Community Matters Calhoun County

Construction crews were busy all summer working on building upgrades and other projects at Pennfield Schools buildings. That has saved some money overall on the projects, according to Superintendent Stephanie Lemmer. Lemmer joins Community Matters to offer her viewpoint, just days before students in her district were coming back for the 2024-25 academic year. Episode Resources Pennfield Schools we...

Now that Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury has announced her intention to retire at the end of 2024, city commissioners will undertake a search for her successor in 2025. Commissioners have already gotten some footing on an executive search, having spent the summer of 2024 looking for a new city attorney. Mayor Mark Behnke and Vice-Mayor Sherry Sofia reflect on that search and offer some pe...

Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury reached her ten-year anniversary in the position and decided to call it a career. In her first interview since announcing her retirement, Fleury reflects with Community Matters on her tenure, her future along with some perspective on what makes a strong city manager. Episode Resources City of Battle Creek website BC City Connection podcast More episodes wit...

Robin Bolz, founder of UnSilenced: Battle Creek Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, has no reservations sharing her story about abuse when she was a child and adolescent. That story includes resilience and the key involvement of one person who helped her turn her life around. Now, she wants to be that person for others - and wants to show the community how to recognize human trafficking happening in...

Two more "Services on the Go" events are planned for the summer of 2024 in Battle Creek. The events are meant to provide a chance for residents to engage with city staff about any number of issues or subjects, including such things as code enforcement and community policing. The City of Battle Creek spokespersons Jessica Vanderkolk and Eric McClure discuss the August 2024 event in this v...

The Battle Creek Community Foundation is observing its 50th anniversary with a block party outside its offices in downtown Battle Creek. The event is set for August 21, 2024 from 4-6 PM. BCCF President and CEO Mary Muliett and Vice-President Clovis Bordeaux visit Community Matters to invite listeners personally - and talk about the fun planned, as well as some history and the future. Episode Resou...

After pre-pandemic plans for a remodeled downtown hotel fell through, then COVID delays, Battle Creek's iconic downtown hotel is set to begin a new life as a DoubleTree by Hilton. Battle Creek Unlimited Chairperson Erick Stewart and Economic Development Associate Heather Ignash join Community Matters to discuss the new project and how it is affecting local development efforts. Episode Resourc...

Tune up your short game - or show it off - at the Mini Golf for Good event Friday, August 9, 2024 in Battle Creek. The event, to be held at the Hit-Em-Here mini golf course, will support the programs of the Battle Creek Salvation Army. Registration is requested. Click to hear more details. Episode Resources Event Registration site (active prior to the event) Battle Creek Salvation Army website ABO...

The Battle Creek Area Habitat for Humanity returns to Community Matters for an update from Executive Director Michael King - including a shift in focus for the organization locally. King tells Community Matters five new Habitat homes going up in Urbandale are a signal of what's to come in the area - which means a shift in focus. Click to hear the details. Episode Resources Battle Creek Habita...

The first-ever Marshall MotorFest planned for August 23, 2024 in Marshall, Michigan will celebrate classic and muscle cars - and even some new ones. Jim Durian with Choose Marshall talks about the intent behind the MotorFest, what cars they wish to participate, along with all the other plans in downtown Marshall around the event. Episode Resources Choose Marshall website Marshall Events website Ci...

In this Calhoun County Board of Commissioners update, Chair Derek King discusses another round of road funding agreements for certain counties. Also, the Calhoun County Veterans Affairs office receives a sizable grant. Click to hear the details. Episode Resources Calhoun County Board website Calhoun County Road Department website Calhoun County Veterans Affairs website More Community Matters: New...

Among the expansive grounds and red barns of the Gilmore Car Museum on the first Saturday in August is always what's known as the Red Barns Spectacular. For its 43rd year, the RBS expects about 1000 cars to cruise in for the largest car show the museum sees all season. Gary Hawkins is president of the Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club, organizers of the event, and talks about what you can...

It is one of the busiest times of the year at Battle Creek's Charitable Union - the organization which has been helping local people who need it since 1887. One of those efforts is a drive to get kids into some new clothes by the time school starts. Charitable Union says the kids they focus on are from families facing challenges for various reasons. The preparation to shepherd them through th...

The City of Battle Creek is encouraging those interested to apply to be considered for appointment to a new Community Oversight Board. The panel will have seven members and two alternates from the community, with a goal to "reflect a range of the city's demographics for racial and gender identities, ages, skills and lived experiences," according to a COB brochure. Click to listen to...

Calhoun County Clerk/Register Kimberly Hinkley tells Community Matters staff and volunteers are ready for nine days of early voting ahead of the Tuesday, August 6, 2024 primary election. The county has only conducted the early voting a handful of times since voters passed Proposal 22-2. Hinkley discusses the growing confidence she has with putting Election Day on repeat, essentially, in order to h...

How do local stakeholders decide what transportation and public transit goals are best for the area? An overseer in that effort locally is BCATS - the Battle Creek Area Transportation Study. BCATS Executive Director Jeff Franklin joins Community Matters to shed light on how the organization works - and helps stakeholders work together. Episode Resources BCATS website ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS Former...

It is probably true most people know how wild it is at the Binder Park Zoo. Just look around! But, BPZ's Allie Stoddard tells Community Matters how WILD Wednesdays in July are even more so! Episode Resources Binder Park Zoo website ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to host Community Matters, an interview program focused on community leaders...

Saffron is the sweetest Siamese cat you will ever meet. She is curious about who is coming to see her - and may very well flop over for a belly rub and some loves right away. So why, after being adopted not long ago, is she back at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan? In this Wiggly Tail update, HSSCM Executive Director Jessica Gilbert helps us understand how life's circumstances aff...

Some financial institutions in southwest Michigan are noting a wave of counterfeit bills circulating the area. Others have said they are not seeing as much. Could you tell if a bill you are holding is real or fake? We asked Lisa Sloughter, fraud and collections supervisor at Marshall Community Credit Union for advice. Episode Resources MCCU website US Treasury Department Advice ABOUT COMMUNITY MAT...

Marshall Public Schools asked voters in May 2024 to approve a $90 million bond question which would fund upgrades, improvements and even a whole new elementary building in Albion. Voters rejected it by almost 600 votes. But, why? Now, the district has been asking voters for input in order to understand the answer to that question. Superintendent Rebecca Jones and communications lead Ian Gilyard-Sc...

The Committee for Marshall-Not the Megasite has until early August 2024 to officially take its case to the Michigan Supreme Court. Technically, the committee has 42 days from the Michigan Court of Appeals decision that dealt another blow to the legal drama meant to put the Ford BlueOval plant development to a vote in Marshall. Committee attorney Robby Dube returns to Community Matters to offer per...

Calhoun County Commissioner Derek King joins Community Matters to discuss the ramifications of the May 2024 resignation of chair Kathy-Sue Vette. The development required a two-step solution: Appointing a replacement for the District 3 commissioner as well as a new chairperson. King also discusses the BCATS budget and a deal struck to provide a full-time sheriff's deputy at Starr Commonwealth...

Battle Creek Police will undertake another string of extra patrols in the city and Bedford Township between June 23-29, 2024. Why? Lt. Ryan Strunk tells Community Matters it is always a chance to make sure motorists are up to speed on the latest laws (like the no-holding-your-phone law that took effect in 2023). Still, some motorists caught breaking the law could end up with a ticket (potentially...

The June 18, 2024 Michigan Court of Appeals decision to affirm lower courts in the Marshall Megasite zoning case leaves the Committee for Marshall-Not the Megasite with a decision: Should their argument be taken to the Michigan Supreme Court? Attorney Richard Lindsey, a member of the legal team representing the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) and Ford Motor Company, has said re...

Scott Wolfersberger has been a Ward 1 member of the Marshall City Council for six years. Now, he wants to be mayor. With council members thrust into the spotlight after the Ford Motor Company EV battery plant announcement for the Marshall Megasite, community response - on one side or the other - has been swift. Wolfersberger tells Community Matters why he is choosing to run - and how he believes a...