St Joseph County

The St. Joseph County Board of commissioners Tuesday postponed a work session slated to take place Monday with representatives from Holland-based 2 Fish Company, a marketing firm in line to potentially help the county promote itself to Chicago-area residents as a retirement destination. County officials agreed incoming administrator J. Patrick Yoder should be in attendance when the meeting takes place. …

Members of the Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education Monday approved a three-year contract with the Sturgis Educational Association. The contract includes half a percent salary increase for the first year, and “wage openers” for the second and third years, according to Vicki Watson, director of finance. In a related matter, assistant superintendent Julie Evans said the calendar has been …

Michigan had a tenth-of-a-percent gain in population from July 2011 to July 2012, according to U.S. Census data. Estimated figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau show Michigan will gain 6,559 new residents since July last year, pushing its population to more than 9.8 million. It would be Michigan’s first net increase since 2004. Locally, St. Joseph County is on …

The Sister City Committee has confirmed the dates of Sturgis’ next trip to Wiesloch, Germany. The group will leave Aug. 22 and fly direct from Detroit to Wiesloch, arriving on Aug. 23. Travelers will stay with their host family for four days and the group leaves for home Aug. 27. However, the committee has arranged for an extended trip to …

Various tools, a 50-inch flat screen television, and a computer and accessories were reported taken earlier this month from a residence in White Pigeon Township. Michigan State Police investigators said the incident likely occurred between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. March 4 at a residence on Dickinson Road. Details about access to the residence were not indicated in a department …

Officials from the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation unit have determined faulty kitchen appliances were the cause of a March 8 fire that destroyed two businesses in downtown Colon. Sgt. Scott LeRoy said the investigation traced appliances in the rear of Curly’s bar as the source of the fire, which destroyed the business and an adjacent real estate office to …

Steve Chadwick, a biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, will be the keynote speaker at Wednesday’s St. Joseph County Conservation District annual meeting. Chadwick will focus on the disease EHD and its impact on the whitetail deer population. Tickets for the event, which includes dinner, are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. The dinner and program …

A 35-year-old Sturgis man was taken into custody after he was apprehended during a home invasion last week. According to Sturgis Police, the man entered a home in the 200 block of Jean Street around 1:40 a.m. Friday through its back door. Upon arrival, police apprehended the man in the living room of the residence. He was charged with burglary, …

The Tamarack Rail Trail is the name given to a proposed trail to connect Sturgis and Coldwater. The moniker was chosen during a meeting last week in Bronson, where nearly two dozen people pondered names and came to a consensus in recognition of the numerous tamarack trees planted along the route when it served as a railroad line between the …

The chief operating officer for Nature’s Fuel said the Constantine site once considered for a St. Joseph County location is off the table. Glenn Johnson said the Fort Wayne-based company found the expense related to settling at the former Rexam plant in the Constantine business park too great. He said all new electrical wiring at the north end of the …