Battle Creek’s Historic Northside Neighborhood has a tradition of being there for one another
On Battle Creek's Historic Northside helping out your neighbor is a common occurrence.
On the Ground
On the Ground helps to tell the stories of the people, projects, and innovations that are creating “what’s next” for Southwest Michigan.
Published by Southwest Michigan Second Wave, the mission of On the Ground is to connect readers to the area's most visionary and active people, businesses, and organizations — elevating a wide diversity of voices and contributing to the community conversation about what it means to call Southwest Michigan home.
Our journalists engage residents through regular listening sessions, events, and conversations to build trusted relationships that shape the community’s unique, solutions-oriented stories. We want to know what you think because what you think matters.
The On the Ground Battle Creek team includes Project Editor Jane Parikh and Photographer John Grap. The On the Ground Kalamazoo team includes Project Editor Al Jones and Photographer Fran Dwight. The Managing Editor for both series is Theresa Coty O'Neil.
HAVE A STORY IDEA?
We’re always looking for story content. Send your Battle Creek or Calhoun County ideas to otgreporter18@gmail.com. Send your Kalamazoo or Kalamazoo County ideas to editor@swmichigan.secondwavemedia.com.
Winter, summer, spring, and fall, the BCMAMS are helping somewhere in Battle Creek
You don't have to have a mustache to care about making your community a better and more fun place to live. That's the BCMAMs' philosophy despite their moniker.
Kalamazoo’s Eastside Neighborhood Association showing neighbors a way to save
Show Me the Money, a statewide program that helps provide free tax preparation services and more to lower-income families through neighborhood outreach will be offered in the Eastside Neighborhood soon.
Eastside Youth Strong making Eastside stronger in Kalamazoo
From a ripple, comes a wave of support for children and their families involved in Eastside Youth Strong programs.
For Kalamazoo artist James Palmore, Kalamazoo’s Eastside was a childhood paradise
Eastside artist James Palmore, who has achieved local legend status, appreciates his ability to look back with a greater understanding now that he’s in his “sunset years.”
Plans to serve homeless population in Calhoun County start with a thorough count
Many local groups are working together across Calhoun County to provide a wide range of services to the area's homeless.
EASEL, Eastside elementary science and arts camp, hopes to add middle school STEAM camp this summer
For Eastside kids who want to learn arts and science, there's EASEL.
Backpacks provisioned with food will help youngsters through the weekend
Hungry youngsters get a break with backpacks filled with food donated to fill the weekend meal gap.
The Fire Hub restaurant, a casino spinoff, feeds its customers and funds food pantry
What happens when you have too much food on one hand and people without enough food on the other. For FireKeepers the answer was a restaurant and food pantry combo.
‘Archeologist of Style’: On the Ground Eastside photographer Eric Hennig digs the ‘old and arcane’
This is the story of how an Etsy shop morphed into a fulltime photography business complete with a mastery of tintypes.
