In the world of news, our publication is part of a slow news movement. We’re your Second Wave, offering long-form, in-depth articles that are rare in today’s local news. Occasionally, we'll round up a few items that pass our desk as a 'first wave' that might not make it into a longer story. Jane Parikh shares a few Battle Creek first-wave stories here.
Did you know there is a Zen Buddhist monastery and affiliated wellness center in Battle Creek? Karma House Wellness Center and the Buddhist Temple Monastery are quietly doing their part to support the community by offering trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness classes, and sliding-scale therapy through Senshu, LLC.
Over 15,000 Calhoun County residents are living above the poverty line but below the "survival income" line, an area known as the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) threshold. "It's real people and so many people," says Alyssa Stewart of UWSCM. "Tens of thousands. . .are carrying an invisible weight and saying, 'I'm on the razor's edge.'"
In her grief, one Battle Creek woman seeks to support others whose loved ones have also been victims of gun violence. A life-taking bullet creates a hole that makes emotional closure difficult. HEARTS is there to help share and ease the pain.
In healing colors, five Michigan-based Latinx artists display their work at Commerce Pointe in Downtown Battle Creek until the end of July. “If you have something within you that you want to express I tell people to take it out of yourself and put it into art,” says Fausto Fernandez, a Battle Creek participating artist.
A Battle Creek candlemaker got her start making gifts for far-flung relatives during the pandemic lockdown. Now she's launched Cereal City Candle Company and one of her most popular candles honors a certain locally-made fruity breakfast cereal.
Following the Bearcat Advantage college scholarship announcement, Battle Creek Public School teachers were just as stunned as students. Then came the next great news: A $10,000 pay raise, bumping teacher salaries to the top in Southwest Michigan districts. "Having a district that sees every day the work that you do and appreciates that — I think that's huge," says Natasha Hager, Verona Elementary teacher.
Zaccari Frailey's love for beef jerky blossomed during the pandemic when he was a high school junior with an EBT card at his disposal. When funds dried up, Frailey decided to dry his own beef. Not long after, Jerk Your Beef Jerky, Frailey's successful, new business, was born.
The West Michigan African American Tech Readiness Collaborative is a group of 30 organizations seeking to increase African American representation in high-paying tech jobs, many of which don't require a four-year degree. Ida Byrd-Hill, CEO of Automation Works and initiative founder, says she believes West Michigan could become a major tech innovation hub.
"Battle Creek has more history per square mile than any other city" in the United States, says often-quoted Mary Butler, who was a well-respected Battle Creek historian. Now residents and visitors can hold some of that history in the palm of their hands by way of a newly-launched app called "Tours of Battle Creek" – just in time for some Memorial Day hometown touring!
Our Sponsors
Our Media Partners
