News

A Marcellus man died in a house fire over the holiday weekend. Marcellus firefighters were dispatched to a home on Woodland Street early Sunday afternoon where they found 63-year-old Gordon Booz deceased inside the house. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The November unemployment rate in St. Joseph County remained unchanged compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.9 percent November unemployment rate was equal to October’s figure. November’s unemployment rate was seven-tenths of a percent higher than the same month one year earlier, when the …

Cass County sheriff’s officials have submitted to the prosecutor’s office information regarding a man allegedly impersonating a police officer. The agency last week received a tip from a Jones resident aware of a neighbor on Born Street who matched the description of a subject and his vehicle mentioned in a department press release. A deputy responded to the address and …

A former Three Rivers pastor was sentenced last week on charges related to a case of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. James Bailey was sentenced Thursday by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman to nine months in jail and five years of probation. The 66-year-old’s sentence stems from incidents on two dates early this year at Three Rivers Bible Church. Police said …

Members of the White Pigeon Fire Department continued a long-standing tradition last week. The agency has collected food and non-perishable items for local families and arranged a visit from Santa. Their efforts this year benefitted 60 local families. The collection of items was done over the course of several Saturdays, when firefighters could be found outside Wagoner’s market collecting items. …

The St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department was selected as a recipient of a grant in excess of $100,000, issued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. County grant writer James Hissong said a $46,300 grant through the MDNR Trust Fund program was confirmed for continued development of the county’s river trail network. In addition, a $62,500 grant through …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority announced this week it will once again offer its annual New Year’s Eve “Free Ride Home” next week. Steve Yorks, director of the Three Rivers-based agency, said sponsors are still being lined up but the free ride from and to any St. Joseph County location will start at 10 p.m. Dec. 31 and conclude …

A number of appointments and reappointments to various boards were made by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week. The terms of Jeff Knautz and Steve Houts to the county’s parks and recreation commission were due to expire Dec. 31. Their terms were renewed Tuesday for three more years. Linda Leensvaart was reappointed to the St. Joseph County …

A two-story residence in Sturgis was destroyed by fire Thursday. Sturgis Fire Captain Cody Cripe said crews were called shortly before 6 a.m. to an address on Lakeview Avenue. The first-arriving unit reported a structure with heavy fire showing from the rear of the house. The fire was extending from the basement to the second floor, both interior and exterior. …

Sheriff’s officials responded to an attempted larceny from a motor vehicle early Wednesday in Leonidas Township. According to a department media release, a vehicle driven by a Union City man slid off Shannon Road, near Blossom Road, at 3:23 a.m. The victim was able to flag down a passing motorist, who provided a ride back to the Union City man’s …