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.
A Gull Lake staple, Chicken House delights with superb food and stunning views while simultaneously enriching the community. Enjoy the first scoop on Kalamazoo County ice cream shops in our new series, Ice Cream Summer.
Downtown art patrons are familiar with MRC artWorks and its colorful storefront. For 54 years, MRC Industries has been cultivating the artist in people with disabilities while preparing them through job and living skills training to lead full, independent lives. With new CEO Dan Pontius, positive changes are on the horizon.
Embark on an awe-inspiring journey to unveil the lesser-known properties under Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy’s stewardship, as the remarkable biodiversity and natural beauty of these places are revealed close to your own backyard.
A long-anticipated $5.2 million renovation of Kalamazoo Central High School's baseball and athletic fields is taking place this summer, which means next year's teams will get to debut the fields. All thanks to a generous donation from KC famous alumnus and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and his Turn2 Foundation. Play ball!
Kalamazoo knows how to have fun. Even before summer's official start on Wednesday, the city has been celebrating the sunny season: Kalamazoo Art Fair, Do-Dah Parade, Food Truck Fridays, Pride, Juneteenth, Queer the Block, and music everywhere! Our roving photographer extraordinaire Fran Dwight captured a few images of Kalamazoo charging with exuberance out of Covid hibernation. Enjoy!
Kalamazoo County continues to move ahead with spending for affordable housing and programs to assist both would-be-homeowners and those struggling to stay in their homes. For 2023, the County Board has approved the allocation of $6.2 million in funds from the countywide millage known as 'Housing for All.'
The search for housing can be its own form of trauma. For Tamika Williams a $1,215 unpaid rent payment has been standing between her and a place to stay for her and her two children as she has visited agency after agency since September of 2022. But there appears to be help on the horizon.
It's Pride Month, and in downtown Kalamazoo, flags are flying and crosswalks are rainbowed. Southwest Michigan Second Wave Writer Casey Grooten speaks to two LGBTQ+ allied business owners — one new and one that's been around for a decade — about their Kalamazoo Pride and concerns they share about a changing climate for LGBTQ+ folks.
With Kalamazoo's annual Pickleball Tournament just around the corner, Southwest Michigan Second Wave's Andy Robins takes a look at the current state of the country's fastest-growing recreational and competitive sport here in Kalamazoo County.
Five lives have been lost to gun violence in Kalamazoo just this year. On Monday, Moms Demand Action and supporters packed Bronson Park wearing orange to honor those who have been impacted. For June, which is Gun Violence Prevention Month, Urban Alliance is planning three Life Camps to help youth avoid gun violence, learn compassion, and understand "Hands are Meant to Heal, Not Kill."
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