St Joseph County

Two weeks after announcing the closing of its Sturgis supermarket, officials from the Miller’s Super Valu grocery store chain said the store’s last day in business is Sunday. LaGrange, Ind.-based Miller’s said a shrinking customer base contributed to the end of its 30-plus years in business in Sturgis. A gas station and convenience store in an outlot outside the east …

The Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education plans to further investigate whether it wishes to make the length of a board member’s term six years instead of four. The option of six years over four was made available after the state last year revised board of education elections to November of every even-numbered year. Sturgis school officials recently initiated discussions …

A $3.5 million tax abatement for a building addition and equipment was expected to appear before the Sturgis City Commission. Sturgis Molded Products was scheduled to appear Wednesday night before municipal officials in hopes of gaining approval of the request. The company plans to invest $ 2.9 million in equipment and $600,000 in the proposed building addition. Company officials said …

A sophomore on the Mendon Lady Hornets basketball team received state recognition this week. Brooke Howard was named to the Class C all-state honorable mention squad, as announced by the Michigan Associated Press. A point guard, Howard stands 5-foot-10 and was a key member of the team that claimed its second consecutive St. Joseph Valley League crown in the 2011-12 …

Constantine Public Schools has announced the date for an annual faculty-versus-police benefit basketball game for a fifth-annual fund rais¬er. The game is at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the Constantine High School gym. Proceeds go toward the Michigan Concerns of Police Sur¬vivors organization. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted at the door. A fundraiser bake sale also will …

Less than a week after St. Joseph County Probate Court Judge Tom Shumaker announced his retirement, a third prospective successor has announced his candidacy for the post. Three Rivers attorney John Barnes, of Barnes Law Office, has announced his candidacy for the position. Barnes, who has been practicing law for 30 years, said his qualifications include thousands of probate, estate planning, …

The Three Rivers Fire Department is cautioning residents that it has been made aware of a phone scam taking place throughout the city. Fire department officials said the illicit callers are going by the name Firefighters Charitable Foundation. Would-be victims are asked to provide credit card information to make a donation to the fictitious charity. The Three Rivers Fire Department …

St. Joseph County Clerk Pattie Bender announced Monday that she plans to file her petitions to seek the office of clerk and register of deeds in 2013. The election for the newly combined offices is in November. Bender, 61, was hired into the clerk’s office in 1970 and has served as county clerk since 1991. She is completing her fifth, …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was called over the weekend to Sherman Township, where a farmer reported the theft of copper wire from an irrigation system. The incident took place late Friday or early Saturday at a location on Grim Road, near Schrader Road. Stolen from two towers was about 165 feet of copper wiring, wrapped in black casing. …

Three Rivers Fire Department firefighters pulled a man from a smoke-filled apartment over the weekend. Fire personnel responded to a report of activated smoke detectors and the smell of smoke at an apartment on Lockport Drive around 6 a.m. Sunday. After getting no response from the occupant of the apartment, firefighters forced their way into the smoke-filled residence and found …