With an economic development organization that is the envy of many communities, Battle Creek is a city building on its food industry roots and the land that makes it the state’s third largest city. For fun, each year the Cereal City, world headquarters to the Kellogg Co., celebrates the significance of the most important meal of the day with the World’s Longest Breakfast table. Bikers, cyclers and joggers take in the parks, forests and streams linked by a 24-mile linear park. Campers and outdoor lovers visit Fort Custer Recreation area for fishing, hiking, cross country skiing and boating. For animal lovers, African creatures, like giraffes, and Asian animals, like snow leopards, make the Binder Park Zoo a must. The Battle Creek Art Center and Battle Creek Symphony stoke the city’s cultural offerings and the new Firekeepers Casino adds to the city’s fun side. B.C’s Math and Science Center is acclaimed and secondary education needs are accommodated by Kellogg Community College, Robert B. Miller College and a branch of Western Michigan University. And Sojourner Truth, who lived here, watches over downtown from the memorial in her honor.
For Battle Creek Metropolitan Area Mustache Society growing whiskers is part of the fun. The other part is creating cool things to do in Battle Creek. Writer Jane Parikh finds there is some charitable work that happens along the way.
Jobs are returning to Battle Creek's industrial park and so is growth in the businesses that support them, reports the Battle Creek Enquirer.Manpower Inc. at 4661 W. Dickman Road now employs five times more workers than it did during the worst of the economic recession, Branch Manager Betsy Sanford said in the story. The temporary staffing service center has about 380 workers on its roster, up from 75."It is turning around. The jobs are coming back," Sanford said.Excerpt:The hope of a brighter industrial future led Nicole Lewis to expand her home-based day care into the former Altrusa Day Nursery in the 4661 W. Dickman Road office complex alongside Manpower.Lewis' former business, called Urbandale Day Care, could accommodate only 12 children, but her new Fort Custer Child Care Learning Center is licensed for 100.At full capacity, she would need to hire an additional seven to 12 child care workers and she expects to need them eventually, she said. Already parents in the industrial park are clamoring to secure places for their little ones.For other signs of recovery, read the entire story.Source: Battle Creek Enquirer
CTS Telecom has come a long way from its beginnings as the Climax Farmers Telephone Co-op. Writer Jane Parikh finds out what has kept the company going since 1911 and where it's going next.
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