What does it take to be named the best female singing quartet in the world? Witness for yourself as International Award winners “Speed of Sound” will be featured along with The Grand Rapids Chorus of Sweet Adelines.
The Harmony Quest performance takes place at Hudsonville Freshman Campus, 3370 Allen St., Hudsonville, on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. The night will be filled with extraordinary music, talents and humor.
Speed of Sound is a long-distance quartet, from all over the country, with more than 60 years of barbershop experience. They have been together for nearly five years and have achieved major accomplishments in the Sweet Adeline world. In 2016, the group was crowned Queens of Harmony in Las Vegas!
They love singing cutting-edge arrangements. But most of all, their wish is to spread their love for this art form called barbershop. It’s important to all four of them that they play a part in keeping barbershop alive and well for the coming generations.
The group is looking forward to traveling to West Michigan to share their talents.
“It will be so exciting to take the stage along with our sisters in harmony-The Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines,” said Carter Maysilles, baritone for Speed of Sound. “We will all put on a fantastic show.”
Tickets for the Sept. 8 show are $20/general admission and $15/seniors/students. Group ticket prices also are available.
Go to www.grsa.netfor tickets/information or call (616)710-1765 for “will call” tickets.
Brandon Kimble’s approach to football is simple: “Defense wins championships, offense fills the stands”. Coach Kimble will be starting his first game as head coach of the Godwin Heights varsity football program this week, Thursday at 7 p.m., against Hamilton at Godwin Heights.
Coach Kimble sat down with WKTV’s Ken Norris earlier this summer to talk about what he hopes his team can accomplish this season.
“Defensively, I think they (the fans) can look forward to seeing a team that loves to play defense … They’re going to see athletes that enjoy playing the game and doing it the right way” Kimble said. “Offensively … We’re going to do some exciting things … our plan is to put them in space, put the ball in their hands and let them do some exciting things.”
Although Kimble’s plan for this year is to focus on the defensive side of the game, taking advantage of athletes from last year’s dominant basketball program will help build athleticism on the offensive side. SuSu Davenport, last year’s starting quarterback for the Wolverines and current Davenport University quarterback, helped the Wolverines to a 7-3 record in football and a 21-2 record in basketball, being a dominant force in both sports.
Connecting and recruiting basketball players before this summer was important for Kimble.
“It was one of the first things I wanted to do when I got into the building. ‘I got to get some of those basketball guys to come out…’ It show’s that we have the ability athletically to do some great things. It allows us to do the things we really want to do.” Kimble said. “Putting them in space, taking advantage of different defenses, playing fast, being able to do some creative things. When you have those athletes there’s a lot of things that you can do offensively and defensively.”
These 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.
WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and select community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.
By Stephanie M. White, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
A good ghost story never hurt anyone, and this ghost story is up there with the best of them. Henry James’s famous tale of a governess, her charges, and a big, scary house is wrought with mystery and suspense. Even after you’ve finished the last sentence, you’ll still be wondering on whose side you should be.
James weaves the story from the point of view of a young governess whose first position is in a large, country house with only two children and a few servants. She is given strict instructions never to bother the master of the house, who lives in town. When the governess begins seeing strangers around the house, she quickly learns that they are the ghosts of the children’s last governess and the master’s valet, who may have been involved in a scandalous pregnancy. As the governess determines a plan of action for keeping the children safe, the plot thickens.
James’s readers, on a first reading, are likely to trust the governess when she tells us of the apparitions. As the story continues, though, it becomes more and more difficult to understand whether she is really seeing ghosts, whether the children are trying to trick her, or whether she is trying to trick them. The less their governess trusts the sweet children, the less readers trust the governess.
While this short novel will leave you wondering about who’s seeing ghosts, it will also leave you amazed at James’s talent for weaving a tale with such ambiguity and suspense.
By Mary Menchinger, BS, RN-BC, Director of Nursing
There are several reasons people may need to be vaccinated against a disease as an adult:
They weren’t vaccinated as a child
The childhood vaccine may have worn off
The vaccine isn’t needed until later in life
The vaccine changes on a regular basis
Influenza (Flu)
Different strains of flu affect people every year. That’s one reason you need to get a flu shot annually. Each year the vaccine is designed to protect against the types of influenza virus expected to be most common. Getting a flu shot helps keep you healthy during the flu season which can start as early as September and last through May.
Tetanus
Tdap is a vaccine that protects against:
Tetanus
Diphtheria
Pertussis
Most people are vaccinated against these diseases in childhood. However, the protection can wear off.
Varicella (Chickenpox)
If you never had chickenpox as a child you may want to get the varicella vaccine. Chickenpox can be a serious illness in adults. Talk to your provider to see if it is a good choice for you.
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
If you were born in 1957 or later you need at least one dose of this vaccine. Consult with your provider to determine if you need to get an adult MMR.
Pneumococcal
All adults over 65 are strongly urged to get this vaccine. It is also recommended for adults under age 65 with certain health conditions:
Long-term health problems
Compromised immune system
Asthma
A history of smoking
Hepatitis vaccines
Vaccine are available to protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. These vaccines are generally offered to adults who work or live with high risk individuals.
Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), one in every three Americans will develop shingles. Shingles is caused by a return of the virus that causes chickenpox. The one-time vaccine is recommended for adults over age 60. You should get the shot even if you had chickenpox as a child.
Talk to your provider to make sure you are up-to-date on the vaccines that are right for you. At a minimum, almost everyone needs a flu vaccine once a year.
Getting immunized is a lifelong, life-protecting job.
The City of Kentwood’s Celebrate Kentwood festival, held Saturday, Aug. 11, featured a return of the popular Kentwood’s Got Talent event — and WKTV’s cameras were there.
Kentwood’s Got Talent will air on WKTV 25 on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
This year’s festival was a jam-packed day of events at City Hall and the Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard. L. Root) Branch featuring family-friendly activities, local food vendors, community booths, a beer garden and live music.
Also returning to the annual festival was a classic car show and Kentwood’s Got Talent. Modeled after the popular TV show, the talent competition will feature singers, dancers and other performers from the community.
Featured talent from around West Michigan took the stage at noon for Kentwood’s Got Talent, and the winner received a $500 cash prize. Contestants had up to five minutes to wow the judges with their talents.
Super Future, aka Nick Rowland, who calls Grand Rapids his “musical home,” is at home in both the EDM club scene and the open-air festival scene — it is just that he can offer a little more of a “show” outside and on a big stage.
So expect him to break out his guitar this weekend as he takes the stage at Breakaway Music Festival, an electric dance music which will return to the heights of Grand Rapids’ Belknap Park, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24-25. Super Future will do a 45-minute set from 3-3:45 p.m. on Friday.
“I actually do try to make my outdoor shows more of a show with a guitar and everything, if I can travel safely with it, and Breakaway will be one of those sets,” Rowland said to WKTV. “The sound can be different, but I try to give a little bit of effort toward the type of crowd coming to the show. … For Breakaway I’ll try to stay to my truest self with the guitar, future bass and whatever I feel is at my center.
“Grand Rapids knows me for being sort of an original with no catering to any type of sound. I’m excited to let my experimentation come out in my own city.”
Rowland’s style, according to his website, is “a diverse combination of hard-hitting bass lines, groovy upbeat melodies, and bright future-style synths, all complimented by elements of ethnic and experimental percussion.” You can even find him showing his live music prowess playing live guitar over his original music.
“I’m going to pack as much of my heart as I can into this 30-minute set, so despite the early time slot, fans should really try to make it for this one,” he said. “Live instruments and a ton of my new material will be debuted that day.”
Playing a set in his “musical home” also offers some artistic advantage, Rowland said.
“The traveling is starting to spread out wider and wider, which I’m still getting used to as I have a full-time job, but it’s really enriching to see all the music scenes of new cities in America,” he said. “Breakaway is definitely in a city I would call home, but technically it isn’t my home like in the sense of where I grew up. That’s in Rochester, closer to Detroit.
“However, I would call Grand Rapids my music home, since I came up in this amazing city, and it’s is where I made my first dedicated fanbase. It will undoubtedly feel special, so I’m giving this city a special performance in return. I’ve been holding out on playing a lot of my new album but here I want to debut a few things if I have them ready in time.”
Presented by MiEntertainment and Prime Social Group, Breakaway fest will run 2-11 p.m. each day and several tickets options are available. The 2017 festival was attended by more than 16,000 fans.
Parking and drop-off/pick-up at the festival will come with some options; according to the festival website:
“There are plenty of ways to get to Breakaway, from taking public transportation to rideshare companies, biking and walking from downtown. The only way to park on festival grounds is via a VIP Parking Pass. … (general admission) parking will be limited in the areas around Belknap Park. For that reason, we recommend getting dropped off or taking public transit.”
For more information about tickets, parking, schedules and everything Breakaway, visit breakawayfest.com and/or follow the event using #BreakawayFest or @BreakawayFest.
After serving more than a quarter-million passengers in the month of July, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) is continuing its pace as the second fastest growing airport in the country.
July marks the seventh record-breaking month in a row for 2018, and the airport has seen growth in 60 of the last 67 months. July 2018 was the busiest July ever, with passenger numbers up 16.7- percent year-over-year.
Through July 2018, GFIA has already surpassed its annual totals reached in both 2008 and 2009, and the airport has now served over 75-million passengers in its 54-year history.
“Our growth is a collaborative effort between our community, our airline partners, our tenants, and continued economic progression,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport President & CEO Jim Gill. “With recent announcements like American Airlines adding nonstop service to Miami, and Frontier Airlines adding nonstop service to Phoenix Sky-Harbor, we are continuing to set records and meet the demands and needs of our traveling public. We are not done, and we expect 2018 to not only be another record-setting year but to continue that momentum into 2019.”
Airline Weekly forecasted the Ford Airport as the second fastest-growing airport in the U.S. among the 100 busiest airports for the Q3 summer peak, according to data from Diio, an aviation data, tools, and technology product. The ranking was based upon a projected 21-percent increase in year-over-year growth.
July 2017 saw 249,268 passengers, while July 2018 topped that in serving 291,304 – the second largest increase ever for the month of July.
“Our airline partners continue to invest here and are adding more service with more routes, and larger aircraft to accommodate our growing passenger traffic,” said Gill. “We expect the record numbers and trends to continue as we wrap up summer and continue into fall.”
GFIA has invested in new facilities to accommodate the growing traffic by recently completing Phase One of the Gateway Transformation Project – an upgrade in space, retail, food and beverage, restrooms, finishes, amenities, and customer service offerings. The project’s main feature is the consolidated passenger security checkpoint which centralized and combined security screening to one main checkpoint in the Airport. Construction also included new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, pre and post security business centers, a military welcome center, kids play areas, and much more.
Phase Two of the Gateway Transformation Project is slated to begin in Fall 2018 with construction taking place at the airline ticket counters, baggage claim area, and ‘front of house’ area.
“As we continue to grow in traffic it is imperative that our facilities keep up with our passenger demand,” said Gill. “Our passengers keep coming back because we listen to their wants and needs, and as they do we will continue to do our part to improve our amenities, technology, customer service and infrastructure. We are excited to see what the future holds, and we hope to add more growth in the years to come.”
WKTV announced two new shows that will be airing on its Channel 25 starting Thursday, Aug. 23.
The first is “Gospel of the Last Days,” which is a collection of artistic performances and videos from The Church of Almighty God. Included in the show is dancing and singing, music videos, hymn videos, short sketches, crosstalk, and choir videos. With these performances and videos, rich and profound in content and novel and unique in form, viewers will see “a beautiful life where the people of the kingdom praise God, and feel the Creator’s love and salvation for mankind,” according to the program’s producers.
The other show is the “Eastern Light Variety Show.” This is a collection of gospel movies, church life movies, short films, stage performances and and musicals independently produced and completed by The Church of Almighty God. They bear witness to the appearance and work of Christ of the last days, and bring you to attend the feast bestowed on man by God in the Age of Kingdom.
“Gospel of the Last Days” will air at 2 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on Thursdays and “Eastern Light Variety Show” will air at 6 and 10 p.m. on Thursdays.
WKTV’s 2018-19 high school sports coverage starts with prep football season opening night action at Godwin Heights High School as new head coach Brandon Kimble leads the Wolverines onto the field for the first time. (Don’t forget your sunglasses as the sun sets!)
WKTV interviewed Coach Kimble this summer; he talked football, mentoring young people, and more.
WKTV will cover all the local football teams in the first six weeks, including Tri-Unity Christian’s 8-man football team, before we start covering the best game available in October. Next week’s game will be the Thursday, Aug. 30, clash of Ashley at Tri-Unity Christian (8-man football at 5651 Gezon Court Wyoming.)
These 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 on the night of the game (Thursday or Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m. See WKTVjournal.org/sports weekly for complete feature broadcast schedules.
WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and select community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.
The complete local high school sports schedule through the end of the month is as follows:
Monday, Aug. 20
Boys / Girls Cross Country
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Orchard View
Boys Tennis
@ Wyoming – David Bentley Tournament
Kelloggsville @ Union
Boys Soccer
Wyoming @ Hudsonville Christian
Hudsonville Hornets @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Holland Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Union
Potter’s House @ Calvin Christian
Tuesday, Aug. 21
Boys Tennis
Catholic Central @ East Kentwood – Quad
Girls Volleyball
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Wyoming Lee @ Potter’s House
Girls Swimming
East Kentwood@ Jenison
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Godwin Heights @ Kent City
Kelloggsville @ Kent City
South Christian @ St. Joe
Boys Soccer
Ottawa Hills @ Kelloggsville
Tri-County @ Wyoming Lee
Wednesday, Aug. 22
Girls Golf
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Holland @ Wyoming
Boys Soccer
East Kentwood @ Portage Northern
Godwin Heights @ Union
Zeeland West @ Wyoming
Calvin Christian @ South Christian
Zion Christian @ Kalamazoo Christian
Boys Tennis
Wyoming @ Holland
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Wyoming Lee @ Hesperia – Baker Woods Invitational
Thursday, Aug. 23
Girls Volleyball
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wellsprings Prep @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation
Boys Soccer
East Kentwood @ Holland
Grand River Prep @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation
Tri-Unity Christian @ Hope Academy of West Michigan
Muskegon Catholic Central @ Zion Christian
Boys Football
Hamilton @ Godwin Heights – WKTV Featured Event
South Christian @ Greenville
Olivet @ Calvin Christian/Potter’s House
Boys / Girls Cross Country
Grand River Prep @ Kelloggsville – Rocket Invitational
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).
Chatterbox Kev (born in November of 2013) came to us from Focus on Ferals in May of 2018 since he was feline leukemia positive.
Kev originated from Greenville and ended up at Focus On Ferals in January of 2018. He came in with ringworm and had to be quarantined right off the bat, so he was chomping at the bit (as you can imagine) to be released. He has proven to be quite the motor mouth, going so far as to bend your ear and almost talk it off at times! He is full of kitten-like playfulness and spunk and yet also has a softer side that he displayed while sharing close quarters with two of our other residents.
He would do remarkably well in a home with another fully vaccinated cat (to decrease the risk of virus transmission) and perhaps even a mellow dog to keep him company. But more than ANYTHING we think Kev is absolutely jonesing for a kid (or 2 or 10) in his life, as he has SO much energy and enthusiasm it is hard to contain it inside of his body that appears at times to be bursting at the seams!
Lest I forget, he also enjoys bird-watching and catnip cocktails. He is a peach for his weekly nail trims and brushing, pretty much any manhandling that is required on a regular basis—as long as he is getting attention, Kev is in 7th heaven!
More about Kev:
Large
Tabby & Domestic Short Hair Mix (Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
House-trained
FIV-positive
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Kev? 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.
"Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well." _ Aretha Franklin
Making a difference
Having lived in Wyoming all of his life — except for a short time when he was away at college — Chris Hall felt he knew a lot about the community he lives in. Then in 2003, he joined Wyoming’s Community Development Committee and discovered even more about his city. “It is really cool because you hear from folks who have been a part of [the Community Development Committee] and they’ve learned about stuff — me included — of things that I didn’t know existed and ways that I can help out, and I think I am a better resident, a better citizen. Because of my involvement in this committee, I am able to serve my neighbors better.”
Time to Sparkle
The Grand Rapids Ballet will celebrate the arrival of its newest artistic director, James Sofranko with a gala Oct. 18. The Wild Sweet Love Welcome Gala, so named after a ballet that will be performed that event, will start at the L3VEL at The B.O.B. and then head to the company’s Peter Martin Wege Theatre. To find out why “Wild Sweet Love” was selected and how it connects to Sofranko, click here.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners is looking for residents who are interested in serving the community through appointment to various boards, commissions, and committees. Any Kent County resident may apply by completing an online application form on the County’s website at www.accessKent.com/boardappointments. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged and may be attached. The application deadline is Sept 30.
Listed below are the boards, commissions, and committees that have openings for terms effective January 1, 2019 (unless otherwise noted):
Agricultural Preservation Board (openings for agricultural interest representative and conservation representative)
Community Action Agency Advisory Governing Board (openings for consumer and public sector representatives)
Community Corrections Advisory Board (openings for Defense Attorney and Probation Representative)
Community Health Advisory Committee (openings for community-based and faith-based organization representatives and health care providers)
Community Mental Health Authority (Network180) Board – term begins April 1, 2019
County Building Authority
Fire Commission (openings for township elected officials only)
Friend of the Court Citizen’s Advisory Committee (openings for the general public and family law attorney)
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRFIA) Authority Board
Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority
Housing Commission
Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council (openings for private funding and private agency representatives)
Kent District Library Board (Region 1 – resident of Nelson, Oakfield, Spencer and Tyrone Township; and Region 5 – resident of Ada, Cascade, Grand Rapids Township, and City of East Grand Rapids).Applicants must live in Region 1 or 5.
Land Bank Authority (must be a city elected official – excluding the City of Grand Rapids – to apply)
Millennium Park Architectural Advisory Review Board (opening for business community representative)
Officers’ Compensation Commission
Remonumentation Peer Review Group (must be a professional surveyor to apply)
Kent County’s Veterans Services is focused of veterans issues.
Road Commission Board
Solid Waste Management Planning Committee (openings for general public, environmental interest groups, solid waste industry representatives, and a representative from an industrial waste generator)
Veterans Services Committee (must have served honorably on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces to apply)If you have any questions, please contact Pam VanKeuren in the Board of Commissioners’ Office at 616-632-7580 or Pam.VanKeuren@kentcountymi.gov.
By Kelly Helder, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
So you’ve been watching your diet and eating all the right foods in the hopes of keeping the weight off and your cholesterol down. You’re walking every day, getting out in the fresh air, working those leg muscles. “But,” you say, “that’s not enough; I need more” (and more not being cardio boot camp!). What could you do that is low impact, practiced by millions, and could improve your blood pressure while relieving symptoms of arthritis?
Yoga, of course! It doesn’t matter if you are over 50, can’t cross your legs or don’t know a word of Sanskrit. Yoga doesn’t discriminate.
Mary Stewart, author of Yoga Over 50: The Way to Vitality, Health and Energy in the Prime of Life, has been teaching yoga for over 20 years (and is herself over 50). After a brief introduction about yoga and its history, there is a section on the healthy body and how it works. Then we dive into the meat of the book — yoga poses. All of the classics are here, such as Triangle, Warrior and Downward Facing Dog.
Accompanying each pose is a brief description, which includes instructions on how to get into the pose and why it is beneficial to you. Step-by-step color photographs of each pose give an idea of what you are eventually aiming for (remember, the models in the book have been practicing yoga for years).
Through bringing together body, mind and spirit, we are shown how to relax and let our tensions dissolve. Photos and text illustrate the techniques of proper breathing, meditation and Savasana, or the relaxing Corpse pose. Beginner to advanced routines round out the book. There are also short programs for people who want to target specific problem areas of the body, such as stiff hips and backaches.
According to statistics, over 19% of US yoga practitioners are over 50, so come on, join the fun!
Downtown St. Joseph, Mich., is doing everything it can to keep the summer vacation spirit alive right up through Labor Day. The Lake Michigan resort community has planned a series of fun activities for all ages Aug. 31–Sept. 3.
It’s been a beautiful summer in St. Joseph. Come back and visit for one more weekend of summer fun! Whether you enjoy the beaches, St. Joseph’s beautiful downtown shops and restaurants, local wineries, and breweries, Whirlpool Compass Fountain, or the downtown Magical Kingdom of St. Joseph Public Art exhibit, there is something for everyone.
The weekend’s activities kick off with a free, outdoor concert on Aug. 31, 7:30pm at the John E.N. Howard Bandshell overlooking the St. Joseph River. Concert sponsor The Boulevard Inn & Bistro will bring Summer Reunion to wow concertgoers with their classic rock.
On Saturday, visitors can get an up-close look at the sailboats that have raced from Chicago in the first leg of the annual Tri-State Regatta. They can then go to the Farmers Market in Lake Bluff Park to bring home fresh-picked apples, blueberries, squash, tomatoes, cheeses, bottles of wine, late summer fruits and vegetables, jams, honey, made-from-scratch pies, fresh cut flowers and much more. The market is open from 9am to 2pm.
From 10am to 5pm along the bluff, regional artisans and crafters will share their talent at the Lake Bluff Artisan Faire. Visitors can also shop and dine in downtown St. Joseph or play on several family friendly beaches.
On Sunday, early risers can send off the sailboats as they race to Indiana. Then from 10am to 5pm, more than 50 vendors will showcase their treasures at Antiques on the Bluff. Music enthusiasts can also enjoy the season’s last Municipal Band concerts at 3:30 and 7:30pm on Sunday and Monday at the John E.N. Howard Bandshell. Free, horse-drawn trolley rides sponsored by the Frederick S. Upton Foundation will entertain all ages from 11am to 2pm (weather permitting).
The fun doesn’t stop after Labor Day weekend. Later in September, St. Joseph will host a Fall Festival weekend to celebrate autumn, which includes family fun activities in the daytime followed by a 21 and over event, Roots & Brews, in the evening. In addition to the many spring and summer events, fall and winter are also jammed packed with fun for all ages.
St. Joseph Today is a 501(c)(3) membership-based organization dedicated to developing and promoting events and businesses in St. Joseph, Mich. and its surrounding communities. For more information about upcoming events, visit stjoetoday.com, facebook.com/stjoetoday, the Welcome Center or call 269-985-1111.
The best way to treat diseases is to prevent them in the first place. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Be sure to put vaccinations on your children’s back-to-school lists, whether they’re just starting school or heading off to college, experts say.
By protecting infants, children and teens from serious diseases, vaccinations also protect families, schools and communities.
“The best way to treat diseases is to prevent them in the first place, and the diseases on the vaccine schedule are all preventable for the vast majority of our population,” said David Kimberlin, vice chair of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“The scientific evidence and public health statistics are comprehensive and compelling—properly scheduled and dosed vaccines are safe and effective, and they’re the reason we don’t see diseases like measles or whooping cough running rampant across our country,” Kimberlin said in a university news release.
Kimberlin is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ liaison to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee on immunization practices.
Immunization requirements vary by state. All have a minimum requirement for dosing each school year to attend public schools. Many require an updated immunization certificate before a child enters any public school or child care center.
Here’s what else you should know:
All 50 states and the District of Columbia require vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, polio, measles and rubella.
49 states and D.C. also require mumps vaccination.
48 states and D.C. require varicella (chickenpox) vaccination. (Montana and Pennsylvania do not).
45 states and D.C. require hepatitis B vaccination to enter kindergarten. (Alabama, Maine, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota do not).
Some states require Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type b); PCV (pneumococcal); flu and hepatitits A vaccines to enter kindergarten.
Insurance covers school vaccinations. If you don’t have insurance, your state health department can direct you to services that offer low-cost and/or free immunizations, said Dr. Rachael Lee, an assistant professor in the university’s division of infectious diseases.
Vaccinations are available at doctor offices, pharmacies, health centers and local health departments.
College students require specific vaccinations and should check with their school to learn which ones they need, university experts said.
Life-threatening infections such as meningococcal disease are more common among college-age people, but can be prevented through full vaccination, the experts said.
Having lived in Wyoming all of his life — except for a short time when he was away at college — Chris Hall felt he knew a lot about the community he lives in. Then in 2003, he joined Wyoming’s Community Development Committee and discovered even more about his city.
“It is really cool because you hear from folks who have been a part of [the Community Development Committee] and they’ve learned about stuff — me included — of things that I didn’t know existed and ways that I can help out, and I think I am a better resident, a better citizen.
“Because of my involvement in this committee, I am able to serve my neighbors better.”
The Community Development Committee is an advisory board to the Wyoming City Council with its focus on the federally funded Community Block Development Grant program. Enacted by Former President Gerald R. Ford in 1974, the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG is one of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s longest-running programs. It funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs and infrastructure development.
The funding is distributed mostly to state and local governments which controls how the funds are used.
“As an advisory panel we kind of get to determine where those dollars should be spent,” Hall said. “So we make recommendations to the city council, usually it is around community development-type work, strengthening neighbors, helping with education with housing, those types of issues.”
Projects funded through the CBDG program have included several park improvements such as the snack area at Pinery Park and a monument at Veteran’s Park. The program has worked with various non-profits that provide affordable housing and home repair services along with helping with other needs such as English is a Second Language programs.
The Community Development Committee is looking to fill some open spots. The person has to be a Wyoming resident and should be engaged in the community. The time comment is not much, about one meeting a month for a couple of hours, according to Hall.
“What you find you are doing is that you are more engaged between the meetings throughout the month looking for opportunities to find a nonprofit who can benefit from this or just be more engaged as a resident,” Hall said. “It’s a great opportunity for a resident of the city to participate and maybe be part of the solution.”
Hall went on to state that “A lot of people like to think of us as the suburbs. We are a pretty diverse city. From one end of the city to the other, there is a lot of different things happening in Wyoming. We have a lot of the same challenges we have in the urban core but the architecture is different. The cool thing is we have the ability to work on those as a community.”
To learn more about the Community Development Committee or the other volunteer committees, commissions and boards at the city, visit the city’s website or contact the city clerk’s office at 616-530-7296.
The dilemma is all too familiar: It’s Monday morning, you walk into your office and see that someone has left a big box of donuts in the break room. Then, your co-worker tells you there will be cake later for yet another birthday celebration.
One thing’s for sure. You’re not alone.
A new federal government survey found that about one-quarter of Americans “acquire” nearly 1,300 calories at work every week. Even worse, the survey only included foods people didn’t bring to work themselves, and food they didn’t purchase from outside vendors.
“The majority of the calories people got at work, people didn’t pay for—70 percent of the calories were free,” said study co-author Stephen Onufrak, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The food and beverages that were most commonly obtained at work, he said, were:
Coffee
Sugar-sweetened soft drinks
Sandwiches
Tea
Cookies
Brownies
French fries
Pizza
Salad
Water
Diet soft drinks
When the researchers looked at the foods by calories, pizza was the leading source of calories obtained at work, followed by sandwiches and regular soft drinks.
Onufrak said the foods obtained at work might have been lunch—some workplaces did have onsite cafeterias and foods purchased at an employee cafeteria were included in the survey.
The study included more than 5,200 people from a nationally representative group that completed a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey in 2012 and 2013. The volunteers answered questions about the foods they obtained at work over a seven-day period. They only reported food they acquired at work, and they didn’t say whether or not they ate the foods.
Onufrak said the survey didn’t ask about what people ate at home, so it’s hard to know for sure if they continued eating foods that were high in refined sugar, salt and empty calories once they left the office. But he said that based on other research he’s done, “a lot of the eating patterns we saw tend to be consistent.”
The findings show that employers have an opportunity to improve their workers’ health, he said.
“If you look at data on worksite wellness programs, they’re effective at getting people to have healthier behaviors, reducing health care costs and reducing absenteeism. I think encouraging a healthy diet is an essential part of a worksite wellness program,” Onufrak explained.
Nutritionist Samantha Heller noted that offering healthy fare could provide a benefit to employers, because employees who eat well “will feel better, will have more energy and can focus better.”
Heller, who’s with NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, added, “When we feed our bodies well, our bodies and brains respond. It’s a win-win for the company and the employees.”
But what if your workplace doesn’t offer healthy options? The best option may be to bring your own lunch, Heller suggested. That way, you’re in charge of what foods are available to you, and it saves you money.
If you don’t bring your own lunch, she said, you should do some scouting to see what healthy food choices are available around your workplace. And it’s a good idea to do this when you aren’t hungry.
And what about all those free sweets at work?
“People bring a lot of treats to work. People like to feed each other to show affection. But it’s OK to say no to the birthday cake or the brownies. It’s always going to be somebody’s birthday or another celebration. Decide ahead of time that you’re going to say no to treats at work,” Heller advised.
Onufrak is scheduled to present the findings at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting in Boston. Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
For help developing better eating habits, visit Spectrum Health Nutrition Counseling or schedule a personalized appointment by calling 616.391.1875.
One of the most frequently asked questions Michigan Works! agencies hear is, “What do I do when I become unemployed and how do I get unemployment?” There are multiple steps to take with different organizations to qualify for benefits. Here’s a break-down of who you will be working with and how to get started with the process.
File for Unemployment with the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA): UIA is a division of the state government that makes decisions on who receives benefits and how much they will receive. You can file a claim on their website: unemployment.state.mi.us/ or by phone: 1-866-500-0017, TTY: 1-866-366-0004. You must follow their reporting requirements to maintain your benefits.
Register for Work: To qualify for unemployment, you then need to register for work. You will register in person with Michigan Works! and online with Pure Michigan Talent Connect (PMTC). Both of these organizations are there to help you search for jobs and prepare for a new career. They do not make decisions on who will receive unemployment benefits.
Step 1: You must visit a Michigan Works! service center, in person, to register. While you are there, talk to a staff member and find out what services you qualify for. They provide a variety of assistance for eligible job seekers. Services can range from help getting reliable transportation to training scholarships.
Step 2: You also need to create a PMTC account and profile online. PMTC is an online portal where you can search for jobs and upload your resume so employers can find you. They also offer assessments and career information to help you find a job that fits your skills and interests. Be sure to update your PMTC profile at least once every 30 days. This ensures your information will continue to be seen by employers.
West Michigan Works! has an online wizard for job seekers to help you create a check list to follow when you become unemployed. The checklist also includes additional steps and resources to help you find a new job. Visit http://jobs.westmiworks.org/get-started/ and answer a few quick questions to get your own personal checklist!
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
The seventh annualGRandJazzFest presented by the DTE Energy Foundation brings 10 diverse jazz performance acts to the Rosa Parks Circle stage Aug. 18 and 19 in downtown Grand Rapids at West Michigan’s only free, weekend-long jazz festival. GRandJazzFest 2018 also includes free face painting for the kids (and kids at heart), plus a beverage and V.I.P. area provided by the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
The complete performance lineup for the event in order of appearance:
SATURDAY, Aug. 18
Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with Edye Evans Hyde, 12:30 p.m.
John Gist, 2 p.m.
Kevin Jones and Tenth World, 3:30 p.m.
Oli Silk, 5 p.m.
Lin Rountree, 6:30 p.m.
HEADLINER: Euge Groove, 8 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 19
Student Jazz Band: Lushh, 1 p.m.
Grupo Ayé, 2:30 p.m.
Marcus Anderson, 4 p.m.
Nelson Rangell and Steve Oliver, 5:30 p.m.
The DTE Energy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of DTE Energy, is helping festivalgoers care for the environment through its greening program and encouraging them to reduce, reuse and recycle. Through last year’s program, the festival recycled 525 pounds of waste, and refused more than 720 pounds.
The two-day GRandJazzFest is free for the seventh year in a row thanks to presenting sponsor DTE Energy Foundation, along with the City of Grand Rapids, GR and Jazz, IntentPR, Mobile GR and Parking Services, Corporate Live, GRAM and many others (see the full list at http://grandjazzfest.org/sponsors/). The festival also is grateful to the many volunteers who contribute to the successful execution and experience of GRandJazzFest.
Tips for festivalgoers:
Location
GRandJazzFest will be held at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rosa Parks Circle is located at 135 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. You can find Rosa Parks Circle on Google Maps.
Mobile GR encourages attendees to walk, bike or ride the bus to the festival
A new festival partner this year is the City of Grand Rapids’ Mobile GR and Parking Services department. Mobile GR encourages festivalgoers to consider walking, biking, riding the bus, or sharing a ride with a friend to the festival. There are bike racks installed by the City of Grand Rapids around the Rosa Parks Circle venue for stowing and self-locking bikes.
Get there early — especially if you love big band music. Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with Edye Evans Hyde kicks off the festival, which starts at noon on Saturday, Aug. 18. The fest goes until 10 p.m. that night and continues Sunday, Aug. 19, starting at 1 p.m. and going until approximately 8 p.m.
WHAT TO BRING
Bring lawn chairs, mini-coolers and sunscreen. The event takes place in a sunny, open area with some shady areas around the perimeter. The fest’s main tent will have bottled water for sale, the adjacent Grand Rapids Art Museum will be featuring a special refreshment area, and there are plenty of places surrounding Rosa Parks Circle to grab a quick bite and beverage. Plus, it’s Restaurant Week during GRandJazzFest! Learn more here: http://www.experiencegr.com/restaurants/restaurant-week/.
Also: There’s free Wi-Fi at Rosa Parks Circle via iserv, compliments of The City of Grand Rapids. GRandJazzFest’s website is mobile-optimized, which makes it easy to find the fest schedule and more. Plus, take photos while you’re at the fest and share on social media. Got feedback? Take our online survey (www.grandjazzfest.org/2018-survey/) with your phone to help us keep producing great fests.
For local hotel information, please visit experienceGR.com. Hotels within walking distance of Rosa Parks Circle include:
Yassou! celebrates the culture and traditions of the Greek Orthodox people. There’s something for everyone — from a great, live band and dance demonstrations, to wine tastings and cooking classes. The food is to die for — appetizers, full meals, sandwiches and side items — and you won’t want to miss the baklava. Trinkets beckon from vendors’ stalls.
Be sure to join hands with members of the dancing circle and dance! Beginners are always welcome. Traditional Greek dancing brings the community together at key points of the year, such as Easter, the grape harvest or patronal festivals; and at key points in the lives of individuals and families, such as weddings.
Yassou! will be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at 330 Lakeside Dr. NE between Fulton and Michigan. Limited numbers of handicapped spots will be provided within steps of the main admission. Beyond that, nearly 1,000 parking spaces have been reserved within the immediate vicinity of the event. An air-conditioned shuttle is available to transport festival-goers to the event.
For bus riders, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is conveniently located within steps of a Grand Rapids ‘Rapid’ bus stop– bus Route 14 to be exact.
This year, Yassou! will be supporting the Children’s Advocacy Center of Kent County (CAC) as its charity sponsor. The CAC is a nonprofit, community-based organization that is dedicated to the awareness and reduction of child sexual abuse. For more information, go here.
Dr. Rob Davidson, left, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga’s 2nd District seat, with speakers Joseph Bradley and Heidi Draft-Peppin, at an event in Wyoming Aug. 14. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The general election season is barely a week old but Dr. Rob Davidson, the Democratic challenger to U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga’s 2nd District seat, has already paid a visit to the City of Wyoming — and for good reason.
While most of the 2nd District is West Michigan lakeshore areas, the panhandle area of the district extending south of Grand Rapids which includes Wyoming is often seen as more Democratic leaning than much of the district.
And, according to Davidson, it is also an area — and a group of constituents — often ignored by Rep. Huizenga.
“A lot of people in this (part of the) district, of the 2nd, who are probably struggling the most, are probably in the most need of representation from their single connection to the federal government, their U.S. house representative,” Davidson said to WKTV, Tuesday, Aug. 14, at a campaign event at a church near Wyoming Lee High School. “And I feel like campaigns of old and certainly our current representative focuses on the lakeshore, Ottawa County, a little bit of Muskegon, and this part of our district just gets left behind.
“Some people out here do not even know they are in the 2nd District. They don’t know who their representative is because they just haven’t heard from him. So, to me, I think I have a very intentional focus on campaigning here, and then being here, and showing up here once I am elected to office, is essential. I think the place you need to go is the folks who need you the most.”
(For a video of a previous WKTV Journal: In Focus interview with Davidson, see end of this story or visit here.)
The Tuesday event, held at Joy Like a River church (Ministerios Ríos de Agua Viva), 1841 Havana Ave SW, was actually billed as a healthcare forum, one of several put on and planned by Davidson, who is an emergency room physician. The event had a crowd of about two dozen people (the turnout dampened, maybe, by the crowds attending the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools’ sixth grade orientation held at the same time nearby).
Rep. Huizenga was invited to the forum but did not attend. Davidson previously invited Rep. Huizenga to a healthcare forum July 30 in Zeeland — Rep. Huizenga’s hometown — but the congressman also declined to attend an event which had a crowd of about 200 people.
“We were not expecting such a huge turnout for our event in Zeeland, and what that showed us was how important healthcare is to everyone in West Michigan, so that’s why we’re doing a second event for more folks to share their thoughts and concerns,” Davidson said in previously supplied material. “Republicans, Democrats and independents filled every seat and stood along the walls for two hours to discuss healthcare in an honest, spirited yet respectful way. People talked about Congress taking healthcare away from patients with preexisting conditions, raising the prices of prescription drugs, taking away lifesaving services such as mammograms and prenatal and maternity care. I appreciated hearing from people, both those who agree with me as well as those who disagree.
“Congressman Bill Huizenga had an opportunity to join the forum and share information that can help families overcome their healthcare challenges, and unfortunately, he chose to avoid his own constituents.”
Davidson was joined by two speakers at the Wyoming event, both of whom spoke about their and their family’s needs for affordable healthcare and their opposition to Republican-led attack on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
One of the speakers was Heidi Draft-Peppin, a healthcare social worker whose husband is battling spina-bifida and whose has a child with autism.
“If the Republicans have their way, and the pre-existing conditions (coverage) of Obamacare is eliminated, it would devastate our family,” she said.
From the mountains of Argentina to the lake shore of Michigan, Jorge Rodriguez knows one profound truth: your body is not fit unless your mind and spirit are also aligned. A lifelong practitioner of health and well-being, Dr. Jorge Rodriquez has trained celebrities like Brad Pitt and everyday citizens of his newfound hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. In this deeply touching interview, Jorge talks about his own challenges with health and the surprising generosity of others.
"I would travel only by horse, if I had a choice."- Linda McCartney
Come One, Come All
Patrons visit the GRAM for free during ArtPrize.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum recently announced it would be part of the Museums for All programs, providing free admission, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card; commonly known as the Michigan Bridge Card. The GRAM joins the Grand Rapids Children Museum and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in offering free and reduce admission. The Grand Rapids Symphony has the Symphony Scorecard program, which provides up to four free tickets to those receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan and/or are active, reserve or guard military families.
A horse is a horse, of course, of course…
Bill catches up with an old friend at Lee’s Summit Equestrian.
WKTV volunteers Bill and Charlotte Rinderknecht have hit the road in search of stories about horses and the people who work with them for their documentary series “Horses and Their People.” Follow the couple as they journey through the United States, visiting ranches and exploring the local culture of the communities they visit.
Feeding the Mind and the Body
Snatching up the snacks
During the summer, Kent District Library’s newest branch, the Kelloggsville branch, has been participating in The Meet Up and Eat Up program. Sponsored by the state, the program is designed to bring nutritious meals to lower income areas. Set to wrap up this week on Aug. 17, the KDL Kelloggsville Meet Up and Eat Up served students living near the high school, where the facility is located. As KDL Executive Director stated “Feeding the minds, imaginations and spirits is something that we have always done at KDL, but now we are literally feeding hungry people.”
Murder She Wrote
The cast of the upcoming production of “And Then There Were None”
At first, no one wanted to produce the play version of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” because they insisted that the storyline wouldn’t work on stage and that people would laugh at it. In 2015, it was voted the World’s Favorite Christie having been made into several movies with such groups as the Superman comics and “Family Guy” making parodies of it. This weekend you can catch several local residents as they perform the murder mystery at the Jenison Theater of the Arts, which has productions running Aug. 17-19 and 24-26. If you can’t make that production, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will be offering a production in January. In between the two productions, you can always read the book.
Fun Fact:
17 hours
That is how long it took to make all the costumes and puppets for the Broadway production of Disney's The Lion King. It took 750 pounds of silicone rubber with the tallest animal being the 18-foot giraffes and the smallest being a five-inch trick mouse on Scar's cane. You can see it all next year as Broadway Grand Rapids recently announced that Disney's The Lion King will be part of its 2019-2020 season.
The cast of the upcoming production of “And Then There Were None.”
By Josh Kennedy
WKTV Intern
Decades before Gillian Flynn wrote “Gone Girl” and long before Dennis Lehane penned “Shutter Island,” Agatha Christie wrote “And Then There Were None,” one of the best selling murder mysteries in history.
This story will be brought to stage Aug. 17-19 and 24-26 at the Shadblow Theater at the Jension Center for the Performing Arts, with many of the actors hail from Wyoming and Kentwood.
“And Then Where None,” original written in 1939, is a murder mystery that will keep the audience guessing until the final act. This psychological thriller follows a group of seemingly normal people who are invited to an island retreat by an eccentric millionaire. Once a gramophone announces the group’s sins to all the other occupants things start to get interesting and people start to disappear.
“I think to be able write like Agatha Christie, you would have to draw on the people around you in life,” said Director Kristin Tomlin. “And the characters in here, some of them are so much large than life, that you must think, she must know someone like that.”
Cathy Van Lopek portrays Emily Caroline Brent
This is fairly evident as the various cast members describe their characters. After all, who hasn’t run into someone like the fanatically religious spinster Emily Caroline Brent, portrayed by Wyoming resident Cathy Van Lopek.
“She is very judgmental about everybody she comes across,” Van Lopek said. “I don’t think there is a human being living on the Earth who meets her standards.”
Then there is the action-first, think-later Capt. Philip Lomard, played by David Cobb.
David Cope is Capt. Philip Lomard
“He’s the adventurer,” Cobb said. “The man of action. I think he is the first one who gets a little suspicious about everything.”
Also among the guests is former detective William Henry Blore. “He is not a very good detective,” said William Cope who plays Blore. “He is kind of incompetent and bites at every single red herring that is offered.”
The storyline itself — which is based off an old children’s rhyme — is a difficult one that very much intrigued the author.
“One thing she said about this play is that the idea of it was so challenging and so difficult to her she just had to do it,” Tomlin said. “She just had to try and write it.”
William Cope (right) is William Henry Blore
In fact, at first, no one wanted to produce the play version of Christie’s “And Then There Were None” because they insisted that the storyline wouldn’t work on stage and that people would laugh at it. In 2015, it was voted the World’s Favorite Christie story having been made into several movies with such groups as the Superman comics and “Family Guy” making parodies of it.
Who’s pulling the strings and who is just trying to stay alive? You’ll just have to catch the show, Aug. 17-26, to find out. Show times are 7:30 p.m Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at the Jension Center for the Performing Arts, 8375 20th Ave., Jenison. Tickets are $16.50/adult, $13/seniors who are 60 and older, and $8/students under 18.
James Sofranko, the newly appointed artistic director to the Grand Rapids Ballet, has a lot in store for the upcoming 2018-19 season. Having only started his work with the company and having moved to Grand Rapids last month, Sofranko has still managed to find adjusting easy.
“It’s been really easy so far to get to know everyone,” Sofranko said to WKTV. “Everyone’s really welcoming and happy. I already feel like Grand Rapids is a nice place to live.”
Sofranko was most recently a featured soloist for the San Francisco ballet, and has a unique background that should bring a special flavor to the Grand Rapids Ballet.
“I studied at the Juilliard School in New York City and then I spent 18 years in a classical ballet company in San Francisco (the San Francisco Ballet) where I was a soloist,” he explains, “So I have kind of a foot in both contemporary and classical traditional ballet worlds. … As a dancer I was versatile and I could do both of those well, and I’d like to bring that out of the dancers here in Grand Rapids.”
When asked about his current projects, Sofranko explained that currently he is teaching the summer program and preparing for the dancers to arrive around the end of the summer.
“The summer program is going on right now so I’m teaching class for them,” he said. “So for now it’s just a lot of office work and meetings and planning and scheduling. But I’m really eager to get back in the studio. That will happen when the dancers come.”
And when the dancers do come, Sofranko has a lot in store for the Grand Rapids Ballet.
The season will open with a gala dedicated to his arrival, featuring “Wild Sweet Love”, a ballet that Sofranko is particularly enthusiastic about, as well as his first choreographic work for the company.
James Sofranko. (photo by Andrew Weeks)
“I’m really excited about ‘Wild Sweet Love’. It’s from a choreographer named Trey McIntyre and it’s a great piece. It’s set to music from Queen, The Partridge Family, Roberta Flack, Lou Reed; a lot of different pop music so that already makes for a very fun evening, and you leave the theater singing some tunes, and it’s kind of a romp through the world of love.”
Other ballets that are slated for Sofranko’s Welcome Gala include “Allegro Brilliante” and “Ghost Light”, and Sofranko will be presenting a new piece as well.
The gala is sure to be a night to remember, complete with “an elegant seated dinner with James, local dignitaries, VIPs, and fellow ballet lovers at L3VEL at The B.O.B in downtown Grand Rapids,” according to the ballet’s website. The event will be concluded with “a glamorous, glitter-filled champagne after-party with beautiful and talented dancers at Peter Martin Wege Theatre.”
Tickets for the gala can be purchased via Ticketmaster through the Grand Rapids Ballet website. The event will take place on the evening of Thursday, October 18.
Sofranko, while receiving a warm welcome from Grand Rapids, concluded his interview with WKTV by expressing his belief that ballet is for everyone.
“If you’ve never experienced a ballet performance before, you should come on out and see one,” he said. “You don’t need to be nervous that you’ve never seen anything like this before. You don’t have to have any pre-knowledge about what ballet is or what art is. There’s so many different ways to enjoy this art form.”
And with the Grand Rapids Ballet ready for an exciting new start this fall, there will be many chances to enjoy it, as well.
In the latest segment of the WKTV Journal, we sit-down with Kentwood artist Meoshia Thomson who discusses the power of hugs, a key element in her 2018 ArtPrize submission.
We also take a sneak peek into the upcoming 28th Street Metro Cruise, which is set for Aug. 24 and 25 at Rogers Plaza and catch up with a group of Wyoming and Kentwood actors who are in one of Agatha Christie’s most famous plays, “And Then There Were None,” set to be performed at the Jension Center for Performing Arts.
Wyoming resident Chris Hall visits with us to talk about the Wyoming’s Community Development Committee, which serves as an advisory board to the Wyoming City Council on the federally-funded Community Block Development Grants. The committee has openings for Wyoming residents with Chris noting it is an excellent way to get involved with the Wyoming committee.
Lastly, we take a trip down memory lane with Wyoming History Commission member Bill Branz and WKTV Contributor Katey Batey as they talk about S&H Green Stamps.
Tulip Time Festival and the Holland Area Arts Council have announced the 2019 Art in Bloom (AIB) Festival Artwork Competition. Each year, the Holland Area Arts Council invites a juror to select the Top 20 pieces for AIB. Kristin Jass Armstrong, Executive Director of the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, will be the 2019 juror.
Until 2011, posters were commissioned work from selected artists. Since AIB transitioned into a Festival Artwork Competition, eight local artists have been awarded this honor:
2011 Beth Charles – “Drama Queens”
2012 Brittany Strabbing – “Beautiful Dream”
2013 Maggie Schultz – “Clothed in Splendor”
2014 Karin Nelson – “Resilience”
2015 Carolyn Stich – “Joy of Spring”
2016 Alla Dickson – “Spectacle”
2017 Michele Gort – “Playful Time”
2018 Cindy Awrey – “Together”
Artists in Ottawa, Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo counties are invited to submit artwork. Submissions for the 2019 Festival Artwork Competition will be accepted from Sept. 29 through Oct. 4. The artwork theme should represent Tulip Time’s mission to celebrate Holland’s tulips, Dutch heritage and community with special consideration to our 90th festival theme: ‘join the dance as we paint the town orange!’ The winner of the 2019 competition will be announced at First Bloom, a special unveiling reception held in February.
To view the submission forms and full entry requirements, please pick up a prospectus from the Tulip Time Festival Office or the Holland Area Arts Council. The prospectus can also be found online at www.tuliptime.com/artinbloom and www.hollandarts.org.
For additional details, artists are encouraged to contact Mary Sundstrom at (616) 396-3278 or mary@hollandarts.org.
The Tulip Time Festival Guide is now available offering complete details for the 2018 program. Festival Guides can be viewed online or you can request a copy at www.tuliptime.com/join.
Join the dance as we paint the town orange in celebration of Dutch Culture, Community and Tulips at the 90th Tulip Time Festival May 4–23, 2019.
If you’re looking to take a road trip this summer but you don’t have the gas money, this is the book for you! A. Lee Martinez’s Helen & Troy’s Epic Road Quest follows two teenagers on a cross-country road trip with mythical pit stops.
While working together at a fast food restaurant called Magic Burger, Helen and Troy are forced into a quest that requires them to travel together in search of special relics in order to help an outcast god. Along the way, they stumble into magical tourist traps and outrace an angry group of ‘orks’. Sound farfetched? It’s not. The tourist traps are trying to survive in these hard economic times like any other business. The orks work as accountants to make ends meet when they aren’t called upon by the gods to do their dirty work. The government agency, the National Questing Bureau, offers just enough vague advice to be frustrating.
Will Helen and Troy find all the magic relics they need to save their lives? Will the outcast god be satisfied? Will Helen and Troy survive their quest without destroying half the country?
You do not need a love or knowledge of mythology to enjoy this. The mythology adds a fun twist to life as we know it. This is a fun read that’s perfect for an afternoon in a hammock or at the beach. It
By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University
For the past 15 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events every fall at Grand Valley that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. President Thomas J. Haas said these events are offered as gifts to the local community that has supported the evolution of the university.
“Each year, these six diverse and free events provide us with the opportunity to thank the West Michigan community for its continued support of the performing arts at Grand Valley, and the university as a whole,” said Haas. “The arts lift us up, make us think and provide an endless variety of entertainment and enrichment, and we hope others will join us in celebrating the richness of the worlds of poetry, dance, art, music and more this fall.”
Here are the upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events for September. For more event details, go here.
Mars: Astronomy and Culture
Exhibition Dates: Aug. 24-Oct. 31
Exhibition Reception: Sept. 13, from 5-7 pm
Location: Art Gallery, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Throughout the years, Mars has been depicted in multiple forms. The “Mars: Astronomy and Culture” exhibit will bring together photographs, drawings, movie posters, book covers and video projections spotlighting the Red Planet, as well as feature a showcase of Martian-themed toys and collectibles from a private collection based in Chicago. During an opening reception on September 13, guests will be able to enjoy a virtual reality simulator for an immersive experience on Mars. Portions of the exhibition will be hosted at both the Center Art Gallery at Calvin College and the Holland Museum. This exhibition was curated by the Pasadena Arts Council for the Williamson Gallery, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California. It is a project of the Pasadena Arts Council’s EMERGE Fiscal Sponsorship Program.
Tesla Quartet (photo supplied)
An Italian Journey: Tesla Quartet performs Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence”
Sept. 17, at 7:30 pm
Location: Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus
Inspired by numerous pleasurable escapes from harsh Russian winters, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s love of Italy is reflected in his “String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 ‘Souvenir de Florence.’” Best known as a master composer of symphonies and ballets, Tchaikovsky crafted this work through a rich blend of well-known Italian street songs and melodies. The internationally acclaimed Tesla Quartet will open this program with “Quartet in B minor, Op. 33, No. 1” by Franz Joseph Haydn, and then be joined by Grand Valley music faculty members Paul Swantek (viola) and Pablo Mahave-Veglia (cello) to perform “Souvenir de Florence.” Formed at The Julliard School in 2008, members of the Tesla String Quartet include Ross Snyder (violin), Michelle Lie (violin), Edwin Kaplan (viola) and Serafim Smigelskiy (cello).
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, WKTV talks with Dr. Erwin Haas, a Kentwood resident and retired local medical internist. Haas is the Libertarian Party candidate for the Michigan State Senate’s 26th District seat. This November, Haas will face off with Republican primary winner Aric Nesbitt and Democrat Garnet Lewis. Haas ran campaigns for U.S. Congress in 2016 and 2014, as well as for Lieutenant Governor in 2010.
We will talk with him about what the Libertarian party is all about and why he continues to seek elected office.
Also on the episode, In Focus is Thomas Sinas, a partner in West Michigan’s Sinas Dramis Law Firm and an advocate for the Kent County Legal Assistance Center. Sinas has tried both civil and criminal cases, and has also lectured and authored numerous articles on trial practice and substantive law. We talk with him about the Legal Assistance Center, and misconceptions about legal services available in civil and criminal cases.
The entire episode of “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.
The episode debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, Aug. 7, and aired again on Thursday, Aug. 7, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of Aug. 13. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today that it has joined Museums for All, a national access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). Museums for All is designed to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits. The program is effective as of today, Aug. 13, 2018.
The Museum for All program grants those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits visiting GRAM free admission, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card; commonly known as the Michigan Bridge Card. Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 250 museums across the country. Museums for All is part of the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s broad commitment to seek, include and welcome all.
Grand Rapids Art Museum Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen visits with a student. Hansen just announced a new that the GRAM will be part of the Museums for All program.
“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is proud to announce its participation in Museums for All,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Access to the arts is critical for the vibrancy of our community, and this program furthers the Museum’s initiative of offering inclusive and accessible experiences for visitors year-round.”
Museums for All helps expand access to museums and also raise public awareness about how museums in the U.S. are reaching their entire communities. More than 250 institutions participate in the initiative, including art museums, children’s museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, history museums and more. Participating museums are located nationwide, representing more than 40 states.
GRAM is one of three institutions in West Michigan participating in Museums for All, along with the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. GRAM joins Museums for All after a year piloting the Grand Rapids Symphony’s access program, Symphony Scorecard. The Scorecard program is in effect at the Museum through the end of August 2018.
The Museum’s fall 2018 season offers a dynamic lineup of art experiences for eligible visitors to enjoy, including Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present and Dylan Miner: Water is Sacred // Trees are Relative. Visitors are additionally invited to participate in a wide array of the Museum’s free programming and events, including Drop-in Studio, Artist and Curator lectures, Drop-in Tours, Yoga at GRAM, Lunch and Learns, Baby & Me Tours, Discovery Club, and the Sunday Classical Concert Series.
For more about the Grand Rapids Art Museum programming, visit artmuseumgr.org.
Expedition 56 Flight Engineers Oleg Artemyev (left) and Sergey Prokopyev, both cosmonauts from Roscosmos, work on maintenance activities activities inside the International Space Station’s Columbus laboratory module from ESA (NASA/European Space Agency).
By Kelly Taylor
WKTV Program Director
On Wednesday, Aug. 15, WKTV will be featuring coverage of the Space Station Expedition 56 Russian Spacewalk at the International Space Station. The spacewalk is scheduled to being at 11:58am and will last approximately six hours and 50 minutes.
Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev have been reviewing the translation paths to their work sites on the outside of the station’s Russian segment. During the nearly seven-hour excursion, the space walkers will hand-deploy four tiny satellites, install antennas and cables on the Zvezda service module and collect exposed science experiments.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
Children who accidentally swallow button batteries should immediately be given honey to reduce their risk of serious injury and death, according to a new study done with pigs.
“Button batteries are ingested by children more than 2,500 times a year in the United States, with more than a 12-fold increase in fatal outcomes in the last decade compared to the prior decade,” study co-principal investigator Dr. Ian Jacobs said in a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia news release.
“Since serious damage can occur within two hours of ingesting a battery, the interval between ingestion and removal is a critical time to act in order to reduce esophageal injury,” he noted.
Jacobs is a pediatric otolaryngologist and director of the hospital’s Center for Pediatric Airway Disorders.
When a swallowed button battery reacts with saliva and tissue of the esophagus, it creates a solution that dissolves tissue and can cause severe damage to the esophagus, airway, vocal cords and major blood vessels, the researchers explained.
The longer it takes for the battery to be removed, the higher the risk of serious injury.
The researchers used live pigs to test if a variety of liquids—including honey, juices, sodas and sports drinks—could provide a protective barrier between a swallowed battery and tissue until the battery is removed. They found that honey and a medication called sucralfate were the most effective.
The study was published online in the journal The Laryngoscope, and the findings are being incorporated into the latest National Capital Poison Center Guidelines for management of patients who’ve swallowed button batteries.
“Our recommendation would be for parents and caregivers to give honey at regular intervals before a child is able to reach a hospital, while clinicians in a hospital setting can use sucralfate before removing the battery,” Jacobs said.
But the researchers said these substances should not be used in children who may have sepsis or perforation of the esophagus, severe allergy to honey or sucralfate, or in children younger than 1 year old due to a small risk of botulism.
“While future studies could help establish the ideal volume and frequency for each treatment, we believe that these findings serve as a reasonable benchmark for clinical recommendations,” Jacobs said. “Safely ingesting any amount of these liquids prior to battery removal is better than doing nothing.”
The study’s other principal investigator, Dr. Kris Jatana, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said the shiny metallic batteries should be stored where toddlers can’t get to them.
“Parents and caregivers should check all electronic products in the home and make certain that the battery is enclosed in a compartment that requires a tool to open and periodically check to ensure it stays secure over time,” Jatana said in the news release.
Other uses for honey
Honey is an artisanal food that can be used as a sugar substitute.
Keep coin lithium battery-controlled devices out of sight and reach of children.
Remote controls, singing greeting cards, digital scales, watches, hearing aids, thermometers, children’s toys, calculators, key fobs, tea light candles, flashing holiday jewelry and decorations all contain button batteries.
The Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital injury prevention team has compiled information and tips to help you with home safety to limit these dangers.
If your child ingests a button battery, call your poison center at 1.800.222.1222 and visit your local emergency room.
When it comes to figuring out Medicare, it can feel as though we’ve taken on an encore career trying to sort through it all. There’s Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplemental insurance, part D coverage and then the retirement insurance you may already have. It can feel overwhelming. With the Open Enrollment period right around the corner, it might be time to get some help with deciding what plans work best for meeting all of your healthcare needs. The Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program, or MMAP for short, is available to do just that.
MMAP is part of a federal program that provides free local healthcare coverage counseling to people with Medicare. MMAP is non-profit and run by highly skilled volunteers.
Bob Callery, MMAP Regional Coordinator, states, “MMAP does not have any affiliations with insurance companies and our volunteers are not licensed to sell insurance.”
This is important, because it means the MMAP counselor is looking at what is in your best interest. MMAP counselors will explain Medicare benefits and how they work, review prescription plans, Medicare Advantage Plans and Medigap policies. They are also able to help individuals apply for benefits. Having the right coverage can make a big difference in a person’s life (and their finances).
Sharon, a MMAP counselor, met with a woman who was living on about $900 per month. She was a widow and paying for the health coverage her husband had before he died. She was paying approximately $400 a month for this coverage.
“That didn’t leave her much to take care of her house and utilities,” Sharon relates, “We talked about getting her on supplemental insurance through Medicare. She was really reluctant at first, but in the end we were able to save her about $300 more a month.”
File photo
Another MMAP counselor shared a similar story. Karen received a call from a person living on a little over $700 per month who exclaimed, “I can either eat or take my medications.” Karen was able to get help her do both by reviewing her coverage and helping her get the benefits that worked best for her.
Open Enrollment for Medicare begins Oct. 15 and runs until Dec. 7. MMAP recommends Medicare beneficiaries review their plans every year to check for policy changes. The plan you’re currently on can change the medications they cover, their network of pharmacies, even premiums, deductibles and co-pays. At the same time your own needs might be changing as well, requiring a different kind of coverage than you had this year. Reviewing your benefits and insuring your coverage is right for you might help you avoid costly payments.
The Social Security Administration has also begun releasing the new Medicare cards. In an effort to reduce identity theft and fraud, the cards were redesigned to remove your social security number and to replace it with a unique identifier. Michigan residents will see them arriving this fall with all new cards being mailed before March 31, 2019.
Callery advises, “These cards will be mailed to the current mailing address on file with Social Security. Make sure you contact them if your address needs to be updated.” Mr. Callery also warns, “Social Security and Medicare do not call beneficiaries to update their records. If you receive a call like this, it is a scam. Do not give any of your personal information to the caller and hang up the phone!”
MMAP counselors are available to meet with people in person, over the phone and are available for home visits for those who are home-bound. If you’re interested in working with MMAP to review your Medicare benefits you can reach a MMAP counselor by calling your local Commission on Aging, dialing (800) 803-7174 or contacting Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (888) 456-5664 or aaainfo@aaawm.org. You can learn more about MMAP by visiting their website, www.MMAPInc.org.
“Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things.” — Kenneth Branagh, British actor
Celebrate Kentwood with all sorts of talent
Hannah Rose and the GravesTones. (Supplied)
Kentwood City Hall and the surrounding area will be buzzing with activity on Aug. 11 as the community’s Celebrate Kentwood event returns for a day of fun and celebration and music from both professionals and amateurs, as also returning to the annual festival will be Kentwood’s Got Talent. Modeled after the popular TV show, the talent competition will feature singers, dancers and other performers from the community. Show time is set for 7p.m. For more information, click here.
Tourist Association seeks help in photo contest judging
The West Michigan Tourist Association is inviting the public to vote on the Top 50 finalist photos in the West Michigan Photo Contest. The 2018 West Michigan Photo Contest received over 900 photo submissions showcasing West Michigan during the month of July, and WMTA has narrowed the entries down to the top 50 photos, which the public is invited to vote on to help select the winning photographs. To get the details, click here.
Go ahead; go all rubber ducky
The 31st Annual Rubber Ducky festival kicks off on Monday, Aug. 13 in Downtown Bellaire and runs through Sunday, Aug. 19. The festival features several week-long events, including Bay Area Big Band, Community Paddle Event, Commission on Aging Picnic and Car Show, Duck and Glow 5k Run/Walk and 1 Mile Kiddie Dash, Corn Hole Tournament, Kids Activities, and Rubber Ducky Parade and Race. For more on the event, click here.
And today’s fun fact:
2,583
The total number of rubber ducks included in the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest collection of rubber ducks, as awarded to one Charlotte Lee in 2007 (according to a 2010 report). It is unclear if Ms. Lee was/is married.
