News

An Illinois man caused a two-vehicle accident after he ran a stop sign last week in Cass County’s Volinia Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood said Jose Balderas, 54, of Waukegan, Ill., was driving south on Decatur Road when he failed to stop at Marcellus Highway and struck a westbound vehicle driven by Bruce Johnson, 56, of Cassopolis. Johnson was treated at …

State Rep. Aaron Miller earlier this month applauded the House for approving the state budget for fiscal year 2015 to 2016. Miller said the budget will pay down debt liabilities, catch up on payments to the state teacher retirement fund, dedicate general fund dollars to fix Michigan roads, and restore Rainy Day Funds to peak levels that have not been …

The prospect of a new county animal shelter facility remains a possibility, as members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners revisited the issue during a work session Tuesday. Commissioner Rick Shaffer, a member of the animal control advisory board, said he favors a new building over refurbishing the current building. Meanwhile, Commissioner Don Eaton, who has visited facilities …

Speed is considered a factor in a single-vehicle accident last week in Cass County’s Marcellus Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said Norman Hand, 48, of Marcellus, was driving west on 96th Avenue shortly after 9:30 p.m. June 3 when his vehicle left the road, hit an embankment and went airborne. It came to rest after striking a row of trees …

Members of the Mendon Community Schools Board of Education plan to hire Roger Rathburn on an interim basis for the 2015-16 academic year. The district during its 6 p.m. meeting Monday is expected to formalize the agreement that will bring aboard Rathburn to replace Rob Kuhlman. The Mendon board earlier this year voted 4-3 to not renew Kuhlman’s contract, a …

St. Joseph County officials agreed to move forward with the idea of potentially funding new ball fields in Three Rivers and Sturgis. During a board of commissioners work session Tuesday, board members debated the merits of funding tournament-caliber athletic fields in Three Rivers and Sturgis. A trio of Three Rivers officials – mayor Tom Lowry, city manager Joe Bippus and …

Funding for a Sturgis senior center – now being called the Commission on Aging Enrichment Center – continued to be a source of debate during a board of commissioners work session Tuesday. At the onset of discussion, county administrator Pat Yoder laid out a few scenarios regarding funding for the $2.6 million project. Concepts he offered were a one-time county …

A suspect in the May 1 armed robbery of the South Main Street Shell gas station in Three Rivers has turned himself in. Three Rivers police said Cory Joseph Dwyer, 23, turned himself in at the Three Rivers Police Department Tuesday morning. Dwyer was identified last week as a suspect in the armed robbery. Dwyer wore a panda mask as …

A Constantine man who was charged with a weapons-related offense over the weekend was arraigned Monday. Brandon Howard, 28, was arraigned in district court on four counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of felony firearm and one count of fourth-degree child abuse. Troopers were called at 1:20 a.m. to the 11000 block of Millers Mill Road in …

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education has named a temporary, interim superintendent while Jean Logan recovers from a health-related issue. Board president Mike Bosma said Dennis Patzer, who retired a year ago after serving 12 years as chief of Otsego Public Schools, will serve in the capacity for at least a few weeks. Bosma said the duration could …