News

An Indiana woman whose dog vanished when a tornado hit her family’s home says she can’t believe the person who later adopted the lost canine from an animal shelter refuses to return him. The Robinson family’s beloved dog, Rosco, vanished Nov. 17 when a tornado badly damaged the family’s home in the small Fountain County town of Mellott, Indiana. Rosco …

Sentencing for a LaGrange County man charged with the 2009 arson of Welch’s Steak and Ribs, has been delayed until next week. Nathan Lumbard, 31, was to be sentenced Thursday. After pleading no contest to the charge in October, Lumbard was expected to be sentenced to three years in prison. However, Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman said he decided to …

A 29-year-old Constantine woman received minor injuries in a one-car crash Thursday afternoon in Florence Township. Danila Reiff was treated for injuries after the car she was driving struck a utility pole along Centreville-Constantine Road in Florence Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s deputies said Reiff was driving southwest around 2:30 p.m. when she swerved to avoid colliding with another vehicle …

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds office is advising that a South Dakota company has sent direct-mail solicitation to county residents seeking a significant sum of money for property records. Records may be obtained from the county’s Register of Deeds Office at a cost of a few dollars. St. Joseph County Clerk Pattie Bender said the company, Property Transfer …

Starting next month, Colon Community Schools will be issuing to most of its students Google Chromebook notebooks. More than 600 of the notebooks were purchased with money left over from the $15.1 million millage request approved by district residents a few years ago. Interim Superintendent Jay Newman said the Samsung-made personal computers will be distributed starting in January from the …

A prosecutor says a Battle Creek police officer was justified in shooting a 14-year-old boy who had a toy gun in the waistband of his pants. The Battle Creek Enquirer and WOOD-TV report that Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert says the officer “violated no criminal law” when he wounded the boy in the shoulder Nov. 16 while responding to a …

Officials say a southwestern Michigan high school gymnasium that lost part of its roof in a windstorm is expected to be unusable for about two more months.  Workers have been trying to repair damage to Mattawan High School in Van Buren County. The Nov. 17 storm blew off part of the roof, sending water into the gym and cafeteria. Superintendent …

Because it takes about two weeks after receiving the flu vaccine to be fully protected against the flu virus, state health officials urge Michiganders to get a flu shot before they head to holiday parties and other gatherings where infections can spread rapidly. Angela Minicuci, of the Michigan Department of Community Health, says influenza can lead to serious illness and …

A big name in the country/western music genre will bring her talent to Centreville next year. Officials from the St. Joseph County Grange Fair announced Reba McEntire will be the headline entertainer at the Sept. 20, closing-night performance. The 58-year-old Oklahoma native has won 15 American Music awards, 13 American Country Music awards, nine People’s Choice awards and two Grammy …

The St. Joseph County Community Action Agency is taking appointments for assistance with heat, electric and deliverable fuels. Community Action officials said no DHS decision notice is required and prospective recipients need only to present a past-due notice. For deliverable fuels, a fuel-storage tank must be at or below 25 percent. An appointment may be scheduled by phoning 877-422-2726.