Golf Pro Ann Marie Roschek Wonderful Walking Tours Meet Matt Schuster EdisonFestivalJazz Southwest Michigan’s Magazine Rita Raichoudhuri Reflects Covid-19 hasn't stopped momentumKPS' September 2022
Or contact our Donor Relations team at donorrelations@kalfound.org or 269.381.4416. Share love with your community through a gift that grows and strengthens Kalamazoo County. LEARN MORE AT KALFOUND.ORG
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 3
4 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 Publisher encore publications, inc Editor marie lee Designer alexis stubelt Photographer brian k powers Contributing Writers lynn houghton, katie houston, elizabeth kerlikowske, marie lee, heidi mccrary Copy Editor/Poetry Editor margaret deritter Advertising Sales janis clark, janet gover, krieg lee Distribution kelly burcroff Office Coordinator kelly burcroff Proofreader hope smith Golf Pro Ann Marie Roschek Wonderful Walking Tours Meet Matt Schuster EdisonFestivalJazz Southwest Michigan’s Magazine Rita Raichoudhuri Reflects Covid-19 hasn't stopped momentumKPS' September 2022 www.encorekalamazoo.com 117 W. Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Telephone: (269) 383–4433 Fax: (269) 383–9767 Email: Publisher@encorekalamazoo.com The staff at Encore welcomes written comment from readers, and articles and poems for submission with no obligation to print or return them. To learn more about us or to comment, visit encorekalamazoo.com. Encore subscription rates: one year $36, two years $70. Current single issue and newsstand $4, $10 by mail. Back issues $6, $12 by mail. Advertising rates on request. Closing date for space is 28 days prior to publication date. Final date for print–ready copy is 21 days prior to publication date. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and published here do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications. Encore Magazine is published 12 times yearly. Copy right 2022, Encore Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to: Kalamazoo, MI • 269.381.0596 • www.fngfenceandgarden.com Commercial fence services since 1981
From the Editor
Speaking of keeping you informed — if you enjoy and value what you learn from reading Encore each month, please subscribe. For $36 a year, you can have Encore mailed to your home or business each month — no more trying to track down a copy and hoping there's still one left at one of our public pickup sites. More than 96 percent of Encore copies at these sites are picked up each month, so subscribing not only guarantees you'll always get a copy, but will help ensure that Encore can continue as the go-to magazine for the greater Kalamazoo community.
A law firm focusing on estate planning, estate settlement, and the transfer of wealth. 211 East Water Street, Suite 401 Kalamazoo dementandmarquardt.com269.343.2106
Finally, readers will meet Matt Schuster, executive director of the local Public Media Network, which has become an important resource for community information and storytelling. If your only reference to community access media is Garth and Wayne of “Wayne’s World,” you’ll be proud to learn how PMN serves the whole community.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 5
In this issue, we also spotlight a new arts event taking place in the Edison neighborhood: the Edison Jazz Festival. Kalamazoo has quite a jazz community — from musicians to enthusiasts — and this festival aims to spotlight and celebrate that.
Despite the calendar telling us otherwise, the month of September has been ingrained in most of us as the "start of a new year." This concept started when we were students and continued for some of us when we became parents, and now, as some of us become grandparents, we still think of September as a time of new beginnings.
That view of September is especially true for Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri, who is beginning her third school year at the helm of KPS and who is the topic of our cover feature this month. Raichoudhuri came on board right before the Covid-19 pandemic, steered the district through a year of virtual learning and a second year of mask mandates, and is now looking at a new school year in which what's to come is still unknown. There's been no "normal" school year since she arrived in Kalamazoo, but that has not stopped her forward momentum.
ENCORE EDITOR'S NOTE
As the school year starts up, the golf season winds down and we also meet Ann Marie Roschek, a female golf pro and co-manager of Grand Prairie Golf Course. Roschek is a bit of an anomaly in this male-dominated sport, but she's determined to help other women find the joy she did when she first teed up in the 1980s.
Left to right: Michael D. Holmes, William B. Millard, Hannah M. Recknagel, Charles S. Ofstein & Tyler J. Stewart
Marie is the editor of Encore Katie is the parent of two graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools who are also both graduates of Michigan State University, thanks in part to the Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program. Katie is also a former Chicago resident, like KPS Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri, so the two had much to talk about in their interview for this month’s cover story. Katie also wrote about the inaugural Edison Jazz Fest, which is launching this month. In addition to doing freelance writing for Encore, Katie is the marketing manager for the Gilmore International Piano Festival.
"What many just think of as 'that public cable channel' has become a strong advocate of community journalism and storytelling."
Heidi writes about Ann Marie Roschek, a female golf pro and manager of Grand Prairie Golf Course. Heidi says she was intrigued by how Roschek made her way in the male-dominated industry. "Ann Marie became involved in golf when it was still very much a man's sport, but it was her passion," says Heidi.
6 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 Through the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, Marie became more attuned to the work being done by Public Media Network and its executive director, Matt Schuster. "I was impressed by PMN and Matt's commitment to providing a voice for so many aspects of our community through their programming," she says.
CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE
Marie Lee Heidi McCraryKatie Houston
"She has made a career of it at a time when few females would." Heidi is a Kalamazoo writer whose novel, Chasing North Star, is available at Kazoo Books and This is a Bookstore and online. You can follow her at heidimccrary.net and facebook.com/HeidiMcCraryAuthor.
In this issue
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 7 CONTENTSSeptember 2022 DEPARTMENTS 5 From the Editor 6 Contributors 8 First Things A round–up of happenings in SW Michigan 10 Five Faves Explore the area with these wonderful walking tours 12 Enterprise Driven to Golf — Picking up the clubs gave Ann Marie Roschek a career and a spouse 42 Back Story Meet Matt Schuster — He's giving the community a voice through Public Media Network 26 Edison Jazz Festival New event spotlights and celebrates area's jazz community 29 Theater 30 Music 31 Visual Arts 32 Literature 34 Poetry "The Great Inventions" by Elizabeth Kerlikowske 35 Events of Note FEAT URE Reflections of the 'New Superintendent' 18 Covid-19 upended Dr. Rita Raichoudhuri's first years at the helm of Kalamazoo Public Schools, but she sees plenty of silver linings On the Cover: Dr. Rita Raichoudhuri. Photo by Brian K. Powers TheArts
Grammy Award-winning artist Lucinda Williams and her band will take the stage at the State Theatre on Sept. 21. Williams, a singer and songwriter whose music ranges from folk to country to rock, has been performing since the 1970s. She debuted on the charts with her 1979 album Ramblin’ on My Mind and has released 13 more albums. Her 2020 album, Good Souls Better Angels, won the 2021 Grammy for Best Americana Album. She has garnered 17 Grammy nominations over her career, winning the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road and Best Country Song for 1994's "Passionate Kisses," which became a hit for Mary Chapin Carpenter. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39–$59, with student prices available, and can be purchased online at kazoostate.com or at the box office, 404 S. Burdick St., which is open from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Fridays.
FIRST THINGS ENCORE
His Kalamazoo stop, featuring musicians Terence Blanchard, James Genus, Lionel Loueke and Justin Tyson, follows summer performances in Ireland and Sweden. Hancock’s appearance is sponsored by the John Stites Jazz Awards Organization. Tickets are $60–$100 and available online at thegilmore.org and at the event.
Winner of 14 Grammys and an Academy Award (for Best Original Score for “Round Midnight”), Hancock was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960s and has explored nearly every popular music movement since then — funk, rock, jazz fusion, electronic dance, and beyond.
Please note: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, some of these events may be cancelled or changed after press time. Please check with venues and organizations for up-to-date information.
The legendary pianist, composer, and bandleader Herbie Hancock will perform his rescheduled 2022 Gilmore Festival appearance at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 in a performance at Chenery Auditorium.
First Things
8 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
Something Musical Lucinda Williams coming to State Theatre
Something Natural Ornithologist, author to speak Something Jazzy Herbie Hancock returns to Kalamazoo In his 2016 autobiography, The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, ornithologist, author and poet J. Drew Lanham explored the contradictions of Black identity in the rural South, asking what it means to be “the rare bird, the oddity.” Lanham will be on hand 6–8 p.m. Sept. 12 at Chenery Auditorium to talk about his African-American heritage, deep kinship to nature and adoration of Abirds.native of South Carolina, Lanham holds an endowed chair as an Alumni Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Clemson University. He is widely published and has written about his experiences as a birder, a hunter and a wild, wandering soul. The Home Place was awarded a Southern Book Prize in 2017. Cellist and vocalist Jordan Hamilton will provide opening music, beginning at 5:35 p.m., and the talk will be followed by a book signing.
Lanham’s talk, presented as part of the Kalamazoo Nature Center's Terry Todd International Speaker Series, is free, but registration is required. To register, visit naturecenter.org/programs/ttiss.
Talk to a professional. InvestmentCash-flowFinancialManagementPlanningAnalysisFeeOnly
Among the musical performers scheduled are Memphis Underground, Hairmania, Bronk Brothers, Neil Jansen, Cathedral Ceilings, Fool House and Poisn'd Crue.
Listen to Our “Five-Minute Finance” Podcast 7840 Moorsbridge Road Portage, Michigan 49024 269.321.8120 | 800.488.2036 lvmcapital.com
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 9
Paw Wine and Harvest Festival will include a parade, live music, four entertainment stages, carnival rides, a 5K run and fireworks. There will also be wine tastings, of course, and grape stomping as well as pickleball tournaments, bike tours and kayak races.
Something Festive Paw Paw to celebrate wine and harvest
Families will enjoy the carnival midway, a rubber duck race and a turtle derby, while classic car and arts and crafts enthusiasts will find something to interest them as well.
Everyone is failte (welcome) to learn about and celebrate Scottish history and culture — no kilt required — at the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival and Highland Games, set for Sept. 10 at Kindleberger Park, in Parchment. This free festival will include traditional athletic contests, a parade of clans in Scottish tartans, food exhibits, vendors and live entertainment, including dancing and music. The festivities begin with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. For more information, including a schedule of events, visit kalamazooscottishfest.org.
Paw Paw is throwing quite a party Sept 9–11 to celebrate its wine industry and the fall harvest.ThePaw
Something Scottish Fest offers Highland games, parade of clans
For a complete schedule of events, visit wineandharvestfestival.com.
What myafterhappensIsellbusiness?
BY LYNN HOUGHTON
Five Faves Explore the area with these wonderful walking tours
Parkwyn Village Seventy-five years ago, in 1947, this unique neighborhood was established when a group of individuals banded together to create a cooperative residential community. These individuals purchased 47 acres near Little Asylum Lake. They approached the preeminent American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who agreed to plan the development. Every time a tour is held in this neighborhood, we are very lucky not only to view and learn about the four houses designed by Wright and those designed by local architects Norman F. Carver Jr. and George Sprau Jr., but also to meet the residents who live here and experts who join us, like Tim Hills, author of the book Norman F. Carver, Jr.: Architect of Form and Space.
One of the best ways to get to know a community is to walk around it. I have been doing just that for many years, leading free historic walking tours through a number of historic districts, neighborhoods and cemeteries in Kalamazoo. In addition, these tours have explored nearby cities and villages like Richland, Vicksburg and Parchment. The tours are a great opportunity for people to learn the history of a community as well as what is going on in these areas today. Walks occur in the mornings and evenings from June through August and mornings during September and October. These are my top five walks:
10 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 FIVE FAVES ENCORE
Village of Schoolcraft Kalamazoo is not the only community in the county with interesting history and architecture, so I take the walking tours to visit other cities and villages, including Schoolcraft. At the edge of Prairie Ronde, Schoolcraft became a popular destination after 1830, when Thaddeus Smith and his family arrived. The village still contains wonderful Greek Revival homes that date from those early years, in addition to other styles, including Italianates like the second Nathan and Pamela Thomas home on Cass Street, pictured at right. Their earlier house, a station on the Underground Railroad, was moved farther down Cass Street and is now owned by the Schoolcraft Historical Society. One learns a lot by touring Schoolcraft, including the location of the area known as the “Big Island,” which was once the largest body of trees on Prairie Ronde, the largest prairie in Kalamazoo County.
Vine Historic District
Riverside Cemetery
The Vine Historic District is rife with material for not just one, but many walking tours. It is home to Kalamazoo’s first cemetery, two octagon houses and the city’s oldest house. One interesting tour focuses on churches in the neighborhood, both past and present, representing a variety of congregations, including several Christian Reformed and Reformed, due to the number of Dutch immigrants who settled in the area. One church, built in 1926, was once a Christian Reformed congregation on South Park Street and is now home to the firm Diekema Hamann Architecture and Engineering, pictured at left. Some of these church buildings are gone, some continue to serve their members; and some, like this one, are being used for other purposes.
About the Author: Lynn Houghton is the regional history curator of the Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collection. She leads the Gazelle Sports Historic Walks, a series of free architectural and historic walks at various locations in Kalamazoo County that happen during summer and fall, and she is the co-author of Kalamazoo Lost and Found, a book on Kalamazoo history and architecture. She also participated in the PBS documentary series 10 That Changed America, about the history of architecture and urban planning. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from WMU and a master’s in library and information science from Wayne State University.
ENCORE FIVE FAVES
o add to the variety of tours given, I’ve developed several tours with a central theme, including one on women. Many sites in downtown Kalamazoo illustrate the contributions women have made to this community, including both Bronson and Borgess hospitals; the People’s Church, which was headed by the Rev. Caroline Bartlett Crane; and the Ladies Library Association, pictured above, organized in 1852. Also covered are historic businesses such as the Upjohn Co. and the Kalamazoo Corset Co., both of which had a large number of female employees.
I have often shared my love of cemeteries with Encore readers and have visited these final resting places with my brother to decorate family graves and find genealogical information. I chose to take a leap during the fourth year of the historic walking tours and add a cemetery to the schedule. The tours at these locations look at many elements, including the cemetery’s history, design, architecture and symbolism. For years, the tours alternated between Mountain Home Cemetery, along West Main Street, and Riverside Cemetery, at the intersection of Gull Road and Riverview Drive. I admire both of them, but Riverside offers both Jewish and Catholic sections (in addition to the main section), multiple military gravestones, symbolism galore, and enough tree-stump tombstones to keep me satisfied.
WomeninKalamazooT
A favorite site on the tour is what was once the location of Madame JannaschShortt’s Musical Conservatory, on East Michigan Street, where she taught a wide variety of instruments and directed a number of orchestras and a fife and drum corps.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 11
She learned later that the staff had called the golf pro, Jim Roschek, with the instructions “You need to return ASAP. You really don’t want to miss this lesson. Trust us.” Turns out they were onto something. That was in the 1980s, and Armaly was busy raising two children while also working as a successful independent insurance agent. She didn’t have time to dedicate additional energy to golf beyond learning the difference between a hook and a slice and not wanting to embarrass herself on the course while conducting business. But that persistent golf instructor, Jim Roschek, had other plans, convincing Armaly to continue her lessons, and the two connected, on and off the course. As their relationship grew — they married in 1989 and she became Ann Marie Roschek — so did her interest in golf. Not only did she grow into a golf enthusiast, but she also became a certified golf instructor and began assisting her husband, a PGA professional, in running both the Milham Park and Grand Prairie golf courses.
Driven to Golf
Ann Marie Armaly was 30-something when she decided to take up golf. But she didn’t think much about it after the golf pro at a local course missed their scheduled lesson, so she was surprised when a staff member at the club asked her to wait because the golf pro was rushing back to make their appointment.
Picking up the clubs gave this woman a career and a spouse
12 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 BY HEIDI MCCRARY
Jim, after 28 years as director of golf with the Kalamazoo Municipal Golf Association, left that position in 2007 to serve as president and CEO of the Municipal Golf Association
ENTERPRISE ENCORE
juniors and a large selection of golf apparel for women — a deliberate move by Ann Marie, who believes that female golfers have had little choice when it comes to golf attire and“Weequipment.havewomen who belong to area country clubs who come here to shop because they know that they can find quality, fashionable attire that they won’t find anywhere else. It’s important to us to support female golfers who might feel unrepresented elsewhere,” she says.
Running the golf course is a full-timeplus affair for the Roscheks. While the course is generally closed from November
Being a female business owner in an industry long dominated by men comes with challenges, but Roschek says she has had surprisingly few. She recalls one instance when a male employee was unwilling to accept taking direction from her. “It got to a point where I straight up asked him if he had trouble taking orders from a woman, and he replied honestly that he did,” she says. “But this was rare occurrence. The truth is that I’ve had little pushback as a woman in the golf industry, and that’s a great thing.”
PowersBrian
“We cater to a wide range of golf enthusiasts, from those who are new to the sport to the more experienced golfer who wants to get in a quick nine," Ann Marie explains. "It’s a family-friendly course that also caters to those wanting to improve their short game on a beautiful course.”
Supporting female golfers According to a staff member, those who golf regularly at Grand Prairie remark that the Roscheks’ work has resulted in fairways and greens that are on par with any of the top-rated courses in the area. The course's pro shop carries golf clubs for adults and
Left: Ann Marie Roschek became a golf pro at a time when few females did. Top and above: Roschek works with Shannon Burlison on her swing at Grand Prairie Golf Course. in San Antonio, Texas. During his tenure in Texas, Ann Marie continued running Grand Prairie Golf Course, with Jim returning in 2019.Today, in a cooperative partnership with Kalamazoo Township, the Roscheks operate the facilities at Grand Prairie Golf Course, located on Grand Prairie Road in Kalamazoo.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 13 ENCORE ENTERPRISE
"We’re always ready for those exceptional few days in the early months when the snow vanishes for a moment and people are scrambling to find their golf clubs," says Ann Marie.
Michiganders are familiar with those precious days in late winter when the sun suddenly appears and the temperature jumps to a balmy 60 degrees.
ENTERPRISE ENCORE
pinerest.org/urgent • 616.455.9200
It’s safe to say that for the Roscheks running a golf course has become a family affair. “I grew up on the east side of the state and didn’t move to West Michigan until I was 27,” says Ann Marie. “I love Kalamazoo and the people here. It’s so nice
Center: Ann Marie and Jim Roschek co-manage Grand Prairie Golf Course. Left: The Roscheks shortly after they married in 1989. Right: In addition to managing golf courses, Jim and Ann Marie managed a blended family of five children. When life is overwhelming, same-day assessments are available at our Psychiatric Urgent Care Center. Call 616.455.9200 for more info and virtual appointments.
PowersBrian For This MomentExact Enhanced Psychiatric Urgent Care for Adults.
14 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 through March, the task of running the business is a yearround job involving ordering products, assessing inventory and maintaining equipment so that the course is ready for spring. The Roscheks enjoy time in Florida during the winter months, but work doesn’t stop just because there’s snow blanketing the course in Michigan.Speaking of snow, operating a golf course in Michigan has its own quirks and challenges.
"We have a great staff here and we’re able to open up the course on those rare days, allowing people the treat of golfing in the winter.”
A family business
hallsclosets.comtime!269.382.5182hallsclosets@gmail.com FREE ConsultationsDesign Organized closets in their kids' rooms!
While the golf industry had been on the decline for years, the Covid-19 pandemic had a hand in its recent resurgence. In 2020, the National Golf Federation reported that the number of golfers in the U.S. increased 20 percent over 2019, its largest net increase in 17 years. “Three years ago I would have said that golf has been on the decline,” Roschek says, “but the pandemic led people back outdoors in search of something to do with their families, and suddenly people were rediscovering the magic of following that little white ball.”
Let us help you make sure your kid's closet stays organized by creating a system that they can help maintain.
them and you!
As a result, more young people are taking up the sport than ever before — 2020 saw the largest gain in youth golfers since 1997,
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 15 HallsClosets& More organized storage solutions l ocally owned, family operated EveryWhatParentWants...
here that my parents decided to follow me.” Her parents, Jim and Tina Armaly, started helping at the courses, enjoying their new jobs in their retirement years. While her father has died, her mother, now 90, retired at age When87.Ann Marie isn’t busy behind the counter or in the office at Grand Prairie, she's likely on the range helping golfers improve their games. A certified golf instructor, she focuses on helping those who are new to the sport or wanting to improve some aspect of their game. Being an effective golf instructor involves experience, intuition and a deep understanding of the sport, she says, as well as the ability to make people feel comfortable during the learning process. “Golf isn’t something mastered in a day or even a season,” she explains, “but rather it’s an ongoing process. And there is always something that we can be doing better to lower our score. We’re always saying, 'If I had just made that putt … '”
clutter
Your children's toys and clothes can fill their closets with and make things harder to find –for
And now that they are back in school...it's the perfect
As a family tees off on the first hole, Roschek is nearby on the range helping a young woman with her swing. It’s all in a day’s work for her, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Roschek, right, helps Shannon Burlison adjust her swing to be more aggressive when hitting the ball.
“Children as young as 5 take part in our summer programs, and it’s thrilling to see them light up as they sink a putt or drive the ball down the fairway,” Roschek says. “They are the future of golf. Unlike many other sports, golf is something we can continue to enjoy long into our lives. We have many older golfers on our course, and we love seeing them out here. There’s nothing better than seeing a grandparent on the course introducing golf to their grandchildren.”
16 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 Personal Coverage • Homeowners • Automobile • Umbrella Liability • Life Insurance • Annuities Business Coverage • Commercial Property • General Liability • Business Automobile • Commercial Umbrella 452 N. SchoolcraftGrand (269) 679-4918 trustshieldinsurance.com 301 N. Richardson St. Vicksburg (269) 649-1914 A world of cheese, curated wines, Theaccompaniments.andCheeseLadyKalamazoo, 7035 West Q Avenue Follow(269)353-3050usonFacebookandInstagram. 2022 OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISING EVENT Thursday, September 22, 2022 | 5:30 P.M. Food Innovation Center at Kalamazoo Valley Community College 224 E. Crosstown Parkway, Kalamazoo, MI 49001 Help fund student scholarships by attending the Opportunities for Education event! Guests will enjoy a walk-around tasting under a big tent where they can sample signature dishes from area chefs, students and chefs from the college’s culinary arts program. Tickets are $100 each or $35 for students. For more details, go to www.kvcc.edu/foundation 269.488.4821 | kvcc.edu/foundation
according to the NGF — and Grand Prairie has a strong junior program.
It's said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Roschek couldn’t agree more. “I’m so lucky to be involved in all of this,” she says. “And because of Jim’s affiliation with the PGA, we have been able to see the best talent in the sports world. I have had the honor and pleasure to see Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, and so many more greats at premier venues like the U.S. Open Championship, The Ryder Cup and The Masters. I’m blessed.”
PowersBrian
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 17 emporium Explore. Shop. Enjoy. emporium Genesis Fitness and Wellness Let our certified in-home personal trainers help you reshape your approach to achieving fitness and function. There has never been a better time to exercise in the privacy and safety of your own 205.433.9377home. • genesisfitwell.com Elina Organics National award-winning, handmade organic, clinical skin care products and services, made in Kalamazoo. Voted best facial of Chicago by Chicago Magazine and Best Facial for Glowing Skin by CS Magazine 4205 S. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo 269.384.2170 • elinaorganics.com •Shop Local • Advancing Lives, LLC I look older than my age and I'm okay with that... ...said no one ever over the age of 25. You can look and feel younger, naturally! Let's talk Redox. Jacque@AdvancingLives.bizAdvancingLives.myasealive.com269.779.2900 Brian K. PhotographyPowers Whether they are just starting out or ready for an updated image, a studio headshot session is the perfect gift for the young or seasoned professional in your life. For $175, give someone the gift that shows your love, support andadmiration.Studio301, Park Trades Building 269.720.7649 • briankpowers.com
Rita RaichoudhuriReflects Reflects
PowersBrian
18 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
She's still seen as 'the new superintendent,' but in the past two school years, KPS' school chief has weathered a pandemic, instituted virtual learning and begun taking Kalamazoo Public Schools in new directions
As educators know, the idea that they have summers off is a bit of a myth.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 19
BY KATIE HOUSTON
“People think that summers slow down for us, but we are very busy with hiring, training, planning and reflecting on what went well last year and where we can improve,” says Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri. She does acknowledge, however, that the stress level does go down a bit when the school year ends.
“I will admit that when all the kids were home at the end of the day on June 10, I felt my shoulders relax.”
The first educator in her family, Raichoudhuri, 42, grew up in San Francisco and started her teaching career in the same district where she had been a student.
“I appreciated Dr. Raichoudhuri’s ability to not waiver on what we should do during this unprecedented time. We had many misinformed people trying to change how we conduct our school business, and she continued to maintain the course she laid out since this all began.”
On a positive note, in June the district released data showing a jump in student academic growth during the 2021-22 academic year.
Crooked path to the classroom
Good news on learning
“I come from a traditional Indian/East Asian family, as stereotypical as they come, with PowersBrian
“In every single federal subgroup in every single grade our students have grown academically at a level unheard of even in a normal year. It’s beautiful because it counters the narrative about learning loss, especially in urban districts,” Raichoudhuri says, explaining that the data came from standardized assessments for grades 3-8.
20 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
“Sometimes it feels like I’ve been here for a long time, just because of the sheer volume of things we’ve been able to do, but two years is not a long time, and people still refer to me as the new superintendent,” she says. Raichoudhuri arrived to face the challenge of organizing the 2020-21 school year for KPS students and their families against an ever-changing Covid-19 landscape. It was a daunting task for even the most seasoned administrator, never mind one new to the job and the community.
“I thought it was smart to go virtual for a year to help stop the spread of Covid among our student population,” says Fraley-Burgett.
She has been on the job for a little over two years as the head of Kalamazoo County's largest school district, which has more than 12,000 students. She took the helm on June 1, 2020, the result of a year-long search after Michael Rice stepped down to became state superintendent of schools.
But Kalamazoo Central High School social studies teacher Clifton Fraley-Burgett, who will mark 22 years with KPS in October, says Raichoudhuri's steady hand helped the district during a challenging, confusing time.
Now, in the third year of the pandemic, hopes run high that the worst of it is over, but Raichoudhuri knows the next crisis is never far away. “We are perhaps out of the pandemic crisis mode, but the urgent issues of public education have meant we are always in crisis,” she says. “Michigan has one of the lowest levels of education funding in the country, and I don’t believe we have experienced all the pandemic fallout in terms of labor shortages, inflation and supplychain issues — all of which have affected our planned construction projects. It’s like playing Whack-a-Mole sometimes.”
“It’s a real morale boost. We were pleasantly surprised, and I am so proud of the work we’ve accomplished. Our teachers worked incredibly hard this year, and I was mindful that I was asking a lot of them. Our district is not an easy place to teach, and I’m grateful that our staff has persisted through this challenge. They have been doing an amazing job that has been borne out in the data.”
Raichoudhuri credits her own experience switching career paths in her 20s with why she is “so hot on career pathways” as KPSsuperintendent.“WhatIsawthat day was a huge learning experience. My first introduction to the school system was an emergency staff meeting. Everyone was calm — that’s what educators do, remain calm when everyone’s freaking out. The principal was coordinating our response even as there was a rumor there was a third plane heading to the Golden Gate Bridge. At the time, there was nothing in the manual about terrorist attacks, and they were creating emergency contingencies on the fly.
“I was there for six weeks and loved it.”
Left: Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri cheers on students at Washington Writers' Academy's Field Day. Above: Raichoudhuri, center, during a meeting of the KPS leadership team including, from right, Sheila Dorsey-Smith, assistant superintendent of human resources; Susan Coney, executive director of com munications and marketing; and Geoff Howe, director of Title I, school improvements and assessments. Right: Raichoudhuri cheers on a young girl during field day activities.
After graduation, she decided not to attend law school, left her parents a letter, and “took off for three months” to figure out her next steps. When she returned, she admits, she spent months in her pajamas trying to discern a path forward. “I had no clue, since I’d had a one-track mind for so long,” she says. Her brother, Avik, reminded her about the classroom internship she had enjoyed and suggested she check out the kindergarten class his girlfriend taught. “She (the girlfriend) was happy all the time, gushing about her kids, and she loved her job,” says Raichoudhuri. “It was the first day in a long time I had put on professional clothes," she says of that day in September 2001 when she visited her brother’s girlfriend’s classroom for the first time. "I heard my parents watching the news. I came out to see what was going on, only to see the second plane hit the second World Trade Tower.
In 2010, Raichoudhuri moved to Chicago, working in a variety of capacities for Chicago Public Schools, including as principal of Wells Community Academy High School, director of the Office of Professional Learning, and senior manager of the Office of Performance. Before being tapped to head
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 21 the hope I would be a doctor or a lawyer,” she says. She was planning to become an environmental lawyer before realizing it wasn’t the career for her. A view of life in the classroom changed her career path.
“I was working with elementary school kids around being an environmental citizen, and I was struck by the academic curiosity of fifth graders and the agency they have to feel they can change the world. I was 19 or 20 at the time and was so surprised. I didn’t think little kids cared about the world.”
KPS, Raichouduri was serving as executive director of CPS’ Early College and Career Education, where she established secondaryschool-to-employment pipeline programs that helped students gain college credit and professional credentials. It's a mission she has also brought to Kalamazoo. Boosting career pathways
To that end, the district’s new Career Launch Kalamazoo program, created in 2021, provides KPS students with apprenticeships in information technology, health care, and manufacturing. Its creation was funded by a grant from the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship. KPS partnered with Kalamazoo Valley Community College, the city of Kalamazoo, The Kalamazoo Promise, Bronson Healthcare Group, Flowserve and Mann+Hummel to develop the program. Raichoudhuri describes the program as “a quadruple dip for students.”
Today. Can 269-321-9442Help
We
“I was very privileged, with parents to support me while I figured things out, but I don’t want our students to find themselves in that position, so far down a path that switching seems impossible.”
“Juniors and seniors will simultaneously earn high school credit, college credit and industry-valued certifications — all while earning $15 per hour for workplace learning,” she says.
Career Launch Kalamazoo's soft launch this summer saw 14 students signed up with employer partners, including Flowserve, Bronson Healthcare and Mann+Hummel, and enrollment is open for students to participate this year. The school district has also created a new career pathway for school staff seeking to become teachers. The Urban Teacher Residency Program, also launched in 2021, aims to help support staff already working in the district’s schools to gain elementary PowersBrian
22 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 Support Local Journalism by subscribing to Encore By becoming a subscriber, you can help secure the future of Encore’s local reporting. Greater Kalamazoo’s community magazine since 1972 One year $36for Do you like what we do? Online at encorekalamazoo.com/subscribe! Thank you for your support! May2020 west Michigan’s Magazine PortraitsPorch Capturing family life COVID-19during Navigating Art Hop with New App Meet Ben Lando Youth at Heart of KYD Network Authenticity Project Creates Cross-Genre Concerts Just $3 a month! Protect Your Business From Cyber Attacks Today! www.cornerstoneisit.com Angry Customers? Just Wait Till You Lose Their Credit Card Information To Hackers... Small and topbusinessesmediumAREtheTARGETforcyber attacksCallUs
“The program was very intense,” she says, adding that every spare minute — “nights, weekends, early mornings” — was given over to her training. The new teacher is nervous because she wants to do well, but she’s also excited.
Raichoudhuri participates in a tug-of-war contest with students at Washington Writers' Academy during the school's Math Fun and Field Day.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 23 Kalamazoo, MI • 269-381-5412 • www.arboristserviceskzoo.com
Evaluationor special-education teacher certification. It is a collaboration with Western Michigan University and is funded by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program's first cohort of 10 candidates just completed a year of accelerated training, undertaken while they were also working full time and taking college coursework.
Each candidate is supported by a $20,000 stipend.“These are staff who have already worked with students in our district, participants from diverse backgrounds that mirror student population, and this fall they will be in classrooms,” says Raichoudhuri.
& Care of Trees and Shrubs
Jennifer Wright, 46, is one of those people. This fall Wright has begun teaching fourth grade at Arcadia Elementary, where she served as a Title I tutor for the past eight years, after previously working in human resources. Through the Urban Teacher Residency Program, she took online WMU classes for four semesters, earning 28 credits, while spending the 2021-22 school year shadowing kindergarten teacher Alfredo Aleman.
The school year wrapped up amid a national wave of mourning and renewed arguments about gun control after the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting on May 24 that killed 19 fourth-grade students and two educators. At the June 9 school board meeting, Raichoudhuri and KPS Board of Education President Patti Scholler-Barber went on record calling for Congress to enact gun-control legislation.
KPS has enrolled students from 10 countries, and 61 languages are spoken by KPS families. To help these students succeed, KPS created Newcomer Centers last year at three schools — Lincoln International Studies School, Milwood Magnet School and Phoenix High School — to provide students who had no English-language skills or previous experience in the U.S. education system with dedicated support.
The district's fully virtual curriculum is created and taught by KPS teachers, and the program allows students to participate in extracurriculars and athletics. About 800 students participated during the 2021-22 school year.
“A new school year means new opportunities. This is a wonderful school district to be in, and I wouldn’t have moved from Chicago if I didn’t see the potential and a very supportive community. People stop me all the time to tell me what an amazing experience their kids are having or had in KPS. It’s a wonderful place to teach and learn and be a part of.”
Lessons from virtual learning While the pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for Raichoudhuri and for KPS teachers, staff and students, the new student learning data gleaned from that time has led to the district's creation of a permanent virtual school.
School safety & security
“We found that there was a group of kids who did better during virtual learning,” Raichoudhuri says. “Those who might not have been doing well academically in a traditional setting because of social anxiety or due to sensory needs did better at virtual school. Going back to our motto — Every Child, Every Opportunity, Every Time — we identified an opportunity that works for some of our students, and we decided to keep it.”
In addition to making career pathways a priority, the district, under Raichoudhuri’s direction, has also developed programs to better serve international students, many of whom arrived as refugees fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries.
“When a refugee parent comes in, usually with their resettlement agent, we have a specialized intake process, sheltered classrooms for the student, and family supports to help them build job and language skills,” Raichoudhuri explains.
– Rita Raichoudhuri, KPS Superintendent
“After what happened in Uvalde, we are happy for another year without serious incident (at KPS),” Raichoudhuri says. The Kalamazoo community voted in May to approve the largest bond issue in KPS history — $197.1 million to fund capital improvements, upgrade safety and “I’m excited about having a brand-new career and showing the students that you can tackle something new at any age, and how I’m still learning at nearly 50."
Upgrades to school security have been made throughout the district, including fortified entrances at all 25 schools and upgraded communications platforms that give teachers better access from classrooms to call for assistance, and principals the ability to take emergency action like a building-wide lockdown from their phones wherever they happen to be.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 25
These changes, as well as the easing of pandemic restrictions, have brought about another benefit that Raichoudhuri is looking forward to: the return of volunteers and community partners to schools. They couldn’t visit last year because of safety protocols, and all learning was virtual the year before and for part of the previous semester.
News Information, analysis, and conversations from around the globe and right here in West atCheckonMichigan102.1FM.outthedetailswmuk.org/schedule security, and provide building and classroom mechanical upgrades and technology.
New opportunities
“The millage was passed with one of the highest margins, in spite of inflation and gas prices, while neighboring districts were unsuccessful or barely passed," Raichoudhuri says. "I have immense gratitude to the community for seeing the promise in our district and what we do for our children.”
“All the systems in all our buildings are now connected so everyone can know what’s happening in real time,” says Raichoudhuri.
Have you heard soundstheofWMUK?
“Fun things, like overnight camps, visiting artists, room moms and dads, will all be back,” Raichoudhuri says. “A new school year means new opportunities. This is a wonderful school district to be in, and I wouldn’t have moved from Chicago if I didn’t see the potential and a very supportive community. People stop me all the time to tell me what an amazing experience their kids are having or had in KPS. It’s a wonderful place to teach and learn and be a part of.”
Classical M u sic Kalamazoo’s classicaldedicatedonlymusicstation.TuneinonlineatWMUK.orgoronthedialat89.9FMinKalamazoo.
Spotlighting greater Kalamazoo's arts community
Peter Formanek, executive director of the Edison Jazz Fest, with the festival's banner.
The first-ever Edison Jazz Fest, set for Sept. 12–18, will bring free concerts, lectures and workshops to Kalamazoo’s most populous and diverse neighborhood.
Community collaboration creates inaugural Edison Jazz Fest
TheArts
The community-wide collaboration is being led by festival Executive Director Peter Formanek and Associate Director Lily Alter, working with a team of volunteers and partners.
26 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 BY KATIE HOUSTON A Jazzy Celebration
PowersBrian
“The original idea came out of a brainstorm with my friend Josh Harlow, a Chicago pianist who’s played in Kalamazoo many times,” says Formanek, a Kalamazoo saxophone player, recording artist and music teacher. “It’s consuming my life right now.”
Last Stop on Market, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Musical Storybooks Concert, time and venue TBD
Saturday, Sept. 17 Fay Victor Workshop with youth ensemble Orchestra Jammbo'laya on two Nichols compositions, noon, Jerico Orchestra Jammbo'laya, with special guests Tom Rainey and Ratzo Harris from Fay Victor's Herbie Nichols SUNG, 6 p.m., Dormouse Theatre Fay Victor and Herbie Nichols SUNG, 7 p.m., Dormouse Theatre
One goal of the festival is to spotlight littleknown artists such as Black American jazz pianist and composer Herbie Nichols (1919–1963), who co-wrote the jazz standard "Lady Sings the Blues" with Billie Holiday. Invited musicians will perform Nichols' compositions and their own Nichols-inspired works during the“Nicholsweek. is an unrecognized genius who was a contemporary of the great Thelonius Monk. He was equally talented, but he’s still relatively obscure,” says Formanek. “His music is really clever and creative and surprisingly accessible, with a lot of potential to engage not just music nerds but the public. He was an artist whose legacy may have been lost if not for Billie Holiday, who recorded and performed his composition, and efforts of musicians inspired by his music.”
Local artists and rising stars, 5 p.m., The Creamery’s rooftop*, 1101 Portage St.
Monday, Sept. 12 Acoustic small group session, 7:30 p.m., The Clover Room* (inside Jerico), 1501 Fulford St.
Thursday, Sept. 15
Sunday, Sept 18 Parade and Block Party, 2–4 p.m., Egleston Avenue between Fulford and Cameron streets
Saturday, Sept. 10
Pre-Festival Kickoff: SHARE Taste of Jazz, 6–10 p.m., Bank St. Market, 1204 Bank St., tickets are $50. Event schedule will be: Sir Max Barnes, 6 p.m. Denise Willhite, 7:30 p.m. Announcements & 50/50 raffle, 8 p.m. Bill Cessna Trio, 9 p.m.
Fay Victor Rufus Ferguson * Events at The Clover Room, La Luna and The Creamery will have limited capacity; it is recommended patrons arrive early to secure a spot.
Formanek is particularly excited to welcome New York-based vocalist, composer, educator and activist Fay Victor — a favorite of the This schedule was current as of Aug. 15. For a full schedule, visit edisonjazzfest.org.
Roger L. Jones II, solo pianist, 7 p.m., Dormouse Theatre Edison Jazz Fest Schedule
Friday, Sept. 16 Fay Victor Workshop, afternoon time TBD, Western Michigan University Dalton Center Deanna Witkowski Trio, 7 p.m., Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage Street #3008; pre-concert talk, 6 p.m. Rufus Ferguson Trio, 8:30 p.m., Dormouse Theatre
Wednesday, Sept. 14 Peter Formanek Trio, 7 p.m., La Luna Recording & Sound*
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 27
Tuesday, Sept. 13 WMU Student Jazz Ensembles, 7 p.m., Jerico, 1501 Fulford St. Open Jazz Jam Session, 8 p.m., Jerico, 1501 Fulford St., people are invited to bring an instrument and participate
In Nichols’ only surviving recorded interview, he speaks about the obstacles he faced as a young aspiring musician: “My big ambition was to be a concert artist. When I found I couldn’t afford conservatory training, I decided I could (try and) become an Ellington. Since I couldn’t do it in classics, I figured I could do it in jazz.”
The lead funder for the project is the John Stites Jazz Awards Organization, a Kalamazoo-based nonprofit established in memory of Kalamazoo recording engineer John“WeStites.are incredibly grateful to the Stites Organization for its generous support for this vibrant, inclusive and accessible event,” says Formanek. “With these funds, we have been able to book world-renowned artists, schedule fantastic workshops and promote this festival within our community and far beyond, since anybody with an internet connection can attend these performances live from anywhere in the world.”
Other festival partners include Black Arts & Cultural Center, Dormouse Theatre, Farmers Alley Theatre, Gilmore Piano Festival, Helen L. Fox Gospel Music Center, Hollander Development Corp., Jazz and Creative Institute, Jerico, La Luna Recording and Sound, Sounds of the Zoo, Western Michigan University Jazz Studies Department and ZooTunes.Additional volunteer members of the festival team include Rufus Ferguson, a pianist, arranger, composer and visiting assistant professor of jazz and popular music at Albion College; Jarad Selner, musician, bandleader and sound engineer; Kenji Lee, a Michigan multi-instrumentalist and arts administrator; and Josh Harlow, a Chicago pianist, educator and composer. Others interested in volunteering can reach out via edisonjazzfest.org or social media.
TheArts
“We focus on lifting up voices of marginalized artists,” says Dupuie of Dormouse Theatre. “There’s a lot of work we want to ensure has a platform.”
28 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 New York Times and DownBeat magazine — and her band, Herbie Nichols SUNG. They will perform Sept. 16.
Dupuie is particularly excited about “literally organizing in the streets” for the Sept. 18 block party, and while he admits he’s not a jazz aficionado, he was happy to offer his Dormouse Theatre as a key festival venue at a steep discount.
The ambitious project is coming together in large part due to the many collaborating organizations, including the Edison Neighborhood Association.
“Originally it wasn’t going to be in this neighborhood,” says ENA Executive Director Stephen Dupuie. “But in order for it to make sense for the organization, I suggested it be centered in Edison. I think it’s a huge win for expanding access to arts and culture here.”
“As musicians, we are acutely aware of the plight of the underpaid and underappreciated artist,” says Formanek. “Through this festival, we will create opportunities for local musicians to perform that pay them fairly, along with opportunities for them to interface with the great artists we bring in from all over the world.”
All Edison Jazz Fest events will be free, although audiences are encouraged to arrive early, since venue capacity may be limited.
“She is one of the first musicians I heard play Herbie Nichols music in New York,” Formanek says. “I really got into it and went down a rabbit hole studying him and learning more. She was the first artist I thought of, and I just reached out cold and told her what we wanted to do.”
One of the festival partners, the Society for History and Racial Equity (SHARE), will help kick off the week on Sept. 10 with its annual Taste of Jazz fundraiser from 6–10 p.m. at the Bank Street Market, 1204 Bank St. While this event precedes the festival and is not free, it will include live performances. It will also feature refreshments and a 50/50 raffle.
The events will also be livestreamed on Blue Lake Public Radio (WBLU 88.9 or online at blulake.org).
Other performance venues for the festival include La Luna Recording Studio and Jerico, both at 1501 Fulford St., and The Creamery, 1101 Portage St.
Spotlighting greater Kalamazoo's arts community
There will be magic and mayhem in the air when Western Michigan University's theater students stage William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The show focuses on the forces that bring the crew of a shipwrecked boat to a magical island where they are tormented by a man, his slaves and the island's spirits. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and 6–8 and 2 p.m. Oct. 2 and 9 in the Williams Theatre, on WMU’s campus. Tickets are $6–$21. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 387–6222 or visit wmich.edu/theatre.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23, 24, 29 and 30 and Oct. 1, 7 and 8 and 2 p.m. Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 in the York Arena Theatre on the WMU campus. Tickets are $6–$21. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 387–6222 or visit wmich.edu/theatre.
EscanabainDaMoonlight
Disney's Newsies
Fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson book series will find a new take on their favorite half-blood son of a Greek god in this rock ‘n’ roll musical presented by Western Michigan University Theatre. The story follows Jackson's attempts to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods after Zeus’ master lightning bolt is stolen.
THEATER
TheLightningThief: ThePercyJacksonMusical Sept 23.–Oct. 8 WMU Theatre
Other Theater Performances Through Sept. 24 New Vic Theatre Through Sept. 4 Barn Theatre
Misery Sept. 8–11 Sept. 15–18 Doubt Sept. 22–25 Barn Theatre
Kalamazoo Civic A musical inspired by the real-life newsboy strike of 1899 will kick off the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre's 94th Season. Set in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, Newsies is the tale of Jack Kelly (played by Logan Awe), leader of a ragged band of teenage newsboys who fight back when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense.
Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16–17, 23–24 and 30–Oct. 1 and 2 p.m. Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 2, and tickets are $17–$30. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 343–1313 or visit kazoocivic.com.
Sept. 16–Oct. 2
TheTempest Sept. 3–Oct. 9 WMU Theatre
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 29
TheArts
The Barn Theatre finishes its 76th season this month by getting serious, then silly, and then serious again. The theater's first productionSeptemberwill be Misery, a psychological suspense thriller based on Stephen King’s novel about a romance novelist rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” who nurses him back to health until he tries to leave. Show times are 8 p.m. Sept. 8–10 and 5 p.m. Sept. 10 and 11. Levity is on tap next, when the theater stages Escanaba in Da Moonlight, Michigan native Jeff Daniels' classic about Reuben Soady's quest to shed the title “the buckless Yooper” during an annual gathering at the family deer camp. Show times are 8 p.m. Sept. 15–17 and 5 p.m. Sept. 17 and 18. The theater ends its season with Doubt, the 2015 Pulitzer Prizewinning play about Catholic school principal Sister Aloysius’ suspicions about what might be going on between a priest, Father Flynn, and a student. Show times are 8 p.m. Sept. 22–24 and 5 p.m. Sept. 24 andThe25.Barn Theatre is located at 13351 West M-96 in Augusta. Tickets for each performance are $41–$49. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 731–4121 or visit barntheatreschool.org.
YoungFrankenstein Cowboys:Songs, StoriesandPoems
From local musicians to Jewish, Mongolian and Vietnamese music, the Connecting Chords Music Festival is offering a full slate of performances this month. The performances scheduled are: Migratory Music, featuring local artists such as Hazeltree, Birdseed Salesmen and Samuel Nalangira, 1–3 p.m. Sept. 10, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave.
MUSIC
The group has been hailed by the New York Times as “invariably energetic and finely burnished … playing with earthy vigor.” It consists of Karla Donehew Perez and Abi Fayette on violin, Paul Laraia on viola and Karlos Rodriguez on cello. The program will include works by Joseph Haydn, Florence B. Price, Anton Webern and S. Coleridge-Taylor.
Tuvergen Band, a high-energy Mongolian folk-fusion trio combining traditional instruments and lush vocals, 4 p.m. Sept. 18, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 247 W. Lovell St. Yamma Ensemble, performing traditional music and songs of the Jewish communities from Yemen, Babylon and Sepharad, and Hasidic music, 7 p.m. Sept. 19, Congregation of Moses, 2501 Stadium Drive. Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ, award-winning performer and Emmy Award-winning composer, blending Vietnamese music with other genres, 4 p.m. Sept. 25, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1747 W. Milham Ave. Puuluup, Estonian duo playing talharpas, traditional bowed lyres popular in Northern Europe since the early Middle Ages, 7 p.m. Sept. 27, Dormouse Theatre, 1030 Portage St. Tickets for each concert are $5–$20, except for Migratory Music, which has free admission. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit mfsm.us. Catalyst Quartet
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Western Michigan University’s Dalton Center Recital Hall and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan Ave. For more information, visit relicensemble.org
The groups performing in September and the concert locations are:
• i.am.james., 11:30 a.m. Sept. 12, Bronson Park.
The concert, conducted by Julian Kuerti and presented at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Auditorium, will begin with Michigan-born composer James Lee III’s Emotive Transformations, a piece exploring the stages of grief. That will be followed by the Maurice Ravel’s Shéhérazade and Tchaikovsky’s emotionally charged Fourth Symphony Tickets are $26–$68 and available at kalamazoosymphony.com.
TheArts
The eight-member ensemble, which includes Kalamazoo native Cullen O'Neil on cello, will perform early chamber music, including works by Handel, Scarlatti and Corelli.
Masterworks Opening Night Sept. Kalamazoo24 Symphony OrchestraTheKSO opens its season with the musical equivalent of an emotional rollercoaster.
• DJ Mel V, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 23, outside of the State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St.
• The Psychoacoustics, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Sept. 23, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7328 Garden Lane, Portage. For more information, visit kalamazooarts.org. i.am.james
• First Call, 7 p.m. Sept. 8, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, Portage.
Connecting Chords Music Festival
AutumnRising
Migratory Music, Tuvergen Band, Yamma Van-AnhEnsemble,VanessaVo, & Puuluup Various dates & venues
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are $30 and can be purchased online at fontanamusic.org or by calling 250-6984.
Sept. Dalton20Center Recital Hall Fontana Chamber Arts kicks off its season this month with a performance by the Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet.
Summertime
30 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
Live Concerts Various times VariousSummervenuesdoesn't officially end until Sept. 22, so the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and its partners are managing to squeeze in a few more outdoor concerts before the leaves fly. The concerts are free. Grab a lawn chair or blanket and head out for these free concerts.
Sept. 8 & 10 RelicThe New York City-based baroque chamber orchestra Relic, composed of Juilliard-trained musicians, will present two free performances in Kalamazoo this month.
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
VISUAL ARTS
UnmaskingMasculinity forthe21stCentury Opens Sept. 24
Art Hop Sept. Downtown2 Kalamazoo A look at how digital technology has affected art and artistic practices is the theme for this month's Art Hop, running from 5–8 p.m. in downtown Kalamazoo. This free event organized by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo features a variety of artists’ works as well as live music and the chance to visit downtown businesses. The Arts Council has an app that provides a guide and map of Art Hop sites. For more information or to access the app, visit kalamazooarts.org. Patrick Quarm, POCCO, 2020, mixed media on canvas Red Grooms, Mousetrap, 1981, lithograph
The concept of masculinity and how artists have depicted the complex and contradictory notions of manhood in our society is the focus of this exhibition, which will run through Dec. 29. The show, co-curated by KIA Chief Curator Rehema Barber and Larry Ossei-Mensah, will feature works from the KIA’s collection as well as borrowed works from around the U.S. by artists including Nate Lewis, jc lenochan, James Luna, Catherine Opie, Kahlil Joseph, Juliana Huxtable, Jaishri Abichandani and Arthur Jafa. Admission is $5, or $2 for students and free for members. For more information, visit kiarts.org.
WhatIsGoingoninThisPicture? Opens Sept. 10
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 31 Getinvolvedasa volunteerand tellyourstory! Signupforournext orientation www.publicmedianet.org 269.343.2211 Charter187-191|AT&TUVerse99 Roku,AppleTV,FireTV,Mobile www.publicmedianet.org media foryou, byyou Thosewho tellthe stories rulesociety. -Plato
If you've ever wondered how to analyze art, this KIA exhibition will give you tools to do justThethat.exhibition explores Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a method that helps you analyze artworks, stories, billboards, magazines and more by asking three basic questions: What is going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? And what more can you find?
The artworks on display come from the KIA's collection and will change throughout the exhibition's run, which continues through April 1. The KIA is open 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday and noon–4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, or $2 for students and free for members. For more information, visit kiarts.org.
Nancy Eimers
TheArts
This exhibition will showcase the prints and books that were created by two groups of students who worked with KBAC Director Jeff Abshear in Italy over theThesummer.students learned about the book arts at print studios in Italy, including in Venice and Cornuda. There will be an opening reception from 5–8 p.m. Sept. 2 during Art Hop. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.
Sept. Kalamazoo24 Book Arts Center
Jennifer Metsker
BookArtsinItaly
Nancy Eimers & Jennifer Metsker
Sept. Kalamazoo2–23
Book Arts Center
Poets Nancy Eimers and Jennifer Metsker will present readings of their work at 7 p.m. as part of the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center's Poet in Print series.Eimers is the author of four poetry collections: Oz (2011), A Grammar to Waking (2006), No Moon (1997) and Destroying Angel (1991). Her poems have appeared in numerous magazines and journals, including Field, Gettysburg Review, Seattle Review, The Nation, Antioch Review, North American Review, Triquarterly and Poetry Northwest and in the anthology 2011 Pushcart Prize XXXV: Best of Small Presses Poets of the New Century. She has been the recipient of a Nation “Discovery” Award, a Whiting Writers Award and two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. Metsker is the author of the poetry collection Hypergraphia and Other Failed Attempts at Paradise, which won the Editor’s Prize from New Issues Press. She studied painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and received an M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Michigan. Her poetry has appeared in The Southern Review, Beloit, Rhino, Birdfeast, Gulf Coast, The Cream City Review and other journals. Her audio poetry has been featured on BBC Radio’s “Short Cuts.” She lives in Ann Arbor, where she is the writing coordinator at the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art and Design. For more information, visit kalbookarts.org.
VISUAL ARTS ONGOINGEXHIBITIONSPhotoExhibition Through Sept. 9 Portage City Hall Atrium WestMichiganAreaShow Through Sept. 4 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Surrealish:TheAbsurdand Unexpected Through Sept. 11 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts For more information on these and other visual art exhibitions and events, see the Visual Arts section of our Events of Note, on page 35. WorksBalancingtheCosmos:byLiHongwei Through Oct. 2 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts UnveilingAmericanGenius Through December
32 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
LITERATURE
Various dates OnlineTheKalamazoo Public Library is offering a series of online talks by authors whose works range from geology to fiction. The authors scheduled to speak and the times and dates of their talks are:
Author Talks
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 33 .COM Medical Marijuana for use only by registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers. Recreational marijuana for use by individuals 21+ only. FRUIT & FUEL CHECK OUT OUR DAILY DEALS
Michele Borba, SimonHernanWinchester,Diaz is published in partnership and funding provided by TheArts
• Hernan Diaz, author of the novels Distance and Trust, 4–5 p.m. Sept. 27. All talks are at kpl.gov/live, and registration is required to attend. To register, visit kpl.gov.
Trinity Lemm Sept. Portage17 District LibraryThe process of writing and selfpublishing will be discussed by Lemm, author of the Forever Series of young-adult romance novels. Lemm, whose first book, Forever Burn, garnered her the 2021 Youth Author award from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, is a student at Western Michigan University. She has published two additional books, Forever Frozen and Forever & Ever She will speak at 2 p.m. Sept. 17, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit portagedistrictlibrary.info.
• Simon Winchester, British-American author of 16 books, including Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World and The Professor and the Madman, 2–3 p.m. Sept. 20.
• Michele Borba, educational psychologist and author or 24 books, including Thrivers: Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Thrive, 2–3 p.m. Sept. 8.
The invention of lakes let fish breathe a sigh of relief.
Breath started with a small gasp of surprise.
34 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 Tickets & Season Details 13351barntheatreschool.orgatorcall269.731.4121M-96AUGUSTA,MI49012 Join Us For A Live Theatre Experience Like No Other! Sept 22 - 25 Sept 15 - 18 Sept 8 - 11 Featuring Kim Zimmer Sponsored by: The fun continues at the Barn Theatre this September.
The invention of moonlight was a secret kept under an owl’s wing.
— Elizabeth Kerlikowske
The invention of the sundial introduced abstract thought to the garden.
The Great Inventions
Phosphorescence bubbled in the half-light.
Crumbs let us know it was okay to fall apart.
The invention of icicles gave the sun something to play with.
The invention of cats provided everyone except birds with something to love.
POETRY ENCORE
The invention of the rheumy eye let old people cry all the time without tears.
Whistling, pioneered by birds, gave men a way to express joy when they thought they were alone.
The invention of lightning gave thunder ancestors.
The invention of words put experience in our mouths and each sentence took us one step farther from the land.
The invention of love was an accident that couldn’t be reversed.
Kerlikowske, a Kalamazoo poet, repaints her metal rooster each year to be a different bird — last year it was a crow, this year it’s a blue jay. She enjoys the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary’s Birds and Coffee Chats, which she first read about in Encore. This poem, in a slightly different version, was first published in Qua, a literary magazine of the University of Michigan’s Flint campus.
The invention of night was managed by the trees, who needed some shade themselves.
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 35 PERFORMING ARTS MiseryPlaysTHEATER
Portage Summer Concert Series — First Call performs hits from Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift and more, 7 p.m. Sept. 8, Overlander Bandshell, 7810 Shaver Road, portagemi.gov/calendar; bring a blanket or chair.
ARTbreakEvents
Edison Jazz Fest Live musical performances by jazz artists including Fay Victor, Rufus Ferguson and Roger L. Jones II, Sept 10-18, various locations, edisonjazzfest.org
WellspringDANCE Season Launch Party — 5–7 p.m. Sept. 17, Wellspring Theater, Epic Center, 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall, wellspringdance.org. BandsMUSIC& Solo Artists
KSO Masterworks Opening Night —
Cowboys: Songs, Stories and Poems — From a breed of men who left a deep and lasting impact on U.S. history, 8 p.m. Sept. 9–10, 16–17 & 23–24, New Vic Theatre, 134 E. Vine St., thenewvictheatre.org.
Area Show — Juried exhibition of works by area visual artists, through Sept. 4.
BalancingtheCosmos:WorksbyLiHongwei — An intersection between traditional Chinese ceramic forms and contemporary glaze and sculpture, through Oct. 2. Unveiling American Genius — Abstract and contemporary works from the KIA’s permanent collection, emphasizing stories that African American, Latino and other artists have told about our cultures, art and history, through December. What Is Going on in This Picture? — An exhibition exploring Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to analyze artworks, stories, billboards, magazines and more, Sept. 10–April 1. Unmasking Masculinity for the 21st Century — Looks at how artists use tradition, contemporary practice and performance to explore the construction of masculinity in North America, Sept. 24–Dec. 29.
— Program about art, artists and exhibitions: Conceptual Realism, Douglas Dykehouse talks on how reality is perceived, Sept. 6; Contemporary Ceramics and the Chinese Worldview, Andrew Maske talks about China’s important historical advancements in ceramics, Sept. 13; Emmy Kastner, the children’s book author and illustrator speaks about the creative process, Sept. 20; Second Act
Surrealish: The Absurd and Unexpected — Works by Surrealist masters on display alongside contemporary and regional artists, through Sept. 11.
The Psychoacoustics — Kalamazoo-based four-piece rock band, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Sept. 23, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7328 Garden Lane, Portage, kalamazooarts.org; bring a blanket or chair.
Disney’s Newsies — The Broadway musical inspired by the real-life newsboys strike of 1899 in New York City, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16–17, 23–24 & 30–Oct. 1, 2 p.m. Sept. 18, 25 & Oct. 2, Civic Theatre, 329 S. Park St., 343–1313, kazoocivic.com.
Please Note: Due to the Covid–19 virus, some of these events may have been cancelled after press time. Please check with the venue and organizations for up–to–date information.
YoungMusicalsFrankenstein — Mel Brooks’ musical comedy about a science experiment gone horribly wrong, 8 p.m. Aug. 30–Sept. 3, 5 p.m. Sept. 4, Barn Theatre, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org; rated PG–13.
— A psychological suspense thriller based on Stephen King’s novel about a romance novelist rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” 8 p.m. Sept. 8–10, 5 p.m. Sept. 10–11, Barn Theatre, 13351 West M-96, Augusta, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org.
Kamasi Washington — Jazz saxophonist, 8 p.m. Sept. 1, State Theatre, 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.
Catalyst Quartet — Fontana Chamber Arts presents this Grammy Award-winning string quartet, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20, Dalton Center Recital Hall, 250-6984, fontanamusic.org.
Lucinda Williams and Her Band — Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter who performs rock, folk, blues and country music, 8 p.m. Sept. 21, State Theatre, kazoostate.com.
BAT: The Official Meat Loaf Celebration — Meat Loaf’s hit songs performed by The Neverland Express and American Idol winner Caleb Johnson, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Miller Auditorium, WMU, millerauditorium.com. Orchestra, Chamber, Jazz, Vocal & More Autumn Rising — Relic, a New York-based baroque chamber orchestra, will give a free concert with music by Handel, Scarlatti and more, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8, WMU’s Dalton Center Recital Hall, and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10, First Congregational Church, 345 W. Michigan, relicensemble.org.
WestExhibitionsMichigan
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical — When Zeus’ master lightning bolt is stolen, Percy Jackson, the half-blood of a Greek god, is the prime suspect, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23–24, 29–30, Oct. 1, Oct. 7–8 & 2 p.m. Sept. 25 & Oct. 2, York Arena Theatre, WMU, 387–6222, wmich.edu/theatre.
Lunchtime Live! — i.am.james. plays at this last event for the summer with games and food, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Sept. 2, kalamazooarts.org. Bell’s Eccentric Cafe Concerts — Magic City Hippies, Sept. 3; Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass, Sept. 4; The Mountain Goats, Sept. 7; Jocelyn & Chris, Sept. 14; Mary Gauthier with Jaimee Harris, Sept. 21; Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Sept. 24; all shows begin at 8 p.m., 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., 382–2332, bellsbeer.com.
The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra performs composer James Lee III’s Emotive Transformations, Maurice Ravel’s Shéhérazade and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24, Miller Auditorium, WMU, kalamazoosymphony.com.
ENCORE EVENTS
Doubt — Suspicions are raised at a Catholic school about Father Flynn, 8 p.m. Sept. 22–24, 5 p.m. Sept. 24–25, Barn Theatre, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org.
VISUAL KalamazooARTSInstitute of Arts 314 S. Park St., 349-7775, kiarts.org
The Tempest — Shakespeare’s play about a crew of men shipwrecked on a magical island and tormented by a man and his slaves, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 6–8 & 2 p.m. Oct. 2 & 9, Williams Theatre, WMU, 387–6222, wmich.edu/theatre.
Escanaba in Da Moonlight — A Michigan classic about the Soady clan’s gathering at the family deer camp for a hunting trip, 8 p.m. Sept. 15–17, 5 p.m. Sept. 17–18, Barn Theatre, 731–4121, barntheatreschool.org.
State on the Street — Live concerts on select Fridays outside the State Theatre: DJ Mel V, Sept. 23; seating starts at 5 p.m., music at 5:30 p.m., 404 S. Burdick St., kazoostate.com.
36 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 with Robert Morris, the ceramist talks about his experience with crystalline glazes, Sept. 27; all sessions begin at noon in the KIA Auditorium, with tickets available for online or in-person attendance.
LIBRARY & LITERARY EVENTS
Mobile Library Event with Kalamazoo Literacy Council — Multi-generational activities in the Read and Seed community garden to strengthen literary skills and foster a lifelong love of learning, with activities including CPR and first-aid training, 4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Sept. 7, behind Goodwill Industries Building, 420 E. Alcott St.; inside in case of rain; registration required.
Book Discussion: Shape-ups at Delilah’s — Discussion of the book by Rion Amilcar Scott, 2 p.m. Sept. 21. A Curatorial Conversation about Unmasking Masculinity — Rehema Barber and Larry Ossei-Mensah provide an inside look at the KIA’s newest exhibition, 6–8 p.m. Sept. 22. Everyone is a Member Day! — 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 24. Free admission to the KIA galleries.
Other AnnualVenuesPhoto Exhibition — A glimpse of Portage parks through the lens of the community, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday, through Sept. 9, Portage City Hall Atrium, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar.
Haunted Michigan with Local Author Kathy Conder — Author of Hauntings, Spirits, and Eats: Michigan will talk about local and statewide haunts, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Sept. 29; registration required. Kalamazoo Public Library 553-7800, kpl.gov
Raising Thrivers: Parenting Tips and Tools to Help Kids Thrive in an Uncertain World — Online discussion led by psychologist Michele Borba, author of Thrivers: Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Thrive, 2–3 p.m. Sept. 8, kpl.govlive; registration required.
KPL Mobile Library — 11 a.m.–noon Sept. 15, Ecumenical Senior Center, 702 N. Burdick St; 3–4:30 p.m. Sept. 16 and 10–11:30 a.m. Sept. 28, Texas Township Hall, 7110 West Q Ave; 4–5:30 p.m. Sept. 20, Northside Association for Community Development, 612 N. Park St.
EVENTS ENCORE
Art Hop — This month’s Art Hop highlights how digital technology has affected art and artistic practices, 5–8 p.m. Sept. 2, downtown Kalamazoo, 342–5059, kalamazooarts.org.
Book Arts in Italy — Showcasing prints and books created during student group trips to Italy, Sept. 2–23, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.
Portage Community Art Award Exhibition — In collaboration with the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ West Michigan Area Show, this exhibition presents works from this year’s winning Portage artist whose work best represents the theme "A Natural Place to Move," 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday, Sept. 16–Oct. 28, Portage City Hall Atrium, portagemi.gov/calendar.
Comstock Township Library 6130 King Highway, 345-0136, comstocklibrary.org Family Game Café — A collaborative event with Voss Media Board Game Café of Galesburg that is open to anyone wanting to learn new role-playing and board games, with pizza and drinks provided, 6–7:30 p.m. Sept. 26. Adult Book Group — Discussion of Hell of a Book, by Jason Mott, 6–7:30 p.m. Sept. 28; registration required.
Retirement 101: Secure Your Financial Foundation — Chuck Henrich of Southwest Michigan Financial presents information for those in early retirement or about to retire, 6–8 p.m. Sept. 22; registration required. Richland Community Library 8951 Park St., 629-9085, richlandlibrary.org Books and Crafts — Make your own perfume inspired by the book The Perfume Collector, by Kathleen Tessaro, 10:30 a.m. Sept. 7; registration required.
Fly-in of Visiting Planes and Rides — Historic C-47 aircraft Hairless Joe will be visiting and available for ticketed rides, Sept. 24; tickets can be purchased in advance on the Air Zoo’s website.
2nd Sundays Live — Acoustic hits and soulful originals performed by Coffee with Friends, 2 p.m. Sept. 11, 343-7747.
Author Talk by Hernan Diaz — Online discussion by the author of Distance and Trust, 4–5 p.m. Sept. 27, kpl.gov/live; registration required.
Author Talk by Simon Winchester — An online discussion by the British-American writer, journalist and adventurer, 2–3 p.m. Sept. 20, kpl.gov/live; registration required.
| 37
Themed Trivia: 20th Century Music — Register your team to test your music knowledge, 7 p.m. Sept. 22; registration required. Other Venues
Ultimate Truck Show — Open to all types and years of trucks, pickups, utility vehicles and semis, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 10.
Lookin’ Back — Bob Seger tribute band performs, 8–9:30 p.m. Sept. 10; bring a blanket or chair.
Migratory Music Sat, Sept 10 at 1:00 PM Kalamazoo Nature Center Area musicians perform in the KNC arboretum * Rain date: Sunday, Sept 11 Tuvergen Band Sun, Sept 18 at 4:00 PM St. Luke’s Episcopal Church Mongolian fusion with world music rhythms Yamma Ensemble Mon, Sept 19 at 7:00 PM Congregation of Moses Traditional Hebrew/Jewish music + originals Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ Sun, Sept 25 at 4:00 PM Prince of Peace Church Traditional instrumentsVietnameseplayedby a dàn bau master/composer Puuluup Tues, Sept 27 at 7:00 PM Dormouse Theatre Modern folk + a pinch of the surreal featuring traditional Estonian bowed lyres Thornetta Davis Tues, Oct 4 at 7:00 PM Bell’s Eccentric Café “Detroit’s Queen of the Blues” has wowed audiences for over 30 years. Upcoming Festival Events See the entire 2022 Festival lineup at www.ccmusicfest.com celebrate the unifying power of the world’s music www.encorekalamazoo.com
Parchment Book Group — Discussion of The Huntress and The Rose Code (choose one or both to read), by Kate Quinn, 6 p.m. Sept. 12.
Parchment Community Library 401 S. Riverview Drive, 343-7747, parchmentlibrary.org
AirMUSEUMSZoo 6151 Portage Road, Portage, 382-6555, airzoo.org
— Meeting is open to anyone interested in genealogy, 7 p.m. Sept. 19.
Discovery Speaker Series: Sydney Hamilton — Boeing structural design engineer discusses her story and passion for sharing experiences with youth from groups underrepresented in the STEM, 6–9 p.m. Sept. 29. Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, 671-5089, gilmorecarmuseum.org
Wednesday Night Cruise-ins — Collector cars, oldies music and food, 5–8 p.m. Wednesdays on good-weather nights, through September.
Portage District Library 300 Library Lane, portagedistrictlibrary.info329-4544, Muffins and the Market — Discuss recent market trends and resources with Warren Fritz, 9 a.m. Sept. 1 & 15. Saturday Sound Immersion — Wind Willow Consortium members share information and play instruments for relaxation and a wellbeing experience, 10 a.m. Sept. 10; registration required. Michigan Author Talk: Trinity Lemm — The author of the Forever Series of romance novels discusses the process of writing and self-publishing, 2 p.m. Sept. 17, with light refreshments served.
Poets in Print — Nancy Eimers and Jennifer Metsker read from their works, 7 p.m., Sept. 24, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, 326 W. Kalamazoo Ave., Suite 103A, 373-4938, kalbookarts.org.
Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society
Books with Friends Book Club — Discussion of Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury, 7 p.m. Sept. 15 & 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16.
Richland Genealogy Group — Roundtable discussion group open to new members, 10 a.m.–noon Sept. 15, in person and via Zoom.
Ford Model A Days — A celebration of the historic Model A’s, with a focus on Model A trucks, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 16–17. Cadillac Fall Festival — A celebration of Cadillacs from 1903 to present day, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 23–24. Camaros at the Corners — All years of the sports car can participate, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 25.
Richland Area Writers' Group — Open to new members, 10 a.m.–noon Sept. 10 & 24, in person and via Zoom. Classics Film Club — Discussion of The Graduate, 7 p.m. Sept. 14.
38 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022
Historic Walks — Walks discussing local history and architecture: Hotels & Motels in Kalamazoo, begins at Gazelle Sports, 8–9:30 a.m. Sept. 9; Stuart Historic District, begins at Woodward and West Main, 8–9:30 a.m. Sept. 23, historic-walks.gazellesports.com/pages/kalamazooPaw Paw Wine and Harvest Festival — Tastings and tours, 5K walk/run, grape stomping, kayak race, four entertainment stages, carnival rides, fireworks, parade and more, Sept. 9–11; for schedule of events, visit wineandharvestfestival.com. Peacock Strut Walk/Run — A 10K and 5K walk/ run on the trails of Portage Creek Bicentennial Park, with proceeds supporting the Portage Community Center, 7 a.m. Sept. 10, starting at the Grain Elevator, Celery Flats Historical Area, 7336 Garden Lane, Portage, portagemi.gov/ calendar. Scottish Festival and Highland Games — Celebrating Scottish history and culture with Highland games, clans, food exhibits, music and dancing, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 10, Kindleberger Park, 122 N. Riverview Drive, Parchment; for a schedule of events, visit kalamazooscottishfest.org. Vintage in the Zoo — An outdoor vintage market and handmade goods, with live music, noon–7 p.m. Sept. 10, KVCC’s Anna Whitten Hall, 202 N. Rose St., discoverkalamazoo.com.
KalamazooMISCELLANEOUSFarmers Market — Featuring over 100 businesses weekly, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesdays, 2–6 p.m. Thursdays, 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturdays, through October; Night Market, 5–10 p.m. Sept. 15; 1204 Bank St.; pfcmarkets.com.
Friday, September 30, 2022 CATALYST QUARTET believes in the unity that can be achieved through music Friday, December 2, 2022 ST. STRINGLAWRENCEQUARTET Kalamazoo Valley Museum 230 N. Rose St., kalamazoomuseum.org373-7990,
Birds and Coffee Chat Online — Discussion of wrens, 10 a.m. Sept. 14; registration required. Other KalamazooVenuesAstronomical Society Public Observing Sessions — “Jupiter, Saturn & First Quarter Moon,” Sept. 3; “Jupiter, Saturn & Summer Clusters,” Sept. 17; both sessions 8 p.m.–midnight, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N.Westnedge Ave.; sessions will be canceled if the sky is mostly cloudy or overcast; check kasonline.org starting at 6 p.m. the day of the event.
renowned for the intensity of its performances Friday, March 24, 2023 IMMANUELQUARTETWILKINS music filled with empathy and conviction Friday, April 28, 2023 CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER prestigious beyond belief … intimate, scalding, and grand All concerts begin at 7:30 pm in WMU’s Dalton Center Recital Hall fontanamusic.orgTICKETS | 269/250-6984
Zugunruhe — Annual event celebrating the migratory instincts of Michigan birds, with guest speakers, programs, food trucks, local artist booths and free admission, 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 10.
Kalamazoo River Valley Trail Self-Guided Scavenger Hunts — Download scavenger hunt sheets and mail them in for monthly prize drawings, kalcounty.com/parks/krvt/ trailprogramming.
PRESENTS
KalamazooNATURE Nature Center 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., 381-1574, naturecenter.org
Kalamazoo Speedway Season Championship Night — Featuring Template Late Models, Street Stock, Outlaw FWD and Zoo Stock, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2, 7656 Ravine Road, kalamazoospeedway. com/events.
Portage Farmers Market — With farmers, vendors and music, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sundays, through October, outside Portage City Hall, 7900 S. Westnedge Ave., 329–4522. Michigan Brunch Bash — Food trucks and vendors featuring brunch creations, with live music and national beers/ciders/ seltzers included with ticket, noon–5 p.m. Sept. 4, Homer Stryker Field, 251 Mills St., michiganbrunchbash.com. Monday Morning Cruisers — A casual weekly bike ride on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail of up to about 20 miles round trip, 9 a.m. Sept. 5 & 12, starting at Merrill Park; 9 a.m. Sept. 19 & 26, starting at 10th Street trailhead for Kal-Haven Trail, 760–4711, kalcounty.com/newsandevents.
Richland Farmers’ Market — Local produce, artisans and food trucks, 3–6 p.m. Wednesdays, through Sept. 7, Richland Community Center, 9400 East CD Ave., Richland, richlandfarmersmarket.weebly.com.
The Forgotten Fights of the Kalamazoo Boxing Academy — Traces the history of the academy while focusing on fighters who recount their personal experiences, through Sept. 18. Wonder Media: Ask the Questions! — This interactive exhibition tests visitors’ literacy skills and shows how to discern misinformation and disinformation in the media, through 2023.
J.Drew Lanham: Coloring the Conservation Conversation — The author of The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, discusses his African-American heritage, deep kinship to nature and adoration of birds, 6–7 p.m. Sept. 12, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S. Westnedge; registration required. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary 12685 East C Ave., Augusta, 671-2510, birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu
Makers Tour: A Walking Tour of a Downtown Kalamazoo Winery, Distillery and Brewery — Noon–4 p.m. Sept. 24, starting at Old Burdick’s Bar & Grill, 100 W. Michigan Ave., 350–4598, westmibeertours.com.
Fall Festival — Horse-drawn hayrides from the Portage Farmers Market at City Hall to Celery Flats Historical Area; all historical buildings will be open with crafts and craft demonstrations, cooking demonstrations and petting zoo; 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 18, Celery Flats, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, portagemi.gov/calendar.
Kalamazoo Fall Bike Celebration — Featuring rides through the Southwest Michigan countryside, with all routes starting and finishing at the Vicksburg Historic Village & Depot Museum, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg, Sept. 16–18, fallbikecelebration.org.
Vicksburg Vintage Market — Vendors selling a variety of household items, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 18, Vicksburg Pavilion, 300 N. Richardson St., Vicksburg, discoverkalamazoo.com.
Surprising! Check our FB page for specials, current hours for Dining in, Takeout and Delivery.
Gryphon Place Suicide Prevention Walk 2022 — A 5K walk to raise awareness of suicide prevention, connect with others and provide critical funds for Gryphon Place, 9 a.m. Sept. 24, Bronson Park, downtown Kalamazoo, gryphon.org/events.
DININGDESTINATIONS
39
NSRA Street Rod Nationals North — More than 1,800 street rods, muscle cars, custom cars, trucks and specialty vehicles, all 30 years and older, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Sept. 16, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 17, 8 a.m.–noon Sept. 18, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, nsra-usa.com.
HBA Fall Home & Community Expo — Home Builders Association event featuring home projects, health and wellness and senior living, workshops and seminars, beer garden and marketplace, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Sept. 23 & 24, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 25, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, hbawmi.com/fall-expo.
Kalamazoo Reptile & Exotic Pet Expo — Buy, sell or trade a variety of reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and other exotic pets, plus supplies & food, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sept. 11, Kalamazoo County Expo Center South, 2900 Lake St., kalamazooreptileexpo.com.
Friday at the Flats — Local food trucks, live music and vendors, 4:30–8:30 p.m. Sept. 23, Celery Flats Pavilion, 7335 Garden Lane, Portage, discoverkalamazoo.com.
ENCORE EVENTS
Ranger Hike: Monarchs on the Move — Learn how to help give monarch butterflies a head start on their long migration, 2 p.m. Sept. 11, West Lake Nature Preserve, 9001 S. Westnedge Ave., portagemi.gov/calendar; registration required. Kalamazoo Italian Festival — Family events, bocce tournament, live music, beer, wine and food, Sept. 16–17, kids 11 and under admitted free Sept. 17, Mayors' Riverfront Park, 251 Mills St., discoverkalamazoo.com.
www.encorekalamazoo.com |
MasterChef Junior Live! — An interactive stage production with past finalists and fan favorites giving cooking demonstrations and facing challenges, 3 p.m. Sept. 25, Miller Auditorium, millerauditorium.com. Sounds of the Zoo — A new festival with free music classes and concerts, Sept. 26–Oct. 2, at indoor and outdoor sites across Kalamazoo, including Bronson Park, discoverkalamazoo.com. 103 S. Grove St., Delton (269) 623-8310
40 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 A special Thank You to our advertisers! Advancing Lives, LLC 17 Arborist Services of Kalamazoo 23 Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo 24 Barn Theatre School 34 Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes 4 Binder Park Zoo 44 Brian K. Powers Photography 17 Brink, Key & Chludzinski, PC (BKC) 34 Bronson Healthcare Group 3 Can-Do Kalamazoo 25 The Cheese Lady 16 Comensoli’s Italian Bistro & Bar 39 Connecting Chords Music Festival 37 Cornerstone Technologies 22 Dave’s Glass 28 DeMent and Marquardt, PLC 5 Elina Organics 17 Farmers Alley Theatre 36 Fence & Garden 4 First National Bank 15 Fontana Music 38 Genesis Fitness and Wellness 17 Gerald R. Ford International Airport 6 The Gilmore 3 Gun Lake Casino 39 Halls Closets & More 15 Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 43 Kalamazoo Civic Theatre 22 Kalamazoo Community Foundation 2 Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra 23 Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation 16 LVM Capital Management 9 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 40 Pincanna 33 Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services 14 Portage Printing 40 Public Media Network 31 Raber Patio Enclosures & Furniture 32 Trust Shield Insurance Group 16 Tujax Tavern & Brewpub 39 Vandenberg Furniture 4 Willis Law 41 WMUK 25 Relax.We’lldoallthework. Happy Labor Day! 1116 W Centre Avenue ☎ PortagePrinting.com323-9333
Q. My husband is being sued for a business deal gone bad. Is my home at risk for collection foreclosure?or
9471992-01
Michael J. Willis the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, licensed practice law in Florida and Michigan, and registered as certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis rated as an -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity He listed in the Best Lawyers America.
MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true? A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and highly encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or any other Medicaid planning.
Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007
We actually make a conscious effort not to base a lot of metrics on viewership. Instead, it’s similar to a library in some respects, where we are providing a public service to the community, and do people want it? We listen to community input and feedback. We are also starting to undertake an information needs assessment with members in the community where we are surveying people about what they feel is missing in local media, where they get their information, and how they share information with others, to try to get a snapshot of how things have changed in the community and where we and other media organizations may best be able to serve those needs.
What has been your favorite accomplishment at PMN so far?
9471992-01
9471992-01
Michaelwww.willis.law269.492.1040J.WillisistheManaging
One major shift we've made is to intentionally engage with people in communities that are traditionally underrepresented, to support and co-create programs with these community members. The amount of journalism produced locally has declined over the years, and the heart of journalism is gathering information to help people understand things and tell stories. With the changes in the local media system, we've looked for areas where we can further democratize the media and help people tell their stories, using our technology and media for community storytelling. With that as a basis, we've launched new journalism initiatives based in citizen journalism, training community members on how to tell stories and how to cover local government. We have documentary training programs focused on the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) community to teach them how to tell the stories that are important to them.
Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 www.willis.law269.492.1040
If they remember us as a community access center, which was our first name here, then they think, “Oh yeah, those cable channels with some weird local programming” but don't get what we're really about: democratizing the media system and giving people the chance to express their own voices. Our true mission is about amplifying voices that have been underrepresented or not authentically represented in media. You can effect social change and get people involved and taking action as a result of learning what's going on and building common understanding in the community. The best way we learn about each other is through conversation, and media plays a vital role. That's really what community access is about. How has technology changed the concept of community access?
— Interview by Marie Lee, edited for length and clarity
ASKLAWYERTHEBUSINESSANDESTATEPLANNING
www.encorekalamazoo.com | 41 A. Probably not. If you own the home, or you own the home with him as husband and wife, then his creditor will generally have no claim on your home. If instead he owns the home in his own name, or if he owns it via a revocable trust, there is a significant opportunity for collection on that asset. Michigan law favors a holding by a married couple so much that it provides creditor protection for that holding. I should note it is important that a couple not lose this protection when they engage in estate planning, as it is an issue easy to overlook in that context.
Matt Schuster (continued from page 42) ENCORE BACK STORY
Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A V -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America.
The launch of some of the newer initiatives working with BIPOC communities, working side by side training people directly how to tell their stories and seeing what comes from their building confidence in their voices and that people want to hear what they have to say.
Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 www.willis.law269.492.1040
A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and I highly encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or any other Medicaid planning.
Do people know what Public Media Network is?
Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as a certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an A -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, signifies that an attorney has reached the heights of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America.
Michael J. Willis is the Managing Partner of Willis Law, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, is licensed to practice law in Florida and Michigan, and is registered as certified public accountant in the state of Illinois. Attorney Willis is rated as an -Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. This rating, according to Martindale, which has been rating lawyers for over a century, al excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America.
LAWYERAskTHEBUSINESSANDESTATEPLANNING
MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., WILLIS LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true? A. Yes. Most often when folks talk on trust planning, they are referencing a revocable trust. In fact, that is the case probably more than 99% of the time. A revocable trust under Michigan law generally is set up only to avoid probate--that’s its only benefit. However, there is an irrevocable trust for persons in your circumstances that can be established with your assets to the extent they exceed the protected amount (which under Michigan law will cap at a little over $125,000). If the trust is irrevocable and the assets are effectively established in an annuity income stream back to you per the terms of the trust, then in such a circumstance the trust will no longer be considered a countable asset, but instead an income stream and thereby exempt for Medicaid purposes. This is a sophisticated planning technique, and highly encourage you to seek counsel before implementing this technique or any other Medicaid planning.
ASKLAWYERTHEBUSINESSANDESTATEPLANNING
How does PMN define success?
In addition to technology, what else has changed about PMN?
MICHAEL J. WILLIS, J.D., C.P.A., LAW Q. My husband is going into a nursing home. I’ve been told it is possible for me to create a trust and protect my assets from the spend down at the nursing home. Is that true?
ASKLAWYERTHEBUSINESSANDESTATEPLANNING
Back in the day, we were the one cable TV channel that people could get on their TV, but now with phones and YouTube and Facebook and everything else, we've expanded as well. We have five cable channels we program 24 hours a day seven days a week. They're also available online on our website, so people can see the livestreams of all the programming. We're also available over providers like Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV. We have an app that people can download for free to watch all the programming. We have mobile apps so people can watch on their smartphones. Just this year we rolled out closed captioning on all of our programming for people who may not be able to hear or people who just enjoy watching closed captioning. One fun thing that does is it allows viewers of a government meeting or a program to be able to search the closed-caption transcripts, so if they know somebody talked about X topic or they wanted to find a word that somebody said, rather than having to watch the whole program through for it, they can search the term and it'll highlight it in the closed-caption transcripts, which they can then click on to take them to that part of the video recording.
Please send your questions to: Michael J. Willis, J.D., C.P.A. Willis Law 491 West South Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 www.willis.law269.492.1040
42 | ENCORE SEPTEMBER 2022 BACK STORY ENCORE MattPublicExecutiveSchusterDirectorMediaNetwork (continued on page 41)
PowersBrian If hearing the words "community access television" brings up images of “Wayne’s World” or watching a recording of a city commission meeting at 3 a.m. on a sleepless night, then it's time to take another look.
Public Media Network, Kalamazoo's community access media platform, with its five cable channels, a mobile app and livestream content available online, has become a source of important community information, from its broadcasts of governmental meetings of local cities, townships and school districts to its volunteer-generated programming on topics from education to the arts.
Matt Schuster, executive director of PMN since 2017, aims to expand that role by making the nonprofit media platform a critical conduit for telling community stories that might not be heard otherwise.
"One of the biggest challenges is getting people to understand today's media ecosystem and the negative impact of what's occurring in a lot of it, especially in social media, and creating awareness and understanding of the vital nature of having a community platform that collects a variety of voices together in one place," says Schuster. "Rather than relying on what's being fed to you by social media algorithms, we provide a forum for you to hear from your neighbors and other people that you may not normally come across, with many viewpoints and ideas, resources and information aggregated together in one place."
"What community access media can do is what I fell in love with."
