Article Author: Trisha Dunham

Whether you took one from your grandmother, dug it out from a thrift store bin, or purchased one from the internet, ugly holiday sweaters have become a staple in wardrobes across the U.S. For Communities in Schools (CIS) of Kalamazoo, their annual ugly sweater party at Bell’s Eccentric Café was an opportunity to cap off […]

While the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan (BBBSMI) Fire & Ice event has gone virtual this year, the inspirational stories and exciting entertainment will still warm your heart from the chill of the December air. “It’s still a celebration of the community commitment to igniting potential and empowering resilience through mentoring, just […]

Now that we have your attention, we promise this is important, and you’ll want to know more. Every five years, the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research (Upjohn Institute) and the Southcentral Michigan Planning Council (SMPC) work with regional partners including industry leaders, the public sector, places of higher education, and you, the greater community, […]

Currently operating as a food truck and offering catering, Cairo’s Kitchen, a traditional Egyptian restaurant is opening a brick and mortar location in the Exchange Building in spring 2021. But, if you were to ask Ramy Rezkalla and his family a year ago, cooking and selling their mother’s food, let alone opening a restaurant was […]

Built one brick at a time, the Rose Park Veterans Memorial along the Kalamazoo River is a local memorial dedicated to Veterans. The memorial features five, seven-foot granite monuments in the shape of a star with etchings of U.S. military servicemen and women from wars of the past and is dedicated to those who will […]

What started as a way to help her family out has turned into a career for Jamie Brock, as well as a way to let her entrepreneurial spirit soar. In 2014, Jamie purchased Coffee Rescue from her brother and continues to serve as the sole owner. While coffee has consistently been a part of the […]

Tires across southwest Michigan are squealing in excitement for the announcement made in Three Rivers earlier this week. The Three Rivers City Commission adopted a resolution that will get American Axle and Manufacturing (AAM) one mile closer to the finish line on its expansion project that would create about 100 new positions, benefiting a majority of […]

With a strong artistic and entrepreneurial spirit but few local opportunities to apply his passions, Alex Weller, owner and operator of Weller BBQ Food Truck forged his own path. “I grew up in Grand Haven. There are only two options: either work in factories or restaurants,” said Alex. “So, I’ve cooked in restaurants my whole […]

Recently retired from the army with a great deal of energy and passion to share, Jason Baldwin jumped into the food truck business starting On the Roll Food Truck with the encouragement of his wife and co-owner Brenda. “When he said he was going to retire, I said, ‘Okay, that’s fine, but you still have […]

Throughout this past summer, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo supported families by providing fun and safe camp programs during the day. To continue its support of the community, particularly working families and school children in Kalamazoo, the YMCA worked with local organizations such as KYDNet, Bronson, and area schools to develop its school support program. […]

If you traveled back in time 20 years, the one square mile sitting on top of a hill in Kalamazoo may be unrecognizable. Known as the Eastside Neighborhood, the place used to be home to upwards of 30 businesses, explained Neighborhood Association Director Pat Taylor. “As the years went by and the paper mills died […]

Early training and support for young professionals and high potentials is a crucial investment. The first few years of anyone’s career are an unanticipated and critical point of transition. Young professionals move out of the structured and predictable world of education and enter the professional landscape, with heightened responsibilities. To equip the rising leaders in our community […]