Home

Founded by Kurt Brandenburg and Verna Troyer, the ensemble started with a focus on early sacred and secular choral music from the Renaissance era. Over time, the group expanded its repertoire to include works from nearly every musical period. “We began to feature music from basically all periods, literally from medieval to modern,” Brandenburg told Watershed Voice.  That wide-ranging history is central to this year’s program. Brandenburg Concert will present “Our Story” at 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 3 at First Presbyterian Church in Three Rivers.

In a phone interview with Watershed Voice on Thursday, April 23, City Commissioner Aaron Miller made stronger allegations against Mayor Frank Perez, claiming Perez had broken the law while in office. Miller argued Perez was the person best positioned to publicly disclose the details, and did not identify specific statutes he believed had been violated. “There is plenty that I cannot share because it is protected, as advised by our legal counsel,” Miller said. “There’s a lot that I would love to get out in the open, because sunshine is the best disinfectant.” Watershed Voice requested comment from Perez regarding allegations made during Wednesday’s meeting and Miller’s remarks to Watershed on Thursday. A response was not received by publication time.

Andrew Kuk has resigned as Sturgis city manager, with the city commission voting Wednesday night to accept his resignation amid a contentious meeting that also featured failed attempts to discipline Mayor Frank Perez. Following a closed session listed on the agenda for an attorney opinion and a periodic personnel evaluation at the employee’s request, commissioners returned to open session. Kuk then issued a statement announcing his resignation, and the commission voted 6-2 to accept it. Commissioner Marvin Smith was absent.

DDA board members spoke during the meeting, admitting they were underprepared and moved too quickly, putting the city in a position to deny the request. However, they said they plan to develop a more thorough plan to present to city staff. “I do think that we did get a little ahead of ourselves,” DDA board member Jason Ballew said, explaining that the DDA will come back with a full work plan outlining how the market would function. Ballew also asked the commission not to make any formal decisions Tuesday night.

According to the Sturgis Area Community Foundation, the incoming executive director will oversee strategic planning, donor and community relationships, and efforts focused on economic opportunity, well-being and inclusive community development. SACF serves Sturgis and surrounding communities in St. Joseph County through grants, scholarships and partnerships supporting nonprofits, students and community initiatives. The organization said it manages more than $50 million in assets.

The Sturgis City Commission will meet tonight, Wednesday, April 22, for its second regular business meeting of the month. Commissioners are set to discuss a Doyle Center roof project anticipated to cost $696,000, accept a bid on a $73,500 Nottawa Street 69kV transmission line, establish a hydro dam engineer, and approve Sturgis Fest dates and city support requests. City Controller Sadie Griffin will also present the commission with the city’s annual audit, covering the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The audit found the city’s total net position rose to about $127.6 million, an increase of roughly $9.5 million from the previous year.