NewsMatch update: With just two weeks left to reach our goal, we need your help
It’s our hope to raise an additional $10,000 before December 31 to achieve our goal, and secure much-needed funding for 2025.
Watershed Voice has raised $5,717 toward our $15,000 NewsMatch goal but we’re running out of time, and could use your help crossing the finish line.
Here’s how you can help: We have two weeks remaining in our NewsMatch campaign — and we could really use your support to secure much-needed funding for 2025. Your contribution will be matched up to $1,000, which is a huge deal for a nonprofit newsroom like ours. That means that if you give us $20, we get $40.
If we’re able to reach $15,000 raised, NewsMatch will match those funds, meaning we stand to raise a total of $30,000 headed into the New Year. It is our privilege to be able to do this vital work and provide it free of charge to Southwest Michigan, but it cannot happen without support from people like you.
We need your help to meet our goal of $15,000! Will you join us?
By helping us take advantage of this high-impact fundraising opportunity, you enable us to create much more of our difference-making reporting. Thank you for believing in Watershed Voice.
With gratitude,
Alek Haak-Frost
Executive Editor & Publisher
Watershed Voice
Author
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Early voting begins July 25; Watershed Voice candidate questionnaire update
Early voting begins Saturday, July 25, and continues through Sunday, August 2. Hours may vary depending on your municipality and voting location, so check with your county clerk before finalizing your plans.
In St. Joseph County, voters may cast an early ballot at the St. Joseph County Training Center, 602 E. Main St., Centreville.
On weekdays during the early voting timeframe, the center will be open to voters from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends, the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Any eligible St. Joseph County voters will be able to vote at this location during those times, regardless of where they live in the county.
Three Rivers commission permanently relaxes residency requirements for housing board
If the amendment had failed, the Three Rivers Housing Development Corporation board would once again be subject to the original residency requirements, making several current members ineligible to continue serving. According to the proposed bylaw language, most current board members live outside the city.
Mayor Angel Johnston began her portion of commissioners comments by going through each commissioner’s comments sharing her thoughts on them. Johnston then moved to questioning City Clerk Leslie Wilson about whether the housing board’s IRS Form 990 filings were up to date and why her FOIA asking for that information was delayed if the documents “should be available online.”
Soon after Johnston began this questioning, Commissioner Pat Dane interrupted and “called the question,” a parliamentary motion to end debate and proceed to a vote.
After the meeting, Mayor Johnston went live on her YouTube channel in a video titled, ‘Your mayor was silenced. Here’s what she wasn’t allowed to say.’ In the video, Johnston criticized the vote and argued the amended bylaws would allow nonresidents to oversee decisions involving taxpayer-funded housing projects.
After months of turmoil, Andrew Kuk says goodbye to Sturgis City Commission
Vice Mayor Jeff Mullins and Commissioner Aaron Miller have argued Kuk’s resignation is directly tied to an environment created by Mayor Frank Perez and several other commissioners. Perez has denied wrongdoing, and specific allegations have not been publicly disclosed because commissioners and the city attorney have said they stem from confidential closed-session discussions.
Several commissioners used their closing comments Wednesday to thank Kuk for his service.
Miller said Kuk deserved to retire from the position rather than leave under the current circumstances.
“There really are no adequate words,” Miller said. “I’ve always appreciated just how high your character is and just how good of a job you do and how thorough you are and how knowledgeable you are.
“This has not been your city your entire life, but you have given to it as if it was.”
