County Information

St. Joseph County’s board of commissioners renewed contracts with three high-ranking employees Tuesday. The County administrator’s contract was extended through 2016. J. Patrick Yoder, 67, joined the county in April 2013. His new contract includes a 2 percent raise, which gives him a base salary of nearly $118,000 annually. Finance director Joni Smith, 53, agreed to a one-year contract renewal. …

Despite the hope for a clean reading, White Pigeon village officials on Wednesday said a boil-water notice must remain in effect village-wide. Municipal officials had notified residents Jan. 7 that the presence of coliform bacteria had been detected in the water supply. Since then, they have been urging residents to boil water before use or use bottled water. White Pigeon …

Four months after verbally committing to a multi-field sports complex in the Three Rivers area, the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners followed through on its pledge. During Tuesday’s board meeting, commissioners approved a recreation facility agreement that formalizes the $2.8 million commitment. County administrator Pat Yoder said an inordinate amount of legalities had to be sorted through by the …

A boil-water notice remains in effect in the village of White Pigeon nearly two weeks after the recommendation was yielded. Village officials Jan. 7 notified residents that the presence of coliform bacteria had been detected in the water supply. Since then, they have been urging residents to boil water before use or to use bottled water. White Pigeon Department of …

Two people were injured in an automobile accident this week in Cass County. Sheriff Joe Underwood said deputies were called to Marcellus Hwy, west of Sunset Drive, shortly after 8 p.m. Monday. Deputies indicated 20-year-old Brooke Johnson, of Schoolcraft, was driving west on Marcellus Highway when she lost control of her vehicle. Her vehicle swerved into the eastbound lane and …

Mendon Community Schools Board of Education members gave interim superintendent Roger Rathburn a vote of confidence Monday, as the seven-member panel agreed to extend Rathburn’s contract through the 2016-17 academic year. Rathburn joined the district after board members agreed last spring to not continue to participate with Centreville Public Schools in a shared-superintendent agreement. Rathburn said he’ll confirm his decision …

State police arrested a 31-year-old Indiana woman for alleged drunken driving following a traffic stop over the weekend in White Pigeon Township. Authorities said a motorist phoned police at 7:15 a.m. Sunday to report a vehicle with two flattened tires traveling east on U.S. 12 in the village of White Pigeon. The caller indicated the vehicle was not staying in …

A Sturgis man faces four counts of felonious assault and additional charges after he allegedly pointed a handgun at his girlfriend’s ex-husband during a child-custody exchange. Sturgis police said officers were called at 7:30 p.m. Sunday to the 600 block of North Lakeview Street in response to a man with a gun. Officers were told the 43-year-old man was intoxicated …

Sturgis city commissioners must decide if they’ll spend a large share of this year’s local road millage to make an industrial access road a concrete surface, at the expense of doing some other city streets. City engineer Barry Cox last week said the initial plan for resurfacing Wade Road, off M- 66 South, called for asphalt paving. That total project …

Nottawa County Park, located on Sand Lake in Nottawa Township, will no longer operate as a campground and will instead shift its focus toward becoming a more family-friendly, day-use park. Parks and Recreation director Jaymes MacDonald said the St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Commission reached its decision last week after several months of debating the issue. The commission is …