All posts by Joanne

Lead poisoning on the rise in Kent County — 40% rise in zip code 49507

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By Paul Haan, Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan

 

After a decade of decline, the number of lead-poisoned children in Kent County is rising. Recent data shows a 40 percent increase in lead-poisoned children in the 49507 zip code during the past two years. This Grand Rapids neighborhood leads the state in numbers of lead-poisoned children. In fact, more children were lead poisoned in 49507 than all seven Flint zip codes combined — before, during, and after the Flint water crisis.

 

According to data provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), 615 Kent County children had elevated blood-lead levels in 2016 — the year for which most recent data is available. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) as the reference level at which the CDC recommends public health actions be initiated.

 

Two out of every three lead poisoned-children in Kent County live in zip codes 49507, 49504 or 49503. These are high-poverty, high-minority neighborhoods in Grand Rapids. African-American children were lead-poisoned at twice the rate of white children in Grand Rapids in 2015, according to MDHHS data.

 

“Many people are unaware that lead exposure from dust in the house and soil in the yard is the culprit,” said Paul Haan, executive director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan and gubernatorial appointee to the state of Michigan’s Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission. 

 

It should be noted that lead in the water is not the cause here: The city of Grand Rapids water testing under the federal Lead and Copper Rule demonstrates that Grand Rapids has been in compliance since 2001. The amount of lead in Grand Rapids water is far below federal thresholds and is among the safest in the state.

 

Currently, houses in Kent County aren’t required to be tested for lead. A property owner can sell, rent or remodel a home without checking it for lead or lead hazards. The city of Grand Rapids last updated its housing codes in regards to lead in 2005.

 

“Many property owners and property dwellers may have no idea that dangerous lead exists in their home,” Haan said. “Even well-intentioned remodelers might not be dealing properly with lead and actually making the problem worse.”

 

Haan also said there is a correlation between the current housing crisis and the increase in lead poisoning. “With West Michigan’s robust real estate market, it’s harder now to find healthy homes to live in. The seller’s market is great for sellers but not necessarily good for buyers and renters.”

 

Last fall, Grand Rapids was awarded $2.9 million in HUD funding to fix homes with lead-based paint hazards. Typical “fixes” include new windows and exterior painting or siding. The HUD funding is available to eligible homeowners, landlords and tenants. 

 

The city of Grand Rapids  administers the funding locally. In September of this year, the city expanded program eligibility, making funding available to even more people.

 

Anyone who owns or rents a home in the city of Grand Rapids built before 1978 is encouraged to learn about funding eligibility. For more information, please call the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at 616.241.3300 or visit www.GetTheLeadOutGR.org. Or, contact the city of Grand Rapids Community Development Department at 616.456.3030.

 

 

Hollywood costume concept artist to discuss film, fashion and art during GVSU event

Entertainment, ,
Hunger Games costume contest

Los Angeles-based costume concept artist, Phillip Boutte Jr., has created costume designs for blockbuster films, such as “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Man of Steel,” “Star Trek,” “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and “Inception.” His upcoming projects include Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” and Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther.”

 

Boutte will discuss the intersection of film, fashion and art during a panel discussion at Grand Valley State University on Wednesday, Nov. 8. “Film, Fashion, and Art: Imagining Real and Fictional History” will take place at 7 p.m. in Loosemore Auditorium, located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

 

Phillip Boutte Jr.

Joining Boutte on the panel will be Grand Valley faculty members Durwin Talon, assistant professor of illustration and foundations, and Julie Goldstein, assistant professor of film and video production. Suzanne Eberle, professor of art history at Kendall College of Art and Design, will also sit on the panel.

 

“Having the opportunity to host a concept artist such as Phillip Boutte Jr., who has worked on a range of projects including design for Madonna to ‘X-Men,’ provides a rare opportunity for the West Michigan community to contextualize our studies within the visual trends of popular culture,” said Goldstein.

 

The event will kick off with a screening of the winning films of the Mosaic Mobile challenge, presented by The Mosaic Film Experience. The contest features short films that were produced by college students around the Midwest, including multiple Grand Valley students, using only a mobile device.

 

The Mosaic Film Experience began in 2012 in Grand Rapids as a film festival for commercial and jury-selected works focusing on under-told stories. In 2015, the festival changed formats to include the creation of two-minute mobile videos by students in order to minimize economic barriers to filmmaking.

 

For more information about this event, contact the Visual and Media Arts Department at vma@gvsu.edu or 616-331-3486.

Kentwood 50: Comcast celebrates the city’s history with an eye toward the future

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For the past 15 years of Kentwood’s 50-year history, Comcast has been proud to serve the city’s residents and businesses with internet, TV and voice service. Like Kentwood, which prioritizes investing in services that matter most to the community, we also continuously invest in our network as well as new products and services so our customers can rely on the technology in their homes and businesses.

 

Most recently, we’ve introduced Xfinity Mobile, which combines the nation’s largest 4G LTE network with our expansive national WiFi hotspot network so that you can stay connected virtually everywhere you go in Kentwood, Michigan and across the nation.

 

We have been a proud supporter of many Kentwood community initiatives, including the city’s 50th anniversary celebration, the Summer Series and the Kentwood-Wyoming Chamber.

 

Comcast Cares Day

In addition to financial support, as a company we are deeply committed to volunteering in the communities where our employees and customers live and work. One example of our focus on volunteerism is our annual Comcast Cares Day where hundreds of thousands of Comcast employees and other community members come together to make change happen across Michigan and the nation. Started in 2001, Comcast Cares Day is Comcast NBCUniversal’s annual celebration of our year-round commitment to service. Comcast Cares day is the largest single-day corporate volunteer event in the nation, with more than 900,000 volunteers having given more than 5 million hours of service at nearly 9,000 project sites since 2001.

 

Another key philanthropic focus is our commitment to bridging the digital divide. Through the Internet Essentials program, we have connected more than 500,000 low-income families, or more than 2 million Americans, to the power of the Internet in their homes. Internet has the ability to transform lives, strengthen communities, and inspire a new generation of leaders.  It levels the playing field by creating greater access to education, health care, employment opportunities, news, information, and entertainment.

 

As Kentwood continues to grow and thrive, we look forward to being a part of the community’s ongoing success as a reliable technology provider. We’ll keep investing in our network, products and services, and our people who serve Kentwood residents and businesses so that you can continue relying on us for many of your technology needs. We also know that a superior customer experience at every touchpoint – in person, over the phone and online – is important to Kentwood residents and business owners. We’ll continue to work to make customer service our best product.

 

Ford Museum’s new political music exhibit speaks ‘Louder Than Words’

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(Supplied graphic)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

President Richard Nixon had his Elvis sighting; George W. Bush had his bond with Bono; Bill Clinton and Barak Obama had a ton of encounters with the politics of rock ’n’ roll music.

 

The constant is that since the 1960s, the songs and songwriters of rock have been a consistent voice on the political and social scene, and even presidents are not immune to the influence.

 

So, after opening at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, and then spending early this year at the prestigious Newseum in Washington, D.C., the exhibit, “Louder Than Words: Rock, Power & Politics” — which explores the power of rock music to change attitudes about patriotism, peace, equality and freedom — will open at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum next week.

 

The exhibit will open Tuesday, Nov. 7 and run through Feb. 11, 2018. (It will then travel to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in 2018, and then the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in 2020.)

 

Photo of exhibit with clothing related to war protest songs. (Supplied)

Using video, multimedia, photographs, periodicals and artifacts, “Louder Than Words” showcases the intersection between rock and politics. According to supplied information, the exhibit “explores how artists exercise their First Amendment rights, challenge assumptions and beliefs, stimulate thought and effect change.

 

“Beyond music’s influence on the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and gender equality, the exhibit also features other significant moments and figures, such as Bob Dylan, who rallied people against social inequality, the hip-hop music of the 80s that discussed police brutality in poverty stricken neighborhoods, and Pussy Riot, who utilized their music as an outlet for social activism in Russia.”

 

A supplied description of the exhibit goes on to say: “Whether you identify as red or blue, we all bleed rock and roll. Voicing political beliefs mixes its way into conversation and lyrics all the same. Whether you’re a fan of Jimi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner” reinvention or Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’ ” insightful ballad, many musical artists have broached the subject of politics or have reacted to the current political and cultural climate through note and song. Inside of a song or performance, artists feel safe expressing their opinions and inviting fans to connect with their message regardless of party affiliation.

 

“Do those same established boundaries exist today? The stage has recently come under fire for openly expressing political critique, which prompts the question — is free speech still protected inside of a performance or song? Regardless of recent and future criticisms, artists will continue to fold political sentiments into their work, and we will continue to support those rock and rollers, unafraid of controversy, letting their music play louder than words.”

 

Photo of exhibit with clothing related to war protest songs. (Supplied)

The original exhibit included exclusive video interviews with Bono, David Byrne, Dee Snider, Tom Morello, Lars Ulrich, Gloria Estefan, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Carter and others to examine how music has both shaped and reflected our culture norms on eight political topics: civil rights, LGBT issues, feminism, war and peace, censorship, political campaigns, political causes and international politics.

 

Artifacts in the original exhibit include Joe Strummer’s Fender Telecaster, correspondence between the FBI and Priority Records regarding N.W.A’s “F*** the Police” song, original handwritten lyrics from Neil Young’s “Ohio” and artifacts related to the Vietnam war and the May 4, 1970 shooting at Kent State.

 

As part of the exhibition run, the Ford Museum will also present several special events:

 

A lecture, “The Meaning of the Vietnam War”, will be presented by Fredrik Logevall on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the museum. Logevall is the winner the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for his book, “Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam.”

 

In his lecture, he will trace the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Logevall is the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and an author of numerous books on the Vietnam War.

 

A discussion, “Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”, will be presented by Tom Tudor on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the museum.

 

Tudor will actually give a two part talk in one event. The first part focuses on Mr. Tudor’s personal connection with the historic cemetery as he recalls his time standing watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The second part gives the history of Arlington National Cemetery and discusses some of America’s finest who are laid to rest within the gates.

 

(An aside: remember that the museum will present its annual Outdoor Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Always a grand kickoff to the holiday season.)

 

The Vietnam War Lecture Series will also continue on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. with Dr. Edward J. Marolda presenting “Admirals Under Fire: U.S. Naval Leaders and the Vietnam War”.

 

Marolda, before his retirement in 2008, served as the Director of Naval History and Senior Historian of the Navy at the Naval Historical Center, Washington, D.C. He has authored and coauthored numerous books with an emphasis on the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War.

 

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located at 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids. For more information visit fordlibrarymuseum.gov .

 

(Supplied graphic)

For a YouTube video related to the exhibit, visit here.

 

WKTV reviews the candidates and millage proposals for the 2017 elections

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Tomorrow, Nov. 7, is election day and residents in both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming have items on the ballot.

 

City of Kentwood

 

In the City of Kentwood, residents will be electing their city officials for the next four years. Of the six city positions up for election in Kentwood, only two are contested.

 

The first race is for the office of mayor, featuring incumbent Stephen Kepley who will be facing challenger Scott Urbanowski. Kepley was elected to the mayoral position in 2013 having served as a city engineer. Urbanowski is president and founder of Humanoid Digital, a digital media company.

 

For more on the mayoral candidates, check out the We the People Mayoral candidate article or view the September mayoral candidate forum hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

The other contested race in the City of Kentwood is a 1st Ward City Commissioner seat with incumbent Jerry DeMaagd facing challenger Emily Bridson. For more on the candidates, see the We the People 1st Ward Commissioner article or view the September 1st Ward Commissioner candidate forum hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

There are also four races in Kentwood that are unopposed. Those are Dan Kasunic, for clerk, Laurie Sheldon, for treasurer, Betsy Artz, for commissioner at large, and Tom McKelvey, for 2nd Ward city commissioner.

 

City of Wyoming

 

Those in the Wyoming Public School District, the largest district in the City of Wyoming, will be voting on an extension of the district’s millage for $79.5 million to be used on infrastructure projects. For a detail look at the extension and what the money will be used for, check out the WKTV Journal article by K.D. Norris.

 

Cities of the Kentwood and Wyoming: The Rapid Millage

 

The Rapid is seeking a renewal of 1.47 mills. The millage, which has been active for the past seven years, is about a third of The Rapid’s total budget of $44 million, covering about $15.5 million. For more about the millage, see The Rapid millage story by WKTV Editorial Assistant Hannah Haviland.

 

 

Local legislators, parties weigh in on defeat of latest attempt at no-fault insurance reform

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Election, Local Business, Politics, ,
The Michigan House of Representatives. (Supplied)

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The House of Representatives defeated an overhaul of Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance system on a 45-63 vote Thursday night after 90 minutes of debate on the House floor but months of political bickering and conflicting advertising efforts.

 

The Nov. 2 defeat of the house bill also brought conflicting reactions from local and statewide officials.

 

Wyoming- and Kentwood-area representatives Tommy Brann (R-77th District) and Steve Johnson (R-72nd) split their votes on the issue, with Johnson voting in support and Brann in opposition.

 

“Tonight, I voted in support of reforming Michigan’s no-fault insurance system,” Johnson wrote in a supplied Facebook post explaining his vote. “Michigan drivers pay the highest rates in the nation for car insurance, which is why this is one of the top issues many of you discuss with me all across the district. While the proposed plan wasn’t perfect, it was a step in the right direction to provide coverage choice, reign in fraud, and lower rates for Michigan drivers. Unfortunately, a majority of my colleagues did not vote in support … (however, I) … look forward to seeing the conversation on this important and meaningful topic continue in the future.”

 

State Rep. Tommy Brann

While Brann said he thought “90 percent of the bill was good” he said the three-tiered approach to medical coverage limits was just not something he could go along with. “I have the obligation to my constituents,” Brann said to WKTV Friday. “An obligation to protect them and make the right decisions for them.”

 

He said he thought that if some families chose the lower medical limits and then were in an accident, it could be disastrous. “I’m thinking about the parent with a little girl, and they are in an accident and that little 10-year-old girl needs rehabilitation for the rest of her life.”

 

“This is important, and I hope we will continue to work on this,” he said. “But I just do not think it (this bill) would protect my constituents.”

 

Michigan’s high insurance rates in the nation, according to most critics, are because of the current no-fault insurance system’s unlimited medical benefits for people injured in car accidents, as well as insurance companies’ ability to charge different rates based on where people live — a particular problem for urban areas such as Detroit.

 

Few believed the packages of changes, House Bill 5013, was a complete fix for the many problems of the existing system, but some viewed it as a start in providing rate-payer relief from the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.

 

Supporters of the bill, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, said the bill “could” save motorists and businesses as much as $1 billion a year by allowing persons buying insurance choices on what amount of medical coverage they need buy. It also would have imposed price limits on medical providers who care for auto accident victims.

 

In general, the bill was also supported by auto insurance providers, but opponents often pointed out that there were not guarantees that insurance rates would go down — something one local insurance agent did not agree with.

 

“While there are no guarantees, anytime you install a reimbursement schedule that caps charges at a lower rate than today it would seem a good thing” for rate payers, Pat Curran, managing agent of Wyoming’s Precision Insurance Agency, said to WKTV. “One of the hardest parts in insurance pricing is knowing what your costs are going to be. Under the current system there is no such pricing structure.”

 

In general, the bill was opposed by the state’s medical providers and trial lawyers, but it also was opposed by lawmakers and others who pointed out that there was no guarantee that insurance providers would lower rates as a result of the changes.

 

“The Michigan Health & Hospital Association has been adamantly opposed to House Bill 5013 throughout deliberations on the bill, and we are encouraged by the fact that the Michigan House of Representatives opted to vote down what was simply a bad bill,” Brian Peters, CEO at the MHA, said in a statement released on their website Thursday night.

 

“We know that Michigan drivers want lower rates when it comes to their auto insurance premiums, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with legislators if and when they decide to go back to the drawing board when it comes to meaningful rate relief for drivers that protects benefits available to those seriously injured in auto accidents.”

 

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce also reacted to the defeat of the bill, saying in a statement that it was disappointed in the “63 of the 110 members of the Michigan House who turned their backs on Michigan drivers today and voted ‘no’ on reforms to the state’s broken and costly auto insurance system.”

 

“Lawmakers had a real opportunity today to drive down Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance premiums,” Rich Studley, chamber president & CEO, said in the statement. “Unfortunately, 63 members of the Michigan House chose to turn their backs on their constituents and the state’s 7.1 million drivers and side with a handful of greedy ambulance-chasing personal injury attorneys and hospitals that profit from the status quo.”

 

“Even though the vote today failed, these lawmakers will need to explain their no vote to their constituents,” Jim Holcomb, general counsel for the chamber, said in the statement. “We remain confident that the drivers of our state won’t find these lawmakers’ excuses acceptable and force them back to the table to tackle the very real problem of Michigan’s highest-in-the-nation auto insurance costs and its primary cost-drivers.”

 

On the shelf: ‘Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer’ by Jamie Smith

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Reviews, , , ,

By Melissa Fox, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

 

Part manual part memoir, Roadie serves as a personal introduction to the world of bike racing. Because the author is a self-proclaimed roadie, the information and advice he provides not only feels sound, but includes enough of a mix of personal anecdote and humor to come across as honest and genuine.

 

Readers will learn everything there is to know about bike racing, from the reasons why roadies shave their legs to the physics of drafting properly. The chapters on bicycles, training rides, and road racing are enough to motivate anyone to get out, purchase a road bike, and start pedaling. This book is an obvious fit for several different types of readers including those who are interested in getting started in the sport of bike racing, those who are already roadies, or those who live with a roadie and want to better understand their lifestyle and idiosyncrasies.

 

But, because of its lighthearted tone and the author’s individual voice and narrative, this book has wide appeal and is a great read for anyone who enjoys peeking into the secret world of others.

School News Network: Me and My Dad

Citizen Journalism, ,
Hector Rodriguez eats with his daughters, Aaliyah, front, and Jocelyn.

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

Hector Rodriguez sat with his daughters, Jocelyn, a kindergartner, and Aaliyah, a fifth-grader, munching on breakfast sandwiches and sipping juice.

 

“I wish Pappi was here for us all day!”Jocelyn said.

 

Rodriguez said he, too, wished he could stay all day at Southwood Elementary School, because attending the annual Bring Your Fathers to School Day is a special time. “It’s something I love doing for them,” he said. “I like coming to these things to be there for my kids. I like to be there for them as much as possible.”

 

Marcus Patterson arrives with his daughter Naomi, a kindergartner

The fourth annual event brought more than 1,000 dads, uncles, grandfathers and other male role models to the district’s 10 elementary schools to enjoy breakfast with their children, listen to speakers and celebrate paternal involvement. At Southwood alone, more than 200 male guests attended.

Principal Jeff Overkleeft said involved fathers have a huge positive impact on children’s lives, including behavior, attendance and grades. “It directly impacts their academic success,” he said.

 

“I think the message that we continue to hear and see is it’s important to have parents and fathers engaged in students’ education,” said Michael Pickard, the district’s executive director of elementary instruction and federal programs.

 

This year’s theme was leaving a legacy for your child. Speakers were local business owners whose lives were impacted by parents, teachers or other role models.

 

Before the event, dad Michael Parks walked into school with his daughter, Mya, a fifth-grader.

 

“It’s just fun to spend time with him,” Mya said.

Michael and Mya Parks arrive for Bring Your Fathers to School Day

Environmental, weather satellite set to launch this month

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Joint Polar Satellite System

The first Joint Polar Satellite System will launch this month with WTKV featuring coverage of the launch on Friday, Nov. 10. The launch will be from the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Coverage will begin at approximately 4:15am.

The launch will air on NASA TV which can beset on WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and on AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.

 

JPSS (short for Joint Polar Satellite System) is a series of high tech satellites that will keep an eye on the weather and environment. These satellites will circle the Earth from North Pole to South Pole 14 times each day as the planet spins below. This allows JPSS to see the whole Earth twice every day!

 

JPSS-1—the first satellite in the JPSS series—has a suite of advanced instruments to collect information about what’s happening in the atmosphere, on the land, and on the surface of the oceans. From its orbit 512 miles above Earth, JPSS-1 will help:

 

  • Create more accurate weather forecasts up to 7 days in advance.
  • Track how the weather affects plants, including forests and the crops that grow our food.
  • Monitor ocean health by taking detailed measurements of water temperature and color.
  • Keep tabs on the atmosphere to create earlier warnings of severe weather.
  • Watch for volcanoes and forest fires around the world to monitor air quality and enhance public safety.
Also on Saturday, Nov. 11, WKTV will be featuring the launch of the Orbital ATK Antares/Cygnus on the CRS-8 Mission to the International Space Station. Coverage begins at 7 a.m. with the launch scheduled for 7:37 a.m. Cygnus will deliver vital equipment, supplies and scientific equipment to the space station.
On Monday, Nov. 13, WKTV will be featuring coverage of the Rendezvous and Capture of the Orbital ATK Cygnus CRS-8 Cargo Craft at the International Space Station. Coverage starts at 4:15 a.m. with the grapple scheduled for 5:40am. Installation of the Cargo Craft starts at 7 a.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.

One of the most decorated Michigan veterans keynote speaker at Wyoming’s Veterans Day event

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Captain Paul J. Ryan of the United States Navy will be the keynote speaker at the Veterans Day Ceremony

The City of Wyoming will hold its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Garden, 2300 DeHoop Avenue SW.

 

Captain Paul J. Ryan of the United States Navy will be the keynote speaker for the event. Captain Ryan is one of our most decorated Michigan Veterans, having received many awards, most notably the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Captain Ryan retired from active duty in 2005 and is currently the Vice President and Senior Trust Officer for Fifth Third Bank. The Lee High School band will perform at the event along with the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard; Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt will host the ceremony.

 

“The City of Wyoming is committed and proud to recognize those who have served, and continue to serve our country in the armed forces and protect our freedoms,” according to Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services for the City of Wyoming. “Our Memorial Day and Veterans Day Ceremonies are a tribute to that service and protection.”

 

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2380 DeHoop Avenue SW, will also be accepting donations for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans during the month of November, Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Items sought for donation include $25. gift cards for local fast food restaurants, Meijer, Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree, Gordon Food Marketplace, etc., candy bars, pens, batteries, stamps, grooming/hygiene items, and clothing that is new or gently used.

 

Kentwood 50: City hosts first-ever Ugly Sweater 5K

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Sports, , ,

It’s time to pair your running shoes with your favorite ugly sweater for Kentwood’s Ugly Sweater 5K Cross Country Run.

 

The race will begin at noon on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Stormy Creek Golf Course, 3460 36th St., Kentwood. The course will wind through the golf course, making for a fun and challenging run. The City, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2017, is inviting runners and walkers to join this unique type of race.

 

“This is the first time the City has offered a cross country race. Participants will get to run on grass and gravel, cross bridges and even be challenged with a couple of hills,” said Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department. “The ugly sweater aspect adds a fun twist that the whole family can enjoy.”

 

Runners and spectators are encouraged to dress up for this fun 5k and show off their ugliest sweater. After the race, there will be an awards ceremony for both runners and the ugliest sweaters.

 

Registration is $35 and includes a knit beanie. For more registration information, visit www.kentwood50.com.

56th Street, Wilson Avenue rezoning proposal pulled from Wyoming City Council agenda

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , ,
The rezoning request for the proposed Reserve at Rivertown PUD has been pulled from the Nov. 6 meeting.

Per the request of the developer, a proposed rezoning for the 56th Street and Wilson Avenue area has been taken off the Wyoming City Council’s agenda for the upcoming Monday night meeting.

 

The Granger Group had been seeking a rezoning of an an additional 98 acres to a development on Wilson Avenue and 56th Street. The additional acreage would have been combined with an approved 2001 current planned unit development (PUD) for that area bringing the PUD to a total of 211.2 acres.

 

Granger spokesperson David Jackiewicz, with First & Main Corporate, confirmed last week that Granger was requesting the city council postpone the hearing on the rezoning so as “to allow the Planning Commission to review an updated PUD plan we recently submitted…” Jackiewicz confirmed that on Oct. 19, Granger Group did submit an amendment to its original 2001 PUD that would include a mix of condominiums, townhouses, and single family homes.

 

Granger started the rezoning process in August. In that proposal of the 211.2 acres, there would have been zero office space but about 3.57 acres of retail space and 686 total housing units. Those units would be 316 single family lots and 370 apartments with no multi-family housing. The Planning Commission had recommended denial of the rezoning request to the Wyoming City Council, which has the final decision on rezoning.

 

The rezoning request had meet with much opposition from residents currently living in and around the development. At a Sept. 5 City Council meeting, at the Granger Group’s request, the council decided to delay a decision until its Nov. 6 meeting. Company officials stated at the meeting that it was their desire to work through the issues and come up with a plan that would have a mutually satisfying conclusion.

 

Some of the concerns expressed by residents were:

  • decrease value to existing homes
  • density too high in one spot
  • increase traffic along 56th Street
  • violation of current property owners’ rights
  • developer does not need to max out the density on the PUD
  • residents should have input on changes
  • growth assumptions of 1 percent are too low
  • putting a strain on local police and fire services
  • there already are lots of other options for luxury apartments
  • other developments such as The Haven have not open and the full impact of those on school and community resources remain an unknown

 

“It [was] higher right now with M-6, I get that,” said Wyoming resident Jason Gillette, who was discussing the traffic on 56th Street. “Even without that, it is very high traffic in the area. In the evening, I’ll be coming and have to wait 20 minutes…depending on what time you come through.”

 

Gordon VanMeulen, who is with the Wyoming Citizens for Planned Progress, said everyone understands that there will be development in the area, but it needs to be sensible and balance.

 

“The 2020 Land Use Plan and Wilson Corridor Report recommended multi-family housing on the northland as a buffer to the RiverTown Crossing and single family homes on the southend,” VanMeulen said. He stated his group is not in favor of the rezoning because of current issues with the Granger Group’s Rivertown Valley, density and number of multi-family units and the failure to follow the 2020 Land Use Plan and the Wilson Corridor Report.

 

In a staff report presented to city officials, staff said that the proposed rezoning does comply with the 2020 Land Use Plan falling under the 4 units per acre overall density. The proposal called for 3.66 units per acre.

 

“When you buy some property next to some vacant land you should really understand can and might be done there,” said 3rd Ward Council Member Robert Postema at the Sept. 5 City Council meeting. “And when we have a PUD in place that is exactly what has been done. Those homeowners have a right to expect what was going to be built behind them. It was all planned out in the PUD. The exact nature of the building may not have been built as it was but the idea that they would have some condominiums behind them, some open space, and then apartments way up by Wilson that was pretty well established.”

 

Grand Valley Writers Series hosts Vu Tran Nov. 14

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Vu Tran

Vu Tran’s first novel, Dragonfish, was a New York Times Notable Book and one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Books of the Year. His short fiction has appeared in O. Henry Prize Stories, Best American Mystery Stories, and many other publications. He is the winner of a Whiting Writers’ Award and has received fellowships from Bread Loaf, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Vermont Studio Center, and the MacDowell Colony. 

 

Born in Vietnam and raised in Oklahoma, Vu received his MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a doctoral degree from the Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is currently an assistant professor of practice in English and creative writing at the University of Chicago.

  • What: Craft talk
  • When: November 14, 2:30-3:45 pm 
  • Where: Kirkhof Center, room 2266 (Allendale Campus)
  • What: Reading and book signing
  • When: November 14, 6-7:30 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center (Allendale Campus)

Authors from around the world will visit Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus as part of the 2017-18 Grand Valley Writers Series. The series has a rich history of bringing distinguished and emerging writers to campus to read work, visit classrooms and interact with students. For more information about the GV Writers Series, visit gvsu.edu/writing.

Employment Expertise: Five Strengths Veterans Bring to a Job

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Veterans leave the military with a set of skills valuable to employers. Here are five skills essential to every job-seeking veteran’s resume:

  1. Strong work habits — Veterans in the workplace are known for completing projects in a timely, efficient manner. These work habits are a result of maturity, integrity and self-confidence learned during the service.
  2. Flexibility and adaptability — Individuals in the service are trained to meet the changing needs of their environment and are quick to adapt to the new working environment.
  3. Initiative — Veterans bring with them the ability to create a plan of action that translates into the ability to solve problems quickly and independently.
  4. Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines — Military service requires a job done right the first time. Service members can prioritize, adjust and deal with stress in a positive manner.
  5. Ability to give and follow directions — People in the military understand accountability and how to work well with others. They’re respectful yet direct when making sure a job is well done.

Veteran Appreciation Week

All ten service centers in West Michigan are celebrating veterans and their spouses during Veteran Week from Nov. 6-9.

 

Events include:

  • Veteran Priority Day: receive on-demand services such as resume development, career exploration, interviewing skills. Appointment not needed.
  • Early Veteran access Hiring Events: meet with employers looking for new talent before everyone else.

See the list of all events here.


Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

From Mathias to SoulTech, GVSU art galleries feature an array of work

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Mathias Alten-Tarpon Springs (1935)

“Mathias J. Alten: An Evolving Legacy”
Exhibition dates: ongoing
George and Barbara Gordon Gallery
DeVos Center, Building E, Room 103 and 202, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
Gordon Gallery hours: Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on holiday weekends

 

The German-born American artist, Mathias Joseph Alten (1871-1938) is often referred to as the dean of Michigan painters. Working in a traditional representational style, Alten incorporated the aesthetics and techniques of the Impressionist Movement in paintings infused with light and punctuated with deft brushwork. Based in Grand Rapids, Alten created more than 3,800 works over a more than 40-year career, including landscapes, seascapes, portraits and florals. Grand Valley State University holds the largest public collection of Alten’s work in the world.

 

‘Kunnnby’ – Bush Lolly Dreaming

“Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts”
Exhibit on display through March 2, 2018
Kirkhof Center Gallery, Allendale Campus

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began. This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

 

“Balloon Popping” Nau-Kim

“2017 SeoulTech & GVSU Art & Design Student Exchange Exhibition”
Exhibit on display through December 8
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus

 

This exhibition continues the collaboration between Grand Valley State University and Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), that was started in 2008. It features 40 photographs of artwork by SeoulTech art students, while a similar number of photographs by GVSU art and design students were sent to South Korea for a partner exhibition.

 

“Hunkered Down” Virginia Jenkins

“Landscapes, Color & Light: Paintings by Virginia Jenkins”
Exhibition dates: December 15, 2017-March 2, 2018
Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus

 

Virginia Jenkins is a professor and former chair of the Department of Visual and Media Arts at Grand Valley State University. Landscape forms and images have been the primary focus of her work for over two decades, and her areas of specialty are in painting, drawing and mixed media. This exhibition is drawn from a recent series created in response to the landscape of the Northwest coast of the United States.

 

“Traveling with the Bangalore Wanderlusters: Reflections on a Semester in India by Maya Grant”
Exhibition on display through March 2, 2018
Blue Wall Gallery (Building B), DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus

 

In the fall of 2016, Maya Grant travelled to India on a study abroad scholarship from the GVSU Padnos International Center. Grant, a sociology major, was led to India by a need to escape and explore. She studied at Christ University in Bengaluru, volunteered at a local non-profit and captured her experiences and interactions through photography. On the weekends, Grant joined a group of expats called the Bangalore Wanderlusters, and traveled throughout Karnataka and its neighboring states. This exhibition includes more than 25 photographs documenting her experiences studying abroad, and exploring the landscape and people of India.

 

For more information about Art Gallery exhibitions, visit gvsu.edu/artgallery or call 616-331-3638.

Geopolitics, security threats, Russian power on World Affairs Council discussion agenda

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In this 2014 U.S. Army photo, and Army of the Republic of Macedonia soldier confers with a U.S. Army officer. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Cody Harding)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Soft power in the Balkans, specifically from the point-of-view of the Republic of Macedonia — if any of that was unclear, you need the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan.

 

The Grand Rapids-based chapter of the World Affairs Council is often the local go-to information source for up-to-date information on an ever-changing world and America’s military and political place run it.

 

Starting next week, with a discussion by Vasko Naumovoski, Ambassador to United States from the Republic of Macedonia, titled “Soft Power in the Balkans”, the council will be offering three open-to-the-public discussions in November.

 

Ambassador Naumovoski’s talk will be Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 6-7 p.m., with a social hour starting at 5:15 p.m., at the University Club, on the 10th Floor at 111 Lyon St. NE, in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

The event is $15 for members and guests, to be paid at the door. No RSVPs are needed but an email would be appreciated if one plans to attend as there will be a cash Bar and light hor d’oeuvres (and the count will help with ordering food).

 

There is free parking in the 5th/3rd bank lot if you park after 5 p.m. (The lot entrance is off Ottawa Avenue between Michigan and Lyon streets.)

 

Other events in November include U.S. security, Russia

 

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the council will present “Top Five Threats to America’s National Security”, with Dr. Lori Murray, former Endowed Chair for National Security U.S. Naval Academy. Murray will address the five threats to the U.S. that Secretary of Defense James Mattis identified in June, 2017: North Korea; Russia; China; terrorist groups; and Iran.

 

The discussion will be from 7-8:30 p.m., with time for a Q&A, and will take place at  Western Michigan University Grand Rapids at 2333 E. Beltline. The event is $15 and no RSVPs are necessary.

 

On Tuesday, Nov. 14, the council will present “Russia 2018: Putin’s Last Act?”, with John Beyrle, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia. Beyrle is a graduate of Grand Valley State and has been back to speak several times to speak on topics at the council. For more information see the council’s website.

 

Primer on the Balkans, the Nov. 7 speaker

 

The countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia — collectively known as Balkans — are adjacent to Russia and the European Union.

 

However, from ancient time until today, it has been difficult for one power to control the Balkans, according to information from the council’s website. This intense geopolitical competition makes the Balkan region one of the most contested and conflict-prone regions in the world, and part of that rivalry is unfolding through soft power and cultural diplomatic means.

 

Ambassador Naumvoski has been an ambassador since 2014. He is also a professor of international relations at the department of law at the St. Cyril and Methodist University in Skopje, where he earned his bachelor, master’s and doctoral degrees. From 2009 to 2011, he was deputy president of the government of the Republic of Macedonia and in charge of European affairs. In that post he began the process for Macedonia’s entry into the European Union. Macedonia is currently listed as a “candidate country,” in the process of integrating E.U. legislation into national law.

 

For more information these events and World Affairs Council of Western Michigan in general, visit worldmichigan.org

 

Grand Rapids Com Con 2017 was bigger, better with more to celebrities

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Photos and article by  Katelyn Kohane, a WKTV community contributor

 

“Your mission should you choose to accept it…” is to follow me through the 2017 Grand Rapids Comic-Con.

 

“This deal is getting worse all the time.”- Lando Calrissian

 

Oct. 20-22 was Grand Rapids Comic-Con. I attended Friday and Saturday this year and was pleased to see that the event has been getting bigger and better since I attended a few years ago. It seems to have a lot more booths and better-known celebrities in attendance this time around, and there were also a lot more people as well.

 

Both days I was able to see one of my favorite actors Billy Dee Williams, who is well known for his roll as Lando Calrissian in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Another roll of his was Harvey Dent in the 1989 “Batman.” I waited a few hours in line Friday to see Williams. I always find it fun waiting because you get to talk to a lot of cool people who also are waiting and you get to hear some of their stories. I actually first met Williams seven years ago while I was working at Areosmith Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster during “Star Wars” weekends at Walt Disney World. So fast forward to last weekend and I saw him and his manager again and his manager remembered me from Areosmith Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. That was pretty cool he remembered me!

 

Williams’ line at the Grand Rapids Com-Con was as long as the last time I saw him and when It was finally time to see Williams, he was just as nice as I remembered him to be. It was great to see him again.

 

Above, the author with Billy Dee Williams. Below, a signed photo from Williams.

 

The Grand Rapids Com-Con had a number of other celebrities too. Those also in attendance were Gates McFadden from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Kane Hooder from “Jason X,” Julian Glover from “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” and “James Bond,” and Catherine Sutherland from “Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie. Friday” I also walked around and checked out some of the booths and cool costumes.

 

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Saturday, I sat in on three panels in the main hall. The panels I attended were Jim Sterarko, “Batman,” and one featuring Williams.

 

The “Batman” panel was for the animated series, which of course I had watched. In attendance for the panel was Adrienne Barbeau who played Catwoman. Loren Lester who played Robin. Diane Pershing who played Poison Ivy and Clive Revill who played Alfred. It was a reunion for them since most of them had not seen each other in 20 years.

 

One of the questions I remember them being asked was “what where their favorite episodes?” Lester mentioned the episode “Sub Zero,” while Pershing mentioned “Home and Garden.”

 

Adrienne Barbeau, Diane Pershing, Loren Lester,  and Clive Revill during a panel discussion at the 2017 Grand Rapids Com Con.

 

In between the panel discussions, the 501st Legion gave an award to Julian Glover to honor his participation in The Star Wars Saga all these years, which was cool to see.

 

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Then it was finally time to attend the program featuring Williams. It started with a few clips from his greatest performances to get the crowed pumped up to see him. His manager came on stage to introduce Williams and also served as host. They started a question-and-answer discussion right away.

 

The first person in line mentioned that during his wedding his wife and he had an argument over whether or not the gentleman in a bridal magazine was Williams. Williams confirmed it was indeed him. His manager then had the gentleman call his wife on the phone and she spoke with Williams so he could tell her too. Later in the discussion, Williams’ manager found the photo from the magazine and put it up on the screen so everyone could see it.

 

A few people asked him if he thought race was ever an influence in whether or not he got a roll, and his answer, which I thought great, was he really had never thought how that affected him at all.

 

A few people asked him about any new and upcoming part for the “Star Wars” franchise. He did not say too much about the franchise but did mention that he had had lunch with Donald Glover, who plays young Lando Calrissian in an upcoming Hans Solo film set to be released next year. He also mentioned that he gets along well with the entire “Star Wars” cast.

 

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I actually had to leave about 15 minutes early so I could go to my photo op with Williams. When he was finished with the panel, he came over to the photo op. It was so nice to see him again.

 

After the photo op, I walked the booths and took a few photos. Overall, it was a great weekend at the 2017 Grand Rapids Comic-Con

 

“May the force be with you.”

Michigan author Jim C. Hines releases new book, heads to Schuler for visit

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Jim C. Hines

Michigan author Jim C. Hines returns to Schuler Books & Music this month to kick off his  new sci-fi series, “Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse.”

 

The first book in the series, “Terminal Alliance,” introduces the audience to some unlikely heroes who may just save the galaxy: a crew of space janitors. Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is surprisingly bright (for a human). As a Lieutenant on the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish, she’s in charge of the Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team. When a bioweapon attack by an alien race wipes out the command crew and reverts the rest of the humans to a feral state, only Mops and her team are left with their minds intact.

 

Escaping the attacking aliens—not to mention her shambling crewmates—is only the beginning. Sure, Mops and her assortment of space janitors and plumbers can clean the ship, but flying the thing is another matter. As they struggle to keep the Pufferfish functioning and find a cure for their crew, they stumble onto a conspiracy that could threaten the entire alliance of all the sentient species.

 

Hines, who is known for his humorous fantasy “Jig the Goblin” novels and the “Magic ex Libris” series, will be at Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE, Monday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.

 

Hines is an active blogger and won the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. He lives in mid-Michigan with his family.

 

For more information about this program or any other Schuler Boos & Music events, visit schulerbooks.com.

 

 

Kentwood 50: Bloom Sluggett PC carries the city attorney legacy

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Cliff Bloom and Jeff Sluggett from Bloom Sluggett PC

Kentwood City Attorney Jeff Sluggett has some understanding of what Kentwood’s founding fathers — especially then-attorney Walter Freihofer — went through in facilitating Paris Township incorporation as a city. He faced similar challenges in helping Kentwood get a revised charter approved in the mid-1990s.

 

“It was initially defeated,” Sluggett said of the revised charter. “I had never gone through something like that. The charter commission did make some changes to the charter and it eventually was approved by the voters.”

 

The passion and commitment the residents and city leaders have for improving their city and maximizing city dollars is something that still impresses Sluggett, who has served as the Kentwood City attorney for more than 15 years.

 

“I like working in the public sector,” said Sluggett. “It is interesting to me, and often you are working with volunteers who have an energy and a passion to help make their home, their community, better.”

 

His firm, Bloom Sluggett, PC, located at 15 Ionia SW, is one of very few in the state specializing in public sector law. With a total of five attorneys, including former 61st District Judge Mike Christensen, the firm serves as general counsel to roughly 50 different municipalities which includes cities, villages, and townships and also does specialized work for about a dozen more.

 

“You have firms that have attorneys who focus on public sector law, but the entire firm is not dedicated to that,” said Cliff Bloom, Sluggett’s partner. Public sector law covers a broad spectrum of law from drafting ordinances to bankruptcies, Bloom said with Sluggett adding that it is focused on a very limited pool of clients, specifically municipalities.

 

Bloom, as well, has deep roots in public sector law. He worked alongside Freihofer, who was considered the dean of municipal attorneys.

 

“He was well loved,” Bloom said of Freihofer. “He would comment a lot on how much the area had changed. It has changed some from when I worked with Freihofer in the 1980s, but my impression is that it changed significantly during the 1960s and 70s, going from rural to suburb.”

 

While working with Freihofer, Bloom served as the prosecuting attorney for Kentwood in the mid-1980s and he also worked alongside Kentwood’s second city attorney, Robert Cooper. Several years later, Cooper would eventually work with Sluggett, with Sluggett becoming Kentwood’s third city attorney upon Cooper’s retirement in the early 2000s.

 

Sluggett said they have seen Kentwood grow and prosper through the years. “I think the reason for that is, first, Kentwood has had some very good people running it,” he said. “They have some of the best department heads we have worked with throughout the state.

 

“Second, they are willing to take risks and anticipate what is coming. It is very much a team approach. For a city that size — more than 50,000 — they are not afraid of moving forward.”

 

And with that leadership and passion, Sluggett said he believes Kentwood will continue down that path of growth and prosperity.

 

Holland Home’s Nov. 8 event focuses on providing person-centered care for those with dementia

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Teepa Snow

By Alison Clark

 

Holland Home will host world-renowned dementia expert and educator, Teepa Snow, for a free seminar on dementia on Wednesday, Nov. 8. ‘Dementia 360°:  Seeing it from all Directions’, will cover dementia from a variety of perspectives, and is ideal for caregivers, family members and healthcare professionals.

 

Snow will provide a comprehensive analysis and care perspective on dementia, including its impact on the person living with it. She will discuss the disease process, how a person experiences a change in brain ability and the effects on the family and support networks.  Snow is an advocate for those living with dementia and has made it her personal mission to help families and professionals better understand how it feels to live with various forms of dementia. The seminar aims to help participants gain a deeper knowledge of dementia and learn key strategies for how to best relate to and provide care for those suffering with the disease.

 

“Dementia has a profound impact on each person it touches,” said Mina Breuker, CEO & President of Holland Home. “Holland Home is a leader in memory care and we want to equip caregivers and family members with information and tools to provide compassionate care for individuals living with the disease. We’re excited to host Teepa Snow, and learn from her personal experience with and professional expertise on dementia.”

 

Snow’s philosophy and education reflect her lifelong journey with dementia. Her person-centered approach has evolved to meet the complex and unique needs of individuals with the disease. Snow strives to grow an appreciation of differences with seminar participants that will lead to better care and support of those living with changing abilities.

 

The seminar will be held at Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin College, 1795 Knollcrest Circle SE in Grand Rapids, from 7 to 9 pm. No RSVP is necessary. More information can be found at hollandhome.org/events or by calling 616.235.5000. 

Sen. Peters presents Michigan WWII veteran’s local family medals, honors

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U.S. Senator Gary Peters presents medals and honors to the family of Army Private Frederick Ash. (Supplied)

By Sen. Gary Peters office

 

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mi.) last week presented nine medals and honors to the family of U.S. Army Private Frederick Ash. Ash bravely served in the European Theater in World War II and passed away in the 1950s. Peters helped obtain the commendations after Mr. Ash’s daughter contacted his office to ensure his contributions to our nation were properly honored.

 

Peters is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

 

“Private Ash was part of the Greatest Generation, fighting in the trenches of Europe in defense of our country, our allies and our shared democratic values under threat from a fascist dictator,” Peters, a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, said. “Private Ash suffered through harsh conditions and distinguished himself through meritorious conduct in the fight against tyranny, and today we honor his patriotism and valiant service on behalf of a grateful nation. While some of the details of his story have been lost to history, I hope that with these medals his heroic actions will live on in the memories of his children and grandchildren who are here today.”

 

The awards presented to the Ash family include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Double Bronze Star Attachment, World War II Victory Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, and Honorable Service Lapel Button World War II.

 

Frederick Ash was born and raised in West Michigan, and enlisted in the U.S. Army in the Spring of 1942 at Fort Custer — shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in the as an infantryman in the European Theater during World War II. Following his honorable discharge in 1945, he returned to West Michigan and started a family. He worked as a commercial fisherman in Saugatuck, and was tragically killed in a boating accident in the 1950s.

 

All records of Ash’s service were destroyed in a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. Due to the fire, records regarding the extent of Private Ash’s actions, including those that earned him the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, are no longer available.

 

Cat of the week: Nigella

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Beautiful Nigella

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

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).

On July 11th, 2016, Dr. Jen received this email from a wonderful gal, Kate, who is doing her part to help out the homeless cats in her neighborhood:
“Hi, Dr Jen, I feed a feral colony and end up attracting friendly strays from time to time. I’ve brought some to you in the past and I swear the minute I bring in one, another one appears. I always wait to see if they hang around or seem to have a home, but for the past 6 weeks this grey female has been basically living on my porch. At first she was scared but now she is very friendly; she has been looking more and more sickly with her fur very unkempt, and also she’s getting skinnier … she’s not doing well and she is not comfortable in my house. …”
It took a few weeks before we had an opening, but in the meantime, Kate combed an entire cat’s worth of matted fur off of her 3-year-old rescue (born in the summer of 2013) and managed to fatten her up a bit. Dr. Jen discovered the reason why kitty wasn’t eating or grooming herself that well was because she had two bad teeth that needed to be extracted AND she was also losing weight from having chronic diarrhea. Tests revealed she was internal parasite-free, so Dr. Jen suspected the loose stools were from the fact that kitty was eating more soupy canned food versus dry kibble. In any case, Dr. Jen was able to get the kitty’s medical issues under control, and a few days after her arrival, this incredibly sweet but painfully shy girl made her way down to Crash’s.

Nigella has a soft, gentle purr and is quick to roll over for belly rubs once she feels comfy, but as soon as anything startles her she high-tails it back to her safe place. It goes without saying that Nigella will need a very quiet, stable home environment to flourish in; she will require a person with patience to allow her to come into her own at the pace she sets for herself. She will need a room to herself, at least initially, as Nigella is all about taking baby steps towards her goal of becoming a brave soul.

Nigella, after a good brushing

After a month at the shelter, she still wasn’t ready to leave the cozy confines of our intake suite, so we let her guide us as to when she was ready to roam. The nice thing about our facility is that there are no time limits or constraints, and every single cat can acclimate and adjust according to his or her own comfort level.

We strive to make the Crash’s experience a positive one for everyone, tailoring it to meet individual needs. It doesn’t matter to us how long it takes.

More about Nigella

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

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.

GR Symphony kicks off the holidays with ‘The Snowman’ film and music, Nov. 11

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Many agree that November is a little too early for holiday music, but every rule has an exception.

 

Back by popular demand, the Grand Rapids Symphony performs “The Snowman” at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11 for the DTE Energy Foundation series program in DeVos Performance Hall.

 

Based on Raymond Briggs’s beloved children’s tale about a boy and a snowman who comes to life for an evening of adventure, the animated short was nominated for a 1982 Academy Award. See the film while the Grand Rapids Symphony performs Howard Blake’s score featuring the song, “Walking in the Air,” sung by members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Chorus.

 

Associate conductor John Varineau also will lead the orchestra in music including Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” and highlights from the film score to “The Polar Express” during the one-hour concert especially for children ages 8 to 13 with the families.

 

Pre-concert activities begin at 2 p.m. including a musical instrument petting zoo and craft projects inspired by the film.

 

Tickets are $15 adults and $5 children, available at the GRS ticket 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 box 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.

Theatre at Grand Valley presents ‘Cabaret’ in Nov. and Dec.

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,
Photo courtesy Grand Valley State University

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Cabaret takes place in Berlin, Germany, in 1930. American novelist, Cliff, is searching for inspiration when he finds lodging at Frau Schneider’s residence above the notorious Kit Kat Club. Led by a saucy emcee and Sally Bowles, a sassy showgirl, the free-wheeling performers at the club turn Cliff’s world upside down. Can Cliff and Sally find happiness as anti-Semitism and homophobia are on the rise?

 

When: November 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, and December 1, 2, at 7:30 pm; November 19 and December 3, at 2 pm.

 

Where: Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

 

Tickets: $12 adults, $10 seniors and GVSU alumni, faculty and staff, $6 students and groups

WKTV Journal: In Focus offers discussion on local school, transit millage requests

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Election,
Wyoming Public Schools, shown here in a photo supplied by the district. (Supplied)

WKTV Staff

news@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, WKTV’s public affairs show, program host Ken Norris talks with Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Tom Reeder about a Nov. 7 local ballot measure that would modernize district infrastructure and radically alter the high school. Then a representative of The Rapid public transition system talks about the importance of his organization’s request for continued public support.

 

Wyoming Public Schools superintendent Thomas Reeder’s district is seeking to modernize its buildings and other infrastructure. (WKTV)

Reeder’s district is asking for voter support for what will eventually be an investment of about $79.5 million into district infrastructure. The current approved millage would not increase or decrease, but passage of the request would extend the current millage rate for 18 more years — and would “set up the district for the next two decades,” Reeder says.

 

Michael Bulthuis of The Rapid public transit system. The Rapid is seeking a renewal of the system’s current 1.47 mil local property tax millage. (WKTV)

Michael Bulthuis, Marketing and Communication Manager for The Rapid public transit system, talks about the request to voters in Wyoming and Kentwood for renewal of the system’s current 1.47 mil local property tax millage. Wyoming and Kentwood are two of the six greater Grand Rapids community which are provided public transit and which would pay the millage. Mr. Bulthuis talks about his organization’s current services provided, its funding sources, and to give us some details on the renewal request.

 

The episode will air twice this week on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.

 

For the video of Dr. Reeder at WKTV visit here.

 

 

For the video of Mr. Bulthuis at WKTV visit here.

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6:30 p.m., on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

School News Network: A $1.48 Trillion Problem

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$1.48 trillion is the amount of college debt owed by U.S. citizens who’ve had to borrow to attend college

By Ron Koehler

School News Network

 

$1.48 trillion.

 

It’s a big number. And it’s a huge problem.

 

$1.48 trillion is the amount of college debt owed by U.S. citizens who’ve had to borrow to attend college. It’s a debt that’s growing at the rate of $2,726 every second, according to the business publication MarketWatch, which makes it likely it will be closer to $1.5 trillion by the time you read this blog.

 

For comparison purposes, U.S. credit card debt is nearly a half trillion less, pegged by MarketWatch at $1.021 trillion.

 

So just how much is $1.48 trillion? Enough, Forbes reports, to amount to $4,920 for every person in the United States. If we were to extend this debt worldwide, it would amount to $194 for every human on the planet, or about a third of the annual per capita income in the Central African Republic or the Democratic Republic of the Congo

 

Michigan’s share of that debt is approximately $5,330 per person. Nationwide, Forbes estimates more than 1.1 million people have college loans between $100,000 and $150,000.

 

“Houston, we have a problem.” Yes, you do. Texas loans amount to $4,510 per capita.

 

How can it be that we have accumulated this much in debt and still have businesses groaning about a talent shortage?

 

That’s a good question.

 

Some who bear the debt are asking it themselves. Forty-five percent of 1,500 respondents concluded college was not worth the cost when Americans with student debt were surveyed by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

 

It’s this mountain of college debt and the rapidly changing job market that prompted nine in 10 respondents to regional surveys conducted by Kent ISD last year to say they wanted greater connections between K-12 education and the world of work.

 

We’re not alone: 82 percent of the nearly 1,600 adults surveyed for the 49th annual Phi Delta Kappa International Poll of the Public’s Attitudes toward the Public Schools said they “support job or career skills classes even if it means some students might spend less time on traditional academics.”

 

Does that mean students should no longer aspire to attend college?

 

No.

 

“College graduates, on average, earned 56% more than high school grads in 2015, according to data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute,” according to USA Today, using the most recent figures available. “That was up from 51% in 1999 and is the largest such gap in EPI’s figures dating to 1973.”

 

And, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest growing jobs over the next decade will require post-secondary certifications or college degrees of varying durations.

 

What it does mean is everyone choosing to go to college should have a solid career path in mind.

 

College is not an end. College is a means to an end. Just half of students entering college leave with a degree after six years. None of those who leave without a degree are prepared for the fastest growing jobs cited in the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

 

What Schools Can Do

 

How can schools help? We can connect students to the world of work, to help them understand the jobs available, to create relevance in their education, and to help them make better choices in their educational and career pursuits after they graduate high school.

 

Kent ISD school districts, and the school districts in Ottawa and Muskegon area ISDs, are working with the Talent 2025 CEO group to help students make these connections.

 

Northview is an example of a school district that is making employability skills a measure of student performance. Things like punctuality, the ability to work as part of a team, to communicate and think critically and creatively about real-world problems are among the challenges that will face students in college, in careers, and in the curriculum Northview is developing.

 

The Kent Career Tech Center is working on a “talent transcript” to house the employability skills, college credits and other credentials earned by students during their high school careers. Kent ISD is also working to bring a career portal to students that will match their knowledge, skills, aptitudes and career aspirations with the region’s employers, so they can match their interests with opportunities.

 

It’s not the total answer, but it’s a start. You’ll be reading much more about these initiatives and others in School News Network over the next year.

 

We have to do something. None of our students, nor society, can afford six years in college and six-figure debt without the promise of a high-wage career awaiting their graduation.

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

On the shelf: ‘Everyday Sacred’ by Sue Bender

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Reviews, , , ,

By Karen Thoms, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

 

Sue Bender has written a timeless book. Five years after her New York Times bestseller Plain and Simple, Bender admits she drifted away from what she had learned living with the Amish. In Everyday Sacred she chronicles how she got back on track again.

 

Bender, a deeply spiritual person, draws on various religious traditions to light her path away from her internal harsh judge to her gentle “enough”. Her journey begins with a phrase everyday sacred and an image, a begging bowl. She does not know what either mean; yet from the beginning of the book the reader understands that she is going to trust the process of finding their meanings.

 

“All I knew about a begging bowl was that each day a monk goes out with his empty bowl in his hands. Whatever is placed in the bowl will be his nourishment for the day. I didn’t know whether I was the monk or the bowl or the things that would fill the bowl, or all three but I trusted the words and the image completely.”

 

She had hoped to find a straight path but hers led in circles. 

 

“So it helps if you listen in circles,” said a Jewish friend. And listen Bender does. She listens to “the opening ceremony of my day”—the smiley face her barista swirls into her cappuccino. She listens as a friend with a hurt knee tells her all the things she discovered on her walk because she had to walk slowly. When feeling overwhelmed, she remembered a friend telling her to “phase things in.” She pondered her physical therapist’s statement that she had “self-corrected in the wrong direction.” Her friend Helen, who lost everything in a house fire, said the fire “fine-tunes my attitude about the remainder of my life.” Bender listened, watched and acted her way back to her center.

 

Each day Bender presented her empty begging bowl and daily an experience, or a statement, or a feeling appeared in the bowl. By the end of the book Bender has slowed. 

 

“Being empty is a beginning.” 

 

“Good deeds have echoes.” 

 

Instead of judging her inabilities and flaws, clarity dawns.

 

“Our imperfections are a gift, the very qualities that make us unique. If we make the shift to see them that way—we can value ourselves… just as we are.” 

Public comment welcomed as Wyoming’s Public Safety Department seeks accreditation

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , ,

A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive on Monday, Nov. 6, to examine all aspects of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Chief James Carmody announced today.

 

“Obtaining confirmation that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety meets the standards set forth by the Commission is part of the process by which we achieve professional excellence.  Accreditation is consistent with our mission to ‘efficiently and effectively manage our resources to deliver the highest level of police service to the Citizens of Wyoming’”, Carmody said.

 

As a part of the on-site assessment, the public and agency employees are invited to offer comments on the agency’s services and overall performance at a public information session to be held at 5:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 7,  at the Wyoming Senior Center building located at 2380 DeHoop Avenue SW.

 

If, for some reason, an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call 616-530-7313 on Tuesday, Nov 7, between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.

 

The telephone comments as well as those made at the public information session are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the Commission’s standards.  A copy of the standards is available at the Wyoming Public Safety Department.  For further information, contact Lt. Mark Easterly at 616-530-7308.

 

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write:  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155.

 

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety must comply with 484 standards in order to maintain accredited status. The assessment team is comprised of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The team will review written materials, interview individuals, tour the facilities, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. Once their review is complete, the assessors will report back to the full Commission which will then decide if the agency is to be granted reaccredited status. Accreditation is for the next four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was originally accredited in 2012.

 

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155 or call 800-368-3757 or 703-352-4225 or www.calea.org.

Review: Ballet 5:8’s emotion-filled ‘Compass’ opens season of modern dance options

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews,
Ballet 5:8’s Antonio Rosario, front, was a focal point whenever he was on stage for the group’s “Compass” program. (Supplied/Lana Kozol)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org 

 

Ballet 5:8’s “Compass”, Oct. 28, at The Devos Center for Arts and Worship, Grand Rapids Christian High School, Grand Rapids, Mi. 

 

60-second Review

 

This weekend’s visit of the Chicago-based Ballet 5:8 dance company, and its original modern ballet/dance program “Compass”, choreographed by Julianna Rubio Slager, offered a welcome addition to what is a quality if not-so-plentiful spectrum of modern dance opportunities in the Grand Rapids area.

 

The program of four one-act ballets, inspired by the challenges of personal navigation in a world of cultural tension and personal quandary, was consistent in its imaginative choreography by Slager — the troupe’s artistic director — as well as being accompanied by mostly well matched music and well danced by Ballet 5:8’s dancers.

 

Special note should be given to the on-stage presence and prowess of solo dancers Stephanie Joe and especially Antonio Rosario — the pair were perfect together in the second movement/Culture 4 segment of “All God’s Children”, the opening of the four one-act ballets. But Rosario’s stage power and personality was a focal point whenever he was on stage.

 

The most memorable — and emotional — of the one-acts, however, was the sparse, incredibly emotional “The Mother”, and the dancing perfection of lead dancer Lorianne Barclay. Based on an interpretation of a poem by Pulitzer Prize author (and Chicagoian) Gwendolyn Brooks, the dance — where in Barclay’s channelling of Brooks’s lament of “the abortion of decades past” is both raw and sadly tender but also hints (to me) at the ultimate acceptance of one’s life decisions and the consequences of those decisions.

 

The dance company’s mission, according to the program, is to engage in a “conversation of life and faith” through dance. And “Compass” did that very well, and with out being too preachy.

 

For more information about Ballet 5:8 visit ballet58.org.

 

May I have more, please? 

 

As I said, the visit by Ballet 5:8 was a beginning and a welcome addition to the area’s fall/winter modern dance offerings.

 

Next up is Grand Valley State University’s modern dance offering, part of its Fall Arts Celebration, as Aerial Dance Chicago presents a free program, “Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago”, on Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., in Louis Armstrong Theatre on the Allendale Campus.

 

The annual visit by a professional dance company is always worth the time and the short drive west.

 

And also worth the effort is the GVSU Fall Senior Dance Concert, scheduled for Dec. 9, at 7 p.m., and Dec. 10, at 2 p.m., at the Dance Studio Theatre, also on the Allendale Campus. The dance program, all choreographed and danced by students, is free.

 

For more information GVSU’s entertainment programs visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

 

The high-point of the modern dance season, of course, the annual presentation of the Grand Rapid’s Ballet’s Movemedia program, this season offering a series titled “Movemedia: Diversity” and presented on Feb. 9-11, 2018 (Movemedia I) and on March 23-25, 2018 (Movemedia II), both at the ballet’s Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

 

The program, according to the Grand Rapid Ballet’s website, includes “world-premiere works by some of today’s most important and influential choreographers.”

 

If past performance(s) is any indication of future expectations, I can’t wait to see what hits the stage early next year.

 

For more information on the Grand Rapids Ballet visit grballet.org.

 

‘Drawn from the Desert: Australian Aboriginal Paintings from the Central and Western Deserts’ at GVSU Nov. 3-March 2

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , ,
‘Kunnnby’ – Bush Lolly Dreaming, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, Acrylic on Canvas

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

From 1940-1960, the Australian government forced Aboriginal groups off their lands and into organized communities of the Central Desert region and along the northern coast. Papunya, located about 150 miles northwest of Alice Springs, was the final community established to collect these displaced groups, and where the contemporary Australian Aboriginal art movement began. This exhibition is drawn out of a recent gift of Australian Aboriginal paintings to Grand Valley State University, created by artists from Papunya and the surrounding region. It features artwork that provides insight into Aboriginal life, retellings of important ancient stories and symbols, and the sacred sites of this vast and arid landscape.

Documentary ‘Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry’ at UICA, Nov. 8

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Food, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By UICA and Access of West Michigan

 

Look & See revolves around the divergent stories of several residents of Henry County, Kentucky who each face difficult choices that will dramatically reshape their relationship with the land and their community.

 

In 1965, Wendell Berry returned home to Henry County, where he bought a small farm house and began a life of farming, writing and teaching. This lifelong relationship with the land and community would come to form the core of his prolific writings. A half-century later, Henry County, like many rural communities across America, has become a place of quiet ideological struggle.

 

In the span of a generation, the agrarian virtues of simplicity, land stewardship, sustainable farming, local economies and rootedness to place have been replaced by a capital-intensive model of industrial agriculture characterized by machine labor, chemical fertilizers, soil erosion and debt — all of which have frayed the fabric of rural communities. Writing from a long wooden desk beneath a forty-paned window, Berry has watched this struggle unfold, becoming one of its most passionate and eloquent voices in defense of agrarian life.

 

Filmed across four seasons in the farming cycle, Look & See blends observational scenes of farming life, interviews with farmers and community members with evocative, carefully framed shots of the surrounding landscape. Thus, in the spirit of Berry’s agrarian philosophy, Henry County itself will emerge as a character in the film — a place and a landscape that is deeply interdependent with the people that inhabit it.

Directed By: Laura Dunn | Jef Sewel
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: 82 min
MPAA Rating: NA
Origin: USA
A film showing and panel in partnership with Plainsong Farm, Local First, and the UICA, this documentary delves into the life of Wendell Berry as well as the interdependence of land and community.

*A short panel discussion will follow the film

  • Nov. 8 at 7 pm at UICA
  • UICA Members: $4
  • Public: $8

Get tickets here.

 

Co-sponsored by Plainsong Farm, Access of West Michigan,  Urban Roots, and Local First”

 

From UICA.org

GVSU interfaith conference: building healthy relationships with global neighbors

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism
R. Scott Appleby

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Rapids Valley University

 

Fear, division, skepticism and assumptions are the foundations of many national and global headlines, but the annual Academic Consortium Conference will encourage attendees to build healthy relationships with their neighbors.

 

The 2017 Academic Consortium Conference will take place Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 1-8:30 p.m., in the Donnelly Center at Aquinas College. The event is sponsored by Grand Valley State University’s Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Interfaith Academic Consortium.

 

The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required by Nov. 7. The registration deadline for an optional lunch and dinner is Nov. 1. To register, and for more information about the conference, visit http://gvsu.edu/s/0zG.

 

“We often lose the capacity to see one another as humans who collectively have something to offer to our communities,” said Kyle Kooyers, Kaufman Interfaith Institute program manager. “Simply saying that our region or country is diverse is not enough. True community is achieved only when that diversity is engaged positively through collaboration, service, dialogue and understanding.”

 

R. Scott Appleby, dean of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame and expert on global religion, will present two keynote presentations during the conference. “When Religions Collide: Sources of Intra-Religious and Inter-Religious Conflict,” which will take place at 1 p.m., will focus on the barriers to religious collaboration, including conflict within and among religions, as well as external factors that inhibit cooperation.

 

Appleby’s evening lecture, entitled “When Religions Collaborate: Models of Religious Cooperation for Peace and Justice,” will take place at 7 p.m. It will explain the capacity that various religions have to collaborate with one another.

 

As an expert on global religion, Appleby focuses on its relationship to peace, conflict and integral human development. He currently co-chairs the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Task Force on Religion and the Making of U.S. Foreign Policy. Appleby’s research examines the various ways in which religious movements and organizations shape, and are shaped by, national, regional and global dynamics of governance, deadly conflict, international relations and economic development.

 

Appleby has written 15 books, including The Fundamentalism Project (co-edited with Martin Marty), The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence and Reconciliation, and The Oxford Handbook on Religion, Conflict and Peacebuilding (co-edited with Atalia Omer). He also serves as the lead editor of the Oxford University Press series, “Studies in Strategic Peacebuilding.”

School News Network: When Monsters Call and Teachers Read, Students Listen

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , ,
Teacher Shantel VanderGalien reads a passage from that cracks up some of her eighth-graders

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

The shared love of a book was on display in English teacher Shantel VanderGalien’s eighth-grade honors class as she read aloud from “A Monster Calls.” Creating a monster voice with a plummy British accent, VanderGalien revealed her theatrical side.

 

The young teens, seated in a circle around VanderGalien, interjected with observations like “foreshadowing!” and “simile!” as they listened closely to the narrative.

 

VanderGalien is devoting about 15 minutes of class time for several days over the next few weeks to read the award-winning book, written by Patrick Ness and illustrated by Jim Kay, to her Wyoming Junior High School students. Riveted, they recently reacted to a chapter-ending cliffhanger at the end of class as if it was /// torture to stop. “Ahhh! No!” they cried, realizing they would have to wait until the next day to know what happened next.

 

“Everybody likes to be read to,” VanderGalien said.

 

VanderGalien’s class is among more than 2 million students in 25,000 locations throughout the world signed up for Global Read Aloud, a project started in 2010 with the goal of using one book to connect the world. The premise is to read a book aloud to children during a six-week period and make as many global connections, via online tools, as possible, sharing the book and thoughts. This year, middle school groups had three books to choose from, including “A Monster Calls” — a novel that’s hard to keep on the shelves, VanderGalien said.

 

“What I wasn’t able to anticipate is the depth of my students’ love for the story,” she said. “Every single time I stop reading, they are like, ‘What! You can’t stop there!'”

 

Global Rad Aloud connects students around the world through the share loved of books, like “A Monster Calls,”

Picture This

VanderGalien, a 14-year-teacher, said she’s learned over the years why students of all ages connect so well with being read to. It’s made her realize the need to teach vocal inflection and pauses in connection with dialogue and punctuation.

 

“Students say, ‘I can’t see it in my head when I read, but when you read to me, I can see it,'” she said. “More of how I teach grammar is now embedded in us investigating the reading.”

 

Students said they enjoy VanderGalien’s dramatic reading.

 

“I can see it a lot better when she reads it because she does all the voices,” said eighth-grader Aubray Palma. “She is pretty much like a little kid. How she talks like the monster does, that’s what I see in my head.”

 

Neveah Morofsky said she loves the raspy, scary voice of the monster and the imagination involved.

 

“I’m a really big reader,” the eighth-grader said. “I read a lot, but it’s a lot of fun having Mrs. VanderGalien read to us. We are thinking of getting her an alphabet rug like we had in kindergarten.

 

“I really like her reading to us because she does all the voices. She has a lot of fun with it and so do we.”

 

“We get to learn together as more of a class,” added student Logan Boukma. “For us to be read to, we can understand it better. (VanderGalien) uses cool accents to make it more enjoyable and relatable.”

 

Another goal is challenging students to summarize, determine themes, analyze texts and complete other required standards using “A Monster Calls.” Students will also use the book in argumentative writing.

 

A Global Book Club

Global Read Aloud also has a big-picture piece involving universal themes. VanderGalien is hoping great conversations result in connecting online with students in different parts of the world through platforms like Write About.com, Flipogram.com and Google Classroom.

 

“I really emphasize having a voice in global citizenship. When they start evaluating the themes in the novel and seeing that people halfway around the world are getting the same messages, that’s when global themes become more concrete.”

 

Students said they look forward to hearing what other students think of the book.

 

“Everybody gets a different experience from the book and we can talk about it and see where everyone is coming from,” Neveah said.

 

“They say you should put yourself in other people’s shoes,” Aubray said. “We get to do that and experience what other people think.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

Students sit in a circle to listen the teacher Shantel VanderGalien read

 

Kentwood Police seeking assistance in identifying suspect in home invasions

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, ,
The coat the possible suspect could be wearing.

A series of home invasions in the area of 52nd Street and Eastern Avenue have the Kentwood Police Department asking for the community’s help to identify and locate the suspect(s) who may be responsible.

 

According to a recently released police report, the suspect is an unknown male who may be wearing the jacket seen in the accompanying photos.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kentwood Police Department at 616-698-6580 or Silent Observer at 800-774-2345.

 

In addition, the Kentwood Police Department is also reminding its citizens to keep their doors locked, exterior lights on and their garage doors shut at night and to call the local police department if they see or hear anything suspicious.

‘Essential String Trios’ opens St. Cecilia chamber series

Entertainment,

 

 

By St. Cecilia Music Center

 

St. Cecilia Music Center will feature the outstanding Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in a concert on Thursday, Nov. 2, featuring co-artistic director and cellist David Finckel, with violinist Arnaud Sussman and violist Paul Neubauer. The program titled “Essential String Trios” will include the works of Beethoven, Mozart and Penderecki.

 

“We are excited to embark on our sixth season with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center,” SCMC executive director Cathy Holbrook said. “The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is comprised of the finest chamber musicians in the world. Co-Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han choose the most amazing programs for this series and send us dynamic performers. If you haven’t attended one of these performances you should come to hear vibrant music in one of the finest concert halls in the world – The Royce Auditorium at St. Cecilia Music Center.”

 

The “Essential String Trios” concert will feature a string trio — violin, viola, and cello —is the chamber music connoisseur’s delight. The program will be:

Beethoven — Trio in G Major for Violin, Viola and Cello, Op. 9, No. 1

Penderecki — Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello

Mozart — Divertimento in E-flat Major for Violin, Viola and Cello, K. 563

 

Concert tickets are $38 and $43 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org.

 

A pre-concert wine/hors d’oeuvres event for $15 will be available to all ticket holders starting at 6:30 p.m. There will also be a pre-concert talk with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center artists in the Royce Auditorium to discuss the music selection for the evening and any other questions that pertain to the artists themselves.

 

A post-concert party is open to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to meet the artists and obtain signed CDs of their releases.

 

Season tickets for the Chamber Music Society Series are still available and include a $15 discount off of single ticket prices for the three concerts (with the others to be held Jan. 18 and April 19) by calling 616-459-2224 or visiting St. Cecilia Music Center at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids.