News

Michigan State Police are investigating a residential break-in that took place while the owners were on vacation. A department media release stated the residence, located in the 21000 block of Hampton Road in Park Township, was burglarized between April 4 and 10. Guns and jewelry were the most significant items taken, the victims told police. Access was gained through forced …

A house in Constantine sustained heavy damage in a fire Thursday evening. Fire fighters from Constantine, White Pigeon, and Fabius Park fought the blaze at 570 South Washington Street. It appears the fire started in an upstairs bedroom. There were no injuries. Traffic on US-131 was rerouted for several hours while fire fighters were on scene.

The state’s business roundtable continues to forecast that Michigan’s economy will grow faster than the U.S. economy over the next six to eighteen months. The forecast by Business Leaders for Michigan is reinforced by 43 percent of its members planning to increase hiring in Michigan in just the next six months. According to the survey, 55% of business leaders believe …

Two units in an eight-unit Constantine apartment building were damaged by a fire earlier this week. Constantine firefighters were called around 5 p.m. Tuesday to the 200 block of Peachtree Street, where the Custer Apartments were ablaze. Investigators said it appears the fire started in a lower unit and spread up and out from its origin. Though a half dozen …

The Three Rivers Department of Public Services received a report of sewage overflowing from a manhole near the intersection of 5th Avenue and Water Street Monday night. DPS crews responded immediately and had the sewer line flowing normally by 10:15 p.m., about 25 minutes after being notified of the incident. It was estimated 200 gallons of sanitary sewage overflowed from …

An item used in the process of producing methamphetamine was discovered last week on a Burr Oak Township roadway. Michigan State Police said a call was received around 8 p.m. Friday regarding a so-called gas generator on Big Hill Road at Witt Lake Road. The device is described as a 1.5-liter plastic Pepsi bottle with a rubber hose attached to …

The first session of the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup of 2013 begins Saturday. Overseen by the Michigan Department of Transportation, Adopt-A-Highway involves volunteers picking up litter along state highways from April 13 to 21, the first of three scheduled pickups this year. In 2012, Adopt-A-Highway volunteer groups collected about 65,000 bags of trash, a cost benefit to the state of $5.6 million. …

Electronics and jewelry were among items taken during a daytime break-in at a residence in Park Township. State Police personnel are investigating the Tuesday incident, which occurred between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at a residence in the 55000 block of Wilbur Road. Access was gained to the residence by forced entry. MSP officials suggest checking to see doors and …

Michigan State Police said a felony murder warrant has been issued for a Kalamazoo man suspected of murdering a woman whose body was found in Three Rivers nearly 20 years ago. A warrant from the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office was issued Tuesday for Grady Shields Jr., 43. He is charged with the murder of Lois Cox, 59, who disappeared Oct. …

A deputy from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was sentenced to probation for stealing prescription medicine from the jail while on duty. Stephen Morris, 39, was placed on probation for one year, as ordered Monday by Van Buren County Circuit Judge Kathleen Brickley. Morris, a Fulton resident, pleaded to two counts of larceny of more than $200 but less …