Government

A new monitor/defibrillator is on its way to the Sturgis ambulance network next year. City commission members last week approved $40,000 for the purchase of a Lifepak 15v4 monitor/defibrillator from Stryker Corp. Sturgis Department of Public Safety Director Ryan Banaszak said the fire division was in need of another cardiac monitor for its third ambulance. Since adding the spare/transfer ambulance …

A 27-year-old man survived for six days on only rainwater while pinned tightly inside his crashed pickup truck beneath a highway bridge in northwest Indiana. His ordeal ended when two men scouting for fishing spots Tuesday afternoon noticed the badly damaged vehicle, its white airbag deployed, and reached inside. “They touched the body, and the person turned their head and …

An attempted recall of the five-member White Pigeon Township Board is no longer valid due to timing. With less than a year before their terms on the board expire, supervisor Don Gloy, treasurer Trudy Gloy, clerk Lacie Pletcher, and trustees Jean Tefft and Vince Schroen, will not be subject to a recall. County clerk Lindsay Oswald said state law prohibits …

St. Joseph County officials agreed to renew a contract with Kalamazoo County for year-round disposal of household hazardous waste. During their monthly board meeting Dec. 19, commissioners OK’d a proposal to continue the arrangement that started in May. County administrator Teresa Doehring said the service is provided to St. Joseph County residents and allows for drop-off of hard-to-dispose-of items such …

Speed was considered a factor in a crash involving a Sturgis man last week in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly before 1 p.m. Friday to an area on Birch Road, north of Chapel Hill Street. Behnke said 22-year-old Tyler Meringa was driving north on Birch Road, where he attempted to negotiate a curve …

St. Joseph County commissioners made a number of appointments and re-appointments during their monthly meeting last week. First, appointments were made to the county’s Planning Commission: Greg Dohm, Kathy Pangle, Robert Horton and Rick Shaffer were tapped to serve on the panel. Next, commissioners agreed to appoint Teresa Doehring, Bronwyn Drost, Andrew Kuk and Jessica Miller to the county’s Brownfield …

The Sturgis Department of Public Safety was dispatched to a residential fire in the 600 block of South Park Street. According to an agency media release, personnel responded at 9:25 p.m. Monday. First-responding crews observed fire extending from the first to the second floor on the north side of the home. It eventually spread into the attic. There were no …

A Barry County woman was injured in a one-vehicle crash last Friday in Cass County’s LaGrange Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said 30-year-old Savanna Holder was driving north on M-62 around 11:55 p.m. Investigators said Holder lost control of her vehicle near Cherry Grove Street. Her car left the roadway and struck a tree. She was treated at Borgess Lee Memorial …

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working alongside the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department to decrease impaired driving. Starting Friday and continuing through Jan. 1, sheriff’s deputies will be participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement period. ln support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of local residents, …

Michigan State Police “Stuff a Blue Goose” event generated a considerable amount of holiday food and toys for less fortunate families in St. Joseph County. The one-day collection took place Dec. 2 outside Walmart stores in Three Rivers and Sturgis. Sgt. Todd Peterson said the 2023 drive netted nearly 900 pounds of food and about 1,400 toys at the Three …