Government

St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Pattie Bender provided details this week related to the development of a program using a red-flag system to identify meth houses. During her annual report presented at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, Bender said she and a team of county officials met last year with Three Rivers attorney Pat O’Malley. The focus was to discuss …

Two people were arrested after state police responded to a report of shots being fired from a passing vehicle in Park Township. According to a department media release, a homeowner in the area of Mint and Brown roads alerted officials to the situation around 8:20 p.m. Saturday. Troopers located the car described to them by the witness and it was …

Irrigation wire was reported stolen last week from a location in Constantine Township. State police said the theft occurred between April 28 and last Friday from a pivot off Zerbe Road, east of U.S. 131.

In addition to providing an annual report as register of deeds, county clerk Pattie Bender presented county commissioners a summary of her department’s operations in 2013. Bender, who will mark her 44-year anniversary as a courthouse employee later this month, said her department’s revenue report showed collections in circuit and juvenile courts were down in 2013 compared to 2012. She …

Three people were hospitalized following a hit-and-run accident last weekend in Cass County’s Penn Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said 49-year-old Delbert Raeder of Elkhart was driving east on M-60 around 3 p.m. Sunday, when his vehicle was rear-ended by a newer-model pickup. The force of the contact pushed Raeder’s vehicle off the roadway and into the front deck of …

The investigation continues into a car-pedestrian accident two weeks ago which resulted in the death of a Three Rivers resident. Mary Hanchon, age 92, died several days after the April 23rd incident, which occurred at the intersection of Millard Street and South Douglas Avenue. The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office has identified the driver as 27-year-old Lavarr Funches of Three …

The August primary ballot in St. Joseph County will be a bit more crowded following action Tuesday by the county’s board of commissioners. The St. Joseph County Road Commission will present to voters a two-part request. The first asks for renewal of 1 mill for a 10-year period. The current mill has been in place a decade and expires at …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a larceny from a vehicle earlier this week in Burr Oak Township. The suspect stole a purse out of a vehicle parked at a business in the 64000 block of M-66 between 6:30 and 10 p.m. Monday. The purse was described as pink and green in color with a Native …

A 22-year-old man has been found guilty in the killing of a 1-year-old Kalamazoo girl who authorities say had hemorrhaging in her brain and eyes as well as alcohol and marijuana in her blood. A jury convicted Toren Hains Tuesday of felony murder and first-degree child abuse in the December 2012 death of Zoie Grace Johnston of Oshtemo Township. The …

State wildlife officials have issued arrest warrants against two southwestern Michigan residents for illegally possessing the foot and talons of a great horned owl. The owl parts were discovered at a home as police were investigating a check fraud case. Department of Natural Resources spokesman Ed Golder says the residence is in Cass County’s Marcellus Township. No arrests have been …