Haak-Frost: What you made possible this year
As we reach the end of 2023, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the stories that had the biggest impact on our community this year. Let us take you through some of the highlights to illustrate why your financial support is crucial to this work.
We’re hoping to accomplish even more in 2024 with your help
As we reach the end of 2023, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the stories that had the biggest impact on our community this year. Let us take you through some of the highlights:
- We broke the news when a suspect was apprehended in a 35-year-old Three Rivers cold case, then again when the suspect committed suicide in his jail cell, and provided coverage of the press conference where authorities explained how the case was solved.
- For the past two years we’ve focused on mental health, and the services available to those in need in St. Joseph, Cass, and Kalamazoo Counties. This year we took a good look at teletherapy, earning our third national award nomination in two years.
- We highlighted local efforts to aide the community’s unhoused, with several stories concerning a proposed extreme weather center in Sturgis.
- We took a stand against hate, highlighted how Three Rivers Pride came to be, and captured and incapsulated the city’s first Pride festival.
Stories like these strengthen our community. They need to be told. And they’re not cheap to produce. That’s why we’re counting on you to help us continue to do this important work.
From now until December 31, NewsMatch will match your new monthly donation 12 times or double your one-time gift, up to $1,000. Your generous donations will help sustain our journalism — and help us produce many more standout stories — through 2024 and beyond.
Will you support independent journalism that works for you?
With gratitude,
Alek Haak-Frost
Executive Editor
Watershed Voice
Author
Related Articles
Racist policies shaped a neighborhood. Its lone banking institution helps people overcome
The Northside is one of Kalamazoo’s poorest neighborhoods. It’s also 83% Black.
But the neighborhood of 4,500 residents has just one banking institution: Advia Credit Union at 706 N. Westnedge Ave.
It’s carrying the load to help Northside residents build financial security.
Portage moves toward data center pause as concerns grow nationwide
The Portage City Council on March 24 unanimously voted to move forward with an ordinance that would establish a temporary moratorium on data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
The action does not immediately enact the moratorium. Instead, it directs city staff to prepare an amendment to the city code for future council consideration.
According to the meeting agenda, the proposed change would amend Chapter 42 of the city code to establish a temporary moratorium on the developments.
If adopted at a future meeting, the moratorium would pause new development related to data centers and battery storage systems while the city considers how to regulate them.
Cass County rejects funding requests, likely nixing Lawless Park improvement project
Commissioner Samuel Barrera, who also serves on the Parks Board, expressed frustration following the vote.
“I just want the members of this board to understand what just happened,” he said. “We have $110K invested into this project — now what are we going to do? We’ve successfully killed this project, so that money is on our hands. I don’t know how we’re going to recover those funds. … I’m really not proud of us right now.”
