The Cereal City Buzz Local Directory is growing as Battle Creek-area businesses begin claiming their pages and making them their own.

See how UpRoot Market & Eatery set the pace, then learn how to find, claim or add your own free business listing and make the most of Hotspots.

Sir Pizza Battle Creek was a must-stop in our continuing mission to try the pizzas around town.

We ordered a Royal Feast with jalapeños substituted for green peppers, a Meat Lovers pizza and breadsticks during a late Monday visit.

The friendly crew answered our questions and had the complete order ready in about 20 minutes.

Once we got it home, we understood one reason Sir Pizza has such loyal fans: the toppings are chopped into smaller pieces and spread across virtually the entire pizza.

Combined with the familiar party-cut squares, that meant plenty of toppings on nearly every piece.

The Royal Feast worked especially well with the jalapeño substitution, and the Meat Lovers was generously covered too.

Our verdict: very good pizza with a distinctive style all its own.

McCamly Street utility work is scheduled to begin in downtown Battle Creek in mid-October.

Consumers Energy crews will remove old underground vaults and install new electrical conduit between Jackson and State streets.

The street will close in two phases on either side of Michigan Avenue, with posted detours and temporary pedestrian-access changes.

No power outages are expected at this time.

The city expects work and repaving to finish before the November 21 Christmas Parade, although weather and site conditions could affect the schedule.

Charitable Union’s free open house is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, October 8, at 85 Calhoun Street in Battle Creek.

Visitors can meet staff and board members, see the donation center and gift shop, and learn how donated clothing, bedding and household goods are prepared for local families.

The organization’s service information outlines the help it provides. The gathering is drop-in, and no reservation is required.

Battle Creek has temporarily reduced the fluoride added to city drinking water because of a nationwide chemical shortage and rising costs.

The city is maintaining approximately 0.50 milligrams per liter, below the recommended 0.70 target but above the naturally occurring level.

Officials say the adjustment does not change compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and expect existing supplies to last through at least December.

Battle Creek’s Seventh-day Adventist Tabernacle is marking the 100th anniversary of its current building with public programs through October 10.

The celebration includes guest speakers, former pastors, music and free dinners after both Saturday services.

The present building was dedicated in 1926 after fire destroyed the Dime Tabernacle.

Historic features include the restored Dime Tabernacle bell and a grand piano originally designed for Marjorie Merriweather Post.

The Magic Cabin will bring six southern Michigan performers to Great Escape Stage Company in Marshall at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 24.

The two-hour family show will feature illusions, mentalism, sleight of hand and escape artistry.

General admission is $15, with $10 tickets listed for students and military veterans.

A portion of the proceeds will support infrastructure repairs and upgrades at the American Museum of Magic.

Battle Creek residents can ask the City Clerk’s Office about voter registration, absentee ballots, early voting, polling locations, election security and how ballots are counted through the city’s “Ask BC Clerks” service.

Questions can be submitted online, by phone at 269-966-3348 or in person at Room 111 of City Hall, 10 N. Division St. The city says form responses usually take three to five business days, though election periods may be busier.

For an upcoming deadline or immediate help, call or visit the office. The city also advises residents not to include sensitive personal information in submissions.

Kellogg Community College’s music program is celebrating 70 years with a 2026–27 season called “70 Years in Harmony.” The schedule recognizes milestones for the college choirs, Concert Band, Jazz Band and Branch County Community Chorus.

The season opens Oct. 12 with “Let America Sing,” a community sing-along presented with the African American Collaborative. Fall and holiday performances continue through December, with more concerts planned for February and March.

The anniversary offers Battle Creek area residents a year of opportunities to enjoy campus and community music. Check KCC’s official announcement for current performance details.

Project Connect and the VA Stand Down return to Battle Creek from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, October 16, at Full Blast Recreation Center.

The free fair will connect residents with housing, health care, employment, benefits, behavioral health, transportation and veteran resources.

The event is intended for people facing homelessness, housing instability or other challenges.

Battle Creek is in for a mostly sunny and dry October week, with a cooler Thursday and Friday giving way to a beautiful warm-up for the weekend.

Highs return to the low-to-mid 70s Saturday through Monday before cooler weather arrives Tuesday.

With little significant rain in the current outlook, the week offers several excellent opportunities to enjoy fall colors and outdoor activities around the Cereal City.

Four Athens Area Schools students took charge when their bus driver experienced stroke symptoms during a rural Calhoun County route.

Kynsie Wilson and Jessie Robinson worked with emergency dispatchers, Harmony Russell kept other students calm, and Jack Smith opened the bus doors for EMTs.

The driver is recovering and is not expected to suffer long-term effects.

The district honored the students during Friday’s homecoming game and plans to provide additional bus-emergency training.

Pet Supplies Plus Battle Creek is helping local animals this October by inviting shoppers to round up their purchases for the Calhoun County Animal Center.

Those small contributions can add up to meaningful support for dogs and cats waiting for loving homes.

The fundraiser is also a timely reminder that adoption, volunteering, donating and sharing adoptable pets can all make a difference.

If your family has room for a four-legged companion this fall, your forever friend may already be waiting right here in Battle Creek.

Jim Strong’s connection to Kellogg Community College has continued well beyond his retirement. The former science professor joined the faculty in 1966 and now supports students through an established scholarship fund at the KCC Foundation.

Strong’s path to teaching included college in Memphis, service in the U.S. Navy and graduate study in analytical chemistry. He has described his experience as a graduate assistant as the moment he discovered how much he enjoyed teaching.

KCC’s profile shares more about Strong’s life, career and enduring support for students. The scholarship offers a lasting link between a former faculty member and the college community.