News

A 38-year-old Leonidas man was recently sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. John Feek was sentenced last week by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman after pleading guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct. In return for his plea, several other criminal sexual conduct, computer crimes and child-abuse charges were not prosecuted. Feek was credited with 287 days served …

Sturgis voters will decide Nov. 3 whether residents of single-family homes will be able to have three dogs at their residence. Members of the city commission last week approved language for a possible dog-ordinance amendment and have sent it to St. Joseph County Clerk Lindsay Oswald. If voters approve the amendment, owning three dogs within the city limits will require …

The Michigan State Police Post at Coldwater, which has jurisdiction in St. Joseph County, has added two recent graduates. Rudyard native Robert English and Lynard Oliver II of Jackson will begin their law-enforcement careers with the agency. The pair was a part of the 128th Trooper Recruit School graduation last week. A total of 62 people were in the class.

About a quarter of the motorists involved in a massive 193-vehicle pileup during a winter storm on a southwestern Michigan freeway were fined. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports Thursday that 48 drivers collectively paid more than $5,600 for driving too fast for road conditions or impeding traffic in the Jan. 9 pileup on Interstate 94 near Galesburg. Details of the fines …

Former Michigan lawmaker Harry Gast, a straight-talking Republican who served for 32 years and led the state Senate’s budget panel his final 18 years in the Capitol, died Thursday. He was 94. The farmer from St. Joseph was respected for delivering budget news bluntly to legislators and telling them what they did not always want to hear. He served in …

A Michigan city has won a dispute over a homeowner’s tall grass in a case that went to the second-highest court in the U.S. A federal appeals court says Howell didn’t violate the rights of a man who was charged $600 for failing to mow grass on a strip near his curb. In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, the court says …

  United Methodist clergy and churchgoers have held a press conference outside the bishop’s office in Lansing in support of an openly gay pastor who says he was forced to resign. More than 50 supporters of the Rev. Benjamin Hutchison were at the demonstration on Tuesday. Advocates taped a pledge to the office door asking for LGBT inclusiveness in the …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department investigated a larceny from a motor vehicle at a residence in the 56300 block of Buckhorn Road in Park Township. The theft is suspected to have taken place between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. It was reported at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Six people were recently reappointed to serve on the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Board. County commissioners agreed to reappoint Allen Balog, Barbara Fisher, Charles Thompson, Dawn Everett, Jim MacTavish and Joseph Heivilin. Their terms will expire June 30, 2017. In an unrelated matter, county commissioners approved permission to fill the position of probation officer following the resignation of …

A Three Rivers-area man is at the Branch County jail following a police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle. Around 6:45 p.m. Sunday, Michigan State Police attempted to stop a vehicle with improper plates in the area of U.S. 12 and St. Joseph Road. The driver fled south on St. Joseph Road, but eventually pulled over and gave himself up. Christopher …