News

The more than 1.2 million Michigan residents who will travel this upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend will find the average gas price rose seven cents a gallon this week. Triple A Michigan says the current statewide average is just under $3.62 per gallon, but that’s 31 cents less than this same time last year. Among the cities it surveys, the …

Personnel from three area departments responded to a residential fire last week on Fishers Lake in Park Township. A house in the 55000 block of Resort Road was destroyed as a result of the late-evening fire Friday. Responding personnel said the attached garage was fully engulfed in flames and its roof caved in. The fire spread from the garage to …

A 62-year-old Mottville Township woman died after a utility tractor she was operating rolled into a pond and pinned her underwater. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Betty Hull, of the 11000 block of U.S. 12, was working around 12:30 p.m. Saturday outside her residence when the tractor somehow rolled into the pond, pinning her underwater for approximately 15 …

A Sturgis-based, independent-living facility celebrated its 60th anniversary Sunday, when more than 100 people attended its open-house celebration. Thurston Woods Village was the scene of a morning worship service, which was followed by a tour of the facility and its new garden area.

A two-vehicle crash over the weekend in Colon Township led to emergency care rendered to a Colon woman. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, Amanda Merkle, 27, was airlifted to Bronson Methodist Hospital following the incident Saturday at Wattles and Stowell roads. Merkle was driving east on Wattles Road when she allegedly turned left in front of a …

The July unemployment rate in St. Joseph County rose by more than a full percent compared to the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 9.8 percent July unemployment rate was more than June’s 8.4 percent. Still, the July 2013 unemployment rate was one-tenths of a percent less …

Names of the seven suspects arrested during a pair of drug-related raids at neighboring homes last week in Mottville Township have been released. White Pigeon residents Kenna Patterson, 21, and Timothy Patterson, 27, were released on $10,000 personal recognizance bond. Terri Lynn Nowicki, 40, of White Pigeon, remains in the St. Joseph County jail with a $50,000 bond. Gary Nowicki, …

A 68-year-old Three Rivers man sought medical attention after he was involved in a three-vehicle crash last week. According to Three Rivers Police, Richard Crandall and 56-year-old Debra Edwards, of Marcellus, were stopped on southbound Main Street at Hoffman Road Thursday morning, when a southbound SUV driven by 49-year-old David Hembree rear-ended Edwards’ vehicle, which crashed into the back of …

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners have granted requests to fill two court positions. Commissioners OK’d District Court to fill a deputy clerk position to replace Sally Wickum, who plans to retire later this year. The entry-level pay is $13.46 an hour. Meanwhile, Probate Court was given clearance to fill the position of juvenile register. The post …

Some Michigan lawmakers are looking at lifting the 70 mph cap on highway speeds and making other changes to reduce speed traps. Grand Ledge Sen. Rick Jones is working on a bill with fellow Republican Tom Casperson from Escanaba they want to introduce this fall. One upshot could be speed limits rising to 75 mph or 80 mph on some …