Good morning, Portage.

St. Catherine of Siena will celebrate 60 years with a picnic from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept.

13 at its Portage location, as the parish also begins $177,000 in repairs to fix a cracked chapel floor and drainage issues following tornado damage.

Residents at Davis Creek Apartments in Portage called on the sheriff's office to remove a homeless encampment behind their complex on Thursday, Sept.

10 as concerns grew over trash, noise, and yard hazards.

Michigan regulators approved a DTE rate hike, set to take effect Oct.

1, that will raise residential bills by 3.34% (about $2.87 per month) and affect 1.3 million gas customers as the utility invests in needed pipeline upgrades.

Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport reported an 11.1% increase with 9,294 passengers in August and a 77.7% load factor, aided by Delta’s fourth daily flight that began June 7+ improved connectivity; summer boardings climbed 8.5%+ strengthening local air service demand.

Comstock Public Schools opened its new STEM Academy building on Sept.

10 at 7350 E. Main St. The modern 57,000 sqft facility offers classrooms, a robotics lab, and outdoor spaces for hands-on learning in the 2026-27 school year.

An I-94 ramp for eastbound traffic to northbound U.S. 131 near exit 74B will close from 6 a.m. Monday, Sept.

14 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 for repairs, and drivers must detour via Oakland Drive. Officials say the planned work will improve road safety.

Ottawa County, Van Buren County, and Western Michigan University will receive DHHS grants to improve mental health services and expand substance abuse recovery – Ottawa County’s grant is $616,685, Van Buren County’s is $399,999, and WMU will get $599,999, according to Congressman Bill Huizenga.

Dewey Young, a four-star offensive lineman at Kalamazoo Central, is emerging as a top prospect while training at 5 a.m. daily; he took eight official visits and committed to Colorado (with early enrollment planned for January) to forge his own path.

Portage Central (the Mustangs) faces Portage Northern at 7 p.m. today in the first September meeting since 2019 amid quarterback changes and is favored to extend its four-game winning run in the crosstown rivalry.