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.
NACD in Kalamazoo plans to begin the construction this year of four single-family houses on what are now vacant parcels of land as part of the neighborhood’s plan to see an increase in the amount of affordable housing as well as an increase in home ownership and business ownership.
On May 7, bikers will return to the Kal-Haven Trail to celebrate spring, Michigan, wheels, and gears. The Trailblazer, an annual community ride on the Kal-Haven Trail, will be back after being put on hold by COVID.
The new leader of Kalamazoo County’s Land Bank is coming aboard as the program faces new challenges – and an urgent demand for more affordable housing. Sid Ellis joined the anti-blight initiative as CEO earlier this month, continuing a high-profile career in community service and the arts. Ellis says he’s excited by the opportunities his new position offers though there is uncertainty over how to maintain the program’s funding sustainably.
The Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC) is a group of 12 partners representing media, educational, and community organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. Find out what we have been working on this year.
What does it take to get to a point where housing projects funded by Kalamazoo County millage dollars can be approved? Here's a quick peek at some of the process needed to get the work done.
"What are we going to do this coming summer? What are some short-term recommendations we can offer our community and our leaders?" Walker Institute director Luchara Wallace voices the urgency behind the question. Read on to find out what is being done.
“We’ve learned that we are held to timelines beyond our control -- pandemics, supply chains, logistics, site availability, funding,” says Michelle Davis, Executive Director of Housing Resources Inc. as they work to establish a community in Kalamazoo of temporary, longer-lasting housing “pods” for those without houses.
Los servicios de salud mental ya no se limitan a los centros de asesoramiento de las universidades; un enfoque holístico es la mejor práctica para atender las necesidades de los estudiantes, dicen los responsables de la WMU, el Kalamazoo College y el Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Mental health services for college students are no longer isolated to university counseling centers. A holistic approach is the best practice to address the needs of students, say officials at WMU, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Second Wave listened in as Western Michigan University's Walker Institute led discussions on the ideas put forward in "Bleeding Out" and examines what police and community members alike can do about gun violence.
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