St Joseph County

Talks about the position of county drain commissioner becoming a full-time job have gained momentum in recent weeks. The matter was discussed during last week’s executive committee of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, who appear to be in favor of upping the post to a 40-hour-a-week job. Current Drain Commissioner Jeff Wenzel has long lobbied for the job …

Stanley Tucker is being sought by the Three Rivers Police Department and is appealing to the public for help in discovering his whereabouts. The 44-year-old Tucker, who is 5’11” and weighs about 180 pounds, is wanted for three counts of murder from incidents that took place Tuesday last week in Detroit. Officers said he shot and killed his wife and …

Deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department were notified Friday of a break-in that took place earlier in the week at a business in Centreville. A department news release stated someone entered a business in the 500 block of West Burr Oak Street through a side door. Investigators were told it didn’t appear anything was taken. There was no …

Representatives from the cable-television channel Food Network will be in Three Rivers today and Saturday as part of a segment for the program “Restaurant: Impossible.” The program will focus on a 48-hour restoration of Frankie’s Restaurant, known for its railroad theme and caboose dining car. Frankie’s was one of thousands of restaurants requesting to be featured on the television series …

The St. Joseph County E-911 Central Dispatch in 2011 fielded nearly 84,000 telephone calls for police, fire and emergency medical services. During the department’s annual report last month to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, director Jon Uribe noted the Centreville-based agency for the first time in its history fielded more calls from people using cellular phones than landline …

St. Joseph County has reached an agreement with two couples who will serve as attendants at two county parks. Ronald and Denise Franklin, and their son, will serve as attendants at Nottawa County Park Campground at Sand Lake through Labor Day weekend. The seasonal job will allow them to spend the summer at the campground and enforce campground rules and …

A neighbor who saw smoke coming from a residence in Burr Oak alerted its three occupants Tuesday afternoon, allowing the family to escape safely. Investigators said it appears the fire started in an attached garage and spread to the residence. The garage was destroyed and the house sustained heavy smoke damage. Neighbors managed to save a rabbit and two dogs, …

The Constantine Fire Department was called Tuesday to the scene of a fire at the Whispering Pines mobile home park, in the 1200 block of South Washington Street. Chief Mike Haydon said a resident called 911 around 10 p.m. after noticing smoke coming from the dryer. Moments later, flames were seen. Constantine Police Officer Steve Dibble was credited for keeping …

Motorists in Sturgis Township are being advised that the St. Joseph County Road Commission has started repairs on Shimmel Road at the railroad crossing, just north of U.S. 12. The work was slated to begin Wednesday and the crossing is projected to be closed for at least a week. Detours are in place and suggest motorists use Stubey or Klinger Lake …

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners recently made clear their support for House Bill 5223, which establishes a program of substance-abuse testing as a condition of eligibility for Family Independence program assistance. The measure prohibits recipients of such aid from continuing if they test positive for substance abuse or refuse to comply to the test. Copies of …