Sarah Spohn

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s famous quote is at the heart of many history-making, groundbreaking and inspiring moments spread across generations. Remaining relevant in today, the quote also serves as this year’s prompt for the seventh annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Mid-Michigan Annual Art Contest.
In a pre...

FLINT, Michigan — The process of applying for college can be stressful, especially after seeing the estimated cost of tuition, books, and supplies fees. This alone has stopped many simply from applying for college or technical trade programs, but it doesn’t have to.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to potential college, career school and graduate school students and their families each year. For the 2025-2026 year, the FAFSA is due on June 30. Each college or ...

Kerry Doman is a serial entrepreneur, a business owner, and a mom of three. Each of those duties is hard alone, but this Metro Detroit mover and shaker seems to manage the balancing act well.
As the founder of After 5 Detroit, an online resource for young professionals, she also launched supplemental programs including Connect After 5, a corporate team-building community, and the After 5 Intern program, which assisted companies in recruiting efforts of top young talent.
“The goal was to assis...

FLINT, Michigan — The Fli River Anglers, in partnership with Genesee County Parks, is presenting a curated selection of worldwide fly fishing films at the FIM Capitol Theatre on Friday, March 14. There are two screenings: a matinee for Flint area students, and a general public viewing during the evening.
Anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, and conservationists are invited to enjoy breathtaking, exciting stories and footage of fly fishing.
As part of a national Fly Fishing Film To...

In 2020, Vanessa Hayden, a former preschool teacher and registered behavior technician, started Partly Whimsical. She offers full and partial in-home room designs and customized “autism nest” spaces that cater to the sensory and developmental needs of children on the autism spectrum. Hayden creates safe, sensory-rich spaces that promote well-being, independence, and, yes, even a bit of whimsy.
For Hayden, Partly Whimsical is a unique and fulfilling merger of her career experience with her col...

Driving through East Lansing, public art is abundant, visible via murals, billboards, paintings, sculptures, window displays and more.
The Broad Museum receives a lot of attention with its eye-catching landscape, but there are more venues delivering arts and culture experiences in East Lansing. The MSU Museum might be a bit more tucked away on campus than its counterpart, but its temporary location at the MSUFCU building(311 Abbot, 6th floor) still provides plenty of interactive arts, science...

Any way you look at it, 100 years is a long time. Maintaining and growing a business over a century is an incredible feat worthy of celebration. For the Fisher Companies, a group of family-owned businesses, this century of success stems from the vision Ralph and Zelda Fisher had long ago, and the commitment to the communities they continue to serve today.
The History of Fisher Company
Photo Courtesy Fisher CompaniesRalph and Zelda Fisher
In 1925, the Fisher family started a small sand and gra...

Emily Reyst is the director of communications and housing initiatives at CEDAM. Photo by Doug Coombe.
Most residents want to see their neighborhoods and surrounding communities thrive. Some of them might even have good ideas to spark positive change. With programs like the Community Economic Development Association (CEDAM)’s Real Estate Development Boot Camp program, these ideas can serve as a true catalyst for community development.
The CEDAM Boot Camp program addresses community needs by pr...

Coffee shops are a crucial part of a community, providing social settings, gathering places, and spaces for meetings. They’re a place to create connections and build relationships with staff, customers and neighborhoods.
They also hold space for many ideas, concepts, and visions too — serving as community catalysts.
In the rural community of Eaton Rapids, BlackDog Coffee has created that space in the town of 5,000 since opening on West Hamlin Street a few years ago.
Owner Lisa Barna always co...

Iris Mehler studied rehabilitation counseling and assistive technologies, learning the theoretical knowledge surrounding disabilities. Once she had her daughter Keren, that book knowledge became especially pertinent for her real world reality.

After moving to Midland in 2020, Mehler became involved in the Midland Area Community Foundation, the Access to Community group, and later co-founded and launched a support group for parents and caretakers of children with disabilities.

This group, 1in6...

FLINT, Michigan — Even though time keeps moving forward, one thing that can instantly transport us back in time is music. Hearing a specific song can prompt memories, and make it feel like we’re in a time-traveling machine. Although it was over 45 years ago, music from the ‘80s remains a popular genre today — big hair and big hits, still to this day.
As the next generations gravitate towards the pop-ballad, hard rock, or hair metal of the ‘80s, the fanbase continues to grow. Linden native Nat...

Located in the heart of St. Clair County, Kimball Township has about 9,500 residents — many who enjoy the community’s natural resources, including the Black River. Although parks and recreational amenities include nature sanctuaries, state game areas, golf courses, trails, community parks, and campgrounds, there hasn’t been a proper park canoe and kayak launch for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Thanks to the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, this won’t be the case for much longer.

R...

FLINT, Michigan — It can be scary to talk out loud about your dreams for a new business or product, but it can also pay off. Literally. On Feb. 27, 100K Ideas is hosting a Pitch for $K idea pitch competition, and budding entrepreneurs are preparing their presentations to compete for the chance to win up to $5,000.
Vivian Williams is the Community Engagement Coordinator at 100K Ideas, works to create and maintain relationships with community members, and future potential clients, and shares th...

Removing a degraded dam, restoring a river, and keeping a rare species of butterflies alive are all important tasks, none of which is easy to do. Maintaining parks, boat launches, tennis courts, playscapes, beaches, trails, and nature centers are costly. These are all tasks of parks and recreation departments across the country.

Springfield Township

In Springfield Township in northern Oakland County, the township's and county's park departments have found that working together makes all the d...