CONTENTS
M a y 2016
FEATURES Parents as Teachers
20
Growing Native
24
Program helps parents nurture children’s early development
Hello lobelia, goodbye lawn: Gardeners turn to native plants
Funny Friends Unite
Comedians come together to build thriving Kalamazoo comedy scene
32
DEPARTMENTS 7 Contributors Up Front 8 First Things — What’s happening in SW Michigan 10 Talking to Robots — Human-robot communication intrigues researchers
12 Good Works
Bigs in Business — Workplace fosters relationships for youth and adults
16 Enterprise
House Shows and Bandcamp — Kalamazoo bands forge new frontiers to promote music
46 Back Story
Meet John Liberty — He tells the area’s craft beer story one tour at a time
ARTS
30 ‘Anyone Can Do This’ Boheme Tribal Belly Dance teaches, performs and
inspires others
37 Events of Note 43 Poetry
On the cover: Jennifer Howell, stewardship director for Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, looks at blooming black-eyed Susans among the 80 acres of native prairie habitat at the Institute. Photo by Brian Powers.
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