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Sturgis Dam could be going away, here’s what the city is considering
Currently, the dam produces 6.6 million kilowatt hours of energy per year. The city uses about 219.8 million kilowatt hours, so the dam produces about 3% of the city’s total electricity in a year, Sturgis Public Services Director Thomas Sikorski told Watershed Voice.
Sturgis is known as the “electric city” and the dam is a core part of the city’s identity. This is something Sikorski noted during their last meeting when expressing some of his hesitancy to consider more invasive options like decommissioning. However, the dam’s relatively small contribution to the city’s electricity supply has promoted questions about whether its operating and maintenance costs are justified.
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Watershed Voice is an independent, nonprofit civic news magazine based in Three Rivers, Michigan. We seek to highlight solutions to your pressing concerns in an effort to make our community a better place.
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Sturgis City Commission returns to business as usual after election
The Sturgis City Commission met last night, November 11, for a regular business meeting. Commissioners worked through a light agenda and shared their thoughts about last Tuesday’s election.
Celebrating the life of a Fetzer visionary: Robert F. ‘Rob’ Lehman
Robert F. Lehman became president of the Fetzer Institute in 1989, guiding its pioneering exploration of the relationship between mind, body, and spirit. Under his leadership, the Institute supported groundbreaking research in mind-body health, contemplative practice, and human development, including the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers. He also established the Institute’s first fellows program and oversaw the opening of Seasons, its retreat center, in 1994.
Haak-Frost: Why you should join Watershed Voice at the movies this Saturday
Executive Editor Alek Haak-Frost invites Watershed Voice supporters to join its staff and board members this Saturday, November 14 at 7 p.m. at the Riviera Theatre in downtown Three Rivers for a showing of Oscar-winning film Spotlight.
All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Watershed Voice and serve as the kickoff event for its annual year-end fundraiser.
Tuesday’s midterm elections by the numbers
Here in Michigan, the midterm trends were no different than they were nationally. Democrats won the governor’s office, a U.S. Senate seat and nine of the state’s 13 seats in the House, flipping three congressional districts – 4th, 7th, and 10th – previously held by Republicans. Democrats also regained control of the Michigan House of Representatives and expanded their majority in the state Senate.
However, in St. Joseph County, Republican candidates remained the top vote-getters in most major races, while voters in Three Rivers delivered a different set of results.
For many veterans, hardships continue long after returning home
Watershed Voice spoke with Nicolette Cole, a Veteran Navigator with Pivotal, who helps veterans navigate the often-complicated process of accessing benefits and services.
Cole also discussed the stigma surrounding veterans seeking mental health care and the difficulties many face when navigating the system.
Local meeting primer: Sturgis City Commission
Although last Tuesday’s elections brought some changes to the Sturgis City Commission, the controversial group of commissioners will have to work together twice more before a new commission is sworn in.
The newly elected commissioners won’t be sworn in until their December 9 organizational meeting. During that meeting, commissioners will also decide their next mayor and vice mayor.
