Features

Feature Story Calhoun County Land Bank

Brownfield assessment and revitalization throughout Calhoun County focus of $1.5 million EPA grantEfforts will help with future housing and development

A $1.5 million EPA Brownfield grant will help revitalize vacant and contaminated properties in Calhoun County. Led by the Calhoun County Land Bank and its partners, the initiative aims to pave the way for future housing and commercial development, particularly in Battle Creek and Albion.

Longform Braids

Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation exemplifies nonprofits' financial underpinning of economic development

Lalonie Willhite founded Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation to make sure kids growing up in foster homes didn’t encounter struggles with self esteem that comes with foster and adoptive parents not knowing how to care for all textures of hair. The Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation also is an example of how a nonprofit contributes to economic growth right here in the community while fulfilling its core mission of giving back.

Longform Merze Tate SWMi Journalism Collab

The Kalamazoo City parks that kids like the best – and least

Studies show children who had access to parks were less likely to suffer from obesity, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The Merze Tate Explorers set out to find out what to expect when visiting Kalamazoo City Parks. And they ranked  their favorites. 

Partner Content Boy in classroom

Blueprint for school funding would ensure equitable resources in special education

The MI Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint would ensure that Michigan adequately and equitably funds public special education in Michigan. 

Feature Story All Gods Children teacher

No-cost pre-K for all Michigan 4-year-olds enrolling for 2025-26 school year

QA with Jeffrey Capizzano, Policy Equity Group, on the implementation of Pre-K for All no-cost preschool for Michigan 4-year-olds.

Feature Story Voices of Youth Politics

Voices of Youth Commentary: How social media shapes and divides progressive politics

This Voices of Youth commentary looks at how social media is fueling divides within the Democratic Party and argues that progressives can find strength in their differences by focusing on shared values and community-based action.

Feature Story Voices of Youth: Student Racism

Voices of Youth: Racism is a hard lesson for young people in high school

This Voices of Youth story focuses on teenagers' experiences with racism in their schools, describing the casual use of slurs and stereotypes as both painful and normalized among peers trying to fit in. While some youth express hope for change, others feel racism has become more insidious and less overt.

Feature Story Elopement Day

Seeking a less stressful, elegant wedding option? Consider Elopement Day at Battle Creek farm

Bridgett Blough and Trent Thompson of Of The Land in Battle Creek are redefining weddings with their June 7 Elopement Day, offering intimate ceremonies for just $2,900 — well below the national average.

In The News KalamazoO College Singers

K College Singers to perform Michigan premiere of choral work inspired by eco-poet Wendell Berry

The Kalamazoo College Singers present the Michigan premiere of Hymnody of Earth, a choral work by Malcolm Dalglish inspired by Wendell Berry’s writings, on Tuesday, May 20, at Stetson Chapel. 

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.

Longform Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Day

'We're all related, we're all connected': Many march for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

The loss of a missing or murdered Indigenous person deeply impacts entire communities, as systemic issues of underreporting and inadequate justice persist. Tribes like the Notawaseppi Huron Band of the Potowatomi continue to demand accountability and raise awareness through events like National MMIP Awareness Day.

Longform Michigan News Agency

Final Chapter: Kalamazoo remembers Dean Hauck and the legacy of Michigan News

Kalamazoo bids farewell to Dean Hauck, the spirited soul behind Michigan News Agency, whose store was a haven for readers, writers, and community voices since 1947. Her legacy lives on in every page turned, every story shared, and memories of the unmistakable scent of print.

Feature Story Jack Girsbach

Antique expert to share tips, tricks, and treasures at Battle Creek’s Regional History Museum

Antiques expert Jack Girsbach will speak at the Battle Creek Regional History Museum on May 10, sharing tips on spotting valuable finds and stories from his collection. The event explores the evolving appeal of collecting across generations.

Feature Story School burnout

Voices of Youth: Burnout in high school can happen, but you’re not alone

High school burnout goes beyond stress, driven by academic pressure and personal struggles. Support from teachers and the community can make a crucial difference.

Longform Dominion March

Ministers lead Dominion March to galvanize community to end gun violence in Kalamazoo

Following the recent gun deaths of two Kalamazoo youth, the Northside Ministerial Alliance organized a Dominion Walk for peace and against gun violence that drew over 250. “There’s more of us in the community than there are shooters, and so if we make our voices loud and do what we’re supposed to, I think we can make it better.”

Feature Story Ott Biological Preserve

Public to get first look at Ott Biological preserve upgrades

“The development of Ott Biological Preserve has been a labor of love for the County Parks Department for years. This grant allowed us to really establish a strong trailhead at this location, rather than just a dirt lot."

Feature Story Linda Pell attended the April 5 Hands Off demonstration on Beckley Road in Battle Creek.

Actions speak louder than words for Calhoun County groups working to preserve Democracy

"One of our underlying goals is that we want our community to stop being divided; that is not doing anybody any good. What’s going on nationally is affecting our community to keep us from being progressive. Community members are the first line of defense."

Longform SWMi Journalism Collab hair and reading

'We want to give back.' Kalamazoo event encourages literacy through barber shops and community

There are community partners willing to go the extra mile to support families with young children, say those who recently enjoyed such an event. It was all about haircuts and reading at Rob’s Barbershop in the Vine on a Friday afternoon.

Feature Story LIST IMAGE RAZA

How this native of India has become an advocate for Kalamazoo's unhoused

Now completing her first year as director of development and operations for Kalamazoo Housing Advocates, Maliha Raza seeks to help others find their home here. 

Feature Story Housing developments on Rose and Wall streets in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Thursday, April 10, 2025.

Density debate: How Kalamazoo-area communities are thinking beyond single-family homes

Homeownership has long been an essential part of The American Dream. In the post-World War II housing boom, that often meant three- or four-bedroom homes on large lots in neighborhoods located a car drive away from commercial development. It’s time to rethink that paradigm, many say.  

Battle Creek

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

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." 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.