Kalamazoo

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.

Grant for $1 million will improve science education

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Economic Development

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May 27, 2010

Prospective science teachers soon will get a chance to work in the laboratory next to scientists and in turn pass what they learn on to their students.A $1 million grant to Western Michigan University from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute will help teachers learn how to translate science into practical experiences for their future students. The four-year award to WMU will focus on identifying and working with high school science teachers who are trained first as scientists and will then learn how to turn their own research experiences into practical tools that can help them convey scientific principals to their students."We're out to create scientists who choose the profession of teaching," says Dr. Susan Stapleton, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of chemistry and biological sciences at the University.Beginning this fall, WMU will recruit a group of 15 students who are interested in teaching high school science, chemistry, physics or biology. Those 15 students will spend the summer of 2011 working in a campus research lab, building their own scientific skills and credentials. During the following academic year, they will take a newly-developed course aimed at helping them translate their laboratory experience into practical tools. In summer 2012, they will use those new teaching tools in a summer science camp WMU offers annually for middle school students. A new group of students will be recruited in each of the four years of the project, so as many as 60 prospective science teachers will be part of the initiative."We hope that these programs will shape the way students look at the world," says Howard Hughes Medical Institute President Robert Tjian, "whether those students ultimately choose to pursue a career in science or not." Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Cheryl Roland, WMU

Studio 246 invites fans and new friends to support theater

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Economic Development

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May 27, 2010

Some theaters invite patrons to fundraisers with champaign and chocolate covered strawberries. Kalamazoo's newest theater plans a tailgate party. The party, June 6 at 4 p.m., is part of four days of shows Studio 246 has planned raise money for needed renovations and improvements to the space. The weekend also is a celebration of the completion of the first season at Studio 246. To mark the event, Crawlspace Theatre Productions, Kinetic Affect and Fancy Pants Theater plan a series of shows titled Fancy Affection in the Crawlspace.On the first weekend in June, the theater troupes will fill the studio space with spoken word poetry, original theater works, improv and sketch comedy. Performances will include some favorite work from this past season, along with pieces getting their debuts. The actors hope to raise at least $5,000 over the four days of events for such projects as a highly visible mural that patrons of events in the Arcadia Festival Site will notice, new signage out front, improvements to the lobby and air conditioning that will allow the space to be used during the summer."Studio 246 is not satisfied with being Kalamazoo's best kept secret," says Dann Sytsma, Artistic Director for Crawlspace Theatre Productions. "We're aiming to enhance the aesthetics of Kalamazoo by improving our facility. Studio 246 is a storefront theater, and our storefront needs some attention. The leadership of Studio 246 wants to enhance the North end of the Kalamazoo Walking Mall with proper signage, an enhanced building front that exclaims 'the arts are growing in Kalamazoo.'"The studio at 246 N. Kalamazoo Mall has chosen to be "the theater for those seeking less traditional expressions of art," Sytsma continues. "Spoken word poetry, non-traditional plays, homegrown comedy, are just three examples of what you'll see in this space. Studio 246 celebrates the performing arts in its rawest form. It is not so much a theater as it is an incubator of ideas." For showtimes and ticket information visit the Crawlspace Productions Web site.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Dann Sytsma, Crawlspace Eviction Productions

Spring brings a fresh approach to eating local

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Economic Development

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May 27, 2010

Borgess Health's Farmer's Market is back for another season of fresh foods. Once again this year Borgess is making it easy for patients, visitors and employees to eat and shop local. Throughout the spring and summer, Borgess sponsors a farmer's market in its courtyard, just outside the Borgess Medical Center cafeteria, 1521 Gull Rd. Registered dietitians are also often on hand to provide counseling and meal suggestions.While customers shop, they can hear music performed by the students of Kalamazoo School of Music & Dance and Crescendo Academy of Music.The third edition of the Borgess Light Hearted Living Cookbook will also be for sale. Pick up a copy for $19.95.Market dates and times are: June 25, July 23, Aug. 27 and Sept. 24, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.Participating Farmer's Market vendors include: Pampered Chef, Riverstreet Flowerland, Fat Blossom Farms, Twice Maple Orchard, Nottawa Fruit Farm, Taste of Heaven, Russell Farm Market & Greenhouse, Apple A Day Farm, The Candy Lady, Water Street Coffee Joint, Country Life Natural Foods, Judy Vemma, Rykse's, Bella Joy Pottery, Sarkozy Bakery, Leduc Blueberries, DASH Minerals/Scentsy and Shelton Farms. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Borgess Health

Kalamazoo Promise spurs academic achievement in public schools

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Education

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May 27, 2010

To prepare students for college and create a college-going culture for its students, the Kalamazoo Public schools have adopted a comprehensive list of social and academic expectations for children of every age, reports the Detroit News.Kindergartners are learning about college. Literacy is a focus of learning in early grades. And college visits in middle years and Advanced Placement courses in high school are all leading to more students seeking higher education.An unprecedented experiment, The Kalamazoo Promise pays college tuition to public colleges and universities in Michigan -- 65 percent is covered for those who attend one of Kalamazoo's two public high schools. If they attend a district school for 13 years, beginning in kindergarten, 100 percent is covered.Excerpt: "The money has acted as a catalyst for the community to put education at the center of its vision," said Michelle Miller-Adams, a visiting scholar at W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a nonpartisan think tank in Kalamazoo.While funding is a critical part of an equation to help students become successful, the community also plays a crucial role in supporting the larger goals of the program, Miller-Adams said. So far, she said, the school system is delivering."Across the board, there has been an effort to create and deepen a college-going culture throughout grades K through 12," said Miller-Adams, author of "The Power of a Promise," a book about the scholarship program. "This is a district that has a high proportion of low-income kids, and that is not typically a population that has a high level of college awareness or aspirations. But there have been efforts at every level to deepen that college-going culture."The story also says The Promise also helped Kalamazoo Central become the first high school to win a commencement address from President Barack Obama.Source: The Detroit News

Apartments spur redevelopment in Washington Square

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Economic Development

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May 20, 2010

Redevelopment has been slow in coming to the Washington Square district of Kalamazoo's Edison neighborhood. But now it's happening, thanks to Roger Schmidt and his partners at TCS Properties LLC. The group acquired the property at 1336-1348 Portage Street two years ago for about $240,000. After extensive renovations they are now offering apartments for lease there. Schmidt said five of the 16 apartments on the second and third floors of the property are leased.The tenants thus far are professional people who work downtown and want easy access to it.Excerpt:The renovation work has included modernizing the building with new plumbing and electrical work, opening up interior areas, reconfiguring spaces and ameliorating damage from a fire that ravaged part of the interior of the structure after the acquisition, about 18 months ago."Eight of the 16 apartments are done and we will be getting a certificate of occupancy in a week or two," Schmidt said.Apartments in the location range in size from 600 square feet to about 800 square feet and will lease for about $500 per month. TCS will look to renovate commercial space on the ground floor of the building, which already has two tenants.The city of Kalamazoo, business leaders, economic-development officials and neighborhood groups continue to look for resources and ways to revive the area, particularly the now-vacant, one-acre lot that used to be the site of Deja Vu. It is directly across Portage Street from Schmidt's property.To learn Schmidt's vision for the neighborhood, read the entire story.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

No cats allowed in Kalamazoo pooch park

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Environment & Sustainability

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May 20, 2010

Dogs in Kalamazoo soon will have a place to romp unleashed, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette. Work is expected to begin soon on the first phase of a city dog park. With a low bid of $208,197.88, the project will be built by 5 Leprechauns, of Jackson. The company came in nearly $40,000 under the next low bidder in the nine-bidder field. For unlimited use of the facility, the city plans to sell annual passes at a cost estimated at $30 to $60. Non-city residents will be assessed a higher charge to use the dog park. Excerpt: Plans for the Fairmount dog park include a fenced area with entrance gates for pooches, waste receptacles, drinking fountains for dogs and their owners, activity areas for the canines, picnic tables, benches, signage, landscaping and parking improvements, vehicular security gates and barrier-free walkways. Once open later this summer, the park will be the first public space in the city of Kalamazoo where dogs can legally roam without a leash. The story goes on to say, a buy-a-brick campaign is now under way to create an endowment for ongoing operating and maintenance costs. For more on the plans for the city's first dog park, read the entire story. Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Allegan hospital will spend $300,000 on expansion

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Economic Development

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May 20, 2010

Community residents and the Perrigo Foundation are teaming up to help a local hospital become bigger and better. More specifically, Allegan General Hospital will be expanding its infusion center, where treatments are administered into a patient's vein using tubing.Chemotherapy treatments, immune system medications, steroids, iron, antibiotics, blood count stimulants and other medications, as ordered by a physician, are some of the treatments offered.The center will serve cancer patients and patients with anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, colitis, and other diseases requiring transfusions and IVs.Other features are private treatment areas with heated, massaging rocker-recliner chairs for patients and TVs, music systems and headphones for each patient. DVD players and laptop computers with wireless Internet access also will be available. A waiting area with more space for families and friends, and a patient education center are part of the plans.The infusion center renovation and expansion is funded with $200,000 from the Perrigo Foundation and $100,000 from the Allegan community. In July 2009, the Perrigo Foundation made an initial donation of $100,000 to the hospital and challenged the community to raise a sum that the company would then match. Community donations totaled $100,000, allowing the hospital to receive the full amount of the challenge grant from the Perrigo Foundation. "To reach the $300,000 mark in our fundraising efforts is a tremendous achievement, allowing us to move forward with the renovation and expansion of the infusion center," says Gerald Barbini, president of Allegan General Hospital. Allegan General Hospital is a 25-bed community hospital governed by an 11-member board of trustees. Perrigo is the world's largest manufacturer of OTC pharmaceutical products for the store brand market. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Gerald Barbini, Allegan General Hospital

Sunshine provides power for RVers, retailers

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Economic Development

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May 20, 2010

The strong winds that often rock Michigan's shorelines and the beating sun are creating energy in Southwest Michigan. And that's creating opportunity for local retailers. "In the upper Midwest, solar business is really starting to pick up," says Jay Quickel, category team leader for general merchandise for Harbor Freight, in Kalamazoo. "We have entry level panels that can power up to 10 hours." For Brian and Leslie Pitts of Vicksburg, "10 hours of electric" is music to their ears. Last summer, they purchased a single solar panel that connects to their deep cycle RV/Marine battery. "It allows us to run our RV without being plugged into electricity," says Leslie. "All functions of our RV can be run as long as the battery stays charged, and it stays charged pretty much indefinitely as long as it's sunny." The Pitt's found out about the solar option from another well-traveled RV couple who had been using their own for years to power their RV. "The panel is about 18 inches by 36 inches and has what looks like jumper cables extending from it," adds Leslie. "It fits nicely against the front of the RV and is small enough so it's easy to tuck away during traveling. Plus, it enables us to travel to more rustic areas while maintaining certain levels of comfort that we like when RVing." Quickel says Harbor Freight is "pleased to provide alternative-power options and many of our products are highly mobile."Currently, Harbor Freight also offers a solar panel that rolls up like a mat for easier transportation.Writer: Stacie CarlsonSources: Jay Quickel, Harbor Freight, and Leslie and Brian Pitts

Borgess again named one of 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For

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Economic Development

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May 20, 2010

A familiar name is among companies recently recognized by Michigan Business & Professional Association for having exemplary practices in human resources.For the seventh consecutive year, Borgess Health was named one of the 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For by the MBPA and was among those honored at a celebration at The Pinnacle Center, Hudsonville, Mich., marking the accomplishments of the 101 leading businesses. Those recognized are companies that work with "imagination and conviction to create organizational value and business results through their policies and best practices in human resource management," says the MBPA."This award reflects the professionalism and dedication of Borgess nurses, physicians, therapists and all members of the healthcare team who provide and support high quality patient care," says Paul Spaude, President & CEO, Borgess Health.To get that recognition, companies provide information about their practices and an independent research firm evaluates each company's entry based on key measures in the areas of communication, community initiatives, compensation and benefits, diversity and multiculturalism, employee education and development, employee engagement and commitment, recognition and retention, recruitment and selection and work-life balance. "The honorees have clearly demonstrated why each of them would be an ideal place for employees to work," said Jennifer Kluge, MBPA Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President. Borgess Health includes more than 130 sites of care in 15 southern Michigan cities, as well as eight owned or affiliated hospitals, a nursing home, ambulatory care facilities, home health care, physician practices, managed care services, a cancer center and an air ambulance service. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Paul Spaude, President & CEO, Borgess Health

Contest calls for photos showing Michigan’s architectural heritage

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Economic Development

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May 20, 2010

Old is the New Green is the theme of a photography contest sponsored by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).From now till June 1 the agency will be accepting photos that showcase Michigan's architectural heritage. Historic preservation plays a significant role in environmentally and economically sustainable development, leading the National Trust for Historic Preservation to adopt the green theme for this year's National Historic Preservation Month, May 1 to June 1. By submitting one or more Old is the New Green-themed photos, entrants become eligible to:• Have their photography displayed on the Michigan.gov/shpo website;• Be featured in media coverage supporting the contest;• Be highlighted on SHPO and MSHDA social media sites;• Be entered to win a Meijer gift card donated by the Michigan History Foundation, or one of three weekend getaway prizes to the Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit, the Park Place Hotel in Traverse City, and Stafford's Perry Hotel in Petoskey. The Book Cadillac Hotel is a 2009 winner of the Governor's Award for Historic Preservation, and both the Park Place Hotel and Perry Hotel are listed in the State Register of Historic Sites. The getaway prizes were donated by the three hotels."We hope to spread the word throughout Michigan that preservation is inherently green by supporting sustainability," said State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway.Submit photos via email to or by mail to: Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Complete rules and details of the contest are available online. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Keith Molin, MSHDA