Government

A preliminary hearing for a former, part-time Constantine reserve officer was postponed and is expected to be rescheduled next week. Raymond McCann II, 46, was supposed to appear for a preliminary hearing Thursday in district court on a charge of perjury. McCann, a Three Rivers resident, is accused of giving false testimony under subpoena two years ago in a case …

Suspects in more than a dozen residential break-ins in a three-county region have been arrested, capping a seven-month investigation. St. Joseph County Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite said four people have been arrested and warrants for seven additional suspects are being sought. The cases stem from incidents in St. Joseph, Branch and Kalamazoo counties. Guns, money, jewelry and electronics are among the …

The St. Joseph County Office of Veterans Affairs has issued a media release, noting that St. Joseph County veterans and their families received more than $20 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2013. Benefits in the form of disability compensation, pension, education, insurance and indemnities were paid directly to the county’s veterans …

A 9-year-old Sturgis boy was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a car last weekend in Constantine Township. A helicopter trying to fly the youth to a Kalamazoo hospital, however, resulted in damage to the AirCare ambulance. Constantine fire officials said the incident occurred around 10 a.m. Sunday in the 25000 block of Riverside Drive. Investigators said …

A faulty extension cord is believed to have been responsible for starting a fire last weekend in Sturgis. Sturgis fire officials said the blaze was reported at 9:50 p.m. Saturday in the 300 block of South Monroe Street. Upon arrival, firefighters noticed smoke emitting from two second-floor bedrooms. The victims told firefighters they attempted to extinguish the fire on their …

A 16-year-old girl from Colon was found to be safe over the weekend, three days after she was reported missing. The Colon Police Department said the girl was last seen leaving Heartwood Renaissance Academy in Three Rivers around 12:45 p.m. Thursday. Police reported she was found Sunday morning in Three Rivers and returned to her residence later in the day. …

The St. Joseph County Conservation District is inviting the public to participate in the first of a series of tree-planting events scheduled to take place over the next year. As part of Project ReLEAF, about 125 native hardwood trees will be planted Thursday morning in a quarter acre area off Marcellus Road in Park Township. The goal is to plant …

Robert and Laurie Rastovski will get a new trial for their claim against North Pointe Insurance Company after their business, Welch’s Steak and Ribs in Sturgis, was leveled in a 2009 arson. The insurance company refused to pay on the policy after it claimed Robert Rastovski had hired an arsonist to burn the business on Fawn River Road. During the …

Legal Services of South Central Michigan will conduct interviews for legal advice and possible representation at no charge to interested seniors. The first event will be 11 a.m. to noon June 13 at Sturgis Senior Center, 304 N. Jefferson St. A second will be 10 to 11 a.m. June 18 at Pine Valley Place, 1050 Canaris St., Constantine. Legal Services …

Unemployment in St. Joseph County was 1 percent lower in April compared to March. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives show the county’s April unemployment figure was 5.5 percent, down from 6.5 percent in March. The 5.5 percent rate was also lower than the county’s 6.9 percent unemployment compared to the same month in 2013. …