Michael Symonds
WMUK reporterReport for America national service program corps member Michael Symonds joined WMUK’s staff in 2023. He covers the “rural meets metro” beat, reporting stories that link seemingly disparate parts of Southwest Michigan. He started his journalistic career at Western Michigan University’s student newspaper, the Western Herald. He was also a news intern at WMUK and hosted the talk show “Stupid Questions” on WIDR-FM, where he interviewed guests from political experts to student leaders. Michael is a graduate of WMU with a B.A. in Journalism and Digital Media.
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A special meeting of the Buchanan City Commission took an unruly turn Wednesday evening. -
Rotary International has made mental health a “core focus” this year, with Districts around the world tackling the theme in various ways
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Darden, a Kalamazoo artist and collector fascinated by Black history in the American west, died Nov. 5 at age 95.
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Last year, three workers sued a Branch County farm and its parent company in federal court, but now the lawsuit may expand.
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Last year, Michigan voters approved early voting. We asked election officials in three counties how they’re preparing.
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The mayors of Kalamazoo and Portage both won new two year terms on Tuesday
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Some rural chambers lost members during the pandemic. We spoke with three about how they are recovering.
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On Sept. 25, trustees in a school district near Niles voted to restrict students’ access to books with sexual content. The Brandywine Community Schools’ new policy got the vote of every member of the board. Critics say it goes too far, with divisions remaining between the board, teachers and parents.
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Cass County’s emergency authority has tentative plans for a permanent ambulance service arrangement.
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The head of the UFW Foundation was in Kalamazoo on Sept. 27 where she touched on the United Farm Workers' shared history with the striking United Auto Workers.
