Features

Feature Story trailshuttle

Aaron Rogers: Mountain bike trail builder extraordinaire

Outdoor enthusiast and innovator Aaron Rogers has transformed mountain bike trail design into a global phenomenon. His Rock Solid Trail Contracting is the world’s largest trail building contractor with 100 employees and offices in Copper Harbor and Bentonville, Arkansas.

Feature Story Michigan's first mass timber building built with Michigan wood.

DNR marks mass timber milestone with Newberry building

The new DNR Customer Service Center in Newberry is Michigan's first mass timber building constructed with Michigan wood.   

Feature Story No Till Drill list

New equipment helps plant wildflowers in order to draw in pollinators

The Bay County Soil Conservation District was awarded a $39,000 grant through EGLE to purchase a new No-Till Drill. The compact drill allows property owners to seed small plots of land, creating habitats for pollinators and filling otherwise unusable land with wildflowers.

Feature Story City Café Owner Kyle Dudek poses for a photo outside his New Baltimore restaurant.

Little cafe with city charm opens in New Baltimore

Kyle Dudek has spent years behind the counter in the restaurant industry as a cook and manager. Now, he’s stepping out on his own as a restaurant owner to breathe new life into City Café – formerly A Little Mustard Seed – in New Baltimore.

Feature Story War Water Event Space

War Water Brewery is expanding its brand in St. Clair with the opening of a large event space

War Water Brewery in St. Clair recently opened an approximately 10,000-square-foot event space, offering one of the largest event rentals in the Blue Water Area. The addition to the growing restaurant might boost foot traffic for other St. Clair businesses and offer another option for organizations that benefit from hosting big events.

Longform Lauren LaPine

Medicaid cuts would destabilize mental health care: How Michigan is responding

Proposed Medicaid funding cuts would dismantle critical services, especially for residents facing poverty, mental illness, or substance use disorders — and reduce access to mental health services for all.

Feature Story trainrailyard

Railroad program flourishes where there are no rails

A three-year pilot program to teach rail transportation education and research at Michigan Technological University is still rolling along two decades later. The nationally recognized program has attracted more than 1,000 students and continues to grow. 

Feature Story playgroundimage

$1 million grant brings first-ever park to Benton Heights

A new park is being planned in Benton Heights in Benton Charter Township in Southwest Michigan, thanks, in part, to a $1 million grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 

Feature Story Small-volunteers

Community Impact Day expands, mobilizes volunteers across Michigan

The West Coast Chamber’s Community Impact Day grows statewide, rallying businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to create lasting community change.

Feature Story Downtown Drugs

Heart, hospitality, and a side of nostalgia at Downtown Drugs Soda Shoppe

At Downtown Drugs in Mt. Pleasant, the charm of an old-fashioned soda counter meets the warmth of community connection. Guided by longtime local Agnes McDonald, the Soda Shoppe is more than a lunch spot—it’s a place filled with friendly faces, homemade comfort food, and small acts of kindness.

Feature Story Matt Acker, co-owner of Pavement Ends, is all smiles at the start of the race.

Gravel, growth, and the future of Barry-Roubaix in rural Michigan

In Hastings, the Barry-Roubaix gravel cycling race has become the largest event of its type in the world, driving economic revitalization, fostering community connections, and promoting an inclusive trail culture in a rural town that attracts thousands of visitors every spring.  

Feature Story Small-Steve-Potter

Career tech program tackles skilled trades labor shortage

Allegan Tech Center equips students with real-world manufacturing skills, addressing industry gaps and opening career paths for hands-on learners.

Feature Story Produce and fish waste products on display at the tribe's farm in Leelanau County.

Grand Traverse Band's fish waste recycling efforts lure national attention

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians began recycling fish waste in earnest a few years ago. Their environmental efforts have been attracting regional and national attention. 

Feature Story kayakingpaddle

A river runs through it: Gladwin County plans its first-ever canoe and kayak race

The first-ever canoe and kayak marathon on the Cedar River in Gladwin County takes place this month. Organizer aim to make the race and an annual event, with an eye on building community and attract outdoor enthusiast to the rural county.

Feature Story Ashley Carter of Michigan Justice Fund and Adam Grant of A Brighter Way

Boosting resources for legal reform in MichiganNonprofit Journal Project Feature

Michigan Justice Fund is pioneering a collaborative funding model to support justice reform initiatives across the state. By bringing together local and national funders, the fund invests in community-led solutions that address the long-term impact of mass incarceration.

Feature Story Patient rights form

Protecting patient rights: How community mental health goes above and beyond

MI Mental Health spoke with Wil Morris, CEO Sanilac County Community Mental Health about how local agencies help mental health patients navigate their rights.

Feature Story marquetteplaza

First Michigan section of Marquette Greenway completed

The first Michigan section of the long-planned Marquette Greenway, a trail that will go all the way to Chicago from New Buffalo, is finished. A ribbon-cutting will be held on Friday, April 25, in New Buffalo.  

Feature Story Left to Right: Theresa Rosso, Jan Evans, John Highstreet and Sue DeLange.

St. Clair County Quilt Trail stitching community together one block at a time

Algonac Church of Christ’s Piece to Peace Quilting group quilts with purpose, supporting community events and organizations and promoting the county’s history and unique off-the-highway attractions.

Feature Story A petting farm for children is among the amenities at the restored Castle Farms.

Charlevoix's iconic castle: A story of innovation, history and change in Northern Michigan

Built as a model barn to demonstrate the latest farm innovations from Sears, Roebuck and Co., the French Renaissance-style castle in Charlevoix is now a wedding venue and a museum. Its history includes milking, art, music and weddings.

Longform Jason Gold at the Michigan Folk School.

Michigan Folk School builds community by passing on knowledge of traditional skills

The Michigan Folk School in Superior Township's Staebler Farm County Park allows visitors to experience the importance of old traditions in the rapidly changing modern world.