Business

A 41-year-old woman from Climax was charged with drug-related offenses following a traffic stop last week in Fabius Township. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said the woman was stopped for speeding. While interviewing the woman, deputies noticed inside the vehicle were methamphetamine, meth precursors and paraphernalia used to smoke meth. The woman, whose name was not released prior to …

A boa constrictor and an aquarium to house it were stolen during the breaking-and-entering of a business over the weekend in Sturgis. The back door of a business in the 1100 block of South Centerville Road was pried open between 9 p.m. Saturday and 7:45 a.m. Sunday, allowing access to the store. Sturgis Police said the Colombian Red-Tailed constrictor was …

The official attendance count for the 2013 St. Joseph County Grange Fair was 140,547 patrons. The numbers, released Monday by fair director Bill Johnson, were just a few hundred shy of the 2012 attendance figure. Johnson said weather played a role in attendance not only at the grandstand and its nightly entertainment, but the fair overall. He said Saturday’s ideal …

Three dirt bikes were stolen from a storage shed last month in Constantine Township. State police investigators were called Friday to the 11000 block of Riverside Drive, where the Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha motorcycles were stolen, likely between Aug. 6 and 27. An extended-cab Chevrolet pickup towing a black trailer was spotted in the area and is suspected of being …

A lumber and building materials supplier is planning to open a new distribution center in northern Indiana and potentially hire about 70 people in the next couple years. Zeeland Lumber Operations says it will spend nearly $1.6 million to buy and equip a facility in Elkhart. The Zeeland, Mich.-based company says that site will allow an expansion of its business …

A 53-year-old Constantine man was arrested last week after he was found in possession of a stolen vehicle in Constantine Township. The man was arrested around 1:45 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Dickinson Road, where he was caught following a brief foot chase. The man had not only allegedly stolen the vehicle earlier in the night, …

Officials from the Constantine Area Foundation have announced they are accepting grant proposals from qualifying entities for the foundation’s fall 2013 grant period. Eligible recipients include 501(C)(3) organizations, public schools and governmental entities. The foundation encourages potential recipients to focus on improving working and living conditions in the village; youth and recreation opportunities; public, educational, charitable or charitable purposes; and …

Michigan’s unemployment rate increased in August for the third consecutive month. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says the state’s jobless rate last month edged upward by two-tenths of a percentage point to nine percent. Total employment declined by 7,000 over the month, while the number of unemployed rose by 7,000. There was little change in the state’s …

Attendance for Saturday’s second Colon Historic Home and Business Tour was down compared to the inaugural event in 2011. Still, co-organizer Sherry Engle said the 10-stop, self-guided tour managed to raise funds to help the Colon-based Community Historical Museum cover costs related to repairs around the building’s steeple. The tour featured four houses, four businesses, a church and the historical …

The Three Rivers City Commission last week recommended paving-related expenses for two micro-surfacing projects. Nearly $32,000 was approved for work to be performed on South Douglas Avenue, from West Michigan Avenue to Millard Street, and Sixth Avenue from Wood to Jefferson streets. The $14,900 Douglas Avenue job was a budgeted project; funds from the city’s 2014 fiscal year will be …