Government

A 9-year-old Sturgis boy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a car last weekend in Constantine Township. A helicopter trying to fly the youth to a Kalamazoo hospital, however, resulted in damage to the AirCare ambulance. Constantine fire officials said the incident occurred around 10 a.m. Sunday in the 25000 block of Riverside Drive. Investigators said …

A faulty extension cord is believed to have been responsible for starting a fire last weekend in Sturgis. Sturgis fire officials said the blaze was reported at 9:50 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of South Monroe Street. Upon arrival, firefighters noticed smoke emitting from two second-floor bedrooms. The victims told firefighters they attempted to extinguish the fire on their …

A 16-year-old girl from Colon was found to be safe over the weekend, three days after she was reported missing. The Colon Police Department said the girl was last seen leaving Heartwood Renaissance Academy in Three Rivers around 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Police reported she was found Sunday morning in Three Rivers and returned to her residence later in the day. …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District is inviting the public to participate in the first of a series of tree-planting events scheduled to take place over the next year. As part of Project ReLEAF, about 125 native hardwood trees will be planted Thursday morning in a quarter acre area off Marcellus Road in Park Township. The goal is to plant …

Robert and Laurie Rastovski will get a new trial for their claim against North Pointe Insurance Company after their business, Welch’s Steak and Ribs in Sturgis, was leveled in a 2009 arson. The insurance company refused to pay on the policy after it claimed Robert Rastovski had hired an arsonist to burn the business on Fawn River Road. During the …

Legal Services of South Central Michigan will conduct interviews for legal advice and possible representation at no charge to interested seniors. The first event will be 11 a.m. to noon June 13 at Sturgis Senior Center, 304 N. Jefferson St. A second will be 10 to 11 a.m. June 18 at Pine Valley Place, 1050 Canaris St., Constantine. Legal Services …

Unemployment in St. Joseph County was 1 percent lower in April compared to March. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives show the county’s April unemployment figure was 5.5 percent, down from 6.5 percent in March. The 5.5 percent rate was also lower than the county’s 6.9 percent unemployment compared to the same month in 2013. …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District has announced its 2014 river cleanup schedule. Jen Miller, administrator of the Centreville-based agency, said there will be fewer cleanups this year, as eight per summer the past three summers seemed to limit the number of volunteers. The fourth season of the cleanup project starts Saturday on the Fawn River in White Pigeon Township, …

White Pigeon village officials have agreed to spend about $2,600 to replace damaged and faded street signs. During Wednesday’s village council meeting, the seven-member panel heard president Dan Czajkowski explain that many of the village’s signs are difficult to read because of their age and years-long effects of the elements. He said it is a matter of safety that the …

A world-record attempt will be made this summer in Colon. During the 2014 Abbottt’s Magic Get-Together in August, an attempt will be made to break the Guinness World record for most magicians in a single magic show. Colon resident Kelly Pucci, who is an organizer of the Aug. 6 attempt, said the current record is 106 magicians set by a …