County Information

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a new position at the sheriff’s department, where a diversion program is expected to better meet the needs of people requiring mental-health service evaluations. During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved the position of director of assessment. The specialist’s salary will come out of a $350,000 grant administered by the state to the …

A family of six was left homeless after their home was destroyed by fire over the weekend. Burr Oak firefighters were called to Spade Road, between Lafayette and Witt Lake roads, around 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The home and its contents were a complete loss. The family has four children, three boys ages 4, 9 and 10, and a girl, 6. …

The Three Rivers City Commission on Tuesday took a step closer to establishing a sidewalk snow removal ordinance. After commenting on a draft prepared by city attorney Pat O’Malley, Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners directed O’Malley to document a small number of revisions and present a potential final draft at the commission’s March 4 meeting. The issue resurfaced in January …

The Sturgis Department of Public Services is asking its residents to be conscious of freezing water lines. DPS officials said with the depth of frost, the department is receiving an abundance of calls regarding frozen water lines. To alleviate the problem, DPS officials suggest allowing a stream of water to run from a single faucet. Officials in Burr Oak, Centreville, …

St. Joseph County Sheriff deputies were dispatched Saturday to a call regarding an intoxicated man passed out behind Maria’s restaurant in Sturgis. When deputies arrived they were told by employees the man was picked up by family members and transported home. Later that night, however, deputies were contacted regarding a 31-year-old old male admitted to Lagrange County Hospital with severe …

More than 75 people participated last weekend in Camp Fort Hill’s inaugural Winter Adventure program. The three-hour event Saturday allowed participants to cross-country ski, snow shoe, enjoy a campfire, chili, soup and grilled-cheese sandwiches. Also, a birds of prey demonstration was out on by Lake Milton Raptor Education Center of Union. Dave Ludders, camp manager, said the inaugural event was …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has reported that a second jurisdictional death associated with this year’s flu has occurred. The victim was a St. Joseph County man who tested positive for Influenza A/H1N1, which is the predominant influenza strain making the rounds this year, according to the health department. The victim, who was more than 60 years old, also …

Three Rivers city officials are in the midst of working out a potential ordinance regulating collection boxes. The matter was most recently discussed at the commission’s Feb. 4 meeting, when Mayor Tom Lowry indicated his preference for the boxes to be banned within the city limits. Lowry said the boxes take resources away from the community and do not provide …

The start date for the Centreville Police Department has been delayed indefinitely until a chief is hired. The agency was supposed to begin today after deciding to not renew its contract with the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff’s office had provided police coverage for the municipality for more than 20 years, but village officials believe having a community …

The Three Rivers Lions Club has amended the name of an annual award to the “Three Rivers Lions Club Bruce C. Snook Citizen of the Year.” The name-change pays tribute to the memory of Bruce Snook, a long-standing advocate of service and the Citizen of the Year award to honor persons who serve their community. The award has been given …