Politics

The Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. Joseph County is seeking citizens at large to fill a pair of positions on its board. With the recent resignations of David Pueschel and Betty Massey, the 12-member panel is short two representatives. Pueschel’s term expires in March 2014 and Massey’s in March 2015. Prospective board members must be St. …

A structural overhaul of St. Joseph County’s 40-year-old courts building or the possibility of a new courts building altogether could be options raised following a study of the building. Added on to the south end of the original courthouse in 1974, the courts building will be analyzed by a Benton Harbor firm to offer its input on the issue. County …

White Pigeon Township officials said a Klinger Lake property owner has complied with a request to clean his lawn of building materials and other debris. During Tuesday’s White Pigeon Township Board of Trustees meeting, supervisor Don Gloy said a site inspection he and township attorney Lance Thornton conducted at 68222 Klinger Lake Road resulted in a satisfactory resolution to the …

State Rep. Matt Lori last week applauded his House colleagues for approving a bill he introduced to reform the Medicaid system while expanding coverage for nearly half a million needy Michigan residents. The measure cleared the House with strong bipartisan support, Lori said. The reform includes several safeguards, which will provide those who come under the new guidelines to obtain …

New legislation in Lansing would allow municipalities to bill people who’ve been rescued after taking unnecessary risks during a declared state of emergency.  Two lawmakers say their bills are a response to people recently taking risks like kayaking and using jet skis on flooding rivers in the Grand Rapids area.  One bill would let local governments seek reimbursement when those …

The Three Rivers Election Commission will conduct a regular meeting on June 26, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. in the conference room at Three Rivers City Hall. Any interested person may attend and participate or submit written comments to the Melissa Bliss, City Clerk at 333 W. Michigan Ave., Three Rivers, MI 49093. Please call (269) 273-1075, extension 106 for any …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has endorsed submission of the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) FY 2014-2016 Multi-Year Plan to the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging for final review and approval. The action came Tuesday (June 18) following a presentation by Laura Sutter, AAA Coordinator with the Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging (IIIC) housed with …

The Three Rivers City Commission has set Friday, July 12 at noon as the deadline for persons interested in filling the vacancy created by the resignation of At-Large Commissioner David York to submit a Citizen Interest Form to the City Clerk’s office. The determination came Tuesday evening (June 18), the final meeting for York who is moving to Lockport Township …

The Chiefs mascot in White Pigeon appears to be safe following a federal decision to dismiss a case in which the use of Native American names and images would be banned in 35 Michigan school districts. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights had sought the ban, which would have included White Pigeon’s use of Chiefs as the school mascot. The …

The Park Township Board has approved an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption Certificate sought by American Metal Fab for personal property in the amount of $768,175. The 12-year tax abatement for replacement equipment and new equipment will enable the company to retain its 58 employees and, hopefully, add to its workforce in the future. Action on the matter came during the …