Community Matters Calhoun County

The South Michigan Food Bank - which provides food to the hungry in 8 Michigan counties including Calhoun - continues to respond to a growing need while threats to federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding continue. The on-again, off-again potential cuts to the largest federal anti-hunger program in the U.S. has the State of MIchigan working to take up the slack. Still, the...

We're not sure it's an actual word, but "floof" seems to describe best our good friend Gadget the cat, the focus of our Wiggly Tail update this time from the Humane Society of South Central Michigan. Gadget is a young, domestic long hair male cat who is black and white. He's all up to date on his vaccinations and he is neutered. HSSCM Executive Director Jessica Gilbert tel...

It's a longstanding tradition in Battle Creek: The annual Christmas parade - a gift to the community by the Harper Creek Optimist Club. Folks line the streets on a Saturday in November (typically the Saturday before Thanksgiving) to watch the procession of local participants stir up the Christmas spirit - along with some hometown pride. After setting a participation record in 2023, Organizer...

Veterans Helping Veterans in Battle Creek, the organization which cut the ribbon on the gift of a building at 209 East Michigan in summer 2025, has hit its stride helping veterans get set up in new residences after homelessness. Vice President Rick Stover returns to Community Matters to talk about their organized system of gifting donated furniture, housewares and toiletries to veterans who are re...

While its students were settling back into their school-year routines in September 2025, Lakeview School District announced a national honor for Minges Brook Elementary School: The "America's Healthiest Schools" award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. At the same time, the district announced its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and its 2025 Community Spirit Awar...

Saturday, November 8, 2025 is a good day to give a boost to Battle Creek Central High School Athletics. Come to Lakeview Ford that day between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM and test drive a new Ford. When you do, Bearcats Athletics will receive $30 and the American Red Cross gets $10. With enough test drives, Bearcats could receive as much as $6000! Coach and Athletic Director Lorin Granger joins Community...

West Michigan-based business Twinkle Holiday Lighting is again seeking a local veteran to receive a holiday light display installed on their home free of charge. Chuck Barnes, owner of Twinkle Holiday Lighting , returns to Community Matters to encourage nominations of local veterans to receive the gift. He also discusses the legacy behind the award, which carries on from a local veteran who passed...

It was July 2010 when a rupture in Enbridge pipeline 6B spilled oil into Talmadge Creek near Marshall, which feeds into the Kalamazoo River. The result was a cleanup effort along 35 miles of the Kalamazoo River until 2012. Further dredging continued beyond that time. In 2016, Enbridge paid $177 million in penalties as part of a settlement with the U.S. Government. In 2025, Enbridge Senior Advisor...

Battle Creek Salvation Army Captains Mika and Grace Roinila return to Community Matters to look back at a record-breaking year of giving in 2024 - along with the plans to help local folks in need in 2025. That begins with a holiday and Red Kettle Campaign kickoff on November 7, 2025. Episode Resources Battle Creek Salvation Army  ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (...

Inspired by similar events in other counties, Calhoun County educators have planned a day-long professional development day for November 4, 2025. Community Matters spoke with Calhoun Intermediate School District Assistant Superintendent Carrie Johnson and Harper Creek Schools Assistant Superintendent Laura Williams about the impact of the event for local educators. Episode Resources Calhoun Interm...

Community Matters debuts a new monthly events update presented by the Downtown Battle Creek Zine (DBCZ)! In this update, Nick Buckley shares ideas for local events happening in October and November, 2025. Episode Resources Follow DBCZ on Facebook ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to host Community Matters, an interview program focused on communi...

Michigan lawmakers went down to the wire in approving a new budget. In the end, a middle-of-the-night, two-hour shutdown happened - but did not last. Still, a stopgap spending extension kept the government running before the new, $81 billion plan was passed in the early hours on October 3, 2025. Senator Sean McCann, a Democrat from Kalamazoo, joins Community Matters for a postgame discussion from...

In his last periodic legislative update on Community Matters, weeks before the threshold of the Michigan budget deadline (the one that would definitively shut the government down), Rep. Steve Frisbie - Republican from Battle Creek - expressed confidence there would be a compromise before the deadline. He was generally correct, though the House, Senate and Governor Gretchen Whitmer did step slightl...

In September 2025, several organizations, residents and interested parties gathered for a summit on the state of housing in Battle Creek. It's all prompted by the view that there is not enough housing in the area. Lee Talmidge joins Community Matters to discuss the issue from the view of the organization he oversees: The Battle Creek Housing Commission. The Commission particularly helps those...

A longstanding effort to bring resources under one roof for veterans and those experiencing homelessness is returning in 2025 for its 20th year. The 2025 Project Connect Health fair and VA Stand Down will happen on October 17, 2025 at Full Blast Recreation Center in downtown Battle Creek. The event, a partnership between the City of Battle Creek, Calhoun County Homeless Coalition and the Veteran&a...

Michigan's "busy season" at collision centers across the state is fall and winter, for certain. More deer are on the move, followed by slippery road conditions at times.  Brian Eberhard, who oversees operations at Lakeview Ford Collision Center - located at Lakeview Ford Lincoln, Dickman Road and Washington Street in downtown Battle Creek - has some advice and insight for motorists...

Right along with pumpkin spice and fall colors comes Medicare Open Enrollment. For many, the time when they have to lock in the coming year's health coverage plan can be stressful and confusing. Experts Matt "Ernie" Ernstes with Ernstes Insurance Solutions in Marshall and Stephanie James of American Senior Benefits join Community Matters to talk about the three things you should kno...

Attention veterans wanting to become entrepreneurs: Grand Valley State University's Innovation Hub in Battle Creek will join statewide locations hosting the Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur Lab. Amy Hilton manages entrepreneurship initiatives at GVSU in Battle Creek and joins Commiunity Matters for details on the coursework - called a "cohort" - which is meant to help veterans make the...

In September 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced an infusion of additional funds - $800 million - for upgrades to VA Medical Centers around the country. Battle Creek VA Medical Center spokesperson Brian Pegouske returns to Community Matters to discuss how the VA's Non-Recurring Maintenance program will help locally. Episode Resources Battle Creek VA Medical Center ABOUT COMMUNI...

Our last Wiggly Tail update from the Humane Society of South Central Michigan featured Scout, a terrier mix who is a mostly take-it-easy dog. In this episode, we get an update on Scout - and talk about his sister Salah, another chill terrier ready for her new home. Episode Resources Humane Society of South Central Michigan website Salah on Petfinder More Wiggly Tail episodes ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTER...

Battle Creek's Lakeview Ford Lincoln is among dealerships nationwide participating in an effort to collect non-perishable food donations to support their local food banks. Lakeview Ford aims to collect 400 pounds of non-perishables by the end of September 2025 - enough to fill the bed of a F-150 pickup. Lakeview Sales Manager Josh Anzell joins Community Matters to talk about the final push to...

The ongoing legal saga surrounding the zoning of the site where Ford's Blue Oval Battery Park Michigan in Marshall seemed quiet for some time. The Michigan Supreme Court was asked to hear the case in September, 2024. Since then, it has been a long year of waiting for both sides.  Until September, 2025, that is, when the high court issued an opinion telling a lower court to reissue its prior d...

Calhoun County's opioid settlement funds - received from drugmakers in a settlement with many Michigan counties - are funding another round of grants to local non-profits. Calhoun County is slated to receive approximately $11 million in opioid settlement funds over the next two decades. Among the recipients: Life Recovery Programs at Battle Creek's The Haven of Rest, where just weeks bef...

The Battle Creek Alano Club intends to use opioid settlement grant funds to create a safer space for those Calhoun County residents in recovery. The 2025 grants total nearly $600,000 the county is receiving in a settlement with drugmakers. The grants go to local organizations "...working to prevent, treat, and reduce the impacts of opioid use," according to the office of the Calhoun Coun...

April Gordon has a cool title: Success Coach. The concept is to help employees with everyday challenges - which can have an impact on their job performance. Doing so, April says, improves retention and work performance. The service is part of the national Employer Resource Network (ERN) and is administered through the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo and Michigan Works! A...