Health and Wellness

The St. Joseph County Conservation District has announced the dates of its seven river clean-up projects in 2013. It marks the third consecutive year the agency will stage river clean-up events. A 4.7-mile stretch of the Prairie River will be the focus of a June 1 effort in Lockport Township, followed by a 4.5-mile clearing of the Fawn River June …

A 54-year-old Elkhart man was treated for injuries he sustained in a one-car crash over the weekend in Constantine Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Douglas Griffin was driving south on U.S. 131 at 2:20 a.m. Saturday when he lost control of his vehicle and drove it off the roadway. Griffin was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Three …

Sturgis police arrested a 20-year-old Sturgis man following a vehicle pursuit Friday evening. According to a department press release, officers attempted to stop a vehicle around 7 p.m. Friday near the intersection of North Nottawa and East Hatch streets for an equipment violation. The vehicle sped up and its driver disregarded a stop sign at North Prospect and East Main …

Three children were injured in a two-vehicle accident over the weekend in Florence Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said 43-year-old Melissa Sandker of Constantine was driving north on Lutz Road when her vehicle crossed over the center line and struck a southbound van driven by Jennifer Nusbaum-Suits, 41, of Constantine. The incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday. …

A 3-year-old boy was taken from a Sturgis residence Wednesday morning after his parents were arrested for drug-related offenses. According to a Sturgis Police Department media release, Children Protection Services officials were at a Cato Lane Apartment complex unit when they noticed two crack pipes on a bedroom end table. Police were called and upon further investigation, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia …

A police investigation that spanned several weeks culminated early Wednesday with the arrest of six people on charges related to methamphetamine. The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Center Street in Sturgis and arrested four male suspects and two females. Their names, ages and places of residence were not stated in …

A report of domestic violence led to the arrest of four men who were found to have an active methamphetamine lab inside their vehicle earlier this week in Sturgis. Police were called around 10:30 p.m. Sunday to a disturbance and subsequently stopped a vehicle at Lakeview Avenue and Myrtle Street to question one of its passengers. Officers recognized one of …

State Rep. Matt Lori was recently presented with the “Champion for the Medically Underserved” award for his work to promote and protect quality health care for all Michigan residents. A Constantine-area resident, Lori received the award during the recent Michigan Primary Care Association’s legislative forum. Lori said he was honored to be recognized by the association. Lori, who also serves …

Four men between the ages of 17 and 27 were charged last week with methamphetamine-related offenses in Sturgis. Sturgis police said they responded around 5 p.m. Friday to a report of an unusual odor emitting from a residential unit at the Cato Lane Apartment complex. Officers secured a search warrant and found the four were involved in the production of …

A charge of manslaughter was dropped against a 40-year-old Three Rivers man involved in the explosion of a methamphetamine lab last fall. St. Joseph County prosecutor John McDonough said Frank Pauwee will not seek the charge, as an investigation into the case has concluded and McDonough said he did not find reasonable grounds to pursue the charges. Police identified Pauwee …