Government

A Dowagiac woman was arrested on drug-related charges following a traffic stop last week. Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said Renietta Szulczyk, 31, was in a vehicle stopped Thursday at the corner of Main and Walnut streets in the city of Dowagiac. Deputies allegedly found methamphetamine and analogue medications in her purse, according to Behnke. In addition, Szulczyk was wanted …

St. Joseph County commissioners are expected to approve the hiring of two new sheriff’s department deputies. Commissioners during Wednesday’s executive committee meeting recommended a request from Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite, who was seeking an exception to the county’s hiring freeze in order to fill two spots created by a pair of resignations. Commissioners agreed to the request but also planned to …

Gathered for a special meeting Wednesday, St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved two resolutions that featured corrected information. County administrator Teresa Doehring said action on the first resolution replaces a resolution approved earlier this month. She explained the original resolution featured a typo regarding an interest-rate figure. The corrected figure – 2.8999 percent – was included in a resolution …

The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced the weekly details of its work taking place on U.S. 131 in Three Rivers. Stage 2 traffic is in place and operating with two-way traffic on southbound U.S. 131 at M-60 junction, toward the south end of the project north to the Hoffman Road/Rocky River bridge area. Meanwhile, Hoffman Road has been closed …

Five people were re-appointed to the St. Joseph County Commission On Aging Board last week. County commissioners agreed to renew the two-year terms of Three Rivers resident Al Balog, Sturgis-area resident Lee Austerman, Charles Thompson of Sherman Township, Lockport Township’s Jim MacTavish and Deborah Davis of Colon. Three Rivers-area resident Al Heivilin did not seek re-appointment to his one-year, at-large …

Violence has flared again in the Indiana city where Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is mayor. The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit says 27-year-old Brandon Williams of Niles, Michigan, died after a shooting at Kelly’s pub in South Bend. Another 10 people were wounded by gunshots in South Bend early Sunday. A statement says that five of the 10 …

Michigan Department of Transportation has released its weekly update regarding the U.S. 131 reconstruction project in Three Rivers. MDOT officials said a temporary stop light has been activated at the M-60/US-131 junction, as M-60 traffic now comes to a three-way intersection. The Stage 2 traffic plan is in place, meaning two-way traffic on southbound U.S. 131 at the M-60 junction …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners is expected to honor a request to the hiring freeze and approve a deputy clerk for district court. The potential action is one of five matters of new business this afternoon before the five-member panel. Other agenda items include accepting the sheriff’s department annual report, and approving agreements related to Bundled Energy Solutions …

A team of St. Joseph County officials was led earlier this week on a building tour of what will eventually be the new headquarters for the Commission On Aging. Rivers Enrichment Center and Residence, the still-under-construction redevelopment of the former Three Rivers Inn received high praise from the team that included county commissioners, administrator Teresa Doehring and clerk Lindsay Oswald. …

Here’s the weekly update from Michigan Department of Transportation regarding the US-131 improvement project in Three Rivers. MDOT officials said a temporary traffic signal is now activated at the south end of the M-60/US-131 intersection, which has been modified to a T-intersection. There is also two-way traffic on southbound 131 at the intersection, according to MDOT’s media release. Crews are …