County Information

A public hearing for a special-use request sought by a church hoping to locate downtown tops today’s Three Rivers City Commission meeting. The request, sought by Verse By Verse church, was recommended by the city’s planning commission last week and will now be fielded by Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners for final approval. Also up for deliberation this evening is …

Here’s an announcement from Constantine Schools athletic director Mike Messner regarding Friday’s Division 6 state championship game between Constantine and Ithaca. The school district will get to keep 50 cents of every $10 ticket for the game purchased at the high school office. Messner said he hopes fans planning to attend the game buy their tickets ahead of time to …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will decide today whether to reconsider a motion made earlier this month regarding development of a proposed senior center in Sturgis. Also before commissioners is a public hearing related to the county’s proposed 2013 fiscal year budget. The $28.8 million proposed budget is more than $785,000 less than the budget approved for the …

Constantine High School’s varsity football team is returning to Ford Field for the second consecutive year in search of a Division 6 state title. The Falcons ran the table Saturday, topping Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic Central, 36-14, at Harper Creek High School. The 11-2 Falcons never trailed and relied on 245 rushing yards from sophomore Justin Hull to hold off …

“Operation Verify,” a three-week campaign recently conducted by the Michigan State Police and local agencies, confirmed 89 percent of the county’s sex offenders are in compliance with proper registration of their residence. According to a MSP media release, 328 of the county’s 367 registered sex offenders who are not homeless or incarcerated have been checked and verified as accurate. Another …

A number of city officials and Sturgis residents attended an open house last week to honor outgoing deputy fire chief Scott Hopkins. A 40-year veteran of the department, Hopkins begins working this week in Centreville as the county’s emergency services coordinator. Hopkins will work under Jim Barnes, who is retiring from the position next month. As coordinator of emergency services, …

A deep run into the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs ended Friday for the Mendon volleyball team. The Lady Hornets came up short in a semi-final match against Beal City, three games to one, at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Mendon finishes its season 48-7. Beal City, meanwhile, bowed out Saturday to Battle Creek St. Philip in the Class …

A day-long meeting, starting at 8 a.m. today, will give members of the Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education an opportunity to hear from four companies vying to help the district in its search for a new superintendent. Current Superintendent Roger Rathburn has indicated he plans to retire at the end of the 2013-14 academic year. The afternoon portion …

Quick response by the Fabius-Park Township and Three Rivers fire departments limited the extent of fire-related damage at a residence in Fabius Township early Wednesday. The departments were summoned to the 56000 block of Seven Hills Road around 2 a.m. to a report of a blaze started in the mantel of a fireplace. The mantel was cut into sections by …

The St. Joseph County United Way is requesting prospective donors who typically give food or money at Christmas to consider making a donation at Thanksgiving instead. The Centreville-based agency in 2011 provided about 150 food baskets at Christmas because of donations from local companies and individuals in need a little extra help. This year, the Department of Human Services has …