County Information

Employees at DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto seed-corn companies in Constantine recently held a competition to see which could collect the most items for the food pantry at Messiah Lutheran Church in Constantine. In the end, Monsanto collected the most items: 3,380 pounds versus 1,468 pounds collected by Pioneer. It is the fourth year for the competition. Food pantry director Sue Outman …

St. Joseph County’s largest school district has secured its new superintendent. Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education last week announced it plans to begin contract negotiations with Arthur Ebert. He replaces Tom Langdon, who announced last year he would be retiring at the end of March. Ebert over the past three years has served as deputy superintendent and executive director …

Three Rivers Community Schools will continue its search for a permanent superintendent by interviewing four candidates. The district last week reviewed a slate of 18 candidates before narrowing its choices to four. They are: Spencer Byrd, superintendent of Meridian School District in the southern tip of Illinois; Jeff Rehlander, superintendent at Gobles Public Schools in Van Buren County; Ron Moag, …

A 17-year-old Three Rivers resident was arraigned last week after he allegedly committed a crime while in possession of a firearm March 18. Austin Palmer appeared in District Court on a charge of armed robbery after he attempted to leave the Three Rivers Menards without paying for an energy drink. When confronted by store security, Palmer allegedly displayed a handgun, …

January’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County was six-tenths of a percent higher than the previous month. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed the county’s 4.3 percent January unemployment rate marked an increase from December’s 3.7 percent. St. Joseph County was below the state unemployment average, which was 5.3 percent in January. …

A four-way intersection at what could fairly be considered the most dangerous intersection in St. Joseph County will replace the current configuration, Michigan Department of Transportation officials confirmed Tuesday. View Zoomable U.S. 131 Concept Map Here During an open-house format event at the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging facility in Three Rivers, MDOT officials said the south leg of the …

Three Rivers City Commission members have rejected a pair of ordinances related to medical marijuana facilities. During Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioner Janell Hart were outvoted by Carolyn McNary, Daryl Griffith, Alison Haigh, Norm Stutesman and Pat Dane on the two ordinances. The proposed ordinances centered on zoning and the operation of medical marijuana facilities within the city …

With the support of state Rep. Aaron Miller, road-repair crews in Cass and St. Joseph counties will have more money to fix potholes. Legislation signed into law this week provides an additional $175 million in transportation funding statewide beyond what was previously planned. The money was unspent by various state departments during a previous budget cycle, meaning no budget cuts, …

A White Pigeon woman and her children were injured in a two-vehicle accident this week in Cass County’s Porter Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday to U.S. 12, east of South River Road, regarding an accident. It was determined that a vehicle driven by Brandi Bambrick, 35, of White Pigeon, was westbound on U.S. 12 …

The Sturgis Electric Department is considering replacing a 12-kilovolt hydro transmission line with a 69-kilovolt rural transmission line. The proposed line would run about six miles from a potential rural substation on Balk Road, south to Featherstone Road, east to North Centerville Road and parallel to the current system south of Schrader Road until approximately West Lafayette Street, where it …