By Jef Rietsma
Journal Correspondent
A woman at the center of the largest animal-hoarding incident in the history of St. Joseph County Animal Control was sentenced Friday.
Diane Pitone, 49, appearing before circuit court judge Paul Stutesman, was ordered to pay restitution of nearly $5,000 to the agency.
Stutesman, taking into consideration a number of factors, did not order jail time or probation.
Appearing via Zoom alongside attorney Stephen Rabaut, Pitone said she never meant to bring harm to any of the more than 150 cats retrieved in summer 2020 from a Fishers Lake home in Park Township.
“My intentions were good and I do take full responsibility for a series of bad decisions that led to the current situation,” she said. “I want to apologize to my family, friends, the good people and neighbors of Park Township in St. Joseph County and just assure everybody that I would never, ever do anything like this again. I feel very horrible.”
Journal Correspondent
Removal of decades-old restrictive covenants assigned to property in Centreville could spur economic growth in the county seat.
Zoning administrator Doug Kuhlman told county commissioners at their executive committee meeting last week the covenants were put in place by a committee that no longer exists.
At their meeting Tuesday, commissioners approved an ordinance that removes the covenants.
Kuhlman said the property lies within Centreville’s industrial park, a 120-acre piece of land south of Main Street on the east side of town.
The impetus for the change stems from two potential tenants interested in developing at the industrial park property, Kuhlman said.