St Joseph County

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds office is advising that a South Dakota company has sent direct-mail solicitation to county residents seeking a significant sum of money for property records. Records may be obtained from the county’s Register of Deeds Office at a cost of a few dollars. St. Joseph County Clerk Pattie Bender said the company, Property Transfer …

Starting next month, Colon Community Schools will be issuing to most of its students Google Chromebook notebooks. More than 600 of the notebooks were purchased with money left over from the $15.1 million millage request approved by district residents a few years ago. Interim Superintendent Jay Newman said the Samsung-made personal computers will be distributed starting in January from the …

A big name in the country/western music genre will bring her talent to Centreville next year. Officials from the St. Joseph County Grange Fair announced Reba McEntire will be the headline entertainer at the Sept. 20, closing-night performance. The 58-year-old Oklahoma native has won 15 American Music awards, 13 American Country Music awards, nine People’s Choice awards and two Grammy …

The St. Joseph County Community Action Agency is taking appointments for assistance with heat, electric and deliverable fuels. Community Action officials said no DHS decision notice is required and prospective recipients need only to present a past-due notice. For deliverable fuels, a fuel-storage tank must be at or below 25 percent. An appointment may be scheduled by phoning 877-422-2726.

Members of the St. Joseph County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 106 presented $500 checks to the Sturgis American Legion Post 73 and Three Rivers American Legion Post 170 during a ceremony Thursday at the FOP lodge, east of Centreville. Treasurer Kathy Pangle presented the money to Al Phillips, of the Three Rivers legion, and Norm Brown, representing the Sturgis …

Thirteen stores in the Three Rivers downtown business district will be a part of a contest this weekend. Free homemade cookies will be available at each location and the public is asked to vote on its favorite. Each vote qualifies as an entry into a drawing for a $50 “Downtown Dollars” certificate. The event is Saturday and Sunday at Love …

October’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased half a percent from a month earlier. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget showed St. Joseph County’s 7.8 percent October unemployment rate was up from September’s 7.3 percent figure. The agency said certain summer recreational businesses, including the golf industry, and the loss of seasonal …

Ann Bird has been appointed to head the Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education. Bird will serve as board president, filling the void left by Tom Robertson. Robertson resigned last month after accepting a job as juvenile court director, a position Robertson said could create a conflict of interest. With Bird sworn in as president, Ray Sterling was appointed vice …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a case of furnishing alcohol to minors. According to a department media release, as deputies were looking into the matter Wednesday, they also discovered the suspect had been forging payroll checks. The suspect was arrested for forgery and using a computer to commit a crime. Deputies also learned the suspect was on …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics executed a search warrant Wednesday at a residence in the 1100 block of 3rd Street in Three Rivers. The investigation began with patrol officers attempting to serve an arrest warrant. In the process of executing the warrant, officers noticed marijuana growing on the property. Officers located and seized several marijuana plants, grow …