Aya Miller

2 weeks ago | mlive.com | Aya Miller

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI -- Nearly 82% of third graders in the five largest Kalamazoo-area school districts are in classrooms with more than 20 students. MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette obtained the size of 2024-25 third grade classes of five districts through a Freedom of Information Act request:Kalamazoo Public SchoolsPortage Public SchoolsVicksburg Community SchoolsGull Lake Community SchoolsMattawan Consolidated SchoolWhile Michigan tracks student-to-teacher ratios, it does not track class size data.

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Aya Miller

PORTAGE, MI -- The circus is coming to Portage — this time with a watery theme. The Cirque Italia Water Circus will be performing at The Crossroads mall in Portage at 6650 S. Westnedge Ave. from Friday, June 6, to Sunday, June 8, for six performances. The show is “unlike anything you have ever seen before” and “family fun for all ages,” according to a press release from The Crossroads mall. Inside the big top tent, there will be acrobatics, “death-defying stunts” and dancers in 1960s-era costumes.

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Aya Miller

KALAMAZOO, MI ― A fire broke out and destroyed a structure near the Lincoln International Studies School in Kalamazoo early Thursday night. Officers with Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to the call of a vacant structure fire in the 900 block of North Burdick Street shortly after 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5, a representative from KDPS said. Classes were not being held in the school, 912 N. Burdick St., when the fire started.

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Aya Miller

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Trevon Hobson, a Michigan-born hip-hop artist who goes by the stage name “Skitzo,” never wanted to be a teacher. Nevertheless, the morning of Wednesday, June 4, Hobson was giving feedback to 12 middle school students in his “Hip-Hop for Self-Expression” class. Hobson piloted the class at Milwood Magnet School this year. Next year, he’ll teach the class to a full group of 25 to 29 students.

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Aya Miller

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Nurses with the Ascension health care system in Southwest Michigan are afraid their jobs may be at risk. Four Ascension hospitals in Michigan, two in Kalamazoo County and two in Allegan County, are being acquired by Beacon Health System, an Indiana-based nonprofit. Ownership is expected to change over this summer. Beacon Health System said in a statement it’s “committed” to continuing the employment of Ascension employees.