Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.
"We Ukrainians all love to eat delicious food, and accordingly, cook it," says Iryna Zykova who with partner Oleksii Severyn launched Ukrainian Homemade Foods which sells food that reflects "old family recipes" that feature a "mix of different cultures."
Not everyone can live off the grid in a home made of straw. Larissa Touloupas and her husband Ondrej Pekarovic are seeking to do just that. She says, "I think you can do it with minimum inputs if you're creative and if you're willing to be uncomfortable."
Does the increasing number of unhoused people in Kalamazoo reflect the county's population? Or are people coming from elsewhere? And are there enough services available to provide for the growing needs?
After 43 years of founding and running Wellspring Dance Company, Cori Terry is passing the mantle to new Artistic Director Marisa Bianan. Terry says she feels like "she hit the jackpot" in Bianan with someone who "has it all."
Nearly 100 Northside residents gathered to hear developers and partners discuss the proposed Kalamazoo Event Center and its impact on the neighborhood. Details were also shared about workforce development.
Since 2016, Kalamazoo has been hosting annual women's marches. This year's theme was "We are not going back!" Over 1,200 people showed up to march for women's and LGBTQIA+ rights on Oct. 13. Check out Fran Dwight's photos!
Local organization KalaSalon invited young adults from the area to answer questions about their views on the upcoming 2024 elections.
What do an "unhinged" taco-buying customer, a spoken word duo, and dancers from Move with Joy have in common? They all recently came together to raise awareness and funds for down payment assistance for Edison neighborhood homebuyers.
Home Energy Efficiency Summit seeks to educate attendees on what they can do to improve efficiency and save money.
Republicans and Democrats agree that expensive campaigns, disinformation, and 'dark money' are all threats to fair elections. Citizens Rising, a nonpartisan Kalamazoo group, hosted a recent forum on protecting democracy.
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