Good morning, Battle Creek.

Millions of birds began fall migration from Michigan with over 2.7 million flying on Aug.

25 while the BirdCast Migration Dashboard uses radar to show their routes and numbers—helping local bird watchers track the flight as the season continues. Local residents can check daily alerts as the migration builds toward peak activity in late September.

Battle Creek city offices will be closed Monday, Sept 1 for Labor Day and will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m. with transit services and curbside waste collection paused until then; Full Blast will be closed from Aug 28 until Sept 7 for maintenance while Flash Flood Water Park remains open until Monday and the annual Puppy Plunge is set for Sept 6—residents are encouraged to follow city alerts for updates.

The Battle Creek Enquirer's Elite 8 high school football players—star athletes from Lakeview, Harper Creek, Coldwater, St. Philip, Pennfield, Marshall, Galesburg-Augusta and Battle Creek Central—will kick off the 2025 season this week and attract attention from college scouts for their strong play.

High school football Week 1 in the Battle Creek area features key matchups with Harper Creek hosting Lakeview at 7 p.m. Thursday, Battle Creek Central playing Benton Harbor, Otsego facing Pennfield and Coldwater taking on Sturgis in their 100th meeting—each game promising intense rivalries and important tests for the teams as they look to start the season strong.

Bill Engvall Live Performance

8:00 – 9:30 PM — FireKeepers Casino Hotel — Tickets from $261 — Experience an evening of laughter with comedian Bill Engvall at a lively venue.

Fishing with Kalamazoo Valley Trout Unlimited

5-8 p.m. — Handmap Brewing — Free entry — Make new friends and learn to fish with expert mentoring and equipment provided.

Alive and Running VA 5K Fun Run/Walk

1-4 p.m. — 5500 Armstrong Rd, Battle Creek, MI — Entry fee required — Participate in a fun 5K run/walk with both live and virtual options for everyone.