St Joseph County

Site Selection magazine has ranked the Sturgis micropolitan – a region that includes St. Joseph County – No. 23 on its list of the 2012 Top Micropolitans. The ranking represents the number of new facility and facility-expansion projects as tracked and reported by Conway Data Service’s New Plant Report. Ron Kitchens, chief executive officer of Southwest Michigan First, said the …

Constantine alumnus and former football coach Dave Horn has offered to spearhead fundraising efforts to benefit upgrades at Sweetland Stadium. Members of the district’s board of education have been presented three architectural drawings featuring various upgrades at the football, and track-and-field complex. Horn has started the push for potential improvements and the process will include feedback from the public. Costs …

After two delays, the Michigan Department of Transportation is set to begin next week road construction on M-216 in Flowerfield Township. Starting Monday, the road will be closed west of the U.S. 131 intersection for a $1.8 million reconstruction project. A detour will follow Pulver, Johnson and Flowerfield roads. The roadwork is set to be completed in June. Previous start …

A 21-year-old Three Rivers-area man and his 21-year-old passenger were treated for injuries following a one-vehicle crash earlier this week in Fabius Township. St. Joseph County Sheriff’s department officials said Kennith Criddle was driving east on Coon Hollow Road when his vehicle left the roadway near Ferguson Road and went down an embankment. The incident occurred shortly after 1 a.m. …

Glen Oaks Community College officials have announced three new associate degree programs in visual arts beginning in the fall. The associate of arts in visual arts degree has emphasis in three areas: graphic design, fine art and commercial photography. Developing the trio of new programs was a two-year process that involved evaluating the market for visual arts, the school’s ability …

A wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked behind a business in White Pigeon, according to state police officials. An employee at Mancino’s said his vehicle was damaged and the wallet stolen from inside the vehicle between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Two area high school boys basketball players received state accolades for their performance on the hardwood. Sturgis junior Chance Stewart, who has already verbally committed to a football scholarship at the University of Wisconsin, was named to the Associated Press Class B, all-state honorable mention team. Stewart averaged 18.5 points a game in leading the Trojans to a 14-9 season …

A White Pigeon man will spend at least two years in prison for his role in setting fire to a residence in White Pigeon Township last year. Terry Streib, 74, was sentenced earlier this month by Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman for setting fire last July to a house on Aldrich Lake Road. During court proceedings, Streib indicated he started …

Latex paint has been added to the list of materials accepted at a hazardous waste collection in Centreville next month, for a fee of a $1.00 per can. The St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee-sponsored event April 20 will accept, for the first time, latex paint. Other hard-to-dispose-of items accepted during the collection include televisions, computer products, old tires, expired …

Staff and administrators at the St. Joseph County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will take 23 collective furlough days to help improve the agency’s financial standing. During Tuesday’s monthly CMHSAS Board meeting, executive director Liz O’Dell said management will be taking seven unpaid days off, while staff members will take a total of six. O’Dell will take 10 …