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Plans to develop a single point of entry into the St. Joseph County Courthouse moved forward Tuesday after a 3-1 vote by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. Construction of the 1,400-square-foot addition would cost an estimated $250,000, while project architect Landmark Design Group of Grand Rapids would add another $17,500 cost to the proposed project. Drawings show the …

St. Joseph County officials this week agreed to the purchase of a parcel of land in the village of Centreville. The parcel is the former Frank Olney residence, at 635 E. Main St. and located directly east of the county sheriff’s department. Following brief discussion on the matter Tuesday, commissioners approved the purchase for $180,000. The sale is contingent on …

Deputies from the St Joseph County Sheriff’s Office investigated a breaking-and-entering incident earlier this week in Sherman Township. The department was called at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to the 25000 block of Featherstone Road, where a door to the residence was forced open. Two pistols and eight long guns were stolen from the residence.

Mendon’s Lady Hornets volleyball team saw their run to the state Class D final derailed Wednesday in Battle Creek. Going up against defending Class D champion Battle Creek St. Philip, the lady Hornets fell in three games to lose the match. St. Phil goes on to the Final Four bracket and takes on Waterford Friday afternoon. In a Class C …

A work session for the county’s 2015 fiscal year budget scheduled for today has been canceled. During Tuesday’s county commission meeting, finance director Joni Smith said the proposed budget is in order and a public hearing on it will take place at the commission’s Dec. 2 meeting.

Michigans unemployment rate in October was the lowest in the state since January through March 2008. According to the Department of Technology, Management & Budget, the jobless rate last month edged downward by one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.1 percent. Total employment rose by 13,000 over the month while the number of unemployed fell by 8,000. The net impact …

The three people killed when an Amtrak train struck a minivan west of Kalamazoo Tuesday have been identified. Michigan State Police identified the victims as the driver 21-year-old Joshua Cartwright, 20-year-old Ashley Melson and 19-year-old Justin Mastin, all of Kalamazoo. Police are still trying to figure out why their minivan pulled in front of an Amtrak train in Oshtemo Township on the …

Three Rivers Health announces it has two patient navigators assisting with the second open enrollment period, which runs through Feb. 15. Federal officials anticipate HealthCare.gov — the site used by Michigan residents — will be better than last year’s version. Sixteen insurers are selling policies through the Michigan exchange for 2015 coverage, up from 12 in 2014. All insurers that …

The latest PowerPoint presentation regarding a proposed river trail concept has been added to St. Joseph County’s website. The document shows the current state of the St. Joseph County River Trail Master Plan, including initial concept plan sketches following simultaneous meetings last week in Three Rivers and Sturgis. Input to landscape architect Suzanne Fromson of Edgewater Resources is welcome via …

Members of the Centreville Village Council have approved the hiring of Sgt. David Richmond as the chief of police. During a special meeting Monday, council members made the approval two weeks after they increased Richmond’s pay to what is considered is in line with the duties he was performing. Richmond was appointed interim chief at an October meeting. The 30-year-old …