Fran Dwight
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

Longform SMALLBrush-Mentone Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Indiana nonprofit’s oral health program reaches 39 states

Shandra MartinezFriday, April 25, 2025
McMillen Health’s Brush program equips families and educators with easy-to-understand oral health tools, transforming access in underserved communities.
Longform Open Roads Transportation

Open Roads, Kalamazoo's bike hub, moving and growing

Mark WedelThursday, April 24, 2025
Open Roads, a youth development bicycle organization, repair service, and shop in Kalamazoo, is moving and expanding. "We run programs that the community needs, when the community needs them," says Executive Director Isaac Green, who envisions becoming "the bicycle hub of Kalamazoo."
Longform Kimball House Museum Arts and Culture

In service of history: KCC students engage in 'accidental learning' at Kimball House Museum

Jane ParikhThursday, April 24, 2025
Thanks to a service learning history course at Kellogg Community College, students get hands-on experience bringing history to life at the Kimball House Museum.
Feature Story Speak It Forward Arts and Culture

Kalamazoo's ‘Speak It Forward’ continues to help others find their voice and celebrate success

Al JonesThursday, April 24, 2025
Speak It Forward hosts the Kirk Latimer Celebration of Success, the group's 16th event that will highlight a year's worth of working with youth and honor its late co-founder. The event takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Chenery Auditorium.   
In The News R.I.S.E. Equity

Grant is a game-changer for Battle Creek’s R.I.S.E. Corp.

Jane ParikhThursday, April 24, 2025
Social emotional learning, violence disruption, and financial education are some of the youth programs that will be expanded at R.I.S.E. Battle Creek thanks to a $250,000 W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant.
In The News Kalamazoo Poetry Festival Arts and Culture

Kalamazoo Poetry Festival honors 'Gratitude' this year with a three-day event

Thursday, April 24, 2025
This year's Kalamazoo Poetry Festival features the theme "Gratitude" during a three-day celebration of all things poetry, April 24 to 26.
Partner Content AAoM NAT Conference vendors include autistic artists and entrepreneurs. Second Wave - MichiganEquity

Beyond awareness, autism acceptance affirms neurodiversity and improves lives

Estelle SlootmakerThursday, April 17, 2025
The Autism Alliance of Michigan and other advocates for autistic people are working hard to move from raising autism awareness to fostering autism acceptance. 
Feature Story 15 years Building Communities

Meet the team: A great group of reporters, photographers, and a community engagement specialist

Second Wave StaffThursday, April 17, 2025
Second Wave has been fortunate to be able to publish the works of an experienced team of local writers over the past 15 years. 
Longform 15 years

Highlights of 15 years of photography

Kathy JenningsThursday, April 17, 2025
Photography has always been important to Second Wave. Here are just a few examples of photographers' work that has complemented our stories.
Longform On the Ground Northside Ennovy's Beauty Bar Building Communities

On the Ground, Voices of Youth, Faith in Action and more: The projects of Second Wave

Kathy JenningsThursday, April 17, 2025
Our look back continues with stories we love. Many of these stories reflect what is happening in the community at large. Others are covered as part of a specific reporting project. We're proud to have worked with community partners to raise up people and issues that are important to our communities.
Feature Story At the Douglass 15 year anniversary Building Communities

15 Years of Second Wave: A celebration of community, journalism, and solutions

Kathy JenningsThursday, April 17, 2025
At a time when local journalism is as important as it has ever been, Southwest Michigan's Second Wave turns 15. Founding Managing Editor Kathy Jennings shares reflections on the journey.
Feature Story 15 years

A look back at the top read stories from the past 15 years of Second Wave

Kathy JenningsThursday, April 17, 2025
Can you recall your favorite Second Wave story over the past 15 years? Here's a list of our most-read stories to jog your memory. Let us know if your favorite is here. 
Feature Story 15 years

Kalamazoo Promise Returned: In pictures and words

Simon BorstThursday, April 17, 2025
In 2014, artist Simon Borst created a thank you for the Kalamazoo Promise by featuring in words and pictures those like him who also benefited from the scholarship program. We reprise his work here during the 20th year for the Promise.
Longform Summit Pointe Youth Services staff, from left, Matt Jones, Beth Decker, Sam Stover, Melissa DeDie, a Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Community mental health and child welfare collaborate to care for Michigan’s vulnerable children

Estelle SlootmakerTuesday, April 15, 2025
Michigan’s community mental health (CMH) agencies are the lead in providing mental health care for children in the child welfare system.
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.
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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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