Government

A Fabius Township residence sustained severe damage during a fire Sunday afternoon. Fabius/Park Fire Chief Scott Roderick said the residence, in the 10000 block of Hoffman Road, was fully engulfed when fire personnel arrived. Potential cause of the fire is likely due to a wood-burning stove, Roderick said. There were no injuries as a result of the incident.

The village of Centreville is less than a month from starting up its own police department. After contracting law-enforcement service through the sheriff’s department for more than 20 years, the village has decided to run its own police force. Village president Jeff Johnson said interviews with chief candidates took place over the weekend. The village has allocated a $40,000 annual …

The city of Three Rivers is looking into whether it should establish an ordinance to regulate the growing number of collection boxes scattered throughout the city. Mayor Tom Lowry said he is concerned about the influx of containers, which seek donations ranging from books and shoes, to clothing. Lowry, who said he is in favor of an outright ban on …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners last week gave approval to fill a few open positions. A candidate for the job of deputy probate register will be pursued, as it was vacated due to the retirement of Bonnie Walter. Her last day of work was Friday. The vacant position of juvenile neglect/abuse specialist, which has been open for a …

Authorities say a Vicksburg man has died following a weekend snowmobile crash in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. 31-year-old Jeffery Wright died Saturday after the crash in Wexford County’s Clam Lake Township. Investigators say he lost control, and went off a trail and down an embankment before hitting trees. The crash happened about 35 miles southeast of Traverse City. (AP)

The city of Three Rivers is making an appeal to the public for help in filling vacancies on a variety of commissions and boards. City officials said the Three Rivers planning commission, River Country Recreational Authority, local officers compensation commission, board of appeals, industrial development authority, brownfield redevelopment authority and board of review are all in need of one additional …

Customers and others are rallying behind a northern Indiana supermarket where a gunman killed a customer and an employee before police fatally shot him. About 300 people gathered for a prayer vigil Saturday night in front of the Martin’s Super Market in Elkhart where the shootings occurred. Customer Adam Bujalski tells The Elkhart Truth that it’s important for him that …

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed the catch of a new state record flathead catfish last week in Cass County. The catfish was caught Jan. 12 by Niles resident Dale Blakley on Barron Lake. It weighed 52 pounds and measured 46 inches. Blakley told DNR officials he was ice fishing for crappies when he landed the catch. The record …

Four manufacturing companies based in St. Joseph County are among the recipients of $235,000 in training grants. The Kalamazoo-St. Joseph Michigan Works announced this week that the Skilled Trades Training grants, funded by Michigan’s Workforce Development Agency, will assist with training for in-demand jobs. The St. Joseph County companies receiving grant money are Vaupell Midwest Molding and Tooling of Constantine; …

State Rep. Matt Lori said he applauds Gov. Rick Snyder for continuing his emphasis on access to mental health services and improving the methods by which people who need attention may receive that treatment. In response to Snyder’s State of the State address Thursday, Lori said the Legislature has improved the state’s mental-health model during the past three years, and …