Government

A 53-year-old Constantine man was arrested last week after he was found in possession of a stolen vehicle in Constantine Township. The man was arrested around 1:45 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Dickinson Road, where he was caught following a brief foot chase. The man had not only allegedly stolen the vehicle earlier in the night, …

Two Burr Oak Township residents were arrested and a third is being sought in connection with a methamphetamine case investigated by the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit. According to sheriff’s department officials, SCAN members on Friday executed a search warrant at a residence on Maple Lane after fielding a citizen’s tip. Investigators found meth production and stolen property, as …

A Dowagiac man died in a single-vehicle crash at 4am Sunday. The victim was identified as 22-year-old Dustin Kuseske. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department says he lost control of his vehicle on Topash Street in Silver Creek Township and struck a utility pole.

Authorities say a weekend shooting at a house party near the campus of Western Michigan University left one person wounded. Police responded early Sunday to the shooting in Kalamazoo. Police say a 20-year-old Kalamazoo man was shot in the leg. Police say a 20-year-old woman also suffered a back injury, possibly from being hit with flying glass. Clint Parker, a …

The village of Constantine is looking for participants to compete in its annual BBQ cook-off next weekend. Cash prizes of $150, $100 and $75 will be awarded to the top three contestants, as judged by a three-person panel. The cook-off takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28, with judging at 5 o’clock. Tasting by the public will be …

Police have identified the two motorists who killed each other in Ionia following what appears to be a road-rage induced shoot-out Wednesday night. According to the Ionia Department of Public Safety, 43-year old James Pullum and 56-year old Robert Taylor, both of Ionia, were pronounced dead at Sparrow Ionia Hospital soon after the gunfire. The incident happened just before 7 …

St. Joseph County government will benefit from fiber-optic connectivity, following action taken by the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday. The county’s deal with Ann Arbor-based Merit Network Inc. covers a five-year period and provides service at 20 mega bites per second. The agreement means the county courthouse and courts buildings will connect to Merit’s network and have faster service than …

Officials from the Constantine Area Foundation have announced they are accepting grant proposals from qualifying entities for the foundation’s fall 2013 grant period. Eligible recipients include 501(C)(3) organizations, public schools and governmental entities. The foundation encourages potential recipients to focus on improving working and living conditions in the village; youth and recreation opportunities; public, educational, charitable or charitable purposes; and …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved the appointment of Janell Hart of Three Rivers and Karen Beverly of Burr Oak, to the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County. The action was taken during Tuesday’s commission meeting and followed an interview with several prospective candidates. The board is now at full strength …

Four people were injured in a 2-car crash late Wednesday afternoon on M-40, south of Bair Lake Street. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, 50-year-old Kathy Coleman of Dowagiac was northbound on M-40, when she turned west onto Bair Lake Street in front of a car driven by Carla Malone, age 46, of Three Rivers. Two passengers in the …