Author

Maxwell Knauer

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Maxwell Knauer attended Ohio State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in philosophy and political science.

He previously worked for Ohio State’s student newspaper, The Lantern, and interned with the Columbus lifestyle magazine CityScene before relocating to Kalamazoo.

Knauer, 23, enjoys watching movies, reading books, and playing basketball. Some of his favorites include RoboCop, My Dinner with Andre, and Ludwig Wittgenstein.

Maxwell's Latest Articles

Tiny houses, big impact: Gwendolyn Hooker’s housing vision in Kalamazoo

By Maxwell Knauer

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Kalamazoo

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March 11, 2026

As Helping Other People Exceed (HOPE) continued to grow, one issue kept appearing: many people had jobs and income but still could not find landlords willing to rent to them because of past criminal records. Many were couch surfing, sleeping in cars, or moving from one temporary situation to another. Eventually Founder and CEO Gwendolyn Hooker said, the solution became clear. “If people aren’t going to rent to the population that I serve,” she said, “then I’m just going to build my own houses.”

Sturgis provides storm aid to neighbors, approves arts center entryway project

By Maxwell Knauer

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Sturgis

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March 11, 2026

The City of Sturgis suffered very little damage from the storms. City staff reported during Monday’s meeting that minor damage occurred at the city’s hydroelectric facility, where a unit was knocked offline. “It went right over the dam,” one city staff member said during the meeting. Sturgis’ most significant involvement following the storm came through the aid and resources it provided to neighboring communities.

Three Rivers residents recount moments before and after Friday’s EF-2 tornado

By Maxwell Knauer

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Three Rivers

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March 10, 2026

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.

Three Rivers High School students to bring the world of “The Little Mermaid” to life onstage

By Maxwell Knauer

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Culture

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March 6, 2026

About 35 students are involved in the production this year, director Jennifer Miller said, filling roles both onstage and behind the scenes. Some students perform as actors, singers and dancers, while others manage technical elements such as sound, lighting and props. “What I love is how diverse their contributions are,” Miller wrote. “It’s a whole ecosystem of student talent, and everybody has found a place where they belong.”

Michigan voter group turns in 750K signatures for “citizens-only” voting amendment

By Maxwell Knauer

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News

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March 6, 2026

On Wednesday afternoon, Americans for Citizen Voting submitted roughly 750,000 petition signatures — more than 300,000 above the 446,198 valid signatures required, or 10% of the votes cast for governor in the previous election cycle — to place the measure before voters in November 2026. If approved by voters, the amendment would add language to the Michigan Constitution stating that only U.S. citizens may vote in state and local elections, require voters to present photo identification before casting a ballot, and direct state officials to conduct additional verification of voter rolls to remove non-citizens.

Three Rivers City Commission approves $700K airport fuel system project, pauses board appointments

By Maxwell Knauer

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Three Rivers

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March 4, 2026

Commissioners had two board appointments on the agenda originally; however, they removed them before the meeting started due to an inconsistency between state and local laws. “In a recent review of our appointment process, I discovered inconsistencies between state law, charter information published on the city’s website, and certain board bylaws," Mayor Angel Johnston said. "As a result, some past appointments under both current and prior leadership may not fully align with our governing requirements. So [City Attorney] TJ Reed and I spent some time on the phone today and I’m recommending that we temporarily pause new appointments while staff conducts a comprehensive review."

Kalamazoo city manager removes $1.25M federal police hiring grant from agenda

By Maxwell Knauer

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Kalamazoo

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March 3, 2026

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.

Local meeting primer: Three Rivers City Commission

By Maxwell Knauer

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Three Rivers

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March 3, 2026

The Three Rivers City Commission will meet Tuesday, March 3 to consider a city-wide mowing contract, water meter replacements, winter salt funding, and adding Farrand Hall Diner to the downtown social district. As noted previously, Watershed Voice will be live-streaming the City Commission meeting on its Facebook page, and will upload the video to YouTube after. All Three Rivers City Commission meetings will be live-streamed and uploaded going forward.

Huss Project offering paid summer internship for WMU students in Three Rivers

By Maxwell Knauer

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Three Rivers

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February 26, 2026

The 10-week internship generally runs through the organization’s Back to School Celebration at the August Second Saturday Farmers Market. Interns are paid $17.50 per hour and are expected to work about 20 hours per week. Every other week, they attend professional development training at Western Michigan University as part of the Broncos LEAD program. For Co-founder Rob Vander-Giessen Reitsma, the internship is about more than seasonal help — it’s about formation. “We hope students learn about small-scale food production, community development in a small town, and how our work is rooted in the core values of our organization,” he said.

EV Chargers, Road Projects Highlight Sturgis Commission Meeting

By Maxwell Knauer

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Sturgis

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February 26, 2026

Commissioners agreed to direct city staff to move forward with an electric vehicle charging station using leftover funds from a 2024 Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grant. The city completed its downtown improvements under budget, leaving approximately $151,207 in remaining funds. According to staff, electric vehicle charging infrastructure was the only remaining eligible use for the excess funds. The proposal includes installation of up to two dual-port Level 2 ChargePoint stations in Parking Lot 11 across from City Hall and the Sturges-Young Center for the Arts. Commissioners said the location is intended to encourage visitors to charge their vehicles while supporting downtown businesses within walking distance of the lot.