St Joseph County

Flowerfield Township officials have agreed to renew the township’s contract with the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department. During action last week, township officials agreed to the fixed-rate payment of $18,000 for service to the eastern half of the township through 2013. The township has a separate agreement with Marcellus for coverage on the western half of Flowerfield Township’s jurisdiction.

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education has pared its selection of firms to assist with finding a new superintendent. Following morning-long interviews Monday with four prospective search firms, board members agreed to consider either Michigan Leadership Institute or the Michigan Association of School Boards for the process. Current Superintendent Roger Rathburn has indicated he plans to retire after …

The purchase of a trained dog to be used for therapeutic and calming purposes is being considered by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The potential action is based on an agreement with Linda Baker, victims’ rights coordinator who works for the county prosecutor’s office. Baker said three other counties in the state have dogs used for victims or …

The Michigan Department of Community Health has recognized the local health department for outstanding programming. The award, bestowed for the second consecutive year to the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, was given for the Healthy Beginnings nutrition program. Healthy Beginnings is an early childhood/parent education program applicable to soon-to-be mothers and parents with children 5 years and younger. A plaque …

A Nov. 5 motion related to a proposed senior center in Sturgis was rescinded Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The action came after commissioners discussed the $10,000 they authorized earlier for legal fees and design costs relevant to the footprint of the proposed facility. Commissioners agreed their Nov. 5 action was done too hastily, and a …

Park Township has paid off the loan used to help purchase its half of the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department station. Following action its members took last week, the Park Township Board of Trustees agreed to allocate the final amount to cover the $300,000 loan it took out to help cover the $750,000 it needed for its half of the $1.5 …

The former president of the Three Rivers Little League has turned himself in to authorities after he was suspected of stealing funds from the league’s coffers. Clint Roberts, 37, a Lockport Township resident, was arraigned before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton last week on a charge of embezzlement less than $20,000. Parents of Little League players became suspicious of Roberts …

Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners have denied a special-use permit requested by Verse By Verse Ministries for a public place of worship at a downtown location. The unanimous vote Tuesday went against a 4-1 recommendation yielded a week earlier by the city’s planning commission. Verse By Verse was hoping to establish a place of worship at 54 N. Main St., …

A public unveiling of a new house for Three Rivers teen Chandler McBride and his family will take place at 3 o’clock this afternoon. McBride, who was paralyzed in a swim pool diving accident in June, was released from an Ann Arbor hospital last month and has been living with his mother and younger sister in an area hotel while …

Five people were charged with methamphetamine-related offenses following a police raid Monday at a residence in Sturgis. Sheriff Brad Balk said members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit acted on a tip regarding the production of meth at a residence in the 300 block of South Jefferson Street. A search warrant was executed and SCAN unit members found …