🌱 License Restoration Clinic + Social District For Downtown Drinking

Hello again, everybody. It's Wednesday in Kalamazoo-Portage and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Hope you all have a great day.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Warmer; breezy in the morning. High: 59 Low: 39.
• Thursday: Partial sunshine. High: 62 Low: 44.

Are you a real estate agent in Kalamazoo-Portage struggling to get leads in the current housing market? It's tough out there, but there is a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. Our exclusive sponsorship in the Kalamazoo-Portage newsletter can help you do just that. Click here to learn more and discover how you can take your business to the next level today.

Here are the top three stories in Kalamazoo-Portage today:

1. On Friday, May 12, a free clinic will be offered in Kalamazoo aiming to help restore driving privileges for drivers with suspended licenses at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The clinic will help drivers determine what steps are needed to drive again, with more than 150,000 suspended licenses uplifted in 2021, but some need to follow additional steps before regaining privileges. The clinic does not offer expungement for driving under the influence or operating while intoxicated. You can pre-register for the clinic by clicking here, which is recommended due to limited space. (MLive.com)
2. On Monday, Saugatuck Brewing Company, LLC received approval for the Social District and Common Area permit from the Kalamazoo City Commission. The approval of this permit will allow people to carry and consume alcohol throughout most of downtown Kalamazoo. The brewery remains hopeful as it still needs to receive the OK from state regulators. The social ordinance amendment was passed in August 2020 to encourage economic activity in downtown areas. (MLive.com)
3. Well-renowned comedian Lewis Black is set to perform at Kalamazoo State Theatre in Kalamazoo on Nov. 10 during his "Off The Rails Tour." Black has had his name featured in many forms of media from being the longest-running contributor to Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" to acting as the voice of Anger in the Disney movie "Inside Out." Black has also published three best-sellers and had one of his comedy specials nominated for a Grammy. Tickets start at $45 and will go on sale Friday, May 5, at 10 a.m. (WWMT-TV)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Kalamazoo-Portage Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Kalamazoo-Portage Patch newsletter possible.

Today and tomorrow in Kalamazoo-Portage:

Wednesday, May 3

• Virtual Reality Night - Kalamazoo Public Library (5:00 PM)
• Adult Doubles Ping Pong - Portage Parks & Recreation Building (6:00 PM)

Thursday, May 4

• Illustrator For Beginners - Kalamazoo Public Library (1:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Kalamazoo Public Schools wished teachers a Happy National Teacher's Day and thanked them for all the hard work they do every day. Visit the link to see pictures of some of the Kalamazoo teachers. Don't forget to show appreciation for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week beginning May 8! (Kalamazoo Public Schools via Facebook)
• The League of American Bicyclists celebrates National Bike Month in May to raise awareness of bike safety and the benefits of biking. As part of the celebration, Kalamazoo Bike Week is hosting two community bike events in May, including a Cycle Show on May 13 and a Bike Rodeo on May 17. (The City of Kalamazoo, Michigan via Facebook)
• Congratulations to the Civic Youth Theatre on its 10-show run of "Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical JV!" The theatre thanked the volunteers who contributed on and off the stage to help make the two weeks of production successful. (Kalamazoo Civic Theatre via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (May 8)
• Community Native Plant Sale -- Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones (May 20)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday. See you all soon for another update!

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.