St. Joseph County E-911 Central Dispatch has announced the monthly weather siren tests for 2021 will begin Saturday. Director Dennis Brandenburg said the emergency sirens will be activated simultaneously countywide at 12:05 p.m. Brandenburg explained after the test, every fire department in the county will be surveyed to confirm its members heard the sirens and if the sirens rotated properly. …

The city of Sturgis is offering a Styrofoam recycling collection this weekend. Co-sponsored by Dart Container Corporation, the collection starts at 9 a.m. and concludes at noon Saturday. It will take place at Sturgis Department of Public Services, located on North Centerville Road. Any form of polystyrene foam will be accepted. This includes take-out containers, egg cartons, cups, foam ice …

State police troopers are investigating a motor-vehicle theft that occurred earlier this week in Sturgis Township. According to a department media release, troopers were called Thursday to a trailer park in the 25000 block of U.S. 12 in response to a stolen vehicle. The victim told authorities the theft occurred between 6:20 and 6:40 a.m. The vehicle in question is …

St. Joseph County commissioners approved reappointing three people to the county’s Agriculture Preservation Board. During their board meeting Tuesday, commissioners agreed to reappoint Carolyn Grace, Henry Miller and commissioner Dan Czajkowski. The terms for Grace, who represents the county’s conservation district, and Miller, representing the field of agriculture, are three years each. Czajkowski’s is for one year.

The Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce has announced a limited promotion starting in April. Available to the first 200 participants, the agency’s first raffle starts in April. Chamber officials said a calendar can be purchased for $20. Each day in April, a number will be drawn. Whoever owns the calendar number that matches the drawn number will win the …

St. Joseph County Administrator Teresa Doehring will move forward with the goal of filling a key position. During their Tuesday meeting, members of the county board of commissioners OK’d Doehring’s request to fill the impending vacancy of head of buildings and grounds for St. Joseph County. Incumbent Tim Hochstetler is planning to retire March 31. Doehring said she explored a …

St. Joseph County commissioner Kathy Pangle said the roof over the atrium area inside the county’s Commission on Aging facility in Three Rivers has suffered major leaks and is need of being replaced. The leaks have been so bad that the atrium area was closed for a period, she said. In addition, Pangle noted, the kitchen area has experienced roof …

St. Joseph County Human Resources Commission is sponsoring a virtual “Lunch and Learn” event later this month. The March 16 event will be the first in a series of one-hour “Lunch and Learn” programs covering a variety of human services geared toward non-profits, service leaders, faith-based organizations and others interested in helping others in need. The topic for the upcoming …

After considering several options, the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently selected the theme for this year’s Water Festival. Event organizers said “The Wizard of Oz” has been chosen as the theme for the 2021 event, with the tag line, “There’s no place like home.” According to chamber president and CEO Christy Trammell, the theme resonated with …

State Rep. Steve Carra is calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to revoke settlement funds of more than $155,000 included in a contract with former state health department director Robert Gordon. Gordon resigned last month under what Carra called questionable circumstances. He said Gordon’s former deputy director, Sarah Esty, has also received a separation payout of an undisclosed amount. Carra said …