Government

Three people were arrested on drug-related offenses last weekend following a traffic stop in Lockport Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said deputies in the early morning hours Sunday attempted to stop a vehicle for an improper-plate violation. It was eventually stopped on Lutz Road, near Hoshel Road. Upon making contact with the occupants, deputies suspected narcotics played a …

Two area residents were arrested early Sunday in Sturgis after an alert homeowner reported seeing suspicious activity near his car parked in his driveway. Sturgis officers were called at 3:30 a.m. to the 1300 block of Rolling Ridge. Upon making contact with the individuals, police located stolen property. A 20-year-old Sturgis man was arrested for larceny from a motor vehicle, …

A bridge-replacement project that will impact traffic on M-66 in Colon Township will begin next week. Michigan Department of Transportation said the bridge over the abandoned New York Central Railroad will be replaced, with work starting Monday. The bridge is on M-66, just north of the M-86 split east into the village of Colon. A detour will take traffic to …

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has agreed to settle a lawsuit over a ban on so-called ballot selfies. Joel Crookston, a voter in the Kalamazoo area, sued in 2016 to try to stop Michigan’s ban on taking photos of marked ballots or publicly exposing them. Lawyers won’t talk about the deal until details are filed in federal court on May …

A Three Rivers native is one of Michigan State Police’s newly hired troopers. Alex Sussdorf will soon report to work after graduating last week from the 135th Trooper Recruit School. Sussdorf is assigned to the Niles post, which covers Berrien and Cass counties. The Marshall post, which serves St. Joseph, Branch and Calhoun counties, will obtain five of the newest …

Michigan’s fishing season is underway, which means it’s time to renew your license if you haven’t already done so. The state Department of Natural Resources says all 2019 fishing licenses are good for all species and are valid through March 31, 2020. Anglers can choose from eight options. The resident annual license costs $26. The nonresident annual license sells for …

Officers in western Michigan have fatally shot a man who threatened them during an attempted arrest. Michigan State Police say 37-year-old Thomas Verile Jr. of Scotts was shot Thursday morning at a home outside Kalamazoo after he threatened officers, saying he had a weapon. Police said in a news release that preliminary information indicated several officers fired shots at Verile, …

Nominations to three different boards were approved Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Michael Wilson and Cathy Knapp were named alternate appointments to the Workforce Development Board for Michigan Works Southwest. The terms end Sept. 30 next year. Seven people were re-appointed to the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority Board. They are: Allen Balog, Charles Thompson, Sarah …

Organizers of an annual community festival in Centreville were given some good news Tuesday. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved a request to use the courthouse property for the two-day Covered Bridge Days. The annual celebration of the village that serves as the county seat is July 12 and 13. The festival for many years has used the …

Two Elkhart police officers who were caught on video repeatedly punching a handcuffed man have been placed on unpaid administrative leave. A federal grand jury last month indicted Cory Newland and Joshua Titus of the Elkhart Police Department on a charge of depriving Mario Ledesma of his rights through excessive force. Police video shows them punching Ledesma after he spat …