News

A 360-acre property in Leonidas Township has been purchased by an Indiana-based farmers consortium. The $2.4 million purchase of the property along Longnecker Road effectively ends the prospect of a 2,300-head dairy farm previously proposed for the site. Perry Vieth, president of Ceres Partners of South Bend, said the company plans to use the land for seed corn and rotate …

Cass County Sheriff’s Department officials arrested two Porter Township residents and took a child into protective custody after discovering evidence of a meth lab inside their residence Tuesday. The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team executed a search warrant in the 69000 block of Union Road and found evidence of a one-pot meth lab and materials used to manufacture meth. Multiple …

Labor agreements with four units of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees working for St. Joseph County were reached Tuesday. St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners OK’d the agreements with Circuit Court, Probate Court, General Unit and Family Division of the Circuit Court. The one-year agreements affect 64 employees and do not provide wage increases. Also Tuesday, …

The candidate chosen to serve as St. Joseph County treasurer has indicated he will decline the position in light of a controversy over his proposed salary. Centreville native Barry Miller said he will retain his job as vice president for Century Bank and Trust in Three Rivers after county officials had a disagreement over his starting salary. According to minutes …

Constantine village officials were told Monday that an Indiana-based company is expecting to close soon on the purchase of the former Rexam plant in the village’s industrial park. During a public hearing at Monday’s village council meeting, officials from Nature’s Fuel said a few legal matters are being reviewed by their legal team. Glenn Johnson, chief operating officer, said the …

As the Michigan House of Representatives’ 2011-12 legislative session reaches its halfway point, State Rep. Matt Lori said 2011 has been a year of significant reform resulting in a leaner, more-efficient government. Lori added that steps taken in 2011 show that House members concluded a year of business-tax reforms budgetary restraints and making state spending more transparent. The Constantine-area resident …

Sturgis Police report its officers arrested an 18-year-old Sturgis man early Tuesday on charges of disorderly conduct and minor in possession of an intoxicant. A department press release states the unnamed suspect was spotted in the 500 block of Susan Street following a citizen’s tip about a possible burglary in progress. After police arrived, the suspect walked toward the back …

The neighbor of a Three Rivers woman helped police take into custody a trio of men who broke into a house in the 600 block of West Street last week. Three Rivers police said the residence of a 92-year-old woman was entered by the suspects Thursday. She was not home at the time, but a neighbor who noticed the activity …