Remember When
STEAKHOUSE)
Bonanza Steakhouse, was a popular buffet steakhouse restaurant chain that featured, Charbroiled steaks, hamburgers, seafood, chicken and potato entrees, salad bar and ice cream bar - all came with the buffet.
The restaurant advertised a casual “Come as you are,” hospitality with a Western motif. Providing wholesome family dining at a fair price. The Offered a steak dinner, steak sandwich or chopped steak platter for 99¢ and a complete sirloin steak dinner for just $1.39. No tipping was allowed and the restaurant was open 7 days a week from 11am-9pm.
The restaurant began in 1963, when Dan Blocker, who played Eric “Hoss” Cartwright, on the popular Western TV series, Bonanza, started the steakhouse chain in Westport, Connecticut. Blocker received partial ownership in the successful chain of Bonanza Steakhouse restaurants, in exchange for serving, in character as Hoss, as their commercial spokesman, and made personal appearances at franchises.
The Bonanza TV series, set in the 1860’s and centered on the wealthy Cartwright family, was known for
moral dilemmas. The series ran from 1959-1973, and is NBC’s longestrunning Western, which continues to air in syndication. The unexpected death of Blocker in 1972 left a big hole, and Bonanza ended one season later.
The small Bonanza Restaurant chain was sold just three years later (1965), to Sam Wyly and his brother Charles Wyly. The company grew to approximately 600 restaurants by 1989.
The rival steakhouse chain, Ponderosa was founded in 1965, and was named after the Ponderosa Ranch, also from the Bonanza TV series.
Dan Lasater, Norm Wiese and Charles Kleptz started the business in Kokomo, Indiana. They moved its headquarters to Dayton, Ohio in 1971. They operated in the U.S. and in Canada from 1971 until 1986, with 150 locations across the country. Bonanza, restaurant #201, opened in Kalamazoo on January 20, 1966, and was located at 5413 S. Westnedge, at the I-94 junction. Rem Wall and Buck Barry both made appearances during the grand opening weekend.
The first Ponderosa restaurant opened in Kalamazoo at 308 S. Drake Street, across from the West Main Mall. Many locals also recall another Ponderosa location that opened in 1974 in Portage across from the former Southland Mall and a Bonanza restaurant, that opened that same year on Portage Rd., where the Crew is presently.
A local resident shared the following memory on the Vanished Kalamazoo Facebook page: “I remember, when I was a kid, going to Ponderosa almost every Sunday for dinner. They always had a great buffet and the steaks were tender and juicy.
Then one day, it was gone. no more filling up on ice cream after a few small bites of salad. The location on Drake Rd. in Kalamazoo, gone. The location on S. Westnedge in Portage, gone. I don’t remember the exact year because I was young and didn’t concern myself with trivial things like when and why. All I knew was that that Sunday tradition was over.”
In 1988 Ponderosa was sold to Metromedia Restaurant Group and in 1989, they acquired rival, Bonanza, combining the two restaurant chains. Keeping both the Bonanza and Ponderosa brands.
In 1989, there were almost 700 Ponderosa locations. By 2003, there were fewer than 400 locations. In late 2017, Ponderosa and Bonanza were sold to FAT Brands, the parent
company of Fatburger and Johnny Rockets. As of December 2024, only 12 Ponderosa locations and 3 Bonanza locations currently remained open in the US.
The chains demise is attributed to a combination of factors, including the popularity of buffets losing their popularity, rising beef prices, an economic downturn, and the everincreasing competition from similar restaurants.
Many of the buffet steakhouse chains are now gone, but the fond memories remain.
Jackie Merriam
Credits: KG 1/20/66, Facebook: Vanished Kalamazoo, Wikipedia. com.
Four Truths About Baking Soda, Coffee Grounds & Soil pH for Hydrangea Flowers
Baking Soda or Coffee Grounds for Blue Hydrangeas: Fact or Fiction?
Many gardeners are fascinated by the chameleon-like qualities of hydrangeas, particularly their ability to shift bloom colors from pink to blue. This change is often attributed to soil pH, leading to a common question: can household remedies like baking soda or coffee grounds effectively alter soil pH for these beautiful shrubs?
We asked our National Garden Bureau expert members for their take, and here’s what they had to say: 1. Can Baking Soda Change Your Soil pH for Hydrangeas?
Proven Winners Color Choice:
“No.”
“First of all, baking soda is a base, so even if it were effective, it would actually make your soil more alkaline. This is the opposite of what most people are trying to accomplish by changing their soil pH for hydrangeas, which is to turn bigleaf hydrangea ( H. macrophylla) from pink to purple/blue. For a hydrangea to undergo that color change, two things must be true: the soil must contain aluminum, which is what actually affects the change, and it must be acidic. Only in acidic conditions are the aluminum ions free from their bonds so the plant can take them up and metabolize them.
Since adding baking soda would actually make the soil more alkaline – if it were effective in the first place, which it isn’t, at least not in any realistic quantity – it would prevent the hydrangea from turning blue. While it is true that in some areas, soil is naturally so acidic, or can become so acidic, that it is not favorable for plant growth, if you were trying to
As a grandparent, I love seeing my grandchildren bond and have shared experiences together.
Providing grandkids shared experi-
raise the pH of your soil, baking soda would not be the best way to do it from an efficacy or price standpoint. What’s the point of a short-lived soil pH change?”
2. Can coffee grounds effectively change the pH of your soil?
Southern Living® Plant Collection: “No.”
“Unused coffee grounds are highly acidic and aren’t generally recommended to use directly on plants in the garden. Spent coffee grounds have a neutral pH. The safest way to use coffee grounds in the garden is to add spent coffee grounds to your compost and use the compost around your plants once it has matured.”
3. Realistically, can you change the soil pH enough to impact the color of your hydrangea blooms using these “Homemade” methods?
Proven Winners Color Choice: “No.”
“If someone is trying to change the color of their hydrangea, we recommend the following:
First, you need to have a hydrangea that can change color in the first place. This means it must be one of three types: a big leaf, a moun-
ences, helps them strengthen the bond between cousins. Cousins don’t just share DNA, they carry family history and unspoken traditions passed down from generation to generation.
Each summer, my family gathers in Harbor Springs, for an uninterrupted week of family time, which results in a lot of cousin bonding. The younger ones (girls, ages 2 & 5) are enamored with their older cousins (boys, ages 12 & 13), while the older cousins are often seen taking the youngsters under their wings. These experiences are sure to forge their lives together in ways none of us can fathom.
tain hydrangea, or Fairytrail Fresco Cascade Hydrangea. It also must be a pink/purple/blue variety, as white and green hydrangeas of these species will not change color.
Ideally, you should get a soil test, so you know whether your soil needs a pH change or aluminum or both, since the soil must be both acidic and contain aluminum to change the flower color. The majority of products on the market are merely soil acidifiers, so if the issue is that your soil doesn’t contain aluminum, such products would acidify your soil without ever changing the flower color. Aluminum is naturally occurring in many soils, but tends to be highest in clay soils over sandy ones.
You will always get the best results by using a product made for the purpose and following the package directions carefully.”
Southern Living® Plant Collection: “No”
“These methods may ultimately harm your plants and the health of the soil. There is no quick fix for changing the color of hydrangeas, and the effects of adjusting the soil pH may take months to produce a
My sisters & I, who live in three different states, made it a priority to get the cousins together each year while they were growing up. The now, grown adults, seem to pick up where they left off when they are reunited.
While building lasting memories with your grandkids, you can also build strong connections between cousins that will last a lifetime.
“Cousins are friends that will love you forever.“ - Constance Richards
Jackie Merriam
noticeable change; it often requires one or two growing seasons.”
4. Does baking soda play any important and beneficial role in other areas of your garden?
Southern Living® Plant Collection: “No”
Baking soda is not recommended for use on plants in the garden, as it is a type of salt and can be toxic to plants if overused. However, it can help remove rust on tools when mixed into a paste.
So the best way to change the color of a hydrangea is by:
Having a soil test to see the pH of your soil. Bring in a cup of soil to Wedel’s Plant Doctors for a free pH test.
Use proper ingredients that are made for this purpose. Wedel’s Plant Doctors will prescribe either Hi-Yield Soil Sulfur to turn your hydrangeas blue or Espoma Garden Lime to turn your hydrangeas pink.
Article by National Garden Bureau
Terrie Schwartz Wedel’s Nursery, Florist & Garden Center
Cover Photo Taken at Over the Moon Farm Stand in Richland
It’s no secret that I love spending time in the woods. I strongly believe and can attest to the positive effects spending time outside, especially in nature, can have on your physical and mental health. Anytime I need to decompress, reflect, or get away, I get the biggest health benefits from taking a walk on a trail, spending a day hiking, or a weekend of backpacking. I had heard about this idea of “Forest Bathing.” Always one to grab up a good non-fiction book, especially one that features nature or calming strategies, I purchased a couple of books titled: “Your Guide to Forest Bathing” by M. Amos Clifford and “Forest Bathing” by Dr. Qing Li. Reading these and gaining a deeper understanding of all the health benefits nature and trees can provide led me to study Forest Bathing further. I took some online classes through Alma Oasis. These classes further built up my interest. This led me to apply and proceed with training as a Forest Therapy Guide through the Association for Nature and Forest Therapy.
Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, coined by Tomohide Akiyama, began in Japan in the 1980s through the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. It served two purposes: a way for citizens to appreciate, respect, and then want to protect the forests and nature, and a health initiative to reduce stress and improve physical and emotional wellness.
There is more I can share about Forest Bathing, and likely will invite you to join me in future articles, but
Random Acts of Artness
I thought
cohort has spent the last six months making independent observations in nature of “beings” from the morethan-human world. These beings may include trees, weeds, flowers, bugs, animals, sticks, leaves, rocks, and anything that was not made by the human hand. Traditionally, these observations have come while we relax and reflect at our own designated “sit spot.” A sit-spot is usually an immersive natural outdoor space. A sit-spot can be under a tree, in a field, or even at a table indoors, surrounded by your house plants and looking into the backyard. The most important reminder while at your sit-spot is to try to separate your thoughts and focus from the distractions of the “Tamed World”, the constructs of the human world, and immerse yourself in the “Wild World”, the openness of nature. My observations of beings while at my sit-spot have been so vast, but I have narrowed them down to fewer than 20 images for the sake of brevity. The takeaway from this project is: if you slow down, sit, tune out distractions, and give time and focus to the natural world around us, you will notice more things than you could have imagined and find humility in just how expansive the natural world is. Simultaneously, you will feel a deeper connection to this natural world. I’ve created 20 reproductions of the web of interbeings to give away randomly in this month’s issue of the Good News Paper.
I’d share a bit about a culmination project: “The Web of Interbeing.” My
Peace, Love, and Art. -Amy Instagram: @amylgieschen
as I near the end of my structured education through ANFT,
What My Grandfather Taught Me About Strength in Silence
My grandfather, Frank Coppinger, was born in 1888 on Prince Edward Island—St. Catherines, I believe— the son of Adam and Ella Coppinger. His family, like many others, had left County Cork, Ireland, after the potato famine. That move—crossing an ocean in search of a better life—was only the first of many hardships he’d face. Life gave him little, asked for much—and he met it with determination, character, and quiet dignity.
Of all my close relatives, Grandpa is the one I knew the least, even though I saw him often. He was quiet—of necessity, not temperament. A coal mine explosion in his late teens left him totally deaf. Both eardrums ruptured. From that moment on, the world went silent.
I sometimes try to imagine it. One day, you’re immersed the sounds of life—summer rain, meadowlarks, the neighbor’s chickens, familiar family voices—and the next, it’s all gone. Not fading. Not muffled. Just gone. No radio shows or baseball broadcasts. No sermons or choir at church. No laughter or stories from your children. That kind of loss would have been devastating to most. But Grandpa didn’t just survive—he built a life. In a cramped little house in Bay City, Michigan, he and my grandmother raised eleven children on next to nothing.
He had no lawsuit settlement. No disability check. When he was still in the hospital after the accident, officials from the mining company came by and offered to pay his medical bill—if he agreed not to pursue any claims. That was the deal. One paid bill in exchange for a lifetime of silence—both physical and legal. No lawyer. No union. Just a teenager, injured and alone, facing a system designed not to help him, but to make him disappear.
But Grandpa didn’t disappear. He went on, quietly and with resolve. He did odd jobs as a local laborer. He also worked at Defoe Shipbuilding in Bay City during WWII. He
would’ve made a good riveter or welder—jobs where hearing wasn’t essential. In winter, he cut blocks of ice from the bay, hauling them to ice houses packed in sawdust. Sometimes he’d spend days out on that ice, fishing with a few friends to feed their families.
Looking back, I realize what a lifeline reading was for my grandfather. In a world that had gone silent, it gave him a way to stay connected—a portal into the rhythms of daily life that most of us take for granted. At a time when many never learned to read, the fact that he could was no small thing. I can still picture him sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee and a cigarette, the newspaper spread across his lap. He’d read it front to back, every word. It was how he kept pace with the world that no longer reached him through sound. And over the years, I’ve come to see how much we quietly shared. There’s a lost family photo of him feeding birds from his hand, and it always stuck with me. He had a stillness about him—maybe it came from his silence—that birds seemed to trust. I understand that now. Like him, I’m drawn to birds, to the way they move and watch and wait. He also had a fascination with rocks and arrowheads—cigar boxes and coffee cans filled with them.
Once, he gave me a bloodstone: deep green with tiny flecks of red. His rugged hands—toughened by decades of labor—held it so gently, like it was something special. He wrote the name ‘bloodstone” down so my dad could tell me what it was. I lost the stone long ago, but I’ve never forgotten it or the quiet meaning behind it.
Modern neuroscience tells us that when the brain loses input from one sense, others can sharpen. Maybe that’s what happened with Grandpa. Maybe he “heard” the world in different ways—in the flicker of a bird’s wing, the shape of an arrowhead in a plowed field, the stillness of fall-
ing snow. The auditory cortex may have gone quiet, but his awareness deepened. He noticed things others missed.
He died in 1968 at the age of eighty. Considering the hard living— smoking, drinking, and more physical labor than most of us will ever know—it’s a wonder he made it that long. But he did. And in doing so, he left behind more than a big family. He left a legacy built on strength, dignity, and humility.
What I carry now is not just the memory of a quiet man who sat with his coffee, watched birds, and I am sure, contemplated life’s finer details
from within his soundless realm. His world was not fair. It was not just. And yet he responded—not with bitterness, but with resolve.
Hardship isn’t rare—it’s how we face it that defines us. My grandfather met it with stoicism, humility, and a quiet resolve that shaped everyone around him. It’s where character is fashioned.
Grandpa Coppinger couldn’t hear the world. But he listened to it in his own way. And in remembering him now, I hear him more clearly than ever.
James D. Coppinger
For book recommendations from your Kalamazoo Public Library
a great read for those who enjoy enemies-tolovers romance
—Karen Troutman, LibraryReads Ambassador NoveList read-alike: Love to Hate You by Marina Adair
T The Wr he Wrong Sister ong Claire Douglas (Harper Perennial)
Alice and her husband Kyle are watching her sister Tasha’s children when the worst happens: they are attacked, leaving Alice in intensive care and Kyle dead. Was the target actually Tasha? This novel is full of suspense and secrets and has great twists that will leave readers guessing.
—Magan Szwarek, LibraryReads Ambassador NoveList read-alike: Our House by Louise Candlish
Kate Sidley (Sourcebooks)
om Colld d Ally
Two former covert agents wake up handcuffed in a shed, then start a globetrotting trip down memory lane as they escape and try to figure out who's behind it all and what they want. This fast-paced, bantery rivalsto- lovers, second-chance romcom adventure works as a sequel and companion to The Blonde Identity
Georgia has been accused of murdering her sister, and her adoptive parents have her locked in a psych ward. The only person she asks to see is her biological twin, who she has never met.The twists and turns will have readers breathlessly rushing through the final pages
Lucky Day Day Chuck Tingle ( Tor Nightfire)
Vera's life was perfect until a catastrophe so gruesome and unlikely that it resembled something out of a horror movie hit, causing her to question everything. Readers follow Vera as she is recruited by a secret government agency to help make sense of the events of that day four years ago and reset the scales of fate
This gripping coming-of-age horror novel follows Ronny, who's entering high school when tragedy strikes her family. This is followed by an assault that alters her world. Forced to move forward, she must navigate the complexities of family life and a new school while carrying the weight of her trauma.
Anatole is a hairless magician tasked with getting the princess to fall out of love with Pito a lowborn scribe, so she can proceed with her arranged marriage to a prince. A cozy fantasy novel brimming with Sachar's classic humor
Valentine (Sourcebooks
Maria's husband disappeared nearly 30 years ago, and now she's ready to tell her story. Enter Thea, an editor on the brink of career collapse. Arriving at Maria's country farm in an odd arrangement of secrecy Thea will have to pick through Maria's story in order to save her career A fun, fast read.
—Migdalia Jimenez, Chicago Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: 100 Places to Visit After You Die by Ken Jennings
T The Bl he Blonde Who Came In onde Came fr from the Co
Carter (Avon)
What Hunger Catherine Dang (Simon & Schuster)
—Julie Graham, Yakima Valley Libraries, WA NoveList read-alike: It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier
—Dominique Brown, Tinley Park Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: The Lamb by Lucy Rose
—Michelle Morris, Fort Worth Public LIbrary, TX NoveList read-alike: Kill the Farm Boy by Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson
—Kaite Mediatore Stover, Kansas City Public Library, MO NoveList read-alike: Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
T The L he Lockocked W ed Warard d Sarah Pekkanen (St. Martin's Press)
Louis Sachar (Ace)
Danielle
Landmark)
read-alike: Dr. No by Percival Everett
—Andrea Galvin, Mt. Pulaski Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: Julie Tudor Is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich
Queeney (St. Martin's Press)
T The Dead Husband Cookbook he Dead Husband
T The Magician of Tiger Castl he Tiger Castle e
heart of the home
It’s been a long, hot and humid summer, topped with the haze of wildfire smoke. Some of us are longing for the cool crisp of autumn. Some of us dread the dropping temperatures. Yet some of us have been contemplating the chill of autumn nights and winter days all summer long.
I belong to that latter group. By end of spring, I may already be eyeing the wooded acres surrounding my home. I am blessed to live on acreage, and much of it is covered with forest. My other blessing is a Vermont Castings stove that was installed in my 100-year-old farmhouse long before I moved here.
Heating my home with wood was new to me when I moved here, but it made sense. The comfort and warmth of a crackling wood fire was enticing. With my well-muscled son at nearby access who loved nothing more than the whir and roar of a chainsaw, I was set.
I have always liked the idea of living off the grid, and heating my home with the dead wood cleaned out from my woods was the perfect solution. I love being less reliant on the power grid. When others around me lost power and shivered in the cold or had to reach for the generator, I was not only able to stay warm but even heat a kettle or a pan of food on
Warm by the Fire
top of the stove.
But is burning wood eco-friendly?
Unlike fossil fuels, wood is a renewable resource. Keeping a wood stove clean is important, not just for the environment but for safety. No one wants a chimney fire. My chimney sweep has become a good friend,
coming to my home every summer to clean my stove and climb up on the roof to sweep my chimney of creosote. It is step I never skip. While burning wood does spew some particles into the air, it is arguably less than what is caused by drilling and mining for fossil fuels and
transporting the fuel. A wood stove tends to be carbon neutral, not much different from the carbon released by a fallen and decaying tree. Wood stoves have been in use for more than 400 years. If the homeowner has access to wood, harvesting it can keep the forest clean while providing a low-cost energy source. If there is no lumberjack at home with a roaring chainsaw, buying firewood is another possibility. I average about four cords per autumn and winter, and the heat from the living room warms my entire house. I use a small wood stove fan atop the stove to help move the warmth into other rooms.
For the most efficient burn, use hardwoods. Pine releases resins into the chimney, and that’s a good way to start a chimney fire. The wood should ideally be seasoned—that is, aged and dried—two years, but I have cheated and gone one year when the dead wood in my forest has been dead that long.
As the saying goes, you will get heat from wood four times. One, sawing the trees. Two, splitting the logs. Three, stacking the wood pile. Four, bringing the wood inside and feeding the fire.
And I love every step.
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Piece by Piece
T is for timeless. E for education. A for altruistic. C for cheerleader. H for haven. I is for inventor. N for nourishing. G for gardener. Put it all together and one can find themselves blessed to have had a teacher. Thanks to one of my elementary teachers, forty-eight years later give or take I still find myself occasionally singing do a deer a female deer, re, a drop of golden sun. Mi. A name I call myself. Fa. A long, long way to run. So, a needle pulling thread. La, a note to follow so. Ti. A drink with jam and bread. That brings us back to do.
Each time I write a Piece by Piece I think of the kind handwritten words from a middle school teacher on a research paper. If memory isn’t too faded, it was about the Civil
War era. Something tells me what I wrote was about people and life-story related.
I think about my high school typing teacher who was so thrilled at how fast I could type. I became a teacher’s aide in her class. I also became a part-time employee at her husband’s insurance agency for a brief time while in college. To an outsider, my adept skills in typing were why I was an aid and employee. For this teacher and I, it was mentorship and caring encouragement. Not for honing my typing abilities for future professional work but to hone my self-confidence for living life. I can still hear my speech teacher’s laughter during an improv assignment. I don’t remember specifics. Only that I was in partnership with
a classmate using phrases, words, or a shell story to ad lib a narrative, feeding off each other through the art of improving. To an introvert who struggled to be a center of attention coupled with not being a natural comedian, the teacher’s sincere enjoyment for what I said was the courage many times over when I first found myself giving presentations to audiences.
I think of my elementary librarian. Though she was not a teacher in title, she was the encourager for my love of reading. She could also read exceptionally well the stories not spoken aloud. She had two cots in a corner of the library. When my friend was not feeling well, and I pretended I wasn’t either, the librarian tucked both of us into the cots, intuning to the story
that two little girls didn’t want to separate. She was also wise in knowing that learning about connection and belonging was as important as learning cursive and multiplication. Soon another school year will begin where what is initially taught has no expiration date. Where unwavering devotion from a biggest fan also provides a safe space to experience comfort zones and stepping out of them. Where new adventures are always being created. Where seeds are planted and nourished to bloom. Put these all together and many a student will be blessed to have a teacher.
Christine Hassing https://christinehassing.com
80 Years Ago: The End of World War II
This September 2nd marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Lasting six years and one day, an estimated 80 million military and civilians, men, women, and children died during history’s bloodiest war.
It took time for the Allied nations to build their armaments, but once that happened, things happened quickly, from the Allied invasions of Italy and Normandy, to the liberation of Europe—including tens of thousands in death camps—by early 1945. Adolf Hitler’s war machine collapsed in April 1945, and he took his own life as Soviet troops captured Berlin. Germany unconditionally surrendered on May 8, 1945.
Even before Germany’s surrender, Allied leaders began planning large-scale transport of forces to the Pacific, turning their attention to Imperial Japan. The change in theaters of war was significant: Once Japan was defeated, the war would be over. However, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff estimated that to subdue all of Japan, half a million Americans might be killed and millions wounded. The planned invasion, involving 42 aircraft carriers, 24 battleships, 400 destroyers, thousands of aircraft and millions of troops, was named Operation Downfall. It was planned to begin November 1, 1945. However, behind the scenes, American scientists and the Army developed the atomic bomb, successfully testing it in New Mexico on July 20. President Harry Truman knew about the bomb when he met with Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Chinese President Chiang Kai-Shek at the Potsdam Conference, near Berlin in Allied-occupied Germany, from July 17 to August 2. (Stalin also knew about the bomb, through Soviet spies working on the Manhattan Project.) On July 26, the Potsdam Declaration called for the unconditional surrender of Japan, with the alternative being “prompt and utter destruction,” without mentioning the bomb. Although Emperor Hirohito favored peace negotiations—instead of surrender or destruction of his country—several Japanese military leaders wanted to fight on, so the war
continued.
On the morning of August 6, three American B-29 bombers flew six hours from Tinian Island in the Northern Marianas to the Japanese mainland island of Honshu, where the lead aircraft, the Enola Gay, dropped an atomic bomb on the industrial city of Hiroshima. President Truman confirmed the existence of the weapon and warned Imperial Japan that if it did not surrender, more atomic bombs would fall. Still no surrender.
Three days later, the Soviet Union—which for six years had agreed not to declare war on Japan— finally did so. Hours later, the U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Japan, on Nagasaki.
On April 13, B-29s dropped leaflets on Tokyo, including the Imperial Palace, urging leaders to surrender.
On April 14, following a temporary halt to bombing, America conducted
the largest and longest raid of the Pacific War, sending more than 1,000 B-29s over Japan. Emperor Hirohito ordered his Supreme Council to accept the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, and they finally agreed to surrender. On April 15, Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender to Japan and the world, and massive celebrations broke out across the world. On August 19, Japanese diplomats began meeting with Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur to learn his plans for occupation, which began nine days later.
At 9:00 on the morning of September 2, 1945, more than 250 allied vessels gathered in Tokyo Bay to witness the surrender ceremony aboard the deck of the USS Missouri. Atop a small, rectangular table covered with a green felt, two copies of the surrender document were placed, one for the Allies and one for the Japanese.
One by one, the documents were signed by representatives of Japan, the United States, China, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and France, with Gen. MacArthur signing on behalf of all the Allied nations. The ceremony ended with a flyover by 800 military aircraft including 462 B-29s.
Some Japanese leaders stood trial for war crimes, but MacArthur asked Hirohito to continue as emperor in order to preserve order. Over time, after 80 million deaths and untold suffering, Japan and Germany became some of our closest allies in history.
Tony Ettwein
HistoryZoo1837@gmail.com
Photo A. Newspapers around the world excitedly told people the good news about peace but reminded them of what many had lost during the war.
New School Year, Same Fears? Let’s
Back-to-School Anxiety & Bullying
Helping Your Child Navigate Back-toSchool Stress & Bullying
As the school year approaches, many kids feel excited—ready to reconnect with friends, show off their new outfits, and meet their teachers. But for others, the thought of returning to school brings anxiety, fear, and even physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches.
Some children dread academic pressure, struggle with early mornings, or worry about fitting in. Others may carry emotional scars from bullying last year—fearing they’ll face the same treatment again. These concerns can weigh heavily on their mental and physical well-being.
How Parents Can Help
You can ease your child’s transition by being proactive and emotionally present:
1. Re-establish Routines Early Start adjusting bedtime and morning routines a week or two before school starts to reduce stress and fatigue.
2. Create a Safe Space for Conversations
Let your child know they can talk to you about their fears or worries without judgment. Ask questions like:
• “Is there anything about school that’s making you nervous?”
• “Is there anyone you’re not looking forward to seeing?”
3. Support Their Emotional & Academic Needs
• Therapists can help your child process emotions, anxiety, or past trauma.
• Tutors can help them feel more confident academically.
• Visual schedules and structured routines can reduce uncertainty and increase confidence.
4. Collaborate With the School
Reach out to the school counselor or teacher to create a plan of support. If bullying was an issue last year, schedule a meeting before school starts to ensure your child feels protected and heard.
5. Encourage Social Connection
Arrange low-pressure opportunities for your child to reconnect with friends before the first day—playdates, sports, or even casual meetups.
Bullying: What You Need to Know
Bullying—whether verbal, physical, or online—has lasting effects. Victims often feel:
• Isolated, rejected, or excluded
• Anxious or depressed
• Unsure of their identity or selfworth
Without support, bullying can lead to serious long-term challenges like:
• Difficulty forming relationships
• Low self-esteem or anger
• Risky behaviors, school avoidance, or even PTSD
Cyberbullying is especially concerning. Unlike in the past, kids today can’t “escape” bullying when they get home—texts, social media, and gaming platforms keep the harassment going 24/7. According to the CDC, nearly 16% of high school students have experienced online bullying, and L1ght reports a 70% increase since the pandemic.
Evidence-Based Bullying Prevention Programs
Ask your school if they use any of these proven programs:
• KiVa
• Restorative Justice
• PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
• Second Step
• Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP)
• Good Behavior Game
• CHAMPS
• Capturing Kids’ Hearts
• The Leader in Me
While these programs are helpful, parents play the most critical role in prevention. It’s not just the school’s job—it takes all of us.
What You Can Do Right Now
• Check in regularly with your child—emotionally and academically.
• Set screen time boundaries and monitor online activity.
• Model healthy communication and empathy.
• Reach out for help if you notice signs of distress or withdrawal.
Resources for Families
• Stomp Out Bullying Help Chat (free & confidential for ages 13–24): www.stompoutbullying. org
• Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center: www.pacer.org/ bullying
• Find a therapist near you: www. psychologytoday.com
You are your child’s strongest advocate. With awareness, support, and early intervention, we can give our kids the tools they need to thrive— not just survive—this school year.
Dr. Julie Sorenson, DMFT, MA, LPC References
Gaffney H, 2021, Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying perpetration and victimization: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Cambelt System Review, 2021 Apr 5;17 (2) e1143. doi: 10.1002/cl2.1143. PMID: 37131921; PMCID: PMC8356322
Warner M, 2021, The impact of bullying on mental health, Psychiatric and Behavioral Sciences
Messy, Brave, and Beautiful: What Healing Really Looks Like
What Does Healing Really Look Like?
Healing is not always graceful or predictable. It doesn’t unfold like a perfectly written novel or a step-bystep plan. It can be chaotic, uneven, and filled with both progress and setbacks.
Sometimes, healing means getting out of bed when everything inside you wants to disappear. Sometimes, it’s allowing yourself to cry without judgment or writing a single honest sentence in your journal. It can look like going to therapy even when you don’t feel like talking, or turning down an invitation because rest is what your body craves.
Healing might feel like two steps forward and five steps back. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
In the therapeutic space, we often hear clients say, “I thought I’d be further along by now,” or, “Why am I still struggling with this?” And the truth is: time alone doesn’t heal. Intentional, supported time does.
In my experience working with clients through deep emotional pain, trauma, and grief, I’ve seen how impactful it is when people use the tools offered to them. It’s not about doing every assignment or technique perfectly—it’s about showing up. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.
Here’s what healing often includes:
• Showing up for yourself when you want to give up.
• Being honest about your pain, fears, and doubts.
• Leaning into support—whether
through therapy, community, or chosen family.
• Creating safety in your body and nervous system.
• Exploring meaning, even in heartbreak.
• Reclaiming your voice and boundaries.
• Allowing joy to return, even when it feels undeserved.
Healing is not the erasure of what happened. It’s the integration. It’s
being able to hold your story with tenderness instead of shame. It’s making room for your full self—including your pain and your potential.
Therapy is a sacred container for this work. When you find a therapist who sees you, hears you, and honors your journey, the process of healing deepens. It becomes more than just surviving—it becomes becoming. So if you’re reading this and wondering if you’re doing it right: if
you’re here, if you’re trying, if you’re breathing through the weight of it all—you are healing. Take your time. Trust your rhythm. And know that support is available. — With warmth, Dr. Julie Sorenson
A Fresh New Start Counseling & Consulting
Dr. Julie Sorenson, DMFT, MA, LPC
Recipes National Coffee Day!
Celebrate National Coffee Day all September long!
Stylist/Photographer: Laura Kurella
While coffee does offer us that wonderful sensory pleasure that comes from drinking it, doing so just might be help extend our lives as well, giving us more reason to raise a cup on National Coffee Day!
With studies indicating that regular coffee consumption appears to lower mortality from all causes, scientists are pointing to coffee’s ability to help many body systems function better overall.
Having a positive effect on the lungs, the caffeine in coffee functions as a weak bronchodilator, which helps open airways, and help reduce respiratory muscle fatigue. Studies show that even small amounts of caffeine can improve lung function for up to four hours, and other studies confirm that as a result coffee can help to reduce respiratory mortality. According to studies, coffee has shown to help prevent strokes, and just two cups per day can reduce our risk by up to twenty percent.
Coffee appears to help slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease as well. A study revealed that those who were coffee drinkers had lower tremor scores than those who were non-coffee drinkers, and that caf-
feine can assist in slowing down the neurodegeneration associated with this disease.
Considered a natural, psychoactive stimulant (by nearly every expert who has ever walked the Earth), coffee is able to increase dopamine levels in our brain from the moment it enters our bloodstream. This makes us not only feel more alert, but also boosts our ability to concentrate, and improves our mental alertness, too! In addition to its ability to enhance dopamine levels, coffee’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties are believed to help combat depression and improve overall mental health. In fact, a study found that drinking coffee can help reduce the risk of getting depressed, and other studies found that those who drank a few cups of coffee daily showed a lower risk of depression than those who drank only one or none. With other studies touting that coffee can help us manage diabetes, improve liver function, and even help us manage our weight, perhaps we should all take a moment to raise a cup and toast to our “good” health on National Coffee Day!
It’s also a good day to look around town to find some deals on a great cup of coffee or perhaps stock up on your favorite beans because this is the day when you are most apt to find bargain prices for all things coffee
bean!
A friend of mine, Paul Smith of Sturgis, MI., founded his own coffee shop (Five Lakes Coffee) some decades ago. He’s since built it into a successful franchise that spans multiple states because he’s developed an expertise on how to buy coffee.
Paul explained to me that the best way to buy coffee is in the raw bean state and direct from its growing source.
“Coffee beans are high in oil content,” he said, “which is a variable that greatly determines the freshness of the coffee you drink. Raw coffee beans offer you the longest shelf life because that is the bean in its natural state.”
Roasting beans stimulates the slow release of the precious oil in coffee that gives it that lovely aroma. The release of the oils is then sped up when the beans are ground. Hence, ground coffee will lose its flavor the fastest. This is quite similar to peppercorns, which hold their flavor indefinitely, but once grinded begin to fade in flavor.
Therefore, to have the freshest cup of coffee at home, it is best to select whole beans and grind them right before brewing.
If you want to experience superfresh coffee, select raw coffee beans then roast and grind yourself! Roasting coffee beans at home is not
as difficult as it might seem, especially if you have a hot air popcorn popper because it works perfectly. However, roasting beans can be a bit tricky because there is a small window of time between well-roasted and burnt beans. The window is very small, like how garlic behaves in a skillet or sugar being caramelized. Therefore, you must stay on top of it and be quick to stop the roasting promptly. This is best accomplished by quickly moving the freshly-roasted beans from the air popper (or whatever you use) onto a rimmed meta pan that can be slipped quickly into the freezer for a quick chill down. If you are up for that adventure, contact your favorite local coffee barista and ask if they sell raw beans. For the rest of us who have enough excitement in our lives, I highly suggest using this day to support a small, locally owned coffee shop in your neighborhood because when you invest in your community you are investing in yourself, too!
Here now are some simple yet marvelous ways to indulge in all things java throughout the spectacular month of September. Enjoy!
Laura Kurella is an award-winning home cook who loves to share recipes from her Michigan kitchen. She welcomes comments at laurakurella@yahoo. com.
Tiramisu Coffee
Yield: 1 serving
2 ounces very strong coffee or double espresso
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
8 ounces milk
1 teaspoon sugar or preferred sweetener
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract CREAM
1 tablespoon mascarpone (or cream) cheese, room temp
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, cold
2 teaspoons powdered sugar cocoa powder for dusting Make coffee or espresso then com-
bine it with the cocoa powder until cocoa dissolves.
Froth the milk with the sugar/sweetener and vanilla until it’s as hot as you would like and has as much foam as you want. Pour milk over the coffee/ espresso.
To make the cream: Place the cheese, heavy cream, and powdered sugar into a 1-cup jar. Whisk with a stick whisker (or close jar and shake it vigorously) until soft peaks form. Pour the cream over the top of the milk then dust it with a little more cocoa powder and serve.
Coffee Bean Almond Bark Recipes
Yield: 8 servings
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
Line a jellyroll pan with foil or parchment and set aside. Place chocolate in a glass bowl then microwave for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave at 20 second intervals,
stirring each time, until chocolate melts. Add instant coffee powder and stir well. Add nuts and mix well then pour out onto prepare pan. Spread into an even layer of desired thickness then let harden in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Once hard, lift foil/parchment to cause chocolate to crack naturally into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Java Shots
Yield: 1 serving
1 ounce pumpkin pie liqueur 1 ounce coffee (or liqueur) whipped cream cinnamon + cocoa nibs (optional) In a shaker filled with ice, combine
pumpkin pie piqueur with coffee (or liqueur) and shake until chilled then strain into shot glasses and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and cocoa nibs, if desired.
Marvelous Mocha Java Italian Affogato
Yield: 1 serving
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cream (optional)
Garnish: Dark chocolate squares (optional) Pour hot coffee into a mug. Stir in cocoa and sugar. Serve with a side of cream and dark chocolate, if desired.
Yield: 4 servings
1 pint ice cream, Chocolate, French Vanilla, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup coffee (hot or room temperature)
1/2 cup dark rum, optional
Into four dessert bowls or large coffee cups, place a 1/2 cup scoop of ice cream. Over each scoop, spoon two tablespoons of chocolate, then coffee then rum. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of nuts, if desired, then serve immediately.
After DAYS of working on an estate sale for a friend, pricing endless mounds of household whatnots, Julie, my most wonderful pickin’ bud EVER, and I needed a break from our arduous endeavors. (Note to those who do estate sales for a living - you have our FULL admiration and respect! Your skill and knowledge as you complete your task(s)are beyond compare! WHEW!)
Julie and I skedaddled out the door as quickly as we could to the awaiting Jeep. We were off!
Our pick was in the not too far Village of Galesburg. A mere hop, skip, and a jump from Mimi’s GigiMigi in Climax! Sounding like a day’s outing?!
Burgess Antique Center is housed in the historic 1913 Burgess Seed Co. building. The brick industrial appearance of the building lends well to keeping the antiques, and vintage wares well stored inside!
Ninety-two vendors fill 22,000 square feet of picking delight. This is NOT a place of a “quick look see”! You must plan for hours of looking and seeing! The store is rather like a maze to work through - bringing objects of oooo’s and aaaaahh’s at every turn!
I had the opportunity to speak with Rhonda, one of the owners, via the telephone prior to our arrival to the
center. Rhonda informed me that she and her husband purchased Burgess in 2011. After several months of renovations, Burgess opened in September of the same year. Over the years, the center has expanded to accommodate more vendors. There seems to always be a waiting list of peoples eager to sell their wares here. Rhonda encourages the vendors to follow the guidelines of “50 years, or older” to sell antiques, though admits this is not always the case. There is a wide array of junque to be hadfurniture, books, primitives, military, sports, and advertising items, jewelry, coins, and glassware, according to the flyer.
Over the years, Burgess Antique
Center has become a destination stop for buyers and pickers alikecoming from as far away as Hawaii! Many customers come year after year, making a special trip, hoping to find that special trinket, or treasure to take home. It’s always amazing to me what people collect! It may be something that reminds them of their childhood, evoking a special memory, or, sports memorabilia, or, military item. One never knows what may trigger one’s fancy! As I hear so many times, “I’ll know it when I see it!” Truly, as Julie and I perused the many shelves, display cabinets, and racks, we found our OWN treasures! Even as pickers, we realize we cannot be every place at every
time! Every picker has a different eye! That is what makes our business so much fun! My Julie loves military, and trusty rusty. Yet, lacy pretty, too! Amazing opposites! I love primitives! Victorian - ahhhh! Yet, I can pick MCM, and vintage clothing ANYTHING! - and, you will find this, and even more on TWO floors of vintage wonderment! As you step across the creaky wooden floors, think of the days gone by when the seed company sorted the next crop for the farmers, pushing one of those cool carts we have a yen to use for a coffee table, or perhaps sitting on a metal industrial stool?! Can you find an amazing old seed jar?! It might start your next collection!
Look about Burgess Antique Center! I bet ‘cha you may find one!
As of press time, just released, per Journey Junket, Burgess Antique Center is rated #4 of the top 30 antique shops to visit in the state of Michigan!” Congratulations to you, Burgess!
Burgess Antique Center
67 East Battle Creek Street
Galesburg, MI 49053
Open 7days/wk. M-Sat. 10a-5:30p, Sun. 12pm -5:30pm
Cris Bronkema Mimi’s GigiMigi
Perhaps you’re one of those who believe we’re living in unusually stressful times. If you are, you’re not alone. Many of us say that we’re more stressed out than in the past and stress has the potential for affecting our health. Chronic stress can contribute to or worsen sleep problems, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, and depression. People often look to the medicine cabinet for relief, when there is a much simpler and safer way to handle stress: Take a Deep Breath. High stress situations make you feel tense because they activate the sympathetic nervous system. As a result, you breathe quickly and more shallow, your heart rate spikes, and your arteries narrow, thus raising your blood pressure.
Breathing deeply counteracts these reactions. It activates your diaphragm, a muscle at the bottom of your ribs, which stimulates the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to the abdomen. This, in turn, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers your stress hormones, slows breathing, and brings your heart rate and blood pressure back to normal. The result is that you start feeling more relaxed.
Of course, deep breathing won’t eliminate all of your tension. But plenty of studies have found positive effects. A review in 2019 of three
Take a Deep Breath
studies found that deep breathing exercises resulted in a reduction of stress levels and a short-term drop in blood pressure.
Most people breathe shallowly throughout their day. To learn how to breathe deeply, lie on your back, slowly inhale, letting your rib cage expand and your stomach rise; then exhale, letting them contract and fall. Over time, deep breathing more often may become natural to you.
Here are a couple of techniques that you can practice and find the one
that suits you the best:
Box Breathing: Inhale to a count of four, hold your breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold again for a count of four.
4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale through your nose for four counts, then hold your breath for seven counts. Then slowly exhale through your nose for eight counts.
Alternate Nostril Breathing: Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale. Close your left nostril with your ring finger and release your
thumb; exhale, then inhale. Close your right nostril and exhale. Start again.
Deep breathing may even be more effective at reducing stress when it’s done as part of another activity. For example, yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi focus on your breath while going through the various postures and poses. Another is mindful meditation. Paying close attention to your breathing allows you to focus on the present moment, and not what’s for dinner.
Finally, how about a walk in nature! Research has found that being in a natural setting for just 20 minutes can lower stress hormones. If getting outside is difficult, some evidence suggests that even looking out a window at a natural setting may help. The Greater Kalamazoo environment has an abundance of parks and open spaces, many of which have lakes and rivers to add to the outdoor experience.
Perhaps we can reduce our stress levels without opening the medicine cabinet. By the way, being kind is a sure-fire way of reducing stress. MAKE your day and someone else’s day great! Till next time.
Ken Dettloff ACE Personal and Brain Health Trainer
Cats. Loyal companions and soothers of the soul. Over the years we’ve lived with ten felines that have shown us unconditional love and vice versa. I can’t imagine life without them, and I look forward to being happily reunited with them all when I cross the Rainbow Bridge someday.
Here are a few interesting cat adventures we’ve had:
CAUTION: Don’t do what I did in the following situation. If you sense anything going on with your heart, immediately head to the ER.
William the cat, in my opinion, saved me from a trip to the ER. I’d been taking a new med for a while and noticed my heart rate seemed to be increasing when I got into bed at night. I can usually bring down my heart rate with mindfulness or meditation. Then one night I woke up with my heart really pounding and I wondered if this would be the night when I took my first trip to the ER because I couldn’t meditate the rate down this time. As I was getting more alarmed, I heard William jump off his cat tree on the other side of the house and race into the bedroom, then gently step onto my heart. I thought about pushing him off until I remembered that service animals can calm people down, so I let him stay. He started turning gentle circles on my heart like a massage and eventu-
Cat Tales
ally curled up on my chest. I began feeling my heart rate slow until it became normal again. I feel he saved me from harm that night, my loyal little throw-away black kitten who was found in the middle of an intersection. BTW, I stopped taking that particular medicine.
Francine was our cat who went outside on a leash like a dog. One day she decided to explore under the deck. Of course, she wrapped her leash tightly around a center support
under the deck where we couldn’t reach her. Result: We had to take up boards from the new deck to get her out. Not fun.
Hazel was an indoor cat. One night we heard her outside crying. She’d managed to sneak outside. We went outside in our PJs to bring her in. Every time we approached her, she ran onto a neighbor’s lawn. Still in our jammies, we snuck across to the neighbor’s lawn and as we approached, she ran onto another
neighbor’s lawn. Repeat this for three more lawns. As we chased her down the street, any neighbor up that late got to see the Murray’s in their pajamas running down the street at night loudly whispering, “Hazel! Hazel!” Scooter the traveler. We bought a new sofa, and they hauled away our old one. Later we realized we hadn’t seen Scooter all day. We scoured the house and no Scooter. Then we thought, no, she couldn’t have! Sure enough, Scooter had hidden in the old sofa and took a ride to the furniture store inside their delivery truck. We called the store, and they said the old sofa was still on the truck, so they’d check it out. When they did, Scooter leaped out of the truck and ran into a trash filled culvert behind the store. The wonderful moving guys ran into the culvert and rescued her. My advice? Adopt a cat (or dog), especially the older pets who are more settled in their ways. You’ll gain a new family member and rescued pets never forget who saved them and they’re always grateful. There’s a friend waiting for you at the rescue right now. Meow.
Ann Murray is an award-winning commercial illustrator and author. She has illustrated 8 children’s books, and her stories have been in three published anthologies.
KZOO CREAM FROSTED WHISPERS cookies
I met Kristi Potts, owner of KZoo Cream Frosted Whispers cookies, in mid-July at the Kalamazoo Farmer’s Market. You can’t miss her brightly colored outfit and the crowd that surrounded her booth, sampling her irresistible cream cheese, sugar cookie creations.
My boyfriend, Steve, and I, quickly joined the crowd, I tasted the signature, almond cookie, while Steve, who loves all things lemon, chose the lemon. Kristi encouraged us to also sample her limited-edition seasonal flavors, strawberry and creamsicle. We were blown away by the flavor and texture of the cookies, topped with the perfect amount of amount of thick, creamy frosting. We purchased a box of 10 mixed flavored cookies for just $5, to share with friends that evening. Needless to say, the cookies were a huge hit! Cookies are sold individually for $1.
The name “Frosted Whispers,” perfectly describes these special cookies, made from only the highest quality ingredients, including real butter, Michigan sugar, local eggs from Bailey Farms in Schoolcraft, and local fruits from the Schultz Family in Mattawan, to create a cookie bursting with flavor and texture. The cookies have no preservatives, artificial flavors or nuts and they are baked at a no waste kitchen. Whether you’re in the mood for a classic cookie or something a little more adventurous, KZoo Cream Frosted Whispers has you covered.
The cookies are made fresh from scratch every day. They are created and baked for you, right here in Kalamazoo. Kristi began KZoo Cream Frosted Whispers, sharing her irresistible treats with the community at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market
every Saturday during this market season.
Kristi has recently realized her dream of owning a brick-andmortar store with the purchase of the building and property at 1502 S. Westnedge, near Crosstown Parkway. The building was originally a Dairy Queen and a variety of other businesses over the years, including: Galley, Subs and Taco Bob’s. Westnedge
ered cookies door-to-door to her new neighbors.
Kristi is a 2nd generation baker dedicated to preserving her mother, Sue Potts’, secret recipe that has been passed down for generations. Sue was a home economics teacher at Portage Public Schools for 30 years
and has a cult following for her decadent desserts.
Kristi is proud to follow in her mother’s footsteps, carefully perfecting the cookie recipe. She has also been conducting primary research across SW Michigan for the past year to clearly define her target market. “This is a women owned and family run small business. These cookies are crafted with love and care, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience,” says, Kristi.
KZoo Cream Frosted Whispers was the recipient of start-up funding provided by Michigan Women Forward (MWF) in Grand Rapids. Kristi has been rapidly growing her cookie business and this program has assisted her in expanding production and sales, while increasing creating awareness with marketing campaigns. Come and experience the magic of KZoo Cream Frosted Whispers sugar cookies for yourself! Visit them at the Kalamazoo Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7am-1pm, and at their new location at 1502 S. Westnedge – open Tues. Wed. & Fri. 7am-6pm, Thurs. by appointment, and Sat. 3-10pm. Pre-orders, custom orders and corporate gifting orders are welcome. Call or text Kristi by phone at (269) 599-1849 or email: KzooCream@gmail.com. Order now - KZoo Cream is on DOORDASH during regular hours and some latenight hours.
Watch for their lighted neon sign “FRESH COOKIES FREE” to be on and receive a FREE fresh cookie. The lighted sign means the oven is on and KZoo Cream is baking. There is no designated time, so watch for it as you drive by.
Jackie Merriam
Hill residents and businesses have been very supportive as Kristi has been introducing herself and deliv-
RETURNS FOR ITS FOURTH YEAR IN KALAMAZOO
The acclaimed Sounds of the Zoo music festival returns this fall for its fourth year, taking place across downtown Kalamazoo from Sept. 22-28. The free, multicultural, citywide celebration will feature a diverse lineup of local, regional, national, and international musicians alongside community panels and workshops.
Founded in 2022, Sounds of the Zoo is a grassroots initiative rooted in the belief that music can serve as a catalyst for connection, social impact, and positive change. The festival’s mission, creating change through music, comes to life through a week of inclusive, accessible programming
designed to uplift voices, inspire collaboration, and empower artists and audiences alike.
Highlights of this family-friendly festival will include:
50 live performances across downtown venues and public spaces
A wide range of genres including jazz, hip-hop, folk, world music, and soul.
Free educational panels and industry meetups.
Community engagement focused on sustainability, wellness, and celebrating cultural diversity.
New in 2025, this year’s festival will feature a premiere and new traditions,
Jackie Merriam are taking an exciting trip to Italy!
We love to travel and would love to have you along with us. Feel free to contact Steve Ellis at 269-720-8157 or steve@swmspark.com For more information, contact Collette 1-800-581-8942 • Please refer to booking #1363599
including:
A premiere of Kalamazoo Gals, a short documentary honoring the women who built Gibson guitars during WWII, with public screenings in Bronson Park on Sept. 26-27.
The launch of a second-line parade, ending at Bronson Park on Friday, Sept. 26. The entire community is invited to join in a lively, participatory tradition celebrating Kalamazoo’s deep musical roots and vibrant future.
“Sounds of the Zoo is about building community through music,” said Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, the festival’s founder and director. “We want Kalamazoo to be recognized
as a music city; a place where people come together to connect, heal, and grow through art.”
The festival is made possible through the support of community partners, local businesses, and volunteers. With momentum growing each year, Sounds of the Zoo is becoming a signature event for the region and a model for accessible, communityfocused festivals nationwide.
For more information about Sounds of the Zoo, visit soundsofthezoo.com.
Jennifer Hudson-Prenkert, Founder Sounds of the Zoo
environment Waste Not, Want Not
For far too many evenings, a regular feature of my routine is to open my refrigerator and survey the variety of half-eaten meals that are lined up on the shelves, waiting to be warmed in the microwave and finished. Which of the Styrofoam (ugh!) containers should I “nuke” tonight? Is this just too old? Does it pass the smell test? It’s clear to me that this isn’t the most nutritional way to live.
It also reflects a conundrum. Living alone, I find cooking to be a real chore. I’m okay at it, but many of my recipes make too much! I wind up with a half-gallon of soup or six servings of mac and cheese. Who would make one mashed potato? I sometimes enjoy inviting a friend for dinner, and that is an excellent solution for both of us, but it’s easier (and frequently, I daresay, just as economical) to go out. Hence, the proliferation of take-out containers, which are problematic in their own right!
This year, both Kalamazoo and Portage have embarked on trial residential food scrap collection programs. Herby-sized bins have been distributed to sites around the cities, and residents are encouraged to drop off kitchen waste - either loose, or in commercially compostable plastic bags. There is a list of the food scrap drop off sites for both cities on their city.gov pages. The materials are picked up and turned into soil that can be used as natural fertilizer, either by the city or sold as an amendment to garden soil.
There is a drop-off site right in my Portage neighborhood, and I›ve gone all in for composting! I am utterly amazed at the variety and volume of scraps that are generated by «little old» me. Watermelon rinds – in the kitchen compost bin! Peach trimmings – in the bin! Potato peels and green bean stems – ditto. Leftovers of all descriptions go right into the little bucket that lives beside the sink! Once or twice a week, before the fruit flies have had a chance to begin their infestation, it all gets deposited in the big green dumpster just a block away. Does it take a little effort? Sure. However, my Internet research suggests that it›s well worth the minimal energy and planning required to participate in a critical environmental intervention. In Portage, composting services have been contracted to My Green Michigan (www.mygreenmi. com), a locally-owned, state-registered company with expertise in large-scale processing of food byproducts to render the waste mate-
rial into fertile, nutrient-rich «black gold,” highly prized by local farmers and home gardeners.
Depending on which study is referenced, between 25 and 40% of garbage entering landfill systems is made of organic material, most of which is kitchen waste. Studies have repeatedly shown that it is the primary component of household refuse. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the «average» American generates about 4-1/2 pounds of food waste per day. The bacterial decay of these materials in a landfill produces copious amounts of carbon dioxide, the well-studied culprit responsible for trapping and holding heat in the lower atmosphere.
Methane, commonly known as natural gas, is also generated in significant amounts. Methane is another greenhouse emission, but it is much more potent (25X) than carbon dioxide as a heat-trapping agent. (You might remember the news stories that described the climate warming effects attributed to cow farts. Same gas!) When traveling near landfills, it is common to see pipes emitting outgassing methane from the community trash pit into the atmosphere, where they are sometimes identifiable by the flare produced due to its controlled burning. This strategy reduces the chance of an accidental explosion. Diversion of household food scrap waste to make compost provides an environmentally sound and economically profitable solution to the problem of decreased landfill space availability and the many potential pollution dangers associated with long-term degradation of household trash.
Reduction of food waste is even more important than dealing with it after it is in our homes and food service facilities. Being realistic about the amount that I purchase and cook is one way to cut down on unwanted leftovers. I›ve learned that even if the large-sized package is «cheaper» per unit, if I don›t use it or it goes stale, it really wasn›t much of a bargain. According to a pilot composting sustainability study run by the City of Kalamazoo in the fall of 2020, 42 residents produced just over 100 gallons of food trash during the oneweek trial period. Just over a couple of gallons. Not very much. Considerably lower than the amount cited by the EPA, but still significant. In contrast, a study published by a student group as part of their coursework in sustainability stud-
ies at Western Michigan University actually measured and calculated the mass of edible waste generated in two residence halls. Fully 38% of the total mass of the meals produced was discarded. One interesting finding proposed by the student researchers was that simply eliminating the use of self-service food trays significantly cut down on the amount of uneaten food that was discarded. I guess my mother was right when she said that sometimes your eyes are bigger than your belly. I›ve been to enough buffets to know that is surely true! Perhaps our dining out habits are related to getting our money›s worth, but the cost to the Earth as an ecosystem is enormous and unsustainable.
To me, the most inspiring solution to the problem of waste reduction has come from my recent involvement in food «rescue.» Earlier this year, I saw a local news segment about the Kalamazoo Valley Gleaners. Gleaning is defined as gathering - bit by bit. It is referenced in the Old Testament of the Bible as the practice of leaving a bit of leftover crop around the edges of a farmer›s field. These remainders could then be gathered to feed the poor and disadvantaged. The practice was decreed by Hebrew law as a way of expressing gratitude, compassion, and generosity. Here in the Kalamazoo area, this practice has been manifested as a ministry to feed some of the many hungry in the world by using the agricultural bounty of our fertile soil, plentiful water, and temperate climate. According to the World Food Programme (www.wfp. org), the world›s largest humanitarian organization, as referenced in Kalamazoo Valley Gleaner literature, «more than 25% (63 million tons) of all produce grown in North America is plowed under or sent to landfills because it›s the wrong size, shape, or color.» The Gleaners have established relationships with local farmers and wholesalers to receive some of this unwanted, but fully usable, nutritious food. It is at a processing center right here in Kalamazoo where the food is cleaned, trimmed, and chopped. The chopped material (potatoes, carrots, asparagus, and other fresh produce) is then spread on trays and dehydrated into flakes that are packaged and distributed to refugee camps, orphanages, and schools in countries without access to adequate food supplies. The food we cast off in such a cavalier manner is feeding starving people in Africa and South America, as well as other areas where the needs are critical and resources scarce. All of this is
made possible at no cost to recipients of the aid through charitable donations and the work of many local volunteers. I am one of them.
It is abundantly clear that few of us are in a position to make a massive contribution to either saving the world literally through our conservation and/or recycling efforts. Likewise, I can›t hold and feed a starving child. What I can do, right here in Kalamazoo, is become part of something bigger. My one pair of arthritic hands can only do a little, but that›s important – maybe not to the whole world, but it is to that one child (and sorrowful parent) who is less hungry for just another day.
As I›m writing this, I›m starting to cry, so it›s time to stop. Please consider what your own hands can do. The needs of our own cities, country, and the world are so great. Wherever you find your passion, do something to make life a little easier. It seems to me that it’s the least we can do in gratitude for the many gifts we enjoy every day. Peace out!
Cheryl Hach
Retired Science Teacher
Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center
References:
Dever, S. (2020, November 5). Community composting trial in Vine leads the way for Kalamazoo’s neighborhoods. Second Wave Southwest Michigan. Retrieved August 6, 2025, from https://www.secondwavemedia. com/southwest-michigan/features/ Community-composting-trial-inVine-leads-the-way-for-Kalamazoos-neighborhoods-110520.aspx
Bolak, G., Huggett, L., Koziatek, R., Ratliff, F., & Susemihl, C. (n.d.). Reducing Food Waste at Western Michigan University: Cafeteria Food Waste Removal, Food Waste Audits & Composting. ENVS 4100: Appropriate Technology and Sustainability Living Laboratory. Retrieved August 6, 2025, from https://files.wmich. edu/s3fs-public/attachments/%20 %20FINALFoodWasteGroup08.pdf [WWMT]. (2025, January 16). Kalamazoo Valley Gleaners turns imperfect produce into meals and reduces food waste [Video]. Wwmt. com. https://wwmt.com/news/local/ kalamazoo-valley-gleaners-feedinghungry-imperfect-produce-mealsfood-waster-reduction-communitytackling-hunger-michigan
FREE september Events
Mondays, Sept. 1,8,15,22,29 Family Storytime 10-11am, Books, songs, more! Vicksburg Library
Mondays, Sept. 1,8,15,22,29 Comstock Farmers Market 3-7pm, Merrill Park
Mondays, Sept. 1,8,15,22,29 Cruis- In’s at Dean’s Ice Cream in Plainwell, 5-8pm
Tuesdays, Sept. 2,9,16,23,30 Kalamazoo Mini Farmers Market, 8am-1pm, 1204 Bank St.
Tuesdays, Sept. 2,9,16,23,30 Preschool Workshop, 10:15am Ages 3-5, Richland Library
Tuesday, September 2 Craft Stitching Group, bring your craft, 1-4pm, Parchment Library
Tuesdays, Sept. 2,9,16,23,30 Weekly Gaming, grades 6-12, 3-5pm, Richland Library
Tuesday, September 2
Art 101: Beginner Crochet, 6pm, Register @ Richland Library
Tuesdays, Sept. 2,9,16,23,30 Trivia @ 468 Wine, 6:30-8:30, 8842 Portage Rd., Portage
Tuesdays, Sept. 2,9,16,23,30 Trivia Night, 7-9pm Louie’s Trophy House
Wednesdays, Sept. 3, 17
Mugs & Hugs, stories, activities, play, 10-11am, Vicksburg Library
Wednesday, Sept. 3,10,17,24
Wednesday Wigglers, infant/Toddler, 10:15am, Richland Library
Wednesdays, Sept. 3,10,17,24
Teen Dungeons & Dragons, 3-5pm, grades 6-12, Register: 629-9085, Richland Library
Wednesdays, Sept. 3,10,17,24 Richland Farmers Market, 3-6, @ Richland Community Center
Wednesdays, Sept. 3,10,17,24 Cruise In’s & Live Music, Gilmore Car Museum, 5-8pm
Wednesdays, Sept. 3,10,17,24 Beats on Bates, Outdoor Concerts 5:30-8:30, Bates Alley, Kalamazoo
Wednesday, September 3
Community Conversation: LTC Grant Part 2, 6pm, Richland Library
Wednesdays, Sept. 3,10,17,24 Trivia at the Taproom, 7-9pm, Apoptosis Brewing Co., Kal.
Wednesday, September 3
Mexico en El Corazon, 7-9pm Miller Auditorium, Kalamazoo
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25 Kalamazoo Mini Farmers Market 8am-1pm, 1204 Bank St.
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Allegan Farmers Market, 8am-2pm, Corner of Water & Cutler St.
Thursday, September 4
Adult Book Club: The Light Eaters By Zoe Schlanger, 9:30-10:30
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Free Thursdays, 11am-8pm, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Plainwell Farmers Market
3-6:30pm, 200 Allegan St.
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Teen Dungeons & Dragons, 4:30-6:30pm, Register: 629-9085, Richland Library
Thursday, September 4
Gallery Gathering: Liu Kuo Sung’s which is Earth No. 42 5:30-6pm, register: 349-7775 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Thursday, September 4
Wine & Euchre, 6-8pm, Sign up ahead, 468 Wine, Portage
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Triple Threat Trivia, 6:30pm Presidential Brewing Co.
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
King Trivia, 7-9pm, Gull Lake Distilling Co., Galesburg
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Music Extreme Bingo, 7pm Shakespeare’s Pub
Thursdays, Sept. 4,11,18,25
Music Bingo, 7-9pm, Louie’s Trophy House, Kalamazoo
Fridays, Sept. 5,12,19,26 Sit N’ Stitch, 10am-12pm
Fridays, Sept. 5,12,19,26
Family Story Time, 10:15am, All ages, Richland Library
Friday, September 5
Memory Café – for people with Mild dementia and their care Partners, 10:30am – Noon Paw Paw District Library
Friday, September 5
Live Music: Kody Bryant, 7pm Fletcher’s Pub Texas Corners
Fridays, Sept. 5,12,19,26
Live Music @ The Dock at Bayview, 8pm-12am
Saturdays, Sept. 6,13,20,27
Kalamazoo Farmers Market 7am-1pm, 1204 Bank St.
Saturdays, Sept. 6,13,20,27 Texas Township Farmers Market 8am-Noon, 7110 Q. Ave.
Saturdays, Sept. 6,13,20,27
Otsego Farmers Market 9am-2pm, 112 Kalamazoo St.
Saturday, September 6
Kalamazoo Scottish Festival, 9am-5pm, Kindleberger Park In Parchment
Saturday, September 6
Fall Open House, 10-6 Passiflora, Plainwell
Saturday, September 6
ScribbleMonster, 12:301:30, Maple Lake Amphitheater, Paw Paw
Saturdays, Sept. 6,13,20,27
Live Music, The Dock @ Bayview, 8pm
Saturday, September 6
Karaoke & Dance Night Back Alley Saloon, 9pm12am, Continental Lanes
Sundays, Sept. 7,14,21,28
Portage Farmer’s Market 9am-1pm, Portage City Hall
Mondays, August 4,11,18,25
Family Storytime 10-11am, Books, songs, more! Vicksburg Library
Monday, September 8
Parchment Book Group: MidNight Library by Matt Haig, 6pm, Parchment Library
Tuesday, September 9
Scrabble Club for Adults, 1-2:30, Vicksburg Library
Tuesday, September 9
Bookbook Club: Come Hungry By Melissa Ben-Ishay, Try recipe & bring a dish to share 6pm, Richland Library
Tuesday, September 9
Chronicles of Cass County Presented by author Rose Mary Wood, 6-7:30pm Paw Paw Library
Wednesdays, Sept. 10,17,24
Preschool Storytime, 10am, Parchment Library
Wednesday, September 10
Birds & Coffee Chat on Zoom: Backyard Habitat, 10-11am, register: birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu
Wednesday, September 10
ArtBreak: Enhancing TradIonal Art with Digital Tools 12-1pm, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Wednesday Sept. 10, 17
Adult Dungeons & Dragons 9/10-5-8pm, 9/17-3-6pm, Register @ Richland Library
Wednesday, September 10
Seed Saving 101 by Bevin Cohen, 6pm, Richland Library
Thursdays, Sept. 11,18,25 Preschool Storytime, 10am Parchment Library
Thursday, Sept. 11, 25 Teen Break & Bulldog Break, A safe place for teens & tweens Under 18. Crafts, games & treats, 2:45-4:45, Vicksburg Library
Thursday, September 11
Writer’s Motivational Group, 4-5pm, Vicksburg Library
Thursday, September 11
iNoche De Familia: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Mo., 6-7:30pm, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Thursday, September 11
Friends Read Book Club – share What you are reading & snacks 6:30-7:30pm, Paw Paw Library
Thursday, September 11
Michigan County Poor Farms, 7pm, Richland Library
Fridays, Sept. 12,19,26
Self-Care September, 3-5pm 9/12 – Yoga & Mindfulness 9/19 – Skincare & Nail Care 9/26 – Animals & You Grades 6-12, Richland Library
Friday, September 12
50th Anniversary Celebration Music, food trucks, 70’s trivia Costumes, bounce house, more! 5-7:30pm, Richland Library
Saturday, September 13
Garage & Bake Sale, 9am-2pm Scott’s UM Church
Saturday, September 13
Internet Users group, bring Smart Phones, 10am-Noon & questions, Paw Paw Library
Saturday, September 13
Art Detectives: Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein, 10:30-noon Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Saturday, September 13
Free Professional Headshots: Seyanna Grace Photography,11am-1pm, Register @ Richland Library
Saturday, September 13
Fired Together: A Community Celebration of Clay, 11am-2pm Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Saturday, September 13 Portage Oktoberfest, 2-7pm South Westnedge Park
Saturday, September 13
Slap your Tail Comedy Open Mic Night, 7:30-9:30pm Dormouse Theatre, Kalamazoo
Sunday, September 14
Vintage in the Zoo, 10am-5pm 1204 Bank St., Kalamazoo
Monday, September 15
STEAM event & activity 11am-noon, Vicksburg Library
Monday, September 15
Saving for College with MET & MESP, 6:30pm, Parchment Library
Tuesday, September 16
Lego & Duplo Club, 1-2pm & 5:30 – 6:30pm, Vicksburg Library
Tuesday, September 16
Mystery Book Club: The Long Call by Ann Cleaves, 6:30pm Parchment Library
Wednesday, September 17
Book Discussion: Black in Blues:How a Color Tells a story of My People, 2-3pm, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Wednesday, September 17 Bubbleman Ron Lloyd, 6-7pm, Paw Paw Library
Thursday, September 18
Kalamazoo Night Market, 5-10pm, 1204 Bank St., Kal.
Thursday, September 18
RCL Book Club: Frozen River By Ariel Lawhon, 6pm Richland Library
Thursday, September 18
STEAM event & activity 6-7pm, Vicksburg Library
Thursday, September 18
Back to School Button Making Grades 6-8, 6pm Parchment Library
Thursday, September 18
Artful Evening: Chinese Ink Painting Workshop, 6-8pm Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Thursday, September 18
The Heartbreak Book Club: Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner, 6:30-7:30pm, Paw Paw Library
Friday, September 19
Fiber Friends, bring your Project & lunch, 10am-2pm, Parchment Library
Friday, September 19
Vicksburg Library @ The Vicksburg Farmers Market in the Pavillion, fun activities, 2-6pm
Saturday, September 20
36th Anniversary Party, 10am4pm, Hobby Sports, Portage
Saturday, September 20
Once Upon a Saturday, all ages 10:15am, Richland Library
Saturday, September 20
Adorable Artsy Robots, 11am3pm, Kal. Institute of Arts
Saturday, September 20
Canadian Fest, 1-11pm Arcadia Festival Site, Kal.
Sunday, September 21
Portage Fall Fest, 10am2pm, Celery Flats, Portage
Monday, September 22
Read Aquiet for Adults,10 :3012pm, Vicksburg Library
Monday, September 22
Mini Pumpkin Painting, Grades 6-8, 5:30pm, Register ahead, Parchment Library
Mon. Sept. 22 – Sun. Sept. 28 Sounds of the Zoo Music Fest Various locations in Kalamazoo Soundsofthezoo.com
Tuesday, September 23
Music Bingo, Trivia meets Bingo, all ages, 6-7:30pm Paw Paw Library
Tuesday, September 23
Team Jeopardy Trivia Night, 7pm, Register @ Richland Library
Wednesday, September 24
LEGO Challenge, PreK-5th grade, 2-5:30pm, Richland Library
Wednesday, September 24 Between the Pages Romance Book club, 6pm, Register: Richland Library, event at Ned’s on Gull Lk.
Thursday, September 25
Draw Cute Stuff Watercolor Class, grades 1st-5th, register: 269-9085, Richland Library
Thursday, September 25
The Power of Your Story, 6-8pm Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Thursday, September 25
Between the Lines Book Club: Red Island House by Andrea Lee 6:30-7:30pm, Paw Paw Library
Friday, September 26
Listen Up Book Club, an audiobook club for low Vision, 10:30-11:30, Paw Paw Library
Friday, September 26
Poetry Circle for Adults, 121pm, Vicksburg Library
Monday, September 29
Drop-in Board Game Day, (Grades 1-4), 1-3pm, Parchment Library
Monday, September 29
Parchment City Commission Candidate Forum, 6:30pm, Parchment Library