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Watershed Voice officially launched six years ago on this day in 2020, providing a combined 3,400 stories, columns, podcasts, poems and the like to residents of St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, and Cass Counties over the last 2,191 days. Help us celebrate our birthday with a donation, and sign up for our free newsletter in observance of Local News Day on April 9.

“I’d ask that item H3 be removed from tonight’s agenda, given the timing and the need for additional review to ensure the commission has a full understanding of the longer-term implications,” City Manager Malcolm Hankins said. “Removing the item, I believe, is appropriate. It also effectively means non-acceptance of the grant at this time.” Hankins’ comments were met with immediate applause from a packed commission chamber, where many residents had gathered to urge officials to reject the funding. This is the second time the item has been pulled from a commission agenda in recent weeks.

The Sturgis City Commission will meet Wednesday, April 8 for its regular business meeting, with a largely routine agenda that includes contract approvals, infrastructure work, and an update on staffing. 

The Three Rivers City Commission will meet Tuesday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at City Hall for its regular business meeting. Commissioners will consider several new business items, including scheduling meeting dates for FY 2027 budget discussions and a public hearing, approving tornado response invoices to local contractors, and considering nearly $3 million in infrastructure projects throughout the city. The meeting will be livestreamed on Watershed Voice’s Facebook page and uploaded to YouTube afterward.

The board, which is made up of four members — President Riley Mains, Secretary Alexis Jacobs, Treasurer Ziggy Standish, and member Desireé Horrocks — said the organization is using this year to strengthen its structure and improve long-term sustainability. “At this point, we really have to focus on strengthening the organization so that we can provide you all with the festival that the town deserves,” Standish said. The Pride festival is the group’s largest event of the year and has cost about $20,000 to $35,000 to host in past years, the board told Watershed Voice.

The announcement prompted questions locally, particularly in Dowagiac, where the company already operates a data center. City officials first responded Tuesday morning, saying they were not informed of the planned purchase and have not received any development proposals tied to it. On Wednesday, April 1, Watershed Voice spoke with Dowagiac City Manager Kevin Anderson, who said the city has no additional information about the property. “We don’t have any documentation identifying what property this is,” Anderson said. “We’re in the same position as the public.”