News

Seventeen homeowners entered Constantine’s annual Christmas lights contest. After judging early last week, Kevin and Lori Brouse, of 14609 Millers Mill Road, won the $500 first-place prize and a Christmas tree trophy. Second place went Brian Maxwell, 130 Jeremy St., $300; third to Bill and Connie McDaniel, 62519 Brick Chapel Rd., $200; fourth to Glenn and Dinah Greene, 315 Station …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority has announced it will once again offer the Free Ride Home courtesy shuttle service New Year’s Eve. The service will start at 10 p.m. Monday and conclude at 4 a.m. Jan. 1. Rides will be limited to and from locations within St. Joseph County. Event organizers said rides will be given only to a …

Authorities have identified a 24-year-old western Michigan man killed in what was believed to be a crash involving a deer. The Allegan County sheriff’s office says Monday that the body of Roky Vasquez-Vasquez was found about 8:50 a.m. Friday on the shoulder of U.S. 131 near Wayland, south of Grand Rapids. About three hours earlier, a motorist reported striking a …

Colon Police Chief Mark Brinkert said a student walking to school last week was approached by a stranger. The incident occurred at 7:20 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Dallas and East State streets, where the student was walking to school. Brinkert said a dark-green vehicle – possibly a Mini Cooper – with tinted windows stopped and the driver said …

A Sturgis woman was arrested last week after she was involved in a domestic disturbance. Police were called shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday to the 100 block of West South Street, where the 46-year-old woman was taken into custody after officers concluded she assaulted her live-in boyfriend. She was charged with felonious assault, according to authorities.

A lone man held up the Bronson branch of PNC bank last week. The incident occurred about 10 a.m. Friday, according to Bronson Deputy Chief Brad McConn. The man walked into the West Chicago Street bank, went to a teller and said he had a gun, but did not show one. He demanded money and exited with an undisclosed amount …

Fire damaged a vacant home in the 16000 block of Fawn River Road in White Pigeon Township late Wednesday night. Early Saturday morning, firefighters and St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies were called to the same home for a fire on a deck at the rear of the home. Sheriff deputies called the fire arson. A Michigan State Police fire investigator …

The Trump administration has approved Michigan’s plan to require able-bodied adults in the Medicaid expansion program to meet work or job-related requirements. The waiver was authorized Friday. The federal government has now approved work requirements in seven states, with others pending. Starting in 2020, adults age 18 to 62 in Michigan will have to show workforce engagement averaging 80 hours …

St. Joseph County’s board of commissioners is expected to approve a budget of nearly $18 million for its 2019 fiscal year. The preliminary budget was at the center of a public hearing during Tuesday’s final county commission meeting of the year. Officially $17,949,839, the proposed 2019 budget represents a 5 percent decrease from the county’s 2018 amended budget of nearly …

E-911 Central Dispatch will soon have a new communications tower toward the south end of the county. St. Joseph County commissioners this week approved a request from agency director Dennis Brandenburg to enter into a land-lease agreement with the St. Joseph County Conservation and Sportsman’s Club. Brandenburg said central dispatch would like to erect the tower and access drive on …