Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners earlier this month fulfilled their annual financial commitment to a pair of dependent agencies. During the board’s Jan. 16 meeting, it authorized an appropriation of more than $250,000 to Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County. The budgeted funds will be distributed through quarterly transfers by the …

Troopers from Michigan State Police are looking into the theft of a car last week from a business in Mottville Township. Investigators said they were notified at 10:05 p.m. Wednesday about a car taken from the Marathon gas station in the 11000 block of U.S. 12. The victim told authorities she was inside the station paying the cashier and her …

The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging recently received a $750 donation from Farmers State Bank in Sturgis.  The money was raised by the employees at the bank. The donation will go toward benefiting COA members and the activities and other programs in which they participate. On Wednesday, January 24, representatives from the bank presented the check to the COA …

The second annual Trivia Night, organized by the St. Joseph County United Way, drew a full house at nearly 150 people Saturday. The $30-per-person cost, 50/50 ticket sales and proceeds from a silent auction all went to the Five Star Pizza Adoption Fund. In all, more than $5,000 was raised. Carl Thornton, owner of Five Star Pizza in Colon, said …

The Kalamazoo Wings (22-15-2-2) battled their long-time rival, the Fort Wayne Komets (27-13-2-0) on Friday night.  The K-Wings used a strong third period to power past the Komets 7-4.  The K-Wings have won all three against the Komets so far this season and have outscored them 21-10 in those three meetings. Wasting little time, the K-Wings took an early 1-0 …

The Michigan Department of Transportation says $384 million in track improvements have led to faster train speeds and reduced travel times to Chicago. The Amtrak Wolverine route, which runs from Detroit to Chicago, has reduced transit time by 20 minutes, said Michael Frezell, a department spokesman. The Blue Water route, which runs from Port Huron to Chicago, has been reduced …

Members of the Centreville Village Council voted recently to raise monthly water rates. A fixed-fee increase of $3.18 plus another $1.55 per 1,000 gallons used. Those figures will increase annually, based on cost of living. A rate comparison done for council members showed their bills increasing between $5 and $10 per month under the new plan. The increase was based on …

Three Rivers Community School’s recent affiliation with Three Rivers Partnership, a home-school group, is going well according to TRP director Mary Wilkinson. Three Rivers Partnership held open houses in May and August and classes began last fall. It is a collaboration between parents, students, the local school district and the community, Wilkinson said. She explained that students enroll part-time with …

In honor of Black History month, Darryl Heller will lead a discussion about civil rights in current social and political environment. The program will be at 6 p.m., Feb. 7 in the Nora Hagen Theatre on the campus of Glen Oaks Community College. The event is free and is part of the newly reinstated Viking Speaker Series. Heller is the …

State Sen. John Proos spoke last month to the St. Joseph County Conservation and Sportsman Club during its quarterly membership meeting. Proos discussed the background of the Natural Resources Trust Fund and local projects, the effort to stop Asian carp and term limits. The club was established in 1937 to promote conservation, fishing and hunting and the safe, ethical participation in the shooting …