Sturgis extreme weather center activated

The Sturgis Emergency Extreme Weather Center was activated the same day it was approved for use.

The Sturgis Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a special land use request from the extreme weather center board to open the meeting room at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 110 S. Clay St., to those seeking a comfortable place to congregate during extreme temperature events.

The approval came at a point in the winter season where air temperatures dropped to zero following a winter snowstorm over the weekend.

The center will operate from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. during any extreme temperature event. The center fills the time gap outside other organization and business hours of operation set up to accommodate the public’s needs. Once the extreme weather center would close for the morning, people still in need of warmth may do so at other daytime locations.