News

Former township supervisor’s case headed to trial

The legal case involving former Fabius Township Supervisor Ken Linn appears to be headed to trial. Linn, 57, was charged with four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct Oct. 26. He is accused of assaulting a woman while she was physically incapacitated and unable to give consent following an August 2010 golf outing. The victim, who was 22 at the …

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Woman arrested on drug charges

A 51-year-old woman was arrested on drug-related offenses following a traffic stop in Sturgis earlier this week. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies pulled over a vehicle at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Meijer parking lot on South Centerville Road. Deputies suspected narcotics were concealed inside the vehicle and requested the Sturgis K9 unit respond to the stop. K9 Odin and …

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Michigan’s COVID-19 deaths top 40,000

Deaths linked to COVID-19 have now surpassed 40,000 in Michigan since the pandemic began in 2020, the state health department reported. More than 36,400 deaths have been confirmed while 3,676 were probably caused by COVID-19, the state said Tuesday on its coronavirus website. There were 113 in the past week. “Throughout the pandemic, we have seen deaths predominantly occurring in … …

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Mackinac Bridge traffic restricted after winds top 50 mph

The Mackinac Bridge Authority restricted traffic on the 5-miles span Wednesday after winds in the Mackinac Straits topped 50 mph. The authority just before 5 p.m. said it was allowing only passenger cars, passenger vans, and empty pickup trucks without tonneau covers, bed caps or similar items. Motorists were being instructed to reduce their speeds to 20 mph as they …

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Speed-enforcement zones to begin

St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said speed-enforcement zones at various locations throughout the county will be in place over a three-month period starting Thursday. State funding has been made available to cover overtime costs related to the enhanced patrol, Lillywhite said, adding the enforcement will also be conducted by state police and local law-enforcement agencies. State authorities said there …

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Colon school board opening available

The Colon Community Schools Board of Education has an opening for a four-year term. Superintendent Rachel Kowalski said the position is available after no one ran in the Nov. 8 election. Joe Smolarz and Laura Alva’s terms are up and they opted not to run again. Becky Jackson ran for one position. No one petitioned for the second opening. Kowalski said …

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Groundwater contamination improves

Sturgis Township officials said an area of contaminated groundwater continues to improve. During its meeting earlier this month, the board gave a report on the Abbott Nutrition annual groundwater review for contamination sites in the township. The contamination was discovered nearly 20 years ago, when processing water being disposed of in nearby fields reacted with farm chemicals in the ground. …

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Single vehicle crash in Cass County

Cass County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a personal-injury crash that took place in Penn Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded at 6 a.m. Tuesday to Donnell Lake Street, just west of Lewis Lake. Behnke said deputies made contact with the driver, 22-year-old Vandalia resident Janelle Gazi. She told authorities she swerved to avoid an animal in the roadway. Her …

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Man found guilty in eluding case

A Three Rivers man who attempted to elude police last year has been found guilty of two charges related to the incident. St. Joseph County Prosecutor David Marvin said Mark Shelton, 62, could face up to 15 years in prison after being convicted on two counts of resisting/obstructing police as a fourth habitual offender. The incident happened during August 2021 …

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