St Joseph County

A residence was destroyed by fire late Sunday afternoon in Constantine Township. Its occupants were not home at the time of the blaze, which was reported at 5:15 p.m. and took place in the 15300 block of Featherstone Road. Authorities were notified after family members of the home’s occupants, and who live by the house, saw smoke. The home is …

Last week’s annual Youth for Christ fundraising auction drew hundreds of bidders to at least a thousand items — all donated by local businesses and individuals. This year, the auction surpassed YFC’s goal coming in at more than $40,000 in proceeds. Ken Mills, executive director of YFC/Campus Life Southwest Michigan, said it was the second-highest auction in 20 years. The …

A plan to find a successor for Pat Yoder as county administrator was set in motion this week. During Wednesday’s executive committee meeting, commissioners agreed to advertise the job for a two-week period on the county’s website. Human resources director Teresa Doehring was named assistant county administrator in May 2016 and has served as Yoder’s protégé since then. Though Doehring …

As a follow-up to last week’s Farm-to-Table meal, the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging wishes to thank a number of supporters and donors. Nearly 500 meals were served at COA’s three meal locations, which are in Three Rivers, Sturgis and at Kline’s Resort, as well as the agency’s Meals on Wheels recipients. All food prepared and served last Friday …

Officials from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency continue to investigate incidents of pertussis in St. Joseph County. About 320 people have been treated with antibiotics in the past month, according to Val Newton, prevention services director. Occurrences began in June, then spread. Newton said treatment has been confined to the Amish community, with one exception. The Amish family volunteered …

A White Pigeon High School graduate last weekend claimed the crown of Mrs. America. The former Mekayla Diehl claimed the crown at the Westgate Resort and Casino from a field of 51 contestants Saturday. Mekayla Eppers, a Bristol resident, represented Indiana, as she did during the Miss USA competition in 2015. The 28-year-old Eppers qualified for the Mrs. America pageant …

Members of the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Board of St. Joseph County terminated the agency’s executive director Tuesday. The board cited four points that its members said constitute cause for the termination of Liz O’Dell. The 68-year-old O’Dell has been with the agency more than 20 years, the past 10 as its director. Board member Kathy Pangle made …

Thirty Abbott employees and seven members of the St. Joseph County Conservation District took part in a special river cleanup Monday. The volunteers broke into three groups and cleared debris from the Portage River from the Portage Lake public access in Mendon Township to Carpenter Road in Lockport Township. Event organizer Carolyn Grace said the Abbott employees were given the …

Enrollment for the 2017-18 academic year is higher than expected at Centreville Public Schools, the district’s board of education learned Monday. First-year superintendent Stephanie Lemmer said the count is 810 students, 40 more than projected. Lemmer said as a result, she recommended hiring additional sixth-grade and kindergarten teachers, a junior/senior high reading interventionist, and fill part-time librarian, physical education and …

Constantine Village Manager Mark Honeysett last week presented village council members with documents related to medical marijuana facilities. The documents, he said, were delivered by attorney Travis Copenhaver of Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan. Copenhaver has made numerous municipal presentations on the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, including a recent presentation in Three Rivers. Honeysett said he was not asking the …