Government

Deputy Dan Herman was named St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department “Employee of the Month” for April. The award was presented by Undersheriff Jason Bingaman and Capt. TJ Baker last week. Herman was nominated after he responded to a 911 call regarding a female running from a male who had fired a gun. No one was at the location when Herman …

A building that housed a diner and two upper-level apartment units was destroyed by fire early Friday in Burr Oak. Three people were present in the apartments at the time of the blaze, but were able to escape safely, fire officials said. Burr Oak Township Fire Department was dispatched to the fire shortly after midnight. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered flames …

Michigan State Police is conducting a joint investigation with Michigan’s Department of Corrections into an incident of smuggling contraband into the Lakeland correctional facility in Coldwater. The suspect is a 69-year-old attorney from Livonia. The attorney faces felony offenses involving illegal controlled substances being brought into the prison under the guise of an attorney-client visit. The investigation started last month, …

Authorities are investigating the theft of a kayak taken last week in Florence Township. Michigan State Police troopers were called to the 16000 block of Mintdale Road in response to a kayak stolen between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday. The kayak is a Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, light blue in color with black accents. A double paddle, black in …

Sturgis Planning Commission members this week voted to not recommend urban chickens in town. Despite Monday’s vote, members of the Sturgis City Commission may proceed as they wish, as the planning commission is a recommending body to aid city commissioners in making an informed decision. If the city commission decides to move forward, the planning commission would support the measure …

A Sturgis man was injured last weekend after failing to stop at a stop sign in LaGrange County. Authorities said Jamie Espinal-Albor, 33, was driving north on LaGrange County Road 100 East on Saturday when he failed to stop at the intersection of State Road 120. Espinal-Albor’s vehicle pulled into the path of an eastbound sheriff’s department SUV. Its lights …

A union leader representing several St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department employees questioned the county board about not sharing a portion of federal funds the county received last year. Greg Algier, representing Police Officers Association of Michigan and Command Officers Association of Michigan, told commissioners Tuesday he is hopeful consideration will still be given to financially rewarding the union employees. Algier …

The family of an elderly woman, missing since late May, is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the sheriff’s office is continuing its search for 73-year-old Marilee Furlong, who was last seen May 29 in the area of Flatbush Road in Flowerfield Township. Bingaman said Furlong’s family is offering a $10,000 reward …

A plea agreement has been reached with a Branch County man related to his role in a fatal car crash last year. Prosecutor Zach Stempien said the agreement was made with Dylan Sadger. The 19-year-old Sadger in May 2022 was behind the wheel of a SUV traveling east on Sikorski Road in Bethel Township. Sadger failed to stop at the …

An Illinois man was injured in a single-vehicle crash last weekend in Cass County’s Howard Township. Sheriff’s deputies were called shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday to M-60, near Lake Shore Drive, in response to a car that had gone off the roadway. The driver, 23-year-old Jelani Clark, of Flossmoor, was driving on M-60 when he lost control of his vehicle. …