Government

A former Sturgis Citizen of the Year and one-time city commission member has passed away. Jo Ellen Oster, 64, passed Tuesday following a bout with cancer. The 1998 Sturgis Citizen of the Year, Oster served at different times as a city commissioner, member of the Downtown Development Authority and the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce. Her late husband, John, is the …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has announced the return of Project FRESH. The nutrition-education and supplemental-food program is offered through the agency in conjunction with Michigan State University Extension Services. Project FRESH puts fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables into the hands of young families who qualify for Women, Infants and Children assistance. Participants receive 10, $2 coupons that …

Divers from the St. Joseph County Dive/ Rescue Unit joined Michigan State Police Underwater Recovery Unit last Friday to search parts of Noah Lake in Fabius Township for stolen property. In December, 12 long guns and power tools were found frozen in the lake. The guns had been stolen in a home theft in Mottville Township. In the spring, a …

Portage police arrested a 35-year-old Three Rivers man last week after he was suspected of committing an armed robbery in Kalamazoo. The robbery occurred around 10:25 a.m. Friday at the Rite Aid drug store on East Cork Street. A witness was able to get a good look at the suspect and his vehicle, which proved to be helpful, as the …

Four properties will be sold to the Sturgis Neighborhood Program, as the measure was approved last week by the Sturgis City Commission. The properties are at 210 S. Maple; 400 E. West; 701 S. Orange; and 1502 Sunnyfield. Collectively, the sale of the four properties totals more than $72,000. Three of the properties were acquired by the city in 2013 …

A Chicago man was arrested last week after he was found to be using a fraudulent credit card to make purchases at the Admiral gas station in Three Rivers. According to Three Rivers police, the 45-year-old man was arrested Wednesday following an investigation lasting several days. The case started after a citizen reported fraudulent charges on their credit card, including …

An autopsy was performed Thursday on the victim of a house fire in Cass County’s Calvin Township. Sheriff Capt. Lyndon Parrish said results showed the victim found inside the residence in the 17000 block of Chain Lake Street died from injuries sustained in that fire. Foul play is not suspected in the death. The cause of the fire has been ruled …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved an out-of-state travel request for a circuit court employee. At the request of Judge Paul Stutesman, commissioners agreed to the plan for court administrator Kathryn Griffin to attend the National Association for Court Management’s annual conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. The six-day event takes place next month. As president of Michigan’s NACM, …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed two search warrants Wednesday at a residence in the 29000 block of Edgewater Beach Road in White Pigeon Township, where two pounds of drugs were to be delivered by U.S. Mail. In conjunction with officials from the U.S. Postal Service, SCAN officers served a search warrant for a quantity of …

A mail carrier was injured in a two-vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon in White Pigeon Township. State police officials said a vehicle driven by Niles resident Lori Jones, 55, was eastbound on Indian Prairie Road when it was struck from behind by a vehicle driven by Harry Pletcher, 95, of White Pigeon. Jones was treated for minor injuries at Elkhart General …