UNION CITY — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for three Michigan counties after multiple tornadoes on Friday killed four people and injured dozens more.

Whitmer officially declared the emergency Sunday for Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties.

“Our entire state is wrapping its arms around Three Rivers, Union City, Edwardsburg, and everywhere in between,” Whitmer said in a social media post on Sunday. “Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones and the Michiganders who were injured.”

The declaration authorizes the use of “all available” state resources to assist local response and recovery efforts. It also allows communities to request financial assistance from the state.

Among the fatalities was a 12-year-old boy, Silas Anderson, whose parents reported him missing soon after the storm struck before finding him. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said.

A lone supercell moved through Cass, St Joseph, and Branch counties around 3:15 p.m. Friday.

A preliminary assessment  by the National Weather Service determined three tornadoes:

• Edwardsburg (Cass County): EF-1 with max winds of 95 mph]
• Three Rivers (St. Joseph County): EF2 max with max Winds of 130 mph]
• Union City (Branch County): EF3  with max winds of 160 mph]

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LAKEVILLE -- The two people found dead from a suspected drug overdose have been identified.

St. Joseph County Police were called, during the overnight hours of Monday morning, Dec. 19, to an area at the corner of Oak and Stanton roads south of Lakeville where they found Jennifer Ann Kelley, 30, of Walkerton and Tracy May Burns, 26, of Walkerton dead inside a vehicle.

Burns had been reported as missing to Marshall County law enforcement around 11 p.m. on Sunday night, after having last been seen by her boyfriend around 6 p.m. that evening.

Drugs and paraphernalia were found in the vehicle.

At this time, both deaths are under investigation by the County Police and County Coroner, but a fatal drug overdose is the suspected cause of death of both Kelly and Burns.

Anybody with information about this incident is asked to call the St. Joseph County Police
Department at 574-235-9569 or Michiana Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP.

The post Victims in apparent double overdose identified appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

Indiana State Police say the vehicle parked at the toll booth Thursday morning at the Notre Dame exit was still running when officers arrived. Officers also noticed one of the vehicle’s tires was flat and missing.

The driver reportedly showed signs of impairment and would even pass out as a trooper talked to him, according to Indiana State Police.

The driver was arrested and initially charged with OWI and possession of a controlled substance. He was also reportedly found with several pills believed to be Klonopin.

He was taken to St. Joseph County Jail. He was not identified by officers because charges are still pending.

The post Walkerton man found passed out in toll lane near Notre Dame exit appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WNDU reports the restaurant was ordered to close shop on Tuesday May 2.

At Monday’s meeting, St. Joseph County Food Service Director Carolyn Smith reacted to photos taken at last week’s inspection.

"I've not in a long, long time seen the degree of food accumulation and uncleanliness... It's a mess," said Smith.

Many critical violations were corrected at the time of inspection like an “open employee beverage on table with clean utensils” and “Raw [sealed] chicken stored over cooked new potatoes in walk in cooler.”

After visiting the restaurant on Monday afternoon, the inspector found a few more violations. The restaurant will not reopen until they pass inspection, but will be on a 6-month probation upon reopening. The restaurant is also charged with a $200 fine.

• See photos of the violations
• Read the full inspection report

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