Culture Archives

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

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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.”

NYT bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt to keynote inaugural literary arts festival in Vicksburg

By Watershed Voice

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Culture

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March 4, 2026

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.

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.

From rural midwest poetry to a French residency, how Aubrey Barnes continues to share his uncompromising voice

By Maxwell Knauer

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Culture

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February 19, 2026

Barnes, who has previously performed at the Watershed Voice Artist Showcase in Three Rivers and had several works published by the news and culture magazine, was recently awarded a writing residency at Chateau Orquevaux in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. He described the experience as life-changing. “The artists — writers, painters and other creatives — would gather. We walked together, explored the grounds, shared our art, cried, laughed and built deep bonds quickly. It was transformative.”

Monoform to show ‘Ganja & Hess,’ a pivotal film in Black cinema

By Maxwell Knauer

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Culture

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February 11, 2026

Often regarded as a landmark in the history of Black cinema, Ganja & Hess (1973) uses vampirism as a metaphor for “Black assimilation and identity, white cultural imperialism, addiction, desire, and the hypocrisies of organized religion,” Monoform Cinema wrote on its website.

Sayrie: Sounding the alarm

By Aundrea Sayrie

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Opinion

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February 11, 2026

Watershed Voice’s Aundrea Sayrie writes, “Black History Month is celebratory of Black achievement and existence, yes, but it is equally meant to continually sound the alarm on discrimination, and a means of advocating for justice. Applied pressure on the neck of oppression and erasure, a vehicle to ensure the truth isn't lost in the footnotes of history.” You can listen to Aundrea perform this piece via the SoundCloud player at the top of the article.

Farrand Hall diner to open Thursday in downtown Three Rivers

By Maxwell Knauer

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Culture

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February 4, 2026

A new take on the classic American diner is coming to downtown Three Rivers this week. Farrand Hall will open its diner concept on Thursday, February 5, bringing counter service, seasonal cooking and a casual, energetic atmosphere to the historic downtown.

Keep Your Voice Down: Beautiful distractions

By Alek Haak-Frost

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Podcasts

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January 28, 2026

Keep Your Voice Down hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. are joined by frequent collaborator and friend Layne Deuel to talk about distractions that helped them endure the past year. The trio discuss the benefits of going to the movies alone, why Sinners was easily the best film they saw all year, books that made them laugh (shout out to Princess Donut and Dungeon Crawler Carl), and the video games Layne plays in the wee hours of the morning because parenting is a full-time job.

Letter to the Editor: Not Left, Not Right. Together.

By Watershed Voice

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Opinion

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January 27, 2026

Layne Deuel of Lockport Township writes, "I humbly ask that all of us stand up to ICE and demand immediate, tangible change to this armed force. By speaking out, it does not make you less conservative or more liberal, it makes you truly American. The rebellious spirit to stand up to the wolf at the door is something that has been instilled in all of us. We cannot let that fire burn out now. We must stand together and push for change immediately. As Americans, we cannot fail the spirit of Americans before us or those who come after us."

Watershed Voice: Year in Review

By Maxwell Knauer

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News

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December 30, 2025

Before our three-week publishing pause, Watershed Voice invites our readers to take a look back at the past year in local news. For Watershed Voice, it was a year marked by change, as we transitioned from one staff writer — Najifa Farhat for the first half of the year — to another, Maxwell Knauer, for the second half of the year. No matter the author of our stories, we aimed to bring prompt, fact-based, independent reporting to Southwest Michigan. Here’s a look at some of our favorite, most impactful, and most-read stories of 2025.

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