County Information

White Pigeon Community Schools will have more than $1.6 million additionally to spend each year over the next five years, as the district’s voters approved a request for a 1-mill increase Tuesday. The measure prevailed with 359 yes votes to 336 opposed. Superintendent Ron Drzewicki said the community support helps keep the 750-student district on a positive road. He said …

A request to restore special-education funding to St. Joseph County’s nine school districts was approved Tuesday. The request to reinstate nearly three-tenths of a mill to a full 2.75 mills passed, 1,261 to 1,158. With the Headlee Rollback in effect, school districts were not receiving the full number of mills established in the 1960s for special-education support. The full 2.75 …

Facility upgrades and major repairs are on tap in Marcellus Community Schools, where voters on Tuesday approved a $12.9 million bond request. The district received the support it needed, with 543 votes in favor to 497 against. Approval of the request means remodeling of the cafeteria and media center at its elementary school and middle school/high school, as well as …

The August primary ballot in St. Joseph County will be a bit more crowded following action Tuesday by the county’s board of commissioners. The St. Joseph County Road Commission will present to voters a two-part request. The first asks for renewal of 1 mill for a 10-year period. The current mill has been in place a decade and expires at …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a larceny from a vehicle earlier this week in Burr Oak Township. The suspect stole a purse out of a vehicle parked at a business in the 64000 block of M-66 between 6:30 and 10 p.m. Monday. The purse was described as pink and green in color with a Native …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a suspicious fire that occurred Sunday evening in Nottawa Township. According to a department press release, illegally dumped trash at the Evans Lake Public Access was set on fire. The fire then spread to surrounding brush. The suspect vehicle is a white Ford F150, extended cab. The public access is …

An inmate at the St. Joseph County Jail is dead after he hanged himself Thursday afternoon. Sheriff Brad Balk said Kenneth Huey, 43, of Three Rivers, was discovered in his cell shortly after returning from a court proceeding. The nature of the hearing centered on a domestic assault incident, Balk said. Jail personnel administered CPR and an automated external defibrillator …

White Pigeon Township resident Vickie Schroen is $5,000 richer after she was the winner in Saturday’s Cow-Poo-Looza III at Central Elementary. The $20 ticket she bought just hours before the start of the event proved to be the entry that coordinated with the square on which a cow defecated. The action took place about 10 minutes after the cow, named …

The 51st Mendon Dust-Off drew more than 500 show cars and several hundred spectators to Mendon High School Sunday. Event organizers said a clear day helped attract a large number of participants despite a strong wind. The event is one of two major fundraisers for the Mendon Kiwanis, which relies on the $3-per-spectator admission fee to provide scholarships to Mendon …

Centreville-area resident was presented the E. J. Shaheen award at Glen Oaks Community College’s graduation Friday. Michelle McNamara was the 2014 recipient of the award. It is presented annually to a member of the faculty who is nominated by students, alumni, fellow faculty, staff and members of the community for innovation and quality instruction. McNamara’s association with Glen Oaks Community …