|
Subscribe | Get featured
Happy weekend, Calhoun County!
In today’s happening-today edition: Two sisters visiting every Michigan town, Misfit Variety Show, and a list of priciest local homes + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.
Today’s sponsor (Money.com) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
|
📰 In the news
Exploring all local corners: Two sisters are on a mission to visit every Michigan town, checking off each stop with a Michigan Atlas and Gazetteer, capturing small-town charm across the state we call home — see how they tracked progress.
Creative paths to justice: Albion College’s Curtis Institute shows how arts and humanities drive social change, honoring Dr. James L. Curtis and giving students experiences from Detroit to New Orleans while developing a concentration — learn how imagination drives change.
How the market stacks up: Where are home prices highest around Battle Creek? A recent Zillow-based list ranks the priciest cities in the metro, notes January’s $358,968 U.S. average, and shows how rates raise payments — see the full rankings.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
|
🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor Money.com
Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.
The frustrating part? Loyalty rarely gets rewarded. Insurers adjust prices constantly, and new customers often qualify for better rates than long-time policyholders.
I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.
|
🫶 We got your back
New color on Superior: Painted by Albion College students on the brick wall at Ruddock’s Trackside, Trackside Mural rolls a train past letters filled with local landmarks and the classic Albion “A.” It’s a quick detour that quietly reminds you… you live somewhere cool, every time you pass.
Fabric detour, anyone? In a historic downtown house, Quilts at the Marshall House offers room after room of quilting cottons, patterns, and notions. When your yarn brain needs a color reset, wander, mix and match, spark ideas, and head out feeling a little more “I got this.”
Taproom night, anyone? Handmap Brewing keeps Battle Creek weekends lively with clean, classic styles and the occasional barrel-aged curveball, poured in a bright, historic taproom on the river. Expect bands, comedy nights, and more at their events… perfect when you want something fun close to home.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
|
📆 Around town today & tomorrow
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🎅 Hop! @ Marshall Opportunity High School (Albion) | Saturday (3/7) at 9:00 AM – Think you’ve outgrown the Easter Bunny? Prove it. Swing by Albion Opportunity High School for a spring market with up to 50 vendors offering food, specialty drinks, soaps, oils, and basket stuffers, plus pro photos with the Bunny, and a shot at winning a basket.
🍞 How to Make Sourdough Class 202 @ Cornwell’s Turkeyville (Marshall) | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Already past the beginner boule? This advanced sourdough class, perfect for bakers who know their stretch and fold, tackles the great discard dilemma, turns that multiplying jar in the fridge into keepers, and caps it with a proper restaurant meal, all for $55.
🎲 Junior Adventuring Guild @ Albion District Library | Saturday (3/7) at 12:00 PM – Got a teen who needs a quest bigger than the snack drawer? The library’s GM is recruiting ages 12-17 for a D&D 5e campaign, registration required, characters prebuilt per 5e rules, no homebrew, level set by GM. Think screen time, but analog, story-rich, and supervised.
🎶 American Scenes: Songs from the New World @ Marshall District Library | Saturday (3/7) at 2:00 PM – Your ears deserve a night off from classic rock reruns. Kelly and Darryl Roenicke steer violin and piano through American greats, from Dvořák and Joplin to Amy Beach, George, and Ira Gershwin, with charm and craft. Adults encouraged, all ages welcome, registration required.
🎪 Misfit Variety Show @ The Cricket (Battle Creek) | Saturday (3/7) at 8:00 PM – Battle Creek gets delightfully off-kilter with a variety show that wraps sharp, irreverent comedy in heart for the weirdos, rebels, and misunderstood. It’s a Time Out NY pick, which is fancy, but the vibe is mischief, good laughs, and no small talk about property taxes.
🛏 Mattress Sale Fundraiser @ Marshall High School | Sunday (3/8) at 11:00 AM – Finally, a school fundraiser you can sleep on. One day only, snag name-brand mattresses from Purple, Helix, and more, starting at $259, and boost Marshall Music while you upgrade your back. Free sheets over $299, financing available, free delivery soon after.
🎺 Great Lakes Brass @ First Congregational Church of Battle Creek | Sunday (3/8) at 4:00 PM – Free concert alert: Great Lakes Brass brings New Orleans second-line swagger with a Michigan twist, serving up jazz, blues, and funk you can feel. Come for the horns, stay for the family-friendly, meet-the-artists reception, neighborly chatter, and that classic Battle Creek fellowship. No beads required.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
|
🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
|
📻 Calhoun County report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 67°F – Low: 35°F – Precip: 97%
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then showers and thunderstorms between 7am and 4pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 4pm and 5pm. Mostly cloudy. High near 67, with temperatures falling to around 58 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
—
Tomorrow – High: 57°F – Low: 43°F – Precip: 0%
Sunny, with a high near 57. West southwest wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Something in your house is about to break 🏠
It might be your AC, your water heater, your fridge… doesn’t matter. Every major system and appliance has an expiration date, and when it goes, you’re staring down a repair bill that can climb into the thousands fast.
It never happens at a convenient time, and most homeowners just eat the cost because they don’t realize there’s a better option.
American Home Shield covers repairs and replacements on most of your home’s major systems and appliances — old or new, no inspection required.
The best part? Select plans are 50% off now through March 9th.
This house is wild
This 4-bed, 3-bath walk-out ranch fronts private Laird Lake in the Lakeview School District. A gourmet cherry kitchen gleams with granite, tile backsplash, and stainless appliances. The great room frames a classic fireplace, and the primary suite opens to the deck. Features include a screened porch, expansive lakeside decking, a versatile walk-out lower level, and a two-car garage.
Take a peek inside →
|
 |
Thanks for reading! If you know someone who’d love BaseLocal, send ’em here so they can sign up too 🙂
|
|
|
|
