News

A Sturgis man is facing a rape charge stemming from an incident earlier this month in Indiana’s Noble County. Noble County Circuit Court officials said Jose Vazquez-Diaz, 28, is charged with rape after an April 6 incident in Kendallville. Court officials said the alleged victim contacted authorities April 7. The alleged victim had accompanied Vazquez-Diaz to a birthday party. Authorities …

St. Joseph County Commissioner Dennis Allen has been removed from the county board’s law enforcement committee. The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote during Tuesday’s board of commissioners meeting. Commissioner Rusty Baker proposed the motion during “Commissioner Comments.” He said Allen running for sheriff while serving as chair of the law enforcement committee is a conflict of interest. Allen, …

Former Fabius Township supervisor Ken Linn was sentenced Tuesday for a 2010 sexual assault. Nearly 14 years after the crime, Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Barnard sentenced Linn to between 18 and 50 years, according to WWMT. Linn, 57, of Three Rivers, was previously found guilty of sexually assaulting a Sauganash Country Club golf cart beverage cart driver in August …

A 70-year-old man was found guilty of his ninth attempted bank robbery on Tuesday. WSBT-TV said South Bend resident Dennis Love wore a t-shirt that read “Cleverly Disguised as an Adult” while robbing Fifth Third Bank in Cassopolis Feb. 27, 2023. A Cass County jury convicted Love of bank robbery and larceny in a building. According to the Cass County …

Avelo Airlines has temporarily discontinued its non-stop service between Kalamazoo and Orlando. Airport director Craig Williams said the airline’s last flight between the two locations was April 8. He said no flights were canceled, as Avelo simply made tickets available through April 8 and not beyond. Williams said Avelo scaled back its Florida flights from several Midwest locations, citing the …

National Association of Letter Carriers’ annual “Stamp Out Hunger National Food Drive” is less than a month away and volunteers are being sought by a Kalamazoo-based agency. Oliver Knuth, volunteer coordinator for Salvation Army of Kalamazoo County, said the collection is May 11. Carriers collect non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes and in post offices, and deliver them to local …

Sturgis city residents are being reminded the city’s department of public services started flushing hydrants this week as part of regular maintenance. Crews will flush hydrants today in the area south of West Chicago Road and west of South Nottawa Street. On Thursday, the area north of West Chicago Road and west of North Nottawa Street will be serviced. The …

St. Joseph County will have the luxury of time and leeway to decide what to do with more than $800,000 in remaining funds it was issued through the federal government. During last week’s executive committee meeting, finance director Angie Steinman said she was recently provided an update on a matter related to American Rescue Plan Act money county officials have …

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department responded to a shooting incident over the weekend in Leonidas Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies were called shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday to the 30000 block of Longnecker Road. Once on scene, deputies located a subject with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. The victim was airlifted from the scene. Meanwhile, authorities concluded the …

St. Joseph County Road Commission Board members plan to recognize five individuals who have had what agency officials said is a lasting impact on the organization’s mission. They are: Dave Allen, commissioner from 2011 through 2021 Rick Anderson, commissioner, 2007-2017 John Bippus, commissioner 2011-2020 Dave Yunker, commissioner 2006-2016 and Eric Shafer, commissioner since 2011 Agency officials said the five were …