The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC) will host “Women in Media: Behind the Headlines” on April 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Epic Center in downtown Kalamazoo. The free event, which is open to the public, will feature a panel of local women working in journalism and media. Space is limited, and RSVPs are recommended.
Municipalities pay newspapers to publish these notices, with costs varying based on the number and length of postings. According to recent Three Rivers City Commission agenda packets, the city paid $740 to the Three Rivers Commercial-News for fiscal year 2026 public notices. A separate payment of $290 for the same category was recorded February 13. If lawmakers pursue changes, they could alter where and how notices are published, potentially shifting some requirements away from newspapers. However, state Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Springport) has said she is not seeking to eliminate public notice requirements altogether.
A quarterly finance report, compost site rule changes, and a letter of intent on three electric generators round out the Sturgis City Commission’s agenda for its meeting on Wednesday, March 25.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Andrew Lievense to the Michigan Court of Appeals, First District, a court that hears appeals affecting residents in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties. Lievense, of Northville, currently serves as an assistant U.S. attorney. He previously worked as a litigation associate at Honigman LLP in Detroit and clerked for U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn.
Kalamazoo City Commissioner Chris Praedel said the process reflected strong community engagement. “It’s refreshing to see these outcomes when it happens this way. It does not always turn out this way, and I am grateful that it has — but it only happens this way when everybody is willing to lean in and try something a little bit different,” Praedel said. The project combines improvements along two corridors — Winchell Avenue and Howard Street — under a single MDOT contract, meaning the elements cannot easily be separated for approval.
Useless Creatures Brewing Company plans to donate all sales today, Thursday, March 12 to tornado recovery efforts. All of the money will go to The Huss Project who has been organizing volunteers, collecting donations, and providing resources for those in need in the wake of the tornado.
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.
A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR
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