Health and Wellness

Concerns about the potential demise of the St. Joseph County Conservation District were raised during Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. In light of Monday’s 2014 budget work session, during which commissioners proposed not funding the conservation district, John Nelson addressed the five-member commission. Nelson, vice-chair of the Conservation District Board, questioned why the district is also possibly …

A 35-year-old Three Rivers man suffered minor injuries after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident over the weekend in Cass County’s Lagrange Township. Sheriff Joe Underwood said his office responded at 3:10 a.m. Sunday to a personal-injury crash at the intersection of Pokagon Highway and Wilberhill Road. Demetrius Pritchard was traveling south on Wilberhill in a Pontiac minivan when …

Details related to a potential misdemeanor charge against St. Joseph County Commissioner Don Eaton are expected to be yielded today by Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. Fitz was designated to handle the case against Eaton, who faces a charge of possession of a firearm while intoxicated, stemming from a late-July incident at Appplebee’s in Sturgis. Fitz declined to elaborate on …

Two people were arrested on methamphetamine-related charges during a late-night execution of a search warrant Monday in Florence Township. The St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit was called to the 62000 block of Constantine Road in response to suspected drug activity. SCAN officers found evidence related to the manufacturing and use of meth. A 22-year-old man was charged with operating …

Officials from Three Rivers Health are announcing the opening today of its Center for Wound Healing. Located at 721 S. Health Parkway, the center will offer state-of-the-art treatment and protocols to treat chronic wounds, including hyperbaric-oxygen therapy, negative-pressure therapies, bioengineered tissues and biosynthetics. Qualified patients may also have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and multi-center studies. Hospital officials …

Cass County Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said his office investigated a single-vehicle crash that took place last week in Porter Township. Underwood said the incident occurred mid-afternoon Friday on M-217 at State Line Road. The driver, 50-year-old Brad Martin, of Vandalia, was northbound on M-217 when he lost control of his vehicle, which left the roadway and struck the Welcome …

A household hazardous waste collection Saturday was declared a success by event organizers. Sponsored by the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, the twice-a-year drop off at the county fairgrounds featured hazardous waste, televisions, computers, tires, paper and cardboard, and latex paint. Pat Kulikowski, solid waste committee secretary, said final numbers show the collection netted 256 tires, 20,000 pounds of …

A service offered Saturday by Up-Cycled Pets of St. Joseph County proved to be a popular attraction. Staged at the St. Joseph County fairgrounds, the first-of-its kind event offered free rabies shots, four-in-one vaccinations and microchipping for dogs. The program was organized and conducted jointly between Up-Cycled Pets and the Kalamazoo County Humane Society, thanks to a Michigan-based foundation that …

The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team last week uncovered a comprehensive marijuana-growing operation in Penn Township. Investigators on Wednesday searched a barn in the 16000 block of Dutch Settlement Road and surrounding property and uncovered the operation. Detectives located numerous marijuana plants, more than five pounds of processed marijuana and a loaded firearm. Officials said the estimated street value of …

A number of the 300-plus patrons who attended Wednesday’s eighth annual Project Connect in Centreville appeared focused on their needs, and spent less time browsing and more time at specific tables for the exact help that brought them to the event. Organizers of the six-hour event said 49 vendors, representing various agencies and departments to offer help for a variety …