Business

The Centreville Downtown Development Authority recently hired the first program manager in its 21-year history. Carol Snow-Penn, a Centreville native, said her goal is to help the village fill its vacant storefronts and market downtown Centreville as an attractive place for business. Snow-Penn said she would like to see the village establish a farmers market. In addition, she will suggest …

Mike King, proprietor of the Weenie Kings push-cart hot dog stand, said he has decided to keep his business in the parking lot at Harding’s grocery store on West Michigan Avenue for the rest of the season. After the Three Rivers Public Library Board earlier this year evicted King from his five-year location at the Three Rivers Public Library parking …

The former National Guard Armory in Three Rivers will be the new site of a Three Rivers-based company. Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners last week agreed to rezone the property from residential to general industry for MVP Improvements. Located at 900 E. Hoffman St., the parcel will allow MVP Improvements to operate in a larger space. Founded by ex-employees from …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was called to Mottville Township over the weekend in response to a business alarm. At 4 a.m. Sunday, an alarm at the Marathon gas station on U.S. 12 was activated. Upon arrival, investigators found a front window had been smashed out. It appears there was no entry made into the business, officials said. The …

St. Joseph County experienced an unemployment drop of seven-tenths of a percent from January to February. The monthly report from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget Analysis shows February’s unemployment rate in the county was 9.2 percent. The figure was also a decrease from the county’s unemployment rate in February 2011, which was 11 percent. St. Joseph County’s …

The surge in gasoline prices has stalled around $3.92 per gallon, but experts caution that more increases are coming.  Many refineries still haven’t undergone a seasonal maintenance period that will force them to produce less gas. That will tighten supplies in some parts of the country, especially in the Great Lakes region, and push prices higher.

  Members of the Three Rivers City Commission earlier this week rejected a plan to act as the municipality’s zoning board of appeals in matters related to so-called Big Box retail developments. Following an informal consensus Tuesday, Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners decided to field such matters. The issue was raised in light of concerns that the city’s ZBA has …

Investigators from the Michigan State Police post in White Pigeon are looking into the weekend theft of firearms, knives and ammunition from a White Pigeon bait shop. Owners of Fisher’s Bait and Tackle said someone broke into the U.S. 12 business sometime early Saturday. It appears entrance was gained through a rear window. Seven firearms were among the items stolen, …

St. Joseph County’s January unemployment rate increased seven-tenths of a percent from December. Data released by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget Analysis shows St. Joseph County’s January unemployment rate was 9.8 percent. The figure was 1.8 percent lower than it was in January 2010. One contributing factor to the unemployment increase from December to January was the …

Contracts were awarded this week to a trio of lawn-maintenance companies for work on city-owned property in Sturgis. Various jobs where lawn work is required on municipal property were awarded to Custom Lawn Care of White Pigeon, Bronson-based Backyard Creations and Rickett’s Lawn Service of White Pigeon. Bids from each of the three varied from $400 to more than $4,100, …