The Sturgis City Commission will meet tonight in City Hall at 6 p.m. Electric Department Superintendent Chris McArthur will present the commission with the Sturgis Electric Center final design and the proposed purchase of a Hydro Line Three-Phase Transformer. A Christmas Tree pickup fundraiser and the sorting out of leases and sales of the city vehicle fleets will also be discussed.
Jared Smith, 49, faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13 and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13, according to Calhoun County court records.
“I’ve never felt like it was work because I’ve always liked what I’ve done,” Belote said. “I’ve been very lucky.”
Watershed Voice Executive Editor Alek Haak-Frost writes, "I, for one, would love to see Pogs make a comeback. My stepmother took my Pogs away one day as punishment for something lost to the sands of time, and I never saw them again. Like, ever. "So what does any of this have to do with rural newsrooms? Watershed Voice, much like my beloved Pogs, could be taken away, never to be seen or heard from again. Not because my stepmom forgot to give it back but because support for local journalism has dwindled, and rural newsrooms are almost as endangered as Blockbuster Video or Hot 'n Now (good looking out, Sturgis)."
The ordinance converts curbside recycling from an add-on service to a full city utility, billed as a mandatory fee on utility bills for eligible residential properties. The commission’s approval of the second reading triggers a 20-day waiting period before the ordinance can go into effect. The measure is designed as an alternative to letting the city’s existing recycling contract with Borden expire at year’s end. Previously, the commission had moved toward ending curbside service at the end of the current contract because of rising costs and a roughly $150,000 funding shortfall, even at the maximum allowed fee under state law.
Wednesday’s meeting will feature the second reading of the ordinance. If approved, the city would enter a 20-day waiting period before the measure becomes law. The commission will also need to decide the length of its next contract with Borden — likely between one year, which allows flexibility if prices change or the commission later discontinues recycling, and three years, which would reduce per-household costs through volume pricing.
Residents are asked to place brush and tree limbs in the right-of-way or terrace area, off the street, by 7 a.m. on November 17 to ensure pickup. Crews will make one pass through the city, starting on the north side and working south. Brush placed out after crews have passed may not be collected.
Organizers emphasized that both the demonstration and food drive are open to all, regardless of political affiliation, and are intended to foster connection and mutual support.
Shrek the Musical runs from November 14-16 at the Sturges-Young Center for the Arts in Sturgis. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, November 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for both children and adults.
Watershed Voice has no owners, is free to all, and we intend to keep it that way. Our biggest fundraiser of the year, NewsMatch, is officially underway and we need your support to continue this valuable work.
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