Ron Drzewicki’s employment as superintendent of Mason Public Schools is official, as the district’s board of education voted this week to offer a contract. The 50-year-old Drzewicki has served the past six years as superintendent of White Pigeon Community Schools. He was one of 23 applicants for the job as head of the 3,100-student district 15 miles south of Lansing. …

A new director for the St. Joseph County Conservation District was named this week. The employment of Carolyn Grace, a Three Rivers resident and former teacher at Hoppin Elementary, was approved by the conservation district board Wednesday. Grace, 50, has a degree in environmental education. She previously was employed as program director at YMCA Camp Eberhard following a 20-year career in …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved filling the position of Geographic Information System cartographer. The opening was created by virtue of a resignation. In another matter during Tuesday’s meeting, the five-member panel approved the hiring of a probation officer, as Jon Marcus has announced his resignation effective Aug. 29. The position pays $38,000 and it is to be …

Keeping with a successful formula, the Kalamazoo Wings will have a duel National Hockey League affiliation for the 2014-15 season. The K-Wings renewed their affiliation agreement with the Vancouver Canucks and have entered a new two-year agreement with the Columbus Blue Jackets. These agreements mark the fifth time in the past six seasons the K-Wings will have a dual affiliation. …

Dennis L. Hill, 68, of White Pigeon, Mich., died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers, Mich.There will be a small gathering of friend and family at a later date.

The Deer Forest Exotic Animal Sanctuary in southwest Michigan is closing at the end of this season. The announcement was made Tuesday morning, a day after an arrest warrant was issued in Illinois for Jon Stolarz, one of the park’s operators for failing to appear in court in that state in an animal cruelty case.  He and his wife blame …

  HI! My name is Patsy and I am a female tri-color beagle who has already been spayed. I’m about one year old and am a very sweet little girl. I’m not very big – about 23 pounds – so I can fit in with your family very nicely. Being here makes me pretty stressed out so I would like …

  The courts building of the St. Joseph County Courthouse will soon receive attention in hopes of a remedy from perpetual humidity. Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday agreed to a $13,000 expense for the architect and engineer firm Tower Pinkster. A separate arrangement for $2,300 was reached with HVAC contractor C.L. Mahoney Co. of Kalamazoo …

  The Constantine Police Department is assessing damage, as vandals struck a variety of locations in the village Sunday morning. Constantine’s Little League fields suffered the worst of the damage; several buildings were damaged with paint. A park on Water Street also had paint and other damage. Residences on Mill, Station, Depot, White Pigeon and Meadow Lane also were damaged …

A lighthouse near Mackinac Island is available for purchase.  The latest bid for the Round Island Passage Lighthouse was $20,000, as of Tuesday. The sale began Monday with an opening bid of $10,000.  The Detroit Free Press reports the online auction is open to nonprofits only who must register to bid.  The building with a 71-foot tower is on state-owned …