Local News
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The Powell Experience amplifies a family tradition
By Nick J. Buckley / For Black Squirrel News James and Jon Powell’s first recordings required a reel-to-reel machine, long microphone cables and plenty of running up and down the stairs of their parents’ Portage home. The microphones were set…
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For The Fat Animals, the music starts with a good hang
By Nick J. Buckley / For Black Squirrel News Everybody loves a fat animal. Alvin Lautzenheiser’s youngest daughter was about 11 when she said it during a family conversation about possible band names. Lautzenheiser heard it and knew. “Yep,” he…
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Why an internationally known guru is coming to Battle Creek
Gurudev from India speaks at WK Kellogg Auditorium on July 9 By Lucy Hough / For Black Squirrel News BATTLE CREEK — A spiritual leader from India is visiting Battle Creek July 9 for an event focused on handling stress and…
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How Calhoun County is celebrating America’s 250th
By Black Squirrel News Communities across Calhoun County are preparing to mark the United States Semiquincentennial on July 4, 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Here are some upcoming events tied to the celebration:…
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What Calhoun County residents should know about broadband expansion
By Nick J. Buckley / For Black Squirrel News After years of planning, Calhoun County’s broadband expansion effort is entering a new phase in 2026: getting more residents connected. That means residents could see more construction, hear more from internet…
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An Albion College storyteller who seeks to tell an authentic story
Calhoun County Storytellers: Kalli Onai By Lucy Hough / For Black Squirrel News ALBION — Kalli Onai’s experience as a student at Albion College informs the work she does now as the college’s social media and content strategist. As a…
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What to know about the NHBP Annual Pow Wow
Free public gathering June 20-21 at the Pine Creek Indian Reservation celebrates Bodéwadmi culture and honors elders By Nick J. Buckley / For Black Squirrel News FULTON — For two days, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) will welcome…
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A key to staying in child care
First Home, First Teacher launches in Battle Creek, offering rent-free housing for early childhood educators By Nick J. Buckley / For Black Squirrel News BATTLE CREEK — Soon after volunteers put the finishing touches on a duplex on Battle Creek’s…
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More than cereal: Festival blends tradition and discovery in Battle Creek
Annual event fills downtown Battle Creek with music, activities, vendors and visitors from across Michigan By Eston Tolf / For Black Squirrel News BATTLE CREEK — As music echoed throughout downtown Battle Creek and families shuffled between bounce houses, vendors…
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Two Dispatchers Turned a Joke Into a Romance Bookstore
The Midnight Chapter opens in downtown Albion. By Nick J. Buckley for Black Squirrel News ALBION — Rachel Goodhew and Alyssa Stanfield met at dispatch about a year ago. Now they own a bookstore together. “It all was kind of…