Business

February’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County ended a two-month trend and decreased compared to the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 7.8 percent February unemployment rate was half a percent less than January’s figure. Furthermore, the February unemployment rate was 1.7 percent less than the same …

A woman attempting to cash a fraudulent check in Three Rivers eluded police on two occasions and remains at large. Three Rivers Police officials said the woman attempted to cash the fake check late Thursday at a local bank. A teller recognized the check was not real and identification she presented was fraudulent, and attempted to stall the woman in …

Mayor Tom Lowry and members of the Three Rivers City Commission have agreed to place a resolution for the sale of city-owned property on file for 30 days. The property in question is a western portion of the former Essex Wire property on Fourth Street. Union City-based Dove Ag Services is hoping to gain approval for a truck-loading facility and …

A number of St. Joseph County residents expressed concerns over a variety of subjects during Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. The focus of most comments revolved around potential plans to build a senior center in Sturgis and a proposal to market St. Joseph County as a retirement destination to retirees in the Chicago market. Points were made …

Three Rivers Police Chief Tom Bringman will instruct officers to beef up enforcement of parking violations around Hoppin Elementary School when classes resume next week. Concern about the issue was raised Tuesday by Three Rivers City Commissioner Daryl Griffith, who said illegally parked cars pose a risk to children who walk home from school or to waiting cars parked legally …

The next option for gambling opens up in Southwest Michigan at the end of this month. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians says the Four Winds Dowagiac casino will open on April 30. The casino is the smallest of the three Four Winds locations. Pokagon Chairman Matt Wesaw says it will have 300 slot machines, four table games and a …

A 96-year-old woman, who has played a key role in two longstanding local traditions, has been selected as Three Rivers Citizen of the Year for 2013. Carol Boulette was named the recipient, bestowed annually since 1965 by members of the Three Rivers Lions Club. Boulette played a hand in the formation of the Three Rivers Water Festival as well as …

Site Selection magazine has ranked the Sturgis micropolitan – a region that includes St. Joseph County – No. 23 on its list of the 2012 Top Micropolitans. The ranking represents the number of new facility and facility-expansion projects as tracked and reported by Conway Data Service’s New Plant Report. Ron Kitchens, chief executive officer of Southwest Michigan First, said the …

After two delays, the Michigan Department of Transportation is set to begin next week road construction on M-216 in Flowerfield Township. Starting Monday, the road will be closed west of the U.S. 131 intersection for a $1.8 million reconstruction project. A detour will follow Pulver, Johnson and Flowerfield roads. The roadwork is set to be completed in June. Previous start …

A wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked behind a business in White Pigeon, according to state police officials. An employee at Mancino’s said his vehicle was damaged and the wallet stolen from inside the vehicle between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. Monday.