Government

A 39-year-old Sturgis man was charged with felony retail fraud and felon in possession of a firearm following his alleged role in a retail-theft incident earlier this month at the Three Rivers Walmart. The arrest was made in Sturgis Township in the 25000 block of U.S. 12. The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit and the St. Joseph County Special …

Could Michigan’s speed limits be going up? Legislation that may be considered soon in Lansing would allow speed limits to be changed, in most cases increased, on many Michigan roads.” One idea being considered would be to base speed limits on the rate of speed in which 85 percent of the cars generally travel. Residential roads would not see speed …

A Three Rivers man was injured Monday after his vehicle struck the back of a county snow-plow truck in Mottville Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said 50-year-old Ronie Thurmand was southbound on M-103 when whiteout conditions caused him to not see the plow truck slow near State Line Road. The collision, which occurred at 3:20 p.m., caused severe …

Doug Humbert, director of the Three Rivers Clean Water Plant, said the 13 inches of snow on the ground Monday equaled the highest amount this month. Humbert provided a tabulation of January’s temperatures and snowfall totals, which showed through Tuesday, the average high temperature was 22 degrees, the average low was 5. The extremes showed a high of 46 Jan. …

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the second annual “Discover the Treasures of St. Joseph County” 2014 will be July 26 at Rawson’s King Mill Park in Leonidas Township. The event is a follow-up to the August 2013 event, when a dinner was served inside the Langley Covered Bridge and drew more than 130 people. This year’s …

One arrest has been made and more are likely following a breaking-and-entering incident earlier this month in Mottville Township. State police said the victims had recently purchased a house in the 11000 block of U.S. 12 and were storing their belongings in the garage. When they returned to the residence Jan. 12, power tools, a snow blower and fishing equipment …

The number of candidates to replace Matt Lori as 59th District State Representative has grown to three, as a Sturgis-area resident announced his candidacy Tuesday. Republican Aaron Miller, 26, will join Three Rivers-area residents Roger Rathburn and John Bippus, as they vie to replace term-limited Matt Lori. Miller, a Sturgis High School alumnus, earned a BA in political science from …

St. Joseph County Sheriff Brad Balk offered his thanks to citizens adhering to the snow emergency Tuesday, as road commission members were able to clear key roads in the area. As a result, the travel advisory was lifted at noon Tuesday, four hours earlier than its original expiration. Balk said the emergency is declared in situations when road crews need …

The city of Sturgis has expressed interest in purchasing a piece of property along a busy stretch of West Chicago Road. City Manager Mike Hughes said Sturgis Bank and Trust has put up for sale the Wood Motel, a longtime business on the south side of the road, just east of the Centerville Road intersection. The city was informed it …

A pursuit that started in Colon over the weekend led to the arrest of an 18-year-old Battle Creek man. State police said they were called around 8:30 p.m. Friday in response to a subject in a stolen vehicle. The truck was found on Colon Road, in Colon Township. Troopers said the suspect sped away as they attempted to stop him. …