Good morning, Battle Creek.

Michigan Metal Fest will blend live metal music, a costume contest and a toiletries drive for Love Thy Neighbor on Oct.

24 at The Music Factory in Battle Creek (doors open at 6 p.m. with tickets at $20 in advance or $25 at the door).

The Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce will host free artificial intelligence training sessions for Calhoun County small businesses to build essential skills.

Scheduled for Nov. 18, Feb. 17, April 21, June 16, and Aug. 18, the program is offered in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (supported by Google) to boost efficiency and growth.

After a gun went off in a third-grade student's backpack Tuesday, Battle Creek Public Schools added weapon detection systems at Ann J.

Kellogg Elementary — meant to boost safety — and asked parents to drop children off 10 min early while police investigate how the gun was obtained.

The Michigan House passed a bill on March 18 to ban kratom, which if approved by the Senate and signed would make growing and selling it a misdemeanor offense with potential jail time + fines.

For now, kratom remains legal in Michigan.

Local readers are invited to vote for the best high school tight end/receiver in Battle Creek as nominations by area coaches are featured in the online Best of Battle Creek poll, which remains open until 5 p.m. Monday.

Matthew Waito from Marshall and Lanie Overbeek from Lakeview have been named Bronson Battle Creek Athlete of the Week for Sept.

14-19. Waito led his team with key plays in football while Overbeek helped her team clinch a volleyball championship against Harper Creek.