Keep Your Voice Down

Hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears Jr. are joined by Watershed Voice's resident holiday expert Steph Hightree for a very special episode of Keep Your Voice Down. After a brief NewsMatch update, the greatest trio since Garfield, Holland, and Maguire discuss elves on shelves, new and old traditions, the legitimacy of ham, Christmas cats, their favorite holiday films, and more. So grab your egg nog and glorified rice because it's about to get real — festive. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Jingle Bells — 8Bit Version” by Kashido. You can support Keep Your Voice Down and Watershed Voice with a donation here.

Keep Your Voice Down Presents: This interview with Matt Erspamer, a journalist, copy writer, and film and television critic, who also happens to have went to Central Michigan University with hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears, Jr.The three CMU journalism school alums discuss a new partnership between Matt and Watershed Voice, the pros and cons of streaming services acting as movie studios, the origin of Matt's passion for cinema, and why only one of them is currently practicing journalism. Keep an eye out for Matt's upcoming film and television reviews on Watershed Voice, and feel free to subscribe to The Normal Newsletter to read all of the reviews Matt doesn't publish here. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Billy Billy” by Yarin Primak. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here. Sign-up for our free newsletter to receive award-winning journalism to your inbox Monday through Friday.

On this week's episode of Keep Your Voice Down, Alek and Doug are joined by Washington-based hip hop producer and artist Blake Alford. The Anderson, Indiana native talks about his latest project Domino Effect, and the added effort that went into producing the album's first single, Oxygen, which is set to drop on November 10. The trio also discuss how Blake has evolved as an artist, why community and collaboration are vital to any creative process, and answer the question on everyone's mind, "what kind of music does Alek listen to when playing video games?" You can find Blake (93 Energy) on Instagram, Bandcamp, and SoundCloud, pre-order and pre-save his upcoming single Oxygen on Spotify before its release next month, and support his art with a donation on Venmo at Blake-Alford-2. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “City Stroll” by 93 Energy. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Following a totally planned and not at all unintentional 80-day hiatus, Keep Your Voice Down is back! Alek and Doug return to their respective mics to discuss the 2023 LION Local Journalism Awards in North Carolina, mental health, and Watershed Voice's upcoming NewsMatch fundraising campaign. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “NO CAP" by Yarin Primak. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here. Sign-up for our free daily digest email to receive award-winning journalism to your inbox Monday through Friday.

Alek and Doug attempt to recap the magic that was the third annual Watershed Voice Artist Showcase, while Alek grapples with the authenticity of certain pop culture references and idioms used by characters in Ginny & Georgia. Would a teen in the 2020s reference Ghost (1990)? How often does Pinky & the Brain (1995) come up? Is Casper the Friendly Ghost on the typical Gen Z-er’s radar? We ponder. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Let’s Get It” by Captain Joz. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Doug and Alek are, in fact, alive. After a lengthy hiatus the duo return to preview the third annual Watershed Voice Artist Showcase (Saturday, July 15, 6 p.m., The Huss Project, Three Rivers), recap all that has happened between the last KYVD episode and this one, including Three Rivers Pride, Alek’s first tattoo (shout out to Portfolio Ink and Amber Ward), and how Alek’s wife Deborah is the Tom Hagen of Watershed Voice. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Waltz Sentimental” by Amos Ever Hadani. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Andrew George of Three Rivers Pride stops by Keep Your Voice Down to chat about the upcoming and first ever Pride Festival in the City of Three Rivers on Saturday, June 24. Andrew, Alek, and Doug talk about how a Pride flag ban protest and the community support it garnered spurred the creation of Three Rivers Pride Festival, how it all came together in under six months, and details on what to expect at the event. You can make a donation to Three Rivers Pride on GoFundMe, Venmo (@TRPrideFest), and CashApp ($TRPrideFest). If you'd like to donate with cash or check contact Three Rivers Pride at trpridefest@gmail.com. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "I Just Wanna Have Fun" by Flint. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Kim Moffat, executive director of We Are Voters and prolific podcaster (Here's What's Happening, Dawson's Darlings, My America), joins Alek and Doug on Keep Your Voice Down this week to discuss all things voting. We Are Voters is a nonpartisan nonprofit that aims to reimagine civics education, reestablish a healthy dialogue concerning government and politics, and build stronger, more informed voters regardless of political affiliation. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Stranger to None” by Hans Johnson. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

With the recent passing of Dr. John K. Hartman, a professor who impacted Alek and Doug's lives and a great many others, the Keep Your Voice Down hosts decided to honor Hartman with a special episode. Fellow Central Michigan University alums Chad Livengood (Detroit News Politics Editor) and Steve Coon (CMU instructor, Grand Central Magazine advisor) join Alek and Doug to reflect on the life and impact of a truly great journalistic mind, and a loving friend, mentor, husband, and father. Memorial tributes for Dr. Hartman may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice: The Ashland City Schools Foundation; the Bowling Green Schools Foundation; the Central Michigan University Journalism Hall of Fame; or The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "Pinwheel" by Leva. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek's childhood friend and standup comedian Rio Riojas stops by Keep Your Voice Down to discuss his recent foray into the world of standup comedy and his upcoming show in Kalamazoo (Wednesday, March 22 at Final Gravity Brewing Company, 8 p.m.). The Bay City native and East Lansing resident tells Doug and Alek about how he got started, how his act has evolved over the last year, his comedic style, how becoming a father has influenced the way he performs onstage, and why you shouldn't bring your kids to see his act. You can find Rio on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Rio accepts donations via PayPal: @drdecide, Venmo: idrdecide or CashApp: $decidersr. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "Bloody Heaven" by Ran Raiten. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Three Rivers Public Library Director Bobbi Schoon returns to Keep Your Voice Down to discuss the library's involvement with the Smithsonian's Spark! Places of Innovation program. Spark! explores the unique combination of places, people, and circumstances that sparks innovation and invention in rural communities. The Three Rivers Library will be hosting its very own exhibit alongside a traveling Smithsonian exhibit that will make its way to the library this summer. Alek, Doug, and Bobbi also discuss Women's History Month, National Reading Month, and the myriad of ways citizens of Three Rivers can engage with the library. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "King of Cups” by Jim Swim. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Local author and hairstylist Brittni Huyck drops by Keep Your Voice Down to talk about her Iron City Heat Series, a trio of what Alek calls "spicy novels" and Doug, an adult, calls romantic novels. The Three Rivers native describes her writing process, what her family, friends, and clients think of her "dirty books," and what their support has meant to her. Brittni also talks about how her life, the people in it, and her experience as a hairstylist have influenced her creative endeavors. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Like That” by Jane & The Boy. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug are joined by Portfolio Ink owner and tattoo artist Amber Ward, and Portfolio shop manager Jillian Gardner. The quartet discuss Amber and Jillian's respective upbringings, the interesting routes each took to the world of tattoos and piercings, how their love of art and artistic expression influences most everything they do, and their involvement in and support of Three Rivers Pride. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug welcome poet, community activist, voice actor, author, and Watershed Voice columnist and board member Aundrea Sayrie. The long awaited interview with one of Watershed's founding members doesn't disappoint as Aundrea talks the origin story of Three Rivers Open Mic, her Black History Month series on WSV and why she decided to change the format this year, her ongoing health concerns and how they have changed her outlook on life, and an upcoming book she's written about professional voice acting. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Moon Mother” by Richard Farrell. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

This week on Keep Your Voice Down, Doug and Alek are joined by Jackie Koney, chief operating officer of The Mill at Vicksburg, and friend of the show, Dan Moyle. The quartet discuss the progress of The Mill project and its 110-acre campus being developed for craft brewing, entertainment, tourism and more, right here in Southwest Michigan. You can learn more about The Mill here, and sign up for a tour of the facility once more dates are announced in the coming months here. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Feel Again” by Yarin Primak. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug are joined by Watershed Voice's new staff writer and longtime food columnist Beca Welty to discuss her new role, her journey from "Judge Welty's kid" to super mom and super baker to community journalist, and her thoughts on the maddening, yet highly entertaining third season of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime. You can find Beca on Facebook here, and on Instagram @Bluebirdbakery.tr and @bites.with.beca. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Another Round” by Ziv Moran. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug discuss the week that was in Three Rivers, the resurrection of the Three Rivers Commercial-News, the news landscape in St. Joseph County, and what the future may hold for Watershed Voice as a daily news source in this new era of community journalism. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “It's Going Down” by SOURWAH. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

This week’s episode of Keep Your Voice Down includes the harrowing tale of a vet visit with three cats, thoughts on Doug and Alek’s respective and very different Thanksgiving dinners, an award-winning trip to Austin, #GivingTuesday, and future plans for Watershed Voice. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “No Loss” by Canon. You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug discuss all things Austin, as Alek heads to Texas for the Independent News Sustainability Summit and 2022 LION Local Journalism Awards. The pair go over which categories Watershed Voice nominated for, Doug decides which sessions Alek and Deborah will attend at the summit, and Alek talks about being a writing mentor for the Voices of Youth program in Kalamazoo. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Live in the Moment” by WEARETHEGOOD You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.

Alek and Doug are joined by #MomLife columnist Steph Hightree, and Mark Quinn of Heart 2 Heart Autism Center to discuss the Three Rivers-based center and the services it provides. The quartet also talks about the importance of respite care, the stigma and misconceptions surrounding autism, and coping mechanisms for parents/caregivers of children who have autism and/or other cognitive disorders. The Heart 2 Heart Autism Center is located at 306 S. Lincoln Ave. in Three Rivers, and Mark can be reached at (269) 535-9183 during regular business hours. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The show’s theme is “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is “Waste Our Time” by Jane & The Boy You can support Keep Your Voice Down with a donation here.