Business

A promotional campaign for the locally made movie “The Current – Three Rivers,” began this week. Radio and newspaper spots in support of the full-length feature film started Monday, as the 2-hour, 24-minute film is set to premiere Oct. 18 at the Three Rivers 6 movie complex. Financed by local businessman Tom Meyer and directed by longtime Three Rivers resident …

The Michigan Department of Transportation Southwest Region is holding informational open houses at each of its three Transportation Service Centers this week. MDOT’s Nick Schirripa said TSC staff will be present at each location to discuss project selection, transportation funding, construction projects and other issues. Whether it’s highway and bridge conditions, project types, traffic signals and speed limits, snow removal …

Officials from the ALDI grocery store chain say ground was broken this last week for the company’s Three Rivers store. Earth-moving equipment was brought to the area of Broadway Road in front of Home Depot, where the 16,400-square-foot store will be constructed. The store, which is one of more than 1,200 in 32 states, is expected to open in early …

An update on the formation of historic district guidelines, applicable to downtown Three Rivers businesses, was provided this week to the Three Rivers City Commission. The report was presented by Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma, chairman of the city’s Historic District Commission. He provided Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners detailed examples of conformity guidelines to which downtown building owners will be subject …

The Solid Waste Management Planning Committee of St. Joseph County wishes to advise that its twice-a-year collection of hazardous waste, computers, televisions, tires, latex paint and paperboard will take place Oct. 5 at the St. Joseph County fairgrounds. Word about the collection is being made now so people who have items to drop off can start to gather and accumulate …

Officials at a northern Indiana airport have turned to shooting coyotes that wander onto the property after unsuccessfully trying to trap the animals. Elkhart Municipal Airport manager Andy Jones says at least two landings have had to be aborted because of coyotes near or on the runway and one plane taking off missed a coyote by about 20 feet. Jones …

Organizers behind Sunday’s Three Rivers HarmonyFest said they couldn’t have been happier with the turnout for the 20th annual event. Staged on North Main Street, the 10-band, day-long festival had the benefit of good weather and an event-ending fireworks display to lure more than 3,000 people throughout the course of the day and night. The fireworks show was supposed to …

Members of the Sturgis City Commission have granted a 12-year tax abatement to Johnson Precision Mold and Engineering. Located in the North Centerville Road business park, the company is investing more than $100,000 in new equipment – primarily a high-speed machining center. Cathy Knapp, manufacturing specialist for the city, said the investment allows the company to increase its sales. In …

Labor union supporters and the governor who made this the first right-to-work Labor Day in Michigan have been on the march on opposite ends of the state as America observed the holiday honoring working people. Gov. Rick Snyder set a fast pace as he led thousands of walkers across the 5-mile Mackinac Bridge that links Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas. …

More wind and solar energy users in Michigan are getting billing credit for excess power they generate. State regulators issued a report last week showing utility customers with their own windmills and solar panels onsite increased the net metering program’s production size by 55 percent from 2011 to 2012. There also were more than 300 additional residential or business customers …