Government

The boat launch at Prairie Lake in Sherman Township has temporarily been closed due to high water levels and local flooding. There has also been a no-wake order placed into effect on the lake. Sheriff Brad Balk said violators of the no-wake order who cause damage to personal property could be criminally prosecuted. The sheriff’s department will advise when the …

The May unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by eight-tenths 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 7.7 percent May unemployment rate was more than April’s 6.9 percent. May’s unemployment rate, however, was eight-tenths of a percent less than the same …

A man who sped away from Three Rivers police over the weekend was charged with fleeing and eluding, and reckless driving. According to a department press release, police observed a vehicle around 5 a.m. Sunday in the 1000 block of Maple Street near Armstrong Machine Works. The driver of the suspect vehicle sped away and while fleeing police, reached a …

A 22-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested last week after attempting to flee from authorities in Park Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said a deputy attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle around 1 a.m. Friday on Carpenter Road, near the intersection of Edgerton Road. In an attempt to elude the deputy, the driver drove west on Edgerton Road, where …

A Cass County man and his wife were arraigned last week on methamphetamine charges, according to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. Blaine and Kristina Knight, ages 40 and 30 respectively, were charged with possession of meth, manufacturing math and maintaining a drug house. The two were arrested Thursday after neighbors reported suspicious activity at their residence in the 56000 block …

Cass County Sheriff’s officials investigated an accidental shooting Wednesday night in Calvin Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said 17-year-old Christopher Burnham of Cassopolis was shot in the abdomen after a .22-caliber rifle was accidentally discharged by his 20-year-old cousin, Jeremy Faye, of Cassopolis. Faye told investigators he was checking the rifle to ensure it was clear of ammunition and the …

A Sturgis man and a Three Rivers resident were charged with methamphetamine-related offenses after they were stopped Wednesday in Three Rivers. Police said the men were observed entering businesses and purchasing items typically used in the production of meth. Their vehicle was pulled over and searched. Troopers from the Michigan State Police discovered in the back of the truck a …

Authorities say an unlicensed teenage driver failed to yield at a stop sign in southwestern Michigan, causing a crash that killed another motorist. The Cass County sheriff’s department says the crash happened Wednesday afternoon in LaGrange Township. The department says the vehicle driven by the 15-year-old girl from Eau Claire collided with one driven by 40-year-old Adam Koppy of the …

Authorities say a 20-year-old man accidentally shot his 17-year-old cousin in southwestern Michigan while checking a rifle to make sure it was unloaded. The Cass County sheriff’s department says the boy was listed in stable condition after being shot in the abdomen on Wednesday night in Calvin Township. The man told investigators that he thought the gun was clear of …

A Kalamazoo man is facing felony charges after walking into three separate banks and demanding $1  billion and two cents.  Police say 24-year-old Lemont Pierce is charged with three counts of bank robbery. Mlive.com reports Pierce entered a First National Bank in Kalamazoo Monday and told the teller that he wanted a billion dollars. When the teller responded saying “I …