A partnership with Southwest Michigan First was one of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners highlights in 2012, according to board chairman Rick Shaffer. Shaffer last week presented a list of the commission’s 2012 highlights, which also included an agreement for additional staffing in the MSU Extension office, the revision of an Animal Control ordinance and the creation of …

A proposal to purchase a dog for therapeutic and calming purposes has been tabled by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The proposal was raised last month, when Linda Baker, victims’ rights coordinator who works for the county prosecutor’s office, offered to keep the dog privately but bring it to the courthouse for the benefit of victims or witnesses …

Action on a potential change to when commissioner elections take place was postponed by Sturgis municipal officials last week. A public hearing was slated to take place Wednesday, based on a bill under consideration at the time in the Michigan State Legislature. The bill would allow cities that currently elect their councils or commissions in odd-numbered years, as the city …

Progress is being made on the long-awaited U.S. 131 bypass around the village of Constantine. Village President Pat Weiss last week told village council members she attended a Dec. 11 meeting that included about three dozen representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation and a team of representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency. Weiss said MDOT confirmed it has acquired …

Congratulations on finding this column. It’s a day earlier than usual, but I did mention this a couple of times. If your garbage is normally picked up on Tuesday, it will be picked up on Wednesday this week and next. This affects those living in the Second District of Three Rivers. Everyone else will have their garbage picked up a …

Helen R. (Nibbelink) Withers, 92, of Cassopolis, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. She was born Aug. 29, 1920 in Blendon Township, the daughter of John and Grace (Lobdell) Nibbelink. Helen married Roy Arthur Withers on Oct. 2, 1940 in Schoolcraft. He preceded her in death. She was also preceded by one granddaughter-in-law, Cheryl Withers; one great-grandson, Tyler Dean Withers; …

Melvin E. “Red” Jacobs died Nov. 21, 2012. He was born June 25, 1925 to William and Edith (Gray) Jacobs at home in Three Rivers. Jacobs married Kay Butler. They had one son, Thomas Everett Jacobs and one daughter, Linda Kay (Jacobs) Blood (Gary). He later married Betty (Brown) Jacobs. Betty had three previous children: Sara Proctor, Ruskin, Fla., Thomas …

The group of five returning St. Joseph County Board of Commission members were sworn in during a brief ceremony this week. Commissioners John Dobberteen, Al Balog, Robin Baker, Don Eaton and Rick Shaffer took their oath of office before County Clerk Pattie Bender prior to Tuesday’s final board of commissioners meeting of 2012. The board is shrinking from seven members …

For the second time in four months, Sand Lake party store in Nottawa was burglarized. According to the St Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, the breaking-and-entering incident occurred between 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and 6:15 a.m. Thursday. Investigators suspect access was gained through a rear window that was broken out. An inventory of the store found several cartons of cigarettes and an …

The threat of the season’s first snowstorm prompted officials from the city of Sturgis to issue a media release regarding municipal snow removal. Snowfalls between less than one inch and three inches will be treated with applications of deicers and plowing. Depending on the amount of snow, measures may include plowing of intersections, major streets and/or local streets. Snowfalls of …