Government

An Amtrak train heading to Chicago with 200 passengers derailed after striking an unoccupied vehicle and a tow truck in southwestern Michigan, authorities said Friday. “The engineer and approximately 10 passengers received non-life threatening injuries and were treated by local ambulance services,” the Berrien County sheriff’s office said. The train derailed but remained upright. The crash happened Thursday evening near …

Area police agencies seized more than six dozen illegally possessed firearms during a raid on a Sherman Township home Tuesday in the 25000 block of Hiawatha Drive, according to a release from Michigan State Police. No arrests were made but evidence will be forwarded to federal officials and the St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney for possible charges, investigators said. During …

Incumbent Tom Lowry was elected to serve two more years as mayor of Three Rivers. Unofficial results of Tuesday’s election show Lowry earned 479 votes. His challenger, Vernis Mims Jr., captured 428 votes. Lowry has served as the city’s mayor for 26 years. Meanwhile, all three incumbent city commission members were re-elected to two-year terms. First District incumbent Pat Dayne …

Constantine Township received the green light to create a special-assessment district in support of fire protection and ambulance service. The request received 124 yes votes to 97 opposed. Full details of how the half-mill will be allocated is to be a topic of discussion this morning during a special meeting by township officials. The township’s other request, which would have …

A 79-year-old Union man died in a single-vehicle crash last week in Cass County’s Ontwa Township. Douglas Westrick, chief of the Ontwa Township Edwardsburg Police Department, said first-responders were called shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday to an area on Redfield Street, west of Adamsville Road. Witnesses told authorities a vehicle driven by Robert Lockmondy was eastbound on Redfield Street, crossed …

Two cars ended up in the mill race following an incident last week in downtown Colon. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Capt. T.J. Baker said the county’s dive/rescue team was summoned after local authorities responded to the incident, which occurred around 1:15 p.m. Thursday. According to authorities, the driver of a car was pulling out of an on-street parking space and …

A western Michigan man was sentenced to decades in prison after pleading no contest in the 2021 slayings of his parents, whose bodies were found buried at a state game area. A Kalamazoo County judge on Wednesday sentenced Nicholas Johnson to spend between 29 and 69 years in prison. The Portage man must serve a minimum of 29 years before he’s eligible …

A Constantine Township man died as a result of a house fire last week. The victim was identified as 66-year-old Delbert McCallie. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies and fire crews were dispatched shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday to the 13000 block of Riverside Drive, in response to a structure fire. Upon arrival, deputies …

A southwestern Michigan sheriff’s deputy suffered a serious head injury and was hospitalized after a struggle with a suspect, authorities said Tuesday. The Allegan County deputy was responding to a complaint of a person driving back and forth in a neighborhood at high speed without headlights shortly before 10 p.m. Monday, the sheriff’s department said in a news release. While …

An Elkhart woman died last week in a single-vehicle crash in Cass County’s Newberg Township. State police were called Tuesday to the intersection of Corey Lake Road and County Line Road. Investigators concluded the driver, a 26-year-old man from Jones, lost control of the vehicle he was driving. The vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a tree. Both occupants …