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Former Three Rivers Middle School teacher Russell Ball joins Keep Your Voice Down to talk about his recent resignation after Three Rivers Community Schools staff were asked to remove Pride flags from their classrooms due to an “external challenge.” Ball details the events leading up to his exit, what the flag represents to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and why the flags should remain in classrooms not only in Three Rivers but around the world.
St. Joseph County is among the bottom 11 counties in Michigan for full vaccination rates at 43 percent. Leading the pack is Leelanau County in northern Michigan with 72.96 percent.
Downtown Three Rivers celebrated Christmas Around Town this weekend with a variety of festivities. Check out our photo gallery from the annual event.
The last two years have been trying for a number of reasons but the community of Three Rivers still has plenty to be thankful for, and shared those thoughts with Watershed Voice ahead of Turkey Day.
At the top of this week’s episode Alek and Doug address Monday’s troubling news that teachers within the Three Rivers Community Schools system were asked to remove Pride flags in their classrooms in response to an “external challenge” by an unidentified party.
The hosts of Keep Your Voice Down are also joined by Sarah Lee, Director of Marketing Communications at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The trio discusses Sarah’s role at KZCF, her upbringing in Malaysia and how she became deeply rooted in Kalamazoo, the importance of being “equity-minded” when addressing matters of social and racial injustice, the foundation’s efforts to support local journalism, and the story behind the formation of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive directive Monday ordering state agencies to ready plans to quickly replace lead pipes using an influx of federal dollars from the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The hardworking staff of Watershed Voice will be spending the upcoming holiday with family, and will not be asked to publish content on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of this week to give them ample time to do so.
“This surge is seemingly unending, and we’re told it might not peak until Christmas. If people are waiting for the system to break, I’d argue we’re probably there. We’re caring for so many people in the ER that people are leaving the waiting room before they get seen. People are going to three different hospitals to be seen.” — Dr. Rob Davidson, West Michigan emergency physician
Nancy Boyd writes about seeking compromise and middle ground in highly polarizing times, and finding a path to those places through a personal relationship with God.
A woman was found unresponsive in a Three Rivers roadway early Saturday morning, and was later pronounced dead after life saving measures proved unsuccessful.
WSV’s Steph Hightree writes, “Do you ever feel helpless as a mother? Like no matter how hard you try you just can’t ever get things right? You’re constantly a mess. Everyone in your family seems on edge. And you just can’t get your life together? Well, that’s how I’m feeling right now. And it’s not fun.”
WSV’s Dan Robinson recently spoke with Rev. Deb Hansen to discuss how Michigan Interfaith Power & Light puts “faith into action” by promoting “energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainable practices that lead to a cleaner, healthier, and more just world.”
After 14 1/2 years as Three Rivers’ chief of police and 47 1/2 years with the Three Rivers Police Department, Tom Bringman is calling it a career.
New hours for the free COVID-19 testing and vaccine clinics at Glen Oaks Community College are Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. through December 14.
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) approved its nine collaborative proposed maps and an additional six from individual commissioners for the state Senate, state House and congressional districts earlier this month. The lines will go into effect for the 2022 elections and be in place for 10 years. Now experts are weighing in on the maps as the commission — which is composed of four Republicans, four Democrats and five independents — prepares for another round of public hearings starting in Ann Arbor Thursday.
Centreville junior Briley Kelley and Constantine junior Carter McGee were introduced at Monday’s St. Joseph County Intermediate School District Board of Education meeting as the county’s first registered high school apprentices.
The United Community Assistance Program (UCAP) expresses its thanks for a generous donation recently made by the International Paper Company of Three Rivers.