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Three Rivers Mayor Tom Lowry and commissioners last week agreed to two major purchases. In advance of winter weather, the city commission approved the purchase of 5,000 pounds of road salt. The $24,000 transaction will call for 60 percent of the salt to be delivered ahead of the season and the balance will be shipped later in the winter. Also, …

Summer held on for quite a long time. We are well into October, yet, at times, the temperatures have made it feel like late August. Every time I mow the lawn, I keep wondering if this might be the last time the grass needs to be cut for the season. That’s okay; this nice weather can stick around for another …

A 12-month ridership record was set during the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority’s most recent fiscal year. Steve Yorks, executive director of the Three Rivers-based agency, said the CTA provided 96,960 rides in its 2012-13 fiscal year. The 52-week period ended Sept. 30. The figure reflects a 2 percent increase from the 2011-12 fiscal year, when 94,940 rides were provided. …

Officials from Three Rivers Health are announcing the opening today of its Center for Wound Healing. Located at 721 S. Health Parkway, the center will offer state-of-the-art treatment and protocols to treat chronic wounds, including hyperbaric-oxygen therapy, negative-pressure therapies, bioengineered tissues and biosynthetics. Qualified patients may also have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and multi-center studies. Hospital officials …

Cass County Sheriff Joe Underwood Jr. said his office investigated a single-vehicle crash that took place last week in Porter Township. Underwood said the incident occurred mid-afternoon Friday on M-217 at State Line Road. The driver, 50-year-old Brad Martin, of Vandalia, was northbound on M-217 when he lost control of his vehicle, which left the roadway and struck the Welcome …

A household hazardous waste collection Saturday was declared a success by event organizers. Sponsored by the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, the twice-a-year drop off at the county fairgrounds featured hazardous waste, televisions, computers, tires, paper and cardboard, and latex paint. Pat Kulikowski, solid waste committee secretary, said final numbers show the collection netted 256 tires, 20,000 pounds of …

State Rep. Matt Lori has announced the Sturgis Neighborhood Program will receive a $30,000 grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The grant, from the Housing Resource Fund, will be used to support general operating expenses of the organization, which serves residents of the city of Sturgis and the surrounding area. Lori said the Sturgis Neighborhood Program serves to …

A service offered Saturday by Up-Cycled Pets of St. Joseph County proved to be a popular attraction. Staged at the St. Joseph County fairgrounds, the first-of-its kind event offered free rabies shots, four-in-one vaccinations and microchipping for dogs. The program was organized and conducted jointly between Up-Cycled Pets and the Kalamazoo County Humane Society, thanks to a Michigan-based foundation that …

The Cass County Drug Enforcement Team last week uncovered a comprehensive marijuana-growing operation in Penn Township. Investigators on Wednesday searched a barn in the 16000 block of Dutch Settlement Road and surrounding property and uncovered the operation. Detectives located numerous marijuana plants, more than five pounds of processed marijuana and a loaded firearm. Officials said the estimated street value of …

Last year’s crop was decimated by late frosts, and the feeble harvest yielded a mere 2.7 million bushels for growers. This year, however, is shaping up to be a record year, projected to top 30 million bushels, according to growers. Adam Dietrich, Michigan State University graduate and grower at Leo Dietrich and Sons, based in Conklin, Michigan, says this year …