In The News

WNDU: Schools to promote healthy lifestyles

WNDU Thursday, October 04, 2012

Countryside Academy in Benton Harbor and Lawrence’s Elementary School in Southwest Michigan will partake in a special program to promote healthy lifestyles for youth funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield, reports WNDU news. The project will help schools make exercise and nutrition activities a part of everyday classwork. Blue Cross Blue Shield has granted $600,000 thus far to schools for this program.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: WNDU

WMUK: Upjohn Institute evaluates The Promise

WMUK Thursday, September 27, 2012

Following the announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise in 2005 there was short term academic improvement. That's one of the findings of a new working paper from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research reported by WMUK, 102.1 FM. Senior Economist Tim Bartik and Economist Marta Lachowska co-wrote the paper on student behavior and academic performance.

Excerpt: Lachowska says they mainly found effects on student behavior. The number of days students were suspended went down by a lot. But she says there wasn’t much of an effect on grade point average for students as a whole. But Lachowska says there was an increase in GPA among African American students.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: WMUK

Taste of Country: Jackson in the corn maze

Taste of Country Thursday, September 27, 2012

The website Taste of Country reports fans who enter the corn maze at Gull Meadow Farms in Richland may not know they’re wandering around inside Alan Jackson‘s famous mustache or -- if they get real lost -- cowboy hat.

Excerpt: Gull Meadows Farms partnered with Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Mich. country radio station WIN 98.5 to put the "Gone Country" singer in the corn. According to their website, the traditional autumn fun begins on Sept. 8. Jackson gave his stamp of approval by showing a picture of the maize maze on his official website.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: Taste of Country

Crain's Detroit: Kalamazoo company gets innovation award

Crain's Detroit Business Thursday, September 27, 2012

Ablative Solutions Inc. of Kalamazoo has been recognized as one of two innovators of the year awarded by Medical Main Street's first medical device conference, called Inno-vention 2012, reports Crain's Detroit Business. Ablative Solutions' CEO is Tim Fischell, M.D., a professor of medicine at Michigan State University and the medical director of the Borgess Heart Institute's department of cardiovascular research in Kalamazoo.

Excerpt: Ablative Solutions uses catheters to damage nerve fibers that pass from the brain to the kidney. The damaged nerves send fewer signals in sick patients, which lowers blood pressure and can treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. A prototype device has proved proof of principle, and human trials are expected to begin in the second quarter next year.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: Crain's Detroit

Kalamazoo Gazette: Dog's tale goes around the world

Kalamazoo Gazette Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stories about Kevin Doorlag's dog Zeus, named the world's tallest dog by Guinness World Records, are being published in newspapers around the world, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette. From the United Kingdom to Pakistan readers can't get enough of Zeus.

For a roundup of reports, please read the rest of the story.

Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

NYT Magazine: A free ride to college

New York Times Thursday, September 20, 2012

Attention for Kalamazoo's unique educational opportunities continues, this time with notice from New York Times Magazine.

They talked to many people across the community including Janice M. Brown, superintendent when The Kalamazoo Promise was announced and now administrator of the program that is called an important social experiment.

Excerpt: From the very beginning, Brown, the only person in town who communicates directly with the Promise donors, has suggested that the program is supposed to do more than just pay college bills. It’s primarily meant to boost Kalamazoo’s economy. The few restrictions -- among them, children must reside in the Kalamazoo public-school district and graduate from one of its high schools -- seem designed to encourage families to stay and work in the region for a long time. The program tests how place-based development might work when education is the first investment.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: New York Times Magazine

Detroit Free Press: Surfing in Lake Michigan

Detroit Free Press Thursday, September 20, 2012

Some people still are surprised to find out there is surfing on Lake Michigan. The Detroit Free Press reports the sport is taking off with improvements to cold-water gear. Lake Michigan is the most popular of the five Great Lakes for surfing.

Excerpt: Lake waves are smaller and weaker than ocean waves. The limited surface area of the lakes means less space -- called fetch -- for the wave to build. Also, freshwater is slightly less buoyant than salt water.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: Detroit Free Press

U.S. News and World Report: WMU ranks in nation

U.S. News and World Report Thursday, September 20, 2012

Western Michigan University is one of just four Michigan public universities included in the U.S. News & World Report's annual list of top-tier national universities. The publication's 2012 ranking of more than 1,500 four-year colleges and universities became available Sept. 18 in a print guidebook on newsstands.

Excerpt: Western Michigan University is a public institution that was founded in 1903. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,054, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,200 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Western Michigan University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 189.

For more, please check out the rest of the description of WMU.

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Shore Magazine: From the runway

Shore Magazine Thursday, September 20, 2012

Shore Magazine says there is so much fashion on the Lake Michigan shoreline it decided to create an event to showcase it. The first Fashion on the Shore was a runway event showcasing the top student designers from the Lake Michigan area. The top talented students from the Midwest's top design schools showcased their works of art in a community already known for its arts and culture. The glamorous event took place at the Heritage Museum in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Excerpt: “With so many outstanding artists looking for new avenues to market their creative and innovative graduate portfolios and thousands of Shore readers who are always looking for the next best, new thing, bringing the two groups together seemed like a natural idea,” agrees Pat Colander, associate publisher and editor of Shore magazine.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: Shore Magazine

MLive: Newborn giraffe now on exhibit

MLive.com Thursday, September 13, 2012

One of of the most fun things to do at Battle Creek's Binder Park Zoo is feed the giraffes. Now there is a new addition to the giraffe family at the zoo. Born on Aug. 8, the zoo's first female baby giraffe is on exhibit in the zoo's Wild Africa display. (The babies can't be fed till they are much older, though.)

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: MLive

Kalamazoo Gazette: Sarkozy Bakery makes plans to reopen

Kalamazoo Gazette Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Columbia Plaza Building downtown is the new home for Sarkozy Bakery, the Kalamazoo Gazette reports. The bakery, gutted by fire Feb. 25 and subsequently embraced by the community which has sponsored fundraisers to bring back its breads, cookies and pastries, expects to reopen in early 2013. The renovation of space and the cost of getting the bakery up and going is expected to be about $600,000, owner Judy Sarkozy said.

For more, please read the rest of the story here.

Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

MLive: Paw Paw's Model Farm celebrates 35 years

MLive.com Thursday, September 13, 2012

Denise Blakely overcame a fear of horses to go on to teach riding lessons. Blakely told MLive she has taught about 800 students over the years, with some now bringing their children to her for riding lessons. On Sept. 15 and 16, Blakely is hosting an open house to mark the 35h anniversary of the farm. All are welcome, she said. Horse professionals, such as dentists and veterinarians, will be there, and the event will include raffle drawings for free riding lessons and Model Farm sweatshirts, a tack sale and refreshments.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: MLive.com

Michigan Radio: Help for young, undocumented immigrants

Michigan Radio Thursday, September 13, 2012

Many immigrants have been calling the Kalamazoo-based Hispanic American Council with questions about a new federal process that could prevent them from getting deported. Many are nervous about exposing their legal status. Executive Director Lori Mercedes says help is now available. The process will allow some people who came to the U.S. before they were 16 to stay in the United States. They must have a clean police record, among other requirements.

For more, please read or listen to the rest of the story.

Source: Michigan Radio

MLive: Pure Michigan video crew comes to town

MLive.com Thursday, August 23, 2012

Rob Bliss and Jeff Barrett, co-founders of Status Creative of Grand Rapids, which won awards for its Grand Rapids Lip Dub that showed the nation that Grand Rapids was far from the dying community as it had been labeled by a national news magazine will be filming in Kalamazoo, Portage and Battle Creek today, Aug. 23, as part of their 50-city tour for Pure Michigan.

The two hope to replicate the viral success of the Grand Rapids video with a new one highlighting Michigan as a great place to live, work and play as part of a Pure Michigan film project.

For more, please read the rest of the story.

Source: MLive

B.C. Enquirer: Balloon championship lands

Battle Creek Enquirer Thursday, August 23, 2012

The 20th World Hot Air Balloon Championship being flown in Battle Creek means a meetup with international visitors for some farmers with space for landing, reports the Battle Creek Enquirer. Hot Air Balloon Pilot Laurent Pacaud of Burgundy, France landed in Don Eishen’s home and within a few minutes his crew was deflating the balloon and beginning to pack the equipment into a cargo van.

Copilot Laure de Coligny said: "It's our first time here and it is really beautiful and the people are so welcoming us. But there are not a lot of fields. There is a lot of forests and crops so it is not easy landing."

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Source: Battle Creek Enquirer