Watershed Voice columnist Aundrea Sayrie's new series "Good Grief." explores how loss lives in everyday lives, and its impact on mental health. In The Mother Wound, Part Two, Sayrie looks at the "absence you can't name," as some grief isn't about losing someone but rather "never fully having had them in the way you needed."
Watershed Voice columnist Aundrea Sayrie is introducing a new series exploring how loss lives in everyday lives, and its impact on mental health. This month she will examine the "mother wound," and how a month she once looked forward to feels different, forcing her to "confront the distance" between who she is and who she wants to be.
One of Anna Barnhart’s guiding principles as an artist is to try new things, no matter how ridiculous they might seem. She uses nontraditional tools like Saran Wrap, bubble wrap, spatulas, and even frosting to create textures impossible with a traditional artist’s toolkit. “I’m looking at shapes in general and thinking of new ways of making marks,” Barnhart said. “It’s more about what the subject demands. Bubble wrap is probably really good for dotty things like pebbles or flowers. I look at the general shape, make the mark first, play around with that, and then figure out what might work later.”
Mick Kolassa, a blues musician, recently retired from a career in the pharmaceutical industry. He attended Glen Oaks on the GI Bill after serving in the U.S. Army. He later earned a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern Washington University, followed by a doctorate in pharmaceutical marketing and economics from the University of Mississippi. In the early 1980s, while working at The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Kolassa also taught classes at Glen Oaks. His career later took him across the country in roles within the pharmaceutical industry, including work in pricing and economic policy and as a vice president at a consulting firm.
The tulip display was inspired in part by the Yellow Tulip Project, a nationwide youth-led initiative founded to reduce stigma surrounding mental health struggles and suicide prevention. The yellow tulip has become a symbol of hope and open conversation. Club President Jan Michaels said the local organization wanted to take that message and make it visible in Three Rivers. “We hear so often that people need help and nobody is doing anything,” she said. “But there are services, and there are ways to help. Sometimes people just don’t know where to start.”
Founded by Kurt Brandenburg and Verna Troyer, the ensemble started with a focus on early sacred and secular choral music from the Renaissance era. Over time, the group expanded its repertoire to include works from nearly every musical period. “We began to feature music from basically all periods, literally from medieval to modern,” Brandenburg told Watershed Voice. That wide-ranging history is central to this year’s program. Brandenburg Concert will present “Our Story” at 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 3 at First Presbyterian Church in Three Rivers.
What began as a request to use park space has since developed into a broader public debate over downtown priorities, city process, and whether Three Rivers can support two farmers markets at once. Three Rivers has an established weekly market operated by the Huss Project. Supporters of the proposed Scidmore Park market say a second event could create more activity downtown, and offer families another community gathering space. Critics, including some existing vendors, say the city may not have enough customers or vendors to sustain both long term.
Hosted by the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, the event — “Women in Media: Behind the Headlines” — featured professionals from print, radio, nonprofit and academic media backgrounds who reflected on both the progress women have made in the industry and the barriers that remain. The panel included Sue Ellen Christian, professor at Western Michigan University’s School of Communication and former Chicago Tribune reporter; Sehvilla Mann, news director at WMUK Public Radio; Kristie May, managing editor at NowKalamazoo; Aya Miller, reporter at MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette; and Theresa Coty O’Neil, managing editor at Second Wave Media. The discussion was moderated by Marie Lee, editor and publisher of Encore Magazine.
Watershed Voice columnist Charles Thomas writes, "Why is lack of sleep such a big problem? Because sleep is critical to our health and wellbeing! While we don’t know exactly what the purpose of sleep is, there are many theories around why we humans spend a third of our lives sleeping. "Sleep allows our bodies to heal and our tissues to be restored during a period of rest. It also helps us consolidate our memories of the day, and regulate our moods. There is research that suggests sleep helps us tolerate pain better, and it can help remove cellular garbage in the brain called amyloids, which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease."
The sixth annual Watershed Voice Artist Showcase, a celebration of local musicians, spoken word artists, and local journalism, will return to The Huss Project this summer in Three Rivers.
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