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Pat Yoder’s first St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday was a quick but uneventful experience. Yoder, who took over as county administrator Monday, sat in on his first county commission meeting in 20 years, as he previously held the position from 1990 to 1994. The 63-year-old Yoder was hired for the job after Judy West-Wing retired in January. …

A 96-year-old woman, who has played a key role in two longstanding local traditions, has been selected as Three Rivers Citizen of the Year for 2013. Carol Boulette was named the recipient, bestowed annually since 1965 by members of the Three Rivers Lions Club. Boulette played a hand in the formation of the Three Rivers Water Festival as well as …

After two delays, the Michigan Department of Transportation is set to begin next week road construction on M-216 in Flowerfield Township. Starting Monday, the road will be closed west of the U.S. 131 intersection for a $1.8 million reconstruction project. A detour will follow Pulver, Johnson and Flowerfield roads. The roadwork is set to be completed in June. Previous start …

A wallet was stolen from a vehicle parked behind a business in White Pigeon, according to state police officials. An employee at Mancino’s said his vehicle was damaged and the wallet stolen from inside the vehicle between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Two area high school boys basketball players received state accolades for their performance on the hardwood. Sturgis junior Chance Stewart, who has already verbally committed to a football scholarship at the University of Wisconsin, was named to the Associated Press Class B, all-state honorable mention team. Stewart averaged 18.5 points a game in leading the Trojans to a 14-9 season …

Staff and administrators at the St. Joseph County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will take 23 collective furlough days to help improve the agency’s financial standing. During Tuesday’s monthly CMHSAS Board meeting, executive director Liz O’Dell said management will be taking seven unpaid days off, while staff members will take a total of six. O’Dell will take 10 …

Representatives from the Three Rivers Food Pantry are issuing a public appeal for monetary donations now through the end of April. While there is always a need for help, the pantry is promoting an opportunity through which it will receive 10 percent credit in its account for all monetary donations made through April 30. The offer is available from the …

A hit-and-run crash shortly before 5 a.m. Monday in Sturgis Township is being investigated by the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department. Department officials said a midsize car of unknown make, model and color was westbound on U.S. 12, west of Shimmel Road, and side-swiped the victim’s vehicle. The suspect vehicle, which continued west on U.S.12, may have damage to the …

Mayor Tom Lowry and members of the Three Rivers City Commission have authorized an upgrade of residential water meters. City officials estimate more than 1,300 meters will be upgraded in order to make it easier to read water meters and quickly identify leaks. Between installation and materials, the measure will cost just under $330,000. The city has been budgeting for …

A meeting to discuss a “rail-to-trail” proposal between St. Joseph and Branch counties drew more than 100 people to Sturgis Tuesday. The majority of the crowd opposed the plan, which calls for utilizing a rail bed between Sturgis and Coldwater to promote walking, jogging and bicycling. Though a cost to develop the trail has not been set, its creation would …