Random white out conditions and the coldest day since 1994 have created some icy road conditions for most of West Michigan, which is why area police are encouraging residents to stay home.
While three of the area highways, I-96, US 131, and M-6, were shut down at various times yesterday, the Jan. 9, 2015 150-plus car pile up on I-94 remains one of the largest in the state’s history. That accident took place between Battle Creek and Galesburg. There were explosions as fireworks carried on trucks ignited and fires burned, however; only one person was killed in the 2015 accident.
Area police are not interested in seeing a repeat of the I-94 accident and have encouraged residents to not go out if it is not necessary. In fact, schools to business, including Woodland Mall, were closed Wednesday due to the weather conditions, which according to the National Weather Service will continue through Thursday.
The National Weather Service website states we should expect snow showers with rapid changes to visibility (near zero at times), intense bursts of snow, gusty winds, and snow and ice-covered roads. Temperatures will be dangerously cold, with wind chills tonight through Thursday morning between -20 and -40 below. These low temperatures can cause frostbite in under 10 minutes and hypothermia.
Last night I-96, US 131, and M-6 were closed due to accidents. All had accidents involving more than 20 cars with Kent County Sheriff officers stating drivers were not aware of accidents on the expressways and when they came upon them, were not able to stop.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Department has told drivers if they are out, to slow down, keep a space between you and the car in front of you, and be prepared for whiteout conditions.
Drivers drive with low beam or fog lights on to avoid reflection from snow and ice
If you have to pull over, try to find an exit or a parking lot, do not stop in a traffic lane or along the shoulder
Be patient and avoid changing lanes too often
Slow down
Keep your windows and mirrors clear to maximize visibility.
From the National Weather Service website
It is advised that residents make sure to check business and doctor offices to confirm that they are open before heading out on the roads. Some schools, such as Byron Center and Kentwood Public Schools, already have announced they will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 31. Grand Rapids Public Schools will be closed Thursday, Jan. 31, and Friday, Feb. 1.
Lastly, be prepared for an emergency on the road. Take extra blankets or a sleeping bag, food, water, a flashlight, make sure your phone is fully charged, and that your gas tank is full. Condensation can form in an empty gas tank and in the current cold temperatures that can freeze putting ice in your fuel lines and cause no-start conditions.
Also, here are some snowy street tips from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
For many children, a snow day means time outside. Sledding, building snowmen, making forts and enjoying the freshly fallen snow. However, it is important for parents to exercise caution. Low temperatures can lead to dangerous conditions, and snow play can cause injuries. Michigan State University Extension offers the following tips to keep your children safe in the ice and snow.
Keep an eye on the thermometer. Winter winds can drive temperatures dangerously far below zero. Pay attention to both the air temperature and the wind-chill. While there is not a hard and fast rule about what temperature is too low, most Michigan schools use 0 degrees Fahrenheit as the guide for when to curtail outdoor recess and -20 degrees Fahrenheit, actual temperature or wind-chill, will cause most schools to close.
Layer up. To prevent frostbite, dress children in several layers and be sure their head, neck and hands are covered. Dress infants and toddlers in one more layer of clothing than older children and adults.
Check in on children. Tell children to come inside when they are cold and wet. Children will often want to keep playing outside when they really should come in. Keep checking on them during outdoor play and bring them in when you think they’re done, not when they say they are.
Play safely. Winter play is fun, and children should be outside when they can in the snow. However, it’s important to use caution and be aware of dangers. Children should wear helmets when sledding, skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. It is never safe to sled in the street, even when roads are closed. Do not allow children to dig into deep snow banks or to build snow forts due to risk of collapse. Avoid scarves and strings on hooded sweatshirts that can pose a risk of strangulation. Teach children how to play safely, and then have fun!
Use caution around fire. Fire places, wood burning stoves and outdoor fire pits are cozy and warm, but can pose a risk to children. Always keep a screen around an open flame. Never use gasoline to light an indoor fireplace. Do not close your damper when ashes are hot. If you’ve lost power, make sure your alternative heating sources are safe for use indoors and that you have working fire and carbon monoxide detectors. Regularly check and replace batteries in both fire and carbon monoxide detectors.
Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite and hypothermia, while both involving cold temperatures, are different. Frostbite is the localized freezing of extremities, where hypothermia occurs when the body temperature is dangerously low. Frostbitten skin, typically on the fingers, ears, nose and toes, will be pale, gray and can become blistered. If you think your child has frostbite, bring them indoors and put the affected area in warm (not hot) water. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, numbness, a glassy-eyed stare and unconsciousness. If you think your child has hypothermia, call 911 and gently move them to a warm location. See the MSU Extension article, “Protect yourself from hypothermia and frostbite while outside this winter,” to learn more about the difference between frostbite and hypothermia, including first aid tips.
Know when to stay in. While it is great to get children outside to play, there is a time when the risks outweigh the benefits. As the polar vortex plunges deep into Michigan and wind-chills dive to -30 degrees Fahrenheit or more, frostbite can begin to set in in less than 15 minutes. Refer to the National Weather Service Wind-chill Chart for a good idea of how quickly cold weather can become hazardous. The elderly and young children are at greater risk. If you must venture out, take a fully stocked cold weather emergency kit with you that includes winter gear for everyone in the car, blankets for each person in the car, hand warmers, water, non-perishable food, road flares, windshield scraper, flashlights, jumper cables and more. Download a printable check list of what to pack in an emergency kit and how to prepare your car for cold weather.
With some precaution and preparation, winter outdoor play can be a lot of fun and provide much-needed exercise for cooped up children on most snowy days. When the polar vortex arrives and it is too cold for school or outdoor play, check out these tips for indoor activities to do with your children from MSU Extension. Stay safe and have fun!
In his native Congo, Kyezie Bwanangela found himself running for his life ahead of armed militias. Luckily, the young man found safety and eventual refugee status in the United States. The criminal justice major joins us to talk about corruption, leadership, and what is needed to regain democracy.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Pretty as a picture and as quiet as mouse is how Patrice came to us in mid-November of 2018, after having been rescued off of Putnam St. SW in downtown Grand Rapids. Born in late 2016, this stunning but shy tabby and white girl was one of many homeless cats that had been taking advantage of a feral cat feeding station; although she would enjoy meal time on a regular basis, her timid nature kept her tucked away from the humans that tried diligently to live-trap her to get her off of the streets.
Finally, persistence paid off and she was rescued, fixed and sheltered in her rescuer’s home. After a little over two weeks of R and R with a multitude of critters affectionately called ‘The Barnyard’, Patrice was ready to come to see Dr. Jen at the clinic. Initially she tested a very faint FIV+, which was fine as the plan was to eventually house her at our sanctuary. As luck would have it when she came back in a month later for her retest, she had cleared the virus from her system. Although still a bashful beauty, we felt it was time that Patrice head on down to our place for more socialization and schmoozing with our cats and crew.
It took this darling little lady quite a bit of time to settle comfortably in her new surroundings, but the patient, gentle hands of our doting volunteers won her over. As she comes out of her shell more and more, we get to see a sweet side of her that relishes attention; she won’t actively seek it out, but if you approach her while she is napping peacefully in her favorite teepee, she is all about head scratches and pets. In fact, once you start stroking her fur, she can’t get enough and practically begs you not to stop.
Patrice also likes to laze the day away in the comfort of a cozy cubby, where she can observe all of the activity and partake in the more mellow activities as she pleases. She really doesn’t seem to mind the other kitties, but it isn’t necessary she be placed into a home with another cat. We do know that small, rambunctious children would frighten her, so if a family with older, calmer kids falls in love with her, we feel that type of dynamic would better suit her needs. As long as her space is granted and respected and she isn’t forced to become a lap cat (that is going to take time and trust), she and her new family members will get along famously well; she simply needs time to feel safe, secure, accepted and adored for who she is.
More about Patrice:
Medium
Domestic Short Hair
Adult
Female
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Not declawed
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Patrice? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Many of the Kent County District Court Judges gathered for an 50th anniversary event for the courts. (Supplied/Kent County District Court)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Many of the judges of the District Courts of Kent County, as well as other county leaders, gathered Jan. 11 at the 63rd District Court on East Beltline NE to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Michigan’s district court system.
Established in 1968, when Michigan created district courts and abolished justices of the peace and circuit court commissioners, district courts are seen as “the public’s court” where matters such as small claims, land contact issues and misdemeanor criminal offenses are handed, and where many people attend without an attorney.
At the event, 63rd District Court Chief Judge Sara J. Smolenski spoke at the event about her family’s long involvement with the court system. Her father, J. Robert Smolenski, was a judge for 17 years, beginning in 1968; her brother, Michael R. Smolenski, spent 25 years as a judge; Sara was elected in 1990.
“My brother took over when my dad retired in 1984 … in 1990, I was elected here and my brother was elected to Circuit (Court),” Judge Smolenski said. “So the entire 50 years, there has been a Smolenski on this bench.”
Judge William G. Kelly, of Kentwood’s 62-B court, and a local historian of the court system, also spoke at the event.
“Before it was non-lawyers who handled many of these types of cases,” Judge Kelly said. “When they created this district court (system) 50 years ago, they really did not know what was going to happen. They had a good idea, a very good idea. And I think the creators would be very proud of what they established as the district courts now.”
The local 62-B court, which is celebrating its 40th years of service, opened its doors in January 1979 on 44th Street where a Fields Fabric Décor store now sits, before moving into the Kentwood City Center. In 2002, it moved to its current home in the Kentwood Justice Center.
The establishment of district courts was June 17, 1968, and most courts began operation on Jan. 1, 1969.
The courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all civil claims for damages up to $25,000, small claims (damages up to $6,000), landlord-tenant disputes, land contract disputes, and civil infractions. The court may also conduct marriages in a civil ceremony.
Additionally, it handles a wide range of criminal proceedings, including most misdemeanors, for which the maximum possible penalty does not exceed one year in jail. Typical misdemeanor offenses include driving under the influence of intoxicants or on a suspended license, simple assault, shoplifting, and possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Lastly, district courts also conduct preliminary examinations in felony cases, after which, if the prosecutor provides sufficient proofs, the felony case is transferred to the circuit court for arraignment and trial.
“A snowball in the face is surely the perfect beginning to a lasting friendship.” – Markus Zusah, The Book Thief
We’ve Got You Covered
The Advances might be gone, but the WKTV Journal is still going strong! Above is the latest WKTV Journal newscast anchored by Monica Sparks and Donna Kidner-Smith. Check it out!
Sharing Her Story
Pamela Benjamin set out from her native New Zealand to see the world. A stop in Sydney, Australia and a chance meeting with a young man by the name of Craig, would change the course of her life forever. Pamela’s story is just one of many featured in the WKTV Voices project. To learn how you can share your story, visit wktvvoices.org.
Detroit Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire and players presented a special jersey to Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
According to a 2016 The Atlantic article, those are the states that had the most school closings over a period of 10 years, 2006-2016. While author Hayley Glatter admits the study is not scientific and not all the states, such as Michigan, participated. In fact, only 19 states provided Glatter any data. But her story does reveal some interesting facts about school closings and how different districts handle them.
Actors’ Theatre of Grand Rapids is doing something a little different this month — the family-friendly production “The Burnt Part Boys.”
“Actors’ is known for doing awesome, sometimes controversial productions,” said director Jolene Frankey. “So it is kind of fun to be able to do something that is entirely family friendly. It is a wonderful treat for our awesome core patrons along with providing us an opportunity to reach people who wouldn’t normally come to an Actors’ production.”
Opening on Friday, Feb. 1 (due to the weather), “The Burnt Part Boys” takes place in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia and follows the story of two brothers, 14-year-old Pete and his older brother Jake.
A report over the radio announces the plans of the Pickaway Coal Company to reopen a mine where a collapse and fire killed the brothers’ father 10 years earlier. The spot is called “the burnt place.” Jake has been picked to lead the reopening, angering Pete who vows to destroy “the burnt place.” The announcement leads both boys with friends in tow on a journey of self-discovery with the ghost of the miners following their progress.
“The music is so distinctive,” Frankey said as to what drew her to “The Burnt Part Boys.” To be honest, the songs from the show are not familiar and Frankey added that the show’s “obscurity is its charm.”
“The music is really reflective of what is taking place,” Frankey said. “It is an eclectic blend of various music such as folk and pop, all wrapped into musical theater. It has such an unusual feel yet it is so authoritative. It is not a hokey rendition of the backwoods of the Appalachians.”
There are guitars and banjo to chains and lead pipes all used to create the country- and bluegrass-flavored songs written by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen. The songs, according to The New York Times, “are rousing anthems to dangerous excitements of working the mines.”
Items used in a mine, such as ladders, lights, shovels, are used throughout the production, creating the landscape of the Appalachians with the ghosts of the miners serving as the map the boys follow on their quest to “the burnt part.”
“The Burnt Part Boys” opens Friday, Feb. 1, and runs through Feb. 9 at GRCC’s Spectrum Theater, 160 Fountain NE. Show time is 8 p.m Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 3 p.m Sunday. Tickets are $24 and $28.For more information or to purchase tickets, visit actorstheatregrandrapids.org.
Sit back and experience the wonder of the cosmos with the wonder of music! The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) welcomes Frankie & Myrrh for the second concert in the Concerts Under the Stars series on Thursday, Feb. 7, in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium.
The sound of Frankie & Myrrh has been touted as music for driving on an empty late night city highway with bright sodium lights and 24 hour convenience store parking lots in the summer when you were 20. Makes you want to dance, kind of leaves a sense of assured loneliness and the acceptance of it. Accompanying Frankie & Myrrh with live visuals on the planetarium dome will be Meghan Moe Beitiks.
Meghan Moe Beitiks, has designed lights for the California Academy of Sciences, the Asian Art Museum, SF Sketchfest, and Atom-R. She is an artist working with associations and disassociations of culture/nature/structure, analyzing perceptions of ecology through the lenses of site, history, and emotions in order to produce work that interrogates relationships with the non-human. She was a Fulbright Student Fellow in Scenic Design to Latvia and a recipient of the Edes Foundation Prize for Emerging Artists. She received her BA in Theater Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz and her MFA in Performance Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University, and has designed media for previous Concerts Under the Stars in 2018.
Concerts Under the Stars will begin at 7:30 p.m., with Museum doors opening at 6:30 p.m. New this year, performers will play two sets, with a short intermission in between. Refreshments, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase.
Tickets are $12 for GRPM members and $15 for non-members if purchased in advance, and $15 for members and $18 for non-members on the day of the concert. Tickets are currently on sale at grpm.org, by calling 616.929.1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.
The 2019 Concerts Under the Stars series will continue on February 28 with ambient R&B from Bronze Wolf and conclude on March 21 with the electronic sounds of Pink Sky.
By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Carolyn Parkhurst takes us behind the scenes in the filming of reality television show “Lost and Found” in her book of the same title. The object of the show is to successfully complete a worldwide scavenger hunt in a two-person team to win a million-dollar prize. I was skeptical about the plot since I am not a fan of reality television and didn’t think it would work well as the setting of a book, but I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. I identified completely with the members of the various teams as they struggled with personal issues that arose as the competition’s heat increased. Parkhurst also raises several questions in this story that force the reader to do some self-reflection without taking away from the story itself, which I think helps the reader feel more involved.
Parkhurst tells her story from multiple perspectives by writing in the voices of the various characters. The drama produced by several points of view heightened the tension. If you’re in the market for a different kind of plot, you may want to consider Lost and Found.
By Kristen Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Stephen King is a divisive author — you either love him or hate him — but there aren’t many people who fall in the middle. I think that to really appreciate King’s work, you need to look past his reputation to see the themes in his writing: friendship, loyalty, steadfastness, a sense of fun. In many of his books, he spins modern day morality tales, only in his version, instead of wearing a scarlet A on your chest, something a little more sinister may happen to you. The great thing about King is that he never takes himself too seriously and in between the chaos and horror he creates, he will often throw in a laugh out loud moment.
In his latest work, Cell, King lets us in early on what is wrong with society today: we spend too much time talking on cell phones and not enough time talking to each other face to face. And what happens to people who spend too much time on their cells? The pulse, a frequency transmitted through their phone, fries their brains and they turn into zombie-like creatures who want to kill all the remaining unaffected people or “normies.”
The story follows down-on-his-luck illustrator Clayton Riddell, who after the pulse bands together with other normies to get back to his Maine hometown to find his estranged wife and son. As the very fabric of civilization falls down around him, Clayton and his travel partners struggle to maintain their humanity and hope. Their journey from Boston to Maine is not only a physical journey, but a mental one as well. They start out in denial of what has happened to their world but by the end of their journey they have come to the understanding that the world in which they now live is a very different place.
This is a classic King novel — fast moving, gripping and graphic. He writes relatable characters in realistic scenes. (Who would expect the apocalypse to happen as you were buying an ice cream cone? Who wouldn’t try and call a loved one in an emergency?) In the end his message is clear — bad things can happen when we start to lose touch with our humanity. And maybe cell phones aren’t all they are cracked up to be.
For a growing number of Americans, the final year of life is marked by pain, depression and other distressing symptoms, a study has found.
Experts said the study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, highlights disturbing shortcomings in the U.S. health care system.
Researchers found that between 1998 and 2010, the number of Americans who suffered pain in their last year of life rose from 54 percent to 61 percent.
Meanwhile, the prevalence of depression rose from 45 percent to 57 percent, while other symptoms — such as breathlessness, confusion, severe fatigue and incontinence — either increased or did not improve.
“These findings are troubling,” said senior researcher Dr. Karl Lorenz, of the Pardee RAND Graduate School and the University of California, Los Angeles.
The increase in end-of-life symptoms, Lorenz said, has occurred despite national efforts to improve end-of-life care, dating back to the 1990s.
Those efforts have made a difference. The number of Americans in hospice care doubled between 2000 and 2009, the study noted. Hospice care focuses on easing symptoms and improving quality of life for people with a terminal illness.
But often hospice care isn’t offered until the last few weeks or days of life, Lorenz said.
“It’s often ‘tacked on’ to more-intensive care,” he said.
However, another expert said the findings are not actually about the typical American’s final year of life — because many people with chronic diseases are suffering these symptoms long-term.
“I think the findings are very valid, but the conclusions about what they mean are not,” said Dr. Sean Morrison, who directs the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.
“I think you’d see a high prevalence of these symptoms if you looked at older adults’ last two years of life, or last three, or last five,” Morrison said.
The issue, he said, is that more and more Americans are living longer with chronic ills — from heart and lung disease, to painful arthritis, to Alzheimer’s disease. At the same time, the health care system has grown increasingly specialized and “organ-specific,” with less focus on primary care.
“We’re doing a very poor job addressing the multiple health conditions so many older Americans have,” Morrison said. “We’re focusing on treating organs, and not on improving people’s quality of life.”
Morrison said the health care system — including medical schools — needs to pay much more attention to palliative care.
Palliative care refers to therapy that focuses on easing physical or psychological symptoms, rather than curing a disease. Hospice care, which is intended for people with a limited time to live, is one form of palliative care.
Other forms, though, can start as soon as a serious medical condition is diagnosed, and given along with treatments aimed at battling the disease. Usually, a team of providers, including nurses, nutritionists and social workers, is involved.
But Morrison said that to many people, including doctors, “palliative” is synonymous with dying. So it’s often not offered, even if it’s locally available.
“Other research shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not have access to high-quality palliative care,” Morrison said.
The current findings are based on a periodic health survey of older Americans. Between 1998 and 2010, slightly more than 7,200 study participants died, and their family members were asked about symptoms their loved one had suffered in the last year of life.
Over time, problems like pain, depression, periodic confusion and incontinence grew more common. Other symptoms, such as fatigue and severe weight loss, held fairly stable.
Lorenz said part of the increase could be due to awareness. More doctors may be asking family members about those symptoms — which would be a good thing, he said.
But the fact that pain and other distressing symptoms are so common is disturbing, he said.
Morrison agreed. “This really is an indictment of the health care system,” he said. “And the public should be outraged.”
He and Lorenz suggested that older adults ask their doctors about any palliative services available for their symptoms — at any point in the course of a disease.
Medicare covers hospice care, and many Medicare Advantage plans pay for other palliative services, Morrison noted.
But relatively few research dollars, he added, go into palliative care. “We invest so much in finding disease cures,” Morrison said. “We should also be investing in making life better for the people living with these diseases right now.”
The 25th anniversary season of the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival will continue when actors from Nassau in the Bahamas visit the Allendale Campus to perform one of the most critically acclaimed productions ever presented in the Bahamas.
The festival’s “Bard Beyond Borders” series will present performances of “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” January 31 and February 1 at 7:30 p.m. and February 2 at 2 p.m. in the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts. A condensed version of the production will be performed during Grand Valley’s Arts at Noon series on January 30 from 12-1 p.m. in the Cook-DeWitt Center.
All performances are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Louis Armstrong Box Office at (616) 331-2300.
Written by Athol Fugard, “Sizwe Banzi is Dead” is set in the landscape of South Africa’s apartheid era, a time of institutionalized racial segregation that spanned from 1948 until the early 1990s.
The story confronts the struggles faced by people of color during that time and addresses broader questions of human worth and identity. This is done through the lens of a man getting his picture taken in a photography studio.
“Sizwe Bansi is Dead” was originally featured during the 2014 Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival, and these performances will reunite the director and the original two cast members.
“This is a special offering to celebrate something which acknowledges that theater is a global communicator and that we can all connect through it,” said Karen Libman, professor of theater. “We are excited to offer our students and the community the chance to see high-quality theater that they might not necessarily see otherwise.”
Grand Valley’s history with the Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival dates back to 2011 when Bard to Go, the university’s traveling student Shakespeare troupe, was first invited to perform at the festival. Bard to Go also performed at the festival in 2017.
While at Grand Valley, the Shakespeare in Paradise Theatre Festival actors will also facilitate theater workshops and classroom visits for students.
The Bard Beyond Borders series will continue in April with performances by a Shakespeare company from Egypt.
Last Thursday evening, siblings David, Thomas and Jennifer Driver, students at Endeavor Elementary, sat at the kitchen table in their Kentwood home coloring little circles in booklets.
“Did you read this morning?” mom Julie Driver asked David, a third-grader. “I know Thomas read this morning. Did you read at school, Jennifer?”
Kent District Library is a proud sponsor of SNN
This is Mission: READ!, a county-wide incentive program aimed at getting kids to read every day. The Driver children were among the first participants to sign up for the program, launched at Kent County public libraries on Jan. 7.
The mission is simple: For every day of reading, participants fill in one space in a Mission: READ! booklet. For every hundred spaces filled, they receive a small prize and a planet sticker to place on their Mission: READ! solar system poster. At 500 spaces, they receive a book. When 1,000 spaces are filled, they receive a tablet reader.
“I re-read a book called, ‘Who was Muhammad Ali?’,” said David. “I also read an autobiography about… I can’t remember… oh, Kareem-Abdul Jabar!”
Third-grader David Driver fills out his Mission: READ! booklet. Each spot colored represents a day on which he read
“With this program, we’re just asking, ‘Did you read today?’ If you read today, you can mark it in your booklet,” Ward said.
Mission: READ!What: An incentive program that encourages children to read every day for 1,000 days. Participants are rewarded with stickers, prizes and a book along the journey, and will receive a tablet reader upon completion of the program.Who: Open to students in kindergarten through third grade.How to sign up: To get your child started on the mission, visit any public library in Kent County. These include the Cedar Springs Public Library, the Sparta Township Library, any Grand Rapids Public Library location or any Kent District Library location.Information: Mission: READ!
One Small Step
The daily step is small enough, but diligence is required to complete the giant leap of a 1,000-day mission. The Driver children had read every day since receiving their booklets. Driver and her husband, Blake Driver, are raising eager readers. How have they managed?
“As parents, it’s about embracing what they love to read versus maybe what I want them to read,” said Driver, who found herself encouraging classics like “Old Yeller” and Choose Your Own Adventure books. “We had to learn that their interests were maybe different than what we wanted them to read. We wanted them to read this classic chapter book and they were like, ‘But we love graphic novels!’, so we’ve had to explore with our kids.”
Driver said Kentwood KDL branch librarians Mr. Greg and Ms. Hennie help her children find materials they enjoy. While this is one way they help patrons, librarians also have been trained to help students with Individual Reading Improvement Plans — or IRIPs. An IRIP is a document that identifies areas for improvement and lays out a plan to remedy deficiencies as identified by student assessments at the start of the school year.
“It’s important that schools and parents understand that the library is here to help,” said Lindsey Dorfman, director of branch services and operations for KDL’s 19 branches. “If students are struggling with reading, they can come to any one of the public libraries and staff are ready to give them tools and resources and support.”
As part of Mission:READ!, librarians are equipped with booster packs: curated books and activities designed to strengthen a student’s reading skills in specific areas pinpointed by an IRIP. These include phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Participants can sign up for Mission: READ! and find booster packs at the Cedar Springs Public Library, Sparta Township Library and any location in the GRPL or KDL systems. Participation is limited to students in kindergarten through third grade. The program targets them because it is largely a response to a looming challenge: implementation of the third grade reading law.
GRPL Youth Librarian Bridget Ward stands in front of a Mission: READ! display at the main branch.
3…2…1… Countdown to the Reading Law
The law, passed in October 2016 and set to take effect this fall, requires all third-graders to be within one year of grade level proficiency in reading, or risk being held back in school. Recent test scores revealed that only 46 percent of Michigan third-graders passed the English language arts exam. While the law allows exemptions for holding a student back, educators and community literacy partners are taking the challenge seriously.
Beth Travis is the principal at East Kelloggsville Elementary, a K-3 building
Beth Travis, principal at East Kelloggsville Elementary, says reading has always been a focus for teachers, but the law has added some urgency to their work.
“We’re a K-3 building so our teachers have been working very hard with all of our students, and they always have,” said Travis. “With the new third grade reading law there are some new constraints put on us, obviously, and what we want to do is make sure our students are getting the best education they can.”
The Kelloggsville Public Schools district, Travis said, is ideally positioned for Mission: READ!, as it has a KDL branch in its high-school building. All students in the district — Young 5s to 12th grade — have library cards and opportunities to visit the library with their class. KDL will be at the school’s Jan. 28 assembly to pitch Mission: READ! to students.
The program’s solar system theme, coincidentally, works well for Kelloggsville’s mascot, a rocket.
One of the biggest strengths of Mission: READ!, said Travis, is it empowers parents to help their children become proficient, and reinforces a family’s efforts to read at home, a recommendation in IRIPs. (The third grade reading law also mandated the IRIP, which has been required since last school year.)
“Not every student comes to school with the exact same abilities and the same background,” said Travis. In addition, she said, “Not every parent feels like they know exactly what’s best for their kids to read at home, so this helps guide them. It’s a great partnership for us.”
First-grader Jennifer Driver counts the days she has read so far
We Have Liftoff
In the first five days of the program alone, KDL had 71 children sign up for MIssion: READ! GRPL hadn’t yet tallied their numbers, but Ward said the librarians were getting the word out and were very excited every time a new child signed up.
“Ideally,” said Dorfman, “students will sign up in kindergarten and complete the program by third grade, the year by which they should be proficient.”
“There’s an urgent need to help these kids,” said Mark Raffler, English language arts consultant at Kent ISD. “When kids love to read, everything else in school comes more easily and with greater effectiveness. The results of good reading habits carry throughout their schooling and into adult life.”
While the program’s first finishers are still 900-some days away from meeting their goal, plans are already in the works to help students maximize their use of the ultimate prize: the tablet reader. When they earn the tablet, said Dorfman, students will receive a one-on-one consultation with a librarian who will teach them how to access the library’s e-book platform and check out books that they can read on the tablet.
“Essentially, we’re giving them a library in their hands for completing the program,” Dorfman said.
For more local school news, visit the School News Network website.
The Driver siblings — David, Jennifer and Thomas — were among the first children to sign up for Mission: READ!
Thomas Driver fills in spots in his Mission: READ! booklet
Proclaimed as “the most Russian of all Russian composers” by Igor Stravinsky, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of Western classical music’s most illustrious romantic composers. From the bombastic 1812 Overture to the enchanting Nutcracker ballet, Tchaikovsky’s music never fails to sweep listeners off of their feet.
The Grand Rapids Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Festival will celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky with a program featuring four pieces by the 19th century composer including At Bedtime, Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Andante Cantabile for Cello and String Orchestra, and the Symphony No. 4 in F minor.
The Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series concert is led by music director Marcelo Lehninger. The orchestra will be joined by the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and cellist Andrei Ioniţă, winner of the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition.
The Grand Rapids Symphony also will perform at the ‘Tchaikovsky Festival” set for Feb. 8-9. (Supplied)
Join in the festivities on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 8-9 at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall.
The Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus is sponsored by Mary Tuuk. Romanian cellist Andrei Ioniţă’s appearance is sponsored by the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
Organized in 1962 with the guidance and support of Mary Ann Keeler, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus attracts singers, ages 18 to 80, from all walks of life across West Michigan. In its 57th season as an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Chorus has joined the Symphony in performances of Mozart’s Mass in C minor and the Wolverine Worldwide Holiday Pops.
Tchaikovsky’s music has a wide range of style and emotion, drawing inspiration from folk music to composers like Haydn and Mozart. With his Variations on a Rococo Theme, Tchaikovsky attempted to embody the simple elegance of 18th century music.
He had a reverence for Mozart in particular, as he told the Petersburg Life newspaper in an 1892 interview. “I was 16 when I heard Mozart’s Don Giovanni for the first time. For me, this was a revelation: I cannot find words to describe the overwhelming power of the impression which it made on me. It is probably due to this fact that of all the great composers it is Mozart for whom I feel the most tender love.”
Andrei Ioniţă, born in 1994 in Bucharest, began taking piano lessons at the age of 5 and received his first cello lesson three years later. His Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2015 launched his flourishing career as a soloist and has performed in concert halls around the globe.
The San Diego Union Tribune declared that, “Ioniţă displayed an uncanny sureness of intonation and a beauty of tone, no matter how far his fingers traveled on the strings or how high his lines soared.”
Besides the popular Variations on a Rococo Theme, Ioniţă also will join the Grand Rapids Symphony for the Andante Cantabile for Cello and Orchestra, an arrangement of the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s first string quartet, which was performed at a concert honoring author Leo Tolstoy.
Of all late 19th century composers, Tchaikovsky had a knack for writing beautiful and eloquent melodies. The main melody of the Andante Cantabile is a Ukrainian folk song, but the secondary melody is Tchaikovsky’s, and the two melodies combined created music that brought Tolstoy to tears at its debut.
At the time he wrote his Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky had just entered a disastrous marriage that would end in divorce less than a year later. It comes as no surprise that his tumultuous personal life is reflected in the theme of his symphony.
In a letter to his friend and supporter, Madame von Meck, Tchaikovsky revealed the meaning behind his Fourth Symphony. “The introduction is the germ of the entire symphony, its central idea. This is Fate, the force that prevents our hopes of happiness from being realized, that jealously watches to see that peace and happiness not be complete or unclouded. Successive new themes express growing discontent and despair. A sweet vision appears but bitter Fate awakens us. Life is a continuous, shifting, grim reality.”
The composer was pleased with the symphony and considered it to be some of his best work. Though in another letter to von Meck, Tchaikovsky couldn’t help but wonder of the fate of the symphony itself. “What lies in store for this symphony? Will it survive long after its author has disappeared from the face of the earth, or straight away plunge into the depths of oblivion?”
Tchaikovsky would undoubtedly be pleased to know that fate has been kind to his symphony. Not only has his music survived, but it is celebrated to this day.
Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall
Tickets for the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series start at $18 and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 am – 5 pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call (616) 454-9451 x 4 to order by phone. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum).
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 am – 6 pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours before the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Special Offers
Full-time students of any age can purchase tickets for $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program, sponsored by Calvin College. Discounts are available to members of MySymphony360, the Grand Rapids Symphony’s organization for young professionals ages 21-35.
Students age 7-18 also are able to attend for free when accompanied by an adult. Free for Kids tickets must be purchased in advance at the GRS Ticket office. Up to two free tickets are available with the purchase of a regular-price adult ticket. Go online for more details.
Symphony Scorecard provides up to four free tickets for members of the community receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan and for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, whether on active or reserve duty or serving in the National Guard. Go online for information to sign up with a Symphony Scorecard Partner Agency.
Many Michiganders are helping pollinators by planting flowers that provide nutrition and habitat for our birds and bees. Pollinators across the country are experiencing population declines: annual honey bee losses range around 40 percent, monarch butterfly populations have experienced severe declines and some of Michigan’s native pollinators are becoming endangered, like the rusty patched bumble bee, which was listed as an endangered species in 2017 and hasn’t been seen in Michigan since 2001. A key cause of pollinator decline is a loss of habitat. It is essential to plant flowers and restore habitat if we want to have healthy pollinator populations in our state.
Anyone can provide pollinator habitat by planting flowers, and there are many programs that promote and incentivize planting for pollinators. This year, two organizations expanded their programs to include Michigan, providing seeds to individuals and organizations interested in helping pollinators. Check out the two programs below as well as the resources at Michigan Pollinator Initiative to help establish pollinator habitat.
Project Wingspan collects and distributes seeds for monarchs and the endangered rusty patched bumble bee.
The Pollinator Partnership has joined forces with several organizations and agencies to launch their new initiative, Project Wingspan, and they need your help! The project will be collecting seeds throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. They have put a call out for enthusiastic seed collecting volunteers in all six states to help identify and collect milkweed and other common nectar plants. As a seed collecting volunteer, you will be provided with training and will be making valuable contributions to supporting migrating monarchs and the imperiled rusty patched bumble bee.
No seed collecting experience is required, but basic plant knowledge is preferred. Training and seed collection will start in spring 2019, but you can get on the list now. To sign up as a seed collector, email Amber Barnes at ab@pollinator.org with your name, city, state and preferred email address or fill out the online form. You will be added to their volunteer contact list and more information will follow soon.
The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund ‘Seed a Legacy’ program provides seeds to landowners for restoration and feeding bees.
The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund is a nonprofit dedicated to establishing high quality pollinator habitats. Their Seed A Legacy Pollinator Habitat Program provides a unique opportunity for the managers of private, public and corporate lands to establish high quality pollinator habitat. They develop mixes that are focused on different pollinators: monarchs, honey bees and native pollinators. You can apply to receive seeds for free or for a discount. They have a lot of information on how to successfully establish a habitat, and they have put a lot of work to make sure their seed mixes have high value to pollinators.
Chris Stapleton will continue his extensive, sold-out “All-American Road Show” through 2019 with newly confirmed performances this summer and fall. The shows will kick-off July 9 at Allentown’s PPL Center and will makes its way to SMG-managed Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids on Friday, August 16, at 7 p.m. Guest openers include Brent Cobb and The Marcus King Band.
Stapleton Fan Club pre-sales will begin Tuesday, January 29 at 10 a.m. local time. For more information visitwww.stapletonfanclub.com.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of four (4) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.
Fans on Van Andel Arena’s email list will have access to a presale on Thursday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. In order to receive access, sign up to the list by January 30. Sign up for the email list here.
Citi is the official presale credit card of Chris Stapleton’s “All-American Road Show” tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for U.S. dates beginning Tuesday, January 29 at 10:00 AM local time until Thursday, January 31 at 10:00 PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visitwww.citiprivatepass.com.
The newly confirmed shows follow yet another monumental year for Stapleton, who is nominated in three categories at the 61st GRAMMY Awards: Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 2) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Millionaire”) as well as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his performance on Justin Timberlake’s “Say Something.” Additionally, last year, Stapleton won Male Vocalist of the Year (for the fourth-straight year), Single of the Year (“Broken Halos”) and Song of the Year (“Broken Halos”) at The 52 Annual CMA Awards, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year (From A Room: Volume 1 as both artist and producer) at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist and Top Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1) at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards and Best Country Album (From A Room: Volume 1), Best Country Song (“Broken Halos”) and Best Country Solo Performance (“Either Way”) at the 60th GRAMMY Awards.
Released in December 2017 on Mercury Records Nashville, From A Room: Volume 2 takes its name from Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A (the capital “A” in “From A Room”) where it was recorded with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb. Along with Stapleton on vocals and guitar and Cobb on acoustic guitar, the album features Morgane Stapleton on harmony vocals as well as longtime band-members J.T. Cure on bass and Derek Mixon on drums.
In addition to his work as a solo artist, Stapleton is also featured on Justin Timberlake’s “Say Something.” The music video—which was filmed in a single shot at L.A.’s historic Bradbury Building—has been viewed over 287 million times. Watch here.
Meet Pamela Benjamin, who shared her experiences with VOICES back in November of 2017. Benjamin’s animated personality made an already interesting saga that much richer.
Always an independent soul, Benjamin had traveled by ship from New Zealand to Australia on her way to Canada when she was 25 years old. She never got further than Sydney, where she met future husband Craig, who had stopped by Benjamin’s group house to give her friend, Tina, a flute lesson. Benjamin was in the kitchen baking a cake at the time.
“I gave him a piece of cake and he asked us to the movies,” said Benjamin. Tina and another man joined them.
That night, the course of Benjamin’s history changed. During dinner, the second man read her palm and asked Benjamin if he could speak to her privately.
“He told me that Craig and I would be happily married for a long time and have two children,” she said. “I told him, ‘Don’t be stupid, we just met at lunchtime.'”
The Benjamins have now been married over 40 years and have three children. (Nobody’s perfect, not even palm readers.)
The Benjamins emigrated to the United States — and Grand Rapids, specifically — in 2003 so that Craig (affectionately called “CB”) could accept a job offer at Grand Valley State University teaching Big History, an academic discipline which examines history from the Big Bang to the present.
“We came here because there were no jobs for professors in Australia,” Benjamin said. “Craig went from being a professional musician and high school band director to teaching Big History at GVSU.”
Benjamin found the move challenging in several respects, the most drastic of which was the threat to her independence. Although Craig had an H-1B visa, Pamela was dismayed to discover that her status as his spouse was essentially that of a ‘nonperson’. She couldn’t check out library books. She couldn’t get a driver’s license. Everything was different, including the grocery store; nothing looked familiar.
She felt isolated. Making art helped. So, too, did writing. But something more was needed. Something warm and fuzzy.
“I got a puppy,” said Benjamin. “It was a lifesaver.”
Today, Benjamin holds citizenship in three countries — New Zealand, Australia and the United States. She and Craig travel the world; she continues to make art; and she chronicles her life, family and their journeys on her blog.
Sink, check. Toothbrush, check. Shower head? Yes, add the shower head to your checklist of things to replace or clean in the bathroom. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
You no doubt think that stepping into your shower will wash away dirt and germs, but a new study shows your shower head might instead dump nasty bacteria on you that may cause lung infections.
Most people know to keep their bathrooms clean, especially the toilet and sink. But researchers discovered that places in the United States and Europe where germs called mycobacteria are found in abundance in shower heads are the same places where bacterial lung infections are most common. In America, that includes parts of Southern California, Florida and New York.
“We live in a world covered in bacteria, and the bacteria in our shower heads follow some interesting geographic trends, and can be altered by our water source and water chemistry,” said study lead author Matthew Gebert.
“We’re exposed to microbes constantly in our day-to-day lives, some beneficial, some innocuous and a few potentially harmful,” Gebert explained.
He’s a research associate at the University of Colorado’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences.
Bacteria thrive in shower heads and water distribution systems. Although most of these bacteria are harmless, some can cause lung infections, he said.
Still, just because mycobacteria live in your shower head doesn’t mean you’ll get sick or are more likely to get a respiratory infection, Gebert added.
In fact, researchers can’t say that a person with a respiratory infection got it through showering, but understanding the sources of mycobacterial exposure is important.
“We don’t want people rushing home and throwing away their shower heads or obsessively cleaning them every day, nor should anyone change their showering habits—swallowing the water is OK,” he said.
For the study, Gebert and his colleagues analyzed shower heads from homes around the United States and Europe, and found an abundance of bacteria. The kind of germs varied by location, and by the chemistry of the water and where it came from.
An interesting finding was that homes whose water was treated with chlorine disinfectants had high concentrations of certain germs, the researchers noted.
The study was published recently in the journal mBio.
“I don’t think there are necessarily any negative implications from the study,” Gebert said. “But because bacteria that can cause illness live in our shower heads, it’s important to understand how people can be exposed to them.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, noted that bacteria grow in wet places like shower heads.
“This is a reminder to clean your shower head, which nobody does,” he said, though “most of us are likely to tolerate mycobacteria and not get sick from it.”
Bacteria in shower heads won’t cause an outbreak of lung infections, but people who are run down or who have a compromised immune system or a chronic condition may be vulnerable, Siegel suggested.
Bacteria also live on your toothbrush and in your sink—any moist surface, he said.
Siegel recommends cleaning your shower head every week or two with a disinfectant that contains ammonia to be sure you kill all the germs nesting there.
“Add your shower head to the list of things in the bathroom that need cleaning,” he said.
Wilmer and Orvid Lawson (seated left), Rep. Bill Huizenga and Col. Rajesh Kothari (standing right) and others at a ceremony at the Roger Chaffee American Legion in Wyoming. (Supplied/Rep. Bill Huizenga’s office)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who represents both Wyoming and Kentwood, was at the Roger Chaffee American Legion in Wyoming on Saturday, Jan. 19, as part of a ceremony to present Congressional Gold Medals to father and son Irwin and Orvid Lawson for their service in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II.
Rep. Huizenga (R-2nd District) presented the award to 92-year-old Wyoming resident Orvid Lawson, while Col. Rajesh Kothari, Commander of the Michigan Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP), presented Wilmer Lawson, son of Irwin and brother of Orvid, with Irwin’s Congressional Gold Medal.
After Rep. Billl Huizenga presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Wilmer Lawson, Commander of the Michigan Wing of Civil Air Patrol, Col. Rajesh Kothari, congratulates him. (Civil Air Patrol photo by Maj. Bill Carson, CAP)
“I had the honor of presenting 92-year-old Orvid Lawson of Wyoming with a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II,” Rep. Huizenga said in material supplied to WKTV. “We also posthumously presented Irwin Lawson, Orvid’s father, with a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the CAP. Irwin was one of 65 CAP volunteers who lost their lives during World War II.”
Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals “as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Each medal honors a particular individual, institution, or event,” according to supplied material.
Father and son Irwin and Orvid Lawson served in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II. (Supplied office of Rep. Bill Huizenga)
Orvid served in the Sault Ste. Marie CAP Squadron until joining the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1945. His father, Irwin was one of 65 CAP members to lose their life while serving as a volunteer in the CAP. Irwin died August 10, 1945.
“Irwin was the head of the Civil Air Patrol in the Soo and Orvid was right by his side,” according to a statement from the congressman’s office. “In addition to some surveillance work, the Soo Civil Air Patrol was used for positioning barrage balloons and for identifying locations for anti-aircraft installations. The Soo was one of the most heavily defended inland sites in the United States during World War II because of the vital importance of the Locks. At its peak, approximately 12,000 troops were stationed there.
“During the early days of American involvement in World War II, the threats CAP faced were in the form of Nazi U-boats threatening U.S. shipping – especially oil tankers – off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts,” the statement continues. “CAP’s founders flew patrols that discouraged and eventually stopped the U-boat attacks saving hundreds of American lives. They also patrolled the country’s borders by air, towed targets for military trainees, spotted forest fires, conducted search and rescue missions, provided disaster relief and emergency transport of people and parts, and conducted orientation flights for future pilots.”
The ceremony at the Roger Chaffee American Legion included National Commander of the American Legion, Brett P. Reistad, as well as the Commander of the Roger Chaffee American Legion post, Bill Charon.
Members of the Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan paid a special visit to the City of Kentwood Police Department on Friday, Jan. 25. Supplied/City of Kentwood)
By City of Kentwood
The Detroit Tigers visited the Kentwood Police Department on Friday, Jan. 25 to celebrate the department’s 50th Anniversary.
Detroit Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire and players presented a special jersey to Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
Tigers players and coaches presented Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen with a framed jersey after joining police officers in training for a private lunch.
The visit was part of the Tigers Winter Caravan, where players and coaches make stops around the Detroit metro area and other parts of the state leading up to the annual TigerFest at Comerica Park. The tour allows fans unable to make it to TigerFest a chance to see some of their favorite players in person before the season.
Detroit Tigers Manager Ron Gardenhire with Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
“We were honored to be included in the Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan in recognition of our 50th anniversary,” Chief Hillen said. “The Kentwood Police Department has been dedicated to serving the residents of our community with excellence since 1968. We are always humbled by the incredible outpouring of support shown to our officers and staff. “It is with great pride we continue our efforts to make Kentwood a great place to live and work for the next 50 years.”
Now in its 51st year, the Kentwood Police Department operates with 71 sworn officers who serve a growing population of approximately 51,000 residents through several innovative programs and community engagement efforts.
Of special note is the Department’s Data-Driven Approach to Crime and Traffic Safety, or DDACTS, program. DDACTS is an operational model that uses the integration of location-based crime and traffic data to establish effective and efficient methods for deploying law enforcement and other resources. The goal is to reduce the incidence of crime, crashes and traffic violations in the community.
DDACTS helps the Department further refine patrol efforts on specific areas based upon a temporal analysis of crime. This narrows down the days and times of crashes and criminal activity, allowing for a more effective presence and deployment of resources.
In 2016, the Department started a School Resource Officer Program as a collaborative effort between the community, schools and law enforcement to provide proactive law enforcement. Currently, the Department has two dedicated certified police officers assigned to specific school districts in the City. By working with educators, students and parents, officers work to reduce crime, increase security and promote a positive role model between youth and law enforcement.
Operation P.R.I.C.E., which stands for Preventing Retail Theft Through Initiative, Collaboration and Enforcement, has had a proven track record in helping local businesses decrease incidents of retail fraud since it was started by the Department in 2014.
As part of the program, Kentwood Police educate store employees on how they can discourage shoplifting and how to identify potential crime, as well as what to do when a shoplifter is caught. The partnership between police and store owners also provides increased police presence in stores and on the streets.
For many years, Kentwood Police has partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration on its Drug Take Back program. Recognizing the need for community members to have a secure location to safely dispose of unused and/or unwanted prescription medications, the Department offers a free and anonymous drop-off location in the lobby, located at 4742 Walma Ave SE. Providing a secure location for proper medication disposal helps keep the community safe by helping to prevent potential accidental poisoning, misuse and overdose.
Beyond the Department’s programs, events such as National Night Out, Touch-A-Truck and Trunk-or-Treat are just a few of the activities that the Kentwood Police Department engages in to stay connected and build meaningful relationships within the community.
The Kentwood Police Department’s mission is to reduce serious crime, increase traffic safety, and serve our community with excellence.
More information about the Kentwood Police Department is available online at kentwood.us.
The West Michigan Whitecaps will soon begin play at Fifth Third Ballpark. (Supplied/West Michigan Whitecaps)
By West Michigan Whitecaps
Tigers pitchers and catchers report to Lakeland in a couple weeks, which means baseball and warmer temperatures are getting close!
When you think of baseball in West Michigan, you think of summers at Fifth Third Ballpark with the West Michigan Whitecaps and the smell of hot dogs, peanuts, and the wide variety of food selections.
To help us add to that variety, the annual Whitecaps Fan Food Submission presented by Visit Central Florida is now up and running. We’re asking fans to submit their ideas for what new food item they would like to have at Fifth Third Ballpark and thanks to Visit Central Florida the winning submission will receive a suite for one night.
This is the 10th consecutive year that a food item submitted by fans will be on the menu. Past winners include Ballpark Digest’s “Best New Food Item” for 2017, Beer cheese Poutine (a combination of pulled pork, waffle fries, beer cheese and bbq sauce), the Baco, Hot-To-Tot, and last year’s winner, Mt. Wing-Suvious, a mixture of mac ‘n cheese, beer cheese and buffalo chicken filling the center of a tower of onion rings, submitted by Grand Ledge native John King.
“The past couple years have been all about flavor, compared to when this first started which was about the weird, wacky, and unique,” said Whitecaps Vice President Jim Jarecki. “The submissions from our fans always make this a fun and exciting process.”
Submissions will be taken through Friday, Feb. 1. They can be made via e-mail at playball@whitecapsbaseball.com . All submissions should be accompanied by a complete description and a picture, if possible.
The ideas will then be pared down and starting Tuesday, Feb. 26 fans will be able to vote for their choice for the new 2019 concessions item. Voting will take place on the Whitecaps website. The winning entry will be on the menu for all fans to enjoy.
The Whitecaps open their 26th season on Saturday, April 6, against the South Bend Cubs at 4 p.m. Season and group tickets are now on sale. Individual tickets will go on sale in February. Complete ticket information, including season and group ticket prices and perks, is available at whitecaps whitecapsbaseball.com .
The average job search process takes over six weeks and can be longer depending on the industry and level of the position. If you’re unemployed, you need to make job search your full-time job to get the fastest results.
West Michigan Works! provides free services to help you at every step of the job search process. There are also things you can do at home to stay productive. Here are some tips and at-home resources to make the most of your time when looking for work.
Collect everything you need. Take some time before you start searching to pull together the details of your employment history. This will make filling out an application and creating a resume faster and easier.
It is also helpful to have a list of action words available to describe the work you have done in the past. We recommend a list of 139 action words provided by indeed.com. You can access it at http://bit.ly/139ActionVerbs.
Become a LinkedIn pro. UseLinkedIn to network, learn about companies and find job openings. Start by making a list of 30 companies where you’d like to work. Follow them on LinkedIn for updates, job postings, news, etc. Many employers use LinkedIn to recruit; if you follow them, you will see job openings as soon as they are posted. Once you land an interview, research the company online to gather information to reference in your interview.
Need help creating a LinkedIn profile? Check out this article from Money magazine: http://bit.ly/MoneyLinkedIN.
Practice makes perfect. The more you do something, the easier it gets. This is true for finding a job. You can use YouTube videos to practice a variety of job search skills like communicating effectively on the phone and using body language to make a good impression during an interview.
Check out the Linda Raynier and Work It Daily channels on YouTube for short, to-the-point videos that can help you get your next job!
If you are looking for assistance exploring career options, building your resume or preparing for an interview, West Michigan Works! can help with this and more. Find free workshops near you at westmiworks.org/calendar.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) set an all-time passenger record for 2018, marking the sixth straight year that the Airport has seen record-setting growth.
In 2018, 3,263,234 passengers flew in and out of GFIA, an increase of 16-percent from 2017. The record-setting year was capped in December with an increase of 17-percent year-over-year. With 273,673 total passengers, it marked the busiest December ever. This was the first time the Airport served more than a quarter-million passengers in the month of December.
“We had originally projected to hit the three million mark in 2020. To have that much growth in 2018 was a tremendous accomplishment,” said GFIA Interim President & CEO Brian Picardat. “Wecouldn’t have done it without our outstanding staff, our loyal passengers, and all of our airlinepartners and airport tenants.”
Additionally, the Airport has processed over 2.5 billion pounds of cargo since 1967. Cargo totals for 2018 hit 91 million pounds – a 3-percent increase over 2017.
Helping spur the passenger growth, the Ford Airport added six new routes in 2018. Frontier Airlines began nonstop service to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Denver International Airport (DEN), Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Tampa International Airport (TPA). American Airlines began new nonstop service to Miami International Airport (MIA) and Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
GFIA has invested in new facilities to accommodate the growing traffic by recently beginning construction on Phase Two of the Gateway Transformation Project – a remodel of the ticketing and baggage claim hall. The Apron Reconstruction Project, a $30 million project that will repair the terminal apron – the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, and refueled, will resume in the Spring.
Allegiant announced they were adding an aircraft base in Grand Rapids which is set to begin operation in June. They have also added three new nonstop destinations to begin in 2019. Service to Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ) will begin in April. Service to Nashville International Airport (BNA) and Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) will begin in June.
“We continue to grow our air service and facilities. On average, airports our size have nonstop service to 17 cities. We are now serving 29,” said Picardat. “We are increasing our capacity andworking to accommodate more routes for our passengers.”
For Ollie, timing and technology came together to make possible the operation, and its happy outcome.
Ultrasound reveals a problem
Kimberly and her husband, Anthony, had no clues of the drama ahead as they prepared for the birth of their second child. They looked forward to welcoming a younger sibling for their 5-year-old son, Elliott.
At 20 weeks, Kimberly had a routine ultrasound near her home in Holland, Michigan. Because the baby’s kidneys and bladder were enlarged, Kimberly’s doctor referred her to the maternal fetal medicine specialists at Spectrum Health.
A few days later, the Lotts visited Dr. Romero and she performed another ultrasound. It, too, revealed enlargement of the bladder, kidneys and the ducts that connect the two.
“It looked like the baby had an obstruction, most likely below the bladder,” she said.
That tiny piece of plastic saved his life.
Kimberly Lott Ollie’s mother
It was hard to get a detailed picture. A developing baby generally floats in amniotic fluid, which aids visualization of the anatomy. But in Ollie’s case, there was essentially no amniotic fluid. Dr. Romero could not even see if the baby was a boy or girl.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum HealthBeat
The lack of fluid can lead to damage of the urinary tract, kidneys and lungs.
“The baby releases urine to the amniotic cavity, and then the baby swallows and breathes the fluid, allowing the lungs to develop,” Dr. Romero explained. “Low amniotic fluid can result in underdevelopment of the lungs—pulmonary hypoplasia, a life-threatening condition.”
In the early stages of pregnancy, the placenta creates the amniotic fluid. The kidneys take over the job after week 17.
By retaining urine, the blockage in Ollie’s bladder disrupted that cycle. Later tests showed he had posterior urethral valves, which means he had extra flaps of tissue in the tube through which urine leaves the body.
Depending on the degree of the obstruction, the condition can be fatal.
‘We will try it’
The Lotts, reeling from the news of their baby’s prognosis, struggled to comprehend the options laid out for them. They could wait and let nature take its course, loving their child for his brief life on earth.
Or they could see if a shunt could be placed in utero in the bladder.
“It sounded kind of far-off,” Kimberly said. “I didn’t know if that was going to work. It seemed weird. But we said we will try it.”
First, they had to see if Ollie was a candidate for surgery. The maternal fetal medicine team had to make sure Ollie’s kidneys still worked and could produce urine. The surgery would not benefit him if the kidneys were so damaged they could not function.
I was so scared. I didn’t want to get my hopes up.
Kimberly Lott Ollie’s mother
Dr. Romero performed a bladder tap, using ultrasound to guide her as she placed a long needle through Kimberly’s uterus and into Ollie’s bladder.
From that tiny sac, she withdrew about a teaspoon of urine.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum HealthBeat
“I felt it. It wasn’t good,” Kimberly said. “That first bladder tap was the worst. My whole uterus contracted. I was crying. I was upset. I was swearing.”
And most difficult of all: She had to repeat the bladder tap the next day. The second test would show if the bladder filled with urine again, indicating Ollie still had functioning kidneys.
Kimberly didn’t hesitate.
“I wanted to do everything I could do,” she said.
Daring to hope
The tests showed good renal function, so Dr. Romero performed the surgery. Kimberly was 23 weeks pregnant.
Using a larger, hollow needle, Dr. Romero placed the shunt into Ollie’s grape-sized bladder.
The tube, called a pigtail catheter, curled into a loop on each end. She placed one end coiled up inside his bladder. The other end looped in a circle outside his body, along his belly.
Urine flowed through the catheter from the bladder to the amniotic sac, bypassing the blockage.
For the rest of the pregnancy, Kimberly returned for repeated follow-up tests to make sure the catheter remained in place. Babies often manage to pull them out.
With each visit, Kimberly worried about whether the shunt still worked, whether her baby was growing.
“I was so scared,” she said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
As the weeks progressed without problems, she began to be hopeful. She stopped researching palliative care options and started reading about kidney issues. A few weeks before the delivery date, she finally allowed herself to buy a few baby outfits for him.
Throughout the pregnancy, the maternal fetal medicine team also monitored the growth of Ollie’s chest.
“We were all worried about how his lungs were working,” Dr. Romero said. “We noticed his chest was growing, so we hoped his lungs were growing, too. But we wouldn’t know until the baby was born.”
They planned to induce labor at 37 weeks. But three days before the delivery date, an ultrasound showed a drop in fluid levels. The catheter was not visible on the scan. The maternal fetal medicine specialists decided to deliver him that day.
That night, Dr. Romero performed a C-section, and Anthony Oliver Lott was born. He weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces.
“He came out and just started wailing,” Kimberly said. “It was such a relief to us.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum HealthBeat
On his belly lay the coiled catheter that had been so elusive on the last ultrasound.
“Everyone was pointing at it and saying, ‘There it is! It’s in there,’” she said.
It didn’t take long to see it was still doing its job.
Ollie’s lungs managed to avoid major damage. In the children’s hospital neonatal intensive care unit, he didn’t need to be on oxygen.
His kidneys sustained major damage, but that had been expected.
‘We can deal with that’
Kimberly gave Ollie a bottle as her son Elliott played a computer game nearby. She talked about the challenges her infant son has already faced in his short life.
Five days after birth, he underwent surgery to remove the valves that blocked his urethra. Tubes were placed in his kidneys to drain urine from them. And he had a port placed so he can have dialysis in the future.
He will need a kidney transplant eventually. Kimberly hopes she will be able to give him one of hers.
He also has a feeding tube to make sure he gets enough nutrition. Children with kidney disease often have poor appetites, Kimberly explained.
Ollie’s health challenges don’t faze her. She just marvels at her son’s bright eyes and alert gaze, his wiggly arms and legs, his sweet smile.
“When he came out and all that was really damaged was his kidneys and urinary tract system, I said, ‘This is manageable. We can deal with that.’ There’s lots of kids in the world who have kidney disease and they are fine.”
She looks to his future with hope.
“He’s a little fighter,” she said. “He has been since the beginning.”
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum HealthBeat
She opened a small bottle and tapped out a plastic tube, curled at both ends: the catheter that had been implanted in utero.
“It saved his life,” she marveled. “That tiny piece of plastic saved his life.”
Ollie’s progress is also deeply rewarding to his physicians.
“This is why you go into medicine, because you want to save lives,” Dr. Romero said. “You want to do good for people.”
She credited Kimberly and her doctor with seeking specialized care as soon as the problem with his bladder appeared. The timing was crucial to the success of the shunt surgery.
Dr. Quiroga praised the Lotts and their vigilance in managing Ollie’s complex health issues, during pregnancy and after birth.
“The family is awesome,” he said.
As for Ollie, he said, “He’s doing great. He’s surprising us. He’s keeping us busy but he’s doing well.”
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.
When in doubt, mumble; when in trouble, delegate; when in charge, ponder.
James H. Boren
New menu item?
Hey, baseball fans, want something new to nibble on? The Whitecaps are asking for food item suggestions. Submit your ideas by Feb. 1st. Winner gets a sweet suite. More info here.
Where do they come from? Where do they go?
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport keeps growing and growing and growing. We’re talking millions of travelers. Our question is, why? More info here.
You can’t be too careful
Just ask Roger Stone. Seriously, it couldn’t hurt to shred all those important papers. Metro Health offers shredding bins Jan. 31st and Feb. 1. More info here.
Fun fact:
It can’t be done
You can’t:
sneeze with your eyes open
hum while holding your nose closed
kill yourself by holding your breath
But, hey. Maybe you’re talented and can prove the experts wrong.
Spatial awareness, also known as geometry, includes knowing about shapes, space, positions, directions and movement. All children need opportunities to play with blocks and puzzles. To help teach the concept of spatial awareness with young children, use puzzle and block play vocabulary as your child plays: above, below, in front of, next to, rectangle (all shapes), rhombus, edge, corner, face and side. “The block that is red is above the block that is blue.”
Playing with puzzles helps build spatial awareness skills. A child is required to determine which piece goes where and then manipulate the piece to get into the shape. Puzzles also help develop problem-solving skills by recreating patterns.
Use math talk: “Jason went under the climber and Suzie is on top of the climber.” “You are sitting next to the dog/cat/your sister.” “Some of the blocks are round and some of them are triangles.”
Play with shape sorters. Talk with the child about the color and number of sides.
Have the child crawl through a tunnel or be in a space where they can see both ends.
Play games like “Pat-a-Cake” and “This Little Piggy.”
Play with puzzles with knobs.
Boys and girls need exposure to blocks. Girls may play differently with blocks, but it is very important that all kids have access to blocks. It will be the foundation for success in future geometry classes.
Other resources from the National Association for the Education of Young Children:
Be careful with your ticker when temperatures plummet. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Health Beat Staff
Winter is here and isn’t leaving anytime soon.
That means it is time to take precautions when exercising or spending any length of time outside.
We asked Thomas Boyden, MD, a Spectrum Health Medical Group preventive cardiologist, for tips on keeping your heart healthy during this time of year.
“Individuals with a known heart condition or heart disease should be particularly careful when shoveling snow or breathing in cold air during the winter,” Dr. Boyden said.
Five tips for helping your heart stay healthy and warm this winter:
If you have any questions or concerns before engaging in outdoor winter activities, consult your physician first.
Wrap a scarf around your mouth and nose so the cold air is warmed before it reaches your lungs. This eases strain on both your heart and lungs.
Limit shoveling to the level of activity you are already used to. If you haven’t been active for months, don’t engage in this vigorous, weight-bearing activity. Too much exertion increases the risk of a heart-related episode.
If you feel any tightness or pain in your chest, stop shoveling or walking in the cold and seek medical attention.
Try to maintain your exercise routine throughout the winter by finding warm, indoor places to walk such as the mall, health club or senior center.
This advice isn’t just for people with a known heart condition, Dr.
Boyden said. A long, cold winter can be challenging for otherwise
healthy people as well.
Bundle up, stay active and be smart when it comes to winter heart health.
Philanthropic giving in the United States is a massive sector of the economy, topping $400 billion, and countless community and national organizations are benefitting from a surge in public interest.
Experts at the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University expect to see the entire ecosystem of philanthropy — nonprofits, foundations, donors and volunteers — rally to support the cause of civil society and cross-sector collaboration in 2019.
However, the challenges the nonprofit sector faces in 2019 are significant, and Johnson Center experts said that addressing those challenges will require data-driven strategies and a willingness to experiment, evaluate and adjust over time.
With these challenges in mind, the thought leaders and experts at the Johnson Center have examined changes in the field and identified 11 trends in philanthropy they expect to see impacting philanthropy in 2019.
The trends cover a range of topics, from significant growth in nonprofit media to a downturn in religiosity, to ongoing uncertainty about the impact of 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the nonprofit sector.
1. The Boundaries are Blurring Between Philanthropy and Business – Michael Moody, Ph.D., Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
For as long as we have used “sectors” to define society, we’ve been particularly fixated on the boundaries between those sectors. But today, those boundaries – especially the once bright lines between business and philanthropy – are blurring at an accelerating rate. This trend is leading to great innovation, but its potential pitfalls are real, as well.
2. As Religiosity Changes, Donor Engagement Needs to Adapt — Tamela Spicer, M.A., program manager
Religious organizations have taken in a significant share of America’s philanthropic dollars for generations. But as Americans become less religious, and the traditional vehicles for giving evolve, nonprofits’ understanding of how faith and spirituality impact giving needs to expand.
3. For Nonprofits, the Tax Landscape is Far From Settled — Kyle Caldwell, president and CEO, Council of Michigan Foundations, and Donna Murray-Brown, president and CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association and Member
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) included a number of provisions that affect the way nonprofits identify and calculate their tax liabilities. Many nonprofits are still working to understand, explain and account for these changes ahead of the 2018 filing deadline. However, the TCJA’s true impact — and even whether the tax code will continue in its current form through 2019 — remains to be seen.
4. Nonprofit Media is Experiencing a Growth Spurt — So is Philanthropy’s Response – Tory Martin, M.A., director of communications and engagement
Journalism is turning to a nonprofit model in the hopes of offsetting falling ad revenue and shoring up faith in a free press. And in a moment of near-daily attacks on the media, more and more foundations and donors are exploring what it means to support independent journalism and media literacy.
5. More Tools – and More Calls – to Align Foundation Culture with Mission and Values – Teri Behrens, Ph.D., executive director
Power dynamics in philanthropy are nothing new, but the sector’s increased focus on racial equity, environmental sustainability, and other social justice-related issues are pushing more organizations to take a look in the mirror. Foundation leaders are increasingly paying attention to the foundation as an organization, with a culture that supports or interferes with the ability to achieve their mission.
6. Nonprofits are Playing a Vital Role in Civic Engagement – Tory Martin, M.A., director of communications and engagement
Anecdotally, America seems to be experiencing a great surge in civic engagement. Countless nonprofits are benefitting from increased awareness, donations and public passion — but what really seems to be changing for nonprofits is their own awareness of the role they play in sustaining a healthy democracy.
7. Concrete Strategies are Emerging for Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Principles – Juan Olivarez, Ph.D., Distinguished Scholar in Residence for diversity, equity, and inclusion
As professional organizations and agents of cultural change, nonprofits have been concerned with advancing social justice for decades. But as a sector, we have often struggled to find the right levers and tactics for living out our DEI values. Fortunately, the sector’s increased focus in this space is producing more practical strategies for organizations and communities alike.
8. Powering Communities While Protecting Individuals – Erica Czaja, Ph.D., director of the Johnson Center’s Community Research Institute
Communities working toward equitable change are increasingly turning to data to help them understand and solve their biggest challenges. Detailed data, broken down by characteristics like race and gender, are critical to uncovering stark inequities that might otherwise be hidden by total population averages. But this trend is simultaneously prompting serious questions about the entities that handle data and the security measures they take to protect individuals’ information.
9. The Wealth Gap is Becoming a Giving Gap – Michael Moody, Ph.D., Frey Foundation Chair for Family Philanthropy
Giving in the U.S. has long correlated with the up and down pattern of the nation’s economy. But what about an economy in which the most glaring “trend” is not an overall rise or fall, but a growing gap between those at the top and bottom? As wealth and income become increasingly unequal in this country, it appears that patterns in giving may follow this dramatic bifurcation.
10. As Donors and As Causes, Women are Taking the Lead in Philanthropy – Kate Pew Wolters, trustee, Grand Valley State University; co-chair, Johnson Center Leadership Council
Women have dominated philanthropy’s professional ranks for decades, and today, the number of women who are taking on roles as institutional leaders and major donors is on the rise. Yet the international spotlight currently falling on women and girls’ causes should be understood more as a blossoming of what’s been happening for generations, than as a wholly new trend.
11. Foundations are No Longer Wedded to the Long Game – Teri Behrens, Ph.D., executive director
Patience has been a defining aspect of institutionalized philanthropy for decades; permanent endowments meant foundations could afford to invest in change over the long term. Since 2010, however, there has been a significant shift toward creating foundations that have a defined endpoint. Donors’ reasons for creating these limited-life foundations vary widely.
For more information on the 11 trends, see the full report or visit johnsoncenter.org.
By Drew Dargavell, WKTV Sports Intern ken@wktv.org
After an illustrious career that spanned 38 seasons over 43 years, Jock Ambrose, head swim coach for the East Kentwood Falcons boys swim team, is stepping down from his position.
Ambrose accomplished a lot in his 38 seasons as head swim coach including 17 league titles, three state runner-ups, two state championships, and five Coach of the Year honors.
In his 43 years in the East Kentwood community, Ambrose not only served as the boys head swim coach but also as the boys water polo coach from 1977-1992, girls swim coach from 1994-1997, and athletic director from 1997-2001. He also served as Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (MISCA) area vice president for seven years, and MISCA water polo chair for five years. He was the founder of the West Michigan Water Polo League, and a founding member of the West Michigan Swim League.
But it wasn’t any of the awards, honors or positions that Ambrose said he will miss most.
“It’s the people around here, in this community that have made it as special as it is and will make it tough for me to walk away,” Ambrose said to WKTV.
Ambrose had a lot of praise for his final team as head coach, currently in its winter swim season, and its group of seniors — “This senior class is a tremendous group of young men, and a great group of leaders.”
The coach went on to give praise to his three senior captains — Nick Cohey, Theo Duong, and Max Henderson — who have stuck with the program all four years.
Ambrose has hopes of finishing his final season in the top half of the team’s state swim division and “to make a nice showing at the state meet. It’s been a few years since we’ve done that and I think this senior class is ready to.”
Ambrose also had a very optimistic outlook on the future of this program once he’s done as head coach. “We’ve got a wonderful freshman class, they’re going to be very, very good, four of them have senior brothers on the team so that’s very exciting.”
This video story and all sports news segments are available on the WKTV YouTube channel . All featured games covered by WKTV’s sports coverage crew, as well as other community events covered, are available on-demand at wktvondemand.com .
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports .
SpartanNash President and CEO Dave Staples was one of three people named as an officer to The Right Place, Inc. board of directors.
“SpartanNash has been a long time partner with The Right Place and we greatly appreciate and respect their leadership and commitment to driving economic growth in West Michigan,” said Staples, who will be serving as treasurer to the The Right Place, Inc. board. “West Michigan has been our company’s home for more than 100 years, and this area is unique and fortunate to have so many exceptional companies committed to making our community a better place to live, work and prosper. It is an honor to continue our partnership and volunteer my talents as treasurer.”
SpartanNash’s headquarters are located at 850 76th St. SW, Byron Center, with a distribution center located off of Clyde Park in Wyoming.
Also named as a 2019 officer to The Right Place Inc. board of directors were Sean P. Welsch, PNC Bank’s regional president for Western Mich, who will serve as chair, and Mitch Joppick, the Grand Rapids managing partner for PWC LLP, who will be serving as vice chair.
The new officers were announced last week along with several other board of director positions for The Right Place, Inc. Those positions included:
Executive Committee Appointments:
Bill Pink, President, Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC)
Matt Becker, Managing Partner, BDO
Tina Freese Decker, President and CEO, Spectrum Health
New Appointments to the 2019 board of directors:
Ron DeWaard, Partner, Varnum
Steve Downing, President and CEO, Gentex Corporation
Krista Flynn, Regional President – West Michigan, Chemical Bank
Tina Freese Decker, President and CEO, Spectrum Health Systems
Andi Owen, President & CEO, Herman Miller, Inc.
Jim Teets, CEO, ADAC Automotive
Mark Washington, City Manager, City of Grand Rapids
Images of the suspect captured from a security camera. (Supplied)
Images of the suspect captured from a security camera. (Supplied)
By Wyoming Department of Public Safety
At approximately 4:55 pm on Tuesday January 22, 2019, officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to a bank robbery at the 5/3 Bank, 1031 Chicago Dr SW. The suspect entered the bank, demanded money, and implied he had a weapon. The suspect obtained an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene, possibly in a grey SUV. There were no injuries during this incident.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic or Puerto Rican male in his 40s, 5’11” tall, thin build, and had a mustache. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, gray winter hat, blue jeans, and black tennis shoes.
Anyone with information about his case is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or to contact Silent Observer, 1-866-774-2345.
1964 The Tribute comes to DeVos Performance Hall April 18. Tickets go on sale Friday. (Supplied/Steven Gardner)
By Mike Klompstra DeVos Performance Hall
They’ve been called the “born again Beatles.” 1964 The Tribute recreates a Beatles concert exactly as it was in 1964, from the haircuts, the voices, the suits, the boots, to the vintage instruments. If you miss The Beatles, don’t miss 1964 The Tribute in DeVos Performance Hall , on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Rolling Stone magazine has named them the #1 Beatles show, and they have seven straight sellouts at Carnegie Hall.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 25 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices are subject to change.
“1964” focuses on the quintessential moment in history, when The Beatles played before a LIVE audience. The Beatles toured the world in the early 1960’s, but now only a precious few remain who saw them LIVE; who felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim. Today, all that remains are a few scant memories and some captured images in pictures and on poor quality film and video. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “MAGIC” of those LIVE Beatles’ performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy.
Volunteers and workers comes together every Tuesday to make Paul’s Mom’s Cookies.
By Micah Cho WKTV Contributor
Susan Schur lived on the streets of Grand Rapids for eight months. Now, thanks to the partnership of Dégagé Ministries and Paul’s Mom’s Cookies, she has a steady job and an apartment.
“Dégagé helped me reinvent myself after being homeless,” Schur said.
Founded in 1967, Dégagé Ministries looks to serve homeless women in the Grand Rapids area. Men and women in need of assistance can visit Dégagé for food, hygiene, and legal services. Only women, however, can stay at the “Open-Door Women’s Center,” a homeless shelter for women in crisis.
Employing women that come through the shelter, Paul’s Mom’s Cookies gives women the opportunity to work for a real business and make a wage, something that’s difficult for homeless women.
“We were able to use those women to come in and pay them a fair wage and teach them the trade of baking the cookies,” said co-owner Cindy Knape. “So to us it was a win-win because we’re not just giving money to a charity, but we’re helping it from the ground up.”
Knape, along with co-founder Chris Mason, started the business out of Knape’s home kitchen and sold their cookies at the Rockford Farmers Market. After the cookie’s popularity took off, it was time to find a new place to start baking. Now, 20-30 volunteers and employees pack Trinity United Methodists Church’s kitchen on Tuesday mornings producing more than 1,500 cookies.
“A year ago it took us three hours to bake 800 cookies and now its three hours to bake 1,500,” said cookie business manager Zenobia Taylor-Weiss. “So, we’re getting good at what we do”.
Taylor-Weiss has noticed the different types of relationships that have been formed between the volunteers and the women from the open-door program. Because of the situations some of the women have gone through, Taylor-Weiss says there is nothing better than a strong support system.
“The community that’s been created here… It’s been really beneficial to everybody,” said Taylor-Weiss.
Community has been especially beneficial to Schur. With an apartment and job, Schur is also a strong believer in the community that has been created at Paul’s Mom’s Cookies.
“The volunteers and the rest of the workers are fabulous, I have great relationships with all of them,” said Schur. “I have their phone numbers and I can call them at any time if I have any questions and I just love it.”
Paul’s Mom’s Cookies can be found in Forrest Hills Foods, 4668 Cascade Rd. SE; Kingma’s Market off Plainfield, 2225 Plainfield NE; and the Bridge Street Market, 405 Seward Ave. NW.
They say that folk music is at it best where its played by family about real people. If that is true — and the musical proof of such things is in the listening — than Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn’s late-2018 recording of two songs for a video by renowned dance company Pilobolus may well be the art of folk music at its perfection.
The musical evidence will likely be heard Saturday, Feb. 9, as the husband and wife duo, both accomplished and innovative banjo artists, return to St. Cecilia Music Center’s Royce Auditorium for an Acoustic Café Folk Series concert.
Tickets are still available.
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn. (Supplied/Courtesy of the Artists)
In fall 2017, Fleck and Washburn released their second full-length studio album together, “Echo In The Valley”, an 11-track LP includes the two banjo players playing folk and bluegrass music. In October of last year, the duo released a new single that married two songs from that album, which also is the soundtrack for the Pilobolus music video.
The new single and video pairs “Come All You Coal Miners” — written by Sarah Ogan Gunning, an Appalachian ballad singer, activist and wife of a coal miner — with Fleck and Washburn’s own “Take Me to Harlan.”
Fleck and Washburn, who have been called “the king and queen of the banjo”, return to St. Cecilia after a sold-out concert midwinter in 2018.
“Béla and Abigail are two of the most delightful and gracious musicians we’ve hosted in concert,” Cathy Holbrook, executive director of St. Cecilia, said in supplied material. “Their warmth and love of music reflects in their amazing show.”
Fleck is a 15-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the instrument across multiple genres, and, according to supplied material, Washburn is a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re-radicalized it by combining it with Far East culture and sounds. “Echo in the Valley” is the follow up to Fleck and Washburn’s self-titled debut that earned the 2016 Grammy for Best Folk Album.
“The mission of ‘Echo in the Valley’ was to take our double banjo combination of three finger and clawhammer styles to the next level and find things to do together that we had not done before,” Fleck said in supplied material. “We’re expressing different emotions through past techniques and going to deeper places.”
Acoustic Café Folk Series remaining concerts
The Acoustic Café Series, in partnership with the syndicated radio show of the same name, features five remaining folk concerts this season. Following Fleck and Washburn are: The War and Treaty, on Sunday, on Feb. 24; The Milk Carton Kids, on Thursday, Feb. 28; Asleep at the Wheel, on Thursday, April 11; and guitar master Leo Kottke on Thursday, April 18.
Tickets for Fleck and Washburn
Fleck and Washburn concert tickets are $45 and $50 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.scmc-online.org. A post-concert party with complimentary wine and scmc-online.org beer bar is offered to all ticket-holders. All ticket prices include service fees and no additional fees are charged.
Despite all the stereotypes about seniors who simply don’t understand technology, a majority of adults age 65 and over are now using the internet. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, over 67% of this group uses the internet regularly, and as many as 40% own a smartphone. However, while seniors and technology may be more compatible than people think, it doesn’t change the fact that this generation was raised without it, and may not be familiar with some of the risks. We’ve put together 18 important tips for safer internet surfing:
General Safety & Security
Make sure your passwords are unique and secure. Use strong passwords that don’t include any personal information, and try to avoid dictionary words and common phrases. Many websites recommend a mix of lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. In addition, never use the same password for more than one account.
Use anti-malware software and other protective tools. Be sure that your computer has some sort of trusted security software installed, and set it to automatically update so that you’re protected against the latest risks. Ask an expert or trusted tech-savvy person if you’re unsure what to install.
Don’t download unknown attachments and software. Never download documents, images, or software if you don’t know and trust the source. Scammers and hackers will often disguise viruses and other malware as “free” software tools or interesting content to download.
Consider authorizing a trusted friend or family member to access your accounts. In case of emergency, it can be difficult or impossible for trusted friends and family to access online email, bank, and file storage accounts. Plan ahead and work with an attorney to authorize someone you trust to access your accounts.
Email and Social Media
Understand “spam” filters. Spam refers to unwanted, unsolicited emails. Most email providers have spam filters that remove these emails from your main inbox.
Use social media privacy settings. Be aware of what you’re posting on any social media sites, and use privacy settings to restrict access to your posts to people you trust with personal information.
Report any and all instances of abuse. Cyberbullying may be associated with children and teens, but that doesn’t mean that adults don’t get abused online. Don’t respond. Instead, report abuse – both to the platform you’re on and to people who can help, and remember that abuse is not your fault.
Know the signs of a scam. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is. Offers of low-priced or free big-ticket items such as vacations, electronics, and medicines are usually scam attempts. On the other hand, scammers will sometimes send you requests for money from friends’ personal accounts; never reply or send funds without first verifying the request with the person in some other way.
Money and Purchasing
Look for secure websites. Whenever you’re prompted to enter your payment information into a website, first check that the website is secure. In the URL bar at the top of your internet browser, look for “https://” for a secure site. (The “s” stands for secure.)
Understand and avoid phishing attempts. Be wary of links to sites that ask you to make a purchase or enter your payment information. One common scam, “phishing,” makes a phony site look like a trusted site, then gives your information to the scammer. Look for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and URLs that look different than you’re used to. When in doubt, enter the web address you know to be correct directly into the URL bar.
Do not enter personal or payment information into an unknown site. On a similar note, be sure to verify the website if you’re going to enter personal or payment information. Look for reviews of online retailers, and in the case of banking or government portals, never respond to requests for information. Banks and government agencies will never solicit passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment information.
Monitor your financial accounts. Even when you take every precaution, there is a chance that your payment information may be leaked or stolen from a trusted vendor. Watch your bank accounts and credit cards for unauthorized purchases.
Meeting New People
Exercise caution. Unfortunately, not everyone on the internet is who they say they are. There are many online opportunities to meet new people, from dating sites to hobby groups and forums, but not everyone is trustworthy. Be cautious when interacting with new people, and don’t give out too much personal information where people can find it.
Do not send money to new acquaintances. Similarly to personal information, some people will use the relative anonymity of the internet to get close to their targets, then request money and never be heard from again. Don’t be swayed by stories of personal tragedy or requests for money to visit unless you’re positive of the person’s good intentions.
When meeting up in person, be safe. If you choose to meet someone from a dating website or a friend you met online, choose a public place and let a friend or family member know where you’re going and who you’re meeting. You can never be too safe, even if you feel you know the person well.
Well-being and Health
Know fact from fiction. Websites such as news publishers and health advice blogs often make money by attracting visitors to view and click ads on their pages, and will publish sensational headlines to get those views. Not everything published on a website is true, no matter how official it may look.
Avoid self-diagnosis and armchair healthcare advice. It’s incredibly easy to look up your symptoms on a search engine and find a list of possible diseases, or a forum discussing a diagnosis. Only a licensed healthcare professional who understands your health background should make diagnoses and prescribe treatments. Attempting to use the internet to do so could mean the condition goes untreated or becomes worse.
Follow up with a professional. Of course, not every piece of health advice on the internet is life and death. There are many helpful resources online for nutrition advice, well-being, and fitness, but it’s always good to consult a professional before making any changes that could impact your health, such as a new diet or exercise plan.
The internet is a helpful tool for staying connected and getting informed, but there are some risks inherent to its use. By educating yourself, you can stay safe from the unpleasant aspects of technology while continuing to reap the benefits.
