The Unapologetics Podcast: Derek Chauvin Verdict Check-in feat. Laurie Butler pt. 1
WSV’s Malachi Carter and guest Laurie Butler discuss the verdict in the Derek Chauvin murder trial. Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes last year, was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
All of the thoughts…all of the feelings…all of the implications—let’s talk about it.
Malachi “A+Scribe” Carter is an Eastside Indy resident, teacher, youth minister, rapper, poet and professional tea drinker. Soon to be a masters graduate of Butler University with an MFA in Creative Writing, his goal is to give voice to people who don’t get to have their own
Any views or opinions expressed on “The Unapologetics Podcast” are those of its hosts and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Watershed Voice staff or its board of directors.
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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
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
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.
