Culture Archives

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

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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.

Doug Sears, Jr.: Shining a Light on Audience Behavior

By Doug Sears, Jr.

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Opinion

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December 30, 2025

Watershed Voice's Doug Sears, Jr. writes about a recent experience at the movie theater that induced anger, reflection, and ultimately empathy. "My rage was palpable, as movie theater misbehavior is high on my list of modern pet peeves. But I'm trying really hard to stay in the 'live and let live' mentality, and I don't want to compound her distraction by calling it out. I’d hate to initiate a prolonged argument with a stubbornly rude individual and draw everyone in the theater, even those who don't notice the Beacon of Gondor from their seat, into my distraction."

Watershed Voice 2025: By the Numbers

By Maxwell Knauer & Deborah Haak-Frost

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News

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December 29, 2025

As the year comes to an end, Watershed Voice takes a look back at a year of keeping readers across Southwest Michigan informed. In 2025, Watershed Voice published 322 stories, averaging 27 articles per month. Over the course of the year, our reporting reached 137,762 total page views from 79,435 visitors.

Charles Thomas: Maybe it’s not too late

By Charles Thomas

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Opinion

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December 29, 2025

Watershed Voice columnist Charles Thomas writes, "Most of us have at least a few dreams that have been deferred. For you, it might not be a degree you dream of but starting a business or having another romantic relationship. You could have a dream about becoming a non-smoker or to find more meaningful work. Whatever your dream is, you may be thinking that it’s too late to achieve it. But consider this: what if you’re wrong?"

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