News

Members of the Colon Community Schools Board of Education have agreed to whittle a list of 19 superintendent candidates to eight or nine finalists by next week. Board president Ernie Baker during Monday’s monthly board meeting suggested the measure as a way of working with a manageable number of candidates to succeed Lloyd Kirby, who retired in August. The board …

The St. Joseph County Intermediate School District has authorized a May 6 request to restore nearly three-tenths of a mill to the maximum rate of 2.75 mills previously approved by the county’s voters. The restoration of the Headlee Reduction request fell by a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent last August. At stake is more than $633,000 to be …

Two budget amendments were made at last week’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioner’s meeting. Commissioners agreed to a $4,030 adjustment from the county’s general fund for an animal-control shelter study. The study will focus on a needs assessment to be performed in coming months. In addition, more than $11,200 was amended from the information technology improvement fund for the …

Three males and two females were arrested Monday as a result of a special sweep conducted by local law-enforcement agencies. The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department said “Operation Night Hawk,” spearheaded by the Michigan Department of Corrections, found methamphetamine and a parole weapons violation at a residence in the 1200 block of 7th Street in Three Rivers. With assistance from …

State Rep. Matt Lori has offered his compliments to Rick Snyder for the governor’s budget proposal to invest more money in the state’s mental-health programs. In a statement Wednesday after the release of the governor’s proposed fiscal year 2015 budget, Lori said Michigan continues its comeback by investing in priorities to boost education, expand job creation, build stronger communities, improve …

Only four members of the Michigan Senate have so far said they’re in support of a new proposal to make the Michigan lawmakers part-time workers. In the meantime, the petition drive to put the part-time legislature question on the statewide ballot is getting underway. Thirty of the 38 members of the Senate have been contacted so far. Of the thirty, …

Road commission boards in St. Joseph and Cass counties have agreed to a restructuring that will involve each entity being governed by their own manager. During a joint meeting Jan. 29, current manager Christopher Bolt recommended each agency continue to collaborate on sharing services in accordance with an agreement reached in 2010. Bolt, however, said in the face of numerous …

Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry said he has been informed the municipality has received three grants. During last week’s city commission meeting, Lowry said the grants are in the combined amount of almost $7,500. The first, a $750 award from the Dr. Pepper/Snapple group, will be used for expenses related to clean-up projects during the city’s Community Pride Day coming …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has renewed a five-year lease agreement with 911/Central Dispatch. During last week’s commission meeting, commissioners approved the agreement for 911/Central Dispatch to continue using the 4,000-square-foot space at 620 E. Main St. The annual rent is $788. When St. Joseph County’s 911 was formed in the 1990s, it constructed its headquarters. The county …

Marcellus High School senior Steven McKenzie is one of 32 athletes in the state to earn a prestigious award. McKenzie was named a Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar Athlete. School officials said there were more than 1,700 applicants this year and McKenzie was one of two class D male athletes to earn the award. The recognition is based on …