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At Ada and Simpson Streets, new and rehabbed homes are making a difference
The basic outline of the program: A one-time community investment — federal, state, local government grants, and/or philanthropic — goes into building a new home that’s affordable for families with modest incomes.
That first family, and following families, agree to “pay it forward.” A requirement to keep the property at a price for a specific area median income, for generations, is baked into the deed. For the program to work, they buy it and sell it at under market value.
Saying this will run for “99 years” is a way of saying it’s “more or less permanent,” Beth McCann, Executive Director of KNHS says. “In theory, it should outlast Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services. It should outlast everybody.”
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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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Local meeting primer: Sturgis City Commission
The Sturgis City Commission will meet tonight, Wednesday, July 22 at 6 p.m. for a regular business meeting at City Hall. Commissioners will set a budget discussion public hearing, consider allowing the Sturgis Historical Society (SHS) to host cemetery tours, and consider a property transfer and an AEP pole line purchase.
Wednesday will also be City Manager Andrew Kuk’s final city commission meeting as his resignation goes into effect July 24.
Michigan Nurses Association sues Sturgis Hospital over closure notice
The Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) has filed a federal lawsuit against the recently closed Sturgis Hospital, alleging the hospital violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by failing to provide the required advance notice before laying off employees. The law generally requires employers to provide 60 days’ advance notice of certain plant closings and mass layoffs to affected employees or their union representative.
In a statement shared with Watershed Voice, MNA said nurses only received 72 hours’ notice, violating the federal 60-day requirement.
Watershed Voice sends out candidate questionnaires for August primary election
This Thursday, July 16, Watershed Voice sent out candidate questionnaires to candidates in the following August primary elections: State Senate District 17, State House District 36, and Three Rivers City Commission 2nd District.
Candidates in those elections will have exactly one week, until Thursday, July 23 to complete the questionnaires. Once completed, Watershed Voice will publish the responses in the order they are received the week before the August 4 election.
Glen Oaks welcomes first CDL-A class in Sturgis
Based in Sturgis, the accelerated three-week program combines classroom instruction with behind-the-wheel training, giving students the skills needed to earn a CDL-A license and begin careers in commercial trucking. The program is offered through a partnership between Glen Oaks Community College and Regen Trucking School.
Keep Your Voice Down, Episode 100: ‘Work and love in equal measure’
Keep Your Voice Down hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. celebrate their 100th episode with a casual and authentic conversation with poet, author, spoken word artist and educator Aubrey Barnes aka Mister Aubs.
Aubrey recommends some of his favorite anime, Doug explains how he’s changed politically and fundamentally since his college days, and Alek and Aubrey discuss the challenges of nonprofit work. The trio also touch on men’s mental health, burnout, refusing to farm out creative work to A.I., and how the Château d’Orquevaux Artists & Writers Residency impacted Aubrey.
EPA proposal could reduce public input on some data center permits as Dowagiac debate continues
According to reporting by NBC news, the EPA has proposed eliminating a federal requirement that states provide a 30-day public comment period before issuing certain air permits for facilities the agency classifies as “minor sources” of pollution. Instead of it being federal law, states would individually decide whether public comment is offered.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration has pushed to accelerate artificial intelligence infrastructure across the country.
