News

A new employee will be joining the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. County commissioners agreed Tuesday to make an exception to their self-imposed hiring freeze and approve the request sought by Prosecutor John McDonough. In a memo to commissioners, McDonough indicated the need for an assistant prosecuting attorney is essential in order to perform day-to-day duties, which include handling criminal …

Two Sturgis-area residents were added to the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging board. By unanimous vote at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, the citizen-interest forms submitted by Lee Austermann and George Letts were approved.

Mendon Township voters will have a chance later this year to weigh in on an ordinance related to solar-panel developments. Township board members agreed Tuesday to put the issue on November’s ballot after they confirmed a citizen-led petition contesting the ordinance exceeded the minimum number of valid signatures. The petition was submitted last week and contained more than 300 signatures. …

A kayak was reported stolen from a location in White Pigeon Township. Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of the Pelican kayak, taken on an undisclosed date from the 17000 block of Fawn River Road. The kayak is blue and white, and has a value of about $200.

Arrests have been made in connection to an armed robbery last month in Cass County’s Howard Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said the incident occurred at 9:30 p.m. April 23 at Sunrise Liquor store. The store employee told authorities three subjects with their faces covered entered the business and began physically assaulting him, forcing him to open the cash drawer. The …

Michigan voters are free to take a picture of their ballot before they leave a voting booth. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has settled a 2016 lawsuit that challenged a ban on so-called ballot selfies. The ban on displaying completed ballots has been around since 1891. Benson’s office and Joel Crookston, a voter in the Kalamazoo area, reached a deal …

Two St. Joseph County school districts were given a green light by their respective voters Tuesday, as ballot requests in White Pigeon and Sturgis school districts were successful. Unofficial results show White Pigeon’s request for renewal of 1 mill – originally approved in 2014 – passed with little room to spare, 263 yes votes to 254 opposed. White Pigeon Community …

A building was burglarized last weekend in Three Rivers. Sheriff’s deputies said they were called shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday to the 59000 block of U.S. 131 in response to a breaking-and-entering incident. Upon arriving to work, an employee found an overhead door open. Upon looking further in the building, the employee observed that someone removed the exterior metal then …

Two people were arrested after the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team executed a search warrant Saturday at a residence in Calvin Township. County officials said detectives arrived Saturday at a residence in the 21000 block of Calvin Hill Street on suspicion that the use and sale of methamphetamine was taking place there. Upon further investigation, detectives located several bags of …

A Kalamazoo man was arrested by Sturgis police after a chase that started on South Centerville Road earlier this week. Police attempted to stop a vehicle near Wade Street for speeding at 90 miles per hour. The 18-year-old driver fled, driving east on Fawn River Road then heading into a field near Silver Creek and Halsey Square roads, and drove …