Davidson Plyforms is the largest curved plywood manufacturer in North America. They make wood furniture pieces for customers like Haworth, Steelcase and Herman Miller. Their products are used daily around the world in offices, hospitals, schools and homes.
There is no typical day at Davidson Plyforms because their jobs are small volume orders.
“Each order requires different finishes and pieces to make,” said Joe Wiersma, press operator and cell leader. “I might work on chair backs, then switch to stool seats and then chair arms. I like that my job changes a lot.”
Craftsman-type work
The manufacturing process begins with thin sheets of veneer stacked together. Then they’re pressed to create the curve and finished to the customer’s specifications. Large machines do the actual curving and cutting, but the machine operator’s attention to detail makes a difference between a good or great final product.
“The work we do is so intricate; you can see the impact of each operator’s touch on the piece. These jobs are very craftsmen-like positions,” said Mark Walkington, plant manager.
When a new employee joins the Davidson Plyforms team, they’re paired with a trainer-mentor who guides them through the onboarding process for this unique job.
One team
A strong team is integral to the success of the company. Team members are valued for the strengths they bring to Davidson Plyforms.
“We can tell you a lot about the people who work for us; what they do, how they do it and what their strengths and weaknesses are. We try to utilize everyone’s strengths to build a strong team,” said Sicilio Puente, finishing department lead.
Seven years ago, Devin Marcinowski was hired as a second shift press operator.
“Some coworkers encouraged me to apply for a CNC Programmer position. I’m glad they kept nudging me to do it. Now I’m a first shift CNC programmer and I’m going to school to finish my degree,” Marcinowski said.
Davidson Plyforms’ tuition reimbursement program helps pay for tuition and books for employees pursuing a degree or certification.
Think any hormone supplement will do? Think again. Get an expert’s opinion. (For Spectrum Health Beat)
By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat
A patient I’ll call Bev recently came to see me for her annual physical, and she had just a few complaints: rare hot flashes, occasional night sweats and irregular spotting.
So far, so good.
At age 54, her last regular period was approximately 16 months ago. Since that time, she had started using hormone creams prescribed by her chiropractor.
Bev brought the creams in to show me, boasting that they were all natural. She told me she had been feeling great since starting the hormone cream.
Her hot flashes were rare, and her once-thinning hair was now getting thicker. I continued to listen with an open mind as we discussed the rest of Bev’s health.
She happily reported that her hypertension was being controlled with low-dose medications from her primary care physician, and she had no other risk factors for heart disease, stroke, blood clots or diabetes. Furthermore, Bev was a healthy weight.
For the most part, I liked what I was hearing.
Finally, we confirmed that her health screening was up to date, including lab work, mammogram and colonoscopy. As a final step, I performed a breast exam, Pap smear and pelvic exam. Her pelvic and breast exams were normal, and I had no reason to expect any issues with her Pap results.
Now that we had all the background information and physical exam taken care of, I could address her concerns of lingering hot flashes. We were able to relate them to days when she was not drinking enough water, had increased stressed or drank an extra glass of wine.
I then felt obligated to voice my concerns about the natural hormone creams she was taking and the possible relationship to her irregular spotting.
As a result of my concerns, I asked Bev to have a pelvic ultrasound to measure the lining thickness of her uterus. Post-menopause bleeding can be a sign of uterine lining pre-cancer or cancer.
When women take FDA-approved estrogen replacement therapy and progesterone, their risk of uterine cancer is lower than women who take nothing. Estrogen stimulates the lining to grow, and progesterone keeps it in check.
However, the non-FDA-approved hormones Bev used are not shown to protect the uterine lining and can actually increase the risk of uterine cancer.
Bev’s ultrasound of her uterus did show a thick lining, and her endometrial biopsy showed benign thickening. We reversed the thickening first with synthetic progesterone and then switched her to two FDA-approved products: a bio-identical estrogen patch and an oral bio-identical progesterone.
Today, Bev feels great—hair and skin included—and I feel good that we are keeping her safe and healthy.
Stress disorders are tied to a 36 percent greater risk of developing 41 autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay
Trauma or intense stress may up your odds of developing an autoimmune disease, a new study suggests.
Comparing more than 106,000 people who had stress disorders with more than 1 million people without them, researchers found that stress was tied to a 36 percent greater risk of developing 41 autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease.
“Patients suffering from severe emotional reactions after trauma or other life stressors should seek medical treatment due to the risk of chronicity of these symptoms and thereby further health decline, such as the increased risk of autoimmune disease,” said lead researcher Dr. Huan Song, from the University of Iceland in Reykjavik.
The body’s immune system protects you from disease and infection. But autoimmune diseases turn the body’s natural protection against itself by attacking healthy cells.
In comparing people who had stress disorders with more than 1 million people without them, researchers found that stress was tied to a 36 percent greater risk of developing 41 autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease. It’s not clear what causes autoimmune diseases, but they tend to run in families. Women, particularly black, Hispanic and Native-American women, have a higher risk for some autoimmune diseases, the researchers said.
Song added that treating stress-related disorders may help reduce the risk of developing autoimmune diseases.
“There are now several treatments, both medications and cognitive behavioral approaches, with documented effectiveness,” she said.
For example, treating patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may help lower the risk for autoimmune disease, especially when taken in the first year after diagnosis, Song said.
But she cautioned that because this is an observational study, it’s not possible to prove stress causes autoimmune diseases, only that the two are linked.
In the study, Song’s team looked at patients in Sweden diagnosed with stress disorders such as PTSD, acute stress reaction, adjustment disorder and other stress reactions from 1981 to 2013. The researchers compared these individuals with siblings and people in the general population not suffering from a stress disorder.
The effects of severe stress have been associated with a variety of health problems, one PTSD expert said.
“Many studies have linked stress conditions as well as adverse childhood events, such as trauma and neglect, to future medical problems, including immune problems,” said Mayer Bellehsen. He directs the Unified Behavioral Health Center for Military Veterans and Their Families at Northwell Health in Bay Shore, N.Y.
“It is also notable that when people received effective treatment, their risk was lessened,” he added.
Although it isn’t known why stress can increase the chances of developing an autoimmune disease, Bellehsen suggested several possible explanations.
These include the impact of stress on lifestyle—for example, getting less sleep or increased drug or alcohol use. Stress might also directly affect the immune system, he said.
“Regardless of cause, this study adds to the evidence of the link between stress conditions and physical well-being, warranting further attention to the reduction of trauma and other causes of stress conditions, as well as improving treatment of these conditions,” Bellehsen said.
The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Kids are more likely to eat lunches that they pack, or help pack. (Courtesy Michigan State University Extension)
By Sarah Eichberger, Leah Bennett, Michigan State University Extension
Healthy students are better learners. As a parent or caregiver, you can help your child make smarter decisions by providing them with a colorful and healthy school lunch that will fuel their body and brain. When children skip lunch or consume a low-nutrient lunch, they may have problems concentrating in class and lack energy. Consider the following suggestions when planning your next packed lunch:
Involve your child. Ask your child to help with planning and packaging of lunches. Not only is this an opportunity for you to discuss healthy food options, but you can help include nutritious foods that will appeal to your child. Kids are more likely to eat lunches that they pack, or help pack. Make a packed lunch a positive experience for your child by incorporating colorful packaging, leaving little notes in their lunch, and allowing your child to pick out their own lunch box.
Seek balance and color. Create a balanced lunch that is nutrient-rich and includes a variety of foods from all food groups: grain, dairy, protein, fruit and vegetables. Reference the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate to find more information on recommended foods and information on appropriate serving sizes for your child.
Stay away from pre-packaged lunches. Although they are appealing due to the convenience factor, they are relatively more expensive than packing a lunch, lower in nutritional value, include processed ingredients and typically are higher in sodium, fat and calories. If this style of lunch appeals to your child, be creative and use healthier ingredients to create your own look-a-like lunch by buying plastic containers that have compartments where you can divide different foods. Come up with fun options with your child that will allow them to assemble their own food and give ownership over their meal without the added sodium, fat or sugar.
Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Keep hot foods hot in a thermos or cold foods cold in an insulated lunch box with an ice pack. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has a great tip sheet on keeping lunches safe. The transition from class to lunch may not allow for your child to have easy access to wash their hands. Pack wipes or hand sanitizer in their lunch box to help remind your child to wash their hands before eating.
Healthy eating is about what works for you. As a parent you can help implement small changes to build healthier eating styles with your child as the new school year is beginning. Michigan State University Extension encourages small changes that work for your lifestyle such as allowing your child to pack their own lunch with healthy items that appeal to them.
The music of Leonard Bernstein, who composed the music for West Side Story, has graced concert halls and theaters, radios and televisions in homes all across America. This year, the centennial of his birth, the world remembers the life and legacy of the great American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator.
The Grand Rapids Symphony joins in the worldwide celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial with a concert featuring his Overture to Candide, his Symphony No. 2 “Age of Anxiety,” and selections from his Broadway hit, West Side Story among others.
Guest conductor Carl St. Clair will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in Bernstein’s 100th on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall. The performance in the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series concert will feature pianist Benjamin Pasternack in “Age of Anxiety” and soprano Celena Shafer in selections from West Side Story and other vocal works. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
Leonard Bernstein first came to the world’s attention with his impromptu conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1943. Bruno Walter was meant to lead the orchestra in a radio-broadcasted performance, but came down with the flu. The 25-year-old assistant conductor was called upon to conduct in his stead.
Bernstein remembers that fateful day in a 1991 interview with his brother, Burton Bernstein: “When it came to the time – that very day – all I can remember is standing there in the wings shaking and being so scared. There was no rehearsal. I had just come from seeing Bruno Walter, who very sweetly and very quickly – wrapped up in blankets because he had the flu – went over the score of Don Quixote with me.”
With few hours to prepare and no rehearsal, Leonard Bernstein stepped up to the podium in Carnegie Hall to conduct a successful performance, broadcast to the entire nation, launching him into stardom.
Bernstein wrote several orchestral, choral, chamber, and operatic works over the course of his lifetime, but his music also ventured into the realms of theater, ballet, and musicals. The line between the classical and theatrical in Bernstein’s music was often blurred. He once said, “If the charge of ‘theatricality’ in a symphonic work is a valid one, I am willing to plead guilty. I have a deep suspicion that every work I write, for whatever medium, is really theater music in some way.”
Bernstein’s enthusiasm for music was contagious, and it spread across the country with his starring role in the memorable CBS television program, Young People’s Concerts, with the New York Philharmonic.
Carl St. Clair, music director of the Pacific Symphony and guest conductor for the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Bernstein’s 100th, was one of many who benefitted from Bernstein’s mentorship.
Leonard Bernstein in 1973
St. Clair first saw Bernstein on his television set at his childhood home in Texas. He was waiting for friends to pick him up to go to a country and western dance when Bernstein appeared on the TV, leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. St. Clair was mesmerized both by the music and Bernstein. Needless to say, he missed the dance.
Bernstein and St. Clair didn’t cross paths until the summer of 1985 while Clair was studying under Gustav Meier at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in western Massachusetts.
“I was very nervous,” St. Clair recalled. “He comes into the room, and there’s a big double door and we’re all standing in total respect. He greeted Gustav, of course they had known one another… But almost immediately he said, in this kind of Texas accent, or, in a Bostonian/Texas accent, ‘Where’s that cowboy from Texas? I’ve never met a cowboy from Texas who’s also a conductor.’”
During rehearsals for a concert at Tanglewood in 1990, complications with his health left Bernstein unable to conduct his new version of his Arias and Barcarolles, which was to be premiered the next day. The suggestion was made that St. Clair could conduct that piece, allowing Bernstein enough energy to lead the rest of the program.
“I’ll never forget,” St. Clair says. “He looked over at me, and even as sick as he was and as disappointed as he was, it just shows how quick he was — he looked over at me and in a mock Texas accent said, ‘Cowboy, you got it in ya? You got it in ya?”
St. Clair agreed to conduct Bernstein’s piece in what was Bernstein’s last concert appearance. He retired from conducting and passed away nearly two months later at the age of 72.
Bernstein no longer is with us, but his music lives on in performances such as the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Bernstein’s 100th on Nov. 2-3.
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 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.
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.
It’s the last weekend to get your Halloween on and the West Michigan Tourist Association has a few suggestions on just how to do that.
Round Barn Winery hosts a HalloWine Party on Oct. 27.
For Those ‘Wine-ers: Round Barn Winery in Baroda, which is south of South Haven, will be hosting its HalloWine Party from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. The event features all the treats of food and wine along with some rockin’ local bands such as Steve Foresman and the JGJ Band. The HalloWine Party is part of a series that goes for 26 weekends with 68 bands and 108 live performances. Dress in your best Halloween costume and vote for “best costume.” Admission to the event is $5. For more information, visit https://www.drinkmichigan.com/round-up.
The Party Ain’t Over Until the Monster Sings: Coldwater is home to the state’s second oldest opera house, Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett St. The Tibbits will host its annual sppoktacular film festival, Monsterfest 3, Saturday, Oct. 27, starting at 5:30 p.m. The event will feature B-movie monster classics such as “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” “Monster on the Campus,” and “The Mole People.” The Monsterfest 3 is part of a 10-part month double feature showcasing Hollywood classics and it’s free. For more information, visit tibbits.org.
The Whodunnit: Here is a twist for Halloween, head over to Kalamazoo’s Henderson Castle and be part of a murder mystery on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The story goes, there is a towering Castle located in the heart of Scotland. Spend the days walking the Scottish Moors and the evenings in the front of our large and spacious fire place as we’ll assail you with days of valor in a time when Knights walked the land protecting the weak and the innocent. Fair warning: everything is not as it seems.
The evening is $142 and includes the dinner game, a three-course dinner with a special Halloween Spirit Drink for each course. Also, the event is Halloween themed so dress in the costume of your choice or best match your given character. For more information, visit hendersoncastle.com.
Saugatuck has a lot of Halloween fun planned for Oct. 27.
The Big Blowout: One area that really knows how to celebrate Halloween is Saugatuck, which hosts two events for all ages on Saturday, Oct. 27. Activities start at 3:30 p.m. with the annual Halloween family and pet parade. Judges will determine the winners and will distribute cash prizes at the end. After the parade, stay for an array of activities that include music, a puppet experience, horse-drawn wagon rides, and more.
Hit the Trail: The Lakeshore Museum’s Michigan Heritage Park turns into the Haunted Trail Friday and Saturday, Oct,. 26 and 27, from 7:30 – 10 p.m. The park partners will the Muskegon Civic Theatre with actors telling legends, myths and tales from the 1600s to 1900s as participants walk through 10,000 years of horror. Due to scary elements, this event is recommended for ages 13 and older. Tickets are $15 per person.
For more ideas, check out the West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide that is available at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park SW, or visit WMTA.org, There is also still plenty of time to follow the 2018 Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map and Circle Tour, also available at the station.
First-grader Guadalupe Guillen’s go-to is snake books.
“He’s obsessed with snakes, so he sticks with my reptiles box,” said teacher Kristin Accorsi, referring to books in her classroom categorized by genre. Sure enough, minutes later the little boy in a dinosaur shirt paged through pictures of emerald tree boas and bright yellow corn snakes.
“There are different colored snakes,” he explained, flipping to a picture of an orange serpent with long fangs.
Mia Madrigal-Rivas finds her perfect spot to read
Accorsi makes sure her Oriole Park Elementary first-graders have their favorite books and new ones to discover.
Her classroom is freshly stocked with more than 500 new titles. She gives them time to “book shop” for choices they can already read, are learning to read and aspire to read. They have ample time in class to read on their own, and can check out books to bring home and read with their parents. In notebooks, they keep track of their reading goals.
Accorsi is using focused strategies for Guadalupe and his 23 classmates to get the most out of every book they read, be it about snakes or anything else.
The district also invested in materials – hundreds of books for every classroom –– to support it. Main components of the curriculum’s reading workshop model include mini-lessons (short bursts of teacher-led instruction followed by student-led participation), independent reading time and sharing time, when classmates partner to work on a strategy. Teachers are implementing the curriculum in all district elementary schools including Oriole Park, Gladiola, West and Parkview.
“The biggest benefit is developing real readers,” Accorsi said. “Also, it’s a highly engaging structure because kids have a significant amount of choice in what they read.” She’s able to work with students at their level during independent reading time, reaching students who are below grade level and allowing those who are ahead to keep progressing.
“Students are becoming much more motivated and engaged to read.”
Creating Consistent Curriculum
The curriculum brings consistency to literacy instruction district-wide through research-backed strategies. Students will know expectations and lingo used in all grades and with every teacher, said Oriole Park Principal Jennifer Slanger. After 28 elementary teachers used the curriculum as a pre-adoption last school year, over the summer, all elementary teachers received four full days of training led by three staff developers from Teacher’s College Columbia University. Oriole Park and Gladiola staff members will continue training throughout the school year.
This school year, several fifth-graders are pre-adopting the curriculum, with plans for full fifth- and sixth-grade implementation next school year.
“There were a lot of different things happening at our four elementary buildings, and if you take a peek at our M-STEP scores and even our district data, we really weren’t growing our students as readers as much as we should be,” said Oriole Park Elementary School Principal Jennifer Slanger. “What the reading workshop framework allows us to do is become consistent at the K-4 elementary.”
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Superintendent Craig Hoekstra said the curriculum and its alignment districtwide allows staff to meet the needs of all students in every classroom. Individualized goal-setting and conferring with teachers one-on-one while learning what students like to read meets them where they are and allows them to grow.
“Any time you can get students’ voice in the process –if there’s interest– there will be greater level of commitment,” he said.
District literacy coach Brenna Fraser has worked to support the implementation. “One of the things we are most excited about is the opportunity for students to get a lot more reading time in the day,” she said. “We are also very excited about the alignment piece and how that will support higher levels of collaboration.”
Pushing Toward Greater Proficiency
According to mischooldata.org, on the 2017-2018 M-STEP, 30 percent of Wyoming students district-wide scored proficient in English Language Arts at the end of third-grade.
Statewide, it’s a pivotal time for young readers. Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, according to third-grade reading legislation (Public Act 306), all third-graders need to be within one year of grade level in reading or face being held back. The law requires extra support for K-3 students who are not at grade level in reading, including individual reading improvement plans, which are customized plans for students reading at below grade level to improve.
Slanger said they are moving in the right direction. “We can say with confidence that this is an approach to teaching literacy that will drastically change or students’ ability to read, which in turn, then will support students on individual reading plans,” Slanger said. “I am anticipating three years down the road to really celebrate the growth of students and have fewer students on IRIPs.”
Part of the work toward growth is ensuring access to lots of books.
“The biggest takeaway I had (from training) was how important it is that we have books in front of students as much as possible,” Slanger said. The district provided each teacher with a “level library set,” books and resources for categorizing by level and genre, and a bookshelf.
At Oriole Park, four teachers piloted the reading workshop model last school year.
“I noticed a drastic change in students’ approach to reading,” Slanger said. They were highly engaged in the mini-lesson, they were participating and starting to take more ownership in their learning, they were excited to book shop. I think that is the coolest thing.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Each year a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time Festival Artwork Competition. Area artists create and submit their images which are then judged by a local art expert. This year’s submissions were reviewed by Kristin Jass Armstrong, Executive Director of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. This year, a total of 75 submissions were received from 44 area artists. The artists and artwork listed below were selected as this year’s Top 20:
Cindy Bender: Orange Outburst
Betsy Buurma Morton: Folk Dance
Betsy Buurma Morton: Sun Kissed
Katie Church: Shades of Legacy
Lucy Collins: A Perfect Reflection
Beth De Jong: Balloon Bouquet
Jean Flower: Creation’s Song: Composition
Lorma Freestone and Thea Grigsby: Gellukig 90 Jaar
Michelle Fuller: Dancing Beneath De Zwaan
Karen Johnson: Celebrate
Marsha Marier: Holland Sunrise
Susan Day Martell: Garden Dance
Mary McCarthy: Shoe Cobbler Dance
Sri Soekarmoen McCarthy: Maxima Dances the Skotse Trije
Randall Nyhof: Impressionistic Dutch Tulips
Delaney Ann Prins: Orange is Best in Holland
Ken Rogers: Orange Tulip Dance
Kathleen Sligh: After the Rain
Andrew Snyder: Red and Yellow Dance into Orange
Carolyn Stich: Enduring Delft
The winner of the 2019 Tulip Time Festival Artwork Competition will be selected by representatives from both Tulip Time and the Holland Area Arts Council. The Top 20 artists and their works will be featured at First Bloom, a special unveiling reception held in February where the winner will be announced. The remaining 19 finalists’ original works will be placed on display at the Holland Area Arts Council from May 4 through May 12, inviting the public to participate in the Viewers’ Choice Awards by voting for their favorite image. Cash prizes will be awarded on May 11 to the top three works of art with the most public votes.
The Tulip Time Festival will be held May 4–12, 2019. A Festival Preview offering highlights of the 2019 program will be available in November. Full festival details will be available in the Spring Festival Guide published in March 2019.
When Doug Sheldon took over a popular 18-year-old business, his only goal was to make sure everyone was running out the door. After all, the business he bought was The Haunt, one of West Michigan’s most well-known haunted attractions.
“We tried to make sure we had something for everyone,” said Sheldon. “Whether you’re looking for a detailed-type haunted house with a lot to look at or whether you’re looking to get startled and scared behind every corner.”
So Sheldon moved The Haunt to a new location, a 50,000-square-foot facility located behind the 28th West Place (the former Wyoming Village Mall) at 1256 28th St. SW (across from the Wyoming High School.) Sheldon teamed up with The Haunt’s General Manager and Creative Director Ethan Turon, who has designed haunted attractions on a national level, to create a space that has more than 144 rooms with about 100 actors, 63 anamtronics and a Lougaroo prepared to give anyone a frightening good time.
The Haunt Owner Doug Sheldon
Upon first entering The Haunt, guests will visit the Hemlock Manner in the attraction “Exhumed.” Like something ripped from a “Supernatural” storyline, this story is the Hemlock family’s daughter suddenly goes missing, and there’s nothing normal about her disappearance. There are certainly some skeletons in the closet, along with possessed family members and few freshly dug up guests, in this house where visitors have the opportunity to roam the rooms and halls to discover the manor’s secrets.
In the next attraction, mannequins have overthrown the workers and taken control over one of the midwest’s most renowned mannequin factory, the Immortuos Mannequin Factory. But this is no sweet, singing adventure as the zombie-like mannequins are more interested in there next victim, which could be you if you care to clock in.
“The unique thing about ‘Immortus’ is that it’s a never-ending maze,” said Sheldon. “There’s constant twists and turns with scares behind every corner.”
If you should manage to figure a way out of Immortuos, then the next stop is the Vox Sanitarium.
A peek into the Vox Sanitarium
However, don’t be fooled by the smiling man in the lab coat, he is actually a patient with Vox Sanitarium truly fitting the saying “the patients are running the asylum.” Visitors of the sanitarium will weave in and out of the main hallway of the sanitarium meeting different patients, a feature Sheldon said is unique to The Haunt.
“(Vox Sanitarium) is one of the only attractions in the country that has a hallway through the center of it,” said Sheldon. “This hallway gets very full and very creepy”.
If you are still standing, well how about a quick trip to the bayous of Louisiana? Specifically The Lougaru Bayou, where a secret voodoo cult has been living and with their Lougaroo – which Sheldon said is indescribable but dangerous – the cult is ready to take over the world.
You still have time to check out The Haunt, which will be open through Nov. 3. Sundays and weekday hours are 7 – 10 p.m. (note it is not open on Mondays and Nov. 1.) and Friday and Saturday hours are 7 – 11 p.m. Because of long lines, The Haunt has been opening a half hour earlier. Check the website, https://www.the-haunt.com/ for specific details and ticket information. On Saturday, Oct. 27, there will be a Trunk or Treat from 3 – 5 p.m. and a Kids Haunt from 4 – 6 p.m. Sheldon noted that the last two days of The Haunt’s season, Nov. 2 and 3, all be very special and definitely not for scaredy cats.
“We turn the lights off and give you a glowstick. If you were brave enough and weren’t very scared the first time, I guarantee we will get you,” said Sheldon.
And what happens after Nov. 3? Well, you might start hearing a lot of interesting sounds coming from the building…that is construction sounds as Sheldon said they will start building for next year’s event.
State of Michigan 72nd District House of Representatives
The 72nd District House of Representative seat covers the cities of Kentwood and Wayland, along with a portion of Cutlerville and the community of Dorr. For a district map, click here.
There are three candidates, one a one-term incumbent, seeking the 72th District House of Representatives. They are, in alphabetical order, Republican incumbent Steve Johnson, Libertarian candidate Jamie Lewis and Democratic candidate Ron Draayer.
Steve Johnson – Incumbent (R) MI State Representative 72nd District
Name: Steve Johnson
Party: Republican
Occupation: State Representative, 72nd District
Why did you decide to run for the 72th District House of Representatives seat?
During the last two years I’ve been working on several key issues, one of them being auto insurance rates. I think that is one of the biggest issues facing our state right now, so I want to continue to be a voice for lower auto insurance rates. We came close this time and I want to continue to fight for those lower auto insurance rates.
If elected, what (other that auto insurance) issues do you want to focus on?
I think we need to get rid of some of the special interest deals we have created for certain industries, certain companies. And I think: ‘How can these special interest deals be good for the people of the 72nd District?’ I am looking out for the people of the 72nd District instead.
Ron Draayer – Candidate (D) MI State Representative 72nd District
Name: Ron Draayer
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Retired classroom teacher
Why did you decide to run for the 72th District House of Representatives seat?
I feel that Michigan needs experienced leadership to solve the many problems that we face in this state.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
There are three top issues that are most important to me: education, repairing our infrastructure, and protecting and preserving our great natural resources.
Note: Libertarian candidate Jamie Lewis was invited but did not participate in the We the People candidate profiles.
State of Michigan 77th District House of Representatives
The 77th District House of Representative seat covers the City of Wyoming, Byron Township and a portion of Cutlerville. For a district map, click here.
There are three candidates, one a one-term incumbent, seeking the 77th District House of Representatives. They are, in alphabetical order, Republican incumbent Tommy Brann, Democratic candidate Dana Knight, and Libertarian candidate Patty Malowney.
Tommy Brann – Incumbent (R) MI State Representative 77th District
Name: Tommy Brann
Party: Incumbent, Republican
Occupation: Owner of Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille on Division Avenue
Why did you decide to run for the 77th District House of Representatives seat?
Because I am good at the job. I own a small business and every night, I comeback and work at that business and through that I bring the issues that I learned about and discuss at that business back to Lansing, which is not something many of my colleagues are able to do.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
I have an animal cruelty bill that I have been working on. Also, I want to continue the work on homelessness by getting that $2 additional per bed for the shelters. Michigan is one of the lowest in the country, $16 per bed when the average is $26, in contributing to shelters. This additional money would help with new bedding and operations. We have more than 60,000 homeless people, so it is a big problem. I also want to bring the concept of free enterprise into the schools to give students more career choices.
Note: Democratic candidate Dana Knight and Libertarian candidate Patty Malowney were invited but did not participate in the We the People candidate profiles.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 16th opportunity in 8 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
WKTV asked Kentwood Police Department Deputy Chief Richard Roberts why the take back effort is so important.
Pills for disposal can be brought to the Kentwood Police Department at 4742 Walma Ave SE Kentwood. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The event cannot accept liquids or needles, only pills or patches.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 27 Take Back Day event, please contact Vicki Highland at highlandv@kentwood.us or 616-656-6571.
More information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is available at takebackday.dea.gov.
State of Michigan 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives
Michigan’s 2nd District of U.S. House of Representatives includes Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon and Ottawa counties as well as portions of Allegan, Mason and Kent counties including the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood. For a district map, click here.
Three candidates are running in the Nov. 6 General election. They are, in alphabetical order, Democratic candidate Dr. Rob Davidson, U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate Ronald Graeser and Republican Incumbent Bill Huizenga.
Dr. Rob Davidson (D), candidate, U.S. Congress 2nd District
Name: Dr. Rob Davidson
Party: Candidate, Democrat
Occupation: Emergency room physician
Why did you decide to run for the 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives seat?
I decided to run because I realized that congress needs more representatives who are not influenced by special interest money and are instead focused on serving their constituents. After attending town halls with Congressman Bill Huizenga … I came to the realization that his votes on critical issues such as healthcare and the economy often aligned with the interests of big businesses and wealthy special interests instead of the interests of the people in his district.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
Healthcare. I would immediately join current members in supporting legislation HR676: Expanded and Improved Medicare For All. Too many Americans cannot afford health insurance, and too many who do have health insurance struggle with high deductibles and copays.
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R), incumbent, U.S. Congress 2nd District
Name: Rep. Bill Huizenga
Party: Incumbent, Republican
Occupation: U.S. Congressman
Why did you decide to run for the 2nd District U.S. House of Representatives seat?
I want to create a better future for all of West Michigan. As Congressman, I have led bipartisan efforts to preserve and protect the Great Lakes while also working to provide real solutions that remove government barriers, lower taxes for middle class families, and increase opportunity for hardworking individuals across West Michigan.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
I was elected to Congress based on three key principles: create jobs, stop spending, and protect life. These principles still define my role in Congress.
Note: Contact information was not available for U.S. Taxpayers Party candidate Ronald Graeser to invite him to participate in the We the People candidate profiles.
For the Wyoming City Council, there is only one seat contested out of the four seats on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Mayor Jack Poll is seeking his third term as the city’s mayor. He is running unopposed for the seat. Also running unopposed are Sam Bolt and Kent Vanderwood, both who are seeking re-election as council members at large.
For the city’s 1st Ward Councilor seat, incumbent Sheldon DeKryger will face candidate Pete Rickertson. DeKryger was appointed in March to fill the 1st Ward seat when longtime council member Bill VerHulst announced he would not be seeking re-election and stepped down from the council due to health concerns.
The city’s 1st Ward Wyoming’s encompasses Precincts 1 – 9. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
Sheldon DeKryger – Incumbent
Occupation: Residential home builder
Why did you decide to run for the Wyoming City Council Ward 1 seat?
My wife and I believe in servant leadership, that is why our family has spent the last 20 years serving others in our community, school, and church. I believe the next step in serving my community is being the people’s voice on the Wyoming City Council. That is why when Bill Verhulst retired I applied for the position and was appointed last March. I would like to continue the great work the City is doing now.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
Public Safety- I believe the Police and Fire departments need the tools and equipment necessary to do their jobs. The city needs to maintain the current funding levels to keep our community safe and protected.
Pro Business- I want to work on getting good manufacturing businesses in the Site 36 property. It would bring in hundreds of well paying jobs and be great for our city.
Financial Sustainability – I believe the city needs to live within its means. We also need to keep taxes low and bring funds back to our city from Lansing.
Pete Ricketson – Candidate
Occupation: Bus Driver
Why did decide to seek election to the Wyoming City Council Ward 1 seat?
Well for one thing, I saw how the city council influenced things with The Rapids. I see how things could be for public transportation and how as I looked into the city, I was appalled to see thousands of dollars being wasted. The majority are putting there own interested above the people who elected them. For that reason, I believe there is a huge disconnect between the actions of the city council and the will of the people.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
I think we need to overhaul how we use our resources as a city, stopping unnecessary spending. I would like to see us bring back things for our community such as the Fourth of July parade or perhaps, create a Taste of Wyoming at Lamar Park.
All five public school districts in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas have school board elections on Nov. 6. Of those districts, only two have contested races, Godwin Heights and Wyoming. School board elections will be towards the end of the ballot.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
There are two candidates seeking six-year terms, which are incumbents Eric Mockerman and Jacklyn Hernandez. Josephine Coleman was appointed by the board in May to fill a seat vacated by Rebecca Kibbe until the election. Coleman is seeking to fill the remainder of that seat’s term, which ends in 2022. All of these candidates are running unopposed.
Godwin Heights Public Schools
There are four candidates seeking to fill three seats on the Godwin Heights Public Schools Board of Education. These seats are all six-year terms. Two of the candidates are incumbents, David Drake, who was elected in 2013, and Richard Hamilton, Jr., who was elected in 2017. There are two challengers, Joseph Januska and David Rodriguez. All candidates were contacted and invited to participate in sharing their message to the voters.
Joseph Januszka – Candidate
Occupation: Retired
Why did you decide to seek election to the Godwin Heights Public Schools Board of Education?
My interest in the schools and what I have been seeing has been growing the past 11 years. I owned and ran a small business which I believe gave me great insight into financial aspects of doing this. I believe this strong financial background will help me analyze and make decisions on the budgeting and spending that the school board oversees in the district.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
I am a father and grandfather to five beautiful grandchildren. The youth of today is the future of our country. Education can not be wasted. Students today – leaders tomorrow. Our children need to learn the true history of our country, both the good and the bad, while also learning to respect it as well as everyone they encounter throughout their lives. They need to learn to live by rules and laws everyone of us are required to. I believe all this will help our students to learn and live side by side with their peers.
Kelloggsville Public Schools
For Kelloggsville Public Schools, incumbents Jane Ward and Donald Scott are seeking re-election to the board. The two spots each are for six-years. The candidates are running unopposed.
The district is also seeking a $19.2 million bond issue. The bond would be a continuation of the current bond. The current millage rate is 7.32. The issue will appear at the bottom of the ballot and is part of a long-term plan to update and modernize the district’s elementary schools, according to school officials. The bond cannot exceed 30 years.
Kentwood Public Schools
There are three seats, all four-year terms, up for the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education. Three incumbents, all running unopposed, are seeking re-election to those seats: Pete Battey, Sylvia A. James, and James Lewis Jr.
Wyoming Public Schools
For the Wyoming Public Schools, there are two six-year board seats with three candidates running, non of whom are incumbents. The candidates are Adriana Almanza, Brian D. Jirous, and Jennifer Lewis. All candidates were contacted and invited to participate in sharing their message to the voters.
Brian Jirous – Candidate
Occupation: AT&T Mobility Technician
Why did you decide to seek election to the Wyoming Public Schools Board of Education?
I decided to run for the school board to be able to help involve the community as a whole. I would like to be a voice for the community on the school board by bringing their issues to the board so they can be addressed. I would like to see more people attend the school board meetings and I think by having an open line of communication we can involve more people.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
The main issue I will focus on is community involvement. I believe community involvement is the one thing that can help this district grow to be even better then it is now. The more people we can communicate with whether it is simply answering questions timely or getting them volunteer opportunities to connect with other families it will build a stronger district. I have started working on thie already by developing the Wyoming Public Schools Community facebook page but I would also like to set up round table discussions to help resolve other issues that may come up as well.
Jennifer Lewis – Candidate
Occupation: AT&T Mobility Technician
Why did you decide to seek election to the Wyoming Public Schools Board of Education?
I’ve wanted to run for many years. The timing is just right. I have the time to focus on our Wyoming kids.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
Many residents may remember me from when I was campaigning for the dedicated millage for our schools. The community invested in our schools and children by passing that millage. That dedicated millage plan is a good plan and I want to make sure that the plan is well executed. I also want our kids to be successful and I want to be a part of helping them to achieve that.
By Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
In her first novel written for adults, Ann Brashares chose the beach town of Waterby, on Fire Island as her setting. I have to admit, I was expecting a book more along the line of Brashares’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants young adult novel, but found something totally different. After reading this book, I found many mixed reviews of the story, probably because of the same expectations I had.
Unlike the Traveling Pants with its fast pace and emotional roller coaster rocketing between the main characters, The Last Summer (of You and Me) seemed to start much more slowly and deliberately. I found out, however, that the roller coaster was simply disguised as a ferryboat from the mainland. Alice, the main character, paints a picture of the summers she spent on the island that she shared with her sister, Riley and neighbor, Paul. She tells her story through a blend of memories and current events, and it doesn’t take much for the reader to figure out who the star-crossed lovers are.
Although it was apparent to me immediately that something needed to happen between Alice and Paul, it took an awfully long time for the author to bring them to that point. In fact, I found myself getting angry at the main characters, which is usually a good indicator to me of my own emotional involvement in the story.
I found myself thinking about the characters and the story long after I had finished the book. Certain parts kept returning to my mind, almost bothering me, kind of like the way sand does when it gets in your shoe; a memory of the day that was.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners has 19 districts of which six represent portions of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. Of those six districts, two have unopposed candidates. Here are those seeking to represent Wyoming and Kentwood residents at the county level.
7th District Kent County Commissioner
In the 7th District Kent County Commissioner race Republican incumbent Stan Ponstein, of Grandville, will be facing off against Democrat challenger Mike Johnson, of Wyoming. The 7th District covers most of the City of Grandville and the northern portion of the City of Wyoming, most of which is in the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district. For specific borders, visit accesskent.com.
Mike Johnson – Candidate (D)
Occupation: Pharmacist tech in-patient at Mercy Health Hospital
Why did you decide to seek election to the 7th District Kent County Commission Seat?
I decided to run because of President Donald Trump’s attacks on the Hispanic community, how local hispanics are treated, and because of my experiences in Arizona with ADOT in that every citizen was required to have a state ID so law enforcement could verify identity, but it was mostly being used against minorities. I also noticed there was no LGBTQ representatives sitting on any of your local boards.
If elected what issues would you want to take a look at?
I would like to center focus on schools in financial need. Godfrey Lee being one of them. I would like to bring back a second Kent County Health Department because our population needs it or expand on our current health department. Obviously putting pressure on to end the contract with ICE and work with local law enforcement to develop ongoing cultural sensitivity trainings. Also, if it should pass, to fairly regulate district facilities in regards to marijuana distribution.
Stan Ponstein – Incumbent (R)
Occupation: Works for Costco Wholesale
Why did you decide to run for re-election to the 7th District Kent County Commission Seat?
Since being re-elected last year, I was elected to the Michigan Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties. I believe it is so important for Kent County to have a voice on the state level since so much of our money is funded through the federal and the state.
What are the issues you see for the county in the next couple of years?
It is the things that occur everyday. Money is always a concern and there is never enough but it is how we use it and the priorities we set. Since I was elected the opioid epidemic has exploded and in the last year, the PFAS issue exploded. West Nile has also reappeared. To clean up the PFAS will probably take a lot of resources and the one thing we have discovered is we are not alone in that there are counties across the country dealing with the PFAS issue. So it is the day-to-day issues that you have to be prepared to deal with. The sheriff department and the health department make up most of our budget. So having placed the right people in the right place with the right support is something we need to focus on.
8th District Kent County Commissioner
The 8th District Kent County Commission covers the eastern portion of the City of Wyoming, including the pan handle. For specific boarders, visit accesskent.com.
Harold Voorhees – Incumbent (R)
Harold Voorhees is the incumbent for the 8th District and he is running unopposed for the Nov. 6 election.
9th District Kent County Commissioner
In the 9th District Kent County Commissioner, Republican incumbent Matt Kallman is being challenged by Democrat candidate Bob Smith. Both are from Byron Center. The 9th District is all of Byron Center and a southern portion of the City of Wyoming east of Burlingame Avenue and west of Clyde Park Avenue to 36th Street and a portion that goes from north of 40th Street to Division Avenue. For specific boarders, visit accesskent.com.
Bob Smith – Candidate (D)
Occupation: Factory Worker
Why did you decide to seek election to the 9th District Kent County Commissioner seat?
I was getting more involved with local politics, through the UAW CAP (Citizenship and Legislative Committee, most often referred to as the Community Action Program, or CAP), and started to take part in the Kent County Democratic Party meetings. … People started suggesting to me that I should run for something. … I starting thinking what would I do with that office should I get it.
If elected, what issue(s) would you immediately want to focus on and why?
I would want to get First Steps (Kent) expanded.(The program deals with early childhood services.) I think that is a great program. We also need to expand veterans services. Kent County is a pretty big county with a lot of rural area that our busing system does not reach out to. So we have one place where all the veterans services are centered, downtown, which isn’t very helpful. … I would definitely want to invest more in that.
Matt Kallman – Incumbent (R)
Occupation: Software
Why did decide to run of re-election for the 9th District Kent County Commissioner seat?
I love representing the people of my part of Wyoming and Byron Center on the Board. Kent County is a well run organization and I enjoy being able to learn and work with my colleagues to make sure it stays that way. I also think having someone with a technical background on the Board is important as we make numerous significant IT investments to better serve the people of Kent County.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
I want to continue to ensure that Kent County makes good budget decisions. We are in good financial shape due to a long history of wise management of our resources. Generally, I want to bring my perspective from a younger, more tech-savvy generation to the Board to make sure we are considering long term decisions with a good mix of perspectives.
10th District Kent County Commissioner
The 10th District Kent County Commissioner seat covers Gaines Township and the southern half of Caledonia Township. For specific boarders, visit accesskent.com.
Emily P. Brieve – Incumbent
Emily P. Brieve, of Caledonia, is the incumbent for the 10th District and she is running unopposed in the Nov. 6 election.
12th District Kent County Commissioner
With the announcement that incumbent Harold Mast would not be seeking another term, the 12th District Kent County Commissioner race features three new faces, Republican Jill Martinez, Democrat Monica Sparks, and Green Party Charlotte Aikens. The District 12 Kent County Commissioner seat covers the western portion of the City of Kentwood and the eastern portion of the city of Wyoming. For specific boarders, visit accesskent.com.
Charlotte Aikens – Candidate (G)
Occupation: Register Nurse for nine years, in the health care field for 12 years.
Why did you decide to seek election to the 12th District Kent County Commission seat?
I got interested more than a year ago and the issues that got me to enter were deciding where the money goes and health care.
If elected what issues would you want to take a look at?
The ICE contact is a big deal. I know a lot of immigrant families, so I know the process and how hard it is to try and bring family members into the country. It can take years. Most families don’t understand the process to get their families. They live in fear. they just want to be a family, to live, to work, and to pay their taxes like the rest of us. I am not certain what the solutions are but I want to be part of the solution.
Jill Martinez
Occupation: Healthcare Management
Why did you decided to seek election to the 12th District Kent County Commissioner seat?
This community has so much to offer, community and sporting events, local businesses and great people, and it continues to flourish. I love my community and want to play my part in seeing that we continue to thrive. Growing up, my family emphasized a strong work ethic and service to others and those lessons have stayed with me.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
As I meet with residents, it is clear that they want a county that protects its seniors and veterans, safeguards essential services, keeps our community safe and supports all taxpayers.Our seniors and veterans have given a lot to our community and we need to give back to them. By safeguarding essential services, we can secure the care and central resources they need to survive. A successful county is a safe county. I will support officers and give them the funding they need to protect you and your families. I will also support new measures that will contribute to our safe community.
Monica Sparks
Occupation: Small Business Owner and Real Estate Broker
Why did you decide to seek election to the 12the District Kent County Commissioner seat?
I am running to be an advocate to help protect the services of families, individuals, children and those with special needs, and especially our seniors and veterans living in Kent County.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
There are many isssues that affect citizens in Kent County. I will start with Mental Health Services, if we do not have strong healthy minds we cannot have strong healthy communities! Also our Veteran’s Services and Senior Services are a priority. Kent County Seniors or Veterans should never be abandoned. Everyone deserves to have an address, so fair affordable housing is an important issue to tackle. Quality of life in Kent County is important to me.
13th District Kent County Commissioner
For the 13th District Kent County Commissioner, Republican candidate Jessica Ann Tyson is challenging Democrat incumbent Betsy Melton. Both are from Kentwood. The Kent County Commission District 13 covers the eastern portion of the City of Kentwood. For specific boarders, visit.accesskent.com.
Betsy Melton – Incumbent (D)
Occupation: Retired registered nurse
Why did you decide to seek re-election to the 13th District Kent Count Commissioner seat?
During my first two years, I have learned a lot about what is to be on the Board of Commissioners and there was a lot more to it then I knew. I decided to run again because I wanted to provide my community with the experience I have gained during those two years. Also there are some items that I would have been working on that I would like to see through. That and I am very, very passionate about my City of Kentwood and feel very honored to be be able to represent the city at the county level.
If re-elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
Certainly one of them is the PFAS problem in Kent County. Also the opioid crisis is something that we have been addressing and will need to continue to address. Farmland preservation is another area that we certainly have been talking about. Lastly, if I have two more years, I would like to somehow affect a positive wave in how we look at issues that is much more unified and much less partisan.
Jessica Ann Tyson – Candidate (R)
Occupation: Business Owner
Why did you decide to run for the 13th District Kent County Commission seat?
Because I believe a good representative of the community has to be immersed and very engaged in the community. I believe in giving back to the community that has given me so much.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
I feel we need to work on our roads and I will work with county and state officials to invest in our infrastructure. Also I want to focus on the health care crisis. We need to find ways to help with such issues as mental health and the opioid crisis.
All candidates were contacted and invited to participate in sharing their message to the voters.
The 26th District of the State Senate includes the City of Kentwood along with all of Allegan and Van Buren counties. For a district map, click here.
Three candidates are running in the Nov. 6 General election to replace term-limited Republican Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker. They are, in alphabetical order, Libertarian candidate Erwin Haas, Democratic candidate Garnet Lewis and Republican candidate Aric Nesbitt.
Erwin Haas — Candidate (L) MI State Senate 26th District
Name: Erwin Haas
Party: Candidate, Libertarian
Occupation: Retired medical doctor and former Kentwood City Commissioner
Why did you decide to run for the 26th District State Senate seat?
I see a lot of disfunction, a lot of programs that are outdated, badly thought-through, badly administered, and operate contrary to the public interest.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
Education, the roads, healthcare. The war on drugs, specifically. I think that the (recreational) marijuana thing is going to go through and the Republicans are going to try to block it, no matter what. They hate people doing what they want to do.
Garnet Lewis — Candidate (D) MI State Senate 26th District
Name: Garnet Lewis
Party: Candidate, Democrat
Occupation: Retired university administrator and real estate business administrator
Why did you decide to run for the 26th District State Senate seat?
We need a representative for the district who is going to represent everyone, and will actually listen to what all the constituents say.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
My number one issue is education, school funding, then environmental protection, there are all the clean water issues alone. Then healthcare. Medicare, Medicaid expansion and, if possible, expansion so that everyone can can have access … we really need to do a better job of that.
Aric Nesbitt — Candidate (R) MI State Senate 26th District
Name: Aric Nesbitt
Party: Candidate, Republican
Occupation: Public Service. (Former cabinet member for Gov. Rick Snyder; former State Representative)
Why did you decide to run for the 26th District State Senate seat?
I want to fight to lower the cost of auto insurance, continue to pay down our longterm debt in the state, and rededicate ourselves to making sure we fix our roads and bridges. our infrastructure.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
In the long term, I want to continue to pay down our debt. And what I hear most, when I knock on doors, is the cost of auto insurance and the condition of our roads.
State of Michigan 28th District State Senate
The 28th District of the State Senate includes the City of Wyoming as well as the cities of Walker, Rockford and Cedar Springs. For a district map, click here.
In the 28th District State Senate race, three candidates are running in the Nov. 6 General election. They are, in alphabetical order, Democratic candidate Craig Beach, Libertarian candidate Nathan Hewer, and Republican incumbent Peter MacGregor.
Craig Beach — Candidate (D) MI State Senate 28th District
Name: Craig Beech
Party: Candidate, Democrat
Occupation: Retired public-school teacher
Why did you decide to run for the 28th District State Senate seat?
As a public-school teacher, I have been frustrated with government in the treatment of public education, especially the lack of perspective. I want to bring an insight into education, which is what is needed. I believe education is the foundation that provides to our middle class. … America is a great country and the adults should be able to deal with this issue.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
I have four platforms: quality of public education, people before profits, protection of our national resources, and Michigan was recently rated by a non-partisan group as the last for government accountability and transparency and I want to change that.
Peter MacGregor — Candidate (R) MI State Senate 28th District
Name: Peter MacGregor
Party: Incumbent, Republican
Occupation: Michigan State Senator, previous small business owner
Why did you decide to run for the 26th District State Senate seat?
Running for reelection because we have moved the state from one of the worst states in the country (to do business) to one of the top 10, and I think there are still a few more things we can do to be the No. 1 state in the country.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?
I still think we need to focus on our skilled trade training, on that education part. It is something that I talk to a lot of business owners who are struggling to fill the positions. To make it from No. 9 or 10 to No. 1, we have got to fill that employee gap.
Note: Libertarian candidate Nathan Hewery was invited but did not participate in the We the People candidate profiles.
Students at the Early Childhood Center are looking up to four new faces this school year, thanks to a new partnership between Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and Michigan State University’s College of Education.
It’s the first time the district has had Spartans interning (commonly called “student teaching”) at one of its schools, and it has been a great fit for the school and the interns, said Pete Geerling, center principal. MSU places its education program graduates in schools for an entire year, as opposed to the traditional single-semester internships of most teaching colleges.
A second-grader shows Katelyn Kouchoukos, an MSU graduate and teaching intern, her dance moves
“I think that far too often, people go through student teaching and it may not answer all of the questions they have,” said Geerling. “This — being here from the beginning (of the school year) all the way to the end — is huge.”
The college of education has about 100 interns, and about a quarter of those are in West Michigan, said Rochelle Hosler, field instructor for the interns at Godfrey-Lee. Other West Michigan districts with MSU interns include Grand Rapids and Kentwood Public Schools districts.
“We’ve learned a ton — especially in terms of implementing routines early on in the school year. It’s fun to see how fast (the students) pick them up,” said Ryan Culey, intern in Rebecca Swem’s kindergarten classroom. “There’s a lot of classroom management stuff that you don’t learn in the university courses.”
Ryan Culey empties the contents of a new student’s bag
Victory for MSU, and Godfrey-Lee
Superintendent Kevin Polston, a proud MSU alum, said the partnership has been a veritable “win-win.” Polston’s link to the MSU College of Education goes back about a decade, to his days at Grand Haven Area Public Schools. There, he worked with MSU’s education program to offer mock interviews to interns, as a way to give back to the profession, he said, and also to meet some up-and-coming teachers. After coming to Godfrey-Lee last year, Polston harnessed that connection to help bring MSU interns to the district.
Polston said his district is a great fit for MSU, which aims to prepare future teachers for an urban environment. The program even offers an urban educators cohort, which focuses on challenges unique to urban schools. He added that the research is pretty clear: most new teachers come from a fairly narrow demographic that has more women and is overwhelmingly white. Recruiting a diverse talent pool is important, he said, and so is equipping the current talent pool to work with students of different racial and economic backgrounds than what they’re familiar with.
Hosler said that certain factors, such as a high percentage of students in the free and reduced lunch program, made Godfrey-Lee a great fit for the interns.
Intern Hayley Browning works on an assessment for her internship at the Early Childhood Center
Moreover, she thought the school was outstanding.
“When we toured the school in the spring I was really impressed with the building, the teachers and the things that they’re doing here,” she said.
Intern Hayley Browning, who was in the urban educator cohort, said, “I actually hadn’t heard of Godfrey-Lee, and was intrigued by the fact that it’s the smallest district geographically in the state at one-square-mile. It’s pretty cool. I’m glad to be here.”
‘A Year-long Job Interview’
Polston said that at a time when demand for teachers is high, connections with teaching colleges are important ones to have. Hosler concurred, as she’s seen the number of students going into education decline during her time at MSU.
Teaching intern Katelyn Kouchoukos joins a second-grader as she gets her wiggles out during a “brain break”
“When I was done (with college), finding a job was really hard,” said Hosler, who completed her education internship 20 years ago. Now, she said, “our interns get hired very quickly. What we tell our interns is, ‘This really is a year-long job interview.’ If they want to stay here, it’s not hard to find a job in West Michigan right now.
Katelyn Kouchoukos moved to Grand Rapids from her home in the suburbs of Chicago for her internship at Godfrey-Lee’s ECC. Both she and Browning are unsure of their next step after completing the internship. They’ll attend job fairs, apply for jobs and see where they can go.
“I could see myself in Michigan, but I might go home,” said Kouchoukos.
Culey, however, was ready for a change of pace: “I will not stay here. I love Michigan… but for a little bit, I want to get away.”
Whatever path they take, they say they’re gaining valuable experience for whatever they may face as teachers. And, said Polston, the ECC reaps the benefit of another caring adult in classrooms.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
MSU graduate and teaching intern Olivia Fox meets with field instructor Rochelle Hosler for a debriefing after a classroom observation
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today the re-introduced Ethnic Heritage Celebration, combining the annual Native American Cultural Days and Ethnic Heritage Festival. This year’s Ethnic Heritage Celebration will bring cultural immersive experience to school groups during the week and culminate with a public Saturday celebration.
The City of Grand Rapids and the surrounding region have a long standing history of diversity and various cultural traditions dating back from early explorers and fur traders, to modern day cultural rituals from new residents of the region.
Ethnic Heritage Celebration will take place Nov. 1-3. Schools groups have signed up to attend Native American Cultural Days as part of the Celebration on Nov. 1 and 2, and then the public is invited to the Ethnic Heritage Festival on Saturday, Nov. 3.
Ethnic Heritage Festival is a day-long celebration of music, dance, crafts and food representing the various ethnic groups that call West Michigan home. Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, the event features a variety of traditions, performances and presentations. The Museum Café will feature ethnic food selections. Event activities are included with general admission to the Museum. Colorful performances will take place throughout the day in the Meijer Theater starting at 10 a.m.
Visitors will be able to view the Museum’s exhibitions, with two specific exhibitions having a primary focus on diversity and culture: Newcomers: The People of This Place which highlights the ethnic groups that have settled the Grand Rapids area, and Anishinabek: The People of this Place which focuses on the Native American culture in the region.
Please visit www.grpm.org/EHF for additional information about the Ethnic Heritage Festival, and more on the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s exhibitions and programs.
As part of her efforts to promote race, gender and economic justice in Michigan and across the nation, activist/actress Jane Fonda will talk about her life as an activist in a free-to-the-public event at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church on Friday, Oct. 26.
The event — billed as “An Evening with Jane Fonda to Support One Fair Wage” and hosted by Michigan One Fair Wage Protect and Defend Campaign — is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Fonda has long been a visible political activist, beginning during the Vietnam War and later in advocacy for women’s issues, workers rights, and other social issues.
Jane Fonda (Supplied)
“Fonda will share information on her life as an activist, the recent work that she has been doing in Michigan and across the country to promote race, gender and economic justice for low-income workers, and the importance of building multi-racial alliances to create a more just society for all,” as stated in an event flyer supplied to WKTV by Michigan One Fair Wage.
Fountain Street is located at 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids. While the event is free and open to the public, they ask for an RSVP at bit.ly/fscofw .
One of the Michigan issues Fonda has previously advocated for is the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase Initiative, which gained enough signatures to be on the Nov. 6 ballot and was adopted by the legislature in September — a move which would allow lawmakers to make changes to it with a simple majority instead of a higher threshold should the voters have approved it in November.
The legislature’s action was seen by some as giving lawmakers the ability to weaken the law’s requirements during a lame-duck session later this year, or in 2019.
One of the groups which advocated for the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase, and now advocates for it not being altered by the Michigan lawmakers, is the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN).
“My statewide faith group … supports raising the minimum wage to $12/hour for all Michigan workers,” Randy Block, director of the MUUSJN, said in an email to WKTV. “It’s a moral issue: all workers deserve to earn enough to take care of their families.”
The MUUSJN is a statewide faith network that advocates for social justice policies, including raising the minimum wage and supporting a policy of earned paid sick time for all workers. It is part of an Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM) coalition that supports both of these policy goals. According to supplied information, the network includes thousands of justice activists from 26 Unitarian Universalist congregations, including one in Grand Rapids.
For more information on the event call 517-588-9646. For more information on Michigan One Fair Wage visit MIOneFairWage.org .
For more information on Fountain Street Church, visit fountainstreet.org or visit the church’s Facebook page.
A new third-through-fifth-grade elementary building is on the horizon for Kelloggsville students if voters approve a $19.2 million bond request this fall.
The best news? “It would not increase the taxes of any of our community members,” said Jeff Owen, director of education supports for the district. “It would simply be a continuation of an existing levy, so no new taxes and we’d get a brand new building for our students.” The current millage rate is 7.32.
The issue will appear at the bottom of the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 6, and is part of a long-term plan to update and modernize the district’s elementary schools, Owen said. The bond cannot exceed 30 years.
Taxpayers approved a 2015 bond that allowed for major renovations at the high school. The middle school is 20 years old, and the three elementary schools are about 60 years old, said Owen. East and West elementaries house students in kindergarten to third grade, and Southeast Elementary is home to the district’s fourth- and fifth-graders.
District enrollment is at an all-time high, said Owen, with around 2400 students in its schools.
The Specifics
Here is a look at what residents can expect to see if voters approve the bond request, authorized by the school board in June:
Spring 2020: Construction would begin on the new third, fourth and fifth grade building. Building highlights include two stories, a wing for each grade, a stand-alone cafeteria, separate art and music rooms, and a new playground and soccer field. The proposed location is 4650 S. Division SE, between East Elementary and the middle school.
Spring 2021: East Elementary would be demolished and replaced with expanded parking and athletic practice fields.
Fall 2021: The new building would open and Southeast Kelloggsville Elementary would reopen as a K-2 building, absorbing students from the former East Elementary. West Elementary would also be a K-2 school.
Other highlights of the proposal include new playgrounds at Southeast and West elementaries and safety and security upgrades.
One facet that played into the new grade configuration under the proposal is the new third grade reading law.
“We have K-3 buildings. Well, if we’re at a 3-4-5 building, if a student is not reading at grade level, they can still move on to fourth grade but still receive instruction at a third-grade reading level,” Owen said.
The district is conducting an informational campaign to let the community know what’s included in the proposal. So far, information has been shared at community events, via a print brochure, and the district’s website and on its Facebook page.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Architectural rendering of the first floor of a proposed new elementary building for Kelloggsville schools
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, we present an interview Dr. Abdullah Alrebh an assistant professor of Sociology of Religion and Sociological Theory at Grand Valley State University. He has published a number of academic articles and book chapters focusing on religion, the Middle East, social movements, and education.
Described by one expert as being a country Americans “know so much, yet so little” about, Saudi Arabia in much in the news recently, so we wanted to talk with someone who knows the country and the Arabian Peninsula region intimately.
With Dr. Alrebh, we discuss the history of the Saudi government, its relationship with the West, especially its military and economic ties with the United States, and what the current controversy triggered by the murder of a prominent Saudi critic could mean in the future.
Dr. Alrebh will also be speaking as part of a World Affairs Council of West Michigan discussion series titled “Shifting Sands in the Arabian Peninsula” at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids.
He will speak, Tuesday, Nov.13, focused on Saudi Arabia, with the final talk on Tuesday, Nov. 20, focused on Yemen, with Dr. Gamal Gasim, also of Grand Valley State University. For more information visit worldmichigan.org .
“WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Kizombo Kalumbula has seen the ravages of war and genocide. His homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo was torn apart by decade-long hostilities that killed over 5 million citizens. Today, Kalumbula is co-founder and pastor at Tabernacle Community Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His doctoral studies in health psychology are aimed at understanding resiliency among traumatized individuals, with applications for people of his native Congo as well as those touched by his daily urban ministry.
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).
August of 2018 sure brought us our (un)fair share of cats that needed our assistance, and our sanctuary head count grew quite a bit due to the number of cats with either Feline Leukemia or FIV that were helpless and homeless. A Grand Rapids resident stumbled across this bedraggled boy, took him in to be checked out only to discover he had FELV AND an owner — who refused to contact her or the microchip company. Sadly the rescuer wasn’t in a position to keep him, and he badly needed further medical attention, so she asked for our help in getting her 6-year-old rescue (born in the summer of 2012) off the streets and into someplace safe.
It would be nice to say that Dr. Jen’s first meeting with this guy was love at sight — but it wasn’t. This scruffy orange and white fella wanted NOTHING to do with Dr. Jen and expressed his disdain for the situation he was in by lashing out and lacerating her with his dagger-like nails; what a little pistol he proved to be! Dr. Jen chalked up his less-than-desirable attitude to the fact his teeth were rotting out of his head and considered the fact that he was underweight (probably had tremendous difficulty eating) and had been shaved prior to his arrival in hopes of removing some of the skin-tight mats that caused focal areas of inflammation scabbing and scaling.
So Dr. Jen forgave the ‘hot mess’ his momentary lapse in judgment and let it be known that if he dropped the tough guy act once and for all, life would treat him better than he could possibly imagine.
Needless to say, it took Remington several days to simmer down in his new surroundings and realize that not everyone was out to get him, but he took to shelter life much better than we anticipated. He still tends to growl when overwhelmed or if you come near him wielding a brush, but besides his initial attack on the good doc, he is not one to raise a paw to another cat or human to express his uneasiness. He has shown us that the way to his heart is through his stomach via endless bowls of yummy canned food; you can do no wrong when you fill his belly!
Remington has calmed down significantly in the month after his arrival, and secretly we think has developed a fondness for his caretakers, as he has been caught sneaking down the hallway after lights out at night to watch his humans as they depart; he may feign disinterest, but deep down we have grown on him. Besides stuffing his cheeks, Remington is most happy when he can perch on a sunny windowsill and watch the birds at the feeder. And although he doesn’t chum around with other cats, he doesn’t go out of his way to pester them, as he believes in keeping to his own space and respecting that of the others.
He has slowly learned to trust his food sources and is finding us to provide good company, though we feel that the type of home life that would be suit him is one where he can get comfortable at his own pace. Patience will definitely be the key to a long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationship between him and his person, but the rewards to be reaped will be worth the wait. We can see the potential in our Remi and want him to be able to find a place in this world that will provide him a gentle place for his soul to claim peace and his body and mind to finally flourish.
More about Remington:
Medium
Domestic Medium Hair
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Remington? 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.
The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the City of Kentwood, announced that Amphenol Borisch Technologies (ABT) is investing $3.7 million to expand its operations in Kentwood. As a result, the company, based at 4511 East Paris Avenue in Kentwood, will add 82 jobs at its headquarters campus.
ABT builds complex electromechanical assemblies, cable harnesses, circuit cards and discrete mechanicals for the aerospace and defense industries. The company employs more than 400 people at five North American locations. The Kentwood headquarters campus, which includes two buildings, employs nearly 200 people in manufacturing and administrative positions.
The company plans to renovate portions of its existing facility and purchase new machinery and equipment that will assist with its diversified growth.
“Amphenol is proud to be reinvesting in West Michigan with this expansion,” said Bob Brunetz, general manager, Amphenol Borisch Technologies. “With the support of The Right Place and the MEDC, we were able to make this project happen right here in Kentwood.”
The Right Place worked in collaboration with the company, Kentwood and the MEDC to ensure ABT continues to expand its headquarters operations in the city. The MEDC is supporting the project with the approval of a $410,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.
“The Right Place is very pleased to have partnered with Kentwood and the MEDC to ensure ABT’s growth in the region,” said Eric Icard, senior business development manager, and project lead. “This investment is another win for West Michigan’s robust aerospace and defense industries.”
“The City of Kentwood is delighted for ABT’s expansion and further investment in the community,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We look forward to ABT’s continued success in the market.”
"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer."
- Abraham Lincoln
A Side of Facts with that Beer
Harmony House might not be that harmonious this Wednesday, Oct. 24, as the Westside brewery will be hosting a segment of Michigan Radio’s “Issues & Ale.”
According to supplied material, “Issues & Ale” is an ongoing event series designed to get the public talking about issues in Michigan in an informal environment. The events take place throughout Michigan Radio’s listening area and are always free to attend.
Michigan Radio’s “It’s Just Politics” co-host Zoe Clark will host the panel of Grand Rapids political experts. The program is from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the brewery located at 401 Stocking Ave. NW, Grand Rapids.
And the Wolverines win!
It wasn’t just the University of Michigan Wolverines who scored big this weekend but also the Wolverines of Godwin Heights, which defeated Wyoming Lee to secure a spot in the MHSSA’s playoffs for the fourth time.
Godwin Heights is set to play their first playoff game against South Christian at East Kentwood High School at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, which will be the WKTV featured game of the week.
This week’s WKTV Featured Game (which on Oct. 19 was East Kentwood’s home win against Rockford) and other sports events are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99.
It’s a Monster Mash
And it has been such a graveyard smash that The Salvation Army Kroc Center will once again be hosting its annual “Monster Mash” Friday, Oct. 26.
The event, which is from 5 – 7 p.m., is free and will feature “trunk-or-treating” in the Kroc’s east parking lot, among other activities. More than 2,000 people attended last year’s event with organizers expecting at least that many this year.
Since little monsters are not that fond of the rain, the event will be cancelled if there is heavy rain or lightening.
Fun Fact:
Name that Sound
In Hollywood movies, it is often the shrill cry of a red-tail hawk that is used as a stand in for an eagle's high-pitched whistle. Fortunately in Blandfold Nature Center's Birds of Prey Photography class, you will not have to worry about the sound as you snap photos of these beautiful animals. The event takes place on Friday, Oct. 27, and there is a registration fee.
The regular season of football completed its schedule the weekend of Oct. 19-20 and, with the playoff match-ups announced, WKTV has added the Godwin Heights High School vs. South Christian Division 4 game scheduled for Friday, Oct. 26, at East Kentwood High School’s field, to our featured game coverage plans.
The Wolverines will come into the “road game” at 6-3 after closing out the season with a win Friday, and the Sailors will come into their “home game” at 5-4 after earning an at-large bid after their season-ending win. The game will begin at 7 p.m.
Other Pre-District games kicking off the playoff opening weekend include East Kentwood (8-1) will host Brighton (7-2) in Division 1 action on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m. Also, in 8-man Division 1 playoff action, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (9-0) will host Webberville (4-5) at Grandville Middle School on Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m.
All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play 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 features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is the end of this week’s schedule:
Tuesday, Oct 23
Boys Soccer
TBD at FH Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1
TBD at Portage Northern – MHSAA Regionals Division 4
Girls Volleyball
Zion Christian @ Godwin Heights
Zion Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Cross Roads Charter @ Tri-Unity Christian
FH Eastern @ South Christian
Wednesday, Oct. 24
Boys Soccer
TBD at Otsego – MHSAA Regionals Division 3
Girls Volleyball
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Thursday, Oct. 25
Boys Soccer
TBD at FH Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1
TBD at Portage Northern – MHSAA Regionals Division 4
Girls Volleyball
Kelloggsville @ Tri-Unity Christian
Ravenna @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Wyoming
Algoma Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Oct. 26
Boys Water Polo
TBD – State Regionals
Boys Football – MHSAA Pre-Districts
Godwin Heights vs. South Christian, Division 4 game, at East Kentwood High School’s field, at 7 p.m. — WKTV Featured Game of the Week
Also, in 8-man Division 1 playoff action, Webberville at Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, at Grandville Middle School, 8-man Division 1, at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27
Boys Soccer
TBD at Otsego – MHSAA Regionals Division 3
Boys/Girls Cross Country
Wyoming at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 1
East Kentwood at Portage Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 1
West Michigan Aviation at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2
Grand River Prep at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2
Godwin Heights at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2
Kelloggsville at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 2
South Christian at Portage Central – MHSAA Regionals Division 2
Wyoming Lee at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 3
Tri-Unity Christian at Allendale – MHSAA Regionals Division 4
Boys Water Polo
TBD – State Regionals
Boys Football – MHSAA Pre-Districts
Brighton at East Kentwood, Division 1 game, at 1 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 29
Girls Volleyball
South Christian vs West Michigan Aviation @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts
Christian vs Grand River Prep @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Girls Volleyball
TBD @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts
Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Halloween
Boys Soccer
TBD at Holt – MHSAA Semifinals Division 1
TBD at Cedar Springs – MHSAA Semifinals Division 3
TBD at Holland – MHSAA Semifinals Division 4
Girls Volleyball
Kelloggsville vs TBD @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA Districts
National Take Back is this Saturday with the City of Wyoming once again partnering with Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to provide a location for residents to dispose of unused medications safely and property.
Hosted twice a year, National Take Back Day was started in 2010 by the Drug Enforcement Administration to address a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet, accord go the Take Back Day website.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., area residents will have the opportunity to dispose of unused medications with no questions asked at Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, or the Wyoming Public Safety Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.
According to a media release from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety “properly disposing of your medications is critically important to protecting individuals in our community, as well as our environment.”
Growing concern over pharmaceutical pollution in waterways and the environment also had an impact on creating the Take Back campaign. According to a 2002 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states it was found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids and reproductive hormones.
The City of Wyoming also offers a prescription drug drop-off service 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at its Public Safety office.
The Kent County Department of Public Works has established the SafeMeds Program that includes a list of many local pharmacies and law enforcement agencies that will accept unwanted medications. For more on the SafeMeds Program, visit www.reimaginetrash.org/safehomes/safemeds/.
Difficult weather conditions couldn’t slow down the Godwin Heights Wolverines as they jumped out a big first half lead Friday at home against the Lee Rebels and then made their way to a fourth straight playoff appearance.
A season that started out rough for the Wolverines, at 1-3, ended with a 6-3 record, and excited seniors and an even more excited coach.
“We’re just excited that we could close out the game, close out our season and get us into the playoffs,” said head coach Brandan Kimble, who will be entering his first post season as a head coach against the South Christian Sailors on Friday. “We started a tough season with our transition. It took a little fortitude for our kids to stick to it. We started 1-3 and we told the kids that if we just finally believe and trust in the system it’ll start to work.”
Defeating Wyoming Lee, 33-6, Kimble used the situation to teach his players a valuable lesson that goes beyond football.
“In the first half we were executing on all cylinders, we were really good,” Kimble said after his team jumped to a big first half lead. “But we really respect the Lee staff … (and) in high school football you can be in the same situation. We didn’t want to win (big) just to say that we did. We brought some freshmen up and some JV players up, so … (decided) to use the second half to get those kids some experience.”
In a game that was dominated by the Wolverines offense, defense was also a key factor in the playoff clinching game. Terrence Moore had the first interception of the first half returning it for a touchdown, while Deamontae Clark had another interception during the next Wyoming Lee possession.
“Hearing the kids scream right now is just a good feeling, especially in my first season as head coach,” Kimble said on the field after the game.
Also at the game was HQ, an organization dedicated to helping at-risk youths. Attendees who donated items to the organization were admitted into the game for free. (WKTV/Micah Cho)
Also at the game was HQ, an organization dedicated to helping at-risk youths. Attendees who donated items to the organization were admitted into the game for free. For more information on HQ, please visit www.hqgr.org.
Godwin Heights is set to play their first playoff game against South Christian at East Kentwood High School at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, which will be the WKTV featured game of the week.
This week’s WKTV Featured Game (which on Oct. 19 was East Kentwood’s home win against Rockford) and other sports events are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99.
WKTV’s featured football games are rebroadcast on the night of the game (Thursday or Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m. See WKTVjournal.org/sports for complete schedules.
Kenny Barron knows his way around the jazz piano keyboard, and he knows his way up to the Grammy Awards stage as well.
Barron has earned 11 Grammy awards, beginning in 1992 for Best Jazz Album with “People Time”, his duet with the legendary Stan Getz, and most recently in 2017 for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
The Kenny Barron Quintet will make their way to the Royce Auditorium stage at St. Cecilia Music Center on Thursday, Nov. 1, for a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are still available.
The Los Angles Times has called Barron “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly to call him “The most lyrical piano player of our time”; the first being probably an understatement and the second hard to argue with.
Barron will come to St. Cecilia after releasing his latest recording this year, Blue Note recording titled “Concentric Circles” with his quintet.
Barron’s history of performance sounds like a Who’s Who of the American jazz world.
Kenny Barron will be part of the St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2018-19 season. (Supplied)
Born in 1943 in Philadelphia, while still in high school, Barron worked with drummer Philly Joe Jones and at age 19 he moved to New York City and freelanced with Roy Haynes, Lee Morgan and James Moody. According to his official biography, upon Moody’s recommendation Dizzy Gillespie hired Barron in 1962 without even hearing Baron play. After five years with Dizzy, Barron had played with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, and Buddy Rich. The early seventies found him working with Yusef Lateef, whom he credits as a key influence in his art for improvisation.
Barron balanced touring with studies and earned his B.A. in Music from Empire State College and then joined the faculty at Rutgers University as professor of music. He held this tenure until 2000, mentoring many of today’s young talents including David Sanchez, Terence Blanchard and Regina Bell.
On the recording scene, in 1974 Barron recorded his first album as a leader for the Muse label, entitled “Sunset To Dawn.” This was to be the first in over 40 recordings as a leader. Throughout the 1980s, Barron collaborated with the great tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, touring with his quartet and recording several legendary albums including “Anniversary”, “Serenity” and the Grammy nominated “People Time”.
Barron’s own recordings for Verve have earned him nine Grammy nominations beginning in 1992 with “People Time”, followed by the Brazilian influenced “Sambao” and most recently for “Freefall” in 2002. Other Grammy nominations went to “Spirit Song”, “Night and the City” (a duet recording with Charlie Haden) and “Wanton Spirit” a trio recording with Roy Haynes and Charlie Haden.
In 2018, Barron celebrated his 75th birthday and mark the 50th year of a remarkable recording career that shows no signs of slowing down.
He has been honored by The National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master. In 2005 he was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2009 he was inducted into the National Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He was named Best Pianist in 2017 by the Jazz Journalists Association, marking a record seven times he has won the award.
For more information on Kenny Barron, visit kennybarron.com .
After the Kenny Barron Quintet, the remaining Jazz Series concerts are Joey DeFrancesco on Feb. 7, 2019, and Benny Green Trio & Veronica Swift on March 7, 2019.
Tickets for jazz series concerts range from $35-$45.
St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. For tickets or more information call 616-459-2224 or visit www.scmc-online.org.
Two-time Grammy nominees Disturbed have announced the Evolution World Tour, an extensive international arena tour that kicks off Jan. 9 in San Diego, CA, and will see the multi-platinum-selling rock band headlining SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 7:30 PM with Three Days Grace.
That run will be followed by an overseas trek that’ll see the band bringing their incendiary live show to Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the UK.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 26 at 10am.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. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.
Disturbed (vocalist David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer) is touring in support of much-buzzed-about new album Evolution—which arrives tomorrow(!)—and lead single “Are You Ready,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart and has maintained that position for 4 consecutive weeks. The song, which is the band’s 12th No. 1 single and the fastest chart-climber of their career, has over 5 million Spotify streams and a companion video with more than 5 million YouTube views.
Evolution has been early drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with Billboard declaring it, “their most diverse album ever and one of their best, on par with their 2002 hit album Believe.”
Classic Rock wrote, “the title says it all…the band have embraced their own instincts, and as a result their credibility has soared on arguably their most convincing album since 2000’s The Sickness.”
The Chicago Sun-Times said, “Evolution takes some of the biggest leaps of Disturbed’s career, with the unpredictability in David Draiman’s vocals, Mike Wengren’s drumming patterns, Dan Donegan’s dimensional guitar work and John Moyer’s low-down bass lines fully embodying the album’s title.”
Music Week proclaimed, “Disturbed are ready to go stratospheric on their new album Evolution,” Metal Hammer wrote, “without a doubt the most diverse record in Disturbed’s catalogue,” and Power Play gave it a 10-star review, gushing, “Disturbed have evolved into a superbly mature rock act, who, with this album, fully transcend from pure metal into pure greatness. This is a career-defining release. Nothing less.”
The Evolution World Tour will see the band playing an exhilarating mix of classic hits like “Down With The Sickness,” Inside The Fire” and “The Sound Of Silence” along with new tracks such as “Are You Ready” and the recently released “A Reason To Fight.”
The tour announcement follows last week’s intimate hometown show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre (a special performance that airs today on SiriusXM’s Octane and Turbo Channels) and this past weekend’s set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on a bill that featured Metallica, Lil Wayne, Justice and more.
On Oct. 23 and 24, Disturbed will partner with the USO to perform for the Airmen at Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases in Indian Springs and Las Vegas, respectively.In addition to the performances, the band will take part in USO morale engagements to visit Airmen where they work and learn more about the important missions at each base.
Disturbed recorded Evolution in Vegas with Kevin Churko, who produced their previous release, 2015’s Immortalized. That album became the band’s fifth consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, earned a platinum certification, and yielded the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence.” The latter earned a GRAMMY® nod for “Best Rock Performance.” Additionally, the band took home “Best Rock Artist” at the iHeartRadioMusic Awards and received acclaim from The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and more.
About Disturbed
Simply put, Disturbed are one of the most successful rock bands in modern history. The multiplatinum-selling quartet accomplished the rare feat of achieving five consecutive number one debuts on the Billboard Top 200. That accolade historically elevated them to rarified air alongside Metallica, the only other hard rock group to do so in the history of the chart.
Immortalized (2015) received a platinum certification and spawned the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence,” which garnered a nomination at the 2017 GRAMMY® Awards in the category of “Best Rock Performance.” Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold 16 million albums globally and scored twelve No. 1 singles at Active Rock Radio.
Their quadruple-platinum 2000 debut, The Sickness, formally announced their arrival as hard rock leaders, with that status solidified by subsequent GRAMMY® Award nominations as well as gold-, platinum- and double platinum-certified records, as well as countless sold-out shows around the globe. Named “Best Rock Artist” during the 2017 iHeartRadioMusic Awards, Disturbed continue to boldly forge ahead with the release of their aptly titled seventh offering, Evolution.
Opera Grand Rapids’ production of The Magic Flute coming to DeVos Performance Hall, Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday Oct. 27, is a shining introduction to opera for all ages. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart uses music to tell an allegorical tale about goodness, enlightened human rationality and equality. It’s an opportunity to bask in Mozart’s genius.
A Singspiel, “sung play,” The Magic Flute incorporates both singing and spoken word. Akin to today’s Broadway musicals it combines comedy, charade and romance. This opera contains some of the most spirited and beautiful music of all time, sung in English so that everyone can follow the story.
Opera Grand Rapids’ production is a feast for both eyes and ears. Dramatic sets, costumes and vibrant projected backgrounds by Michael Baumgarten give life to Mozart’s masterful composition. Opera Grand Rapids Chorus and the Grand Rapids Symphony are led by Opera Grand Rapids’ Artistic Director and Conductor Maestro James Meena.
Meena’s conducting has been called “awe-inspiring” (Voix des Arts of Mo), “spot on,” and, “the best I’ve ever heard” (Opera Magazine). Meena serves as Artistic Director for Opera Grand Rapids and Opera Carolina, as well as, Toledo Opera’s Principal Artistic Advisor. In addition, Meena travels America and abroad as a guest conductor.
Internationally acclaimed stage director James Marvel is directing this production of The Magic Flute coming to DeVos Performance Hall, Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27. Marvel has been praised for his, “brilliant stage direction,” and his, “unforgettable and visually stunning new productions.” Marvel debuted in Lincoln Center in 2008 and Carnegie Hall in 2011. For this this splendid production, Marvel chose a light-hearted, comedic approach and explores the rich symbolism in Mozart’s beloved and iconic opera.
Opera Grand Rapids’ The Magic Flute boasts a regional and nationally-acclaimed principal cast. New York native John Viscardi, a rising baritone, acknowledged for his diversity of vocal repertoire, is the happy-go-lucky bird catcher Papageno. Superb American coloratura Jana McIntyre is the star-blazing Queen of the Night.
“The Queen of the Night is only onstage for 15 minutes – total! But she has two of the most exceptional and iconic arias in the repertoire.” said Meena. “Jana is a rising star in the opera universe and just like the Queen herself, will ascend the heavens with her thrilling singing.”
Meena may be bringing the brightest of opera’s rising stars to the Opera Grand Rapids’ stage, yet audiences will appreciate the level of talent from the locally-based chorus and comprimari.
Chrissy Amon, as Second Lady, is a Grand Rapids native, a versatile mezzo-soprano excelling in opera, musical theater, and art song. Laura Broscow, as First Boy, is a soprano with her master’s degree in vocal performance from Michigan State University under the tutelage of Jane Bunnell.
“This region boasts several excellent universities that are educating the next generation of opera artist and musicians.” said Meena, “In many ways, they shape the cultural life of our region in a way that is profound. For Opera Grand Rapids, it is a true blessing to have so many gifted performers who are part of our community.”
The Magic Flute is an opera for all, filled with international stars and amazing local talent alongside Opera Grand Rapids Chorus that is beginning to make waves.
Call Opera Grand Rapids box office, 616-451-2741, ext 103, to order tickets today.
Brady Strabel and Gabrielle Dykhouse, now University of Michigan freshman, researched gene editing for last spring’s East Kentwood High School STEM Fair (courtesy photo)
They may be in Ann Arbor establishing roots as college freshman, but four 2018 East Kentwood High School graduates used their senior STEM Fair projects to gain acceptance into a prestigious University of Michigan research program.
Now, as research assistants in the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, they are conducting research on the environment, anatomy and magnetics in outer space, while working alongside U of M researchers on an ongoing or new research project.
Science teacher Chad VanHouten, in back, challenges students to research topics they are interested in (courtesy Photo)
Last spring, students had the chance to pick their own topics and delve into research for the fair. AP Biology students Brady Strabel and Gabrielle Dykhouse partnered on a project on gene editing in bacteria; Emma Pinchak studied small crustaceans called isopods (think potato bugs) and their dexterity and speed. Dat Huynh researched optimal light intensity for aquatic plants.
“The goal of the STEM Fair is to provide an opportunity for students to do research that they are interested in, not necessarily research that we put on them,” said AP Biology teacher Chad VanHouten, who emphasized that giving students free reign of learning can lead to great things. “We have four kids this year that used their STEM Fair projects to get into this elite program, and it is research above and beyond their normal major.”
Dat Huynh presents a calculus project he did along with research on aquatic plants (courtesy photo)
Bringing Science to the Next Level
The students are now researching complex topics. Gabrielle, a neuroscience major, is studying technology related to cardiac electrophysiology (the electrical activity of the heart).
She said her high school experience paved the way for her. “I wanted to pursue research in Michigan’s groundbreaking medical operations. My research experience definitely set me apart from the newbies and my (Advanced Placement course) content knowledge has made the college content transition very easy,” she said.
For UROP, Gabrielle interviewed with a Harvard medical school graduate cardiologist, now a U of M researcher, about his project with atrial defibrillation. She said the researcher told Gabrielle that her high school project set her apart.
“He basically said that out of his nine applicants mine stood out by far, and if I’m interested the position is mine.”
Emma, an environmental science major, is conducting global warming research in the area of forestry management. She said she was able to tell UROP program leaders about high school lab experience.
“Nothing seems too difficult. I’m especially seeing overlap in examples of famous studies we talked about in (East Kentwood biology and environmental science classes), especially to do with pollution and ecology.”
Brady, who is considering computer science or aerospace engineering as majors, is working on the project involving devices that measure magnetic fields for extreme environments.
Emma Pinchak, right, tells an East Kentwood graduate about her research on isopods (courtesy photo)
“We’re basically developing, packaging and deploying these new magnetometer systems around the poles and in space,” he said. “East Kentwood science exposed me to laboratory experience, helping me to identify my interest in research and strengthening my application for applying to research teams.”
The district’s annual fair is open to all STEM classes – middle school students have also participated – challenging students to make posters about the research they’ve done, from building robots to creating rat mazes. Students, parents and community members attend
“Kids are teaching kids, which we love,” VanHouten said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia—a condition that causes sufferers to forget short-term events and names. It also causes changes in behavior.
When talking about Alzheimer’s, it’s important to look at the risk factors:
Age—This is the strongest risk factor, with most people being diagnosed after age 65.
Genetics—There are genetic links associated with the disease, meaning it can run in families.
Environment—The most studied environmental factors include aluminum, zinc, food-borne poisons, and viruses, but there has been no clear evidence of cause and effect.
Related medical conditions—These include high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It’s also important to note that having many family members with Alzheimer’s does increase an individual’s risk, but it’s not necessarily tied to genes per se. Instead, it can be tied to a genetic mutation or other medical conditions (such as diabetes and obesity) that may run in the family.
As doctors, we are learning more and more about how diabetes, heart disease, obesity and dementia are all tied together.
These medical conditions all involve blood vessels—specifically how healthy or unhealthy the vessels are.
A healthy blood vessel has a smooth inside lining, flexible walls and no plaque build-up. In contrast, an unhealthy blood vessel has a sticky lining, stiff walls and plaque build-up, possibly even buried in the vessel wall. This can result in decreased blood flow to important cells in brain tissue, impacting function and clearance of certain proteins.
This build-up is associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
We also know that Alzheimer’s disease is associated with certain acquired risk factors—especially when they start in midlife. The greatest risk factors include smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Taking control of your future self
What’s the bottom line? Midlife is the time to consider life goals and make important choices.
When I talk about Alzheimer’s and risk factors, I think about a patient of mine I’ll call Tania who came into the menopause clinic with some serious concerns.
Tania, 53, complained of forgetting things, feeling anxious, having night sweats and simply not feeling like herself. She was worried she had dementia—and for good reason.
Tania’s grandmother moved from Mexico to live with Tania’s family when Tania was 12. By the time Tania entered high school, her grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Concerned she had the same thing, Tania needed answers.
We began by talking about her current stage in life—early perimenopause. This was clear because of her irregular periods, and symptoms of hot flashes and mood changes around the time of her period. Next, we went over her medical history, which included diabetes during pregnancy and lifelong issues with mild obesity.
Tania’s family history revealed some real concerns: Her mom, aunts and grandmother suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity; and her father had high blood pressure. When I took Tania’s vitals that day, her blood pressure was 150/75 and her BMI was 31. Both of those numbers were too high.
After gathering this information, I asked Tania what she wanted, and she said she wanted to be healthy—without diabetes or high blood pressure. She also wanted to maintain a healthy weight, be active, and not have to take all the meds her family did. And, most importantly, Tania did not want to get Alzheimer’s disease.
When I explained to her that diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity in midlife were all significant risk factors for Alzheimer’s, she wanted to know what she needed to do. We ran her labs, and the results showed she had pre-diabetes and mildly elevated cholesterol.
We then put together a plan. And our plan paid off.
After three months, Tania walked for 45 minutes every day and had changed her diet. She had lost 8 pounds and, even better, her blood pressure was down to 140/70 and her blood sugar was lower—almost in the normal range. Her periods were regular again and she slept better.
Tania felt great and addressed her health issues in time to meet her goals and make a difference.
Worried about your health or brain function? Make an appointment to specifically discuss your health concerns with your doctor. Need help choosing your physician? No worries. Call Spectrum Health at 877.362.8362 day or night to receive assistance and advice about selecting a physician who is right for you.
By M. Christine Byron, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
John Otterbacher’s memoir is his account of “drowning in heart disease, fighting back to the surface, and sailing on.” It is an engrossing story that I couldn’t put down. John and his wife, Barbara, decide to pursue of dream of sailing across the Atlantic and come up with a plan to pare down their lifestyle. But then John is surprised with a series of heart troubles.
The book recounts John’s dealing with his physical struggles, his connections with family and friends, while keeping sight of his dreams. Thus gritty account is well written and inspiring. The reader is drawn into John’s world and feels the pain and fear that he has so clearly portrayed, but also the joy with each small recovery and each sailing success.
John’s cardiologist, Richard McNamara, MD, has said of the book, “When hope and heart disease collide, hope sometimes wins.” The book tells the story of one man’s unwillingness to allow his medical condition to restrain him from pursuing his dreams and living the life he wants.
Since earning his degree in clinical psychology, John has taught college, served as a State Representative and Senator, and worked as a psychotherapist. Local residents might recognize his name from his years in public service. The book makes several references to places in Grand Rapids, as well as to other familiar Michigan towns. As an advocate of “living out beyond your fears,” John has served as a role model of strength, perseverance and hope.
