St Joseph County

Registered dietitian Sarah Clark has been named Sturgis Hospital’s associate of the year for 2013. Clark, an 11-year employee, was nominated by marketing director Phyllis Youga, who made her nomination based on Clark’s customer service and dedication to serve others inside and outside the organization. Clark received $100 in Sturgis Chamber Dollars and a preferred parking spot for the first …

The Sturgis Electric Department has been given approval to proceed with the purchase of a new bucket truck and a mini-derrick aerial lift. The bucket truck and aerial lift will be purchased from Altec for a combined $ 221,528 and come from the motor-vehicle fund included in the current year’s budget. It is intended to replace a 2002 model in …

A Leonidas man was arrested Wednesday following a police pursuit originating in Sturgis. Randall Wood, 39, is being held on a parole absconder warrant along with charges of fleeing and eluding, and hit-and-run. According to Sturgis police, the pursuit began around 10:30 a.m., when a Sturgis officer in an unmarked patrol vehicle saw Wood’s vehicle strike a light pole near …

The Three Rivers Fire Department earlier this week responded to a report of a natural-gas break. Department officials said they received a call shortly before 5 p.m. Monday regarding the smell of gas at 96 Fifth Ave. after a representative from SEMCO sought assistance. The gas meter and electricity to the building was shut off, as its interior had a …

A line of shoppers formed outside the new Aldi grocery store in advance of its opening Thursday morning. Located at the southeast corner of U.S. 131 and Broadway Road in front of Home Depot, the new Aldi is the 61st in Michigan. Company officials said about 95 percent of the 1,400 items inside the 10,000-square-foot store are store-label brands. District …

Three Rivers Fire Chief Dan Tomlinson has issued a special warning for people who own buildings with flat roofs. The existing snow-load and the forecasted rainfall should be of immediate concern for residential, commercial and industrial buildings with flat roofs. The combined accumulation of these loads could exceed the structural stability of the roof system, and could result in a …

Heavy snow has taken its toll on a Cass County building. The roof at Bair Lake Bible Camp in Jones collapsed late Sunday due to the immense weight of snow that had accumulated. No one was injured, said Nanci Tissot, Bair Lake’s director of marketing. Tissot said the collapse of the roof over the dining hall came with no warning. …

A consultant hired to assess St. Joseph County’s animal-control facility suggested the current building could be gutted and reconfigured instead of constructing a new building. St. Joseph County Animal Control Advisory Board Chair Bev Levett and member Suzanne Lee told panel members Wednesday that engineer Scott Learned made the observation during his Feb. 6, half-day tour of the county-owned building. …

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. …