News

A 35-year-old White Pigeon man was killed shortly after 3am Sunday in a car-pedestrian crash in the 69000 block of Kalamazoo Street in White Pigeon Township. County sheriff’s deputies identify the victim as Jeremy Overton. He was reportedly walking northbound in the roadway at the time of the crash. The driver, 23-year-old Eric Hill of White Pigeon, was arrested for …

A woman from southwestern Michigan’s St. Joseph County has been identified as one of 13 state residents killed in a national outbreak of fungal meningitis linked to contaminated steroids. MLive DOT com says 87-year-old Viola Copsey of Constantine got a steroid injection in September at a clinic in Elkhart, Indiana as treatment for a back problem. It says she died last …

Michigan’s two-year old Recreation Passport is getting its first price increase. The Department of Natural Resources says that effective January 2, 2013 the purchase price will change from $10 to $11. The Passport is required for vehicles entering Michigan’s state parks, recreation areas and forest campgrounds. The increase is based on a requirement built into the 2010 legislation that created the Recreation …

Flowerfield Township officials have agreed to renew the township’s contract with the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department. During action last week, township officials agreed to the fixed-rate payment of $18,000 for service to the eastern half of the township through 2013. The township has a separate agreement with Marcellus for coverage on the western half of Flowerfield Township’s jurisdiction.

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education has pared its selection of firms to assist with finding a new superintendent. Following morning-long interviews Monday with four prospective search firms, board members agreed to consider either Michigan Leadership Institute or the Michigan Association of School Boards for the process. Current Superintendent Roger Rathburn has indicated he plans to retire after …

The purchase of a trained dog to be used for therapeutic and calming purposes is being considered by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The potential action is based on an agreement with Linda Baker, victims’ rights coordinator who works for the county prosecutor’s office. Baker said three other counties in the state have dogs used for victims or …

The Michigan Department of Community Health has recognized the local health department for outstanding programming. The award, bestowed for the second consecutive year to the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, was given for the Healthy Beginnings nutrition program. Healthy Beginnings is an early childhood/parent education program applicable to soon-to-be mothers and parents with children 5 years and younger. A plaque …

A Nov. 5 motion related to a proposed senior center in Sturgis was rescinded Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. The action came after commissioners discussed the $10,000 they authorized earlier for legal fees and design costs relevant to the footprint of the proposed facility. Commissioners agreed their Nov. 5 action was done too hastily, and a …

Park Township has paid off the loan used to help purchase its half of the Fabius-Park Townships Fire Department station. Following action its members took last week, the Park Township Board of Trustees agreed to allocate the final amount to cover the $300,000 loan it took out to help cover the $750,000 it needed for its half of the $1.5 …

The former president of the Three Rivers Little League has turned himself in to authorities after he was suspected of stealing funds from the league’s coffers. Clint Roberts, 37, a Lockport Township resident, was arraigned before District Court Judge Jeff Middleton last week on a charge of embezzlement less than $20,000. Parents of Little League players became suspicious of Roberts …