County Information

St. Joseph County Probate Court Judge David Tomlinson had the pleasure Monday of making official the adoption of six children to three different families as part of the 14th annual “Michigan Adoption Day.” Michigan Adoption Day is staged annually around Thanksgiving with the theme, “Giving thanks for families.” The celebration spotlights the joys of adoption and encourages more families to …

Three Rivers firefighters and rescue responded Saturday to an incident involving a gasoline can that exploded and injured a Three Rivers boy. Authorities were summoned around 10 a.m. to the area of Enterprise Drive and Lovers Lane, where the victim and a friend were attempting to ignite a fire with gasoline from a can. The can, however, exploded during the …

The sixth-grade class at Centreville Elementary School showed it learned from a “Character Counts” session on compassion. The group of 60 students Monday assembled seven boxes, each containing enough food for a full Thanksgiving dinner. The recipients, all Centreville families, picked up the donated boxes later in the day. The project was spearheaded by school counselor Diana Kamphues and involved …

The latest incident of damage to the Langley Covered Bridge overhead sign occurred the last week of October, when the driver of a box truck disregarded the numerous advance warnings about height restrictions. The southbound vehicle struck the overhead sign arched over the north end of the covered bridge causeway. Road commission manager Chris Minger said the vehicle struck the …

Investigators from Michigan State Police were called last week to an incident initially reported to the St. Joseph County Child Protective Services. Troopers said the incident unfolded around 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Spartan Motel in Three Rivers, where a report was taken regarding meth activity in a room also occupied by two children. A CPS worker and state police …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency wishes to remind the public that November is National Diabetes Month. Theresa Christner, health education and promotion director for the Coldwater-based agency, said one in 11 adults living in Branch, Hillsdale and St. Joseph counties has diabetes. That translates into nearly 8,000 people. Another 20,000 adults in the tri-counties are at-risk for developing Type …

Improved building ventilation, replacing domestic water piping and new interior doors appear to be the more-popular areas targeted by participants Wednesday during a community forum at White Pigeon High School. The district is planning to ask voters in May to renew a 3-mill sinking fund that originated in 2007 and was renewed in 2012. Wednesday’s forum was the second of …

A four-month detour on a major route that feeds into Centreville is scheduled to be lifted next week. Work crews are expected to finish the M-86 bridge replacement project over the Prairie River Wednesday, according to Nick Schirripa, MDOT spokesman. He said the open-to-traffic date comes after a delay of about two weeks from original projections. He said if history …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department’s Explorer Post 478 is selling 9-1-1 mailbox signs. The signs are 6 inches by 17 1/2 inches, with a green background and reflective three-inch numbers on both sides. Numbers may be placed vertically or horizontally. Signs cost $15.50 each, and proceeds are used by the post for uniforms and educational training. Signs can be …

St. Joseph County Probate Court and the Department of Health and Human Services will celebrate the 14th annual “Michigan Adoption Day” next week. An adoption ceremony will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Monday in Probate Courtroom B before Judge David Tomlinson. Michigan Adoption Day is staged annually around Thanksgiving with the theme, “Giving thanks for families.” The celebration …