2025 SWMI & National February Housing Market Sales Slipped, Inventory Grows, Selling Prices Increase, and the Mortgage Rate Drops
“The local housing market sales slipped in February from a robust start in January (152 vs. 173). The average selling price for houses in February dropped 1.5 percent from that in January ($410,203 vs. $416,393). The year started with an elevated inventory, and in February the inventory increased 18 percent from February 2024,” stated Luke Jeffries, Association Executive, Southwestern Michigan Association of REALTORS®, Inc. Jeffries continued, “In February 2025, the market ended with an inventory
Andy Baker presents Midwestern folk at Box Factory for the Arts
Michigan songsmith Andy Baker brings his heart warming Midwestern folk to the Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad St, St. Joseph, MI for a one man show on April 26 at 7 pm. Special cabaret seating will be available at $15 per person and general admission at $12 per person. Walk in tickets are $15. Free admission for children under 12. Reserve your seating for this event athttps://ticketstripe.com/andybaker. Andy Baker has spent 3 decades captivating audiences with his unique style of thoughtful Midwestern
Collaborative choir concert explores American choral music
The Lake Michigan College choral ensembles, along with several guest vocal groups, will pay tribute to American music during A Journey of American Voices at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, on the LMC Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre stage. The concert will explore American music’s rich tapestry, spanning from the earliest roots in traditional folk music, camp songs, and gospel to the vibrant landscapes of jazz, musical theatre, and blues. The performance will showcase the depth and diversity of the evolution of
A Tribute to Louis Armstrong and More! featuring the Jim Cooper Trio with special guest Kenny Cooper
The Jim Cooper Trio, featuring Jim Cooper, Jim Allen and Kenny Cooper will pay tribute to Louis Armstrong at a special jazz concert at 7 pm on April 12 at the Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad Street, St. Joseph, MI. Special cabaret seating will be available at $15 per person and general admission at $12 per person. Walk-in tickets are $15. Free admission for children 12 and under. Reserve your seating for this special tribute at https://ticketstripe.com/jim-cooper-trio-tribute. Chicago
MAAC 2025 - Call for Artists
The MAAC is a local, juried, fine art exhibition designed to recognize, foster, and reward excellence of artists in southwestern/western Michigan and northern Indiana. The popular, multimedia exhibit, “MAAC in the Box,” is held at the Box Factory for the Arts with support from members, area businesses and corporate sponsors. Entrants who are residents of the following counties will be given preference: Allegan, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Van Buren, Barry, Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon counties
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St. Joseph's Newest Eatery Brookies Cafe Opens Thursday
In two years, Jake and Brooke Arnold have expanded their business to include not one but five different restaurants in Southwest Michigan. The latest one being Brookies Café in downtown St. Joseph, which is set to open on Thursday, March 27th at 8:00 a.m. The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber will host a special ribbon cutting celebration on opening day at 10:00 a.m. with the ribbon cutting itself to take place promptly at 10:15 a.m. Brookies Café’s new St. Joseph location marks the second for that
Honor Credit Union Proudly Welcomes Kelly Williams as Niles Member Center Manager
Honor Credit Union Welcomes Kelly Williams as Niles Member Center Manager DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN – March 20, 2025 – Honor Credit Union is excited to announce that Kelly Williams has joined the team as the new Niles Member Center Manager. In her new role, Kelly will focus on delivering exceptional financial services to Honor’s members while continuing to build strong community connections in the Niles area. Kelly brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having spent seven years with United
MICHIGAN GATEWAY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANTS TO LOCAL CHARITABLE PROGRAMS - March 2025
The Board of Trustees for Michigan Gateway Community Foundation have approved the granting of $145,148 of funds from the Foundation to the following programs: 1. $24,479.10 from the Help4Homes Fund to the City of Niles for home repairs for low income and senior owned homes in Niles.2. $7,000 from the Niles Area Fund for the Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce to be used for the creation of digital storefronts for nonprofit organizations located in Niles.3. $835.41 from the Cass Community Fund for Cass
Site Preparations to Begin for Lakeshore Trail, A Community Multi-Use Trail Along M-63
Site preparations are slated to begin this week for the new Lakeshore Trail, a multi-use trail along M-63 connecting the community to several parks and beaches along Lake Michigan and to downtown Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. To prepare the site for construction and grading of the new non-motorized trail north of Higman Park Road, approximately 2.5 acres will be cleared. The trail will be ADA-compliant with grades below 5% to allow many abilities and skill levels to utilize the trail. This
Kalabokis, Story, Zenk concert at Box Factory for the Arts
The collaborative hosts of the Box Factory for the Arts Open Mic, 1101 Broad Street, will take the stage for their own concert on Saturday, March 22 at 7 p.m. General admission tickets for the event are $12 in advance at https://ticketstripe.com/kalabokis-story-zenk or $15 at the door. Jim Kalabokis, Fred Story and Larry Zenk are known for their fine musicianship and harmony. The three performers are often heard individually and as part of other groups throughout the area as well as in the Chicago area.
Rock favorites and jazz grooves on tap during Spring LMC music ensemble concert
The senses will be sent on a musical journey when the Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department presents the Rock/Pop and Jazz Band Concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. The concert will be held in the LMC Mendel Center Hanson Theatre. Tickets are not required for this free general admission event. Groups providing the evening’s entertainment are the LMC Rock/Pop Ensemble directed by Don Savoie and the LMC Jazz Band directed by Danny Lopez.The LMC Rock/Pop Ensemble is a rock stage band
Edgewater Automation to Present FIRST Robotics Competition in Berrien Springs, Michigan
Edgewater Automation is proud to sponsor and present the 2025 FIM District Berrien Springs Event, taking place March 14-16, 2025, at Berrien Springs High School. The event will bring together 38 high school teams from across the region, showcasing their engineering skills and innovative spirit in a series of robotics challenges. As part of the opening ceremony, Edgewater Automation President Tim Tate will deliver a speech, highlighting the company's commitment to fostering STEM education and supporting the
South Shore Health & Racquet Club and Maddog 5/1 Revolutionary Fitness Announce Partnership
South Shore Health & Racquet Club and Maddog 5/1 Revolutionary Fitness Announce Partnership Exciting New Collaboration Begins March 31 For Immediate Release: March 10, 2025 St Joseph, Michigan – South Shore Health & Racquet Club (SSHRC) and Maddog 5/1 Revolutionary Fitness are proud to share some exciting news! The two well respected fitness organizations are joining forces to offer an elevated fitness experience for the Southwest Michigan community. SSHRC will be partnering with Marydawn
Honor Credit Union Proudly Welcomes Rachel Grove as Dowagiac Member Center Manager
DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN – March 10, 2025 – Honor Credit Union is pleased to welcome Rachel Grove as the new Dowagiac Member Center Manager. In this role, Rachel will focus on delivering innovative financial solutions while building strong relationships within the community and ensuring an exceptional member experience. Grove brings nearly 30 years of banking and financial services experience to her new role, having served in various leadership positions throughout her career. She began as a teller at
Sunday, March 30th at 3pm- The GhostLight Theatre hosts “The CRAWL” – a Spring Kick Off Event – featuring neighboring BH Arts District Restaurants: The Mason Jar Cafe, The Livery, The Brick House, Br
Sunday, March 30th at 3pm- The GhostLight Theatre hosts“The CRAWL” – a Spring Kick Off Event – featuring neighboring BH Arts District Restaurants: The Mason Jar Cafe, The Livery, The Brick House, Bread+Bar & Forte Coffee The GhostLight Theatre announces their 2025 Spring Kickoff Event “The CRAWL” which will take place Sunday, March 30th beginning at 3pm at The Mason Jar Café. This event, the first of its kind, is meant to highlight the neighboring Benton Harbor Arts District and some of its favorite
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New Book Chronicles Realities of Running for Office
Benton Harbor, MI – 3/6/2025 – A new political memoir, ‘Small Town Politics’, pulls back the curtain on the unfiltered experience of running for state office in small-town America. Written by former Michigan State Rep candidate Julee Laurent, this eye-opening account details the 2010 campaign to unseat a powerful Republican incumbency, the introduction of the Tea Party into the Southwest Michigan political scene and how that pivotal year in politics led to where we are today. This deeply personal
THE MELROSE AESTHETIC CELEBRATES GRAND REOPENING
For Immediate Release Media Contact: Arthur Havlicek President & CEO info@smrchamber.com 269-932-4042 The Melrose Aesthetic Celebrates Grand Reopening St. Joseph’s Boutique Practice to Host Ribbon Cutting March 6th For Immediate Release: March 3, 2025 St Joseph, Michigan – The Melrose Aesthetic is thrilled to announce its official grand reopening celebration, marked by a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber on Thursday, March 6th, at 12:30 p.m. The new
