County Information

The start of the 2013-14 school year marks the beginning of a new strategic plan for White Pigeon Community Schools. According to Superintendent Ron Drzewicki, the new strategic plan will be used to guide the district in decision-making as it makes improvements to the instructional program. Drzewicki likened the plan to a road map, as it will focus efforts on …

The village of Constantine is looking for participants to compete in its annual BBQ cook-off next weekend. Cash prizes of $150, $100 and $75 will be awarded to the top three contestants, as judged by a three-person panel. The cook-off takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28, with judging at 5 o’clock. Tasting by the public will be …

Four entrants into the White Pigeon High School Athletic Department 2013 Hall of Fame will be at the center of festivities next week. The four incoming members will be recognized prior to the start of next week’s homecoming varsity football game against Centreville. The following day, the members will be honored during a formal induction ceremony at the Klinger Lake …

Contractors performing roof repairs over the summer at Glen Oaks Community College uncovered numerous problems, college officials learned last week. Heather DeKorte, senior project architect at Grand Rapids-based Soils and Materials Engineers Inc., said cracks in the weatherproofing are the main culprit for the problems. The discovery was made as workers were correcting the perimeter leaks. The problem is the …

St. Joseph County government will benefit from fiber-optic connectivity, following action taken by the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday. The county’s deal with Ann Arbor-based Merit Network Inc. covers a five-year period and provides service at 20 mega bites per second. The agreement means the county courthouse and courts buildings will connect to Merit’s network and have faster service than …

Officials from the Constantine Area Foundation have announced they are accepting grant proposals from qualifying entities for the foundation’s fall 2013 grant period. Eligible recipients include 501(C)(3) organizations, public schools and governmental entities. The foundation encourages potential recipients to focus on improving working and living conditions in the village; youth and recreation opportunities; public, educational, charitable or charitable purposes; and …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved the appointment of Janell Hart of Three Rivers and Karen Beverly of Burr Oak, to the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board of St. Joseph County. The action was taken during Tuesday’s commission meeting and followed an interview with several prospective candidates. The board is now at full strength …

A pair of crowd-friendly events Tuesday drew large numbers of people to the St. Joseph County Grange Fair. Billed as “A Night of Destruction,” an off-road derby and demolition derby were well received by fans in the grandstand area. Meanwhile, a show ring to the east end of the fairgrounds featured chuck wagon races, an event in which 12, two-person …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to approve payment to finance director Joni Smith and human resources director Elishia Arver for their work earlier this year as fill-in county administrators. Both employees were paid $10,000 for providing professional services and responsibilities, as they worked together in the role of county administrator between the mid-January departure of …

A large quantity of tools and other items were stolen from a barn earlier last week in Constantine Township. Investigators with the Michigan State Police said the theft occurred either Sept. 13 or 14 in the 14000 block of Drummond Road. Hand tools, a lawn tractor, a chainsaw and a leaf blower were among the items taken. A department media …