Government

Michigan’s attorney general filed felony charges Tuesday against 16 Republicans who acted as fake electors for then-President Donald Trump in 2020, accusing them of submitting false certificates that confirmed they were legitimate electors despite Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, announced Tuesday that all 16 people would face eight criminal charges, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery. …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday signed a bipartisan package of bills into law to expand voter rights by allowing early voting and early tabulation of absentee ballots across Michigan. The legislation, which resulted from the voter-approved Proposal 2, establishes a website for voters to track when their ballots are received and counted, and requires at least nine days of early voting before …

A Vicksburg man died in a single-vehicle crash over the weekend in Fabius Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies were called Saturday, shortly before midnight, to an area on Corey Lake Road, east of Knevels Court, in response to a personal-injury crash. Deputies said 24-year-old Triston Bradshaw was driving a vehicle east on Corey Lake Road, where his vehicle lost …

An Elkhart man was hospitalized after he walked into traffic onto U.S. 131 in White Pigeon Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies were called shortly before 4:30 a.m. Monday to U.S. 131, south of Indian Prairie Road, in response to a car-versus-pedestrian incident. Investigators said a 40-year-old Three Rivers man was driving south on U.S. 131 when a 39-year-old Elkhart …

A motorcyclist was injured over the weekend in a crash southeast of Mendon. State Police troopers responded Saturday to the intersection of M-66 and Jacksonburg Road in response to a single-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Investigators said the motorcyclist was driving at a high rate of speed northbound on M-66. A witness told authorities the driver lost control of the …

St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman says the agency plans to use grant money to enforce a new law that went into effect last week. Three House bills focusing on districted driving went into effect Saturday. Essentially, the law forbids use of a hand-held cell phone while driving. This includes use of a mobile electronic device to do any task, …

Two Shipshewana women died following a two-vehicle crash last week in White Pigeon Township. St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said deputies were called shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday to Indian Prairie Road, near Kalamazoo Road, in response to a personal-injury incident. Investigators said an Escalade driven by a 19-year-old Lagrange County man was heading west on Indian Prairie when …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a criminal-damage-to-property incident in Calhoun County’s Marengo Township. Law-enforcement officials said an object was thrown through the window of a chapel door between 11:30 a.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m. Thursday. The incident occurred at St. Mary’s Cemetery.

The use of handheld cellphones while driving a car will be outlawed in Michigan, and will take effect this Friday, June 30th, under legislation signed earlier this month by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The new law will expand Michigan’s ban on texting and driving to apply to all handheld cellphone use while operating a motor vehicle, including making calls or scrolling …

A Mendon native and Lockport Township resident formalized the fact he is seeking the four-year term of sheriff, up for grabs in the August 2024 primary. Chad Spence filed paperwork in April but staged his first public media event Monday outside the St. Joseph County Courthouse. Spence, 49, used the occasion to announce, if elected, his undersheriff would be David …