News

A pole barn and its contents were destroyed by fire late Monday at Nissley Disposal. The blaze was reported around 9 p.m. Nissley is located in the 70000 block of South Centreville Road in Sturgis. At least five fire departments responded. Several explosions could be heard from up to a mile away, according to witnesses. An investigation is ongoing.

Republicans who control the Michigan Senate are making the reduction of auto insurance rates a top priority. The first bill introduced in the new two-year session could let older drivers use Medicare or other health insurance to cover their medical costs in an accident. Younger drivers could opt out of Michigan’s mandatory unlimited medical coverage and choose less coverage. The …

NEW YORK (AP) — Sears will live on— at least for now. The company’s chairman and largest shareholder and chairman, Eddie Lampert, won a bankruptcy auction for Sears in New York, averting liquidation of the iconic chain, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The person agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to …

The date for members of the St. Joseph County Planning Commission to hear details of a proposed solar-panel development in Mendon Township has been set. The planning commission will assemble at 7 p.m. Jan. 30. Location of the meeting, however, remains a moving target. Commission secretary Pat Kulikowski said the panel typically meets in the parks and recreation department’s office. …

Glen Oaks Community College is moving forward with a renovation project at a cost of nearly $7 million. Its board of trustees last week voted to approve planning for the project and follows a recent announcement that the college has received nearly $3.5 million in capital outlay funding from the state. The funding requires a 50/50 institution match and since …

St. Joseph County was one of several counties in the state Friday to stage a program marking the 50th anniversary of Michigan’s district court system. In Centreville, current and former judges, staff, members of the bar and courthouse personnel were present in District Court Judge Jeff Middleton’s courtroom to recognize the milestone and share memories of the early days. Middleton …

Southwest Enforcement Team assisted in a drug raid Tuesday in Kalamazoo. The investigation, which began about six months ago, led to the arrest of two men – one from Kalamazoo and the other from California. Lt. Jim Lass said investigators learned a drug-trafficking organization had delivered more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico and police were aware a shipment …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the county’s Parks and Recreation five-year plan next week. Details of the long-range plan were provided during this week’s executive committee meeting and county commissioners agreed the matter should be subject to a public hearing. It will take place at Tuesday’s county commission meeting, which starts at …

Constantine Village Manager Mark Honeysett this week presented the council with a proposed collective bargaining agreement between the village and Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, representing the Constantine Police Department bargaining unit. There are few changes to the current contract, Honeysett said, noting that it calls for a 2.5 percent wage increase for all full- time police officers in the …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department is appealing to the public for help in solving a missing-persons case. Sheriff Brad Balk said deputies are still investigating a case involving Brittany Nichole Shank, a 23-year-old white female. She is described as standing 5-foot-1 and weighing about 100 pounds. Shank has brown hair and hazel-colored eyes. She was last seen shortly before …