News

The St. Joseph County United Way is encouraging the public to help with a back-to-school drive it is staging Friday outside the Sturgis Walmart. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., volunteers will be outside the store entrance and collecting school supplies. Event organizers ask that all donations be new and limited to supplies, not clothing. Satellite drop boxes are in …

Troopers from the Michigan State Police Marshall Post are investigating a two vehicle crash involving a mini-van and a motorcycle which happened Wednesay at 12:35pm. The 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle, driven by a 37 year old male from Fishers, IN, was eastbound on US-12 in Sturgis, when a 2010 Chrysler Town and Country mini-van driven by 38 year old female, …

The Michigan Court of Appeals has rejected a lawsuit and ordered a minimum wage initiative on the November statewide ballot. The court ruled 2-1 Wednesday. The One Fair Wage proposal would gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 an hour and also increase the minimum for workers who make tips. The state elections board last month had split 2-2 …

The long-awaited renovation of the St. Joseph County courts building could be a step closer to reality. During last week’s executive committee meeting, county administrator Teresa Doehring said a team of three architects from Grand Rapids-based Tower Pinkster met with her earlier this month and toured the courts building and the historic courthouse. The next step, she said, is for …

The process to begin assembling St. Joseph County’s 2019 fiscal-year budget is underway. County administrator Teresa Doehring said department managers have provided her and finance director Ryan Post their five-year, capital-request wish lists, as a starting point. The county’s next fiscal year begins Jan. 1. In addition, Doehring at last week’s executive committee meeting, said the process of negotiations regarding …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners earlier this month approved a resolution accepting a DNR Trust Fund grant. The move covers $166,500 for acquisition of a 52-acre parcel, along the St. Joseph River in Fabius Township. The land owners provided $58,500 to fulfill the local-match obligation. The property is known as the Kettles Preserve. County officials said it is …

A Berrien County company has been approved to provide a maintenance program to St. Joseph County’s courthouse. During the board’s Aug. 7 meeting, commissioners agreed to an $8,800 annual contract with City Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning. Based in St. Joseph, the company will provide a customized professional maintenance program that will include an inventory of equipment and air-filter service. …

A 36-year-old Three Rivers woman is being held at the St. Joseph County jail after police say she attempted to flee from officers late Wednesday last week. Police attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Melissa Jo Alvarado for a registration violation on U.S. 131 near U.S. 12 about 10 p.m. Alvarado drove north on U.S. 131 before her vehicle …

A 59-year-old man who attacked and cut a 38-year-old man last week in Centreville has been arrested. Around 5:30 p.m. Friday, St. Joseph County sheriff’s deputies were called to Keystone Place, 505 E. Market St., after a man reportedly had been stabbed. Deputies arrived and found the man responsible for the assault. He was tased and arrested. The victim received minor …

A 25-year-old man from Clinton County died after the single-engine plane he was flying crashed over the weekend in Branch County’s Bethel Township, east of Bronson. State police said Phillip Ching, of Elsie, was crop dusting a field near Kosmerick and South Snow Prairie roads when the plane went down around 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Witnesses told police the plane was …