To help our community members make informed choices in the upcoming election, we asked candidates running for important local, state, and national seats to participate in our Forum to help you get to know them better. We will share responses as they are submitted....
In downtown Kalamazoo, People's Food Co-op (PFC) has remained a reliable destination to provide our community with a wide selection of nutritious, wholesome foods since it opened in 1973. With the tagline—locally grown, community-owned—the adaptations it has made...
The team at FIRST & 42 is always one to embrace a little bit of history. When it comes to politics, we can’t resist the temptation to let our mind drift back to the days of Rome’s open-air Forum back in 500 B.C. It was at this Forum when people first began meeting...
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)’s Match on Main program, which serves as a tool for local units of government, downtown development authorities, or other downtown management organizations to support place-based businesses, is being expanded to...
There's nothing quite like a fresh coat of paint to update a room, but with executive orders limiting the work for local painting company Quality Touch, CEO Quincy Nunn decided to focus on cleaning-up something else, our hands with hand sanitizer! In late March,...
It’s that time of year in West Michigan for our standout companies to shine bright! On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For® program celebrated regional award-winning companies for best practices during its annual ceremony....
There are some serious benefits to us all taking precautions and wearing masks while out and about or at work. But has anyone noticed how uncomfortable those things are? Marie and Dennis Marsh, owners of Crown Trophy, took on the mission to alleviate the discomfort...
When takeout business wasn’t enough to keep her business alive, Krystal Gast, owner and manager of Fido Motors Café, was inspired to act after hearing from other small business owners who had their own concerns about not being able to sell their products. “I just kept...
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $1.7 million in Brownfield Assessment Grants to four Michigan entities representing communities in Region 5, which oversees most Great Lakes States and is based in Chicago. The funding will be used for...
Recently you may find yourself eating more meals out of takeout containers or, if stocking up at the grocery store is your thing, perhaps you’re noticing that your recycling bin is full of empty cereal boxes and yogurt containers. Whatever your meal of choice has been...
