County Information

Michigan’s House of Representatives last week approved legislation sponsored by State Rep. Matt Lori that makes boating safer on Michigan’s lakes and rivers. A pair of House bills calls for lowering the blood-alcohol content level for boaters from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent, the same as operators of motor vehicles. Legislation in the package does the same for snowmobilers and …

A state grant to help refurbish rental apartments in the downtown district has been secured by the city of Three Rivers. Offered by the Michigan State Housing Authority, the $283,000 grant will be matched by nearly $90,000 from property owners. A total of six apartments will be created at three locations: 109 Portage Ave., 51 N. Main St. and 40 …

A 10-year-old boy was struck and killed early Sunday near the intersection of U.S. 131 and West Michigan Avenue in Three Rivers. The boy, Trenton Holtslander, a 15-year-old sibling and their father were walking across U.S. 131 in the 100 block. The victim dropped something and as he went back to retrieve it, he was struck by a northbound van …

October’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County decreased by six-tenths of a 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 4.6 percent October unemployment rate was less than September’s 5.2 percent. October’s unemployment rate was 2.6 percent less than the same month one year earlier, …

Two Cass County men were arrested on drug-related offenses last week in Volinia Township. Members of the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team were called to assist parole agents from the Michigan Department of Corrections. At 5:40 p.m. Wednesday, they assembled outside a residence in the 16000 block of Dutch Settlement Road. Detectives located methamphetamine components, meth paraphernalia, marijuana and firearms …

Three people were injured following an accident Friday night at the intersection of M-60 and U.S. 131 in Three Rivers. State police said a semi heading south on U.S. 131 struck an eastbound vehicle on M-60 that drove onto U.S. 131 and into the path of the truck around 11 p.m. The driver of the car, 57-year-old Mark Thompson of …

Barring any major modifications in the next week and a half, St. Joseph County’s board of commissioners is expected to approve a 2015 fiscal year budget of almost $16.5 million. The proposed budget is 11.6 percent less than the 2014 budget, which is about $18.6 million. Finance director Joni Smith said three requests were made for new personnel in 2015, …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit, along with deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, executed a search warrant Thursday in the 25000 block of U.S. 12 in White Pigeon Township. Methamphetamine and components used in the manufacturing of meth were located throughout the interior of the residence. According to a department media release, a number …

Tree-lighting ceremonies and a holiday parade will take place this weekend in three different St. Joseph County communities. Officials from Colon Area Chamber of Commerce are staging the ninth annual “Christmas in Colon” from 5 to 8 tonight. A parade from Colon Elementary to Colon Community Park starts at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, the “Christmas in Constantine” celebration continues with its …

The Three Rivers Waste Water Treatment Plant has reported a foam-over event that occurred earlier this week. According to a department media release, the incident occurred at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Plant officials immediately shut down the foam-generating equipment to halt the foam-over event. From the 200,000 gallons of biosolids within the tank, approximately 600 gallons of foam escaped from the …