News

The 75th Abbott’s Magic Get-Together in Colon concluded Saturday, and organizers of the four-day celebration say the milestone celebration was an overwhelming success. Greg Bordner, president of Abbott’s Magic, said participants and spectators from seven countries and nearly 40 states took part in the celebration. Though the event is staged as a convention for performers in the world of magic …

The Three Rivers Police Department took a report of several subjects shoplifting at Meijer on Saturday. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop for police and continued north on US-131. The vehicle was disabled with Stop Sticks by assisting agencies, and stopped on Shaver Road in Portage. The suspects then fled on foot into a wooded area near Little …

County sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop a vehicle in Three Rivers on Saturday for a minor traffic violation. The driver, a 39-year-old White Pigeon resident, led deputies on a pursuit through Three Rivers, and eventually fled on foot in Florence Township. He was captured after a short foot chase and lodged in the county jail.

St. Joseph County Administrator Judy West-Wing has announced she will be resigning in January.  The 53-year-old West-Wing presented her letter of resignation during Friday morning’s executive committee meeting of the county board. West-Wing, a Flint-area native, has been county administrator for 20 of her 30 years of employment with St. Joseph County.  West-Wing said she wishes to spend more time with …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department Deputies are investigating a hit-and-run crasj that occurred last weekend in Florence Township. According to a department media release, the crash occurred Saturday evening in the 65000 block of Lutz Road, where a passenger car was making a right-hand turn into a driveway. Investigators said a 1980s model Chevrolet pickup struck the car. The …

St. Joseph County Emergency Services Coordinator Jim Barnes has passed along information relevant to agriculture-related businesses that have suffered financially from this summer’s drought. Barnes noted that the U.S. Small Business Administration is making available federal economic-disaster loans to small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and other agriculture-related businesses in Michigan. St. Joseph County is one of 10 drought-stricken counties in the …

The Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education recently settled contracts with three work groups. Superintendent Tom Langdon said unions representing food-service workers, teachers, and employees in the custodian, maintenance and transportation field all agreed to a contract through the 2012-13 school year. Teachers will not be awarded a pay increase, though salary-step increases will remain in place. Employees in the …

Meet Duke, a puppy mill survivor. Duke is a rescued four-year-old, blind Cocker Spaniel who is the product of a Missouri puppy mill. Duke was sold to unsuspecting owners who purchased him from a pet store at a cost in excess of $900. He had papers that were not registered with a recognized breed registry. The owner turned to Up-Cycled …

The St Joseph County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a breaking-and-entering incident in the 63000 block of Youngs Prairie Road in Constantine Township. Sheriff’s officials said a pole barn was burglarized sometime between 9 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday. Tools and hunting equipment were reported stolen.

The Fabius Township Environmental and Wetlands Protection Advisory Committee has established the “Green Star” award to recognize Fabius Township lake-property owners who have developed exemplary natural lakefront shorelines. Natural landscaping for shorelines involves the use of native plants, which maintain the rural character of the area and protects property from erosion to benefit water quality. Qualified residents wishing to nominate …