WLKM Radio 95.9 FM

St. Joseph County’s 2014 fiscal-year budget was approved by the five-member St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday. More than $16.7 million was set aside for county operations in 2014, an increase of more than $1.6 million from the amended 2013 fiscal year budget of $15.1 million. Joni Smith, St. Joseph County’s director of finance, said in addition, the county …

A variety of Christmas-related celebrations are taking place over the next three days throughout St. Joseph County. In Constantine, the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 6 o’clock tonight. The village is also staging its Fourth of July fireworks fundraiser dinner tonight at Meeks Mill. Dinner settings are at 5 o’clock, 6:30 and 7:30. Also in Constantine Saturday, downtown …

A riding lawnmower and several other items were reported stolen Tuesday from a container storage in Sturgis Township. State police said the lock on a container located in the 68000 block of White School Road was cut sometime between Oct. 28 and Nov. 29. In addition to the XMARK brand mower, four tires and a vehicle engine were stolen from …

Ah, the holiday shopping season is now in full forward motion. With “Black Friday” behind us, we can now venture into the stores without fear of being trampled, stomped on, or being severely scratched. I’d like to give the ladies a few suggestions, so that when they shop for that man in their life, they might have an idea what …

St. Joseph County administrator Pat Yoder will shed his “interim” label at the start of the year. Yoder, a 65-year-old Sturgis resident, was given a one-year contract Tuesday to serve as the full-fledged county administrator. He has been serving in an interim basis since April, following the January retirement of Judy West-Wing. Yoder will receive a $105,000 base salary for …

The village of White Pigeon is seeking donations to help with the purchase of new Christmas decorations in 2014. The fundraising effort is being spearheaded by village council Trustee Shireen Cline. She said the village decided to end a three-year tradition and not hire a company that installed and took down rented decorations. The rental and service was about $1,300 …

Investigators with the Three Rivers Police Department are looking for a man who exposed himself to a woman in the downtown area Sunday. According to a department media release, the man was on Joshua Drive near the city’s East Parking Lot around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, when he asked a woman for directions. As the woman approached the man, he pulled …

A 36-year-old Sturgis man with four outstanding warrants was arrested Monday following a brief vehicle pursuit in Sturgis. State police said an attempt was made to stop the man at Fawn River and South Nottawa roads in Sturgis Township for an equipment violation. The man failed to stop and drove into the Sturgis city limits, where he exited his vehicle …

Three people, including a Three Rivers resident, were arrested on drug-related charges following a traffic stop last week in Park Township. According to the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department, a pickup truck driven by a 34-year-old man from Three Rivers was stopped around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Klines Resort Road and Silver Street. A subsequent search of …

The national Toys for Tots campaign is underway in St. Joseph County and is sponsored locally by the U.S. Marine Corps and St. Joseph County Marine Corps League Detachment 1401. With assistance from the Salvation Army, the Sturgis Armory and the Three Rivers Lions Club, the 2013 local drive has resulted in the placement of Toys for Tots boxes at …