Government

ServPro of St. Joseph and Cass counties earlier this month conducted its second annual Smoke Detector giveaway, joining up with the Three Rivers Fire Department as part of the promotion. After handing out 75 detectors at last year’s event, the drive pushed past 350 detectors given out in a two-hour span. The giveaway coincided with Fire Prevention Week. ServPro owner …

Sturgis Bank & Trust has developed a long-term lease for the 32-space parking lot behind its property, between South Nottawa and south Monroe streets, in Sturgis. The lease with the city of Sturgis has an initial term of 20 years that began Oct. 1, with the option to renew for three succeeding periods of 20 years. Rent will be $1 …

The Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program has announced the release of its new image for downtown Three Rivers. Brian Persky, executive director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street, said the procedure is a first step in the DDA’s image-building campaign to help raise awareness of the goods and services offered downtown. The new image presents the Three Rivers community as …

A ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place at 4 o’clock this afternoon for the Children’s Trauma Assessment Group of St. Joseph County. Located next to the county’s United Way headquarters in Centreville, the CTAG provides a 24-hour, comfortable environment where children can talk to law-enforcement officials in conducting sensitive cases. The only area location available for such an assessment is at Western …

A father and son were arrested at a Florence Township residence last week on a charge of felony possession of stolen property. State police said the incident dates to September, when a four-wheel ATV was stolen from a residence in the 17000 block of Banker Street in Florence Township. On Oct. 20, the victim and a friend posed as prospective …

St. Joseph County Clerk and Register of Deeds Pattie Bender has announced the Register of Deeds department will go-live with eRecording starting next week. Beginning Monday, the department will offer the additional avenue for recording documents, as the department takes the next step in the advancement of technology, Bender said. She noted that the department will continue to have the …

The city of Three Rivers has been awarded a Housing Resource Fund grant to rehabilitate downtown apartments, according to State Rep. Matt Lori. The Constantine-area resident said the $379,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will assist downtown property owners with the renovation of upstairs spaces that have been vacant for many years. The grant …

Two people were hospitalized following a two-vehicle accident last week in Constantine Township. State police said Three Rivers resident Esther Bowman was driving west on Featherstone Road shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, when she failed to stop at Lutz Road. Bowman’s vehicle struck a trailer loaded with RV trailer frames. The trailer was hitched to a northbound Ford truck driven …

The September unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by one-tenth of a percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 5.2 percent September unemployment rate was more than August’s 5.1 percent. September’s unemployment rate, however, was a full 2 percent less than the same …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit last week performed parole/probation-compliance checks on residences in conjunction with parole agents with the Michigan Department of Corrections. As part of Operation Night Hawk investigators from SCAN and agents from the DOC on Thursday checked six separate residences. Four individuals were arrested, with charges ranging from outstanding warrants, parole violations and …