Government

Injured while trying to board a school bus

Authorities say a 12-year-old boy has been critically injured after being hit by a pickup truck while trying to board a school bus in Calhoun County. The Battle Creek Enquirer and the Kalamazoo Gazette report David Newman was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Kalamazoo after being hit Friday morning in Eckford Township, near Marshall. The sheriff’s department says …

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Formal introduction to county commissioners

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week was introduced to someone they’ll be seeing more frequently later this year. Lindsay Oswald, who last week was appointed to serve the remaining 18 months of Pattie Bender’s term as county clerk and register of deeds, was presented by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman. Oswald will start her appointed term July …

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Make your own arrangements for brush in TR

The city of Three Rivers has announced it will not be conducting a leaf or brush pick up this spring. Furthermore, the city issued a reminder that it is against city ordinance to place yard waste or debris in the street or on the terrace area between the street and the sidewalk. Residents must make their own arrangements to dispose …

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Report from the drain commissioner

St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wenzel said 2014 was another good year for his office. Addressing the county’s board of commissioners, Wenzel said with the additional duties of administering soil-erosion permits, the office is keeping busy and maintaining a high profile in the county. The office in 2014 issued 147 permits and more than 600 inspections were conducted over …

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Amish girl dies in house fire

Authorities say a 3-year-old Amish girl died when a kerosene stove malfunction set her southern Michigan home on fire. The Branch County sheriff’s department says the fire broke out about 11 a.m. Wednesday at a home in Butler Township, east of Coldwater. The Daily Reporter of Coldwater identifies the victim as Leah Graber and says her mother was cooking when …

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I-94 pileup – Citations handed out

Dozens of drivers are being ticketed following January’s massive pileup on snowy Interstate 94 in southwestern Michigan that killed a 57-year-old trucker and closed a stretch of the roadway for two days, police announced Thursday. Traffic citations for 63 drivers, mostly for traveling too fast for road conditions, come after Michigan State Police completed the investigation into the Jan. 9 …

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An addition for the courthouse building

Plans to begin pursuing a major addition to a portion of the St. Joseph County Courthouse were approved Tuesday by members of the county commission. The idea calls for a two-story addition to the west side of the current courts building. Each floor of the proposed rectangular-shaped addition would exceed more than 7,000 square feet and be designated for circuit, …

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County commission news

All seven members of the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority Board were reappointed to serve two more years following action this week by the county commission. The terms of every board member expire April 1, prompting the county commission to act on the reappointment Tuesday, their last meeting before the first of the month. Returning to the transportation authority board …

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Theft investigation

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched last week to Mottville Township in response to a stolen semi tractor. The incident, which was reported last Friday, occurred in the 69000 block of M-103 in Mottville Township. The semi is a blue 1994 Peterbilt with the words “TMX Industries LLC White Pigeon” on both doors.

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Embezzlement charges against Three Rivers teacher

A charge of felony embezzlement has been leveled against Three Rivers High School teacher Sara Freeman following her initial court appearance Monday. District Court Judge Jeff Middleton handled the preliminaries of the case, which involves the alleged embezzlement of more than $20,000. Freeman, 33, is a language arts teacher at the school. But in her additional capacity as yearbook advisor, …

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