Business

Michigan tied for having the fourth highest unemployment rate in the nation in July, according to figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both Michigan and Georgia had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.8 percent last month. Nevada topped the rankings with a 9.5 percent unemployment rate, followed by Illinois at 9.2 percent. While Rhode Island and North …

An Auburn Hills man is facing time in prison after pleading guilty for his role in a retail fraud scheme that bilked Home Depot stores in 13 states out of more that $300,000. Mlive.com reports 47-year-old Christopher Smith pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud last week in Flint U.S. District Court. He’s accused in a scheme that stretched …

A potential misdemeanor charge against St. Joseph County Commissioner Don Eaton will be decided by Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. The neighboring county was chosen Friday by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office to review the case. Eaton is an elected official and, following protocol, the matter must be delegated outside the county he represents. The case against Eaton stems from …

Charges of violating a permit related to a concealed pistol license could be imposed on a member of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Second District Commissioner Don Eaton could be charged with a misdemeanor related to an incident that originated July 29 at the Sturgis Applebee’s restaurant. Eaton, 53, said he retrieved from his vehicle a pistol as …

A Sturgis woman has died as the result of a motorcycle accident Wednesday night in Constantine Township. Carrie Gay, 30, died Thursday at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, where she was airlifted following the accident at Dickinson and Burke roads. She was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by 32-year-old Charles Barfell, of Sturgis. He remains in serious condition at …

Glen Oaks Community College is offering classes that will teach students how to develop applications for mobile phones. The newly created Mobile Phone Applications Development certificate program begins this fall at the Centreville-area school. Patricia Morgenstern, associate dean of extended learning and workforce development, said the program will teach students how to build, test and market their Android and iPhone …

A $1.3 billion project is moving forward to replace a 210-mile oil pipeline that stretches across Michigan and caused a 2010 spill.  Enbridge Inc. last month began the second phase of construction on Line 6B and it should be in service by mid-2014. Thousands of sections of pipeline are at a site in the Mendon area. The company has five …

Two of three people involved in a breaking-and-entering incident in downtown Sturgis were arrested early Sunday after they attempted to flee from officers. According to the Sturgis Police Department, a 22-year-old Sturgis man and a 15-year-old male were arrested after officers were called at 2 a.m. Sunday to the 100 block of West Chicago Road in response to a sound …

A Three Rivers man was cited for failure to yield after he was involved in a two-vehicle accident last week. According to the Three Rivers Police Department, Larry McNair, 49, turned left from Main Street onto Michigan Avenue when he was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by Jennifer Hertsel, 30, of Three Rivers. She was treated for undisclosed injuries …

Officials from St. Joseph County’s largest employer are hoping a job fair this weekend will help fill 200 positions. American Axle & Manufacturing is staging the event 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at its Three Rivers plant. The Detroit-based company is filling the openings as a result of 500 positions created to accommodate production of its EcoTrac driveline system. …