By Kristen Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
So who hasn’t wanted to kill their mother from time to time? In Sebold’s latest novel, the narrator, Helen Knightly, murders her elderly mother in the first sequences of the book. The shocking act against her elderly mother seems both random and unemotional. She seems to feel nothing after committing the act, and her ill-fated attempts to cover up her actions only indicate that they came from a subconscious place within her.
As The Almost Moon unfolds, the story of Helen’s beautiful, yet mentally ill mother becomes clear. Her whole life, Helen and her father cater to her mother’s agoraphobia, the entire neighborhood is hostile to them, and Helen becomes her mother’s only link to the outside world. Both her childhood and adult life are overshadowed by her mother’s metal illness, and every action that Helen takes is based on what her mother would think or feel.
While not as gripping as Sebold’s first novel, The Lovely Bones, The Almost Moon examines how mental illness affects an entire family, how we can allow our past to color our future, and how if we are not ultimately true to ourselves, we end up living our lives for others. Above all else, what one should take away from this book is that if you are going to kill your mother, it might be a good idea to brush up on a few CSI episodes first.
If you missed out on your fair share of the 2018 Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Uccello’s Ristorante in Caledonia will offer a KBS tapping as part of its planned Founders Tap Takeover on Wednesday, May 2, starting at 3 p.m.
The range of Founders pours available at the takeover, in addition to the KBS, will include the 2017 Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS), Oatmeal Stout, All Day IPA and Red Rye. What do you want to bet the KBS is the first tap tapped out? Still, for fans of the dark, the CBS is a good fallback.
According to Uccello’s advertising, the range of Founders beers will be offered at $8 for 8 ounce pours.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum, as part of the Museum’s Beer Explorers program, is partnering with Speciation Artisan Ales for a beer tasting with Field & Fire breads on Thursday, May 17. The class will give the opportunity to taste 3 different artisan ales from a brewery currently putting out beer once a month on a special Saturday releases dates.
This Beer Explorers will be presented by Mitch Ermatinger, Speciation co-founder, and Shelby Kibler, Field & Fire owner and chef.
Speciation Artisan Ales will be demonstrating their “house culture” with a jar of yeast and bacteria slurry, as well as demonstrating the different pH of beer before and after fermentation and acidification. Bread from Field & Fire will also be made from the yeast and bacteria of the ales.
Class begins at 6:30 p.m., and will be held on the first floor of the museum. Admission to class includes three beer samples, bread samples and access to the museum’s first two floors to explore. A cash bar will be available.
Tickets for the event are $10 for museum members and $20 for non-members. Participants must be 21 and older. GRPM is located at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For information and tickets to Beer Explorers, visit www.grpm.org.
Boatyard Brewing plans ‘Friends’ brew as Alzheimers Association fundraiser
Kalamazoo’s Boatyard Brewing Company will hold the release party of its New Friends Brew on Friday, May 11, and it will also be a benefit for a September “Walk to End Alzheimers” fundraiser.
The beer release and tapping party will be Friday, May 11, 5-8 p.m., at the Boatyard Brewing Company, 432 E. Patterson St. The event will include live entertainment from Delilah DeWylde and Lee Harvey.
Makeover at six.one.six at Downtown JW Marriott boasts French wine cellar
As part of the “re-concept” of JW Marriott’s six.one.six restaurant into what they are calling a “casual French bistro”, the restaurant has announced it will now have the largest selection of French wines in Grand Rapids.
six.one.six’s expansive wine list will now include feature labels such as Domain Jean Louis Chave L’Hermitage Rouge and Blanc, Chateau Pichon Comtesse de Lalande Grand Cru, Henri Prudhon, Les Chambres, Chassagne Montrachet, Domaine Tessier, Les Genevrieres, Meursault premier cru. (Never had any of them, but if I had I bet I would be impressed.)
The expanded wine list is accompanied by a focus on French cuisine and the arrival of a new chef.
“With newly appointed Chef Alessandro Guerrazzi, classically trained in French cuisine and at the helm of the restaurant’s refresh, our team will deliver the highest level of French taste profiles to discerning diners interested in culturally distinct experiences,” Brian Behler, general manager of JW Marriott Grand Rapids said in supplied material.
For more information on the JW Marriott Grand Rapids and six.one.six, visit ilovethejw.com.
Get Lost: Green Door Distilling wins award for new vodka offering
Kalamazoo’s Green Door Distilling Company announced late last month that it’s Get Lost Vodka, first released in August 2017, has won a silver medal from the American Distilling Institute. The ADI Judging of Craft Spirits is the largest and most respected judging devoted to craft spirits, according to supplied material, and the judges tasted over 1,000 spirits and decided which spirits stood out in their respected categories.
Green Door Distilling Company is located in Kalamazoo’s River’s Edge District, and is proud to be Kalamazoo’s first modern distillery and represent the rich distilling history that Kalamazoo possessed in the 1800’s.
Wyoming: City’s family-friendly Spring Carnival at Lamar Park opens
It’s time to celebrate spring as the City of Wyoming hosts its annual spring carnival at Lamar Park, with the carnival opening on Friday, April 27 and running through Sunday, May 6, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Carnival times are Monday through Thursday from 4-8:30 p.m.; Fridays from 2-8:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8:30 p.m.
The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA.
Kentwood: Police department’s Drug Take Back day planned for Saturday
The Kentwood Police Department will be part of a region wide Drug Take Back day Saturday. (Supplied)
The Kentwood Police Department also will be offering Drug Take Back services Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at its department offices, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Only pills or patches will be accepted at this location.
WKTV sports: Golden Gloves boxing, high school ball games, available
WKTV will rebroadcast its coverage Michigan Golden Gloves state finals this weekend. (WKTV)
If you are fans of local Golden Gloves boxing, WKTV will rebroadcast its coverage of this week’s action on Saturday, April 28, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99.
But if you are more in the mood for something outdoors, we have your schedule of local high school baseball and softball action around the Wyoming and Kentwood area.
Grand Rapids: GRPM hosts annual cocktails and collections event
Grand Rapids Public Museum will host Collections & Cocktails May 2. (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will once again host Collections & Cocktails, a new annual fundraiser focusing on the museum’s collections, their stories and the preservation and education with these artifacts, on Wednesday, May 2.
This year, Collections & Cocktails will focus on the museum’s transportation collection, featuring dinner and signature cocktails to go along with the exciting stories of artifacts such as Grand Rapids’ own 1949 Herpolsheimer Child Passenger Train, the Austin Model 60, and a 1913 Indian Model E Motorcycle.
Lake Michigan: MSU study looks at recreation, climate change on lakeshore
According to scientists and some users, Lake Michigan is seeing an impact from global warming. (Supplied)
Coastal communities and sensitive coastal ecosystems experience a variety of weather-related impacts that are influenced by changing climatic conditions, but Michigan State University researchers have found that Michigan residents’ opinions about climate change vary for many reasons.
For example, the authors found that greater involvement in outdoor recreation activities, higher levels of education, and lower levels of income were key factors. And, males and older individuals tended to be more dismissive of or disengaged with climate change than their counterparts.
Are you intimidated by the thought of learning how to use a computer?
Has it kept you from advancing in your current job or applying for a job with better pay?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone! A recent study found that 26% of adults in the United States aren’t able to use a computer at all and two-thirds are unable to access and use information through computers and computer networks.
Employers in every industry have a growing need for workers who can use computers to successfully do their jobs. However, the number of workers with the necessary skills is not growing at the same rate. This means that increasing your computer skills could make it easier to find a job and earn a higher wage! But where do you start?
West Michigan Works! is now offering a free workshop to help individuals gain basic computer skills. Computer Literacy helps attendees become comfortable using a computer, accessing the internet and using email — all of which can help you find, apply and qualify for a new job.
Computer Literacy at West Michigan Works! in Kent County*
121 Franklin St SE, Grand Rapids – Monday, May 7 and 21, 10 am to noon
215 Straight Ave NW, Grand Rapids – Friday, May 11 and 25, 2 to 4 pm
With the basic skills learned in Computer Literacy, you can take advantage of a variety of other free workshops to help you explore careers, search for jobs and create a resume using a computer.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
Precautions for those with heat sensitivities and weakened immune systems.
By Pam Daniels, Michigan State University Extension
Even mild external temperatures can quickly raise the temperature inside a closed vehicle to dangerously high levels.
Sitting in a closed up car for 10 minutes can cause the body’s core temperature to climb. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) report that very high body temperatures can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, as well as heat stroke or death. For individuals with chronic disease, weakened immune systems, the elderly or the very young (and pets), high temperatures coupled with heat sensitive immune systems can rapidly become dangerous.
When outside temperatures are in the 60 degree Fahrenheit range it will cause the temperature insides a closed car to rise well above 110 F.
The temperature inside the car does not have to hit 100 F for a person to be at risk.
The inside of a closed vehicle acts like a greenhouse, trapping sunlight and heat making the inside of the car much hotter than the air outside. Even when outside temperatures are mild, anyone sitting in a closed car for a short period of time (20 minutes) is at risk of hyperthermia (body temperature greatly above normal).
Child safety – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers valuable tips on preventing heat stroke to children in parked cars. They have also investigated various alarms and reminder technology equipment for cars that help reduce heat stroke fatalities.
Take precautions
Avoid leaving anyone unattended in a closed vehicle. Rolling down the window two-inches or even half way, won’t help cool the interior temperature.
Lock your cars while at home. Children have died from getting into cars, for whatever reason, an then becoming confused and trapped inside the vehicle.
Always check the car seats before leaving the vehicle. Making a visual check of the car a part of your routine can help make sure that no child or pet is left unintentionally in the car. Use notes, colored stickers or some type of reminder system so when you exit your car you check the backseat.
Learn the laws
Become informed by learning about your state’s vehicle code. Contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles and/or contact any local law enforcement agency.
Keep a watchful eye and if you sense that a child or pet is left unattended in a vehicle and is in danger, don’t hesitate to seek help. Do not go in search of the car owner. Dial 911 and let the authorities handle the situation.
Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. To help residents prevent this, both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood once again will be participating in the national Drug Take Back program this Saturday.
The City of Wyoming has partnered with Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to provide Drug Take Back services between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the main lobby of the Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, or to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Wyoming Public Safety officers will be on hand to anonymously accept medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked. A pharmacist will be available at Metro Health throughout the event to answer questions about medications. Mercury thermometers also may be exchanged for a new digital thermometer from the City of Wyoming and Metro Health.
Metro Health and the City of Wyoming partner twice a year to provide this service to the community. This past October, the Drug Take Back Day event took in 502 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and 18 mercury thermometers.
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 offices in Wyoming. The service has been so well-received that a second drop-off box has been installed.
The Kentwood Police Department also will be offering Drug Take Back services from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at its department offices, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Only pills or patches will be accepted at this location.
Those looking to get rid of sharps — the term for medical devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin such as needles — should contact the Kent County Health Department about the Sharps program. For more information, visit http://www.reimaginetrash.org/material/sharps/.
Last fall, Americans turned in 456 tons (912,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and almost 4,300 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 14 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than nine million pounds—more than 4,500 tons—of pills.
According to the West Michigan Take Back Meds website, 20 percent to 60 percent of prescription medications go unused and are eventually disposed. A 2002 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids and reproductive hormones. For that and other safety and health hazard reasons, residents are discouraged from disposing unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash. For more on West Michigan Take Back Meds, visit www.wmtakebackmeds.com.
Almost 400 cars made their way through the City of Wyoming’s third annual Community Clean-Up Day site this past Saturday.
Hosted at the Grand Rapids First church, organizers said about 25,289 pounds of household hazardous waste and more than 41 tons of refuse was removed along with about 40 mattresses collected. Organizers are waiting for the numbers on recycling.
The Salvation Army was there as well and several items were donated.
The Community Clean-Up Day was established three years ago by one of the three strategic planning committees made up of city employees. When staff first came up with the plan for the community clean ups, they looked at areas of the city that had a particular amount of complaints regarding the improper disposal of refuse, according to organizers, with three specific areas identified. It was decided the event would be hosted in a different part of the city every year. The first year, 2016, it was at Godfrey-Lee Early Education Center. In 2017, it was at North Godwin Elementary School.
Every year the event has grown with the first year having around 332 cars to this year having almost 400 cars.
For those still cleaning, the city does have a Yard Waste Drop-Off site, located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. There are no limits to the size of branches or shrubs, however, residents must unload the yard waste themselves and all containers must be removed from the facility.
Also Kent Recycling offers a number of options for a variety of items to be recycled such as metal, plastic, and paper. For more information, visit reimaginetrash.org.
This past Saturday, volunteers plant 24 street trees along the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW. Wyoming residents signed up for the project, pledging to help plant and maintain the tree sapling in front of their home.
A matching-funds grant from the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Program helped cover the cost of this project.
Up next for the Tree Amigos:
City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation: 10 a.m. Friday, April 27, Wyoming City Commissioner Kent VanderWood will read the 2018 City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation during a special celebration at Wyoming West Elementary School. After the speech, West Elementary students will sing a few songs to celebrate the community orchard.
Planting at Beverly Bryan Community Orchard: The Tree Amigos will join West Elementary students and volunteers recruited by Kent School Services Network (KSSN) at Wyoming’s West Elementary School after school to plant ten more fruit and nut trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard. Named for the late wife of the Tree Commission’s vice president Greg Bryan, who provided funding, the orchard was started August 30, 2017 with five, rescued heirloom apple trees, donated by Habitat for Humanity. Other funding comes from a Slow Food West Michigan Biodiveristy Mini-grant, Greater Wyoming Resource Council, District 77 Giveback and private donations in memory of Beverly Bryan.
Grieving the loss of friends or family is a difficult process for everyone. It is also difficult to determine how to support someone else when they go through the grieving process. What is the best way to walk through grief with someone you love?
“Many people find that being with someone who has experienced a loss makes them uncomfortable,” said Janet Jaymin, Director of Bereavement Services for Faith Hospice and a certified grief counselor. “It’s a reminder of our own mortality, and we don’t want to think about it.”
According to Jaymin, when you walk through grief with someone you care about, you should keep in mind how you would like to be treated in similar circumstances. If for some reason dealing with a friend or relative’s grief is too difficult for you, it’s best to be honest.
“Just tell them you are having a hard time coping,” Jaymin said. “Listening is the number one thing you can do for your loved one. It’s so easy and so simple.”
What should you do or say when someone is grieving?
Listen
Be willing to actively listen in silence.
“Put away your cell phone,” notes Jaymin, “and really be there.”
Validate their experience.
Phrases like “it must have been really hard,” show you understand their grief is real.
Offer your support.
Take the initiative and offer practical assistance such as walking the dog, going to the grocery store or preparing a meal.
“Your loved one may fear being a bother, and not want to ask for help even though they need it,” said Jaymin. “Offering something specific makes it easier for them to accept the help.”
Encourage your loved one to talk about the person they lost.
“Telling stories is healing,” said Jaymin. “And don’t be afraid to share your own memories of the deceased.”
Let the bereaved person talk about how their loved one died—it ‘s a way to process a traumatic experience.
What to avoid when someone is grieving.
Don’t minimize their loss or compare it to yours. Don’t say “I know how you feel.” Every person grieves differently and has different feelings. Don’t say “they’re in a better place” or “it’s God’s plan.”
Don’t say, “It’s time to get on with your life,” or “it’s been six months….” Phrases like this, while well-intentioned, shame the grieving person.
“Everyone grieves differently,” said Jaymin, and the amount of time the process takes varies from person to person.
Generally, avoid using “you should” or “you will” statements. Respect that the grieving person is on a journey that is unique to them.
People often assume that grief does, or should, last a certain period of time. According to Jaymin, that is not true. She recommends continuing to check in with the bereaved and not assuming that they no longer need support.
“You always remember the people who recognized your loss,” Jaymin said. But if you weren’t able to express your condolences at the time, “it’s never too late to send a card, flowers or to just call and say I’m thinking of you.”
It’s time to celebrate spring, which the City of Wyoming plans to do by hosting its annual spring carnival at Lamar Park.
The carnival opens on Friday, April 27 and runs through Sunday, May 6, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Carnival times are Monday through Thursday from 4 – 8:30 p.m.; Friday from 2-8:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon – 8:30 p.m.
“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “The carnival is a great opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the change in seasons in a fun and exciting atmosphere.”
The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.
Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through its annual grant awarding process.
The spring carnival is made possible through the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, call the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.
The sounds of the violin, vihuela, flute, guitar, guitarrón and trumpet are coming together in traditional song, complete with upbeat Spanish vocals, at Wyoming High School, where a new mariachi band is bringing a festive feel to the music program.
The traditional Mexican band, made up of high school and junior high students, had its debut performance at the district’s Fine Arts Festival in March. The group serenaded visitors with the songs “Canta, Canta, Canta” by musician Jose Alfredo Jimenez; and “Las Mañanitas,” a traditional birthday song sung in Mexico and other Latin American countries.
Mariachi bands are typically hired to play songs requested from the audience. While the Wyoming band hasn’t quite reached that point, they are hopeful to soon play at restaurants, community events and festivals. They also hope to eventually get traditional costumes, which include ornamented jackets and sombreros.
Striking an impressive pose are, from left, freshman Steven Jimenez, sophomore Ower Sales, sophomore Leo Matias, sophomore Omar Zavala, seventh-grader German Cortes, sophomore Hunter Truax and eighth-grader Danely Alvarado
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
Trumpeter Ower Sales, a sophomore who helped start the band, said he was intrigued by the idea of bringing Mexican music to the school music scene. “Starting a high school mariachi band would help spread diversity and culture to other people,” he said.
Band director Jane Detweiler wanted to start the mariachi band to give Hispanic students a way to perform traditional music
Wyoming Public Schools’ diverse enrollment includes a large percentage of Hispanic students. Band director Jane Detweiler said she wanted to give them a chance to show off the rich flavor of their traditional music. “I felt it was very important that they could learn music from their own culture,” she said.
Students were excited to get involved. “I grew up around this music and wanted to learn to play it,” said sophomore Steven Jimenez, a trumpeter.
“I wanted to expand my genre of musical experience and learn something different,” said sophomore Hunter Truax, who plays the violin.
“It just brings out our culture and who we are,” added Danely Alvarado, an eighth-grade flutist.
Detweiler said it’s been fun learning songs with the students and being part of the culture. The band rehearses weekly.
“I love being in that culture,” Detweiler said. “We have a great family.”
Know the shelf life of home-canned and frozen food to avoid food waste and maximize nutrition.
By Kara Lynch, Michigan State University Extension
Don’t let your preserved food go to waste — enjoy it when it tastes great and is nutritious.
May brings flowers and seed magazines stuffed into your mailbox. It is also the perfect time of year to start planning your garden with canning season in mind. Preserving food is a great way to avoid wasting food when you have more fresh produce than you need right away. Just make sure you are able to use all your canned or frozen food within the recommended time.
How long do home-canned foods last?
If foods are preserved correctly, they are safe for years but the quality and nutritional value decreases with the passing of time. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends only preserving enough food to last one year. So that your home-canned foods taste great and are nutritious when you decide to eat them.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a planning guide (page 32) that may be helpful when working out how much food to can or freeze to meet your needs for the year.
Frozen foods lose moisture the longer they are in the freezer. If the food was correctly frozen and kept at it zero degrees Fahrenheit it is safe indefinitely, however the quality and nutritional value deteriorates, just as it does with canned foods. The USDA has developed the Food Keeper app for smartphones, as well as a website, that lists the shelf life of various foods.
Tips for using up preserved food
Home preserved food makes great gifts. If you do have a bountiful harvest, can the extra produce, put a pretty label on the jars and share with your loved ones.
Are you in need of an appetizer but don’t have time to make anything? Pull the dilly beans from your pantry or get the pepper jelly out and combine it with cream cheese to make an amazing dip.
Consider your home preserved foods when planning your meals. This helps ensure that you are using up your stored items in a timely way and creates less waste. As you make your grocery list, you may notice cost savings as you pull from your pantry rather than purchasing additional food.
Use your home preserved foods in the search cue when looking for a recipe online. This will bring up unique, nutritious recipes utilizing your preserved items. Use pickled beets in a salad recipe, add frozen peas to a casserole, try frozen peaches in a peach cobbler, top cheesecake with home preserved jams, the list is endless.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, new volunteer host Keith St. Clair, an instructor at Grand Rapids Community College, talks conservatism and the state of Michigan state politics with Bob Genetski, a Republican who is running for the 26th State Senate district seat currently held by Tonya Schuitmaker.
Genetski served the Michigan House of Representatives from 2009 through 2014, when he was elected as Allegan County Clerk. He is both a one-time public school teacher and was named one of the Michigan House’s most conservative elected officials.
Also on this episode of In Focus today is Kathey Batey, a key volunteer with the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, a domestic relations mediator, and accomplished author and sought-after speaker, as well as corporate trainer specializing in conflict communication. She talks with In Focus host Ken Norris about her work with the chamber, in the community and a new book she has written.
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 will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, April 24, and will again air on Thursday, April 25, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of April 30. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Darlingside is bassist Dave Senft, guitarist and banjo player Don Mitchell, classical violinist and folk mandolinist Auyon Mukharji, and cellist and guitarist Harris Paseltiner. (supplied/Gaelle Beri)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
Darlingside, with new music from Extralife, April 18, at Seven Steps Up, Spring Lake, Mi.
There should be a natural progression with new bands, a growth in their music as well as in their collective and individual lives, before they hit their stride, find a distinctive sound that resonates with an often unfathomable public taste.
Darlingside — an alt-folk, harmony-driven quartet currently based in Boston — showed they are very, very close to that harmonic sweet spot as they played to a sell-out room at Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up listening house earlier this month.
The band is made up of Don Mitchell, Auyon Mukharji, Harris Paseltiner and David Senft — and labeling them as acoustic multi-instrumentalists would be an understatement. Describing their sound can also be challenging, but anybody who has heard Simon and Garfunkel at their harmonic heights, or the Beach Boys early empty-swimming-pool effect, can imagine the harmonies these guys deliver.
With the release of their third full-length recording, Extralife, early this year, the band has now added another layer of sonic scenery to their concert landscape — a kind of spacey, otherworldly sound — and to a catalogue started in 2012 with Pilot Machines and given full voice in 2015 with Birds Say. (The band has also released two EPs, including one from its infancy and now simply titled EP1 in 2010, and Whippoorwill in 2016. Neither are throwaways.)
I have been lucky enough to follow Darlingside since their beginnings, literally their college days at Massachusetts’ Williams College — at a college kid drinking establishment/alumni club known as “The Log”. (Ya, you just can’t make that stuff up.)
My wife and I have seen them, we decided, five times over eight years, the first time probably in 2009, and (before last week) when they opened for Lake Street Dive at Meijer Gardens in 2016.
They have changed over the years, but only in their expanding boundaries of their music as the uniqueness of their nearly percussion-free sound, string-dominated instrumentation, and single-mic two-, three- and four-voice harmonies remains their hallmark.
At their recent stop at Seven Steps Up, and at other recent stops in the band’s current tour, several songs from the Extralife have blended — and yet contrasted — with live mainstays from throughout their career.
Songs such as the almost a cappella “The God of Loss” from Birds Say and the sometimes set-ending “Blow the House Down” from Pilot Machines, are personal favorites and remain so.
But new songs such as “Singularity”, “Extralife”, “Hold Your Head High” and “Best of the Best of Times”, while maybe more dark in theme than some of their early music, fit their style perfectly while still pushing the band’s sound into a more (for lack of a better term) spacey place.
In fact, some of the songs off Extralife would be at home on Hearts of Space, National Public Radio’s ethereal, ambient sound showcase (also available on its own website).
“Extralife” is as otherworldly as its is melancholy. The harmonies of “Singularity” cannot hide the beautiful bleakness of the lyrics: “Someday a shooting star is gonna shoot me down … Burn these high rises back into a ghost town … Of iridium-white clouds … Matted close against the ground … While the sky hangs empty as a frame”.
OK, so the boys are a little more serious then they were back at The Log.
Not that Darlingside has gone all downer and dour with Extralife. On “Best of the Best of Times” the band offers a driving beat and an admission that “We are a long way, a long way from the best of times.”
We can hope so.
For more information about Darlingside, visit darlilngside.com .
For more information about Seven Steps Up, visit sevenstepsup.com .
Alphonso Horne with the Byron Center Jazz Orchestra. Horne performs with the group on Friday.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Center finishes its 2017-2018 season with two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne in “Cool Jazz” on Friday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. Horne played and recorded with Marcus Roberts and has performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, and Michael Feinstein. He’ll be joined by Edye Evans Hyde and Max Colley III, along with the nationally recognized Byron Center Jazz Ensembles. The performance is underwritten by Owen-Ames-Kimball, Inc and TowerPinkster Architects.
The Byron Center Jazz Orchestra, directed by Marc Townley, has competed at the Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, Georgia every spring since 2014. The Jazz Orchestra has also competed at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center in New York.
Reserved seats are $18.50 for adults and $11.50 for students. Reserve tickets in person at the Van Singel box office or by calling (616) 878-6800, Monday through Friday, 12 noon to 5 pm. Tickets are also available at www.vsfac.com.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Center is located at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, at 8500 Burlingame SW (84th Street and Burlingame SW) in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131. The Van Singel features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.
As a boy, young Alfred Lessing was like most other children in his native Netherlands. He played with friends and loved his family. But there was one difference: he was Jewish. So when the Nazis overran his country in 1940, his mother sprang into action. Her one goal: save the family from extermination. In this three-part interview, Dutch immigrant Fred Lessing talks of love, hiding, and what we can learn from human atrocities. Interview: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Turfgrass damaged from de-icing salts used during winter may need reseeding. Photo credit: Kevin Frank, MSU
By Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Maybe spots of your lawn died last summer; maybe spots were killed from de-icing salt, dog spot or snow mold over the winter. Regardless of the cause of death, as spring finally arrives seeding dead areas in lawns is a common weekend activity.
In the next several weeks as temperatures warm, there might be some areas that are the victim of grub feeding. If you’re reseeding following grub damage, Michigan State University Extension recommends waiting about one to two weeks after applying a grub insecticide before reseeding. For all reseeding, it is safe to apply fertilizer at the time of seeding. For new establishment, a starter fertilizer is recommended. Starter is a fertilizer that has a nitrogen to phosphorus ratio of 1:1 or 1:1.5. A starter fertilizer application at seeding will prove beneficial in getting the young turf seedlings going. Application rates for a starter fertilizer at seeding are approximately 1 pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Starter fertilizer for new establishment is permitted under Michigan’s fertilizer act. Make sure to follow label directions, contain all fertilizer on the area to be seeded and off the driveway, and keep a minimum of 15 feet from any surface water.
Make sure to keep the seeded area moist throughout establishment. Depending on what Mother Nature supplies, a new seeding may require watering several times a day. A good mulch cover will help the area stay moist so the site may be watered less frequently. Water lightly when irrigating; there is no need to see water standing or running off the site.
Avoid applying herbicides this spring, i.e., no fertilizer plus crabgrass preventer or weed-and-feed products. Young seedlings don’t tolerate herbicides very well and the guideline is usually to wait three “real” mowings before applying any herbicides or in some cases at least 60 days. Real mowings mean you’re actually cutting grass, not just running over the area to trim down any weeds.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Big Sid’s Sanctuary. 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).
Early October, 2017 brought us a treasure trove of wonderful cats, all of whom Dr. Jen named after pirates of some sort (she loves themes). Our volunteer Alana had been trying her hardest since June to catch this wily fella who had been hanging around her west side neighborhood for ages, getting beaten and banged up — but he just didn’t trust her enough. Finally he gave in and she brought him in to the clinic to assess his issues: flea infestation and skin inflammation from the biting little buggers, a variety of abrasions, infection between his toes and a fatty growth on his belly that had her worried he had suffered more serious trauma. He also tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus.
He was painfully shy, scared of his own shadow and especially of his new indoor surroundings. Once Dr. Jen treated his ailments and allowed him to recover from his neuter and acclimate for a few days, she sent Sly Cooper on down to Big Sid’s, into the capable and loving arms of our volunteers who were ready to show him what safety and security was all about.
For the few first weeks, Sly (born in the fall of 2014) spent most of his time hunkered down inside of a kitty teepee; though he would accept pets from the peeps who sought him out, he wasn’t going to venture out on his own for attention. However, slowly but surely, he gained confidence and shed his former scaredy-cat self, emerging as a confident boy who is now out and about constantly, looking for and soaking up all of the attention he can get from his human caretakers and visitors.
The transformation was incredible to observe, and it warms our heats to see him engage the activity that once frightened him so; what a complete turn-around! We are soooo looking forward to packing this guy’s bags and sending him into a home where he can be showered with the TLC that was missing from his life for so very long. Now that Sly has experienced how fantastic affection is, he cannot get enough!
More about Sly Cooper
NOTE: A $825 grant from Lil BUB’s Big Fund for the ASPCA will enable Crash’s Landing & Big Sid’s Sanctuary, to fund comprehensive exams for five Big Sid’s Sanctuary cats before going to their new home. Each exam would include a full blood panel, dental care, radiographs, urinalysis, antibiotics and pain medication, if needed. Big Sid’s caters exclusively to cats who test positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). FIV and FeLV are viruses that can, if they flare up, suppress a cat’s immune system. The shelter takes cats with FIV or FeLV from all over Michigan.
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.
Participating in outdoor recreation appears to have impact on climate change beliefs.
By Heather Triezenberg, Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension; and Julia Whyte, Michigan State University graduate student
Greater involvement in outdoor recreation activities was associated with people identifying with the “Cautious, Concerned, and Alarmed” categories on climate change beliefs. Photo: Todd Marsee, Michigan Sea Grant
Coastal communities and sensitive coastal ecosystems experience a variety of weather-related impacts that are influenced by changing climatic conditions. Michigan State University professor Patricia Norris with students Brockton Feltman and Jessica Batanian have published their findings on Northern Michigan residents’ opinions about climate change in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.
The study, funded by Michigan Sea Grant and partners, replicated the “Six Americas of Global Warming” to understand survey respondents in the Grand Traverse Bay region. The “Six Americas” framework assesses individual beliefs about, concern about, and level of engagement with climate change to characterize belief typologies on a spectrum of:
Alarmed
Concerned
Cautious
Disengaged
Doubtful
Dismissive
Range of responses
The authors found nearly 70 percent of those living in the Grand Traverse Bay region, an area dominated by agricultural land use and highly dependent upon natural resource tourism, were categorized as “Cautious, Concerned, or Alarmed” about the issue. Furthermore, the percentage of individuals in the “Doubtful” category (almost 10 percent) was lower than the 2012 national average (13 percent), but the percentage of those in the “Dismissive” category (15 percent) was higher than the 2012 national average (8 percent). The authors attributed this rather large range of responses to the fact residents were surveyed during the summer immediately following the “polar vortex” during the 2013-2014 winter months, and individuals in the area are very attuned to local weather changes.
Outdoor recreation plays role in awareness
There is also evidence that different sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the “Six Americas” categories. For example, the authors found that greater involvement in outdoor recreation activities, higher levels of education, and lower levels of income were associated with the “Cautious, Concerned, and Alarmed” categories. On the other hand, males and older individuals tended to be more dismissive of or disengaged with climate change than their counterparts.
Perhaps encouraging people to participate in outdoor activities, appealing to residents’ sense of altruism, providing practical environmentally friendly alternatives, or considering different approaches to informing community members about climate change will all be useful strategies to prepare for an uncertain future.
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
Just a wonderful read!
The cover of That Went Well shows an exuberant little girl in a fancy pink dress and party hat, giving the camera an all-out smile. And the back flap shows two beautiful, gray-haired ladies hugging. Between the covers Dougan lets us in on how life with a sister whom doctors advised “be institutionalized” has gone.
Their parents became trailblazers in what was then a new world of rights for people with mental disabilities, and when they died, Irene’s sister took up the call. Terrell invites us to laugh, (because what else can one do?), but we learn a lot about making compassionate care taking decisions along the way.
If you liked Riding the Bus with My Sister, by Rachel Simon, you may enjoy this small book by Dougan. I loved both of these books, as examples of important lessons one can learn from others. They’re warm, compassionate, and hilariously funny.
The City of Wyoming has partnered with Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to provide Drug Take Back services between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the main lobby of the Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, or to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Wyoming Public Safety officers will be on hand to anonymously accept medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked.
Kentwood/Kent County: Ford airport continues to grow amenity options
The Gerald R. Ford Airport continues to grow its passenger and pubic amenities.
More food and beverage offerings are coming to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, this time in the pre-security area, as “Leinie Lodge” has now opened adjacent to Starbucks in the Airport’s Grand Hall.
Leinie Lodge will predominantly feature Leinenkugel’s wide range of award-winning German-inspired beers, as well as a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and an assortment of snacks.
Kelloggsville: Retiree stays active as school-based community advocate
Jane and Jim Ward meet the KDL elephant, Katie L.
Kent District Library’s Kelloggsville Branch, and community member Jim Ward, are all about getting books into children’s hands. Together they have made it happen inside Kelloggsville High School.
Ward, who is retired, was instrumental in planning the library, which opened this winter inside the high school. A Forest Hills Public Schools media specialist for 38 years, he had a strong interest in the concept of public libraries operating within schools, and worked with administrators, who tapped into his knowledge to make that happen.
WKTV programs: ‘Feel Like You Belong’ looks at mentoring minorities — in golf
Alan Headbloom tapes his show here at WKTV.
This week’s “Feel Like You Belong” program — produced here at WKTV — tackles the subject of how do we change the notion that certain sports are just for white athletes or male participants? By mentoring females and youth of color in those sports. PGA professional Andre Pillow talks about his work with The First Tee of West Michigan and creating access to golf for all young people.
West Michigan: Bennett Prize ($50,000) for women figurative style artists
The Muskegon Museum of Art will host a contest for women painters.
Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters. The winner of The Bennett Prize will create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will first be shown at the Muskegon Museum of Art and then travel the country.
The call for entries runs from April 13-Sept. 28, 2018. Details are at www.thebennettprize.org.
Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.
The call for entries runs from April 13-Sept. 28, 2018. Details are at www.thebennettprize.org.
Endowed by art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt at The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Bennett Prize aims to spotlight women artists who are, or seek to become full-time painters but have not yet reached full professional recognition.
“The Bennett Prize is seminal at this moment when it’s harder than ever to pursue a career as a painter or artist of any kind,” said renowned American painter Alyssa Monks. “Artists are being pushed to the fringes and art markets are making it more and more difficult for any artists to feel secure.” “A prize at this level of value and seriousness can propel an artist’s career at a time when so many quit or lose faith or stamina,” Monks said.
The winner of The Bennett Prize will create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will first be shown at the Muskegon (Michigan) Museum of Art and then travel the country.
The Prize is also designed to create opportunities for the public to learn more about the creative vision of talented women painters in the increasingly popular style of figurative realism.
“Women are creating important figurative realist paintings that should be seen by a wider audience,” Bennett said. “Figurative realist painters portray the diverse human form, and have much to say in a society struggling to understand human differences, including race, gender and social status.”
American painter Aleah Chapin echoed those thoughts. “A prize such as this is a microphone for women’s thoughtful and unique voices,” Chapin said. “We paint because we have something important to say. When the world listens, that is life-changing. The Bennett Prize amplifies that voice, telling the world that what women have to say is valid.”
Bennett and Schmidt, of San Antonio, Texas, have endowed a $3 million fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation to ensure the prize will be awarded every two years in perpetuity. “The Pittsburgh Foundation has a history of funding artists whose work and unique perspectives might otherwise be overlooked,” said Maxwell King, foundation president and CEO. “The Bennett Prize establishes an ongoing mechanism for recognizing and elevating the work of women painters.”
A four-member jury, including renowned realist artists Maria Tomasula and Andrea Kowch, will select 10 painters from among the entrants. The 10 finalists will each receive $1,000 to participate in an exhibition opening May 2, 2019, at the Muskegon Museum of Art, where the winner will be announced.
“The Muskegon Museum of Art looks to showcase innovative programs, and we expect The Bennett Prize to be a tipping point for the artists’ careers,” said Kirk Hallman, executive director of the museum.
The winner will receive $25,000 annually for two years, so she can devote the time necessary to mount a solo exhibition, which will open in Muskegon in 2021 and then travel the country.
The Bennett Prize is not open to hobbyists, students or artists who have been paid or received an award of $25,000 or more for any single work of art.
Schmidt and Bennett are among the country’s top collectors of figurative realist art and are committed to seeing that talented women painters receive long-overdue recognition.
“We’re aiming to help ensure that there are as many paintings by women as men in museums, commanding the same prices and critical esteem,” Schmidt said.
Women artists appear ready for the challenge of making that happen. “The Bennett Prize validates and encourages artists who are placing all their chips precariously on their dreams,” Chapin said. “A prize like this tells them that what they are doing is valuable and important – to go ahead and buy that big canvas and big tubes of paint and spend time making the thing you want to exist. It’s worthwhile.”
In Endeavor Elementary School teacher Sheree Bos’ third-grade classroom, students gathered in a living room-style area on futons, pillows and beanbags to talk about how they treat each other and what they need to focus on more.
Student Brooklynn Issa, the week’s teacher’s assistant, led the “family meeting,” reviewing expectations, as outlined on their social contract — a large sheet of paper written on in children’s handwriting of various sizes — with her peers. “Be organized. … Be more accountable. … We should tell the truth,” students said.
Discussion continued after Brooklynn suggested they revisit voice levels in the hallway and talk about what they are doing well. Students answered, “I’m sharing my markers, pens and colored pencils”; “When someone’s talking to other people we don’t talk over them.”
To wrap things up, they chose a focus for the day, something the 8- and 9-year-olds had noticed needs attention. “I think we are doing well on taking turns and I think we should really focus on no put-downs,” said Kimani Belcher.
The class agreed.
About 2 ½ miles away at Challenger Elementary School, third-graders in teacher Heather Cobb’s class wrote down compliments — or affirmations as they call them — about classmates, with everybody giving and receiving one.
“Dear Janiyah, I think you have a really kind heart because when I ask you if I can play with you, you always say ‘yes’ and I have seen you help lots of kids,” read a note to Janiyah Brown from Gisselle Lopez-Zuniga.
Students shared statements face-to-face, taking a small slice of the school day to help each other feel good. About receiving the note, Janiyah said she was “really happy” and, about sharing one with classmate Smile Biswa, “It makes me feel wonderful and proud.”
Challenger student Erica Lemus writes an affirmation for a classmate
Hearts Have Been Captured
From all appearances, Endeavor and Challenger students not only have their heads in the game at school, but their hearts as well.
For the past 12 years, Kentwood Public Schools has gotten students involved in creating classroom expectations, sharing affirmative words and getting to know each other on deeper levels by sharing good news – something positive in a student’s life – to start the day on a positive note. The district uses the Capturing Kids’ Hearts model to reach students in ways that build relationships, improve climate and culture and boost attendance and academic performance.
Endeavor and Challenger are both recipients of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools Award for this school year, from the The Flippen Group, the consulting group that developed Capturing Kids’ Hearts. Flippen Group representatives visited nominated schools to assess their implementation of the program and improvements in attendance, discipline, climate and culture or academics. In total, 123 schools received the award, including eight in Michigan.
All Kentwood teachers are trained in the program using a model called EXCEL, which stands for engage, explore, communicate, empower and launch. Turns out, teachers empowering students leads to students empowering each other.
All classrooms at both schools develop social contracts and educators meet all students at the door, greeting each one with a fist bump, handshake or hug.
Challenger student Angelic Pascat reads kind words written about her
Principals See Results
The program works, said Mark Bea, who has served as Endeavor principal for 3 ½ years and was Challenger Elementary principal for 7 ½.
“It’s because it’s directly tied to our vision and mission,” Bea said. “It is our mission to inspire a passion and productive future story for every child, no matter what. We recognize in order to accomplish that mission for every child, everything has to be rooted in relationships. Relationships form the foundation of everything we do.”
Challenger Principal Teressa Gatz said the program has created an environment of “happy kids,” who are greeted several times before the school day even begins. They have the opportunity to share special parts of their lives and are each recognized as part of making school a great place to be.
“Kids know that you care and when they know you care and believe in them, they put in so much effort and they respond,” Gatz said.
Endeavor third-grader Chloe Nguyen explains Capturing Kids’ Hearts in her own way. “It helps us be like living in a big, happy, third-grade family,” she said.
A quote from Flip Flippen hangs in the Endeavor Elementary School office
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff re-energized the program when he became superintendent four years ago.
“Our goal has always been to ensure that our campuses are emotionally and physically safe places for students,” Zoerhoff said in a press release. “When strong relationships are built, students, staff and parents come alive with a love for learning. You cannot capture a kid’s mind until you have first captured their hearts.”
Bos runs her third-grade classroom at Endeavor with Capturing Kids’ Hearts ingrained into everything she does.
“It started out as being something I just did, but now it’s something I’ve become,” she said. “I’m engaging. I’m exploring. I’m communicating. I’m empowering. I’m launching. This is something that has become a part of me now.”
As the WKTV sports feature coverage crew gets cranked up for outdoor spring sports, and the weather finally turns nice, our cameras will be indoors at East Kentwood for water polo early this week as well as continuing our coverage of Golden Gloves boxing later in the week.
And you can catch them both on WKTV with multiple viewing options.
The Tuesday, April 24, East Kentwood girls water polo match vs. Portage Central will be cable broadcast at 11 p.m. on the night of the event, and repeat on Wednesday, April 25, at 5 p.m. Then the Friday, April 27, Golden Gloves boxing coverage will be cable broadcast on Saturday, April 28, at 11 a.m.
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. See WKTVjournal.org for complete feature event schedules.
WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.
Following is the this week’s complete high school sports schedule, but many events that have been delayed or cancelled are now rescheduled. For changes, check individual school websites or MHSAA.com .
Monday, April 23
Boys Baseball
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Holland Black River @ Kelloggsville – DH
Girls Softball
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights – DH
Wyoming @ Allendale – DH
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian – DH
Catholic Central @ Kelloggsville – DH
Girls Soccer
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Belding @ Godwin Heights
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
West Michigan Aviation @ South Haven
Boys Golf
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
East Kentwood @ Rockford
Girls Tennis
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Wayland @ Wyoming
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Tuesday, April 24
Boys Baseball
South Christian @ Christian – DH
FH Eastern @ Wyoming – DH
West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee
Martin @ Zion Christian – DH
Potter’s House vs Tri-Unity Christian @ Fifth Third Ballpark
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – DH
Girls Softball
South Christian @ Christian – DH
FH Eastern @ Wyoming – DH
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – DH
Boys Lacrosse
Northview @ South Christian
Boys/Girls Track
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee
Belding @ Kelloggsville
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Girls Soccer
Hudsonville Hornets @ Wyoming
Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House
West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Girls Water Polo
Portage Central @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event
Wednesday, April 25
Boys Golf
South Christian @ Wayland
Wyoming @ Wayland – OK Bronze Jamboree
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Girls Tennis
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Kelloggsville @ Sparta
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Boys Baseball
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Girls Softball
Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian
Jenison @ East Kentwood
Boys/Girls Track
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Girls Soccer
Wyoming @ Christian
Kelloggsville @ Belding
Thursday, April 26
Boys Baseball
Christian @ South Christian
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Tri-Unity Christian @ Heritage Christian – DH
West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary – DH
Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Grand Rapids Crusdaers @ Potter’s House
Girls Softball
Zeeland East @ South Christian – DH
Union @ Godwin Heights
Muskegon Mona Shores @ Wyoming – DH
Kelloggsville @ East Grand Rapids
Girls Soccer
Calvin Christian @ South Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Heritage Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Hudsonville Homeschool @ Potter’s House
Boys Lacrosse
South Christian @ Comstock Park
Boys/Girls Track
Belding @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Hopkins @ Kelloggsville
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Boys Golf
Wyoming @ Zeeland West
Girls Tennis
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wyoming
Girls Water Polo
East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids
Friday, April 27
Girls Soccer
FH Northern @ South Christian
Ottawa Hills @ Kelloggsville
Zion Christian @ Grand River Prep
Barry County Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Boys Golf
South Christian @ TC Central – Tee-Off Invite
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming
Boys Baseball
Godwin Heights @ Potter’s House – DH
Zeeland East @ Wyoming – DH
Holland @ Kelloggsville – DH
Zion Christian @ Hopkins
NorthPointe Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Girls Tennis
Kelloggsville @ Western Michigan Christian
Girls Water Polo
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville/Zeeland Tournament
Boys/Girls Track
East Kentwood @ Jackson
Girls Softball
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Saturday, April 28
Boys Baseball
South Christian @ Hudsonville – Hudsonville Invite
Boys Golf
South Christian @ TC Central – Tee-Off Invite
Girls Tennis
South Christian @ Zeeland East
East Kentwood @ Holland
Boys/Girls Track
South Christian @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays
Potter’s House @ Grand Rapids Elite Challenge – Houseman Field
Seated on comfy new furniture inside the Kent District Library-Kelloggsville Branch, community member Jim Ward said getting books into children’s hand has always been his passion. Now he’s helped make books and other library resources even more accessible to families in the neighborhood where he lives and raised his daughters.
Ward, who is retired, was instrumental in planning the library, which opened this winterinside Kelloggsville High School. A Forest Hills Public Schools media specialist for 38 years, he had a strong interest in the concept of public libraries operating within schools, and worked with administrators, who tapped into his knowledge to make that happen.
im Ward, a longtime media specialist, has remained involved with Kelloggsville for 26 years, recently offering his library science expertise
He especially likes the idea of reaching underserved communities like Kelloggsville, a low-income district where many students can’t easily get to a library miles away. Before working for Forest Hills, Ward worked at Grand Rapids Public Library for five years in an elementary outreach program and summer reading program.
“The connection with Kelloggsville was I thought, ‘Gee, we should really go with that (concept), because these kids in a more urban setting don’t have the mobility they have in Forest Hills,’” Ward said. “It’s difficult for them to get somewhere else for a library.
“As far as I know this is the only (school-public library) in an urban setting,” he added. “That’s what really motivated me. These kids deserve good services and access to stuff.”
The 6,000 square-foot, two-story library offers an 8,000-item collection, children’s section and materials for all ages. It fills an acute need in the district, which is located some 4 1/2 miles from the Kentwood KDL branch and 3 1/2 miles from the Wyoming branch.
Ward and administrators planned the library design, funded by a $250,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation, to incorporate technology like interactive whiteboards, projectors, computers and many outlets, increasing access to digital library services as well as print.
Trees are flourishing in Kelloggsville, thanks to Jim Ward
Longtime Kelloggsville Advocate
Helping plan the library is one of many ways Ward has helped shape the district over the past 26 years as he has remained rooted in the community.
The Wyoming native and Godwin Heights High School graduate actively campaigned to build a new Kelloggsville Middle School in the early 1990s. He has remained involved ever since, most recently helping campaign for the Kent ISD Enhancement Millage, which passed last year, and the district’s bond campaign to renovate the high school, especially in planning the library.
He is the father of Kelloggsville graduates Emma, Abby and Rachael. His wife, Jane Ward, has served on the Kelloggsville Board of Education for 22 years. A member of the City of Wyoming Tree Commission, Ward has also included Kelloggsville students in tree-planting, last year passing out saplings to Southeast Elementary fourth-graders.
“Jim has always cared about educating kids. His interest in library science stems from his desire to help students gain all the knowledge they need,” said his wife, Jane Ward, noting that Jim was a enthusiastic supporter of their daughters’ many extra-curricular activities in Kelloggsville. “And he maintains an interest in supporting Kelloggsville programs both academic and extracurricular. We both seek to have the the most opportunities as possible for all students.”
Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage said Ward is a cherished voice in the district and a person they can always turn to.
“When you have a heart for a community such as Jim has for Kelloggsville, the district benefits by his consistent involvement,” she said. “Jim is a community member who understands and can communicate needs to others when the district goes to the community for support on bonds, millages and projects.
“Jim’s experience, passion and expertise as a library media specialist was a key component in shaping the vision of a ‘future forward’ Kelloggsville.”
Jane and Jim Ward meet the KDL elephant, Katie L
Passing Down Book Love
Jim and Jane, who is a retired teacher, inspired their daughter Emma Fogg to become a teacher in the district. She is Young Fives teacher at Kelloggsville, where she runs her own little library.
“I have so many books of my own that I had to start a lending library in my own classroom, so that students can bring home more books each week to read with their parents, as my parents read to me when I was their age,” Fogg said. “My dad and mom inspired in me a love of reading and books that I want to share with my students each year, in the hopes that it will inspire them to love reading and books as well.”
For Jim, Kelloggsville is home, a close-knit community where teachers and students have always cared for each other and worked hard to bring great programs and instruction to students.
He’s been steadfast in doing his part – lending a hand, or a book.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
From left, fifth-grader Benjamin, third-grader Brieseida and Daniel, 4, play with jumbo chess pieces while mom Cecilia Pumay watches
How do we change the notion that certain sports are just for white athletes or male participants? By mentoring females and youth of color in those sports. PGA professional Andre Pillow talks about his work with The First Tee of West Michigan and creating access to golf for all young people.
By Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University Extension
Updated management reference available for Michigan hop growers through Michigan State University Extension.
In an effort to assist hop growers in making pesticide and nutrient management decisions, an updated “Michigan Hop Management Guide, 2018” has been created and is available at the Michigan State University ExtensionHops page. The packet includes an updated list of registered pesticides, nutrient management recommendations and a guide to seasonal pest occurrence in Michigan.
You will receive a confirmation email directing you to click on a link (this is to avoid spammers). Click on the link.
To send an email to the list once you have joined, just send it to: hops@list.msu.edu
To protect yourself, others and the environment, always read the label before applying any pesticide. Although efforts have been made to check the accuracy of information presented in the “Michigan Hop Management Guide,” it is the responsibility of the person using this information to verify it is correct by reading the corresponding pesticide label in its entirety before using the product.
Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. Information presented here does not supersede the label directions.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2015-09785. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
By Kristen Krueger-Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
You’re a vegetarian journalist living in New York City. You are assigned to write an article about an organic farmer working in Pennsylvania. Within 24 hours of meeting the farmer, you are eating sausage, working the fields, slaughtering a pig and falling in love.
Author Kristin Kimball’s life changed when she interviewed that farmer. As their relationship bloomed, so did her understanding and respect for agriculture. Soon, she gave up her career, cute shoes, and NYC apartment and started an organic farm, Essex Farm, with Mark in upstate New York.
This memoir chronicles the first year of getting the farm off the ground—from buying plow horses to till the fields, hand milking the cows twice a day and developing a sustainable CSA—all while planning a wedding. Kimball brings to life the daily back-breaking work of running a farm, the cycle of life and death, and how community can support and uplift one another.
Her writing is rich and you feel that you are on the farm with her. When I was done with the book, I missed Essex Farm and Kristin and Mark. I wanted to know how their story continued to unfold. This book will make you appreciate what you buy at the farmers market even more.
One of the events the City of Wyoming hosts is its annual Community Clean-Up Day.
The City of Wyoming, through the support of the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, will have its annual Community Clean-Up Day Saturday at Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW.
The site will be open form 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Residents need to have a picture ID with them or proof of residency. Residents will enter east off of 44th Street to the northeast entrance of the church. For the full store, click here.
Wyoming: Flamingo Avenue to get trees
Mayor Jack Poll reads a proclamation at last year’s Arbor Day event.
This Saturday, the Tree Amigos and student volunteers will plant 24 street trees in the City of Wyoming. Planting will begin 9 a.m. in the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW where ten Wyoming residents have signed up for the project. For more on this story, click here.
Kentwood: EK student makes her stage debut
East Kentwood student Ania Powell makes her Civic Theatre debut with “Akeelah and the Bee.”
Ania Powell makes her Grand Rapids Civic Theatre debut in “Akeehal and the Bee,” which opens on Friday and runs through April 29 at the Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. For more on the story, click here.
Wyoming and Kentwood: Record Store Day is Saturday
This Saturday, April 21, is the annual Record Store Day in the Grand Rapids area and, quite literally, around the world. It is a day to celebrate small music stores but also to celebrate records — music on vinyl. For more on the story, click here.
Public Museum: “Water’s Extreme Journey” coming to a close
Water’s Extreme Journey is open now at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) taking visitors on a quest for clean water through an experiential maze! But the exhibit is only open through April 29. For more on this story, click here.
Would you have a reliable way to get to work if you didn’t have your own car?
Do you live and work somewhere you can easily access public transportation?
If the answer is no, how would you maintain a job?
Millions of Americans lack reliable transportation. For individuals that don’t have a car or can’t afford or access public transportation, finding a job and showing up every day is a challenge.
Sean Phillips knows that struggle first-hand. Sean had a low-paying job that didn’t bring in enough money to support himself and his family; having enough money to pay for essentials—such as gas for their car—was a common difficulty. Being able to afford the training needed to qualify for a better-paying job seemed impossible.
Sean decided to take a step toward creating a new life. He came to West Michigan Works! to get help removing the obstacles that were keeping him from opportunities to better support himself and his family.
Sean received training funds to attend Tri-Area Trucking School. The funding allowed him to get books and other resources needed for the courses. He also received mileage reimbursements to ensure that he could get to and from his courses. After he successfully completed training, his family received additional transportation supports that allowed them to get a second vehicle. The vehicle support allowed both him and his wife to maintain full-time jobs.
Sean is now a Certified Class A & B Commercial Driver and is employed full time with a successful delivery and warehousing company.
“I want to thank Michigan Works for the supports they provided. I was able to earn my CDL and further my skills, knowledge, and confidence so I could get a new job at this stage in my life.”
Do you face obstacles to finding and keeping a good-paying job? Visit a service center to find out how West Michigan Works! can support you.
Music lovers and concert goers often ask classical musicians to name their favorite composer. Typically, the answer leads to the music of whomever they’re currently rehearsing or performing. Or to composers who wrote often or wrote well for their chosen instrument.
For conductors whose job it is to see the big picture, the answer sometimes is surprising.
“Often people ask me who my favorite composer is. I don’t know how to answer that,” said Grand Rapids Symphony Music Director Marcelo Lehninger. “But if I were going to a desert island, and I had to choose one composer, I probably would pick Chopin.”
That might come as a surprise because, while figures such as Maurice Ravel and Richard Strauss were great composers as well as great orchestrators, Frédéric Chopin was a great composer whose skills at arranging for orchestra were, at best, only adequate.
Yet the Polish-born musician, one of the greatest pianists of all time, revolutionized composition and piano performance to a degree that no one else has ever done.
“He completely changed the way you play the instrument,” said Lehninger, a pianist. “No one else, not even Paganini, did that for his instrument, the violin.”
Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates the music of Chopin with guest pianist Rafał Blechacz at 8 pm Friday and Saturday, April 27-28, in DeVos Performance Hall. The program titled Chopin & Dvořák is part of the 2018 Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, centered in Kalamazoo.
Joining the Grand Rapids Symphony for Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is Blechacz, the 2014 Gilmore Artist of the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
The ninth concerts of the 2017-18 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series also include Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. It opens with Canto, a brief work by contemporary American composer Adam Schoenberg.
Joining the Grand Rapids Symphony for Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor is Polish pianist Rafał Blechacz, the 2014 Gilmore Artist of the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. The concert is in partnership with the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
Not only is Blechacz a fellow Pole, he was the winner of the 15th International Chopin Competition in 2005, becoming the first Polish pianist to win the competition since Krystian Zimerman in 1975.
And not only did Blechacz win the top prize, he won all four of the additional prizes for best performance of a polonaise, a mazurka, a sonata, and a concerto with orchestra. No other pianist in the 91-year history of the event, held once every five years in Warsaw, has ever captured every award in the competition.
Lehninger, who made his Grand Rapids Symphony debut in February 2015 conducting Dvorak’s popular Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in Antonin Dvorak’s sunny Symphony No. 8
The concerts open with Adam Schoenberg’s Canto, which in Italian means “I sing.” One of the most frequently-heard composers in today’s concert halls, Schoenberg composed the brief work as a lullaby in honor his son, Luca, who was born in 2013.
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.
The complete Chopin & Dvorak program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, May 28, 2018, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS box office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm, at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (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 prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program, sponsored by Comerica and Calvin College. This is a MySymphony360 eligible concert.
More food and beverage offerings are coming to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA), this time in the pre-security meet and greet area.
Global restaurateur HMSHost, in partnership with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, is opening a new pre-security bar called “Leinie Lodge” adjacent to Starbucks in the Airport’s Grand Hall.
Leinie Lodge will predominantly feature Leinenkugel’s wide range of award-winning German- inspired beers both on tap and by the bottle. To complement the beer offerings, travelers can enjoy a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and an assortment of snacks to perfectly match their beverage of choice.
“Our passengers were craving more options for food and beverage pre-security, and this new offering will accomplish just that,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport President & CEO Jim Gill. “We are excited to have a new addition to our restaurant scene, especially in an area where so many West Michigan meeters and greeters welcome in family, friends, and business clientele.”
The new space is expected to open in May.
“HMSHost is excited to bring a new food and beverage option to travelers with Leinie Lodge this summer,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Bryan Loden. “We, along with our partner Steve Jenkins, are thankful to continue our partnership with GFIA to offer both travelers and those awaiting arriving passengers a place to relax and enjoy a cold drink and snacks.”
By Terry McLean, Michigan State University Extension
Each year the Cultivate Michigan and the Michigan Fresh initiatives promote seasonally available Michigan foods to two different groups of people.
Two Michigan State University Extension-led initiatives promote the seasonal use of Michigan’s fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy, focusing on two different audiences. Cultivate Michigan is an institutional food purchasing campaign of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network and has the sourcing, marketing and recipe resources to help schools, hospitals and other institutions find, buy and use local foods. A consumer-focused initiative, the Michigan Fresh program, helps individuals explore the state’s bounty of fresh, locally grown foods from farms, gardens and local farmers markets, with tips on growing, handling and preserving as well as healthful recipes. Both initiatives support farmers, food businesses and consumers, enhancing local economies.
In 2018, Cultivate Michigan is promoting four seasonal foods: onions (spring), berries (summer), celery (fall) and table beets (winter) to institutional food service directors. A few fast facts about these 2018 featured Michigan fruits and vegetables:
Michigan Onions:
Are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Potassium
Grown in south central and southern counties of Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent, Newaygo, Ottawa and Van Buren
Each year, the Cultivate Michigan team plans field tours featuring the featured seasonal foods for institutional food service staff and others to learn first-hand about the production, processing and distribution of the foods, as well as to network with other food buyers, growers and suppliers. Several tours are planned for the year ahead featuring Michigan onions, summer berries, celery and beets.
Both initiatives support Michigan Good Food, a policy initiative of the Michigan Good Food Charter, and several of its goals by the year 2020:
Michigan institutions source 20 percent of their food from Michigan sources
80 percent of Michigan residents have easy access to affordable, fresh, healthy food, 20 percent of which is from Michigan sources
Michigan farmers will profitably supply 20 percent of all Michigan institutional, retailer and consumer food purchases and be able to pay fair wages to their workers.
The Michigan Farm to Institution Network and Cultivate Michigan are coordinated by the Michigan State University (MSU) Center for Regional Food Systems with support from MSU Extension. Michigan Fresh is supported by MSU Extension and includes a handy Michigan Availability Guide so you know when dozens of popular items are in season throughout the year, including those crops that are produced using season extension techniques, which extends their availability over a longer period of time.
Twenty-eight schools across Kent County have been awarded with Michigan Green School certification in anticipation of Earth Day, celebrated April 22 each year. The schools participated in activities to learn about environmental topics, act on what they learned by doing service projects and share what they learned through outreach to their community and peers.
After completing a list of activities covering topics like recycling, energy, environmental protection, or other environmental actions that suited the interests of the students, the schools submitted their applications to their Green Schools Coordinator, Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman. To be considered a Michigan Green School, an achievement recognized by Governor Snyder and the Michigan Legislature through Public Act 301 of 2010, schools completed ten to twenty different activities relating to environmental studies. Based on the number of activities they complete, the schools are eligible for three different levels of Green School certification: Green, Emerald or, the top award, Evergreen.
“These twenty-eight schools brought sustainability conversations into the classroom in really creative ways,” said Westerman. “From writing letters to President Trump to implementing a school uniform reuse room to adopting endangered species and taking a field trip to the Kent County Recycling Center, these schools have really invested me and energy into teaching the value of sustainability.”
Schools that achieved Michigan Green School certification from Kent County include:
Evergreen School (completed at least 20 activities)
Ada Vista Elementary, Ada
Cherry Creek Elementary, Lowell
City High Middle School and the Center for Economicology, Grand Rapids Emmons Lake Elementary, Caledonia
Grandville High School, Grandville
Highlands Middle School, Grand Rapids
Holy Trinity Catholic School, Comstock Park
Ke le Lake Elementary, Alto
New Branches Charter Academy, Grand Rapids
Northview Crossroads Middle School, Grand Rapids
Parkside Elementary, Rockford
Emerald School (completed at least 15 activities)
CA Frost Elementary Environmental Science Academy, Grand Rapids Congress Elementary, Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Montessori Public School, Grand Rapids
Grand View Elementary, Grandville
Meadow Brook Elementary, Grand Rapids
Murray Lake Elementary, Lowell
West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science, Grand Rapids
Green School (completed at least 10 ac vi es)
Bushnell Elementary, Lowell
Caledonia Elementary, Caledonia
Cedar Springs High School, Cedar Springs Cedar Springs Middle School, Cedar Springs Dutton Elementary, Caledonia
Forest Hills Central Middle School, Ada Forest Hills Eastern Middle School, Ada
Lee Elementary, Middleville
Lowell High School, Lowell
Paris Ridge Elementary, Caledonia
Kent County Department of Public Works is the local county coordinator for the statewide Michigan Green Schools program, a non-pro t agency dedicated to assisting all Michigan schools to achieve environmental goals including protecting air, land, water and animals through good ecological practices and the teaching of environmental stewardship. The program started in 2005 as an idea of students and teachers at a school in Howell, Michigan and has grown to include more than 650 Michigan schools in 2016.
Lineup of this year’s performers to be revealed at H.O.M.E. at The B.O.B. on April 30, part of International Jazz Day celebrations
By Molly Klimas
GRandJazzFest, presented by the DTE Energy Foundation, returns to Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, this Aug. 18 and 19, for the seventh annual festival. The popular family friendly festival is West Michigan’s only free, weekend-long jazz festival.
The two-day festival typically draws thousands to the heart of downtown Grand Rapids for the two-day, outdoor event always held the third weekend in August. In 2017, the event drew more than 10,000 people.
“We’re so excited to have the DTE Energy Foundation back for the seventh consecutive year as our presenting sponsor,” festival founder Audrey Sundstrom said. “We could not put on this festival without its support, and the support of all of our generous sponsors and volunteers. Jazz is really about bringing people together. It’s about community. And we’re grateful to the people and organizations that show their love of community by supporting GRandJazzFest,”
Holding the festival in the center city allows festivalgoers to enjoy all that downtown offers including restaurants, clubs, museums, microbreweries and shops. The festival typically occurs during Restaurant Week in Grand Rapids. The festival’s location is easily accessible to those who ride the bus, walk or bike, and is close to parking.
“We believe art and cultural events have a direct correlation to a city’s ability to attract new visitors, define a sense of place and community, and contribute to the development of local skills and industries,” said Lynette Dowler, president of the DTE Energy Foundation. “The Grand Rapids community is extremely important to us and we’re proud to be presenting sponsor again. By investing in this hallmark event, the DTE Energy Foundation is helping to boost the local economy and strengthen the vitality of the region.”
The 2018 festival lineup will be revealed on April 30 at the House of Entertainment and Music (H.O.M.E.) at The B.O.B. in Grand Rapids. Doors open at 6 pm. The Steve Hilger Jazz Quintet will perform during the evening’s event, which will announce the 10 diverse jazz artists and bands — including a student jazz band and two major headline acts — slated for the 2018 GRandJazzFest. Hilger’s band has performed at past GRandJazzFests, and he also serves as a board member of GR and Jazz.
“Jazz is a year-round passion here in West Michigan. We’re excited about a fun evening and a great way to reveal our 2018 lineup to jazz fans on April 30,” Hilger said.
Festival organizers have coordinated with International Jazz Day leaders to include the 2018 GRandJazzFest announcement as a sanctioned International Jazz Day event. Grand Rapids city commissioners announced GRandJazzFest as one of the city’s 2018 signature events, a distinction only given to local events proven to be successful and that enrich the community. Previously, GRandJazzFest 2016 received distinction as a Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Signature Event along with two other festivals, ArtPrize and LaughFest.
GR and Jazz, the nonprofit, all-volunteer-run producer of GRandJazzFest, is pleased to once again announce a special collaboration with the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM). The 2018 festival’s V.I.P. area, which is open to sponsors, will be located on the GRAM front terrace where refreshments and snacks will be provided. Additionally, an outdoor bar will be set up at the base of the GRAM’s front steps adjoining Rosa Parks Circle to offer refreshments for attendees to enjoy during the festival.
By Kristen Corrado, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
