News

Action by the state’s elected leaders and money are key solutions to improving the condition of roads in St. Joseph County and the rest of the state. The solution was detailed Thursday by Christopher Bolt, engineer-manager of the St. Joseph County Road Commission. The Centreville-based agency staged a first-of-its-kind “road summit” that drew more than 60 people to Centreville. Bolt …

Four people were treated for minor injuries following a two-motorcycle crash earlier this week in Mottville Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Pauletta Wagner, 50, of  Three Rivers, was driving west on U.S. 12 when she failed to stop in time from striking a motorcycle driven by her husband, Jeffrey Wagner, 58. He was stopped to turn left …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District wishes to remind county residents that the first of five river cleanup efforts this summer takes place this weekend. Saturday’s event will start at 9 am and cover a four-mile stretch of the Fawn River, from Fawn River Road to Dickinson Road in White Pigeon Township. Volunteers are needed and may participate by showing …

A preliminary hearing for a former, part-time Constantine reserve officer was postponed and is expected to be rescheduled next week. Raymond McCann II, 46, was supposed to appear for a preliminary hearing Thursday in district court on a charge of perjury. McCann, a Three Rivers resident, is accused of giving false testimony under subpoena two years ago in a case …

Suspects in more than a dozen residential break-ins in a three-county region have been arrested, capping a seven-month investigation. St. Joseph County Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite said four people have been arrested and warrants for seven additional suspects are being sought. The cases stem from incidents in St. Joseph, Branch and Kalamazoo counties. Guns, money, jewelry and electronics are among the …

Constantine’s Downtown BrainStormers, along with Michigan Milk Producers Association, have announced plans to celebrate National Dairy Day. Free milk donated by the local MMPA will be offered 2 to 6 p.m. June 11 at Rotary Park, on North Washington Street, just north of the St. Joseph River. The promotion coincides with the Constantine Farmers Market, which also takes place 2 …

The St. Joseph County Office of Veterans Affairs has issued a media release, noting that St. Joseph County veterans and their families received more than $20 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2013. Benefits in the form of disability compensation, pension, education, insurance and indemnities were paid directly to the county’s veterans …

Governor Rick Snyder has signed into law legislation that will increase Michigan’s minimum wage to $9.25 per hour by 2018. Under the compromise bill, which received bipartisan support in both chambers of the state Legislature yesterday (Tue), the minimum wage will gradually increase from $7.40 to $9.25 per hour by 2018. Meanwhile, the rate for tipped employees will be 38 …

A 9-year-old Sturgis boy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a car last weekend in Constantine Township. A helicopter trying to fly the youth to a Kalamazoo hospital, however, resulted in damage to the AirCare ambulance. Constantine fire officials said the incident occurred around 10 a.m. Sunday in the 25000 block of Riverside Drive. Investigators said …

A faulty extension cord is believed to have been responsible for starting a fire last weekend in Sturgis. Sturgis fire officials said the blaze was reported at 9:50 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of South Monroe Street. Upon arrival, firefighters noticed smoke emitting from two second-floor bedrooms. The victims told firefighters they attempted to extinguish the fire on their …