Fire Arts Collaborative is a 10-year-old nonprofit in Edison.
Fire Arts Collaborative is a 10-year-old nonprofit in Edison. Fran Dwight
Fire Arts Collaborative is a 10-year-old nonprofit in Edison.
Fire Arts Collaborative is a 10-year-old nonprofit in Edison. Fran Dwight

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

Jaden Davis

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

Courtesy: Of the Land

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

John Grap

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

Fran Dwight

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

UnSplash: Alexander Schimmeck

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

UnSplash: Nguyen Phan Nam Anh

Features

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Feature Story Housing Building Communities

Kalamazoo County Housing Millage portal opens for creative new solutions

Al JonesWednesday, January 25, 2023
In a move to consolidate housing funding requests for housing, the Kalamazoo County Housing's AmpliFund Portal is seeking to become a one-stop funding source for ARPA and county resources.
Feature Story From left: Dennis Young, Tom Sikkema and Melinda Young. Equity

Ride YourWay fills niche for wheelchair-accessible transportation service in West Michigan

Paul R. KopenkoskeySaturday, January 21, 2023
Last year demand for Ride YourWay grew nearly ten-fold. The company now has seven wheelchair-accessible vans and one ambulatory sedan to serve clients from Muskegon to Kalamazoo.
Development News “It is estimated that 7,750 new housing units are needed to appropriately house the new households forming or looking to locate in the county," says Board of Commissioners Chair John Taylor. Rural Innovation ExchangeCommunity Development

Application window opens for grants to renovate and build housing in Kalamazoo County

MJ GalbraithThursday, January 19, 2023
“It is estimated that 7,750 new housing units are needed to appropriately house the new households forming or looking to locate in the county," says Board of Commissioners Chair John Taylor.
Feature Story Kelli Scott Community Development

Calhoun County Administrator Kelli Scott looks ahead to 2023

Thursday, January 19, 2023
Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott looks beyond some of the setbacks and challenges brought on by the pandemic to the county’s goals for the horizon: broadband, transportation, housing, and more.
Feature Story Michigan musician Kait Rose Arts and Culture

Kait Rose, one “Bad Mother,” making her voice heard throughout West Michigan

Bill LeeWednesday, January 18, 2023
Michigan musician Kait Rose is becoming more comfortable with herself and her music and expanding her horizons in 2023 with The Band of Thorns.
Longform Kimberly Holley Diversity

Holley makes history as City of Battle Creek's first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion officer

Jane ParikhWednesday, January 18, 2023
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work is not “all roses and daisies,” but the City of Battle Creek’s first DEI Officer Kimberly Holley is prepared to create a garden of opportunity all can enjoy.
Longform Bahai List Community Development

Kalamazoo Bahá'ís encourage Meaningful Conversations to promote spiritual growth, community action

Theresa Coty O'NeilWednesday, January 18, 2023
As part of a monthly series, Faith in Action, sponsored by the Fetzer Institute, Southwest Michigan Second Wave speaks with Kalamazoo area Bahá’í about their online series, Meaningful Conversations, and the value of spiritual inquiry as a basis for community transformation.
Feature Story Jacqueline Slaby Community Development

Kalamazoo’s neighborhood activator plans to be very active this year

Al JonesWednesday, January 18, 2023
Kalamazoo's Neighborhood Activator Jacqueline Slaby is taking her title seriously by activating city current neighborhood plans and seeking to include new neighborhood plans, like Stuart and Westwood.
Feature Story Kevin Caitlin Building Communities

2023 outlook: Local leaders hope to tackle three of Kalamazoo's toughest problems

Al JonesWednesday, January 18, 2023
As 2023 gets underway, Kalamazoo leaders have some hopes and plans for the community and a common vision for housing, safety, and equity.
Feature Story Aerial Hull Flats Building Communities

Public servants may get first dibs as Emma Jean Hull Flats in Benton Harbor begin pre-leasing units

Rosemary ParkerWednesday, January 18, 2023
A Whirlpool Corporation housing initiative named after Benton Harbor’s former mayor, The Emma Jean Hull Flats, a Whirlpool Corporation housing initiative named after Benton Harbor’s former mayor, are available to rent for Hometown Heroes first – teachers, police officers, firefighters and others who serve the city. And applications are open now.
Feature Story Artful House Arts and Culture

West Michigan design leadership: Discover impressive opportunities

Laura BergellsWednesday, January 18, 2023
Three impressive West Michigan design leaders share their perspectives on the opportunities for design in our area. Tara McCrackin, Marjorie Simmons, and Frances Close are all inspired by innovation.
Feature Story On the Ground Battle Creek Rebecca Fleury Community Development

Battle Creek City Manager talks 2023 priorities

Jane ParikhWednesday, January 18, 2023
Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury reflects on the continued pandemic impact of 2022 on the city, while expressing optimism about plans to enhance technology, advance DEI work, expand housing and opportunities, and engage residents in city planning.
Feature Story Steelcase is making an impact on a global scale, helping better the world through furthering work on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and driving social innovation from its headquarters in West Michigan. Arts and Culture

Design as an 'inescapable' part of life in West Michigan and where you can find it

Matthew RussellTuesday, January 17, 2023
The world of design involves hard and soft skills, hands-on creativity and abstract vision. Here's how design is defined by the individuals who are doing the work in West Michigan.
Feature Story Eastman kids and grandkids hamming it up for the camera. Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Foster care fosters hope for Michigan’s most vulnerable children

Brooke MarshallTuesday, January 17, 2023
Michigan's community mental health agencies, CMHs, provide mental health care for the roughly 10,000 children in Michigan’s foster care system. Here is how Genesee Health Systems and Sanilac County CMH are working hard to help foster children in their counties thrive.
Longform Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller, Corewell Health South Medical Group and Continued Care Vice President Melinda Gruber, and Region IV Area Agency on Aging CEO Christine Vanlandingham at the Berrien County Health Department. Second Wave - MichiganHealthy Communities

Here's how a collaboration in Southwest Michigan helped older adults avoid hospitalization for COVID

Estelle SlootmakerThursday, January 12, 2023
Health care providers repackaged existing community services that enabled older adults to stay in their homes if they came down with COVID, or return home more quickly if they were hospitalized.
Longform SLD student Rayla in a tutoring session. Kids and Education

For some first through fourth graders reading is hard, but SLD's multi-sensory approach helps

Casey GrootenWednesday, January 11, 2023
Kalamazoo Youth Literacy Program SLD Read Seeks Tutors to help new young readers feel like school belongs to them, too. “Working with kids, you get more back than you give them,” says one tutor, calling it “a feel-good hour.”
Longform 2022 Annual Round-Up Community Development

It's time for our annual round-up

Kathy JenningsWednesday, January 11, 2023
What were 2022’s most-read Southwest Michigan Second Wave’s stories? Read on to find out what you might have missed.
Longform Boonikka Herring Diversity

Battle Creek's Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation continues to work for positive change

Jane ParikhWednesday, January 11, 2023
In five years, Battle Creek’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation has changed conversations and deepened relationships, as well as been a catalyst for positive change.
Feature Story Kazoo Mastadon logo Technology and Innovation

Something to toot about: Kalamazoo has its own Mastodon server

Mark WedelWednesday, January 11, 2023
Mastodon has arrived in Kalamazoo!  Is it a large extinct mammal or a local ‘instance’ that’s part of the fediverse? Correspondent Mark Wedel will help you decide.
Feature Story Kathy with camera Entrepreneurship

Southwest Michigan Second Wave ushers in 2023 with new editorial management

Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Southwest Michigan Second Wave announces a change in editorial leadership as longtime Managing Editor Kathy Jennings expands her role with parent company Issue Media Group.  
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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.
 

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