Government

Rick Santorum was the top vote-getter in St. Joseph County Tuesday. The presidential primary election in Michigan, however, was claimed by Mitt Romney, who came in second place in St. Joseph County. Unofficial results from County Clerk Pattie Bender’s office show Santorum earned more than 2,500 votes while Romney had more than 1,700. Barrack Obama, the only candidate listed on …

A 20-year-old Colon man was treated for minor injuries after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident over the weekend in Park Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Kyle Wirgau was driving west on Heimbach Road Saturday night when he lost control of his vehicle on an icy patch over the roadway and went off the south side …

The Sturgis Fire Department was called out to a house fire Monday morning on Griffith Street. The homeowner, Joyce Burg, was covered in black soot when firefighters arrived. She said she heard a loud “pop” near the microwave and found flames. She was taken to Sturgis Hospital for evaluation. The kitchen sustained heavy damage, and the entire structure sustained smoke, …

A Sturgis police officer was treated for minor injuries following an incident with a 19-year-old man over the weekend. About 7:30 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 400 block of Michigan Avenue. Once located by police, the suspect left the scene in what was later discovered to be a stolen vehicle. He eventually …

The city of Three Rivers was informed last week it has been chosen as one of nine communities in the state to take part in the Michigan Main Street program. Overseen by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the Main Street program allows its members to receive training on the basics of organizing, promoting, and economically restructuring and designing their …

Sturgis Police and Fire crews were called out for a reported explosion shortly after midnight early Monday at an apartment complex on Cato Lane. Authorities determined that a chemical related to the production of methamphetamine had been spilled in a hallway. The building was evacuated and the HazMat team was called in. Two residents were arrested in connection with the incident. One …

A 30-year-old man with a last known address in Three Rivers was identified as the victim of an early morning fire Monday in Fabius Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Thomas Nipper apparently broke into a storage barn at Meyer Broadway Park in an effort to seek shelter for the night. Investigators said Nipper intentionally started a fire …

A house in the 12000 block of Dickenson Road in Mottville Township was destroyed by fire Wednesday night. Fire officials said flames and heavy smoke were coming through the roof. Nobody was home at the time of the blaze, which was reported by a neighbor around 9 p.m. Personnel from the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Division will follow-up on …

Bill Lentz was named the Sturgis Police Department’s Officer of the Year for 2011. The award was presented during Wednesday’s Sturgis City Commission meeting. Lentz was recognized by Public Safety Director David Northrup for his dedication to the department and his job. Northrup said Lentz has undertaken major cases in 2011 that yielded prosecution, including a criminal sexual conduct incident. …

A 66-year-old White Pigeon man was killed in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday morning on U.S. 12 at Klinger Lake Road.  The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department reports that a vehicle driven by Gary Beauchamp was eastbound on U.S. 12 when it crossed the centerline and struck a westbound vehicle driven by a 91-year-old Sturgis woman.  Beauchamp was pronounced dead at …