No injury after accident

A Colon husband and wife escaped serious injuries after the vehicle they were in went off the roadway and landed near the St. Joseph River.

Michigan State Police officials said a car driven by Jennifer Hargas, 31, was southbound on Farrand Road when she swerved to miss striking a deer near Blossom Road around 9:30 p.m. Thursday in Colon Township

Hargas lost control of her vehicle and drove onto an embankment along the St. Joseph River.

Neither Hargas nor her husband, Steven Hargas II, required medical assistance. She was cited for careless driving, police said.

New surcharge rules for credit cards

Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an alert advising consumers to be mindful of changes to credit card surcharge rules. The AG says that as the new rules take effect, it’s important to make sure that consumers are well-informed. He says, quote, “Retailers are now permitted to charge new fees to MasterCard and Visa cardholders, but they must post notices and follow strict guidelines if they choose to collect the fees.” The surcharge is intended to equal the actual cost of processing the credit card transaction, which is typically between one-point five and three percent. The new surcharge rules come as a result of a recent court settlement between various merchants and Visa and Mastercard. The settlement resolved claims that Visa, Mastercard, and their respective member banks violated the law by imposing and enforcing rules that limited merchants from steering their customers to other payment methods. Schuette notes that while Michigan law does not forbid it, Visa and Mastercard have historically prohibited merchants from imposing a surcharge on credit card purchases.  (MRN)

Residents oppose plan

A group of Centreville residents is voicing opposition to a sidewalk plan in their neighborhood.

Nearly two dozen residents attended this week’s Centreville Village Council meeting to voice concern over sidewalks to be built through a Safe Routes To School grant. The $416,000 to help cover the sidewalk-development cost was awarded last September.

Comments ranged from the need for the sidewalks to concern tax dollars will be used for construction. Village officials reiterated the grant will cover all expenses.

The project is now in the hands of officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The agency is expected to approve the village’s sidewalk plan early next month, with bids awarded by the end of June.

Construction would likely start in July, with the work done before the start of school in September.

Two involved in crash

Two area residents were involved in a car crash Monday in Lockport Township.

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Carol Sission, 77, of Constantine, was southbound on U.S. 131 when she failed to stop at the traffic signal at Wilbur Road. Her vehicle struck a car driven by 29-year-old Colon resident Amber Laclair, who had the right of way and was proceeding through the intersection.

A department media release does not indicate the extent of injuries suffered by Sisson or Laclair.

Woman ticketed for accident

A White Pigeon woman was ticketed for being unable to stop within an assured distance following a two-vehicle accident Monday in Sturgis Township.

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said Tambra Bryant, 48, was cited after she swerved to avoid striking the rear of a car that had slowed on westbound U.S. 12 in front of Lake Area Veterinary Clinic.

Bryant drove onto the north shoulder of the roadway and struck the side of a vehicle turning into the vet clinic. The second vehicle was driven by 61-year-old Julie Outlaw of Sherwood.

Bryant’s vehicle continued across the yard of the vet clinic, striking a bush and concrete sign, and continued into a field west of the business.

Federal appeals court rules

A federal appeals court ruled last week that a jury should decide whether the rights of a Sturgis resident were violated by officers from the Sturgis Police Department.

A three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Friday rendered its opinion regarding the 2010 incident involving then-20-year-old Charles Smith over the theft of a phone charger from Walgreens in Sturgis.

Officers Damon Knapp and Mark Stonebrunner investigated the incident and allegedly used excessive force when attempting to arrest Smith at his residence. Attorneys for Smith claim their client’s head was slammed against a wall as officers handcuffed him, and he also sustained a wrist injury as a result of handcuffs being locked too tightly around his wrists.

Lawyers on behalf of the city indicated Smith was resisting arrest and the force was warranted in order to get him to comply with police. Smith was charged with third-degree retail fraud but he eventually pleaded to a lesser misdemeanor of disturbing the peace.

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