Health and Wellness

The St. Joseph County United Way, in conjunction with Sturgis Hospital, is staging its annual Hospital Garage Sale over an eight-hour period Friday. All proceeds raised during the sale, which takes place at the Sturgis Hospital Medical Commons Building, at 1717 E. Chicago St., will be turned over to the St. Joseph County United Way. The sale starts at 7:30 …

Organizers of last month’s Three Rivers Relay for Life said more than $122,000 was raised through the 24-hour event. Event chair Danielle Rohrer said proceeds are turned over to the American Cancer Society. The June 22 event in Three Rivers attracted 43 teams and also drew 115 cancer survivors who participated in the Survivors Lap.

St. Joseph County is one of 26 counties in Michigan to receive funding for enhanced law-enforcement patrol specifically targeting drunken drivers. The additional enforcement has been in place since last weekend and will continue through Sunday. The Michigan Office of Highway Planning has provided the funding to cover the cost of additional state police patrols.

A 33- year-old Sturgis man escaped serious injury last week, when he crashed a motorcycle. Deputies said Michael Ritter was eastbound on Banker Street, near Zabel Shores about 11: 30 p.m. Wednesday, when he tried to avoid a deer, lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. Police said Ritter and the bike slid about 70 feet along the pavement. Ritter …

Investigators looking into the cause of a house fire in Sherman Township last week indicated faulty wiring in an air conditioner was the likely cause of the blaze. The residence, in the 62000 block of Shimmel Road, was destroyed by the fast-moving fire. Investigators said they suspect a wiring malfunction in an air-conditioning unit attached on the first floor caused …

A grass fire Sunday afternoon was the seventh within a week in the county. Crews from the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department were quickly able to extinguish the weekend blaze, which covered a small area near North Fisher Lake Road. During the Fourth of July period last week, grass fires were extinguished by the department. Agency officials said fireworks were responsible …

Three Jones residents were arrested on drug-related offenses and a child placed into protective custody following an incident Tuesday afternoon. The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team executed a search warrant at a residence in the 61000 block of High Street. Upon entry into the residence, investigators found used meth labs and components to manufacture methamphetamine. A handgun, methamphetamine and marijuana …

One person was airlifted to Borgess Medical Center after a crash around 7 p.m. last Wednesday in Nottawa Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department deputies said Centreville resident Carol Ann Walls was driving north on Nottawa Road when she failed to stop at the intersection of M-86. Walls’ vehicle struck a car headed east on M-86. Occupants of the second vehicle, Brian …

Investigators are still looking into the cause of a house fire reported around 5 p.m. Wednesday in Sherman Township. The blaze heavily damaged the residence, in the 64000 block of Shimmel Road. There were no injuries reported, though personnel from the Tri-Township Fire Department sought frequent rehabilitation from heat near 100 degrees by utilizing an emergency-response trailer brought to the …

The Sturgis Police Department is reminding city residents that the municipality’s general noise ordinance will be enforced for fireworks-related complaints received Tuesday through Thursday. Deputy Chief David Ives said jurisdictions with a noise ordinance in place before the state’s approval of commercial-grade fireworks for the general public can be enforced. Meanwhile, the Sturgis Fire Department reminds residents that extreme caution …