Local poet Lissa Camarillo publishes first book, From the Notes
The path to publishing began when Camarillo shared her work publicly for the first time in 2024 at a small open mic night in a church basement.
Culture
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Joel Potrykus on Michigan, music, and truly independent filmmaking
“We’re always looking for the dead trees, the dirty water — the ugly spots nobody else is pointing a camera at. Because when I say I’m a Michigan filmmaker, it’s absolutely not in the vein of Pure Michigan tourism ads. That’s not it.”
Charles Thomas: One Question to Transform Your Relationships
Watershed Voice columnist Charles Thomas writes, "there is one question that you can ask yourself to massively improve the quality of your relationships. And even better, it’s a very simple one." What is that question? Read Charles' Big World, Small Town column to find out.
‘We just can’t compete’: Southwest Michigan farmers caught between high labor costs and cheap imports amid immigration uncertainty
Over the last decade and a half, Michigan has lost specialty crops at nearly twice the rate of the U.S. on average, according to a report released in March by the Michigan State University Extension. More than 1,700 Southwest Michigan farms ceased operation between 2012 and 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.
David Munoz: A Latino story of persistence and generational stability
At 21, David Munoz, a lifelong Sturgis resident, is a father of two and the son of first-generation Mexican immigrants.
Both of Munoz's parents made sacrifices to build a new life in Sturgis. His father worked long hours as a welder; his mother raised three children while navigating a new country with limited resources. They never owned a home. They never took a vacation. But they gave their son something more enduring, a sense of purpose.
Three Rivers Pickleball Association secures final funding for court expansion
The $5,000 micro-grant from the Three Rivers Area Community Foundation closes a $3,700 shortfall the association faced in its fundraising efforts. The total project cost is about $170,000 and will add three new courts to the existing two at Armstrong Park.
Letter to the Editor: Southwestern Michigan College needs to expand its presidential search committee
Gerry Bundle of Cassopolis writes, "We now publicly appeal to SMC’s Board of Trustees to reconsider, and to expand the Presidential Search Committee toward representing the unrepresented with a sense of resolve over resistance."
From block party to backpacks: Huss Project kicks off school year in Three Rivers
Event organizer and *culture is not optional Executive Director Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma estimates that nearly 2,000 people attended the annual Back to School Celebration over the weekend.
Letter to the Editor: Public libraries are a bastion of the common good
Rev. Nicole Smith of Three Rivers writes, "Sadly, with the fracturing we are experiencing in American society the 'common good' has suffered terribly. Now we are wired and trained to think only of things that benefit us as individuals, with no consideration of the ripple effect such behavior has on our communities and society at large. In secular language we call this selfishness, in the Church, we call it Sin. Thankfully there is a place where community and individualism come together in a healthy way that promotes the 'common good.' That place is the local library, if you are lucky enough to have one in your town."
Parking dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Farrand Hall and Colon Township
On Thursday morning, the St. Joseph County Courthouse hosted a civil hearing regarding a parking violation issued to Farrand Hall, a historic wedding venue co-owned by Hagan and Gray. The citation was issued after three cars were found parked in the easement of Timber Run Trail during a private wedding hosted on May 25.
Joel Potrykus on Michigan, music, and truly independent filmmaking
“We’re always looking for the dead trees, the dirty water — the ugly spots nobody else is pointing a camera at. Because when I say I’m a Michigan filmmaker, it’s absolutely not in the vein of Pure Michigan tourism ads. That’s not it.”
Charles Thomas: One Question to Transform Your Relationships
Watershed Voice columnist Charles Thomas writes, "there is one question that you can ask yourself to massively improve the quality of your relationships. And even better, it’s a very simple one." What is that question? Read Charles' Big World, Small Town column to find out.
‘We just can’t compete’: Southwest Michigan farmers caught between high labor costs and cheap imports amid immigration uncertainty
Over the last decade and a half, Michigan has lost specialty crops at nearly twice the rate of the U.S. on average, according to a report released in March by the Michigan State University Extension. More than 1,700 Southwest Michigan farms ceased operation between 2012 and 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.
David Munoz: A Latino story of persistence and generational stability
At 21, David Munoz, a lifelong Sturgis resident, is a father of two and the son of first-generation Mexican immigrants. Both of Munoz's parents made sacrifices to build a new life in Sturgis. His father worked long hours as a welder; his mother raised three children while navigating a new country with limited resources. They never owned a home. They never took a vacation. But they gave their son something more enduring, a sense of purpose.
Three Rivers Pickleball Association secures final funding for court expansion
The $5,000 micro-grant from the Three Rivers Area Community Foundation closes a $3,700 shortfall the association faced in its fundraising efforts. The total project cost is about $170,000 and will add three new courts to the existing two at Armstrong Park.
Letter to the Editor: Southwestern Michigan College needs to expand its presidential search committee
Gerry Bundle of Cassopolis writes, "We now publicly appeal to SMC’s Board of Trustees to reconsider, and to expand the Presidential Search Committee toward representing the unrepresented with a sense of resolve over resistance."
From block party to backpacks: Huss Project kicks off school year in Three Rivers
Event organizer and *culture is not optional Executive Director Rob Vander Giessen-Reitsma estimates that nearly 2,000 people attended the annual Back to School Celebration over the weekend.
Letter to the Editor: Public libraries are a bastion of the common good
Rev. Nicole Smith of Three Rivers writes, "Sadly, with the fracturing we are experiencing in American society the 'common good' has suffered terribly. Now we are wired and trained to think only of things that benefit us as individuals, with no consideration of the ripple effect such behavior has on our communities and society at large. In secular language we call this selfishness, in the Church, we call it Sin. Thankfully there is a place where community and individualism come together in a healthy way that promotes the 'common good.' That place is the local library, if you are lucky enough to have one in your town."
Parking dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Farrand Hall and Colon Township
On Thursday morning, the St. Joseph County Courthouse hosted a civil hearing regarding a parking violation issued to Farrand Hall, a historic wedding venue co-owned by Hagan and Gray. The citation was issued after three cars were found parked in the easement of Timber Run Trail during a private wedding hosted on May 25.
