County Information

The job of St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner is now a 40-hour-a-week position. Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved the increase from 28 hours weekly. Drain Commissioner Jeff Wenzel, who is being contested for the post in the November election, will see no pay raise, as his salary will remain $33,000 a year. Wenzel, …

A number of seasonal positions were filled Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The St. Joseph County Sheriff Department’s marine patrol unit will have a roster of seven part-time employees, headed by Sgt. Jeff Terpenning. A Centreville High School teacher, Terpenning will be paid $17 an hour. Joining him as marine patrol officers will be Jaymes MacDonald, …

Investigators from the Sturgis Police Department have released the name of a local man who led officers on a two-state, high-speed chase last week. Sturgis resident Nelson L. Wooster, 34, was taken to the LaGrange County Jail after leading Sturgis Police on a high-speed chase the evening of May 29. Police attempted to stop Wooster near the intersection of Chicago …

The Three Rivers City Commission on Tuesday approved a $15,000 bid for a new mower and deck. The low bid was received from Three Rivers-based Fillmore Equipment. City officials said the majority of the cost will be covered by the municipality’s insurance company, as the previous mower caught fire and was damaged beyond repair.

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is teaming up with MSU Extension this summer to offer special classes that will help participants learn how to buy, clean, store and cook with fresh produce. Project FRESH is a program that makes fresh produce available to low income, nutritionally-at-risk women and children who participate in the Women, Infants and Children program. WIC …

Here’s a reminder that the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is staging a grand-opening celebration of Spirit Springs Sanctuary. The event takes place 10 a.m. to noon Saturday along Dutch Settlement Road in Cass County’s Marcellus Township. The preserve features 124 acres of heavily rolling forest and high-quality wetlands. Organizers of the event promise said visitors will enjoy the public-use amenities …

A Three Rivers-based company has been recognized by a trade publication as one of the elite bail-enforcement agent-training programs in the nation. The agent-training provided by MI Security was ranked in the top 17 by Collateral Magazine as one of the top fugitive-recovery programs in the United States. The company, owned by Ed Becher, was noted for the thoroughness of …

The Michigan State Police investigated a four vehicle crash that occurred on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 1:50 pm. A pickup truck being driven by Todd Marks 50 of Jones, was stopped waiting to make a left turn from US 131 onto River Heights Rd. A second vehicle traveling south being driven by Lorren Springer 17 of White Pigeon stopped …

The Three Rivers City Commission has approved a new budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1. During Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners endorsed a plan that will see more than $4.2 million in budgeted expenditures. A public hearing took place prior to the commission approving the budget. The city plans to levy 20.2562 mills.

            St. Joseph County’s new MSU Extension agriculture agent was introduced Tuesday to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.             John Zirkle, an Indiana native, recently graduated from the University of Vermont with a master’s degree in plant soil science. Zirkle’s work will cover a variety of issues, including helping with field trials, pest-management testing and lending a hand …