Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why Kalamazoo just put marijuana expungement workshops at the front of the line
You won't want to miss CANCELED Zoning Board of Appeals on the Kalamazoo Patch calendar
Hello again Kalamazoo! We're bringing you the latest town highlights. Don't miss out, keep going! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why Kalamazoo just put marijuana expungement workshops at the front of the line
- Meet the two Kalamazoo College professors just honored with endowed chairs.
- How Amberly Elementary's student body is quietly changing in Portage
Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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- Thursday: Mostly sunny and less humid, with a high of 81 and low of 60 degrees.
- Friday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 81, low: 62.
- Saturday: A shower and thunderstorm, with a high of 79 and low of 55 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Daily Cannabis News Brief for 8/19/2026 (themarijuanaherald.com) — Kalamazoo city commissioners have unanimously made marijuana expungement workshops a formal funding priority in the city's social equity program, which draws from local permit fees and state marijuana taxes. The move comes after six years without a successful social-equity-qualified marijuana business operating in the city, and could expand legal help for residents with past cannabis convictions. 
2. Kalamazoo College Names Two to Endowed Professorships (kzoo.edu) — Kalamazoo College has awarded endowed professorships to anthropologist Dominique Somda and religion scholar Taylor Petrey, highlighting their scholarship and service on campus. Somda leads African studies initiatives and Africa Month, while Petrey is known for his work on gender, sexuality, and religion, along with extensive teaching and leadership roles at the college.
3. 48 Hispanic students enrolled at Amberly Elementary in 2024-25 (kalamazootimes.com) — Families in the Portage–Kalamazoo area may notice growing diversity at Amberly Elementary, where Hispanic enrollment rose to 48 students in 2024–25, now 9.4% of the school. The report also tracks a decade of shifting demographics and notes broader statewide enrollment declines, especially among white students, across Michigan's public schools.
4. Coldwater varsity soccer team opens season with win at Kalamazoo Central (wtvbam.com) — Kalamazoo Central's boys soccer team fell 3–1 at home to Coldwater in Wednesday's season opener, despite briefly tying the match just after halftime. Coldwater's Abdulhamid Munassar scored twice late, while Kalamazoo Central managed only three shots in a game where the visitors dominated chances and JV play also ended in a draw.
📸 Around Kalamazoo
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🗓 Upcoming Events in Kalamazoo
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
- CANCELED Zoning Board of Appeals
Charter Township of Comstock 6138 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
4:00 pm - CMS Open House
Comstock Public Schools Comstock Middle School, 3100 N 26th St, Kalamazoo, MI 49048, U
5:00 pm - CES Open House
Comstock Public Schools Comstock Elementary School, 1423 N 28th St, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
5:30 pm - Lunch @ the Conversation Cafe
Comstock Community Center , 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI, 49048, United States
11:30 am - Texas Hold 'em Poker
Comstock Community Center , 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI, 49048, United States
12:00 pm - Food Pantry
Comstock Community Center , 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI, 49048, United States
1:00 pm - Ukulele Jam
Comstock Community Center , 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI, 49048, United States
4:00 pm
Tuesday August 25
Wednesday August 26
Tuesday September 1
📣 Kalamazoo Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- The Ashley Lynn Experience: All Live at Stoney Creek Metropark -Eastwood Beach →
Stony Creek Metropark, 4300 Main Park Dr, Shelby Township
7:00 pm - One Well Brewing – Kalamazoo →
One Well Brewing, 4213 Portage Street, Kalamazoo
6:00 pm - OPEN ROADS BIKE REPAIR
Parchment Community Library Outside
4:00 pm - Board of Education (Business) Meeting @ Parchment High School
Parchment School District 1916 E G Ave, Parchment, MI 49004, USA
6:00 pm - The Library Kitchen And Taphouse – Kalamazoo →
The Library Kitchen & Taphouse, 3725 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo
8:00 pm
Friday August 21
Sunday August 23
Monday August 24
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Well neighbors, knowing farewell the assortment of reviews this post will get,...
here goes! Breaking news, W. Maple St. cat caught high in a tree! Tx, K.D.P.S for coming to the rescue! No kitties where hurt in this rescue exercise… (Nextdoor Southside) - Wanted to share my Roma Pizza (Drake Rd) order- it was THE BEST pizza yet!
We've been going since the opened 1996 and it's MY favorite. I like to order ours par or half baked so I can get it home and baked at my leisure so… (Nextdoor Kalamazoo)
- Walgreen Company posted a job opening for Customer Service Associate in Kalamazoo. Apply here.
- Long John Silver's, LLC posted a job opening for Shift Manager in Kalamazoo. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Kalamazoo here.
Ok Kalamazoo! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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