The Three Rivers Area Community Foundation (TRACF) has awarded over $20,000 through scholarship endowment funds. The TRACF has been serving the Three Rivers area and surrounding townships since 1975. Its mission is to build endowment funds and redistribute those investment returns back into the hands of the community. By focusing on people, organizations, and sustainability, the Foundation addresses community needs …

Pergolas are now in place at the North Main Street and Railroad Drive entrances to the reconstructed ‘Mural Mall’ in downtown Three Rivers. The structures – components of the new design for the pedestrian walkway and gathering spot connecting the two streets – were installed Tuesday (June 18). “Meet Me at the Mall”, a grand re-opening celebration is set for …

Margaret Shultz has been elected as chairperson of the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging (COA) Board of Directors. Shultz, former Community Resources Coordinator for the Department of Human Services (DHS) in St. Joseph and Cass counties, retired from that position last July after 38 years with DHS. She is now serving in a part-time capacity as the Volunteer Services …

Several closings of the East City Parking Lot in Three Rivers are planned in the next few days to accommodate resurfacing of the facility. According to Christy Trammell, Executive Director of the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the resurfacing project has been planned for several years “and it is finally going to be done.” Trammell said the resurfacing will …

Jon Leonard Griest, 80, of Beverly Hills, Fla., and formerly of Colon, passed away Saturday, June 15, 2013. Jon was born Sept. 10, 1932, in Colon, a son of Gerald G. Griest and Wildred E. Hovarter Griest. He was a graduate of Western Michigan University Delta Sigma Phi and a Korean War veteran. He was a former resident of Edina, …

The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees adopted the college’s 2013-2014 operating budget during its June 17 meeting held on the Dowagiac campus. The budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is a balanced budget of $22,824,000. Board Chairman Dr. Fred L. Mathews said, “Southwestern Michigan College has adopted a structurally balanced budget each and every year since the …

Construction of a nearly five-mile, two-lane US-131 bypass of Constantine – a project that began on February 4th – continues to move forward with a target of completion in November 2013. The project – with an $18 million price tag – includes a new, 870-foot bridge over the St. Joseph River near Riverside Drive, on the southwest side of the …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has endorsed submission of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) FY 2014-2016 Multi-Year Plan to the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging for final review and approval. The action came Tuesday (June 18) following a presentation by Laura Sutter, AAA Coordinator with the Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging (IIIC) housed with …

The Three Rivers City Commission has set Friday, July 12 at noon as the deadline for persons interested in filling the vacancy created by the resignation of At-Large Commissioner David York to submit a Citizen Interest Form to the City Clerk’s office. The determination came Tuesday evening (June 18), the final meeting for York who is moving to Lockport Township …

Ramona Mae Kline, age 84, of Mendon, died Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at Riverview Manor where she had resided the past six months. She was born in Three Rivers on June 2, 1929 the daughter of George and Ruth (Bowersox) Miller. She graduated from Three Rivers High School with the class of 1946. Ramona was married to Maurice S. Kline …