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A gathering of municipal and county leaders concluded that St. Joseph County’s economic growth is being hampered by a lack of workers willing to take on entry-level manufacturing. The four leaders were a part of Tuesday’s State of the Area event, sponsored by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce. The forum featured St. Joseph County Administrator Pat Yoder, Three …

An amended contract between St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners and the county’s E-911 Telecommunicators’ Association was approved Tuesday by commissioners. According to terms of the amendment, new hires will be required to undergo telecommunications training and be paid $12.88 an hour during training; upon completion of training, full-time employees will be placed on the current wage scale; and benefits …

The St. Joseph County-based River Country Tourism Council has unveiled a new logo that helps identify the region designated River Country. Rose Szwed, marketing manager for River Country Tourism Council, said the logo was inspired largely by confusion on the exact area covered in describing River Country. Outside of St. Joseph County, for example, there is a River Country in …

The federal government and local partners are contributing $13.6 million into an initiative to boost water quality in the St. Joseph River Watershed, which covers 210 miles in Michigan and Indiana. U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan, and Joe Donnelly of Indiana, on Monday announced details of the project, which includes $6.8 million public investment that is …

Police say a 55-year-old southwestern Michigan woman who died after accidentally shooting herself in the head in January was adjusting a handgun in her bra holster at the time. The St. Joseph Public Safety Department is awaiting a full autopsy report in the death of Christina Bond, but Director Mark Clapp on Wednesday released details about the circumstances surrounding the …

All of Ken Bennett’s Tuesday morning barbershop customers wear orange jumpsuits. The owner of the Hair Shed in downtown Battle Creek has spent every Tuesday for the past 20 years cutting the hair of inmates at the Calhoun County jail. In a one-chair shop deep inside the facility, Bennett trims hair, beards and mustaches and doesn’t talk about crime. “I …

One of two Kalamazoo men charged with home invasion at a Schoolcraft Township residence last weekend was arraigned Tuesday. Meanwhile, the other suspect remains hospitalized after he was shot by an occupant of the residence. Kyle Wilson, 27, was arraigned in Kalamazoo County District Court, while 26-year-old Allen Palmer will be arraigned later as he recovers from being shot in …

Approval of a sheriff’s department personnel change was the most noteworthy matter of business during Tuesday’s St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners meeting. In advance of Capt. Tim Schuler’s impending retirement, commissioners OK’d the department’s request to fill his position. Subsequently, the commission agreed to hire Kitty Buchner to succeed Schuler. Buchner, who has served as administrative secretary and is …

St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners this week agreed to a change in program description related to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority Community Development. The amendment to the funding award calls for the county to use community development block grant funds for the Homeowner Rehabilitation and Emergency Repairs program. The project will include administrative costs. St. Joseph County will …

Four personnel matters were approved Tuesday by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Mark Harter was brought aboard as a full-time park ranger at $15.90 an hour. Meanwhile, Linda Wyckoff and Virginia Soule were hired as home-care aides with a pay of $10.70 an hour. Also, Melton Powell was hired as a chore worker for $9.50 an hour. The …