Debris cleaned up from river

A team of 15 people, including six first-time volunteers, gathered over the weekend to pull about 500 pounds of debris from the Fawn River.

The first of five river cleanup events sponsored by the St. Joseph County Conservation District this summer took place Saturday. A four-mile stretch from Fawn River Road to Dickinson Road in White Pigeon Township yielded a collection that included three tires, 250 pounds of railroad ties, a floor safe and four battery-operated toys.

The work was done over a three-hour period and featured the help of four people under the age of 18. A total of three canoes were filled with debris, according to Jen Miller, administrator of the conservation district.

The next cleanup event is June 21 on the Prairie River, from Burr Oak Road to Middle Colon Road in Burr Oak Township.