Fran Dwight
Fran Dwight

Empowering voices: Black disability history workshop returns Read Article

Fran Dwight

Reclamation & Testimony: Kalamazoo nonprofit premiers stories of the unhoused Read Article

Casey Grooten

Preserving Indigenous language focus of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Read Article

Building businesses and community at Jerico in Kalamazoo's Edison neighborhood Read Article

Fran Dwight

PHOTOS: Rootead's annual Youth Drum and Dance Ensemble wows once again Read Article

Fran Dwight

Small blueberry farm survives by going organic Read Article

Battle Creek breakfast companies unite to raise funds for United Way — one cereal box at a time Read Article

Features

Feature Story Anderson & Roe Arts and Culture

'Rock star' classical pianists to perform at Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra's season finale

Jane ParikhThursday, April 10, 2025
“It’s quite a coup that we were able to bring (Anderson & Roe) here,” says BCSO Director Anne Harrigan of the well-known piano duo. "The way they play and interact with each other is something you don’t see every day.”
Longform Hands Off Kalamazoo Community Development

Hands Off! demonstration in Kalamazoo drew nearly 4,000

Mark WedelThursday, April 10, 2025
Close to 4,000 people lined South Westnedge Avenue in Portage to participate in the Hands Off! Kalamazoo rally, one of over 1,400 protests that took place Saturday throughout all 50 states.
Longform Hands Off Battle Creek Community Development

Hands Off! protest in Battle Creek was an all-hands-on-deck moment

Jane ParikhThursday, April 10, 2025
On the Ground Project Editor Jane Parikh and OTG Photographer John Grap headed out this past Saturday to find out why people were participating in the Hands Off! Rally in Battle Creek. See also the video interviews that demonstrate the wide variety of reasons people chose to protest.
Feature Story Queer Representation in Media Arts and Culture

Voices of Youth: Queer representation in media and its impacts

Lila McCarthyThursday, April 10, 2025
“When I was coming out in 2018, I felt safe to do so within my friend group partly because of the media we were consuming, which was slowly including more queer characters, and the conversation about queer actors and artists became much more public."
Feature Story "... at least 17 children at any time are boarding in an emergency department across the state.” Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Michigan's hospitals and improved pediatric behavioral health care

Estelle SlootmakerTuesday, April 8, 2025
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association addresses pediatric behavioral health care with data, advocacy, and grant funding of member hospital programs. 
Feature Story Vintage crash market

Vintage vendors "crash" campus for market event

Mary Smithnosky Friday, April 4, 2025
The local organization Vintage in the Zoo is holding a vintage "crash market" at WMU’s student center Monday, April 7.
Feature Story Village Network Equity

Village Network leads work to create a Black Wall Street in Battle Creek

Jane ParikhThursday, April 3, 2025
Plans for launching a Black Wall Street movement in Battle Creek will include a Black-owned business directory and two new websites with a mission to create "collective independence."
Feature Story A Way Home Housing in the time of DOGE Community Development

Housing in the time of DOGE: Where do we go from here?

Mark WedelWednesday, April 2, 2025
There are complicated politics and attitudes aimed at efforts to provide affordable housing. In a recent public discussion, Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balkema detailed the projects underway and outlined the barriers to getting housing up as fast as some community members would like, including the current climate of uncertainty regarding funding.
Feature Story On the Ground Battle Creek Pride Equity

Battle Creek Pride hosts informational workshop in wake of efforts to overturn same-sex marriage

Jane ParikhWednesday, April 2, 2025
"I want to prepare people for these possible outcomes while keeping them present, focused, and together in community. There are so many moles to whack in this horrible game we’re playing.”
Feature Story Trans Day of Visibility Arts and Culture

Trans folx celebrate Trans Day of Visibility by sharing their artwork in Kalamazoo

Maya JamesTuesday, April 1, 2025
To honor Transgender Day of Visibility, OutFront Kalamazoo hosted a Trans Gallery for the Art Hop in March. Social Practice Artist Maya James spoke with several artists whose work has many intersections — from cover crops to animation.
Feature Story Kalamazoo Promise Kids and Education

The Kalamazoo Promise keeping its generous promise and more for 20 years

Al JonesThursday, March 27, 2025
Still going strong after two decades, the Kalamazoo Promise has grown and pivoted to adjust to current trends and needs. "We started to realize that every student's story is unique." 
Feature Story GVSU Innovation Hub Community Development

Groundbreaking Innovation Hub in Battle Creek creates abundant opportunity downtown

Jane ParikhThursday, March 27, 2025
"All of this will help to build a downtown where people want to live, where businesses want to relocate and grow, and where stores want to open, all of which is essential for the future success of Battle Creek.” 
Longform Time to Wing It Entrepreneurship

Time to Wing It: Battle Creek Biggby owner excited to launch community-oriented wing restaurant

Jane ParikhThursday, March 27, 2025
Battle Creek Biggby owner is winging it with a new wings restaurant on Michigan Avenue West — by putting customer service and community first.
Feature Story KINSHIP Safe Communities

KINSHIP: Honoring victims of crime and their families while providing resources to the community

Jane ParikhThursday, March 27, 2025
To honor National Crime Victim Rights Week, the Calhoun County Prosecutor's Office is hosting a resource fair on April 7 at First Congregational Church in Battle Creek.
Longform A Way Home Mt. Zion Legacy Senior Living

Persistence and prayer make senior housing a reality in Kalamazoo's Northside Neighborhood

Al JonesThursday, March 27, 2025
Legacy Senior Living, a 70-unit affordable apartment complex for people age 55 or older is expected to be completed in the next 17 to 18 months. More than 200 people attended Mt. Zion Baptist Church's groundbreaking for the of two, three-story buildings.
Feature Story Marshall Food Distribution Healthy Communities

Voices of Youth: Marshall's Fresh Food Distribution feeding the community

Sophia PellThursday, March 27, 2025
"This is a judgment-free opportunity to receive fresh food. They don’t need to be a member of our church, or any church. They don’t need to meet any income requirements or qualifications. They simply need to want food.”
Longform SWMi Journalism Collaboratie Neighborhood Inc Community Development

Neighborhood Inc. helps the unhoused find shelter in Battle Creek and St. Joseph counties

Jane ParikhWednesday, March 26, 2025
People are falling behind in their rent and Neighborhood Inc. of Battle Creek is helping them stay housed. About 100 individuals and families in Calhoun County and St. Joseph County that seek assistance from NIBC each month to move from being unhoused into stable housing situations.
Longform SWMi Journalism Collaborative shelter diversion' pilot progra Community Development

In Michigan, a new push to fight homelessness before it begins

Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Advocates say Michigan’s $4 million 'shelter diversion' pilot program is keeping people off the streets by helping pay for rent, utilities, transportation and more. Is it time to take it statewide?
Longform A Way Home Point in Time Count Community Development

Counting the unhoused in Kalamazoo County to learn more about local needs

Mark WedelTuesday, March 25, 2025
On a bitterly cold night in January, volunteers spread out across Kalamazoo County to see how many unhoused people they could find. It's part of what the federal government calls the Point in Time count, and it gives communities information as they prepare services and policies to serve this population. 
Longform Maribeth Leonard Healthy Communities

Countywide mental health millages have remarkable results

Monique BedfordTuesday, March 25, 2025
Jackson, Hillsdale, Ottawa, and Washtenaw counties passed mental health millages and seen positive impacts such as expanded access to care to their residents, increased service capacity, improved crisis response, and more.
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Battle Creek

Kellogg Community College launches new Associate of Music degree

Kellogg Community College is growing its music program as it launches an Associate of Fine Arts in Music degree in Fall 2025. For the full story, click here. For more stories, please visit here.
 

Kalamazoo

Joyful Streets, Real-world Struggles: "Happy Cities" author on the journey to transform Kalamazoo 

"What I've noticed in Kalamazoo is, that the city has been taking action to make some changes that in the short term some people might find uncomfortable, but in the long term are going to set the city on course for more vitality, more health, more equity, and I would say more happiness for the people who choose to live here."  Read the full story here. Read more stories here.
 

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