Nonchalant Cafe

Kalamazoo’s Devastating Tornado, 30 Years Later With Blake Naftel and Chris Killian

On May 13, 1980, Kalamazoo faced an unprecedented F3 tornado that carved its way through the downtown central business district destroying everything in its path. The devastation resulted in several deaths and millions of dollars in damages to practically every downtown business.

Journalist Blake Naftel has been collecting video and other data on the tornado for more than a decade. The tornado served as the impetus for Naftel’s career aspirations and has resulted in a sprawling documentary project.

Naftel and fellow journalist Chris Killian stopped by the Nonchalant Café Hour to discuss the tragic events that took place 30-years ago on this day.

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See a video web extra with Blake and Chris here
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(Photo: RaGardner4 /Flickr)

Ben Lando from Iraq Oil Report Discusses Reporting in Iraq, Complex Energies Market

Journalist Ben Lando, the Iraq bureau chief of Iraq Oil Report, stopped by the Nonchalant Café Hour recently for a conversation about the challenges of covering the oil energies market in the heart of the Middle East.

Lando, a former general manager at WIDR FM during his studies at Western Michigan University, is also regularly featured in The Wall Street Journal and TIME reporting on events in Iraq including a moving first hand account of the recent Baghdad hotel bombings which he discusses during the interview with NCH host Steven Davy.

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(Photo: Luodanli/Flickr)