County Information

The St. Joseph County Conservation District’s final river cleanup of the season will be a weekday affair. Conservation District board member John Nelson said the cleanup will begin at 9:30 a.m. Monday and likely take about two to two-and-a-half hours to complete. Representatives from the Centreville-based agency and volunteers will cover a stretch of the Portage River from North Fisher …

With 6 1/2 days of rain-free weather, a strong offering of entertainment and an appeal to people from surrounding counties, the St. Joseph County Grange Fair concluded Saturday night for its 166th time. Fair manager Bill Johnson said there were a number of issues that kept him and his staff on their toes all week, from an electrical outage in …

A three-car crash Friday claimed the life of a 63-year-old Sturgis man. Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said a semi driven by David Hartman, 52, of Indiana, was eastbound on M-86 near Farrand Road in Colon Township. Hartman’s truck had slowed to turn left into a parking lot of Palomino Trailer around 11:15 a.m. A van driven …

The August unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by 1 percent compared to a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 3.7 percent August unemployment rate was less than July’s 4.7 percent. August’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percent less than the same month one year …

The Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County is encouraging the public to attend its annual testimonial meeting Tuesday. Current and past clients are invited to share the positive impact they have realized from the services of the Centreville-based agency. The meeting portion of the event starts at 4:30 p.m., while the public hearing begins …

A Three Rivers man considered a threat to the public was arrested early this morning following a standoff with police that started Thursday evening and lasted several hours. According to the Three Rivers Police Department, officers learned that Jaden Miars was at a residence in the 800 block of Fourth Street. Miars had warrants for his arrest stemming from multiple …

The culmination of the search for the best local singer took place Thursday at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair, where Centreville’s Autumne Keifer captured the River Country Has Talent crown. A probation officer and magistrate for St. Joseph County, the 35-year-old Keifer performed Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” and followed up with Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.” The three-person …

Today is Veterans Day at the St. Joseph County Grange Fair, as the 166th annual event enters its homestretch for 2016. Blessed with a week of good weather, the fair is expected to draw another strong crowd today and its closing day Saturday. Events on tap today include antique tractor pulls, open-class draft horse-cart show, live music in the community …

Next month’s Fall Color Tour will have a new attraction at its Meyer Broadway Park stop. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved a resolution for a one-day special license to allow the sale of beer during the annual event. County administrator Pat Yoder said Constantine Brewing Co. will have a space at the park – one …

The last Adopt-A-Highway pickup along state roadways is about to get underway. Participants in the Michigan Department of Transportation program will be collecting litter along highway roadsides from Saturday through Oct. 2. There are three scheduled Adopt-A-Highway pickups each year: one each in the spring, summer and fall. Every year, Adopt-A-Highway crews collect about 70,000 bags of trash. The volunteer …