County Information

St. Joseph County officials this week signed off on a four-year, $1.2 million agreement involving a partnership with Kalamazoo-based Southwest Michigan Partnership. The agreement, reached Tuesday during the county commission’s first meeting of 2012, involves the seven-member commission, the St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation and Southwest Michigan Partnership. As a result, SMP will assign three full-time employees to work …

The city of Sturgis has announced that recycling collection for homes on the north side of U.S. 12 will be today, one day later than usual. Due to the New Year’s holiday, Borden Waste-Away, the city’s recycling contractor, is off a day from its normal schedule. The regular schedule of Thursday pickup will resume starting next week, when curbside recycling …

Slippery roads are blamed for a two-vehicle accident that left a 48-year-old Marcellus woman injured. The Cass County Sheriff’s Department said Rosemarie Guest was traveling west on Marcellus Highway around 6 a.m. Wednesday when she lost control of her vehicle near Finch Road. Guest drove off the roadway then reentered the road, striking an oncoming vehicle, sheriff deputies said. Guest …

Members of three city boards in Three Rivers will be expected to take training shortly after their appointment, Mayor Tom Lowry and city commissioners decided Tuesday. The training will be required of new members who join the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Commission and the Board of Appeals. Lowry indicated recommendations made by the three panels are important and …

The duties of St. Joseph County treasurer will be assumed by chief deputy Vicky Anders, a three-member committee has decided. After an agreement with its first choice failed to materialize over salary, the St. Joseph County Statutory Appointment Committee decided Wednesday to leave the post vacant for the time being. Current treasurer Phyllis Bainbridge is retiring at the end of …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department has identified two men responsible for the theft of about $4,000 worth of electronic items and other merchandise at the Sturgis Walmart. Police said Sturgis resident Samuel Stidams, 31, and Matthew Stidams, 30, of Bronson, were arrested following a joint investigation between the Sturgis Department of Public Safety, and sheriff’s departments in St. Joseph …

Indiana Michigan Power has received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to set interim rates, as proposed by the Ft. Wayne, Ind.-based company in November. As a result, I &M will begin to recover $16 million in annual revenue retroactive to Jan. 1, until a final order from the commission is received regarding the company’s rate case filed in …

Here’s a reminder that Three Rivers municipal officials are looking for citizens interested in serving on one of many advisory committees that lack full membership. The positions available are: two seats on the city’s planning commission; one spot on the Local Officers Compensation Commission; two positions on the Airport Park Industrial Board; one spot with the Park Board; and one …

Investigators with the Michigan State Police at White Pigeon are looking into separate cases of a man using a red light atop his vehicle to pull over and approach women alone in their cars. Twice on Saturday, women were pulled over by the suspect. One incident took place on U.S. 131 at Gleason Road in Fabius Township and the other …

Two men in their early 30s were arrested Monday following a month-long investigation into several incidents of retail fraud at the Sturgis Walmart. The two men, whose names and hometowns were not released, entered the store on three occasions and stole about $4,000 worth of electronic items. Walmart security noticed the suspects entering the store Monday and detained the two …