Politics

In addition to a few personnel matters, St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners last week made an appointment to the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Board. Three Rivers resident Roger Rathburn was appointed to fill a vacancy on the CMH board. Also, the commission approved hiring Dixie Strawser as a temporary, part-time employee for MSU Extension; Kathy Kline …

State Rep. Matt Lori said a state grant has been awarded to Sturgis as part of a development that will transform three historic buildings into a restaurant and sports bar. Lori said the Community Development Block Grant in excess of $1 million will help finance the city’s West Chicago Development Project. The funds will be used to correct structural issues …

Sturgis City Manager Mike Hughes is expected to find out tonight whether he remains in the running for city manager of Portage. The 40-year-old Hughes is one of five candidates to interview for the job. The Portage City Council is expected to discuss the interviews and candidates tonight, and decide on which finalists to call for a second interview. Hughes, …

Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit executed a search warrant last week at a residence in Mottville Township. According to a sheriff’s department press release, SCAN officers had received information about methamphetamine use and possible trafficking occurring on Riverside Drive, near Thomas Street. Officers obtained a search warrant and once inside the residence Friday, located evidence of …

The Fabius Township Citizens Coalition is staging its annual meeting next week. The event starts with a meet-and-greet session at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Three Rivers Community Center, followed by a potluck supper. Then, a short business meeting for the election of officers takes place before the main program, which will feature 59th District candidates for state representative …

Funding for a proposed recreation trail between Three Rivers and Fabius Township has received a $10,000 boost from the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The amount was requested during Tuesday’s county commission meeting by River Country Recreational Authority member Lindsay Oswald. Oswald, who also serves as the county’s grant writer, said a significant amount of money in matching funds …

State Rep. Matt Lori will be given special recognition this week at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. Lori on Wednesday will receive the National Distinguished Advocacy Award, the most prestigious honor bestowed by the network. The annual award is given by the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, to select lawmakers who …

A need for a central source of information was the recurring theme expressed during a public-input session Monday in Sturgis to help with the establishment of a river trail master plan. About a dozen people attended and told officials from Edgewater Resources that a website, blog, link through the county’s homepage or some easy-to-track source be established to keep paddlers …

Members of the Sturges-Young Auditorium board and Sturgis Council of the Arts board have voted to merge the two boards. The two boards approved the plan in July and the measure was solidified Wednesday, when the Sturgis City Commission approved the merger. The newly created Auditorium Board of Directors will consist of one city commissioner and a maximum of 22 …

  The Constantine Village Council has endorsed the concept of a proposed employee handbook for the community’s fire department. Fire Chief Mike Haydon said he learned its insurance company’s Risk Management Department required a handbook after several part-time employees were hired. Haydon said he would put an adopted date on the handbook once he got approval from the three municipalities …