Business

Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners tonight have scheduled a public hearing on a tax-exemption request being made by American Axle Manufacturing. The company is seeking exemption status on nearly $83 million of a $102 million investment in machinery and building improvements being proposed at its Three Rivers plant. A 12-year exemption is being sought by American Axle, the …

St. Joseph County’s November unemployment rate of 8.3 percent was its lowest in the first 11 months of 2011. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget Analysis report for November shows the county’s unemployment rate dropped from 8.9 percent in October. The analysis indicated retail sectors gearing up for seasonal end-of-the-year jobs played a significant role in the drop. …

St. Joseph County officials this week signed off on a four-year, $1.2 million agreement involving a partnership with Kalamazoo-based Southwest Michigan Partnership. The agreement, reached Tuesday during the county commission’s first meeting of 2012, involves the seven-member commission, the St. Joseph County Economic Development Corporation and Southwest Michigan Partnership. As a result, SMP will assign three full-time employees to work …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department has identified two men responsible for the theft of about $4,000 worth of electronic items and other merchandise at the Sturgis Walmart. Police said Sturgis resident Samuel Stidams, 31, and Matthew Stidams, 30, of Bronson, were arrested following a joint investigation between the Sturgis Department of Public Safety, and sheriff’s departments in St. Joseph …

The third New Year’s Eve Free Ride Home attracted 36 passengers over the weekend, according to Steve Yorks, executive director of the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority. The complimentary service for New Year’s Eve revelers in St. Joseph County started at 10 p.m. Saturday and ended at 4 a.m. Sunday. Yorks said 20 of the passengers were picked up by …

American Axle and Manufacturing appears to be in store for a new product line that could generate at least 200 new jobs at the Three Rivers plant. Company officials said the local plant would benefit from American Axle’s $1.1 billion overall corporate expansion to create components for a passenger/crossover vehicle being developed and introduced by a yet-unnamed manufacturer. A public …

Constantine village officials this week approved a 12-year, 50 percent abatement of about $55 million in equipment and building improvements to a prospective new tenant at the former Rexam packaging plant. During Wednesday’s special meeting, the council agreed to support the tax exemption sought by Indiana-based Nature’s Fuel. The company converts scrap wood into marketable bio-fuels. The Rexam plant closed …

New Year’s Eve revelers will have a chance to catch a free ride home, as the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority is offering complimentary rides to any location in the county. The service, which is resuming after a one-year hiatus, will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday and conclude at 4 a.m. Sunday. The cost to support the special service is …

Kellogg Community Federal Credit Union has announced that its merger with St. Joseph Valley Community Federal Credit Union has been finalized. The deal, which became official earlier this month, completes a process that started in September. As a result, former clients with the St. Joseph Valley Credit Union now fall under the services of Kellogg Community Credit Union, which has …

Constantine village officials were told Monday that an Indiana-based company is expecting to close soon on the purchase of the former Rexam plant in the village’s industrial park. During a public hearing at Monday’s village council meeting, officials from Nature’s Fuel said a few legal matters are being reviewed by their legal team. Glenn Johnson, chief operating officer, said the …