Government

Indiana man gets 60 years in woman’s 2019 torture-slaying

A northern Indiana man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty for his role in the 2019 torture-slaying of a woman whose body was dumped in southern Michigan. An Elkhart County judge who sentenced Matthew Murzynski on Thursday ordered that the Elkhart man be incarcerated, for his own safety, in a different prison from two other …

Read More »

Larceny in Nottawa Township

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating a larceny from a motor vehicle that occurred around 5 p.m. Wednesday in Nottawa Township. The victim was mowing a field adjacent to Nottawa Road, near Wasepi Road. Authorities said the victim had parked her car at the edge of the field while her 13- and 11-year-old sons remained inside the vehicle. The suspect …

Read More »

Two suspects arrested in Branch County

Two people were arrested on drug-related offenses as well as suspected stolen property. State police troopers stopped a vehicle pulling a trailer Tuesday on U.S. 12 near Fiske Road after noticing an equipment violation. Troopers discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen from Steuben County, Indiana. The driver, a 39-year-old man from Union City, and the passenger, a 36-year-old woman …

Read More »

Two injured in Park Township crash

A dump truck collided with a semi tractor-trailer in Park Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies were dispatched at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Michigan Avenue and Parkville Road. Investigators said a dump truck was traveling south on Parkville Road when its 78-year-old driver, a Constantine resident, failed to stop at the Michigan Avenue intersection. The dump truck …

Read More »

TR man arrested following high speed pursuit

An 18-year-old Three Rivers man was arrested last week after fleeing at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour from police in Park Township. Sheriff Mark Lillywhite said deputies attempted to stop the driver shortly before 7 o’clock Friday evening on M-216 near U.S. 131. Authorities noticed the motorcycle was being driven at a high rate of speed. The …

Read More »

Vicksburg – No smoking in social district

A divided Vicksburg Village Council voted last month to prohibit smoking in the municipality’s newly created social district. By a 4-3 margin, council members agreed to prohibit smoking in the specially marked areas. The measure means anyone who wishes to light up must do so somewhere outside the boundaries of the social district. The matter arose in April, when a …

Read More »

B & E – Several items taken

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident that took place last week in Lockport Township. Investigators were called May 25 to the 56000 block of North Main Street. The victim told authorities that a number of items were stolen, including two boats and an undisclosed quantity of power tools.

Read More »

Virus rules eased outdoors in Michigan; last call gets later

Michigan crossed a threshold in the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday with a lifting of certain restrictions at outdoor events and inside bars and restaurants. Masks no longer are required outdoors, and capacity limits are extinguished at outdoor sports events and concerts. Restaurants and bars can operate indoors at 50% capacity and can stay open past 11 p.m. There’s no limit on …

Read More »

Postal Service looks to raise first-class stamp to 58 cents

The U.S. Postal Service wants to raise rates on first-class stamps from 55 cents to 58 cents as part of a host of price hikes and service changes designed to reduce debt for the beleaguered agency. The request for the changes, which would take effect Aug. 29, was filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission. It includes price hikes for first-class …

Read More »

Local unemployment rate shows a decrease

April’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County dropped by three-tenths of a percent from March. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released last week. It showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate fell from 4.9 percent in March to 4.6 percent in April. The rate was 28.9 percent a year earlier, as April …

Read More »