at a Schoolcraft railroad crossing. Schoolcraft police said the 25-year-old driver, a Kalamazoo resident, was heading north on U.S. 131 when his vehicle struck the rear of a car stopped at State Street due to a passing …

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Body cameras for police

The mayor of the city of Elkhart wants to spend $349,000 to buy 80 body cameras for the city’s police force. Mayor Dick Moore was scheduled to ask Elkhart’s city council on Monday to approve the request that’s part of $3.75 million in proposed capital spending for 2015 for the city. The Elkhart Truth reports Moore said in a recent …

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County seeks clerk applicants

St. Joseph County is seeking applicants for the position of county clerk. Pattie Bender, current clerk, will retire June 30 and Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman will appoint her successor. Any interested applicant can submit a resume to Circuit Court, Box 189, Centreville, or electronically to: griffink@stjosephcountymi.org. The deadline for applications is Feb. 12. Following that deadline, interviews will be …

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Police officer enters guilty plea

Sturgis police officer Bryan Stuck avoided trial after entering a guilty plea on a lesser charge earlier this week. The 29-year-old Stuck, a Bronson resident, was scheduled for trial on charges of drunken driving and having a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit. Stuck, however, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of misdemeanor operating a motor vehicle while …

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Three Rivers day care shut down

State police have closed a Three Rivers daycare following claims of alleged sexual assaults. Investigators said the home-based daycare is under scrutiny after a number of victims have come forward since the investigation started last week. Lt. Chuck Christensen said police were made aware of the situation after a parent disclosed that their child made reference to sexual contact that …

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Board of Commissioners approved CMH resolution

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners last week approved a revised Community Mental Health resolution originally authorized during its Jan. 6 meeting. County administrator Pat Yoder said the county on Jan. 6 made its annual appropriation to the county’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The amount was more than $257,000. Yoder said an additional $90,000 to rectify a previous …

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Sheriff’s Department investigating larceny

Deputies from the St Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were called last week to investigate a complaint related to a larceny of a motor vehicle. Deputies responded at 4:30 a.m. Thursday to the 14000 block of M-60 in Fabius Township, where a 14-foot U-Haul box truck was stolen two hours earlier. The vehicle, which was taken with its key, was last …

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More police patrols at Kalamazoo College

Police say they have increased their presence at Kalamazoo College following five armed robberies on campus. Assistant Chief Don Webster of the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety says five students were robbed at gunpoint on Jan. 19 within the same block. He says the suspect stole money and cellphones. None of the victims were injured. A university spokesman says the …

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Garage damaged in fire

Fire heavily damaged a garage and caused minor damage to a home early Saturday in Constantine Township. Firefighters were called to the 64000 block of Youngs Prairie Road about 12:30 a.m. They arrived to find flames coming from the garage. Firefighters quickly brought the fire under control and began protecting the home, located about 10 feet away. No injuries were …

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