Health and Wellness

White Pigeon Township is joining a number of other St. Joseph County entities by putting into place a ban on burning. Fire Chief Troy Andrews said White Pigeon Township will not be issuing burn permits until measurable rainfall is recorded. Fire officials in Three Rivers this week have declared an outdoor burning ban, including but not limited to campfires, bonfires …

An Indiana man suffered minor injuries Wednesday after wiping out on his motorcycle to avoid hitting a deer in the roadway. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said 24-year-old Shane Richardson was slightly hurt as a result of the 11:45 a.m. incident in Florence Township. Deputies said Richardson was driving west on Featherstone Road when he managed to keep from …

Constantine Fire Chief Mike Hayden has issued a media release centering on burn permits and the dry conditions. He said the department has temporarily suspended issuing burn permits to residents in Constantine and Florence townships until an adequate amount of rainfall is recorded. Hayden suggested residents in other townships check with their fire officials to verify whether they, too, have …

St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough has leveled a charge of assault with intent to murder against a 53-year-old Florence Township man. McDonough on Tuesday said the charge against Bruce Tullos was warranted considering the extent and severity of injuries he inflicted upon the female victim. No weapon was used in the attack, investigators concluded. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s …

Three Rivers city officials said they expect Scidmore Park playground to reopen this weekend after a five-day undertaking to improve the playground surface. Assistant Engineer Merritt Brown said the task involved removing the entire covering of wood chips and replacing the surface area with crumb rubber. Work started Monday and has involved a number of volunteers. Brown said Jamie Clark, …

A 53-year-old Florence Township man is in jail on suspected assault charges following an alleged incident with his wife early Monday. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Bruce Tullos, was arrested after his wife was found beaten around 4 a.m. alongside Roys Road, east of Sevison Road. The victim was airlifted to a Kalamazoo hospital and listed in critical …

A black Labrador is credited with saving a 14-month-old boy from drowning Sunday in Marcellus. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, the young man slipped away from his mother as the two were headed to their garage and he wound up in the family pool. As soon as the mother realized her son was no longer with her, she …

The third of seven river cleanups in St. Joseph County yielded a floor safe, 22 tires and an assortment of other debris Saturday. Spearheaded by the St. Joseph County Conservation District, the cleanup effort took place on an eight-mile stretch of the Fawn River from Halsey Square Road to the Fawn River Road bridge. The event was originally slated to …

Incidents of damage to mailboxes and the destruction of a portable bathroom have prompted the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department to ask for the public’s help in finding the culprits. The incidents occurred between Thursday night and early Friday morning, when several mailboxes on Farrand Road were destroyed by explosive devices. Sheriff’s officials said they believe a port-a-potty destroyed on …

A 25-year-old Coopersville woman was injured after she was involved in an accident on U.S. 131 at Flowerfield Road in Park Township last week. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, Elizabeth Polk was driving south on U.S. 131 when she swerved to avoid a vehicle that stopped at the Flowerfield Road intersection but not within a safe clearance …