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Residents in every corner of St. Joseph County now have a community foundation built to serve them. This year, the Sturgis Area Community Foundation (SACF) expanded its Board of Trustees and committees to include volunteers from across the county, who now help shape decisions about grants, scholarships, and shared priorities such as housing, childcare, education, and economic development. As the Foundation grows, local funds continue to support local needs, and each community keeps its own identity.

Previously, Cass County Courts and Prosecutor’s Office maintained separate websites from the main County site. When the new site launches November 5, Courts information, as well as the County Prosecutor’s Office, will become part of the County website, allowing users to navigate between County departments, elected offices, public safety and court services without moving between separate websites.

Throughout this guide, completed questionnaires will be linked to candidates names on their first appearance. There are two ballot proposals that Watershed Voice previously outlined in detail that will be linked to as well, in case you need more information or a refresher. The guide is broken into four parts: Federal elections, state elections, ballot proposals, and local elections.

During Wednesday’s Sturgis City Commission the verbal sparring continued, intensified, and then ended with a call from interim City Manager Doug Terry to put it all behind them and work for the city.

Pablo Santiago Hernández was detained by ICE agents in the parking lot of the Sturgis Walmart Monday afternoon after purchasing lunch during a break from work, his wife Mary Kinney-Santiago told Watershed Voice. Santiago Hernández began the process of obtaining legal permanent residency in the United States in 2024. He was still working through that process at the time of his detainment. “My kids and I are devastated, especially my little ones that are his,” Kinney Santiago said. “They can sense the stress, they are not stupid, and he has played an active part in their lives.”

The Sturgis City Commission will meet this Wednesday, October 28 at 6 p.m. in city hall. Commissioners will consider renewing a contract for the city’s cross-connection control program, which helps the city comply with EGLE requirements, and a consulting agreement with Camas to evaluate options for the future of the Sturgis Dam. Since the commission’s last meeting, former Sturgis HR director Sonia Burkhead revealed herself as the anonymous source from the investigation into Mayor Frank Perez and other commissioners. We take a closer look at her statement, and how it relates to the timeline of previously reported events.