Government

Discussions regarding a potential sidewalk snow-removal ordinance in Three Rivers began Tuesday, when the Three Rivers City Commission explored the issue. Mayor Tom Lowry said a final proposed ordinance could be several meetings away, but he said hearing that children are walking in the street to and from school because sidewalks are not shoveled by adjacent property owners is alarming. …

Sturgis police were called at noon Tuesday to Oaklawn Park in response to a report of a man in possession of a firearm inside a parked vehicle. The first team of officers to arrive to the city-owned park found that the 28-year-old man had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The city of Three Rivers has granted an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption for W.E. Slitt Sheet and Co. During Tuesday’s meeting, the city commission agreed to the 12-year abatement for personal-property improvements in excess of $467,000. As a result, the Jefferson Street company expects to retain 28 jobs and create one new position. A company official said the majority of …

St. Joseph County Sheriff Brad Balk offered a round of thanks to residents, road commission employees, E-911 Central Dispatch workers and county employees for their part in the pair of January snowstorms. Addressing the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday, Balk said cooperation from residents who abided by the snow emergency request to stay off the roads allowed road commission workers …

A 33-year-old Constantine man suffered injuries as the result of a firearm malfunction last week. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s office said the man was shooting target practice at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the 53000 block of Olney Road in Leonidas Township. A malfunction resulted in injury to his right hand and a wound to his chest. He was treated …

A drill, hammer and socket set, and other tools were stolen from a shed in Fabius Township over the weekend. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said the incident occurred in the 12000 block of Dutch Settlement Road. The victim said the incident took place between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday.

Officials from the city of Sturgis wish to pass along that due to the recent inclement weather, utility bills will be estimated for the month of January. Bills for water, sewer and electric will be estimated based on past usage. When meters are read this month, the difference between estimated bill and actual usage will be included in the February …

Police say a convicted killer who made a brazen escape from a Michigan prison has been captured in Indiana. Indiana State Police Sgt. Ron Galaviz says Michael David Elliot was captured Monday evening in LaPorte County, Indiana. Galaviz says a sheriff’s deputy investigating a vehicle theft spotted the stolen automobile and tried to make a stop. The suspect ran, but …

A state environmental official says initial tests haven’t found noxious chemicals in the air or water near a northern Indiana fiberglass factory that caught fire over the weekend. Firefighters continued monitoring the smoldering blaze at the Lami-Plast factory in Elkhart on Monday, a day after it went up in flames and some nearby homes were evacuated. A bulldozer was brought …

The December unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by one-tenth of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 7.3 percent December unemployment rate was more than November’s 7.2 percent. December’s unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percent less than the same month …