Government

A home in the 66000 block of Klinger Lake Road in Florence Township was heavily damaged by fire Wednesday afternoon. Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff ’s Department arrived to find the kitchen area on fire. Firefighters were hampered when the blaze spread from the kitchen to an adjacent attic. The fire has been ruled accidental, officials said.

A Constantine man died as a result of a motorcycle crash Monday afternoon shortly after 4pm on South Washington Street on the south side of Constantine. The victim was identified as 61-year-old Daniel White. White was reportedly southbound when a northbound vehicle attempted to make a left hand turn into Whispering Pines Trailer Park. That vehicle was driven by Gail …

A biosolids foam-over event from the Autoheated Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion system Wednesday morning was contained within the newly constructed containment area at the Three Rivers Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to James Baker, plant superintendent. The containment area was constructed to serve as a final protective barrier to prevent biosolids foam from entering Lincoln Street and the city’s storm-sewer system. The …

The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit Wednesday executed a search warrant on a suspected methamphetamine production lab in the 100 block of South Erie Street in Three Rivers. The warrant was the culmination of an ongoing investigation that started with citizen tips, according to sheriff’s department officials. Investigators found numerous components for manufacturing as well as paraphernalia for use …

A state administrative judge has sided with about half of 30 people with disabilities who said their services were illegally cut by the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County. The clients, who were represented by Farmington Hills-based attorney Patricia Dudek, said 25 percent, across-the-board cuts by the Centreville-based agency in January were unfairly and illegally …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has cancelled its no-contact advisory for the St. Joseph River between the sanitary river crossing at Broadway Street in Three Rivers to the Constantine Dam in Constantine. The department last week issued a no-contact health advisory due to a sewage discharge. As the situation was finally under control later in the week, water-quality samples …

Officers from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a home invasion that occurred last week in Park Township. Investigators said access was gained Thursday to a residence in the 54000 block of Wilbur Road through an unlocked door. Prescription medications, coins and a large amount of jewelry were stolen from the residence.

A variety of farm items were stolen last week from a Fabius Township location. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday investigated the theft of items from the 11600 block of M-60. The victim told police the items were likely stolen either Wednesday or Thursday last week. Among the items taken: a Kohler mower with a 60 inch deck, …

The trial is underway for the second of two men accused of murdering a 74-year-old Kalamazoo antiques dealer last summer.  52-year old John Aguilar faces charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, assault with intent to rob and home invasion in the August 2012 death of Robert Medema.  Aguilar and 21-year-old Antonio Livingston were accused of forcing their way into Medema’s …

A Constantine man was duct-taped to a chair and his residence ransacked during an armed robbery over the weekend. Constantine Chief Jim Bedell said two subjects at 10 p.m. Sunday knocked on the door at a residence in the Whispering Pines mobile home community. The victim answered the door and was forced by the two suspects to a chair. The …