September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Watershed Voice encourages you to check in on your loved ones, yourself, and reflect on ways to look out for signs that people in your life are struggling. The topic of suicide is often considered taboo and difficult to talk about. However, Nicolette Cole, a veteran navigator at Pivotal and instructor for its QPR suicide prevention training, says avoiding the topic can be part of the problem.
Earlier this week, investigators began digging at a property in Leonidas Township after they received information that there could be evidence at the property related to the disappearance of Brittany Shank.
SAFEbuilt came up repeatedly throughout the meeting, with commissioners raising their own and residents’ complaints about the company and SAFEbuilt representatives responding. The discussion began during public comment when Glenn Lindsay, SAFEbuilt’s Midwest director of operations, addressed what he said were social media posts regarding the amount the city pays SAFEbuilt. Lindsay sought to explain the expenditures and argued that revenue from permits and rental inspections offsets much of the cost of SAFEbuilt’s services.
The first batch of local funding is being disbursed to cities and counties across Michigan as part of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Neighborhood Roads Fund (NRF), which aims to rebuild state and local roads and bridges. Locally, residents in Three Rivers and Sturgis have complained to local officials about the condition of their roads, asking for plans to fix them. Those officials have said some of the most problematic roads are owned and maintained by the state, meaning responsibility for those repairs rests with the state.
The Three Rivers City Commission will meet this Tuesday, September 15 at 6 p.m. in city hall. Commissioners will work through a long agenda containing four public hearings and seven new business items. Commissioners will consider the next steps for a property transfer to Habitat for Humanity, the 2027 Parks and Recreation department plan — which includes a splash pad, a second attempt at the sale of 810 S. Constantine St., and an annual review of city commission and administration guidelines.
Reverend Nicole Smith of Three Rivers writes, "A healthy human being is healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. Health Trac sought to be a place where everyone from families with small children to octogenarians could gather safely and not just exercise but also socialize, interact on an intergenerational basis, and find not just a healthier body but release from stress, anxiety, fear, and loneliness."
James "Jim" Berry, first-year superintendent at St. Joseph County Intermediate School District (ISD), shared his perspective on his goals for his new role and the state of education amid the AI boom. We spoke with Berry about his first few weeks in his new role, his visions for the future of ISD amid an ever-changing job market, and how he plans to give students the tools they need to succeed.
City staff recommended purchasing a Meeting Owl 5 Pro camera and supplemental equipment for up to $5,000, along with adopting a video retention policy. The proposed policy called for recordings to be deleted one day after the minutes for the corresponding meeting were approved — which occurs at the following meeting, typically 2-3 weeks later — unless a legal, FOIA, audit or investigation hold applied. The system and policy were voted down unanimously.
The event has long been a staple of the city and its downtown block, and 2026 will be no different, as festivities will take place on North Main Street from 1 to 10 p.m. Sunday, September 6. In addition to the live music, there will be food trucks and a kids zone from 1 to 4 p.m., while businesses in the Main Street Commons will also be open.
This Tuesday, September 1, at 6 p.m. the Three Rivers City Commission will meet and consider the purchase of equipment for city-administered live-streaming. Commissioners will decide which video camera system to purchase with the Meeting Owl Pro 5 Camera and supplemental equipment being recommended by staff. The total cost would be $5,000 from the general fund. The agenda packet also includes a retention policy, which recommends the recording is kept on the city’s YouTube until one day after the minutes of that meeting are approved — typically two weeks after the livestream takes place.
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