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.

KVCC’s Patient Care Academy taking applications

By Newsroom

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

Kalamazoo Valley Community College is inviting trainees to its first Patient Care Academy. Instructors will train students in entry level jobs in the health-care industry at the new academy, which runs June 21-Aug. 31 at the Michigan Technical Education Center on KVCC's Groves Campus. The academy is now accepting applications for 12 slots.Training will take place Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for 10 weeks. The fee is $1,995. Financial assistance is available through Michigan Works and Kalamazoo Promise scholarships.Academy students will receive training that lays the foundation to start a successful health care career, says Lesa Strausbaugh, KVCC's director of academies."This academy can be a springboard to careers in other health-care professions," Strausbaugh says. "For example, those on a waiting list for nursing can get this training in the interim and begin working in health care before beginning their nursing studies."Graduates could land in jobs such as a certified nurse assistant, a patient-care assistant or technician, a ward clerk or a medical-records clerk and qualified to work in long-term care, rehabilitation centers, hospice settings, medical offices and hospitals.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Lesa Strausbaugh, KVCC

Community comes together for cleanup at River’s Edge in Kalamazoo

By Newsroom

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Development News

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April 1, 2010

"Close to everything, far from ordinary," is the way the City of Kalamazoo sees the River's Edge project. River's Edge is bordered by Paterson Street, Riverview Avenue, East Michigan Avenue and Walbridge Street. The area encompassing 24 acres, is divided into 16 parcels that vary in size from a 10th of an acre to nearly 7.5 acres. Its development could go in a number of different directions depending upon what the market dictates.It is envisioned to be the hub of a number trailways that link business to the outdoors and capitalize on the natural asset of the river. The Kalamazoo River, now partially obscured by overgrown trees and bushes, will emerge from hiding soon, opening up a whole new part of town for the bikers, walkers, shoppers to enjoy.A number of groups will get to work in May to clean up the site and provide better access to the river. Sunshine Rotary, the Northside Business Association and the Adventure Club are among those who will be part of the cleanup. Within the next six weeks plans also should be finalized for improved traffic flow and appearance of the intersection of Gull Road and Harrison Street. Tthe public will be asked for input on the proposed intersection changes.The city of Kalamazoo began to work on a riverfront redevelopment in 1999. As brownfield redevelopment projects such as the MacKenzies Bakery, 527 Harrison, have succeeded, funding for the riverfront development has increased.The city was able to obtain a $2.8-million Clean Michigan Initiative Waterfront Redevelopment Grant in 2000. It allowed the city to get busy buying property, demolishing buildings and doing other clean-up work necessary to make the land attractive to buyers. In addition, River's Edge has attracted $20 million in public and private money, and the city has invested $7 million in matching funds. Some of the dollars have gone to adding infrastructure like the Jack Coombs Trailway there.The next project to go into the neighborhood will be the 6,000-square-foot People's Food Co-op at 507 Harrison Street. Co-op general manager Chris Dilley has told members one of the positive aspects of the site the co-op is moving to is that it is along the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail, connecting Kal-Haven and Parchment and Battle Creek and Portage. "We are excited about this connection and look forward to helping to better connect this area of downtown to the core" of the city, he says.In recent years, the area has attracted the Smartshop Metal Arts Center, One Way Products, a manufacter of industrial process and cleaning chemicals and West Tech Design Inc., a design and engineering firm.Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Martha Aills, special projects coordinator, City of Kalamazoo Community Planning and Development division

Raising good food, harvesting strong relationships

By Stacie Carlson

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General

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April 1, 2010

CSAs bring together farmers and the people who buy the produce they harvest in a relationship that goes beyond seller and buyer.

National community enrichment program comes to Kalamazoo, Comstock

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

Temple University in Philadelphia has picked two Kalamazoo County Foundation projects to be a part of the school's national intitiative to create opportunities for young and old to live and work together. Local residents and the foundation worked for more than a year to figure out how to foster connections across generations and to develop projects based on what they learned. The acceptance from Temple's Intergenerational Center, which administers the Communities for All Ages, CFAA, project, will help those projects go forward. Specific programs to be implemented are in Comstock Township and the Northside neighborhood of Kalamazoo. It also brings dollars to implement the projects.Each will receive a $20,000 grant for each of the next two years for a total of $40,000. Temple is supplying half and the Community Foundation matches it. The two projects came about after a lot of ground work at the neighborhood level. Team members went door-to-door in specific number of blocks on the Northside. They found people worried that some youngsters are not ready to take advantage of the Kalamazoo Promise when they graduate from high school, says Amy Slancik, of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. A project working with middle school students in an Alternative Middle School connected with New Genesis Learning Center has been proposed.The hope is that the experience gained here will be applied to other communites, says Carrie Pickett-Elway, of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.In Comstock Township, the teams on the project suggested the development of a Community Service Corp to build connections among residents who did not feel connected to their neighbors and who did not know how to connect to availablw services. One possibility is that the Community Service Corp be located in the Comstock Commuity Learning Center. The center is slated for renovation this summer. Work on the two projects is ongoing. The Kalamazoo Community Foundation is one of six community foundations working on the CFAA initiative. The work was in part made possible by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, based in Battle Creek. In total, CFAA works with 25 urban and rural communities to promote the well-being of all age groups.Writer: Kathy JenningsSources: Amy Slancik, Community Investment Officer, Initiatives, and Carrie Pickett-Erway, Senior Community Investment Officer, Kalamazoo Community Foundation

Internships aim to keep young pros in Michigan

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

The availability of internships has been shown to help states keep educated young people from fleeing for other places to live and work.The importance of Internships definitely is on the rise. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the percent of interns converted to full-time employment rose form 35.6 percent in 2001 to 50.5 percent in 2008.Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Lois Brinson-Ropes, the internship coordinator for the Student Employment Services, works with local employers to find the right young people for intern positions, which ideally bring an advantage when seeking full-time work.KVCC's Community Partners Internship Program has recently arranged for five winter semester placements. They are:-- David Curtis, a graphic-design major, Paw Paw Wine Distributors.-- Graphic-design/illustration student, Amy O'Donnell, Wraps & Signs By Trim It.-- Brittany Bauman, another graphic-design enrollee, The Strutt.-- Morgan Wellman as an administrative assistant, Abies Chiropractic Clinic.-- Chelsea Spencer, a business-administration major will do a marketing internship at Global Clinical Connections, which is located at M-TEC of KVCC and sponsored a graphic-design intern during the fall semester.The placements are funded for a three-year period by the KVCC Foundation. With $100,000, at least 55 students can be placed with enterprises interested in a grow-your-own-workforce alliance.The bulk of the grant funds is being used to pay up to 50 percent of the wages for each intern. The companies they work for pay the balance. The program runs through December of 2011.Salary terms are established on a case-by-case basis and agreed upon prior to the start of the internship. The pay can range from the minimum wage of $7.40 to $12 per hour.An internship usually lasts 15 weeks, but students can apply at any time and assignments are made year-round.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Lois E. Brinson-Ropes, KVCC

Bell’s Eccentric Cafe grows in Kalamazoo to fit in more music fans

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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March 25, 2010

A big fish in the local music scene is about to get bigger, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette.Renovation work has begun at Bell's Eccentric Cafe, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave. The $2.5 million project is projected to make the cafe, a downtown venue for the live music scene, a more major player by turning a vacant space behind the cafe bar into a performance area with room for more than 300 people, Bell's Brewery Inc. president Larry Bell, says in the story. Bell's is well-known for its widely popular beers. In addition, bathrooms will be upgraded, a new atrium entryway will be added and a new parking lot for about 55 cars will open on Ransom Street.Bell says in the story construction is expected to continue through summer — a popular time for the cafe. He asks patrons to be patient — the wait will be worth it.Excerpt:The back room, which is believed to have been built in the 1880s, is the oldest part of the cafe and requires "tender-loving care." Once it's complete, Bell said it will have a stage, sound equipment, lighting, bathrooms, a bar and a green room for performers. There will also be some reconfiguring of the outdoor beer garden and patio."This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time," Bell said. Bell said he expects to be able to book more big-name bands and, by combining the new music room with the garden, host concerts for "perhaps 1,000 people."Read the rest of the story to find out more of Bell's plans.

Baseball great says Stryker’s latest hip replacement technology scores

By Newsroom

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Innovation News

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March 25, 2010

Johnny Bench loves his new hip from Stryker. The baseball hall-of-famer is a paid spokesperson for the Kalamazoo company, and who better to talk about the new implant than a guy who suffered hip pain due to the punishment his body took during many years as catcher for the Cincinnati Reds.Bench reports that one month after his replacement he already nearly has full range of motion back, an accomplishment he attributes to the implant and his physical therapists.The implant Bench is promoting is the latest from Stryker Orthopaedics. It's the next-generation technology for hip replacement surgery and is designed to minimize the risks associated with total hip replacement surgery. It's called the ADM X3 Mobile Bearing Acetabular System.Innovative designs in the newly launched hip implant are built in to give it more longevity than other designs. Its unique large polyethylene insert gives it a larger range of motion and also addresses concerns of metal-on-metal inserts that have caused unexpected medical consequences, such as pseudo-tumors. It also is designed to reduce the risk of dislocation.The new design increases range of motion by using two points of movement rather than a single point."We believe that mobile bearing hips will become the new standard of care in total hip replacements and are committed to offering advanced technologies that benefit both surgeons and patients while adding value in ways that have the potential to reduce costs to the healthcare system," says Bill Huffnagle, Vice President and General Manager of Hip Reconstruction at Stryker Orthopaedics.ADM X3 is the third major hip product launch by Stryker in the past year. Stryker Orthopaedics is a division of the Stryker Corporation. Stryker Orthopaedics offers an extensive orthopaedic product portfolio including hip, knee and upper extremity reconstructive devices, bone cement, trauma implants, bone substitutes and spine systems. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Bill Huffnagle, Stryker Orthopaedics

EPS Security gets bigger digs in Kalamazoo, adds jobs

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

A Michigan company that specializes in high-tech corporate and home security expects to double its local 20-person staff over the next five years, and Western Michigan University's Business Technology and Research Park is where it plans to grow. Engineered Protection Systems Inc. — known as EPS Security — has moved into a nearly 4,200-square-foot space in the BTR Park's Initech Building, 4787 Campus Drive. EPS Security, a family-owned business based in Grand Rapids, has six offices across Michigan. It's Kalamazoo office, formerly on Westnedge Avenue, was established 10 years ago. "Our new office at Western Michigan University's research park will better suit our needs and growth in the next decade and beyond," says Kevin Carlson, president of EPS. The office is involved in design and research, and serves as a beta test site for equipment suppliers. It also provides sales, installation and service to local clients. "Cellular and Internet technology is opening up incredible areas of growth in this field," says David Hood, EPS director of sales and marketing. As use of land line phones drops and cell phone use grows, opportunities for security applications are rapidly expanding, Hood says. "Small cameras installed in a business, for instance, can now be accessed from anywhere in the world," he adds. Hood and Jeffrey Bos, EPS's Kalamazoo branch manager, have met with WMU's engineering dean Anthony Vizzini to discuss internship opportunities for students, future hiring needs and the possibility of extended research and testing partnerships with the college. EPS provides burglary, fire, access control, video surveillance and other monitoring and security services for its customers. Among the company's major Southwest Michigan clients are Meijer Stores and Kalamazoo Public Schools. Founded in 1955, the company today ranks among the top 30 security providers in the United States. It serves more than 16,000 commercial and residential clients in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kentucky. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: David Hood, EPS Security

Pulling out all the stops to woo Google

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

The full press is on to convince Google to make Kalamazoo one of its test sites for its ultra high-speed broadband network. As the Friday March 26 deadline approaches to apply to be one of several trial locations around the country, city officials, local boosters and residents are holding meetings, recording video pitches to Google and spreading the word in a number of ways to anyone who will listen, asking them to join in in nominating Kalamazoo. Support has been building in the Kalamazoo area ever since the project was announced.In Kalamazoo Wednesday, March 24, there was a town hall meeting to talk about why Google Fiber is important. Residents were asked to share their thoughts on video in hopes to convince Google decision-makers that Kalamazoo is the right place for the pilot project, which would provide a fiber-optic network to at least 50,000 homes and businesses at 200 times the current speed, at a price Google says is comparable to existing services. The local grassroots effort, Kalamazoo Google Collaborative, is bragging about Kalamazoo's past and present innovations, its prime location between Detroit and Chicago and its dedication to education as witnessed by the Kalamazoo Promise, a college scholarship program for all grads of Kalamazoo Public Schools, and four institutions of higher learning — Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Davenport University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College."Many people may not know that Kalamazoo has quietly taken risks and leads the nation in many ways throughout its history," says Kalamazoogle.com backer and Newmind Group Owner Daniel Jefferies. "From the science and innovations of Upjohn and Stryker, to its downtown walking mall, to the role in creating one of the first public high schools, and most recently the creation of the Kalamazoo Promise."Over the weekend, supporters passed out 30,000 fliers about the project in hopes of encouraging nominations for Kalamazoo. Official support for the effort has come from the cities of Kalamazoo, Portage and at least 13 of the county's 15 townships.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Daniel Jefferies, Newmind Group

WMU takes first step toward medical school

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

Western Michigan University has taken the first of five steps that could lead to national accreditation for establishing a medical school with its partners Borgess Health and Bronson Health Care.The process is moving forward thanks to a $1.8 million anonymous gift made to provide seed money for the next steps in the process, including the accreditation application and the search for a founding dean for the school. The dean search was launched in February.A school of medicine in Kalamazoo has been under discussion and in the planning stage since late 2007. Representatives of Borgess, Bronson and WMU traveled to Chicago for the initial meeting with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in January to begin the accreditation process.To get the process under way, WMU filed a formal letter of intent with the accrediting body for medical schools in the United States, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).Western is one of seven schools now seeking accreditation that have "applicant school status." To achieve that status the LCME must determine the university meets basic eligibility requirements to proceed with accreditation. The school also must pay $25,000.In the next step, the university earns "candidate status." In that step the school submits the required medical education database and planning self-study documents. They must be get a favorable review from LCME. At that point the accrediting body schedules a visit to the school.In the subsequent "preliminary accreditation" step, the LCME reviews a report from the team that visited the school and determines whether the program leading to the M.D. degree meets LCME standards.Once preliminary accreditation is granted, the program may begin to recruit applicants and accept applications for enrollment.In the fourth step in the process, "Provisional Accreditation," the LCME reviews the school's progress toward implementation of its medical degree program and evaluates the status of the school's plans for later stages of the program. If LCME determines that its standards are met, it can vote to grant "provisional accreditation." Once provisional accreditation is granted, enrolled students can continue their third- and fourth-year medical studies. Enrollment of new students can continue.A "full accreditation" survey visit takes place late in the third year or early in the fourth year of the curriculum. The survey team then prepares a report of its findings for consideration by the LCME. If the survey team determines the M.D. program fully complies with all standards, a vote to grant "full accreditation" for eight years is taken. The clock on the eight-year full accreditation status starts when the program was first granted preliminary accreditation.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Cheryl Roland, WMU, and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education