News

Nearly three dozen antique bicycles and other items were stolen late last month from a location in Mottville Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies responded Dec. 29 to a location in the 10000 block of U.S. 12. The victim told authorities what appears to be forced entry into a storage facility occurred between Dec. 24 and Dec. 29. Among the …

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest and arraignment of a Grand Haven man on several felony charges related to the theft of Meijer “MPerks” accounts. Nicholas Mui, 22, was arraigned Dec. 27 in Kent County on one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, one count of using a computer to commit a crime and seven counts of identity …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is offering radon-testing kits at no charge to residents of the tri-county area. Paul Andriacchi, director of Environmental Health, says January is Radon Action Month, and he encourages residents to test their homes. Excessive indoor radon levels are frequently found in the region due to the soil types, he said. Radon is an odorless, …

Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said a teenager who was reported missing earlier in the week has been located. Bingaman said the agency was notified Tuesday about a juvenile who had been reported as a runaway. Family members said attempts to reach the runaway, 16-year-old Abby Nicole Pitcher, were initially unsuccessful. Bingaman said deputies received information Wednesday on Pitcher’s whereabouts. She was …

A local fundraiser staged prior to the holidays was deemed a success by leaders from a local organization. The Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts recently announced the accomplishment. Eastwood Elementary School was raising funds for a new campus therapy dog and the “Karate on Campus” event did what it was designed to do. The campaign ran through the first half …

Our area experienced its second-warmest December in over 125 years of record keeping, following 2015 which was the warmest. There were only two days during the month with snow of any consequence, including a few inches in Central Michigan at the beginning of the month, then 1 to 3 inches in most locations on December 18 with an isolated 7 …

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will be overseen for the second consecutive year by Ken Malone. During their annual organizational meeting Tuesday, commissioners unanimously chose the 60-year-old Sturgis resident to serve as board chairman for 2024. Malone owns Advantage Water Service in Sturgis. Malone, who is starting his sixth year as a member of the seven-man panel, said the …

A Sturgis man was arrested last week after leading authorities on a high-speed pursuit in St. Joseph and LaGrange counties. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies were made aware around 11 a.m. Saturday of a driver who refused to pull over for speeding on Fawn River Road, near Balk Road, in Sturgis Township. Authorities said the driver reached speeds in excess …

Another postage rate increase is just around the corner. The price for a First-Class Forever U.S. Postage Stamp will increase from 66 cents to 68 cents starting January 21st, 2024. The prices for domestic postcard stamps will also increase by two cents from 51 cents to 53 cents. USPS Ground Advantage prices will increase by 5.4 percent, Priority Mail service …

St. Joseph County Transportation Authority’s “Free Ride Home” program provided New Year’s Eve transportation for 16 people over the course of the seven-hour offer. Agency director Allen Balog said seven rides were given by the Sturgis-based bus, while the rest were by the bus positioned in Three Rivers. The service was offered from 7 p.m. Sunday through 2 a.m. Monday. …