Government

Over 60 people came out July 21 to the second annual Stroller Roll to support the local early childhood fund. Many adults brought their children in strollers while others came out to run competitively. The funds raised will support the Early Childhood Implementation Fund held at the Sturgis Area Community Foundation. These dollars support preschool scholarships for at risk three …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency – in conjunction with Governor Rick Snyder’s declaration of August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month – is sponsoring a Hats Off to Breastfeeding Campaign. All breastfeeding mothers and their children are invited to participate in a fun, free “photo session” with the latest fashion hit for breastfeeding babes – Nursing Hat Covers, a fashion craze …

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Jamie Clover Adams Wednesday (July 25) applauded the quick action by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack in designating four counties in Southwest Michigan – Branch, Cass, Hillsdale and St. Joseph – as primary natural disaster areas due to the extreme drought conditions facing farmers in those counties. Additionally, …

The City of Three Rivers has rescinded the burn ban declared on June 27. That’s the word from Fire Chief Dan Tomlinson of the Three Rivers Fire Department (TRFD) who said, “Surface weather data has finally fallen below high-risk levels.” In announcing the lifting of the ban on burning, Tomlinson noted the city’s household burning ordinance and said the fine …

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced TWO road closures in the WLKM listening area: • There will be a total closure of M-60 from M-62 to Calvin Center Road in Cassopolis (Cass County) from 5 p.m. Monday, August 6, through 8 p.m. Friday, August 24, for CN Railroad track reconstruction. Detour routes will be posted. • There will …

The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging (COA) has approved a new, five-year lease with the City of Three Rivers for the Three Rivers Community Center. The Community Center, located at 103 South Douglas Avenue, has been the headquarters for the COA in recent years and that will continue until at least 2017 with authorization given last week (July 18) …

The Three Rivers City Commission dealt with a variety of items during a relatively brief regular meeting last week (July 17) The session included three public hearings during which there were no citizen comments. In each case, the commission approved the issue at hand. Specifically, commissioners: • approved a Special Exception Use Permit for a Massage Establishment and Day Spa …

A monument to mark the gravesite of Jodi Parrack was put into place last month, thanks to the efforts of Constantine Police Chief Jim Bedell. The headstone is a permanent tribute to the 11-year-old girl, whose murder remains unsolved more than four years after she was last seen riding her bicycle from a friend’s house. The monument is placed at …

St. Joseph County Clerk Pattie Bender is advising the public that petitions for candidates to area school boards of education, Glen Oaks Community College Board of Trustees and village councils are due by 4 p.m. Aug. 14. All positions will be elected in the Nov. 6 general election. Bender said candidates wishing to run for school board in Burr Oak, …

A Sturgis woman was killed in a 1-car crash Friday morning on M-60 in Branch County’s Sherwood Township. The victim was identified as 21-year-old Natasha Richardson. She reportedly lost control of her car, rolling it over. The car caught fire, trapping her inside. Richardson’s sister, 23-year-old Catherine Richardson, was a passenger in the vehicle. She was able to escape from …