We created Watershed Voice because we felt this community deserved a reputable source for daily news and culture, and a publication that prides itself in lifting up voices that may have previously gone unheard. I’d like to think we’ve accomplished both of those goals over the last 18 months, and I hope we have and continue to make a difference in the lives of our readers.

Everyone involved with this organization has a special place in their heart for their community, and that’s why we invest so much of our time and collective resources into making WSV what it is. As we enter the final 36 hours or so of our Fall Member Drive, I’d like to ask you to make a similar investment. Subscribe and/or donate to Watershed Voice before our drive ends on Sunday to invest in the future of an organization that cares about the community it serves.

I thank you for your continued support and offer you a little more about me as pittance:

Full Name: Alek Haak-Frost

Occupation: Executive Editor, Watershed Voice

Your connection to the City of Three Rivers and/or St. Joseph County (Including how long you’ve lived or previously lived here): I moved to Three Rivers in 2016 and bought a home in the city’s third district in 2019.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: I was born in Cadillac, Michigan, and raised in Bay City, Michigan. Growing up I was one of eight (six brothers, one sister), the oldest of my mother’s children, and the middle child of my father’s. I’ve been interested in writing since I could string my first sentence together, and knew I wanted to be a journalist in the fourth grade (or second baseman for the New York Mets, whichever came first).

I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2014 with a bachelor’s in journalism, and have been working as a professional journalist since 2010. I previously worked for The Catholic Weekly, Bleacher Report, Midland Daily News, The Morning Sun, Fan Buzz, and the Three Rivers Commercial-News before launching Watershed Voice in 2020.

I’m married with two cats (shoutout to Leo and Simone), and am at least the third smartest being in my household. My wife Deborah Haak-Frost (the smartest one) has lived in Three Rivers for 10 years now, and helped me fall in love with this community.

Why is this project important to you: Watershed Voice is a lifelong dream realized. I’ve wanted to be a journalist for as long as I can remember, and that feeling has never left me. I never truly felt at home anywhere until I moved to Three Rivers in 2016, so when I was downsized from my position at the Three Rivers Commercial-News in January 2020, I knew whatever I did next had to be in Three Rivers. 

Watershed Voice was created to provide daily news and culture to this community, and strives to make a difference in the lives of its readers. And that means everyone, no matter who you vote for, who you love or what God, if any, you believe in. There are no prerequisites or secret passwords (although there might be a secret handshake); all are welcome. You matter, you all do.