Community Matters Calhoun County

Voters in Emmett Township will decide on May 6, 2025 whether to continue support of a millage Supervisor Tracy Myers says will help pay for new emergency equipment. Myers tells Community Matters it is an effort to save funds for new public safety vehicles and other equipment - and avoid having a bond request when needs are more urgent. Myers also discusses the search for a new public safety direct...

When Brian and Joleen Robins learned their teenage daughter might be facing a lifetime of health challenges, they braced for what that could mean. But, as Brian tells Community Matters , what happened next was not the outcome that was expected. In fact, it resulted in the Rings Ministries free transportation program. It provides free refurbished vehicles to needy families - especially single moms...

Michigan's 45th District Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Springport) chairs the House Judicial Committee, this after Republicans regained control after the November 2024 election. In this update with Community Matters, Lightner talks about the role of the Judicial Committee, and her view as chair. Lightner also touches on the continued fight against Fentanyl, the House GOP roads plan and her trip to t...

Marshall's Dark Horse Brewing plans its annual Spring Smokeoff around BBQ, beer and a charitable connection. That's the plain again in 2025, with a portion of the $25 entry fee to support Marshall Area Community Services (MACS) on May 3. Now under the Livonia-based Benchmark Beverage umbrella, Dark Horse will also be the brew site for its sister brewery Brew Detroit.  Benchmark Director...

Battle Creek's S.A.F.E. Place - which stands for secure area family environment - has evolved over the years to meet the immediate daily and safety needs of those escaping intimate partner violence. CEO Ellen Lassiter Collier underscores that the organization's mission also includes helping those who have escaped a human trafficking situation. That's exactly the type of organization...

In a wide-ranging interview, Battle Creek Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kim Carter returns to Community Matters. This time, Carter offers insight into how possible department of education restructuring at the national level could affect Battle Creek. The superintendent also updates listeners on a bond request which will not result in a tax increase, as well as a new school building set to open...

Battle Creek's Trinity Community Development and Neighborhood Center has a mission to "improve the quality of life" in the Trinity neighborhood. That means doing so simply by providing a place for various groups to meet. It also means connecting the underserved with what they need, such as food. Trinity Executive Director Jessica Lamson visits Community Matters to talk about a benef...

Battle Creek's Cereal City Concert Band will play in Schladming, Austria in July 2025 on the invitation of the 2025 Mid-Europe Wind Band Music Festival. The band plans two more fundraising events to support the trip: Finley's restaurant in Battle Creek on April 30, 2025 will donate a portion of its proceeds that night for 30 or more tables. Another event is planned for May 31, 2025 at th...

Republican representatives in Michigan see a way to fund road repairs in Michigan by reallocating funds in the state budget, among other ways. As is, the proposal would take away some economic development funds and put them toward road repairs. Bridge News reports the so-called SOAR (Strategic Outreach Attraction Reserve) Fund would lose money and Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credits wou...

The setup for a battle over road repair funding in Michigan is done. Republican members of the Michigan House of Representatives have presented a plan which redirects money in the current budget for road repairs. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has proposed different taxes to help fund the upgrades. Former Rep. Jim Haadsma, a Democrat from Battle Creek, provides his perspective on the GOP p...

Applicants have until April 14, 2025 to submit their information to be considered for a firefighting career in Battle Creek. The Battle Creek Fire Department is operating at reduced staffing capacity in early 2025, according to Battalion Chief Andre Doser, who says 70 firefighters are considered ideal for the department. Firefighter Raelyn Freelove, who chairs the recruitment committee, joins BC D...

A resurgence of measles in Texas and some other states - including a confirmed case in Michigan - has brought the disease back in the news after a long absence. Measles typically affects young children. Dr. Summer Liston with Oaklawn Hospital joins Community Matters to help us understand what measles is, where it's been and how it's typically combatted.  As well, Dr. Liston shares some i...

This time on the Community Matters Wiggly Tail update from the Humane Society of South Central Michigan, we present Tally. A young Australian Shepherd and Cattle Dog mix, Tally is full of energy - and love! Hear Rachel talk about what kind of home is best for her. Episode Resources Humane Society of South Central Michigan website Tally on Petfinder Richard reads to the kittens at HSSCM More Wiggly...

The Battle Creek Police Department is looking for its next set of future officers - and it is willing to provide scholarships to the police academy for those who make the cut. Officers Nate Belson and Josh Barrix tell Community Matters about what makes a good officer, what the academy is like, and what makes the job rewarding for them. Episode Resources Battle Creek Police Info and Career Stories...

UPDATE: The City of Battle Creek postponed the April 9 meet-and-greet on the day it was scheduled to happen. A new date has not yet been set. A field of 20 applicants has been whittled down to three finalists for Battle Creek city manager. Two have worked most recently in other Michigan municipalities, while the third worked most recently in Georgia. The City of Battle Creek plans a meet-and-greet...

Food insecurity brought record demand at the South Michigan Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic. But, that does not mean demand has returned to pre-pandemic levels. CEO Peter Vogel returns to Community Matters to talk about a recent visit to Washington, D.C. where he and his counterparts from Michigan voiced concerns about potential cuts to food bank budgets. Episode Resources South Michigan Fo...

The firm hired to help the City of Battle Creek work through the process of the Lakeview District Plan - focused on the Beckley Road retail corridor - says an overabundance of parking spaces paves the way for new housing. Progressive Companies Associate Planner James Kilborn tells Community Matters "placemaking" is the difference between retail corridors designed in the 1970s and 1980s a...

The Battle Creek Community Foundation, while honoring its first full-time chief executive, is looking for its next Peter J. Christ Leaders Fellow. Seeking nominations in March 2025, the Christ Fellow is a chance for the person selected to be involved in leadership development learning opportunities. In a press release, BCCF says those include customized mentoring, stipend support and tools like Th...

STARBASE Battle Creek, a science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) academy which provides supplemental learning for hundreds of west Michigan students, has been closed since early February 2025. When or if it - and 89 others in the US, Puerto Rico and Guam - will reopen is caught up in partisan budget wrangling in Washington. STARBASE Battle Creek Director Amber Waterbury calls it a &...

The Detroit Lions engage kids in learning more about football by offering football summer camps all over Michigan. In 2025, one of the camps will take place in late July at Battle Creek Central High School.  Nine-year-old Bentley Dowdy and his mom Brittney, of Battle Creek, have started a friendly competition for their birthdays to see which can raise more funds to send kids to the camp. The parti...

When asked about tariffs the Trump administration is enacting, Battle Creek auto dealer Vince Pavone of Lakeview Ford suggests folks should take a breath. Pavone calls tariffs a negotiating tactic, pointing to those employed in the first Trump administration in the solar panel and washing machine industry. He also suggests rushing to judgment on tariffs is not productive. In this visit with Commun...

Battle Creek Interim City Manager Ted Dearing returns to Community Matters with updates on the search for the city's next top administrator. Dearing also offers perspective on the ongoing Beckley Road corridor study and downtown river naturalization project. Episode Resources Battle Creek City Manager ABOUT COMMUNITY MATTERS Former WBCK Morning Show host Richard Piet (2014-2017) returns to ho...

Steve Frisbie, elected to the Michigan House of Representatives District 44 in 2024, is planning town hall community meetings around Battle Creek in March 2025. The 44th District of Michigan includes Battle Creek, along with northern and a portion of western Calhoun County, including Albion. Frisbie joined Community Matters to discuss what he hopes to gain from the listening sessions with communit...

Community Matters caught up with one half of the Downtown Battle Creek Zine team, journalist Nick Buckley, to talk about the February 2025 issue in which they tout some of the downtown Battle Creek ongoing developments. Some of those include the river naturalization project. Though it won't be finished in 2025, progress is expected. Ongoing efforts to bring more housing to the downtown area,...

The Harper Creek Optimist Club in Battle Creek is well known for its annual gift to the community in its Christmas Parade.  One of the things that makes that parade possible - along with support for programs and education for young people - is the club's biggest fundraiser of the year: The Duncan Bailey Memorial Drawdown. HCOC's Dr. Jeromy Myers tells Community Matters how some event att...