Homepage Featured General Center

The St. Joseph County Conservation District has announced the dates of its seven river clean-up projects in 2013. It marks the third consecutive year the agency will stage river clean-up events. A 4.7-mile stretch of the Prairie River will be the focus of a June 1 effort in Lockport Township, followed by a 4.5-mile clearing of the Fawn River June …

A 38-year-old White Pigeon-area resident is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in St. Joseph County District Court on a charge of killing an animal. Prosecutor John McDonough authorized the charge against Dallas Barnhart, who allegedly shot a dog belonging to a Constantine woman outside his Sevison Road residence last year. Members of the St. Joseph County Animal Rescue Fund have …

The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced its plans to invest more than $75 million in 2013 to improve 141 miles of roadways and repair 21 bridges in its Southwest Region. The region includes St. Joseph County. The Southwest Region 2013 program will provide approximately $48.4 million for pavement repair and roughly $27 million to upgrade bridges to good condition. …

Sturgis officials announced the city flag will be lowered in honor of Sue Bir’s service to the community. Bir, 56, died Wednesday at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. She was elected Precinct 2 commissioner in November 1989, and also served as vice mayor in 1996. City officials believe she was the first woman to preside over a …

White Pigeon village officials declined to accept a bid on the community’s former municipal office and property. Instead of accepting the $12,500 offer from Joe Winkfine during a special meeting Tuesday, village council members decided to start a new round of sealed bidding. A deadline of 4 p.m. Thursday next week was set. Those opposed to Winkfine’s bid said they …

The Michigan Department of Transportation has announced an upcoming closure of M-216 in Flowerfield Township. Starting March 18, the road will be closed west of the U.S. 131 intersection for reconstruction. A detour will follow Pulver, Johnson and Flowerfield roads. The roadwork is set to be completed May 31.

Officials from the city of Sturgis have approved a letter of intent with St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners regarding the development of a senior center. The proposed center is slated to be built on property adjacent to the Doyle Community Center and would be leased to the county for a token $1 annually. County Commission members over the past …

Members of the Michigan House approved legislation allowing veterans to receive a special designation on their driver’s license or state ID cards, state Rep. Matt Lori announced Thursday. With more than 650,000 veterans living in Michigan, Lori anticipates the legislation will keep veterans from having to secure paperwork to prove their military service. Lori, a Constantine-area resident, said veterans deserve …

The positions of clerk and treasurer in Constantine will continue to be elected by village residents. A special vote Tuesday on whether to adopt an ordinance to change the current method yielded a result of 86 people against the measure to 42 in favor of the proposal. The turnout represented 8 percent of the village’s 1,569 registered voters. The village …

The elimination of its office manager and removing a proposed 3-percent raise to village employees from the table were two steps taken recently by the White Pigeon Village Council. The cuts were part of a money-saving measure the village is taking to help balance a $61,000 shortfall in its projected debts versus revenues. Carol Gilbert, who has served as office …