Direct deposit for county employees

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a plan to issue paychecks to county employees by direct deposit or through a payroll debit card only

The measure will be implemented with the April 12 payday for the two-week pay period ending April 8.

Finance director Joni Smith said no longer hand-delivering checks to employees will save staff in the payroll office time they currently spend sorting and distributing several dozen paychecks every other Friday.

A financial savings, however, is not likely to be realized, Smith said.

Fatal fire in Kalamazoo

Three children died after they were trapped in an upstairs apartment when a fire broke out at an apartment complex in Kalamazoo Monday afternoon.  Dispatchers say that the fire was fully involved when Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers responded to the Interfaith Apartments on the city’s north side.  The Kalamazoo Gazette reports 3-year-old twins Tevin and Tinya Williams and 1-year-old Tyonna Henderson were identified by family as children killed. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. They were reportedly home alone when the blaze broke out.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  (MRN)

Passer-by calls 911

The Three Rivers Fire Department was called last week to a second-floor residence in the downtown district, where a passer-by called the 911 dispatch center to report seeing smoke inside the residence.

Personnel were dispatched to 2 N. Main St. at 2:25 am Friday, as the caller also reported hearing smoke detectors going off.

With assistance from the Three Rivers Police Department, firefighters alerted occupants and searched for the source.

The source of the smoke was found to be an unattended pan on the stove. One occupant was evaluated but not treated or transported. Fire crews used a positive-pressure fan to ventilate smoke from the apartment.

Man rescued from icey lake

Three area agencies were successful in pulling a man from Pleasant Lake after he fell through ice Thursday morning.

The Three Rivers Fire Department, Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department and the St. Joseph County Dive Rescue team were dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. to the Fabius Township location.

Two lake residents used an extension ladder and rope to try saving the man, but they halted their effort after realizing it was too great of a risk, according to Three Rivers Fire Chief Dan Tomlinson.

Rescue personnel eventually pulled the man from the water and he was taken to Three Rivers Health for observation.

A Three Rivers Fire Department responder fell through the ice but was quickly rescued and uninjured.

Fire contained quickly

A fire was quickly contained early Wednesday at a residence in Lockport Township.

Firefighters were called at 12:30 a.m. to the 60000 block of Lutz Road, where fire personnel reported the residence filling with smoke.

A wood- burning stove in the basement was found to be the source of the fire.

Damage to the residence was limited, firefighters said.

Body Shop sustains fire damage

Members of the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department helped quickly extinguish a fire Tuesday morning at a Lockport Township business.

Department officials said the early morning blaze was at K&D Body Shop, in the 57000 block of Haines Road. The fire started in and was limited to a bay area where cars are serviced.

Firefighters said damage was minimal.

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