by Eric Ringwelski | Apr 6, 2026 | Business, Places
Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan will bring back its Goodwill Golf Classic on Monday, July 27 at Gull Lake View Golf Resort, with registration opening March 1. The third annual outing continues to support Goodwill’s work in education, training, skill...
by Eric Ringwelski | Mar 23, 2026 | Business, First & 42 Original
In Nottawa Township, where open farmland and small businesses shape the landscape east of Three Rivers, a quiet manufacturing operation is turning out hundreds of boot uppers a day through a process that depends as much on skilled hands as it does on machinery....
by Eric Ringwelski | Feb 9, 2026 | Business
Last Thursday, February 5, 2026, Southwest Michigan First hosted its third annual State of Economic Development event, welcoming more than 500 regional stakeholders, business owners, and community leaders for an afternoon focused on economic insights, emerging trends,...
by Eric Ringwelski | Nov 10, 2025 | Culture, First & 42 Original, Places
A box truck eases into a Kalamazoo parking lot on a warm weekday afternoon. Volunteers unfold tables and set out baskets of bright produce, loaves of bread, and ready-to-cook meal kits with simple recipes tucked inside. Neighbors step forward, take their time, and...
by Eric Ringwelski | Oct 27, 2025 | People
Economic growth is at the core of nearly every local decision, and the next slate of local leaders will directly influence how our community attracts talent, supports small businesses, and invests in quality of place. As a regional economic catalyst, Southwest...
