Kristen Aguirre

1 month ago | nowkalamazoo.org | Kristen Aguirre

Even if you can’t smell the food when you pull up to the intersection of Portage and Washington in Kalamazoo’s Edison neighborhood, you’ll surely spot Tacos El Jefe’s bright red food truck: It represents the dream of immigrant Clado Velaques. “It feels good to be an owner and moving forward,” said Valaques, 45, of his business, which is only a year old. Velaques moved to the U.S. from Mexico nearly two decades ago, making a living by working in Mexican restaurants.

1 month ago | secondwavemedia.com | Kristen Aguirre

If you were in the Vine neighborhood Friday late afternoon you either heard the music, smelled the fish fry, or saw the community in Rob’s Barbershop parking lot on Vine Street. The community came together to encourage kids to read.

Mar 14, 2025 | nowkalamazoo.org | Kristen Aguirre

If you or a teen in your household plan to attend prom this year, start saving now. The average special-occasion gown at Memories bridal shop in Kalamazoo runs between $300 and $700, which doesn’t include accessories. It might seem like a teen would need a fairy godmother to pull off this look. That’s where Adrienne Wissner – the owner of Memories Bridal and Evening Wear Shop and the founder of The Cinderella Project of Kalamazoo – steps in to assist.

Dec 28, 2023 | nbc25news.com | Kristen Aguirre

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The American Heart Association estimates that on average someone in the U.S. dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds. One West Michigan man almost became part of that statistic — if it wasn’t for the quick actions on his wife. “I couldn’t wait to come back.," Jeff Brazda said. You’d think returning to the scene where you almost died might be a little scary but not everyone is Jeff Brazda. This past June he suffered cardiac arrest while playing pickleball.

Dec 28, 2023 | wsbt.com | Kristen Aguirre

The American Heart Association estimates that on average someone in the U.S. dies from cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds. One West Michigan man almost became part of that statistic — if it wasn’t for the quick actions on his wife. “I couldn’t wait to come back.," Jeff Brazda said. You’d think returning to the scene where you almost died might be a little scary but not everyone is Jeff Brazda. This past June he suffered cardiac arrest while playing pickleball.