The armbands are priced at $12 which means you’ll save $4 by purchasing now while the supply lasts.

Armbands can be purchased at these locations:

• Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, 57 North Main Street in downtown Three Rivers
• Harding’s Friendly Mark, 808 West Michigan Avenue
• Hoffman Street Grocery, 115 West Hoffman Street.

Schmidt Amusements will be providing the Carnival Midway again this year and is featuring two new, exciting rides this year.

The Carnival Midway will open at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 14th and at noon on Friday and Saturday, June 15th and 16th.

Armbands are good for an entire one day of your choice.

For additional information about the Three Rivers Water Festival, click here.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has multiple purposes:

• Learn about the services available and provided throughout St. Joseph County and Cass county.
• Help raise funds that help continue the services that are available and provided.
• Meet public safety personnel from both St. Joseph County and Cass County.
• Meet other dedicated officials from both counties that do their part to help eliminate domestic and sexual abuse.

According to Three Rivers Police Chief Tom Bringman, the main program will start around noon with the actual walk talking place around 12:30 p.m.  Bringman says, “The event will be fun and help raise funds at the same time.”

For additional information and pictures, click here.

Carolyn Niblock waits to see if she will end up in the water at the dunk tank at a picnic held Friday at Riverside Elementary School in Constantine.

The picnic is an annual event sponsored by the PTO.

“This is for the Riverside community. We have 325 students and bought 600 hot dogs for students, staff and families,” PTO president Rachel Bacheller said. “All the kids are pretty excited about the dunk tank.”

Hot dogs were passed out along with a sack lunch containing chips, carrots, an apple and bottled water. Inside, there was a long line for ice cream.

Carolyn Niblock, Kayla Goldsmith, Rachel Peters, Tammi Forfinski and Riverside principal Steve Wilson volunteered for the dunk tank.

Source:  Story and photo contributed by Angie Birdsall.

For additional information about the lineup, click here.

In keeping with a promise at the end of the earlier story, this post offers audio of each of the judicial candidates, plus Prosecuting Attorney John McDonough and Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman, all of whom are candidates in the August 7th primary election.

The River Country Journal is pleased to be able to offer these recordings of the presentations made by each candidate as a public service.

To access these recordings, simply click on the links that appear below.  Running time and file size information is provided with each link.

To view the story posted earlier this week, click on the following link:  Judicial candidates featured at May meeting of St. Joseph County Bar Association.

RECORDINGS

• John McDonough, Prosecuting Attorney (1:01 – 956 KB)

• Paul Stutesman, Circuit Judge (2:07 – 1.95 MB)

Probate Judge Candidates:

• John Barnes (4:52 – 4.45 MB)

• Robert Dutka (3:59 – 3.65 MB)

• Thomas Robertson (4:47 – 4.39 MB)

• David Tomlinson (5:07 – 4.68 MB)

• Christine Yancey (5:13 – 4.78 MB)

District Judge Candidates:

• Matt Davidson (3:47 – 3.47 MB)

• Robert Pattison (5:16 – 4.83 MB)

• Andrew Rogness (4:19 – 3.95 MB)

Here’s her message regarding an upcoming training program:

Source:  Message from Kelly Hostetler of the St. Joseph County United Way

That’s the invitation in the latest newsletter from *culture is not optional, owner of the Huss School property in Three Rivers and site of Triple Ripple Community Gardens.

The tomato-related work session is set for Saturday afternoon (May 19).

The invitation goes on to say:  “Many hands will make light, fun work.  We’ll start at 2:00 p.m. and work until the plants are in the ground, so feel free to come late if you can’t make it at 2:00.  Bring a bottle of water, as well as gloves and tools if you have them (though we have plenty you can borrow).  Please keep in mind that the property currently does not have any working toilet facilities.”

The invitation also includes this important information:  “Triple Ripple Community Gardens donates the majority of its produce to local families through the Domestic Assault Shelter and KeyStone Place shelter – plus we teach adults and kids how to grow their own food!  We look forward to seeing you at the garden in our third growing season.”

To learn more about Triple Ripple Community Gardens through an earlier story in the River Country Journal, click here.

Source:  *culture is not optional newsletter

Katrina Cummins was the recipient of a Rotarian scholarship, the McManus Lake Award, at the 52nd annual Honors Dessert held Wednesday evening. She is shown with her parents, Teresa Cummins and Ron Lagrand. The dessert is an annual event sponsored by Constantine Rotary. Rotary President Greg Hoover presented the award.

The event is sponsored by the Constantine Rotary Club, and highlights the recipient of the McManus Lake Award, a Rotarian scholarship.  This year the award was presented by Rotary President Greg Hoover to Katrina Cummins.

Teachers and various speakers presenting the awards gave heartfelt speeches. Many said it is their favorite night.

“It’s important to recognize kids and their involvement,” athletic director Mike Messner said. “I grew up here. Constantine has been a special place for me as a person, and it’s great to have a career in the place that I loved growing up.  Not many places offer so many scholarships and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said.

High school principal Chris Barnes urged graduates to remember parents and people who have supported them.  “Think who woke you up and fed you, gave you your first crayons and scissors for Kindergarten,” Barnes said. “Thank who is sitting beside you and continue to make us proud by achieving your dreams for the future.”

Constantine Tech High School director and CHS teacher Dale Wentela said he was also reminded of the graduates’ early days.  “In kindergarten your moms cried putting you on the school bus, and 13 years later dad’s crying he’s got to pay for college,” Wentela joked.

Many echoed music director Bev’s Smith’s comment, “It has been a privilege to know you, and watch you grow.”

Departmental and special recognition awards and scholarships include: Social Studies-Kurtis Oldenburg, Spanish-Kevin Anderson, Science-Jordan Schrock, English-Sarah Warren, Art-Allyson Wentela and McKenna Wolf, Instrumental Music-Kendahl Hartley, Vocal Music-Kyle Went, Phys. ed-Chase Niblock, Industrial Arts-Kurtis Oldenburg, Computer-Tim Alvarado, College prep. English-Lydia Davis and Chase Niblock, Math-Jordan Schrock, Academic lab-Zachary Creager, SWM Distinction award-Trina Cummins, SWM Honors award-Kevin Anderson, Emily Miller, Victoria Neubert, Hailey Rogers and McKenna Wolf, North Central Farmer’s Co-op-Anthony Weston, DAR Good Citizen-Adam West, American Legion Auxiliary Girl’s State-Sarah Warren and McKenna Wolf, 12 Star Award-Linzee Springer, Seth Stears and Chase Niblock, All League Award-Jordan Schrock, Principal’s award-Adam West, CTE award-Chris Cooper, Tim Alvarado, Devin Robinson and Seth Stears, Red Cross award-Jordan Schrock.

Local scholarships include: Randy Stears Memorial Scholarship-Adam West, Ken Roberts Memorial Scholarship-Zach Creager, Kenneth Culp Memorial Scholarship-Katrina Cummins, Terry Thornton Memorial Scholarship-Sarah Warren, Jean Johnson Memorial Schoalrship-Adam West, Fred Davenport Memorial Scholarship-Linzee Springer, Nancy Hoopingarner Memorial Scholarship-Jordan Schrock, Mary L. Simmons Memorial Scholarship-Sarah Warren, Kalamazoo Building Services Scholarship-Veronica Reiff, Pepsi Scholarship-Lydia Davis, Messner Memorial Scholarship-Chase Niblock, Falcon Athletic Boosters Scholarship-Katrina Cummins and Sarah Warren, CEA Scholarship-Jordan Schrock, Jack Deller Memorial Scholarship-Hailey Rogers, Constantine School Endowment Fund Scholarship/Dorothy Stears Scholarship-Adam West and Jordan Schrock, McManus Lake Award-Katrina Cummins.

Academic honors include: Academic Honors Class of 2012-Valedictorian Jordan Schrock, Salutatorian-Kevin Anderson, Academic High Honors-Trent Bullock, Katrina Cummins, Shelby Hooley and Sarah Warren, Academic Honors-Kristin Cox and Veronica Reiff, KVA Academic All Conference-Jordan Schrock, Academic Excellence Award recipients-Timothy Alvarado Jr., Kevin Anderson, Ben Barber, Trent Bullock, Kristin Cox, Katrina Cummins, Jacqueline (Lydia) Davis, Brandon Edwards, Shelby Hooley, Natasha McDonald, Chase Niblock, Veronia Reiff, Hailey Rogers, Jordan Schrock, Lindsay Taylor, Courtney Tyler and Sarah Warren.

Source:  Story and photo contributed by Angie Birdsall.

The candidate lineup following passage of Tuesday’s (May 15) 4 p.m. filing deadline shows there will be contests for the offices of Probate Judge, Drain Commissioner and two seats on the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners.

Five candidates are in the running to succeed Probate Judge Thomas Shumaker when he retires at the end of the year.  The candidates in the non-partisan competition are John Barnes, Robert Dutka, Thomas Robertson, David Tomlinson and Christine Yancey.  The top two vote-getters in the primary will move on to the general election on November 6th.

Competition for the Republican nomination for Drain Commissioner will feature a contest between David Hassenger, the former officeholder, and Jeffery Wenzel, the current Drain Commissioner.

The County Board of Commissioners contests are in District # 3 where Barry Miller will challenge current Board Chairman Rick Shaffer and in District # 5 where two current commissioners, John Dobberteen and Jerry Ware, will compete for the Republican nomination.  The contest in District # 5 is the result of redistricting that will trim the size of the board from seven members to five.

Three other current members of the County Board of Commissioners are unopposed as they seek the Republican nomination for their positions in the primary election.  They are Allen Balog (District # 1), Donald Eaton (District # 2), and Robin Baker (District # 4).

Candidates for four other county offices – all incumbent Republicans – are running without opposition.  They and the positions they are seeking are:

• John McDonough (Prosecuting Attorney, incumbent)
• Bradley Balk (Sheriff, incumbent)
• David Mostrom (Surveyor, a position currently held by his father, Wayne Mostrom)
• and Pattie Bender (County Clerk/Register).  Bender is currently the County Clerk and is seeking election to the combined County Clerk/Register of Deeds position authorized by the County Board of Commissioners last summer.

The potential for a contest for the Republican nomination for County Treasurer went away just prior to the filing deadline with the official withdrawal by Rob Sisson, leaving the current officeholder, Judith ‘Judie’ Ratering without a challenger on the ballot.  Ratering was appointed in late January to fill the vacancy created when former Treasurer Phyllis Bainbridge resigned.

To view a summary of the candidates for county offices, information compiled by the County Clerk, click on the following link:  Candidates for County Officers/County Commissioners Qualified to Appear on the August 7, 2012 Primary Ballot.

Candidates for two other local offices – District Judge and Circuit Judge – will also be on the primary election ballot, but their filings are handled through the Secretary of State, rather than the County Clerk.  In regard to these offices, there will be primary election competition for District Court Judge, a post from which District Judge William Welty will be retiring at the end of the year.  Candidates for the office are Matt Davidson, Robert Patison and Andrew Rogness.  As with the Probate Judge position, the primary election will trim the field of candidates for District Judge to two for the general election.  Circuit Judge Paul Stutesman is unopposed in his bid for re-election.

Click on the link to access this feature from Larry-Michael and Becky Lynn Hackenberg – The Cycles of Earth – May 19, 2012