Mitchell Kukulka

Michigan

Public Safety Reporter at MLive

Articles

Meet the Teacher: Grass Lake educator found her calling after a career change

2 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI - Education wasn’t Megan Kalmbach’s first choice of profession. After an important turning point in her life, she found that it was the right one. Kalmbach, 36, teaches fourth grade at George Long Elementary. She’s worked for Grass Lake Community Schools for the past six of the nine years. Despite having an interest in working with children from a young age, education wasn’t the first career path she explored.
Cracked and potholed road connecting to downtown Jackson to be reconstructed

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI - A well-worn stretch of road leading to Jackson’s downtown commercial district will get a new look starting next year. The Jackson City Council on Tuesday approved a $649,733 contract with the Michigan-based Hubble, Roth & Clark engineering company to handle the “East Side Commerce Corridor” reconstruction project.
Jackson property taxes to decrease in 2026 fiscal year budget

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI - Jackson anticipates a healthy “rainy day” fund balance and lower taxes in the upcoming fiscal year, city officials said. The combined millage rate for Jackson residents is projected to fall from 17.96 mills in the 2024/25 fiscal year to 17.26 next year - a decrease of about 0.7 mills - according to city budget estimates.
Jackson approves sale of 94-year-old building to Hayes Hotel developer

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI - A dilapidated Jackson building from the 1930s could get a new life in the coming months. The Jackson City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a purchase agreement for the sale of the aging facility located at 414 N. Jackson St.Developer Collier Gibson has submitted a $220,800 offer to buy the city-owned property, according to council documents.
Jackson schools targeted in suspected nationwide ‘swatting’ campaign

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI — A series of fake threats made to Jackson Public School could be tied to a nationwide “swatting” campaign, school officials said. District administrators will focus on keeping their schools safe following three consecutive days of lockdowns, brought about by threatening hoax phone calls, Superintendent Jeff Beal said in a Facebook post.
Free summer concerts return to Jackson College in 2025

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI — Jackson College’s annual free Summer Concert Series will return in 2025 with a mixture of indoor showcases and outdoor events. The series of six shows will include performances on the Potter Center back patio and in the Harold Sheffer Music Hall, the college announced in a news release.
Wrecking balls could start swinging at condemned, fire-damaged factory complex

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI — Wrecking balls could soon start swinging at a condemned, fire-stricken facility on Jackson’s north side. The Jackson County Land Bank Authority approved a $483,000 contract in March with North American Dismantling Corp. to handle the first phase of demolition at the vacant industrial complex at the corner of West North and Hamilton streets. A massive fire in August 2023 damaged or destroyed most of the buildings on the property. The State Land Bank Authority is reviewing the contract.
Meet the Teacher: Science educator values close bonds in his classroom

3 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

SPRINGPORT, MI - Kyle Hutchinson always had in the back of his mind that he wanted to be a teacher. He had a lifelong interest in science too, so instead of settling for one disciplinary path, he’s dabbled in a little bit of everything when it comes to the study of the natural world. Hutchinson, 31, teaches several science classes at Springport High School.
Quentin Tarantino’s favorite prison movie, and other films tied to Jackson

4 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI — Jackson might not appear on the silver screen as often as cities like New York or Los Angeles, but “Prison City” has produced an interesting variety of cinematic offerings. They include everything from risqué comedies about vacuum salesmen, historical dramas about escape artists and a prison flick that some critics — including the director of “Pulp Fiction” — consider to be one of the best ever.
‘Swatting’ call spurs lockdowns for Jackson schools for 3rd time in a week

4 weeks ago | mlive.com | Mitchell Kukulka

JACKSON, MI - A Jackson school district ordered lockdowns for the third day in a row Friday in what has become a series of threatening hoax phone calls. The Middle School at Parkside and Cascades School were put into lockdown at about 9:10 a.m. Friday, May 9, due to an attempted “swatting,” school officials said in a Facebook post. Swatting refers to an anonymous threatening phone call made to emergency services to prompt an armed police response.