The storm was among the fiercest to strike Three Rivers in recent memory. Despite the destruction, residents across the city rushed to support one another before, during, and after.
On Sunday, March 10, around 30 IBEW workers, including representatives of KEI electrical construction and Perkins Electric, gathered in Three Rivers to provide free, professional support to those in need. “We heard our neighbors needed help cleaning up after the storm, so I decided to ask my union brothers and sisters to come lend a hand,” IBEW 131 President Eddie Leboeuf said.
Kimm Mayer, planning committee lead, said establishing the festival is important because “it makes reading and literacy accessible to everybody by introducing people to authors and activities in a fun and relaxed environment.” She added that the festival complements the arts community in Southwest Michigan and could impact literacy in the region while promoting tourism.
The item, if approved, would have accepted a 2025 COPS Hiring Program award from the U.S. Department of Justice, authorized the city manager to sign grant documents, approved 10 new officer positions and amended the city’s general fund budget by $1.52 million. Of that amount, $1.25 million would have come from the federal grant, while $270,000 would have been covered by the city to pay a portion of salary and fringe benefits for the new officers, according to the agenda packet. The COPS Hiring Program is a federal initiative that provides funding to local law enforcement agencies to hire additional sworn officers, typically covering part of salary and benefits for a set period. City Manager Malcolm Hankins did not provide an explanation for removing the item, and commissioners did not discuss it during the meeting.
“Science isn’t abstract — it affects our families, our hospitals, our water, our weather forecasts and our jobs,” organizers said in a statement. “We chose this location intentionally. Every day, people cross this bridge seeking medical care made possible by decades of scientific research. This rally is about recognizing that connection and standing up for the science that keeps our community healthy and strong.”
The 10-week internship generally runs through the organization’s Back to School Celebration at the August Second Saturday Farmers Market. Interns are paid $17.50 per hour and are expected to work about 20 hours per week. Every other week, they attend professional development training at Western Michigan University as part of the Broncos LEAD program. For Co-founder Rob Vander-Giessen Reitsma, the internship is about more than seasonal help — it’s about formation. “We hope students learn about small-scale food production, community development in a small town, and how our work is rooted in the core values of our organization,” he said.
In 2022, Stewart Rhodes was convicted in federal court of seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 attack and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He was later granted clemency by President Donald Trump in January 2025.
The event does not involve any proposed data center projects, nor does it signal plans to pursue data center development in Cass County. The session is not a public hearing and is not intended as a forum for advocacy, protest or public comment.
Starting Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Watershed Voice will begin livestreaming regular business meetings of the Three Rivers City Commission on its Facebook page. Meetings will be available to watch live on Facebook and will be uploaded to Watershed Voice’s YouTube channel as soon as possible afterward, typically within a few hours.
Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz also objected to comments made during a February 5 meeting suggesting raises should not be granted for superficial reasons. “The meeting was ended with a humiliating commentary that we can’t give a raise to somebody just because 'I like your pretty face' or because they 'look good,'” Prosecutor Victor Fitz said. “(Office Manager) Amanda Smego was absolutely humiliated by that, her family was humiliated, my office felt humiliated, and other persons who saw this unfold felt the same way.” Fitz distributed a written list to commissioners outlining reasons he believes Smego deserves the proposed step increase.
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