Politics

State Rep. Matt Lori on Tuesday announced the St. Joseph County Grange Fair will receive a $20,000 state grant to fund construction of an educational exhibit pavilion to showcase beef. The county is participating in the County Fairs Capital Improvement Program, which provides Michigan’s county fairs with funds for proposed enhancements to fairgrounds across the state. Lori said agriculture has …

State Rep. Matt Lori last week was named to the House Appropriations Committee, and will again serve as chair of the Department of Community Health subcommittee. Lori, a Constantine-area resident, said he is pleased to again have a hand in making decisions that will have a direct impact on how the money trusted to the legislature by hard-working taxpayers is …

Members of the St. Joseph County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services board were asked Tuesday to spare cuts on its clients who are mentally challenged. During the panel’s monthly meeting at its Centreville office, about two dozen clients gathered to ask that a proposed, 25 percent across-the-board cut not be leveled against the budget applicable to their services. …

St. Joseph County’s former administrator, Judy West-Wing, ended her 30-year career with the county Wednesday. The 54-year-old Centreville resident announced over the summer her plans to retire this month, in part to spend more time with her family, including her 10-year-old daughter. With the county’s 2013 budget approved last month and other loose ends tied up this month, West-Wing said …

Constantine village manager Mark Honeysett has declined a raise offered by the village council. In lieu of the raise and at Honeysett’s request, funds will instead go toward a budget allocated to the village’s police cars. The village budgets $4,800 for such expenses, but with the increased cost of gas and with Honeysett’s request, the fund will increase to $5,400. …

Constantine village officials have passed a resolution to honor recently retired police Sgt. Robert Studabaker. Studabaker on Dec. 31 ended a career that exceeded 32 years with the Constantine Police Department. Village Manager Mark Honeysett, who was one of four chiefs under whom Studabaker served, said Studabaker maintained a level of competence and professionalism that benefitted the Constantine Police Department. …

White Pigeon village employees may be in line to receive a 3 percent raise, potentially their first pay increase in three years. Village President Dan Czajkowksi said the raises were included in the village’s 2013-14 fiscal year budget presented last week. Czajkowski said another matter that merits attention is the renovation of the village’s water tower. The exterior has been …

Officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation will host an open house next week regarding the U.S. 131 Constantine bypass project. Set to take place next Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Constantine High School, the open house will allow the public to see the latest designs and plans related to the project, which state officials say will begin …

State Rep. Matt Lori issued a statement following Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address Wednesday. Lori, 56, said he looks forward to working with Snyder to continue economic momentum and fostering a healthy economy in which more jobs can be created. The Constantine-area resident, who is beginning his third, two-year term, said legislators have achieved much in putting …

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners has agreed to hire Lindsay Howes as the county’s grant writer. Howes, who has most recently served as Three Rivers city clerk since 2007, was approved to the position Tuesday by the five-member commission. A 32-year-old Three Rivers resident, Howes will be paid $50,000 a year, with $30,000 of the salary paid by the …