All posts by Joanne

On tap: Share a brew with a boo, beer fest in Kalamazoo, and GR cocktail week 

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Beer and cocktails — and drinking responsibly — will be the center of attention in November as several special events come to West Michigan. (Courtesy New Holland Spirits)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Mitten Brewing Company — located in an old firehouse at 527 Leonard St. NW, in Grand Rapids — reportedly has ghosts with a taste for beer. But even spirits need to be 21 years of age to get a cold one, you know.

 

According to supplied information,, one night in 2012, during the second week of being open, brewery owner Chris Andrus was the last person to leave the Engine House after doing the final floor mop, at 2 a.m., and the first to open the next morning. The story goes, as he inspected the taproom, he noticed footprints left in the dried mop water on the floor.

 

“At first, Chris thought nothing of it,” we are told. “But after a few minutes of going about his business, he realized no one else had been in the building between his leaving and return, and that the prints were made by bare feet. He returned to the footprints and made a perplexing discovery: they were the footprints of a child.”

 

More footprints would show up over the years, as did shadows, silhouettes and — of course — noises.

 

The Mitten’s tap house is the Engine House No. 9 building: built in 1890, a former West Side Grand Rapids firehouse and one of the city’s few remaining Victorian landmarks. It remained an active firehouse until 1966. It was purchased and restored by The Mitten Brewing Company in 2012. So, it  would not be the first haunted firehouse.

 

So, in case you are into such things, the next time you’re in for a beer, ask the bartenders about the ghosts, or just keep watch.

 

For more information, visit mittenbrewing.com .

 

Kalamazoo Craft Beer Festival to have 250+ brews on pour

 

Talk about the ultimate tasting room …

 

More than 80 breweries will have more than 250 brews favorite and special up for sampling at the Wings Event Center Saturday, Nov. 4, as the Kalamazoo Craft Beer Festival — and while Michigan brews will, as always, be the focus of the event but  there will also be brews and breweries from all over the United States in attendance.

 

Among the special brews of note, according to supplied information, are Imperial Voodoo Vator in celebrate of Atwater Brewery’s 20th anniversary, Roak Brewing’s Cucumber IPA, and Hazy Sunset, a New England IPA from Kalamazoo’s own Boatyard Brewing Co.

 

Since man (or woman) does not live on beer alone — despite what Guinness stout’s makers might say — there will be food trucks on-site at this year’s festival.

 

The Kalamazoo Craft Beer Festival also is offering ways to make sure everyone gets home safe and sound, so while designated drivers are encouraged, taxis, Ubers, and Lyft rides are also available to and from the event— and cars left at Wings Event Center over-night will not be ticketed. Mobile homes can park and stay in the Wings Event Center parking lot, but there are no hook ups to electrical or water.

 

For more information, ticket options, and a complete brewery and beer list, visit kalamazoocraftbeerfestival.com .

 

Hemingway cocktail expert at GR ‘Wine, Beer & Food’ event

 

Drink what Hemingway drank …

 

The 10th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival at Downtown Grand Rapids’ DeVos Place will host Philip Greene, who has studied and written about the influence of cocktails on the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway (among countless others notables) as part of the festival.

 

The festival runs Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 16-18.

 

Greene is the author of “The Manhattan: The Story of the First Modern Cocktail” and will release “The Drinkable Feast: A 1920s Paris Cocktail Company” in 2018 — named in honor of Hemingway’s posthumously published work, “A Moveable Feast”.

 

Greene’s program, “To Have and Have Another” will be presented Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. There is no charge for these demonstrations and cocktail samples will be provided to the audience. He’ll also present four workshops throughout the course of the using spirits from Holland-based Coppercraft Distillery.

 

The Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival will coincide with the final weekend of Cocktail Week GR, presented by Experience Grand Rapids.

 

For more information on the festival, visit devosplace.org . For more information on Cocktail Week GR, visit experienceGR.com .

 

 

Taste of Redwater event to benefit CASA child advocacy group

 

Party for a good cause …

 

West Michigan’s Redwater Restaurant Group will host an evening of “food, philanthropy and fun” — their words, not mine — with food, wine and beer samples available and a portion of the proceeds going to CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children in Kent County program which “empowers everyday citizens to stand up for vulnerable children in the family court system.”

 

To be held Saturday, Nov. 11, from 6-9 p.m., at Redwater’s Work Wine & Grille, located at 500 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, the event costs $40 per person with $5 per person going to CASA.

 

According to supplied information, attendees will taste appetizers, entrees and desserts prepared onsite by the Chefs from Reds at Thousand Oaks, FireRock Grille, Rush Creek Bistro, Cork Wine & Grille, Vintage Prime & Seafood, and Gravity Taphouse, as well as RedWater’s pastry chef. Live music will be prepared by the band Oxymorons.

 

For more information visit corkwineandgrille.com/specials/

 

Dancers to perform in the ‘vertical realm’ during GVSU Fall Arts Celebration

Citizen Journalism, , ,
Aerial Dance Chicago

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Fall Arts Celebration at Grand Valley State University will transcend the traditional dance floor and fly into the sky when Aerial Dance Chicago (ADC) presents a new world of athleticism coupled with an elegant showcase of dancing in the air.

 

“Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago” will take place Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus. The performance will be preceded by a carillon concert on the Cook Carillon Tower at 7:10 p.m. featuring Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carilloneur, and followed by a reception.

 

A pioneer and an international leader in aerial dance, ADC is dedicated to presenting original choreography and performance in the field. The ensemble launches itself into the creative possibilities found in a vertical realm.

 

“Aerial dance has evolved into a highly sophisticated and expressive art form, far beyond its origins in acrobatics and circus-based aerial arts,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theater and Dance Department. “It is a visually stunning and innovative approach to modern dance that is a must see for anyone who loves dance.”

 

During the company’s Fall Arts Celebration performance, ADC will incorporate a variety of apparatus, including suspended fabrics, bungee cords, hoops, swings and ropes.

 

Founded in 1999, ADC is currently the only dance company in the Chicago region dedicated to choreography and performance in the field of aerial dance. In 2014, ADC opened Chicago’s first dance center dedicated to work in aerial dance.

 

“While there are more and more such companies developing nationwide, performances such as this are mostly centered in larger cities and urban environments,” said Phipps. “This will be a unique opportunity for everyone who attends Fall Arts Celebration.”

 

For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.

Jonathan Peavey to take Home the “Moving People Forward” Award

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Jonathan Peavey is selected as the 6th Annual AIM High Endurance Awards “Moving People Forward” recipient from Alternatives in Motion. The award is given to an individual who demonstrates strength and endurance while inspiring, motivating, and encouraging others to reach their full potential. The award ceremony is to take place on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Golf Club. More information about the ceremony can be found at www.aimhigh.aimgr.org.

 

Thirty-three years ago the doctors told Peavey’s parents not to expect him to live long. Born with cerebral palsy, practically mute and perpetually challenged, what’s a man to do?  Everything.

 

Jonathan Peavey

Peavey’s life has been a constant struggle to survive dismal expectations, little support outside of his immediate family, and an often insensitive medical community, aside from the care of one doctor who never failed to believe; yet he has continually influenced those around him, sometimes before they’ve met and often with live-changing results.  What many would consider to be a winless battle is simply “normal” to a man who has survived more than three decades beyond what anyone in the “delivery room” expected.

In 1992 surgery took part of his legs. In 1996 a feeding tube took his ability to taste.  In 2006 a tracheotomy took his voice. Each time he was given the option of surviving by giving up a physical part of himself or letting go.  In each case, Jonathan chose to live. In 2010 he participated in his first marathon.

 

“Jonathan’s life is a living testimony that when society says you can’t do something, you can” said Angela Peavey. “He’s participated in over 30 endurance events, raised a lot of money for charities worldwide through a documentary about his life, educated people about living with a disability; and in the end he wants nothing but to share encouragement, hope, and joy to other ‘Jonathan’s’ around the world.”

 

West Michigan is home to great leaders, coaches, race directors, mentors, charities, sponsors, and volunteers that make our endurance events possible. A.I.M. High awards focus on the people who have made the commitments and sacrifices to challenge themselves and do something most people will never even try.

 

“In 24 years serving and empowering thousands of persons with disabilities we have created a stronger healthier community today” said Coleen Davis, Executive Director of Alternatives in Motion. “We’re excited to invite the community to get to know us and our vital mission, in addition to honoring this year Awardees.”

Employment Expertise: Why a Seasonal Job is Great for Your Job Search

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Non-Profits, , , , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

With the holiday shopping season right around the corner, retailers are growing their staff to meet customers’ needs. Last year more than 640,000 seasonal jobs were filled. This year even more openings are projected.

 

If you’re looking for a job, consider a temporary, seasonal position. Here’s why:

 

Gives you experience. Whether you’re providing customer service in a store or fulfilling online orders in a warehouse, you will encounter opportunities to problem-solve. You can use these situations as examples in future interviews.

 

If you aren’t working right now, this job can fill in an employment gap on your resume.

 

Provides a referral. Before your last day, ask your supervisor (or a colleague) to be a referral for future jobs. Consider exchanging personal email addresses and phone numbers so you can keep in touch if they move to a different company.

 

Leads to future opportunities. Treat your seasonal job like a permanent one. Impress your supervisor by being on time and working hard. If you are interested in long-term employment with the company, let your supervisor know. Ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities.

 

Expands your network. Build a relationship with your coworkers and let them know you’re looking for a permanent job. Keep in contact with them after your position ends via social media, email or phone calls.

 

Ready to look into a seasonal position? Here are four openings to get you started in your search:

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

‘Celebrating Originality: Defying Gravity with Aerial Dance Chicago’ Nov. 6 at GVSU

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , , ,
FAC Dance-Aerial Dance Chicago (photo supplied)

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Fall Arts Celebration will transcend the traditional dance floor and fly into the sky when Aerial Dance Chicago (ADC) presents a new world of athleticism coupled with an elegant showcase of dancing in the air.

 

A pioneer and an international leader in aerial dance, ADC is dedicated to presenting original choreography and performance in the field. The ensemble launches itself into the creative possibilities found in a vertical realm.

 

During the company’s Fall Arts Celebration performance, ADC will incorporate a variety of apparatus, including suspended fabrics, bungee cords, hoops, swings and ropes.

 

When: November 6, at 7:30pm

 

Where: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

 

*Concert will be preceded by a carillon concert at 7:10pm featuring Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carilloneur, and followed by a reception.

With city and commercial cooperation, grand opening of 28 West Place more than ribbon-cutting 

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Local Business, ,
At the ribbon cutting, from left, Megan Sall, City of Wyoming assistant city manager and Downtown Development Authority director; Bob O’Callaghan, President of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce; Joshua Weiner, CEO Meyer C. Weiner Company; Tom Swoish, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust; and Matthew McDade, Meyer C. Weiner Company. (Supplied/City of Wyoming)

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The 28 West Place parking lot and sidewalks were a buzz of activity Saturday, Oct. 21, when the business-focused City of Wyoming and its business partners held the official grand reopening of the shopping center once known as Wyoming Village Mall.

 

But there was much more of a crowd going into and out of several businesses than there are watching the usual ribbon-cutting — and that was just fine with everybody getting their pictures. Making the shopping center much more attractive and easier to access was what their efforts were all about.

 

“The last time we had a grand opening here was 1978, when we had renovated the shopping center,” Joshua T. Weiner, of mall owner Meyer C. Weiner Company, said to WKTV Journal. “It has been from 1978 until now, really, that this shopping center had gone through a major transformation.”

The mall first opened in 1962, when it was called Southland Plaza. It was dedicated to Weiner’s grandfather, Harry, “who was a haberdasher on Ionia Street in Grand Rapids, who predicted the growth of this area,” Weiner said.

 

And over the years, through good times and not-so-good times, businesses have come and gone from the location, but Weiner said two things remained constant.

 

“The one constant, of Wyoming and this particular location, on Michael Avenue (SW), is 28th Street,” he said. “28th Street has always had great traffic, great volumes, and has made this location a viable one for over 50 years. The demographics have changed, in the marketplace, over that time, and in order to meet the needs of the marketplace we’ve had to change with those times in terms of the merchants who are here and the development we have. We think we have done that.

 

“The other constant has been a close working relationship with the City of Wyoming itself. The founding fathers — and founding mothers — of Wyoming, both the elected officials and the professional staff, have worked with us hand-in-glove over the years. And (did so) this particular public-private partnership, of putting in 28 West Place, the street.”

 

A key part of the redevelopment of the center was the city purchasing land and putting in a special street  — 28 West Place Street — to allow better access to the businesses.

 

“Back in (20)08 I first got involved in this, when Carol Sheets was mayor, and we started to talk about it,” Sam Bolt, Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem, said to WKTV Journal. “When the developers wanted to get onboard, at that point, we had it pretty well laid out as to what we wanted.

 

Overview of the new 2 West Place with the 28 West Street.

“When the mall decided they wanted to go ahead with it, we bought the property … to get the street in,” Bolt said. “Last year at this time we got the street in, now we are breaking ground on it. It is just a beautiful project. It has revitalized this area. I think we have added 20,000 square feet to the mall already.”

 

28 West Place Street bisects the mall’s property to connect 28th Street to Michael Avenue. The new road is part of the City of Wyoming’s master plan to transform its downtown area into a pedestrian friendly oasis of shopping, dining, entertainment and housing, according to the city.

 

The public-private partnership to help redevelop 28th Street is in keeping with the city’s business-friendly outlook.

 

“Today we have a mindset, in the city, that we want to work with developers and retail people to revitalize the area,” Bolt said. “We work with them, not stand in their way, trying to make it a one-stop-shop, so that when they come in with a project that they want to do, they don’t have to talk to 10 different people, they talk to one person. They get their questions answered, and we go forward. … We know they have money on the line, and every day a project is not going forward is costing them dollars.”

 

The Oct. 21 with a ribbon-cutting and grand re-opening celebration was hosted by the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce as well as the Downtown Development Authority.

 

In partnership with the city, the Meyer C. Weiner Company has completed construction of its multi-million dollar redevelopment on this mall property, according to the city. In 2016, work began to demolish approximately 58,000 square feet of vacant, obsolete building space. Construction began in 2017 to add 20,000 square feet of new energy efficient building space and two out-lot buildings of approximately 11,000 square feet, along with significant property improvements to upgrade the existing retail center and its surface parking lot.

 

Since the changes took place, three new tenants have moved in: CSL Plasma, Mr. Alan’s clothing store, and Simply 10 clothing store. Additional space is available for lease, including another 5,500-square-foot pad building with visibility along 28th Street.

 

We the People: Kentwood’s 1st Ward Commission Candidates

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WKTV takes seriously its role as a communications provider. We want our community to be well-informed and more involved in local matters.

 

 

In the city of Kentwood, residents will be heading to the polls on Nov. 7 to elect new city officers and city commission members. Of the six positions up for election, only two are contested, the Mayor position and a 1st Ward City Commission seat. Below are the candidates for the 1st Ward Commission seat.

 

 

Emily Bridson

Name: Emily Bridson

Challenger for the First Ward City Commission Seat

 

Why did you decide to run for election to this office? [After attending several city commission meetings, Bridson said] Mayor Kepley approached me after a city commission meeting and said, “You know, if you keep showing up, we’ll give you a job to do.” It was back then that I decided to part of the solution. I seized the opportunity to become a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission and also the Planning Commission. It was one of the best decisions I have made: I have learned a tremendous amount about how the city works with other municipalities, and the importance of being an effective member of a committee, of listening to my neighbor’s input, and of serving our city. I’ve learned that all of us, by getting involved with local government, can have a positive impact on our families, neighborhoods, parks and the future of our city.

 

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? Based on the many conversations I have had with residents, my vision for our city includes: investing in education – so that every child has a well-funded, effective education; promoting equity and inclusion – Kentwood’s boards and commissions should reflect our community. When inclusivity connects our community, we all win; improving our public places – investing in parks and recreation enhances our residents’ lives through activities and green spaces; prioritizing public safety – for everyone…for a safer community.

 

 

Gerald DeMaagd

Name: Gerald DeMaagd,

Incumbent for the First Ward City Commission Seat

 

Current position: I retired from Steelcase in 2001 after 27 years. I was a data security team leader.

 

Why did you decide to run for election/re-election to this office? I decided to run for re-election to continue working on improving governance at the commission level. Governance describes how the commission itself is organized.

 

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? The challenge for Kentwood in the coming years will be long-term fiscal sustainability after the city is fully developed. Currently our tax base is expanding as new commercial, industrial, and housing development occurs…providing a growth dividend. When fully built out, this revenue increase will plateau.

 

Those seeking re-election in uncontested City of Kentwood races are Dan Kasunic for City Clerk; Laurie Sheldon for City Treasurer; and Betsy Artz for City Commissioner-at-Large. Tom McKelvy is running unopposed as well for a 2nd Ward Commission seat currently held by Erwin Haas who is not seeking re-election.

 

We the People: Kentwood Mayoral Candidates

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, , , , ,
WKTV takes seriously its role as a communications provider. We want our community to be well-informed and more involved in local matters.

 

In the city of Kentwood, residents will be heading to the polls on Nov. 7 to elect new city officers and city commission members. Of the six positions up for election, only two are contested: the Mayor position and a 1st Ward City Commission seat. Below are the candidates running for mayor.

 

 

Stephen Kepley

Name: Stephen Kepley

Incumbent

 

Current position: Mayor of the City of Kentwood

 

Why did you decide to run for election/re-election to this office? I believe it is a calling in my life and that there are definitely goals I want to accomplish in the coming years such as continuing the work on the Kentwood Community Foundation. This was a private foundation which we have worked to make public and are now focused on building an endowment.

 

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? We have been celebrating our past this year and through that we have learned that our residents look to our city to have some of these special city events through our Parks and Recreation Department. These include the farmers market, the Ugly Sweater 5k run, and the outdoor concerts. The residents see added value to keeping these type of events going. We still have a strong work climate, and jobs where people can work remain important which is why Kentwood will always be “open for business.” Kentwood also has a lot of open space and there are needs for housing. We are planning that infrastructure, and while Kentwood still has room to grow, we need to be planning for long-term sustainability of revenue income.

 

 

Scott Urbanowski

Name: Scott Urbanowski

Challenger

 

Current position: President and founder of Humanoid Digital, a digital media company

 

Why did you decide to run for election/re-election to this office? Originally I had considered the city commission; however, there was a push for me to run for mayor because of my leadership and managerial experience. I know what it is like to struggle with economic difficulties, and having lived through that I feel I understand the needs of all the residents of our community.

 

As you are aware, the City of Kentwood just recently marked its 50th anniversary. What challenges/issues do you believe the city will need to address to continue to build upon its success? I have a platform of safer, stronger, more engaged and better-managed safety. I would like to see more police patrols and more Neighborhood Watch groups in areas of high crime. Budget sustainability is another key component. Also, I would like to focus on the process of appointments to city boards, making it a more formalized process along with increasing awareness and communication of the positions available within the city.

 

Those seeking re-election in uncontested City of Kentwood races are Dan Kasunic for City Clerk; Laurie Sheldon for City Treasurer; and Betsy Artz for City Commissioner-at-Large. Tom McKelvy is running unopposed as well for a 2nd Ward Commission seat currently held by Erwin Haas, who is not seeking re-election.

The Spartans are coming, the Spartans are coming … to Grand Rapids

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The Michigan State Spartans will bring their energy — and a No. 2 ranking — to Grand Rapids this weekend. Photo from a 2016-17 game. (Courtesy MSU Athletic Communications)

 

Update Oct. 26, 5 p.m. Update.

MSU basketball charity exhibition receives overwhelming response. No tickets currently available for Sunday’s contest against Georgia

Sunday’s men’s college basketball exhibition between Michigan State University and University of Georgia at the Van Andel Arena in support of disaster relief efforts has proven to be an extremely high demand event. Tickets went on sale Wednesday afternoon, and the response was immediately overwhelming. There are no tickets currently available for the game, but there will be a very limited number of holds released this week.

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The preseason No. 2-ranked Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team — including a freshman big man Xavier Tillman, who played high school ball on local courts — will be coming to Grand Rapids this Sunday to play the Georgia Bulldogs in a special disaster-relief fundraising exhibition contest.

 

The charity exhibition game will take place Sunday, Oct. 29, at 2 p.m., at the Van Andel Arena. Its goal is to help to raise awareness and financial support for hurricane relief efforts, specifically those in Georgia and in the Bahamas — the home of Spartans senior guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr.

 

Ticket sales, which begin today, Wednesday, Oct. 25, will benefit American Red Cross (International Services) and American Red Cross (Georgia Region).

 

 

To bring the game to town, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority and SMG, which manages the Van Andel Arena and the DeVos Place and Performance Hall partnered with the Michigan State University Athletic Department and the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

 

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo. (Courtesy MSU Athletic Communications)

“This is a great opportunity for our programs to help make an impact with the relief and rebuilding efforts in areas that were affected by this summer’s hurricanes,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said in supplied material.  “We look forward to playing back in Grand Rapids where we have a strong fan base.

 

“They’ll see us play a very good Georgia team that is very well coached and features a great player in Yante Maten, who’s returning to his home state. Combining a competitive basketball game with a worthy cause makes for an outstanding event.”

 

Georgia’s Maten was selected as the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Year last season. A native of Bloomfield, Mi., he averaged 18.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last year. The Bulldogs received votes in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll after posting a 19-15 record last season and playing in the National Invitation Tournament.

 

“This is a unique opportunity allowed this year by the NCAA to help with disaster relief,” Georgia head coach Mark Fox said in supplied material. “Adding a road game in short notice seemed more difficult than needed. But this is an opportunity to help the people of the state of Georgia. Hurricane Irma had a significant impact on the DawgNation.”

 

While the contest will be an exhibition game, a non-counter for the team’s official record, both teams are preparing in earnest for the season to begin and should be a very competitive game. And not only will it match up to of the best players in the country in MSU’s Nairn Jr. and Georgia’s Maten, it will also mark the return home for Tillman.

 

Tillman, a 6-foot-8 and 260-pound forward, played high school ball at Grand Rapids Christian.

 

And while Tillman is expected to have an impact on the Spartan program as early as this year, he said he is still in the learning mode when it comes to the next level of basketball and Coach Izzo.

 

Xavier Tillman, a freshman Spartan who played high school ball in Grand Rapids last year. (Courtesy MSU Athletic Communications)

“It’s crazy … This intensity is different because it’s not like Grand Rapids Christian,” Tillman said in supplied information. “Coach Izzo is looking at me in my face like, ‘You gotta show up, you gotta play.’ So it’s more personal and I think that would be the biggest difference between how my high school used to be and now.”

 

Tillman was named to the 2017 Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream Team and the AP Class A All-State team after averaging 13.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 4.2 blocks as a senior, shooting 68 percent from the field. He led Grand Rapids Christian to a 27-1 record and an appearance in the Class A state title game.

 

Ticket prices start at $17.50 and are available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices are subject to change.

 

Gerald R. Ford International Airport announces new COO

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Alex Peric

By Tara Hernandez

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

 

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority (GFIA) announced today that Alex Peric, A.A.E. has been hired as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).

 

Peric, who comes to Gerald R. Ford International Airport from Allegheny County Airport Authority in Pittsburgh, will start at the Airport Authority on November 6th.

 

“Alex is a perfect addition to our airport team,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “He is well known and well respected among his peers in the aviation industry, and he has experience in all of the areas where we are looking to grow –economic and business development, air service, and operations.”

 

Peric has more than 15 years of aviation experience. The Cleveland native started his career with Continental Airlines in Cleveland in 2000; he had stops working for the City of Phoenix (Arizona) Aviation Department in Management Development Program, and then returned to the Cleveland Airport System as Properties Officer, Business Development & Properties from 2008-2010.

 

In his tenure at the Allegheny County Airport Authority, Peric most recently served as Vice President of Business Development and Properties where he was responsible for the evaluation and pursuit of prospective business opportunities in efforts to increase revenues, airport utilization, and the achievement of business objectives. Under the general direction of the CEO, he led negotiations of business transactions and managed a staff of professionals both internal and external to implement the organization’s strategy regarding all business development and properties activities including the leasing of more than 3.5 million square feet of facilities, land development of 9,000 acres, as well as aid air service development in the retention and recruitment of airlines. He also had roles as a Business Manager and Business Analyst in his time in Pittsburgh.

 

“I am thrilled to join the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority team,” said Peric. “I grew up in the Midwest and am excited to live in such a thriving community with an incredible airport. Grand Rapids is a hidden gem, and that includes the airport. I am looking forward to working with the GRR team to help the airport grow even more, and create additional business opportunities in West Michigan.”

 

Peric is an Accredited Airport Executive with the American Association of Airport Executives, and serves on Airport Council International’s Commercial Management Steering Group.

 

Among the Airport’s future plans is a current Gateway Transformation Project, which is set to begin Phase Two construction in 2018. Additionally, the Airport is on pace to break another passenger record for 2017, and airport leadership are underway in updating the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Master Plan.

 

“The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is going to be a great place to work because of all of the exciting things happening there,” said Peric. “It is evident among the aviation industry that Grand Rapids is an airport to keep an eye on as we continue to flourish, expand, and plan for an exciting future.”

 

Peric replaces Phil Johnson, who retired in June after more than 20 years at the Airport.

Wyoming Public Schools seek millage extension to modernize buildings, expand high school

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Election

 

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

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming Public Schools superintendent Thomas Reeder is to-the-point when asked to explain the need for his district to modernize its buildings and other infrastructure, which is what the district’s $79.5 million millage extension request on the Nov. 7 ballot is all about.

 

“At some point, whether it is your home or your car, the number of things going wrong, breaking down, becomes overwhelming … we need a huge overhaul of our buildings,” Reeder said in an interview on WKTV Journal: In Focus. “We have about 18 years of renovations that we want to be able to do … what I mean by that is we have to be able to set our schools up for the next couple of decades.”

 

He is just as direct when it comes to why district taxpayers should trust that his school system will spend the money wisely — pointing out that his district is the only one of out 20 Kent County school districts to have has balanced its budget in the 5-year period from 2012-2016, and that it has the 14 lowest total millage rate out of those 20 county school districts.

 

“We have tried to prudent with the dollars (the voters) have given us with our bond requests,” he said. “And we have made necessary cuts, whether it be in administration, maintenance or other things in order to ensure we stay ahead of the curve” when it comes to a balanced budget.

 

 

Wyoming Public Schools, which has about 4,300 students, is asking for voter approval to continue the current millage rate for 18 more years — an action which would neither increase or decrease what property tax payers would pay.

 

The current debt rate of 5.65 is projected to be levied through 2025. It will taper off after that as these bonds are paid off through 2043. If the millage request is passed, the first series bonds (projected for 2018) would be repaid over 21 years, by 2039. A second series of bonds (projected for 2022) would be retired by 2043 at the latest.

 

The district’s current total property tax base millage is 6.145 mills: 5.65 mills in debt and .495 mill for a sinking fund. Its last big bond measure was passed in 1994. District currently has three bond measures being paid off, and this new millage request would allow for the continued funding of new bonds as each of the three existing bond measures are paid off. The sinking fund is separate, for $400k per year and is in the 2nd year of a 10-year sinking fund request passed in 2015.

 

By state law, school bonds can only be utilized to fund capital improvement projects, new construction, technology and transportation. The proceeds cannot be used for routine repair or maintenance costs; teacher, administrator or employee salaries; or other operating expenses.

 

The expenditure of any bond proceeds must be audited annually during the construction period by an external CPA firm. Those audits are transmitted annually to the Department of Treasury.

 

The breakdown of how the $79.5 million would be spent is:

 

High school: $40 million in two segments (two phases: 2018 and 2022)

Junior high: $11.5 million

Intermediate school: $4.5 million

Elementary schools: Gladiola = $6 million; West = $5 million; Oriole = $4.5 million; Parkview = $3.5 million; Rogers Lane = $900k

Huntington Woods Early Childhood Center: $1.5 million

Administration Building: $950k

Regional Center and Adult Education: $830k

Bus Garage: $400k

 

Most of the building and site improvements to be done would be items such as roof replacements, mechanical system upgrades, classroom and building renovations. There would also be safety and security improvements — including playground safety improvements.

 

“It has been a couple of decades since we passed our last millage,” Reeder said. “So since 1994 all of the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), roofs, etcetera, have not been done. Parking lots. The parking lots have not had any major work since that time.

 

“Those all need to be upgraded, to be redone. There is a significant cost in doing that, well beyond an operating millage. In addition, our buildings were built in a very different era. All of our buildings are approximately 50 years or more old.”

 

The largest single expenditure would be to restructure the high school to again house 9-12 grades. The design would allow for a freshman wing to keep these students together during what the district calls “their important transition year into high school.”

 

Upgrades to the high school would occur over two phases, starting in 2018. Among the work to be done is construction of two-story, 30 classroom addition, as well as athletic upgrades, and cafeteria and kitchen upgrades for 9th grade student addition.

 

“The high school gets a total remodel,” Reeder said. “All the other buildings and sites get a significant remodel. But we are not adding on and moving things around as we would at the high school.”

 

The move to separate the 9th grade students into the middle school was originally done as a cost-saving measure. But “our parents have requested, our staff have overwhelming said: ‘We fully understand why you did that, but at some point we’d love to have the 9th grade back in the high school, with the flow, the way the curriculum works, in this day’,” Reeder said.

 

Adoptable pets from Humane Society of West Michigan: Ziggy and Prada

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , , , ,
Heeeere’s Ziggy!

By Brooke Hotchkiss, Humane Society of West Michigan

 

Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.

 

Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.

 

Ziggy–Male Retriever Mix

 

I’m a very sweet, 8-year-old dog looking for my forever home! I have a few special needs and am looking for a home that would be the perfect fit. I am deaf and blind in one eye, but I am very adaptable! I would do best in a home with no small children and relaxed, not overly playful dogs if I’m not the only pet in the home. My adoption fee is waived due to generous grant funding, but my family should consider taking me to the vet to have my teeth cleaned! Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan and see if we are the right fit, I have so much love to give and will make someone so happy!

 

More about Ziggy:

  • Animal ID: 36657737
  • Breed: Retriever/Mix
  • Age: 8 years
  • Gender: Male
  • Size: Medium
  • Color: White
  • Neutered
Prada

Prada–Female Domestic Short Hair

 

I am a 1-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I am playful and sweet, but enjoy having my own space as well. I would do best in a home with no small children because I get startled when surprised and do not like being picked up. I would do well in a home that would give me time to adjust and approach first. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!

 

More about Prada:

  • Animal ID: 36165735
  • Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
  • Age: 1 year
  • Gender: Female
  • Size: Small
  • Color: Brown/Black
  • Spayed
  • Not declawed

The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).

Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.

Kentwood Police hosts drug take back event Oct. 28

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, , ,

On Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 14th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

 

Bring pills for disposal to Kentwood Police Department, located at 4742 Walma Ave. SE. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or other sharp objects, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

 

Last April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills. This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.

 

Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

 

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take Back Day event, please contact Vicki Highland at highlandv@ci.kentwood.mi.us or 616-656-6571.

 

For needles or sharp objects visit recyclekent.org for its SHARPS program or click here.

GVSU Music, Theatre and Dance schedule for November

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

 

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Enrich your life with these free performances in November at Grand Valley State University!

High School Vocal Day Concert

  • When: November 3, at 2 pm
  • Where: Cook-DeWitt Center, Allendale Campus

Now in its 7th year, High School Vocal Day at Grand Valley State University welcomes more than 100 high school students from around Michigan to a day of learning and performing alongside Grand Valley music faculty and students, as well as nationally known guest instructors. This concert will be the capstone performance for High School Vocal Day at Grand Valley. This busy day of workshops and seminars will conclude with a performance by Grand Valley student soloists and a choir consisting of both Vocal Day participants and Grand Valley students. This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Faculty-Artist Recital: Sookkyung Cho, piano

  • When: November 7, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

This free concert will highlight the musical prowess of Sookkyung Cho, assistant professor of piano at Grand Valley State University. This concert is open to the public. Before Grand Valley, Cho served on the piano faculty at New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Continuing Education in Boston. She was also adjunct faculty in theory at Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and served as a Teaching Fellow in the piano minor and music theory departments at The Juilliard School.

 

Cho has performed throughout North America, Europe, and her native country, Korea, in prestigious venues, including the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall in New York, Chicago Cultural Center, Sarasota Opera House, Beaux concerts de la releve in Quebec, Château de Fontainebleau in France and Zijingang Theater at Zhejiang University in China, among others. She received a bachelor’s of music and doctorate of musical arts degrees from The Juilliard School, and her master’s from Johns Hopkins University.

 

GVSU presents Amosa Duo

  • When: November 8, at 7:30 pm
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Join the Amosa Duo at Grand Valley State University as they present works for clarinet and piano by Schubert, Schumann, Lindberg, and Weinberg. Comprising Gary June on clarinet and Chia-Ying Chan on piano, the Amosa Duo is devoted to bringing the best of the clarinet and piano repertoires to the concert stage, including both well-known masterpieces and contemporary gems. This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Laker Marching Band presents Bandorama

  • When: November 12, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Kelly Family Sports Center, Allendale Campus

Join the 220-member Laker Marching Band at Grand Valley State University as they perform a sampling of their 2017 football season halftime shows. This performance will feature song selections ranging in genre from jazz and top 40 to “music from across the pond.” This concert is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Saxophone Studio Recital

  • When: November 28, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Where: Sherman Van Solkema Recital Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

During this free concert, Grand Valley State University’s Saxophone Studio will perform solo and quartet performances. The Saxophone Studio consists of multiple student ensembles, including the Yavin IV Quartet, GQ Quartet and Jubilee Quartet.

 

For more information about Music, Theatre and Dance Department events, contact 616. 331.3484 or visit gvsu.edu/mtd.

Wyoming partners with local hospital for National Drug Take Back event

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, ,

The City of Wyoming and Metro Health-University of Michigan Health will help area households dispose of unused medications safely and properly on Saturday, Oct. 28.

 

The City of Wyoming and Metro Health again will partner to provide a Drug Take Back service between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Area residents are encouraged to bring unused prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to the main lobby of Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW or to Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW, both located in Wyoming.

 

Wyoming Public Safety officers will be on hand to anonymously accept medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked. A pharmacist from Metro Health will be available throughout the event to answer questions about medications. Mercury thermometers may also be exchanged for a new digital thermometer from the City of Wyoming and Metro Health.

 

Growing concern over pharmaceutical pollution in waterways and prescription drug abuse has led cities nationwide to develop drug take back programs. The West Michigan Drug Take Back program is a joint effort between local pharmacies, law enforcement, wastewater treatment facilities and government agencies to provide residents with safe, convenient access to proper medicine disposal. Medications collected in West Michigan are transported to Kent County’s Waste to Energy Facility, where they are incinerated.

 

Metro Health and the City of Wyoming partner twice a year to provide this service to the community. In April, the Drug Take Back Day event took in 652 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and 25 mercury thermometers.

 

The City of Wyoming also offers a prescription drug drop-off service 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, also at its Public Safety offices in Wyoming.

 

According to the West Michigan Take Back Meds, 20 percent to 60 percent of prescription medications go unused and are eventually disposed. A 2002 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids and reproductive hormones. For more on West Michigan Take Back Meds, visit www.wmtakebackmeds.com.

The Rapid seeks a 1.47 millage renewal to keep buses running through Kentwood, Wyoming

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In Focus today is Michael Bulthuis of The Rapid public transit system. The Rapid, on November 7, will be asking for renewal of the system’s current 1.47 mil local property tax millage. (WKTV)

By Hannah Haviland, WKTV Editorial Assistant

news@wktv.org

 

At the upcoming Nov. 7 election, residents of the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood are being asked to consider a 1.47 millage rate so that The Rapid can continue serving these cities along with four other municipalities in the greater Grand Rapids area.

 

The millage request, which is listed as the Interurban Transit Partnership Board Transit Millage Ballot Proposal 2018-2019 on the Nov. 7 ballot, is not an increase, but rather would replace the current Rapid millage of 1.47 mills which is set to expire in July of 2018.

 

According to information supplied by The Rapid, for a $100,000 home with a taxable value of $50,000, the homeowner would continue to pay around $73.50 a year for the millage. 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. The majority of the rest of the budget comes from the Michigan Department of Transportation’s local bus operating assistance and passenger fares.

 

Because the millage makes up such a large percentage of The Rapids’ operational expenses, without the renewal, most of the fixed route services that the millage helps fund would not be be able to operate, according to The Rapid Marketing and Communications Director Michael Bulthuis, who sat down to talk about the millage in a recent WKTV Journal: In Focus segment.

 

 

“Most of our riders are using the bus at least once a week, if not every day, for a work related activity,” Bulthuis said. “If you consider that we have between 11 to 12 million rides every year, 80 percent of those rides are work related trips.”

 

Each of the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood have nine Rapid routes not counting the Silver Line. These are among the 22 routes that would potentially be shut down if the millage doesn’t pass.

 

“You would start to see service cuts, frankly, because you’re not getting that $15.5 million in millage funding,” Bulthuis said. “That millage funding also helps leverage state funding so you’re losing millions of dollars in state funding as well.”

 

The millage has been active for the last seven years, and if it passes, will continue at the same rate of 1.47 for twelve more years. If, however, it doesn’t pass, all of The Rapids’ normal bus routes would cease. The Rapid would only be able to operate on a contractual basis for entities that would entirely cover the cost of its service. Go!Bus, the service for the elderly and disabled, would also be drastically decreased, putting people in that demographic at risk of missing doctor’s appointments or other needed services.

 

The millage funds are only used for everyday expenses such as wages for employees, fuel, tires, and other essential needs. It is not used for other projects such as new buses, buildings, or project construction. The Silver Line, which operates along Division Avenue connecting downtown Grand Rapids to the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, would also not be affected since it is funded by state and federal grants.

 

The WKTV Journal: In Focus episode including the discussion about The Rapid millage, and a discussion with Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Reeder on his district’s millage request, 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.

 

“WKTV Journal: In Focus” will air on 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: Tireless Go-getter Makes Her Community a Better Place; Dreams of a Brighter Tomorrow

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , , ,
Senior Maria Aguirre, at center, discusses Student Leadership Council details with seniors Rocio Niño and Kamille Martinez

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

Maria Aguirre likes to help other people’s dreams come true: making sure a child has presents wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning, doing her part to fund cancer research, helping distribute grants to organizations doing good in her Wyoming community.

 

Through extensive giving back and taking a leadership role in doing so, she reveals the good in people and the community, making places and people’s days brighter. She’s a leader at Godwin Heights Public Schools, the newly-named president for Student Leadership Council, and continually organizing programs and pitching in on school-wide efforts.

 

“I like trying to get the better out of the community, and putting forward that good. It makes you feel good about yourself, bringing out what’s better in the world,” Maria said.

 

Maria is a scholar, a worker, a leader, and a Dreamer.

 

Godwin Heights High School senior Maria Aguirre has been recognized for leadership by teacher Katie Hoffman

‘It Makes me Feel Torn’

The 17-year-old senior arrived with her parents from Mexico when she was 3-years-old, and hasn’t been back there since. She doesn’t remember their home in Monterrey, the capital of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León, or what it’s like there.

 

At age 15, she paid the $495 application fee for protection from deportation and a work permit through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, created under the Obama Administration. She enrolled as a Dreamer, along with her brothers, among 800,000 individuals in the program.

 

Now, with doubt cast on her permanent status in the U.S. by the Trump Administration, who rescinded the policy in September, Maria’s dreams are hazy. Trump’s decision officially ends the program in March and halts new applications, but those whose permits expire before March 5 can apply for a two-year renewal, which Maria did. (Trump called on Congress to pass immigration legislation to replace it, and tweeted that he will “revisit this issue” if Congress does not act.)

 

“It makes me worried if in the future I won’t be able to qualify for a replacement of DACA. Would I have to go back to a country that isn’t my country – that I don’t know anything about?

 

Would-be social worker Maria Aguirre is recognized school-wide for leadership

“It makes me feel torn. It makes me feel depressed.”

 

But Maria is the kind of person who keeps forging ahead at her school and in the community, despite what her future holds.

 

Beginning each November since her freshman year, she has been collecting as many toys as possible with the Student Leadership Council for DA Blodgett St. John’s Home. The Council invites Godwin teachers to adopt children at the foster-care facility and have them encourage students to bring in gifts.

 

Annually, she works with fellow members of National Honor Society to clean up nearby Hillcroft Park. She raises funds for Relay for Life, the annual 24-hour walk to raise money for cancer research. She’s planning an Unsung Heroes Dinner at school to recognize support staff, like janitors and paraprofessionals, who make a difference at the school. Maria gets to church early to help with Sunday School.

 

An ambitious student, Maria is dual-enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College, where she’ll tally up a year’s worth of college credit by the time she graduates in May. She has a 3.8 grade-point average.

 

She just joined the Wyoming Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council to help allocate grant money to local nonprofits and works part-time at McDonald’s.

 

“Maria is a great role model for her peers and is a positive presence in the school,” said Student Leadership Council advisor Katie Hoffman. “She stands out as someone who wants to make a difference and is willing to go above and beyond to make our school and community a better place to be.”

 

Maria is always looking for new ways to influence and encourage others, Hoffman said. “I know that she will be successful in whatever field she chooses to go into and we are lucky that she has been a part of our Godwin family.”

 

Maria Aguirre, president of the Student Leadership Council, explains to members how the Christmas adopt-a-child program for D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s Home works

Still Dreaming

Maria’s dreams are to go to Aquinas College or Grand Valley State University to pursue a degree in sociology and become a social worker. She dreams of making life better for people, and first and foremost, helping support her parents financially.

 

“Ever since I was little, I grew up struggling economically. I want to be able to, in the future, not have my parents have to work anymore,” she said. Her father is a dishwasher and her mother a stay-at-home mom.

 

She said growing up with limited financial resources made her passionate about doing what she can to get to college. “It was difficult, but you proceed through it and realize you need to get the education to do better.”

 

Godwin Heights staff members have been supportive, she said. During visits to college campus, counselors ask for any information pertaining to DACA students.

 

“I feel pretty confident that I am going to start college here. It feels unknown that I am going to finish it here,” Maria said.

 

When the DACA decision was announced, Maria’s parents were concerned for their children, who they raised as Americans. The family had already taken in children of a deported friend who wondered when their mother would be back. “They were really heartbroken. They were mostly sad.”

 

Encouraging Others and Getting Things Done

 

 

While leading the Leadership Team meeting on a recent Wednesday during lunch in Hoffman’s classroom, Maria told peers the details of the Christmas donation event for D.A. Blodgett-St. John’s Home. The collecting will kick off next month.

 

Team members said Maria stands out as a leader. As president of the Leadership Council, Maria knows how to get things done, said junior Luz Parada. She is a good example of how to lead a big group and be a positive influence on people. She is very supportive.

 

“I’ve known Maria for six years. She is my best friend,” said senior Kamille Martinez. “She stands out because she stands up for people no matter what the issue is. She stays ahead of her work. She is an encouraging person to others. She is an amazing person.”

 

After participating in discussion about popcorn sales and a new idea to greet students in fun ways as they arrive to school on Monday mornings, Maria wrapped up the meeting and prepared to head to GRCC for a college course. Despite what the future holds, she’s choosing a path for her dreams to become reality, being involved, pursuing education and helping others.

 

“You see all the bad that’s going on and all the suffering and you just want to get away from that and bring out the good that’s still left in the world,” she said.

 

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

Chicago dance company presents timely program focused on cultural diversity

Entertainment,

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

In a time of national need to navigate the sometimes-turbulent currents of cultural diversity issues, and the tension such debate and differences can lead to, a local dance program will attempt to provide a compass over the troubled waters.

 

The Chicago-based Ballet 5:8 dance company will make its Grand Rapids area debut this week with a program titled “Compass”. (Supplied/Lana Kozol)

The Chicago-based Ballet 5:8 dance company will make its Grand Rapids area debut this week with a program titled “Compass”, four one-act ballets inspired by the challenges of navigating cultural tension, Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Devos Center for Arts and Worship.

 

Ballet 5:8, now in its sixth performance season, has performed in Jackson for the past four seasons. Ballet 5:8’s mission, according to supplied material, is “shaped by a desire to engage audiences in meaningful discussion through innovative storytelling and the beauty and power of professional dance.”

 

The four “Compass” dances, according to supplied material, will approach the issue in different ways — “From an alien society to 1970’s Chicago, Compass stretches across time and space to explore some of our country’s most pressing topics. At times witty and satirical, and at times deeply emotional, Compass is full of athleticism, power and poetry.”

 

The four original ballets in the Compass program include works inspired by poems authored by African-American abolitionist and women’s rights activist, Sojourner Truth, and Pulitzer Prize author and Chicagoan, Gwendolyn Brooks.

 

Among the Ballet 5:8 dancers performing in Grand Rapids is company apprentice Emily Ratkos, a Michigan native who in her first season with the company. A recent graduate of Ballet 5:8’s Trainee Program, Emily moved to Grand Rapids at the age of 16 to train with the Grand Rapids Ballet School under Attila Mosolygo before joining Ballet 5:8 as a trainee in 2016.

 

A single performance of “Compass”  will hit the stage at 7 p.m. The Devos Center for Arts and Worship is located at 2300 Plymouth Ave. SE. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $15 for children. Tickets can be purchased at ballet58.org or by calling 312-725-4752.

 

After the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a Ballet 5:8 tradition, the Talk Back. During this panel discussion, Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director Julianna Slager and artists of the company discuss questions, comments and feedback on the performance with audience members.

 

School leaders tally wins, losses of Michigan schools ‘Count Day’ results

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, , ,

 

Wyoming Public Schools, shown here in a photo supplied by the district, saw its number of students drop in the recent “Count Day” state survey of students. (Supplied)

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Some local school leaders were braced for bad news, some confident of good news, as Wyoming and Kentwood area school districts held their public school “Count Day” early this month — a day when the number of students attending their schools directly relates to how much funding they will receive from the state.

 

The fall count, held Oct. 4, is worth 90 percent of the state per-pupil funding. The spring semester count, from the previous school year, is 10 percent of funding. This school year’s spring count date is scheduled for Feb. 8, 2018.

 

“We are still in the period where we identify the final number, but that is the formula that is used,” Wyoming’s Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston said to WKTV journal. The “count impacts this years funding. We do not receive state aid in September, and begin receiving it in October after fall count. (So) this impacts our current budget.”

 

The local public school districts, as well as charters, are to receive $7,631 per-pupil for the 2017-18 school year. Godwin Heights Public Schools receives slightly more per student due to a historic loss of a substantial commercial tax base.

 

Godfrey-Lee counted 1,878 students for the fall count day, 72 below projections and down 84 students for the 2016-17 school year. So, if preliminary numbers hold, Godfrey-Lee would receive less state funding this year than last. But Polston says the district is prepared.

 

“This is the reason why it is important to have fund balances that can account for shortfalls like this,” said Polston, who is in his first year as superintendent. “We will maintain all current positions and programs, but immediately take a close look at all areas of the budget for both short and long term savings. We are fortunate to have a fund balance that can absorb a shortfall for this year.

 

“Our Board of Education has a policy of maintaining at least a 10 percent fund balance for times like this. We will need to backfill this deficit with next year’s budget. I’m confident in our team’s ability to strategically prioritize spending with a constant focus on keeping dollars in the classroom.”

 

His district will also look at the reasons why enrollment dropped.

 

“We have had a strong growth trend over the past few years, but that didn’t hold this year,” he said. “We are analyzing the areas where we fell short to identify contributing factors. We believe our best solution is to promote our district to our current residents to retain as many as we can in our strong, local, neighborhood schools.”

 

According to an analysis published on MLive, Michigan has more than 1.6 million kindergarten through 12th grade students in the 2016-17 school year, with about 1 million attending their local public schools. The other half million, or so, attended private or charter schools, or crossed home district lines to enroll in other public school districts.

 

Kentwood Public Schools is one of the districts gaining students, some from out of the district boundaries.

 

“We are up 136  — 9,121 total non-audited — students from last Fall count day,” Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff told WKTV. “The last three years we have seen an upward trend of our enrollment count. We are excited to see that Kentwood Public Schools continues to be a destination district for many families because of the great opportunities provided.”

 

Godwin Heights Public Schools, according to Superintendent William Fetterhoff, counted 2,166 students after budgeting for 2,145, so 21 over projection and 39 below last year. Fetterhoff told WKTV the trend is not unusual for his district, or across the nation for that matter, and he pointed to a decline in kindergarten through 3rd grade students as one reason.

 

Wyoming Public Schools, according to the district, counted 4,250, down 70 from last year.

 

Wyoming Public Schools students. (Supplied)

“4,250 is an appropriate estimate for our fall count … We anticipated a decrease this year,” Matt Lewis, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Administrative Services for Wyoming Public Schools said to WKTV. “We budgeted to be down 75, and we’re on track to be down between 75 and 80.

 

“We’re approximately 70 down from last year which is right on projection. … I can’t give you a final number because there are 30 days from the count day during which students can still be counted if they were absent.”

 

The decline in enrollment is also not surprising to Lewis.

 

“Wyoming has averaged a loss of 108 students per year since the fall of 2004,” he said. “We’ve done many, many things to address the decline, cutting millions from our operating budget. We’ve become extremely efficient from an administrative perspective, closed buildings when necessary, including the consolidation of our high schools for 2012/13, and made countless adjustments to our contractual obligations and benefit costs. Our employees have (also) taken on a substantial portion of their healthcare costs over this period of enrollment decline.”

 

In other initial, unaudited numbers from local public districts, detailed in published reports, Kelloggsville Public Schools counted 2,327 students, 102 above projections and 79 more than last year.

 

WKTV’s playoff football coverage & complete local sports schedule

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, , , ,
Godwin Heights will be at Kelloggsville this week as the MHSAA football playoffs begin. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

The high school football season has moved into playoff mode and so has WKTV’s featured football coverage — this week will be a rematch matchup as Wyoming Godwin Heights (7-2) again travels to Wyoming Kelloggsville (9-0) for an opening-round Division 4 game on Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m..

 

Other local teams in the football playoffs include Grand Rapids South Christian (7-2) hosting Plainwell (7-2), also Friday at 7 p.m., at Byron Center High School. And Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (6-3) will be traveling north to Suttons Bay (6-3) for an 8-Man Division 1 playoff game Saturday, Oct. 28, at 2 p.m.

 

Currently, WKTV sports events will be broadcast the night of the game on Comcast Channel 25, usually at 11 p.m., and repeated on Saturday at 11 a.m. on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/

 

Local high school sports events this week are as follows:

 

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Girls Volleyball 

Wyoming @ Christian

Wyoming Lee @ Algoma Christian

Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Orchard View

Zion Christian @ Grand River Prep

TBD @ Tri-Unity Christian – Rivertown/Crossroads Tri

Boys Soccer 

TBD – MHSAA Regionals

 

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Girls Volleyball 

O-K Red Conference Meet @ East Kentwood

 

Thursday, Oct. 26

Girls Volleyball 

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – Senior Night

WMAES @ Wyoming Lee – Senior Night

Boys Soccer 

TBD – MHSAA Regionals

 

Friday, Oct, 27

Boys Water Polo 

@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals

Football

Wyoming Godwin Heights at Wyoming Kelloggsville (playoffs)

Plainwell at South Christian (at Byron Center High School) (playoffs)

 

Saturday, Oct. 28

Boys/girls Cross Country 

Wyoming @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals

Wyoming Lee @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals

Godwin Heights @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals

Tri-Unity Christian  @ Allendale – MHSAA Regionals

TBD – MHSAA Regionals

Boys Water Polo 

@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Regionals

8-Man Football

Tri-unity Christian at Suttons Bay (playoff)

 

Monday, Oct. 30

Girls Volleyball

Wyoming vs TBD @ Christian – MHSAA Districts

Wyoming Lee vs TBD @ South Christian – MHSAA Districts

Godwin Heights vs Kelloggsville @ South Christian – MHSAA Districts

@ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts

 

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Halloween

Girls Volleyball

Zion Christian vs Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian – MHSAA Districts

 

Andy Warhol’s ‘American Icons’, ‘Christian Marclay: Video Quartet’ open at GRAM Oct. 28

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,
‘Marilyn Monroe’ by Andy Warhol

By Elizabeth Payne, Grand Rapids Art Museum

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) is pleased to announce its fall exhibitions opening October 28, Andy Warhol’s American Icons and Christian Marclay: Video Quartet. American Icons will be on view at the Museum through February 11, 2018, and Video Quartet will be open through January 14, 2018.

 

Organized by the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Andy Warhol’s American Icons showcases Warhol’s vision and celebration of America by bringing together paintings, prints, photographs, and films that create a handbook of American cultural icons.

 

“Andy Warhol makes a dramatic return to the Grand Rapids Art Museum this fall,” commented GRAM’s Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “One of the Museum’s first exhibitions in its new building was Rapid Exposure: Warhol in Series in Spring 2008. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate our tenth anniversary at 101 Monroe Center than by bringing back key works by this quintessential contemporary artist.”

 

American Icons spotlights iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe, Sitting Bull, Muhammad Ali, Liz Taylor, and one of the most famous Grand Rapidians, Gerald R. Ford. Products and symbols can be icons as well; the exhibition includes Warhol’s well-known Campbells soup can screenprints and an important early painting on loan from the Whitney Museum of American art, Green Coca-Cola Bottles (1962), among other symbols of America. American Icons draws on artworks from GRAM’s collection, as well as works from private collections and other public art institutions throughout the country, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Andy Warhol Museum, and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

 

“It’s exciting for GRAM to be organizing an exhibition of Andy Warhol’s work around a theme that occupied the artist for his entire career: what products and symbols define and represent the US? Which Americans are the most iconic?” said GRAM’s Chief Curator, Ron Platt. “Thirty years after his death, Warhol is still influential and seems ahead of his time. I would argue that Warhol himself is as much an American icon as any of those represented in the exhibition.”

 

Still from ‘Christian Marclay: Video Quartet’

Rounding out the exhibition are photographs and early films, from a period when Warhol was experimenting with the mediums. Empire, an eight-hour long “portrait” of the famed Empire State Building as filmed from a static position in an adjacent building, will be on view, along with several of the artist’s Screen Tests. The Screen Tests are 3-minute filmed portraits of Warhol Factory regulars and visitors, in which the subjects stared back at or enjoyed the attention of the stationary camera, constructing their own personas before our eyes.

 

Christian Marclay: Video Quartet—a seventeen-minute film installation on loan from the Whitney Museum of American Art—is opening in conjunction with Andy Warhol’s American Icons. The exhibition consists of four synchronized video projections that form one contiguous image-and-sound work. The installation is comprised of more than 700 individual fragments of film and sound from popular movies which feature people playing musical instruments or singing, as well as other soundtrack elements such as shouts, screams, crashes, and moments of cinematic silence.

 

“Swiss-American artist Christian Marclay has sampled, improvised, and remixed sound, video, and performance into multi-media works that defy categorization,” added GRAM’s Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Video Quartet is an immersive installation experience that’s sure to captivate film and music fans alike.”

 

The clips included in Video Quartet are primarily taken from Hollywood feature films dating from the 1920s to the early twenty-first century. Marclay meticulously edited the clips on a home computer into a new unified composition in which the performers seem to improvise together free of their original context, creating moments of synchrony or seeming to spontaneously respond to each other as if performing live.

 

Complementing Andy Warhol’s American Icons and Christian Marclay: Video Quartet, GRAM members and the public can enjoy several events and related programming, including the Member Exhibition Party, Warhol Factory Party, Drop-in Tours, and lectures.

 

 

GVSU’s ‘Arts at Noon’ free concerts schedule for November

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , ,
Grand Rapids Symphony (photo by Terry Johnston)

 

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

Arts at Noon brings nationally and internationally-known musicians to Grand Valley State University for 14 performances each academic year. All Arts at Noon concerts will take place in the Cook-DeWitt Center, located on the Allendale Campus. They will begin at noon and last approximately one hour.

 

Every concert is free and open to the public. For more information about Arts at Noon, visit gvsu.edu/artsatnoon or contact Henry Duitman, series coordinator, at duitmanh@gvsu.edu.

 

November 1–Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra

Members of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra will return to Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus for their annual Arts at Noon performance.

 

“As the premiere arts organization in West Michigan, the Grand Rapids Symphony provides amazing cultural and educational benefits to the region,” said Henry Duitman, Arts at Noon coordinator and GVSU Symphony Orchestra director. “Every year, the performance by the Grand Rapids Symphony during the Arts at Noon series brings the warmth of exquisitely played string and woodwind instruments to the audience in the Cook-DeWitt Center. This is always the most eagerly-anticipated performance of the semester.”

 

Akropolis (photo supplied)

November 15–Akropolis Reed Quintet

The Akropolis Reed Quintet takes listeners on musical adventures by performing an innovative repertoire with acclaimed precision. The quintet was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and became the first reed quintet to win the Fischoff Gold Medal in 2014. Championing the next generation of musicians, Akropolis delivers impactful outreach programs at schools ranging from kindergarten to conservatory.

 

The ensemble has released two studio albums to critical acclaim and commissioned more than 25 reed quintet works to date. Their dynamic concerts feature accessible contemporary works framed by invigorating arrangements of classical music spanning four centuries.

 

Nicholas Photinos (photo supplied)

November 29–Cellist Nick Photinos

Cellist Nicholas Photinos is a former and founding member of the four-time Grammy Award-winning new music ensemble, eighth blackbird. During his Arts at Noon performance at Grand Valley State University, Photinos will perform works from Petits Artéfacts, his debut recording on New Amsterdam Records. Formed in 1996, eighth blackbird performs throughout the world, with approximately 50 concerts annually, and has been featured on the 2013 Grammy Awards, CBS Sunday Morning and in The New York Times.

 

The group’s mission extends beyond performance to curation and education. The ensemble served as Music Director of the Ojai Music Festival (2009), enjoyed a three-year residency at the Curtis Institute of Music, and holds ongoing Ensemble-in-Residence positions at the University of Richmond and the University of Chicago. Photinos teaches at the Bang on a Can Summer Festival every July. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

GR Story Spinners at Blandford Nature Center Oct. 28

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, ,

By Blandford Nature Center (BNC)

 

Join Grand Rapids Story Spinners and BNC for an afternoon of scary stories. Turn off your devices for a couple hours and listen to some Halloween tales. Audience will be divided based on suspense levels.

  • Where: Blandford Nature Center Visitor’s Center, 1715 Hillburn Ave NW,
  • Date: 2-3:30 pm, Saturday October 28, 2017
  • Cost: This program is $5 for members and non-members. $10 for families .

Scary Stories is appropriate ages 5 and up. Pre-Registration available, walk-ins welcome.

GVSU New Music Ensemble to release new CD, ‘Return’

Entertainment, , ,
Grand Valley State University’s New Music Ensemble releases a new CD on Oct. 27.

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Grand Valley’s award-winning New Music Ensemble has released a new CD that was composed by three alumni of the program.

 

The release of the ensemble’s fourth commercial CD, “Return,” will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 27, with a concert from 7:30-9 p.m. in Louis Armstrong Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts on the Allendale Campus.

 

The album’s three composers, Adam Cuthbért, ’10, Matthew Finch, ’15, and Daniel Rhodé, ’12, will be in attendance, and Cuthbért will open the show with a special performance. An opportunity to meet the composers and the members of the New Music Ensemble will take place following the concert. The event is free and open to the public.

 

Bill Ryan, New Music Ensemble director, said this project fulfills his longtime goal of producing a “100 percent homegrown project.”

 

“This recording represents everything I envisioned when I started the New Music Ensemble — an entire album composed by three outstanding creative thinkers who came through our program, enthusiastically performed and recorded by current students,” said Ryan. “The result is a strikingly beautiful 78-minute journey that has been the most gratifying experience of my career.”

 

The composers worked with the ensemble’s acoustic recordings, and manipulated some to create the 15 acoustic-electronic hybrid compositions featured on the album.

 

“There are moments when the instruments are clearly heard, and others where you may think you know what’s happenings or where you are just perplexed,” Ryan explained. “Clarity of the sonic division between the two worlds of acoustic and electronic is a great tool to play with in terms of engaging the listener.”

 

Students were encouraged to explore their instruments in new ways for the album, which Hannah Donnelly said is one of the unique experiences of being a member of the New Music Ensemble.

 

“Being a part of the New Music Ensemble provides students with a musical experience you won’t find anywhere else on campus,” said Donnelly, a senior majoring in music performance and psychology who plays the flute in the ensemble. “You come to rehearsal and are allowed to experiment with your sound, even if it’s ‘ugly.’ You definitely begin to learn the endless possibilities of the sound of your instrument.”

 

Ryan Schmidt, a senior majoring in music, said the process of creating “Return” helped him see the possibilities of music differently through feedback from the three composers.

 

“Something that I thought sounded bad or unacceptable was exactly what the composers wanted, and in fact, they wanted more,” said Schmidt. “For instance, the microphones picked up subtle noises that your mouth can make while wetting a reed or just setting the mouthpiece to play. The composers used these sounds that otherwise would be useless or strange, and made music with it.”

 

Schmidt added that this experience helped him better appreciate the creative process of developing new music.

 

“Most often, we are playing from a deceased composer’s score and it can feel like we are trying to replicate something that has already been done,” he said. “This process was so valuable because we were making something brand new.”

 

Cuthbért said the inspiration for the pieces he composed for the album stemmed from his internal questioning of how people can keep their humanity in the midst of advancements in technology and science.

 

“‘Location Sharing’ and ‘Background Refresh’ are two tracks named for minor features on our phones that streamline communication through pretty complex technology,” he said.

 

“Return” is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes. The CD will be released on the Innova label, and the album was mastered by Grammy Award winner Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, whose other clients include Lady Gaga, Adele and Katy Perry.

 

The New Music Ensemble promotes contemporary classical chamber music, with a special focus on music of the past 20 years, through commissions, tours, recordings, educational events, workshops and videos.

 

Since the ensemble formed in 2006, the group has released three other critically acclaimed recordings, which have appeared on “best release lists” by The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Weekly and Time Out Chicago. Some of the ensemble’s recordings have appeared in film and television shows on MTV, Showtime, as well as at more than 75 film festivals around the world, and most recently in U.S. movie theaters as a part of the soundtrack for the film “As I AM: The Life and Times of DJ AM.”

 

The ensemble has completed four tours, including their most recent tour across four U.S. national parks in 2016. The group has also performed at the Bang On a Can Marathon in New York City, the College Music Society National Conference in Atlanta and at Carnegie Hall.

 

For more information about the New Music Ensemble, visit newmusicensemble.org.

East Kentwood marching band to host 20-school competition Saturday 

Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events,
East Kentwood High School will host its annual marching band competition this weekend. (Photo by Jim Swoboda)


By Kelly Arganbright

Kentwood Band and Orchestra Boosters

 

The competition will be intense down on the football field, with a stadium full of cheering fans, at East Kentwood High School Saturday, Oct. 21.  Uniformed players will be suited up in their school colors, every movement planned, with the sole focus of trying for the best performance of the season. It’ll be a lot like the games you see in every stadium across America, except for one thing, there will be no football.

 

In fact, this is no game at all. This event is the East Kentwood High School Falcon Marching Band Invitational, a marching band competition, and it’s happening from 2:30-10 p.m.

 

It is a musical extravaganza and one of the biggest marching band shows in West Michigan, with 20 high school bands from around West Michigan slated to compete for top honors.

 

People who have never been to a marching band competition, can liken the experience to watching twenty, football game, halftime shows. Bands are classified according to school size and compete in their respective classes. Each band’s performance has its own chosen theme with related music that they perform with synchronized, choreographed movements. This is no small task, when you consider some of these bands are in excess of 200 members. That’s a lot of moving parts and instruments! The result is a  performance that is impressive to hear and watch.

 

And, the view should be spectacular. East Kentwood boasts the highest vantage point of any high school stadium in West Michigan. A very important detail, considering when it comes to marching bands, the higher a person is in the stadium, the better the view of the performance they will have.

 

People should plan to come out and spend the day. There will be a plenty of food and drinks available at the concession stand, so spectators will not have to miss a single performance.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and age 5 and under are free. All proceeds benefit the EKHS instrumental music programs.

 

Here is the performance line up:

 

Class D

2:30 PM  Brandywine High School

2:45 PM  Bridgman High School

3:00 PM  Pewamo-Westphalia High School

3:15 PM  Gobles High School

3:30 PM  Break

 

Class C

3:45 PM  Freemont High School

4:00 PM  Oakridge High School

4:15 PM  Parchment High School

4:30 PM  Whitehall High School

4:45 PM  Dowagiac High School

5:00 PM  Lakewood High School

5:15 PM  Break

 

Class B

5:45 PM  Kenowa Hills High School

6:00 PM  Ionia High School

6:15 PM  Charlotte High School

6:30 PM  Vicksburg High School

6:45 PM  Spring Lake High School

7:00 PM  Break

 

Class A

7:30 PM  Wyoming High School

7:45 PM  Kalamazoo Central High School

8:00 PM  Olivet High School A

8:15 PM  Portage Central High School

 

Exhibition

8:30 PM  East Kentwood High School

 

9:00 PM  Awards Ceremony

 

 

(Photos attached to file. Photo credit to Jim Swoboda.)

Local palliative care expert has personal experience with own end of life choices

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Holland Home hopes to help the community better understand advanced care planning with its presentation of the documentary Being Mortal on Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Based on the best-selling book by Dr. Atul Gawande, the film explores the hopes of patients and families facing terminal illness and their relationships with those who care for them. The film explores the intersection of life, death, medicine and what matters most in the end.

 

Following the screening of the film, Holland Home will hold a panel discussion on the importance of advanced care planning with local palliative care expert, Dr. John Mulder, of Holland Home’s Trillium Institute.  What makes this panel discussion unique is that Dr. Mulder has had his own experience with end of life planning and values-based decision making, when he was diagnosed with terminal lung disease in 2015. Dr. Mulder brings not only his professional expertise, but his personal experience, to his understanding of the importance of end of life care and what is most important to the patient.  He will be joined by Carol Robinson of Making Choices Michigan.

 

“Our hope is that Being Mortal will be a catalyst for families to take a deeper look at end of life care and what they desire the end of life to look like,” said Dr. Mulder.  “The end of life can be more joyful and more meaningful when resources are in place to honor your wishes.”

 

The event is free and will be held at Holland Home’s Raybrook campus, located at 2121 Raybrook Drive SE. No registration is necessary. For more information, visit hollandhome.org or call 616-235-5000.

School News Network: Girls ‘inspired to do more’ at tech camp

3-bottom, , , , ,
From left, Mya Proctor and Curtaysia Hamilton are learning computer-coding skills. (Photos courtesy of School News Network.)

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

Eighth-grader Hien-Tran Bui entered coding commands for her website focused on tips for putting on makeup. She had just learned the basics of site-building from women who work in the Information technology field. Nearby, eighth-grader Mya Proctor designed a website about activities to do when you’re bored.

 

“I learned how to code and add links,” said Hien-Tran, who realized the information will be valuable in many fields including what she’s interested in: health care.

Eighteen seventh- and eighth-grade girls from Valleywood Middle School recently attended BitCamp, hosted by Software GR, a nonprofit association dedicated to building and supporting the software design and development community in West Michigan. The opportunity at Amway World Headquarters, in Ada, connected girls with women who work in local IT jobs for a day of coding and website creation. Instructors came from Amway, OST, Spectrum Healthand Software GR.

 

Eighth-grader Sandrine Ishimwe looks at her website with Anna Godfrey, Valleywood guidance secretary

Hien-Tran said she was impressed to learn from women who took various education paths to get to IT careers. Mya, who wants to become a teacher, agreed.

 

“Before I came here, I didn’t even know what I was doing,” Mya said. “I’m inspired to do more and go beyond my teaching career and do something like this.”

 

Showing Girls What’s Out There

BitCamp is a great opportunity to get girls out into the IT field, said Nancy McKenzie, Kentwood Public Schools STEM coordinator, who works to connect students with hands-on, real-world experiences. Girls from other Kentwood middle schools, Crestwood and Pinewood, have also attended or will later this semester.

 

According to Made with Code, while 74 percent of girls express interest in middle school, they at some point get turned off to science, technology, engineering and math careers. Only 0.4 percent of female college freshmen plan to major in computer science, even though CS jobs will be the highest-paying sectors over the next decade, paying almost $15,000 more than average.

 

“There is quite a lack of women in these fields,” McKenzie said. “And if they are interested, once they go to school and finish college, they can pretty much write their own ticket because there is such a huge gap of females in this industry.”

 

Having women teach BitCamp shows girls possibilities, she added: “It empowers them. They see these women doing these type of jobs and knowing that it’s something out there that’s needed now and in the future. It gives them exposure to something they can look into later.

From left, seventh-grader Alianny Daniel; Brittany Nielson, application developer for Spectrum Health; and eighth-grader Nhi Tong work on their websites

 

“It’s nice for the girls to see women that do these kinds of jobs, so they can have a model about what’s possible.”

 

Eighth-grader Katelynn Smallwood said she liked the in-depth instruction she received from the women. She hopes to be a medical transcriptionist someday.

 

“It’s inspirational,” Katelynn said. “It’s not just men who can do the job. There are opportunities for women.”

 

For Girls Too

Instructors, who presented their stories about going through college and into IT fields, said they hope girls start thinking young about going into what are currently male-dominated fields.

 

Brittany Nielson, application developer for Spectrum Health, said she knows how it feels to be the only girl in the room.

 

“When you are a woman going into a tech field that’s mostly men, it’s kind of intimidating,” Nelson said. “We want to make sure women are confident in themselves and their skills when they enter that environment so they can come join our workforce.”

Employment Expertise: Emotional Intelligence–Why It’s Important and How to Improve It

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Non-Profits, , , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

Emotional Intelligence, also known as EQ, is a major indicator of success—even more than IQ, which looks at traditional intelligence. Studies have shown that 90% of top performing employees have high EQ. In fact, as EQ increases, so does average annual salary.

 

So, what is EQ?

 

EQ consists of two components—personal and social competence.

 

Personal Competence—your ability to recognize your emotions and use this self-awareness to manage your thoughts and actions.

 

Social Competence—your ability to recognize emotions in others and use this understanding to successfully manage your relationships and interactions.

 

Emotional Intelligence is tied to soft skills that employers are looking for, such as customer service, communication, team work, decision making and time management.

 

Here are five tips to help you improve your EQ:

  • Decrease negativity. It is easy to jump to negative conclusions when you don’t understand how others behave. For example, if your boss doesn’t greet you with a friendly “hello,” like usual one morning, don’t assume you did something wrong. He or she may be up against a deadline or distracted by other issues. Don’t make it about you; try to understand where they are coming from.
  • Take responsibility. Everyone makes mistakes and being able to admit it is a sign of emotional intelligence. When you make a mistake, look for ways to make things right instead of placing blame or making excuses.
  • Stay calm. Next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, take note of how you feel and how you react. If you find yourself lashing out, take a deep breath and count to ten. This can help you calm down and deal with the problem more effectively.’
  • Learn about you. Pay attention to how you react to different emotions. You can even take an assessment to find your strengths and weaknesses. This information can help you become more aware of your emotions and strengthen your interactions with others.
  • Be brave. The next time you’re faced with a challenging emotional situation, be willing to have a difficult conversation. It is important to respond respectfully to others and also create healthy boundaries for yourself. Try using the XYZ method to discuss your emotions, “I feel X when you do Y in situation Z.”

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

On the shelf: ‘Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell’ by Susanna Clarke

Books, Entertainment, Reviews, , , , , ,

By Amy Cochran, GRPL, Seymour Branch

 

Every time I read Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark, I find myself completely immersed once more. Despite numerous efforts, I have yet to find another novel that so perfectly mixes the elements I especially love in a story: Jane Austen-style English manners, British history and subtle fantasy. 

 

In early nineteenth century England during Napoleon’s heyday as a major threat, two magicians work to bring magic back to the world. Quiet, mousy Mr. Norrell and his increasingly successful and confident apprentice, Jonathan Strange find themselves beset both by their own competitive natures and long-forgotten powers that have taken an interest in the mortal world once more. 

 

Clark took took ten years to research and write this huge, complex story, and the effort shows in every intricately laid-out detail. She has painstakingly created a Britain where magic has been intertwined in politics and life for centuries, and gives plenty of fascinating hints to the hidden world that lies behind our own.

 

There is a sly and witty sense of humor in descriptions of situations and characters, and extensive footnotes fill in what we need to know about this slightly different, magical Britain. I happen to love footnotes, especially fictionalized ones, plus I find it difficult to resist any book that makes me feel as if I’m in an ancient, snowy wood where anything could happen.

Comedian Denis Leary comes to GR as part of Schuler Books’ celebration

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,

Legendary comic Denis Leary will visit Grand Rapids this month as part of Schuler Books & Music’s 35th anniversary celebration.

 

Leary will visit Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at Wealthy Street Theatre, 1130 Wealth St. SE, and will be discussing his newest book “Why We Don’t Suck: And How All of Us Need to Stop Being Such Partisan Little Bitiches.”

 

In the new book, Leary refutes the current highly partisan Right Wing Nutjob versus Left Wing Snowflake approach to American politics – where you’re either one or the other, with no gray areas in between. Leading a new protest movement called Gray Lives Matter, he takes equal opportunity aim at the screaming heads we see arguing every night on CNN (the Clinton News Network) and Fox’s Fair and Balanced Reublican Report. With a devoted mission to Make American Laugh Again, Leary take the topics we all hold close to our American hearts: Twitter, Instagram, and the seeminelying endless search for fame and diet vodka.

 

Tickets for the Leary event are available through the Wealthy Theatre box office. Tickets are $46 and include entry to the event and a signed copy of “We We Don’t Suck” to be claimed at the event. Limited VIP, front-row seats with first access to the signing are available for $66.

 

For more information about the Leary event or for other activities taking place at Schuler Books & Music, visit schulerbooks.com.

 

GR Public Museum launches new, original production in Chaffee Planetarium

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , , , ,

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is pleased to announce that it will open a brand new original production in the Chaffee Planetarium on Oct. 21. The show, titled Subatomic, will take visitors through the discovery of the Higgs boson, a scientific quest solved in our lifetime.

 

Subatomic will take viewers on a journey of scientific discovery. In 2012, after a 48-year search and the construction of the world’s largest machine, more than 10,000 physicists celebrated the discovery of the Higgs boson, an elusive subatomic particle crucial to physics and existence itself. Learn more about this important discovery, and how it fits into humanity’s quest for unraveling the secrets of the universe.

 

Subatomic will include a produced portion, followed by a live and interactive portion with a planetarium staff member, and hands on components just outside the Chaffee Planetarium to demonstrate the concepts highlighted in the show. The entire show will be 30 minutes in length.

 

Subatomic was developed through collaborations between the GRPM, scientists, and local experts specializing in serving neuro-diverse audiences. It will be part of the daily schedule of shows in the Chaffee Planetarium upon its launch.

 

For scientific accuracy, the Museum worked with academic advisors Dr. Jacob Bourjaily, theoretical physicist at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Dr. Brian Winer, Chair and Professor of Physics at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Reinhard Schwienhorst, physics professor at Michigan State University. Numerous interns and staff helped produce the show with assistance from Kendall College of Art and Design for audio and sound editing. Subatomic is narrated by Grand Rapids’ own Adrian Butler.

 

“It is exciting to be part of a project like this” said Prof. Brian Winer, of The Ohio State University. “I was pleased to be one of the many experts the Museum worked with for the development of this show, which undoubtedly covers one of the important scientific discoveries in our lifetime – the Higgs boson. This show is a great way to bring a complex idea involving physics to the general public.”

 

The Museum also partnered with Dr. Mira Krishnan and Hope Network at the beginning of the show’s development, discussing the creation of an experience that would resonate for children with autism. Dr. Krishnan made recommendations for how the GRPM could visually enhance the show for these unique learners. As a consequence, a shorter show was developed, with some specialized graphics to emphasize complex scientific concepts in different ways, a live presentation was created to complement and reinforce the show, and hands-on activities were developed for students and Museum visitors to learn more scientific concepts in kinesthetic ways outside of the planetarium.

 

“I first approached the Museum looking for ways to make our community more accessible to people with differences. I was really overwhelmed with the Museum’s support for this,” said Dr. Mira Krishnan, a clinical neuropsychologist. “The Museum’s focus on universal design gave us a really common language to make Subatomic more autism and learning difference friendly. Beyond that, I did applied physics before I became a psychologist, so being a part of this particular project is an amazing dream come true for me, because it brings together so many of my passions!”

 

“This project has a great story,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “From the very beginning, we were working with Dr. Krishnan to make this an experience that could be enjoyed by all audiences. We then brought in scientists – two of whom grew up in Grand Rapids – to consult on the content of the project. The group then took a very complex idea, physics and the discovery of a subatomic particle, and made it accessible for all learners. This is all part of our effort to embrace universal design for learning in the Planetarium and throughout the Museum.”

 

The show begins on Oct. 21 and will be part of the Chaffee Planetarium’s regular schedule. Subatomic can also be reserved for school groups and field trips. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission and $5 for planetarium only. Museum members receive free admission to planetarium shows.

 

For additional information on the Chaffee Planetarium or to view the full schedule, visit grpm.org/planetarium.

Ribbon cutting celebrates redevelopment of former Wyoming Village Mall to 28 West Place

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Just a month short of the four-year mark when the City of Wyoming first introduced the concept of 28 West, city officials will gather with city leaders and business representatives to celebrate the the project that lead to the completion of the first half of the road.

 

This Saturday, Oct. 21, there will be a ribbon-cutting and grand re-opening celebration of the 28 West Place, formerly Wyoming Village Mall, at 1:30 p.m. with additional events to follow. The ribbon cutting ceremony is hosted by the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce.

 

“This is a hallmark change in the corridor here that we have been hoping for a number of years…” said Mayor Jack Poll.

 

The 28 West sign located in front of the former Studio 28 property. Construction for the 28 West project will actually start just east on the Wyoming Mall property.

In 2013, the City of Wyoming adopted a plan for the reimagine of the south side of 28th Street between Clyde Park and Burlingame avenues in to a mixed-use town center utilizing form-based code, which provides flexibility to developers. A key element to the 28 West concept was the construction of a curving slip street which would become the center’s new “main street.” The street was designed to run from the south side of 28th Street across from Hook Avenue to Jenkins Avenue, which runs next to the former Klingman/Rogers Department Store building. Because the plan involved demolition of buildings on privately held property, city officials knew it would take some time to get all parties on board with the plan.

 

Jumping forward to 2016 when Meyer C. Weiner Company, which owns 28 West Place, approached the city about renovation plans for the mall property which was originally developed in 1962 and known as Southland Mall. Those plans included 20,000 square feet of new entry efficient building space and two out-lot buildings of approximately 11,000 square feet, long with significant property improvements to upgrade the existing retail center and its surface parking lot.

 

Seeing the opportunity to move forward with the 28 West Street plan, the City of Wyoming officials entered into a $1.6 million agreement with Meyer C. Weiner Company so as to move forward with the first phase of the 28 West Street project from Hook Avenue to Michael Avenue. This past week, the City Council finalized some of the details by placing an all-the-way stop sign at the 28 West Place service drive along the west side of the mall.

 

“We are excited to commemorate this first stage of redevelopment,” said Megan Sall, assistant city manager and Downtown Development Authority director. “There are so many opportunities inherent in this area and we’re pleased to have a partner in Meyer C. Weiner Company as we set the stage for future growth.”

 

Overview of the new 2 West Place with the 28 West Street.

Matthew McDade, chief operating officer for the Meyer C. Weiner Company, also points to partnerships as being key to this project’s success. “The Meyer C. Weiner Company would like to thank all the staff and officials at the City of Wyoming who worked extremely hard to make this redevelopment possible, along with the stakeholders for the successful completion of this project.”

 

As the renovation project got underway, Mr. Alan’s, a clothing store, leased a 5,400-square-foot out-lot building and opened in June. Other new tenants include CSL Plasma which opened in April, and Simply 10, a clothing store, is expected to opening late October. The current tenants of 28 West Place also include a Save-A-Lot, DollarTree, Payless Shoes, and the children’s consignment store Once Upon a Child.

 

28 West Place retailers will be hosting a series of events from 2 – 4 p.m. which include the Grand Rapids Drive’s mascot Buckets, signed Red Wings photos, face-painting for kids, a live remote with 95.7 WLHT and WKTV also will be there as well.

Wyoming Wolves basketball coach Vander Klay honored for 300th win

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Sports, ,
Long-time Wyoming area high school basketball coach Thom Vander Klay, shown coaching. (Supplied)

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Long-time Wyoming are high school basketball coach Thom Vander Klay was recently recognized for 305 varsity victories at the Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Banquet in the Detroit.

 

A game televised by WKTV with East Kentwood High School’s boys basketball team at Wyoming. (WKTV)

While he was unable attend in person, Vander Klay was inducted into the 300+ Varsity Century Club at the BCAM Hall-of-Fame/Clinic week-end, held Oct. 14-15 at Oakland University in Auburn Hills.

 

“The award is mostly a longevity award,” Vander Klay said in an interview with WKTV Journal. “I love teaching and coaching and have done it a long time, so a few wins will happen along the way.”

 

Vander Klay been coaching prep basketball for more than 30 years, with his first 10 as Wyoming Park’s junior varsity coach and the next 21 as a its varsity head coach. He became Wyoming’s head coach after Park and Rogers high schools merged in 2012. he is a member of the Wyoming Public Schools Hall of Fame.

 

“I have had some Hall of Fame caliber mentors when I attended Wyoming Park and first began teaching, including Jack VerDuin, Rich Renzema, Frank Grimm, Dick Locke, Kelly McEwen and Ron Engels,” he said. “We have also had so many gifted players with great work ethic who were driven to compete and reach their potential. To name even a few of those kids would take a long time!”

 

Vander Klay is a 1982 Park High School graduate, and a 1986 Hope College graduate.

 

He has guided the Wyoming varsity basketball teams to nine Academic All-State teams, seven conference championships, four district championships, a regional championship, and a state Final Four.  In all, 27 of 32 teams have been in the top three in the conference.

 

He has three times been named Regional Coach of the Year, The Detroit News state Coach of the Year in 2004, and the MLive Best Coach 2016, and West Michigan Officials Association Coach Of the Year 2017.

 

But he made clear his staff deserves as much credit as he for the 300-plus wins.

 

“Our basketball staff has been outstanding,” Vander Klay said. “Professional educators such as Jerry Haggerty, John Robinson, Craig VanVliet, Brett Dyke, Craig Neitzel, Kirk Kambestad, Jacob Underhill, Abbey Czarniecki, Bernard Varnesdeel and Chris Hose have worked tirelessly in years past to give our kids the leadership they need to become quality young men.

 

“Bernard is currently our program assistant coach, and Jacob and Chris are still coaching our younger teams. Volunteers such as Jason Bleyerveld and Scott DeYoung have given much of their time and energy to our program for many years.”

 

Ultimately, though, Vander Klay credits the “atmosphere” in Wyoming as being a big reason for the program’s success.

 

Thom Vander Klay, coaching. (Supplied)

“I am fortunate to be able to teach and coach in Wyoming where the parents, students, and school work together to make sure our kids have opportunities to be successful. Our parents not only allow the coaches to have high demands on their sons to be developed as young men. Tough love is the expectation from our parents which allows us to coach their sons hard and demand they compete.”

 

And, after all, Wyoming his coach’s home.

 

“My parents still live here, my siblings and I went to school here (Wyoming Park), I live here, my kids went to school here,” he said. “This is a great place to work, raise a family, and go to school. We have so great teachers and coaches who really care about the kids and work hard to make sure they have an opportunity to be successful.”

 

GVSU dedicates new black box theater in honor of renowned vocalist

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This October, GVSU dedicated the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre.

By Matthew Makowski

Grand Valley State University

 

Grand Valley State University’s new Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre is providing students and faculty who are studying and teaching the performing arts with opportunities to tackle new types of productions.

 

The Grand Valley community celebrated the formal dedication of the Keller Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, on Oct. 17.

 

To honor Linn’s memory, the Keller family established the Linn Maxwell Keller Professional Vocalist Experience Endowment at Grand Valley in 2017. The fund provides enrichment opportunities for committed vocal performance students and will aim to encourage them in their professional career development. The Keller Theatre was named in appreciation for their generosity.

 

“The Linn Maxwell Keller Endowment will facilitate and empower our vocal students to move beyond their academic studies and ascend to distinguished achievement by providing needed resources to build artistic capability through advanced study, professional production and community outreach,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department. “These experiences are critical to their success as they launch their professional careers as the next generation of performing artists.”

 

Fred Keller, Linn’s husband, said that the endowment supports her long-held desire to inspire young, aspiring musicians, especially vocalists.

 

The dedication included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.

“Linn was an incredible artist, and I’m so proud that we can have this space in her memory, and an endowment that is going to be inspiring students in the future,” he said. “You’ll never remember what somebody did or said, but you’ll remember how they made you feel, and that’s what Linn brought to the stage.”

 

Linn Maxwell Keller was a dedicated professional singer who performed in 28 countries throughout her career. The only child of two musicians, Linn was a mezzo soprano, performing on many operatic and concert stages, from the Essen Opera House in Germany to Puerto Rico and Carnegie Hall.

 

She went on to write and develop numerous original shows, including the critically acclaimed “Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light,” and “St. Hildegard, Trumpet of God,” both of which were made into movies.

 

The dedication ceremony included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.

 

President Thomas J. Haas said the endowment and the Keller Theatre align with Grand Valley’s mission of encouraging students to reach their full potential.

 

“No matter what we do in the Linn Maxwell Black Box Theatre, we are going to be driven by sustained attention to excellence and quality,” said Haas.

 

A black box theater is an indoor performance space with plain black walls and a level floor, typically designed to provide flexibility in stage configuration and audience seating. Black box theaters gained popularity in the 1960s and the unique performance space creates a closer proximity between the audience and performers.