Looking for an exciting way to enhance your summer, learn something new and qualify for prizes in the process?
Look no further, as Kent District Library is again poised to offer its popular Summer Reading at KDL that last year attracted more than 27,000 children and adults to its wide range of books, programs and activities.
This year’s annual program, sponsored by Consumers Energy, kicks off Monday, June 5 and extends through mid-August. You can sign up at kdl.READsquared.com, or just stop into any KDL branch.
“Summer is our favorite – and busiest – time of the year,” says Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, director of innovation and user experience at KDL. “We love offering free programs to get people excited about reading and summer. And rewarding people for reading with prizes has been a longtime tradition for libraries. We want to keep kids reading in the summer months.”
Those who register for Summer Reading at KDL can qualify for prizes by tallying the number of books they read, or tracking the points they accumulate by attending activities.
But perhaps the best gain – especially for students – is how reading throughout the vacation months helps forestall the “summer slide” that negatively affects learning between the end and start of the traditional school year.
Extensive research shows that children involved in summertime reading programs sponsored by public libraries are more likely to retain their edge come the start of school, and in many cases do better on standardized tests offered at the beginning of the academic year.
This summer’s program lineup will include appearances by magician Tom Plunkard, The Village Puppeteers, Audacious Hoops and many more.
The Grand Valley State University Police Academy’s 2017 class is the largest in more than 13 years, with 40 recruits.
The class is also one of the most diverse, consisting of 12 women (11 white, one Asian) and 28 men (22 white, four African American, two Hispanic).
Williamson Wallace, director of Criminal Justice Training at Grand Valley, said 13 recruits are already employed by area law enforcement agencies that are sponsoring their training.
The academy is conducted annually during the spring/summer semester, May–August. Grand Valley’s academy goes beyond the mandatory minimum training requirement of 594 hours set by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and provides 653 hours of instruction in 16 weeks.
Wallace said the academy is a leader in the state, introducing innovative training methods and techniques that are setting the bar for law enforcement education.
Judy Collins will be making her St. Cecilia Music Center debut in early 2018. (Supplied)
St. Cecilia Music Center
The 2017-18 concert season at St. Cecilia Music Center includes the always remarkable Chamber Music of Lincoln Center series and a dynamite lineup for the Jazz Series. But the highlight of the winter may well be a visit by the incomparable Judy Collins as part of the Acoustic Café Series.
“Since its inception in the 2015-16 season the Acoustic Café Folk Series has expanded its offerings and brought some of today’s up and coming artists, as well as some of the veterans of the singer/songwriter genre,” said Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director. “We currently have two artists booked who represent generations of great music making … (including) the appearance of renowned and beloved singer Judy Collins.”
St. Cecilia’s Royce Auditorium stage concerts begin Oct. 26 and run through spring 2018. Series and individual ticket sales have started.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center perform three times during the season with CMS artistic directors Wu Han and David Finckel featured in two of the three concerts. Programs include the works of Mozart, Brahms, Dvořák, and Beethovan. Concert dates are Nov. 2, Jan. 18, 2018, and April 19, 2018.
The 11th season of SCMC’s Jazz Series is appropriately entitled “The Encore Season” as it brings back favorite performers from the past 10 years. This special season will feature four concerts with performers who have all appeared at SCMC: Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride on Nov. 16, contemporary jazz pianist Brad Mehldau on Nov. 30, Grammy-winning vocalist Gregory Porter on Feb. 22, 2018, and multi-Grammy nominated baritone vocalist Kurt Elling on March 22, 2018.
As part of a still-evolving Acoustic Café Series, singer/songwriter Collins will make her first appearance at St. Cecilia on Feb. 1, 2018. Before that, guitarist Leo Kottke will return to the Royce stage on Oct. 26. The Acoustic Café Series, in partnership with the syndicated radio show of the same name and its host Rob Reinhart, will bring these two legends of folk to the 2017/2018 season, with additional concerts to be announced later in the year.
Series subscription tickets are available now — subscription prices represent a 15 percent discount on regular single ticket prices and a reduced $7 fee for the pre-concert reception. The usual cost of the pre-concert wine and hors d’oeuvres reception is $15 per person, per concert for all Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Jazz Series concerts.
Single tickets are also available at this time. A post-party is included with each ticket where patrons are able to meet the artists and obtain signed CDs of their music.
For more information and tickets, visit scmc-online.org, call St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224, or visit the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE, Grand Rapids.
Mrs. Greenthumbs Plows Ahead: 5 Steps to the Drop-Dead Gorgeous Garden of Your Dreams by Cassandra Danz
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library
Cassandra Dietz, alias Mrs. Greenthumbs, is one of a small number authors of gardening books that are actually fun and enlightening to read. Most gardening books are a lot like cookbooks — if you like the picture, you might want to try and reproduce the item. Mrs. Greenthumbs is more along the line of the PBS radio show, Car Talk with Tom and Ray Magliozzi — it’s very interesting, whether you know much about cars or not. She teaches gardening, designs gardens professionally, has a weekly radio show on gardening and even tours nationally as a gardening speaker.
With Mrs. Greenthumbs also, you can travel along as an armchair gardener, learning the odd fact about famous historical gardener greats, (Gertrude Jekyll was very short, very rotund, and also legally blind the last 40 years of her life), or about how much gardening can do for your sex life (after cutting through an acre of bamboo she remembers her husband with, “sweat glistening on his torso. I felt like Ava Gardener in Mogambo“). You learn many things to enrich your life that are related to gardening, but perhaps not in the usual Thoreau-type sense.
I still am amazed that with all the gardening books I check out every year; my favorite one, Mrs. Greenthumbs: How I Turned a Boring Yard into a Glorious Garden and How You Can, Too, has no photographs at all. Just very minimalist sketches by Merle Nacht, who has a sly style, somewhere between Thurber and Gorey that perfectly matches the text. Maybe it is the fact that with Mrs. Greenthumbs, one is led along with her as she tackles projects that are easily imagined and accomplished. Or it could be that she makes it sound like so much fun, or even if one does not ever plan to garden ever, it’s a hoot to hear about her descriptions of the New York Flower Show, or reading her 10 rules of design.
The sweet sound of country is coming to the Van Singel when homegrown music artist Mallory Skilling returns to West Michigan, performing a benefit concert for the Van Singel Fine Arts Foundation. Former Byron Center native and former Cornerstone University student is set to perform with her band at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center on Thursday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m.
As a young girl, the singer/songwriter, attended Byron Center Public Schools. She studied contemporary music performance at Cornerstone University, completing her degree at the Contemporary Music Center in Nashville, Tenn. During her time at Cornerstone, Skilling released her first EP, “Spitfire Heart.” Since the release of her first EP, Mallory has added several singles to her collection, which can be found on both iTunes and Spotify. Her music is inspired by many artists including Patsy Cline, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, The Band Perry, and the Civil Wars.
Currently, Skilling is working toward her master’s degree in elementary education at the University of Georgia and plans to graduate this December. She is, “looking forward to teaching students and sharing my love of music in the classroom.” She added, “I have many fond memories attending shows at the Van Singel as a child.” The Van Singel Fine Arts Center was the core to Skilling’s inspiration for the love of music and theater. She found that she was greatly impacted by her experiences through events presented at the center. She is thrilled to be returning to her roots and performing at there.
Skilling continues to pursue her music endeavors and has recently recorded a small EP composed of four songs that will soon be released.
Band members include former Cornerstone University student Ben Hoppe (acoustic guitarist), Cornerstone University graduate Jake Milo Partridge (drummer), Evan Profant (electric guitarist) and Daniel Schuler (Bass) from Ann Arbor.
Reserved seats are $25 and include a post-performance dessert buffet where patrons can meet the artist. Reserve tickets in person at the Van Singel box office or by calling 616-878-6800, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are also available at www.vsfac.com.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Center is located at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, at 8500 Burlingame SW (84th Street and Burlingame SW) in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131. The Van Singel features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.
In a room at Godwin Heights High School that formerly served as the site for in-house suspension, students now come for help in the areas of college, career and comfort.
The Empowerment Room is a recently revamped space serving a two-pronged purpose: a needed area for decompression and quiet, and a place to think big about the future.
“It’s a humongous paradigm shift,” said school counselor Kristi Bonilla, referring to it as a place of support rather than punishment. “The hope, goal, dream of this is that kids feel like they have a place to reset, recharge, refocus and be empowered.”
Juniors Dominic Donato and Mamadee Diabate take a break.
While the room is still in its infancy, Bonilla and fellow counselor Tish Stevenson envision it as a place where students can take momentary refuge. It could be during lunch, when they have time outside of class, or when the demands of teenage life bubble over and they need to reel in their emotions. They can also use it to channel their energy into preparation for what comes after graduation day.
“We wanted it to be a center for yoga, breathing and reset time,” Stevenson said. “We also wanted it to be a place for community members to meet with students.”
Meetings have already taken place between students and representatives from college, the military and the Urban League, who helped students apply for jobs.
Yoga sessions will begin soon.
Funded by a $1,000 grant from Wyoming Community Foundation, the room’s seating area has space for reclining and relaxing, comfy chairs and pillow. Yoga mats fill a corner bin, ready for poses. Students come in for the peacefulness, to talk to the counselors and eat lunch in a quiet place.
“We have a long day,” Stevenson said. “If you are a teenager mixing in with all the other teenagers in the day, you need a break.”
Equipping Students with Lifelong Skills
Bonilla and Stevenson have both completed training in cognitive behavior modification at the University of Michigan. They are using it to help students become more mindful, aware and rational in reacting to situations.
Yoga helps students deal with stress.
The end goal is to improve learning and develop lifelong skills, plus decrease detentions and suspension using a non-punitive approach. While the school still uses detentions and in-house and out-of-school suspensions, the counselors aim to be proactive in addressing behavior issues.
Common stressors in teens’ lives include test anxiety, social anxiety, family issues and relationships. Those things often manifest themselves as behavior problems.
“Being a teenager is stressful,” Stevenson said.
Juniors Mamadee Diabate and Dominic Donato juggle between classes at Godwin Heights and programs at Kent Career Technical Center, as well as working and volunteering. They both often come to the room to relax and talk with counselors.
“I feel it will be beneficial for our students because there’s a lot of stress going on,” Mamadee said. “I definitely will use it for yoga.”
“It’s kind of a relaxing place to let stuff come out,” Dominic said, “… not talk to anyone, and just be quiet.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Experience new flavors, and learn about seasonal European cuisine with a crisp glass of wine in hand. The “Springtime in Paris” culinary class with Chef Jim LaPerriere comes to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts Tuesday, May 23.
Join us from 7 – 8:30 p.m. as Chef LaPerriere leads a luscious, seasonal European-style butter and crème fraiche tasting experience. Tickets are $35 per person with limited seating available. Guests must be 21 years or older.
The evening features samples of freshly made French-style cultured butter and baguettes, a classic French omelette, fresh pan-seared salmon, and a decadent strawberry-rhubarb clafoutis. Enjoy a glass of wine as Chef LaPerriere guides you through the menu for the evening.
With 23 years of experience in fine dining for renowned restaurants across the country, LaPerriere, now a personal executive chef, focuses on bringing a one of a kind dining experience to your own table. Through his culinary company, Distinctive Dining, LaPerriere hosts private group cooking classes, demonstration dinners, weddings, corporate team building, and wine dinners. His food has graced the covers of “Sacramento” Magazine and the “Sacramento Bee,” and he has been featured in various local publications including the “Holland Sentinel” and “Grand Rapids Magazine.”
For more information on “Springtime in Paris” with Chef Jim LaPerriere or to purchase tickets, visit www.sc4a.org or 269-857-2399. The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is located at 400 Culver St., Saugatuck.
A familiar face has returned to the City of Wyoming this month as Megan Sall stepped into the role of assistant city manager.
In her new role, Sall will serve as the city manager’s principal representative in various administrative affairs with an emphasis on economic development and downtown development. She will also serve as communication director and will be responsible for managing the City’s website, social media platforms and media inquiries. She will also be responsible for directing and monitoring city projects, acting as liaison between the city manager and department heads, community groups, boards and designated government agencies.
“We are excited to have Megan back at the City in this new and expanded role,” said Wyoming City Manger Curtis Holt. “She brings a passion for municipal work, community engagement and the City of Wyoming, along with a strong understanding of who we are.
Megan’s past work with us, along with the expertise and skills she has developed in the interim, will allow her to be a tremendous asset to our continued growth and development.”
Sall comes to the city with experience in economic development and governance in both local and national organizations. She began her career as assistant to the city manager in Wyoming before moving on to work as downtown development authority director and community services coordinator.
Sall then took the role of campaign coordinator and legislative aide for regional political and governing figures and went on to become program manager at International City/County Management Association in Washington, D.C. Returning to Grand Rapids, Sall worked as business development manager for The Right Place and then project and engagement manager at CQL Incorporated.
Sall received her bachelor’s degree in international relations and her masters in public administration from Grand Valley State University.
Sall is an active community member, serving on the board of Grand Valley State University. She also mentors at the Cook Leadership Academy at Grand Valley State University and has worked on the planning committee for the Great Lakes Software Excellence Conference and as a cabinet member of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Gateway Transformation Campaign.
As of May 1, following a long-standing affiliation, Michigan Obstetrics & Gynecology, P.C., officially joins Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
Formed in 1995, Michigan OB/GYN has been aligned with Metro Health from its beginning.
“After 20 years of working closely with the Metro Health system, the timing was right for us to become fully integrated as Metro Health – University of Michigan Health,” said Dr. Steven Lown, physician executive for Metro Health OB/GYN. “Because of our long-standing relationship with Metro Health, we expect this transition will be seamless for our patients. We look forward to continuing to serve our patients as Metro Health OB/GYN.”
Patients will see very little change during physical office visits. All physicians are remaining with the practice. Metro Health OB/GYN will continue to see patients at several Metro neighborhood outpatient centers. These include:
Metro Health Allendale
Metro Health Caledonia
Metro Health Cedar Springs
Metro Health Comstock Park
Metro Health Grand Rapids
Metro Health Hudsonville
Metro Health Jenison
Metro Health Rockford
Metro Health Southwest
Metro Health Village
Metro Health Wayland
The telephone number for Metro Health OB/GYN is 616-252-4410.
“We are delighted to have Michigan Obstetrics & Gynecology, P.C., join Metro Health – University of Michigan Health,” said Mike Faas, president & CEO. “Collectively our goal is providing the best possible patient experience. The team that joins us now is outstanding in their service. Metro Health – University of Michigan Health looks forward to continuing to serve families of West Michigan in this new capacity.”
Softball is just one of several high school sports nearing the end of their season. Catch a game today!
By Mike Moll
WKTV Sports
There are plenty of local high school sports events to check out this week — including the beginnings of state playoffs for tennis and track — but the WKTV truck and crews will not be back covering games until next week.
The final spring game coverage will be:
Wednesday, May 24 – Boys Baseball, Hopkins @ Godwin Heights
Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat later in the week — Wednesday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays 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 in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/
The complete list of local high school sports events this week due to spring break is as follows:
Monday, May 15
Boys baseball
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ Belding
South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH
Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’sHouse – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee
Girls softball
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Cristian – DH
Kelloggsville @ Belding – DH
South Christian @ Covenant Christian – DH
Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Girls soccer
Godwin Heights @ Covenant Christian
Calvin Christian @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary
South Christian @ Christian
Belding @ Wyoming Lee
Boys golf
Comstock Park @ Wyoming
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Girls tennis
South Christian @ Zeeland East
Tuesday, May 16
Girls Tennis
Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville
North Muskegon @ South Christian
Boys baseball
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
Middleville T-K @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – DH
Girls softball
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills – DH
Middleville T-K @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – DH
Girls soccer
Hudsonville Hornets @ West Michigan Aviation
Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Calvary
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Boys golf
Caledonia @ East Kentwood – OK Red Jamboree @ Stone Water
Wednesday, May 17
Girls soccer
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming @ Wayland
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Boys golf
Kelloggsville – OK Silver Conference Tournament at The Meadows
Wyoming @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Jamboree @ Egypt Valley
South Christian @ FH Eastern – OK Gold Jamboree @ Egypt Valley
Boys baseball
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Tri-Unity Christian vs Holland Black River @ Fifth Third Ballpark – DH
Belding @ Wyoming Lee
Girls softball
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Belding @ Wyoming Lee
Thursday, May 18
Boys baseball
Tri-Unity Christian @ Godwin Heights
West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
South Christian @ Middleville T-K
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Boys lacrosse
Catholic Central @ South Christian
Girls soccer
East Grand Rapids @ South Christian
Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Girls tennis
East Kentwood vs TBD @ Holland – MHSAA State Regionals
Girls softball
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Friday, May 19
Boys and girls track
Division 1 MHSAA State Regionals @ Kalamazoo-Loy Norrix
Division 2 MHSAA State Regionals @ Houseman Field
Division 3 MHSAA State regionals @ Saugatuck
Division 4 MHSAA State Regionals @ Holton
Girls softball
Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park
Ottawa Hills @ Kelloggsville – DH
Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH
South Christian @ Zeeland East – DH
Girls soccer
Godwin Heights @ Belding
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
South Christian @ Holland Christian
Boys baseball
Godwin Heights @ Union
West Michigan Aviation @ Kelloggsville – DH
Wyoming @ West Ottawa – DH
Girls tennis
Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park
Kelloggsville @ Christian – MHSAA State Regionals
Girls water polo
@ TBA – MHSAA State Regionals
Saturday, May 20
Boys baseball
West Michigan Aviation @ Bloomingdale – DH
Auburn Hills Oakland Christian @ Potter’s House – DH
East Kentwood @ Lakeview – DH
Zion Christian @ Mason County Eastern
Zion Christian @ Western Michigan Christian
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac
Girls soccer
Zion Christian @ West Michigan Aviation
Boys and girls track
Division 1 MHSAA State Regionals @ Kalamazoo-Loy Norrix
Division 2 MHSAA State Regionals @ Houseman Field
Division 4 MHSAA State Regionals @ Holton
Girls water polo
@ TBA – MHSAA State Regionals
Girls softball
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ East Kentwood – DH
Wyoming Lee @ Saranac
Boys golf
East Kentwood vs TBA @ The Mines
Monday, May 22
Boys baseball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
South Christian @ Unity Christian
Kenowa Hills @ East Kentwood
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Girls softball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights – DH
FH Central @ South Christian – DH
East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills
Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee – DH
Girls soccer
NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights
Belding @ Kelloggsville
West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian
Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins
Boys golf
Wyoming @ Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Thornapple Pointe
South Christian @ Christian – OK Gold Conference Meet @ Thornapple Pointe
The Wyoming Senior Center will host the May 22 seminar on fair housing.
To register, please call 616-530-3164 by May 15.
The City of Wyoming will host a seminar for rental property owners and housing professionals.
Free and open to the public, the City of Wyoming invites residents to learn more about housing-related topics. The seminar will take place in the Wyoming Senior Center Community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW on Monday, May 22, from 9 am to noon.
Designed for Wyoming landlords, rental agents, property management personnel, real estate agents and residents, the three-hour training seminar will provide practical, up-to-date information to assist housing professionals in their daily compliance with fair housing laws, and provide information on local agencies and resources who address various housing-related needs.
Topics and speakers include:
“Tenant-based rental assistance: How may your clients qualify?” will be presented by Community Rebuilders
“Fair housing practice update: How are you affected and what are your responsibilities?” will be presented by Fair Housing Center of West Michigan
“City of Wyoming rental inspections program update: How is the four-year certification process working?” presented by the City of Wyoming Building Inspections Department
The Rental Property Owners Association and Wyoming Building Inspections Department will be available after the sessions to answer any questions.
A continental breakfast will be served. Seminar completion certificates will be provided upon completion. The educational seminar is sponsored by the Wyoming Community Development Department and the Rental Property Owners Association.
The City of Kentwood will have various equipment out at its Public Works Open House set for May 17.
We see the snow trucks clearing the roads during the winter and we drive past traffic lights and street signs but it is not until you get up close to these items that you discover just how big these items really are.
Wyoming and Kentwood residents will get that first-hand view of snow plows and other public works equipment as both the cities celebrate National Public Works Week with open houses.
In 1960, the American Public Works Association established National Public Works Week to create a better understand of the various responsibilities of a Public Works facility in maintaining the infrastructure of its community. This includes such areas as ground maintenance, sewer and water, potholes and road maintenance, and snowplowing to list a few of the many services provided by these departments.
“It is an opportunity for us to share what we do and to get information out to the people on the various items we take care, the water systems, the sewer system, the streets and all the details related,” said Kentwood Public Works Director John Gorney.
Kentwood is hosting its second National Public Works Week event Wednesday, May 17, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Kentwood Public Works building, located at 5069 Breton Rd. SE. Last year, about 400 people attended the first-ever event.
Again this year, the Kent County Road Commission and the Kent County Department of Public Works will join Kentwood’s Public Works event. Participants will have the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat of a plow, grader and other equipment. There will be live demonstrations about the maintenance and repair of water and sewer systems, along with information about the care and maintenance of the city roads. Residents will learn about the safe disposal of household waste. Free hotdogs and refreshments will be available.
Residents will be able to tour the Wyoming Public Works Department at its event May 15.
The evening will include a proclamation by Kentwood Mayor Steven Kepley and the opportunity to meet local Public Works and Kent County Road Commission employees. During the event, the winners of the Work Zone Poster competition will be announced. The contest asked local third grade students to design a new Work Zone sign, and a gallery of all entries will be showcased at the event.
City of Wyoming
One of the oldest and longest running National Public Works Week event is hosted by the City of Wyoming, which is Monday, May 15, 5 – 8 p.m. at the Public Works Facility, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW.
This is the 23rd year the City of Wyoming has hosted a National Public Works Week event with it becoming quite popular with residents showing up early and waiting for the event to start. Staff estimated about 1,800 people visited the facility within the three-hour time span last year.
During Wyoming’s event, various Public Works Department equipment will be on hand for people to explore along with a police cruiser and fire truck. Staff will be on hand to talk to visitors about equipment and projects as well as serving free beverages, chips, and, of course, hotdogs. The purpose of the event is to give the public a chance to ask questions, learn about what the Public Works Department is all about and the services the department provides, according to staff.
National Public Works Week this year is actually May 21 to May 27 and many local organizations, such as Wyoming and Kentwood, are hosting events. The City of Grandville will host a barbecue Wednesday, May 17, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the KDL Grandville branch, 4055 Maple St. SW. The City of East Grand Rapids will host its Touch-a-Truck event Wednesday, May 24, starting at 10 a.m. at the KDL East Grand Rapids branch, 750 Lakeside Dr. SE.
The Eclipse Awards honors content creators for Excellence in Craft in the disciplines of film, television, video, acting, sound, music, writing, direction, and visual effects. Created by WKTV Community Television and Media as a means of empowering the West Michigan “voice” of content creators, the Eclipse Awards has become the “big event” for the creative community. Since its beginning in 2012, The Eclipse Awards has spread across the state of Michigan to include content creators from the east side as well.
Judging in the Eclipse Awards is done by the nearly 200 previous nominees, recipients and select industry leaders in Los Angeles and New York City. Voting members score the works they view and through arbitrary tabulation, the Eclipse Award is decided upon for each category and craft. Winners are not known until the envelopes are opened on stage at the award presentation — this year on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. at the City Flats Ballroom, 77 Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids.
On Monday May 15th, the Official Nominees Certification takes place at 7 p.m. at the JW Marriot, downtown Grand Rapids. This year nearly 90 nominees and their guests participate in a classy-casual event of meeting each other, photo ops and receiving the formal certificate confirming their nomination in this year’s awards.
The Awards ceremony will be televised same night, Thursday May 18, starting at 10 p.m.
To see clips of previous years ceremony and images, visit theeclipseaward.com.
When eighth-grader Jaden Delosh started attending the middle school right after spring break, he was happy to have Ke’Waun Blackmon show him around.
“It gave me a friend,” said Jaden, who moved from Waterford, near Detroit.
Ke’Waun made the transition a little easier, showing him around to classrooms introducing him to teachers and classmates, and inviting him to join him at lunch.
About 30 students in grade six through eight are assigned as mentors to befriend and welcome new students, making sure they feel welcome.
Counselor Michelle Barrows started the mentorship program, which involves twice monthly meetings, to build a team of students that reach out to others, whether that’s new students or anyone appearing isolated or upset. Teachers recommended students to serve as mentors who have showed good leadership skills and the ability to take initiative.
“They are a force for positive change in this school,” Barrows said. “If they see someone being made fun of or who is crying, they are supposed to step up.”
Ke’Wau Blackmon is helping new student Jaden Delosh around Kelloggsville Middle School.
They have welcomed 41 new students this year, and many have formed relationships. Sixth-grade mentors will also help fifth-graders during Move-Up Day in May, when the younger students visit to tour their new school building.
Mentors participated in “Start with Hello,” part of the Sandy Hook Promise campaign, which equips students with skills needed to reach out to and include those who may be dealing with chronic social isolation. The goal is to create a culture of inclusion and connectedness within their school.
The Sandy Hook Promise is a national non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. It provides programs and practices that protect children.
“I really want it to make it a little more than just showing a new kid around,” Barrows said.
Ke’Waun said mentoring Jaden and another student earlier this year has helped him learn how to “be friends with everyone.”
“I learned how to respect different people and to have good relationships,” he said.
“I said, ‘If you need anything, you can come to me and ask me. I just made them my friends… It was really fun helping other students come to our school and know they are going to be safe and have a good time here.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Peters, Carper, Hassan, Harris Urge DOJ Inspector General to Investigate Political Interference with Russia Investigation
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) all members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General calling for an inquiry into possible political interference with the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged involvement with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Peters, Hassan and Harris are members of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) serves as Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
In the letter, the Senators call on the Inspector General to investigate the allocation of resources for the Russia investigation; the intent and timing of Comey’s termination, including the role of Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the termination despite his decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation; and whether any actions of the DOJ or the White House constitute political interference in the FBI investigation.
Peters, Stabenow Call on Trump Administration to Protect Worker and Retiree Pensions
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow led a group of 14 Senators outlining the importance of protecting pensions for workers and retirees. The Senators requested information from the Administration on its plan to address critical issues in the multi-employer pension system.
“As you may know, millions of American workers and retirees — through no fault of their own — are at risk of losing a substantial portion of their pensions because their plans are at imminent risk of becoming insolvent and being unable to pay earned benefits on time and in full,” wrote the Senators. “Some multi-employer pension plans across the country, including Central States with its more than 400,000 participants, are in dire financial situations.”
Peters Speaks on Firing of FBI Director James Comey
Peters: The past four months suggest that our president thinks he can simply tweet and fire his way out of this problem while continuing to cozy up to Russia.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) spoke on the Senate floor about President Trump’s firing of Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director James Comey in the midst of an FBI investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Peters reiterated his call from March for a special prosecutor to conduct a nonpartisan, independent investigation into Russia’s involvement in our elections.
Watch his remarks here:
Peters Leads Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Farm Service Agency Loan Funding
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) today led a bipartisan group of 28 Senators in a letter to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture urging them to support robust funding for the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) loan programs. FSA provides direct loans and loan guarantees to help struggling family farmers start and maintain viable farming operations.
“These loans are cost-efficient and work in tandem with private credit to serve farmers in need,” wrote the Senators. “Because of these loans, family farmers can get their crops in the ground and continue to serve their customers, even during tough economic times. Without FSA loans, these farmers would lack access to the operating capital that is necessary for any farm business to stay afloat.”
FSA loans aim to help small farms that cannot otherwise obtain favorable credit, including beginning farmers, women and minorities, and other disadvantaged borrowers. FSA’s loan programs include operating loans, which fund expenses such as livestock, equipment and seed, and ownership loans that help farmers develop land. Recent years have seen increased demand for FSA’s loan programs. In June 2016, hundreds of farmers whose loans had already been approved could not receive the funds due to a shortfall in funding for FSA operating loans. As a result, Congress was forced to pass an emergency appropriation in December of 2016 to address the shortfall.
A 9-1-1 dispatcher — a person who is “always there for you, waiting for your call” — is now in need of support from the community. And the annual Kent Area Law Enforcement’s Old Time Hockey Game offers the public the ability to support while watching some fun hockey action.
The Old Time Hockey Game will take place Saturday, May 20, at Byron Center’s Southside Ice Arena, 566 100th St., with the game beginning at 1 p.m. and an open skate to follow.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Michelle Bouwens, an 18-year veteran 9-1-1 dispatcher who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, according to her boss, is currently in the fight of her life.
“They are always there for you, waiting for your call. Now, one of them needs your help,” Matt Groesser, Emergency Communications Center manager for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, said in an emailed statement. “The men and women of the Kent County Communications Center answer over 140,000 9-1-1 calls per year (that’s one call every 4 minutes on average). They are responsible for emergency communications in a community of over 435,000 people. … Come join us, and hundreds of others from the area, at the 21st annual Kent Area Law Enforcement Charity Hockey Game.”
The charity hockey game is the longest-running law enforcement hockey game in the state. The event is open to the public, with donations accepted.
Bouwens is married and has two sons, ages 9 and 10. She is taking unpaid time off to undergo treatment and surgeries, according to supplied information.
For more information visit the event’s Facebook link.
Russo’s International Market, located on 29th Street in Grand Rapids but right on the City of Kentwood border, has announced plans to open a second location in downtown Grand Rapids — a return home, of sorts, according to the company’s president.
“Since opening in 1905, my grandfather made it his mission to serve the Grand Rapids community. Our first location was on Division in what was known as ‘Little Italy’,” Phil Russo, president of Russo’s International Market, said in supplied material. “When we needed more room, we opened up on 29th Street. … We always knew we would return to our roots and this second location will allow us to serve the downtown community as we once did 112 years ago.”
Russo’s International Market, located on 29th Street on the City of Kentwood border, has not plans to close its current location. (Supplied)
The new location is planned for the former Bagger Dave’s location at 241 W. Fulton St. The new location is in the city planning and approval stage at this time. According to a company spokesperson, “there are no plans to close the 29th Street location” with the opening of the downtown location.
The market is also plans to expand its offerings with the new location by adding a restaurant, coffee bar and a gelato bar in addition to the market, deli and beverage products currently available at the 29th Street store.
Russo’s is a family-owned business — for many years it was named “G.B. Russo & Son” — and the family plans to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community celebration once approval and construction is finished. Russo’s International Market is currently run by the 3rd and 4th generation of the Russo family.
A big reason for the decision to expand back into downtown, according to a release from the company, is the expansion of residential offerings in the area and other economic factors.
According to the Russo’s release, “with the growing number of downtown residents, the need for retail options within the downtown area is evident.”
According to Downtown Grand Rapids, 183 residential units were added to the downtown Grand Rapids area in 2015, with an additional 1,437 proposed units to be developed shortly after. With the addition of the proposed units, downtown Grand Rapids would house 5,201 residential units. Downtown Grand Rapids’ goal is to reach 10,000 residential units within the downtown area by 2025.
“The Grand Rapids community has been so devoted to our family-business throughout the years, and our goal is to continue to serve the community to the best of our ability, Russo said. “We realized the lack of offerings for downtown residents, and this gave us the opportunity to return to downtown Grand Rapids and serve the growing residential population,” said Russo.
The Fulton Street location is in addition to the store’s existing 18,000 sq. ft. location on 29th Street, which was purchased in 1976, and expanded in 2008. The expansion comes nearly two months after a rebrand to commemorate the company’s historic 112 years in Grand Rapids. For more information visit russosgr.com .
You might have a little extra free time this summer or have the desire to go on a road trip. With so many things to do and places to visit in West Michigan, how will you decide what to do? That’s where the West Michigan Summer Bucket List comes in handy. See how many places you can visit, or discover something completely new to add to your vacation schedule.
West Michigan
Navigate freely through the trees at Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park. Their event to kick off the season, Treetops Summer Kick-Off, is May 20th with discounted tickets for shortened climb times, zip rides, giveaways, and special offers.
Visit Grand Haven and the Electric Bike Place’s brand new MACTrack. This multi-terrain test track allows you to test ride some of the most popular electric bikes in the industry. Bring a lunch, enjoy a few hours of riding, and come talk about ebikes with their knowledgeable staff.
Visit the eight unique museums in the Marshallarea. These eight museums feature a one-room school house, a house built in the Polynesian style, Civil War museum, governor’s mansion, U.S. postal museum, magic museum, country church, and gasoline museum. May 20th is tourism day in Marshall, and all the museums will be free to the public to celebrate.
Bring out your inner treasure hunter at Antiques on the Bluff in St. Joseph. Held along tree-lined Lake Bluff Park overlooking Lake Michigan, this antique show is a premier event for St. Joseph and antiquers around Southwest Michigan when it pops up on the first Sunday of each month from May through October.
Visit Saugatuck, recently named the #1 Best Small Towns to Visit in Michigan by Crazy Tourist and Best Small Town Weekend Escape by USA Today, making it a place that needs to be on your bucket list. There’s no better way to see the town than a trip on the Star of Saugatuck. Featuring entertaining narration and a wonderful view of the town, you’ll want to be on the water when the Star of Saugatuck started their season on Saturday, May 6th.
Find exciting treasures at Downtown Market’s two summer pop-up shops. The Vintage Street Market is Grand Rapid’s only monthly vintage market, popping up the second Sunday of each month from May until September. This year’s Vintage Street Market vendors were carefully curated to provide the best variety of vintage goods Grand Rapids has to offer. The Made In Michigan Pop Up Marketfeatures over 50 vendors who proudly “make” in Michigan! Vendors bring their wares to the market on Saturdays, May 27th, June 24th, July 22nd, August 26th, and September 23rd.
Visit the Jewel of Barry County at the Historic Charlton Parkin Hastings. Situated on 310 acres along beautiful Thornapple Lake, you can easily cool off at the beach, launch your boat, hike the trails, or pack a picnic for a relaxing meal. Join the park for their many special events, including Charlton Park Day, Father’s Day Car Show, 4th of July and Veteran’s BBQ, Gas & Steam Engine Show, and more.
From Muskegon Museum of Art’s Edward S. Curtis: The North American Indian Exhibit
The Muskegon Museum of Arthas an internationally recognized exhibit, Edward S. Curtis: The North American Indian, from May 11th to September 10th. This exhibit is the most comprehensive ethnographic and photographic historical record of Native Americans ever produced, comprised of 20 volumes of research and 723 photogravures.
Go to one (or 12) of LowellArt’s Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts. These free outdoor summer concerts run from June 15th to August 24th at the Riverwalk Plaza in downtown
Lowell with food and spirits available for purchase. Enjoy music from all genres, including jazz, country, big band, rock, R&B, and more all summer long.
Shoot sporting clays with your family at Blendon Pines in Zeeland. This activity is both safe and fun, with knowledgeable staff who are ready to help. Walk through the groomed trails to the 12 different shooting stations. Line up your shot and try your best to be the best sharpshooter in your family!
Visit Hastings for their brand new summer concert series, Hastings Live! Wednesday evenings feature the best in local music, while their Friday Night Features include regional artists and rising stars such as Hip Pocket, The Crane Wives, The Accidentals, and more. Listen to new music all summer with this new concert series.
The Lake County Historical Museum in Baldwin is a must-see museum. Located in a restored 1938 CCC-built U.S. Forest Service district ranger residence, the museum is filled with Lake County artifacts of every sort. There’s also the memorial garden, which is beautiful through the summer months and a highlight in downtown Baldwin.
Historic White Pine Village
Surround yourself with Civil War re-enactors at the Historic White Pine Village in Ludington. This is the site of a Civil War Muster featuring many re-enactors encamped on the grounds. Visitors will experience cannon firings, small arms interpretation, and morning colors.
Sail Lake Michigan aboard a Pirates of the Caribbean themed cruise with the S.S. Badger in Ludington. Passengers can wear pirate costumes and speak in pirate lingo on this festive Lake Michigan shoreline cruise aboard America’s last coal-fired steamship. Tickets are $39 and include a buffet with desserts and soft drink and live music.
Further afield
Celebrate the birthplace of cereal at National Cereal Fest in Battle Creek. The festival begins on Friday, June 9th with the Grand Cereal Parade, and continues on Saturday, June 10 with the World’s Longest Breakfast Table. Grab a bite with all-you-can-eat cereal.
The Inland Seas Education Association in Suttons Bay has three sails this summer that deserve a spot on your Bucket List. Their Breakfast on the Schooner Sail is Saturday, July 1st and Friday, August 25th, where you can enjoy a freshly prepared breakfast as you sail around Suttons Bay. On Friday, June 23d and July 21st, their Astronomy Under Sail gives you one of the best views of the night sky along with some informative commentary. Their Meteor Show Sail on Friday, August 11th, lets you see this amazing natural phenomenon aboard the 77’ schooner.
Schooner sailing
Many people have a visit to the Grand Hotelon Mackinac Island on their Bucket List. With the hotel’s Family Added Value Days available select nights in July and August, you and your family can have the full Grand Hotel experience while saving along the way. Stay three nights and get the fourth night free, stay two nights and get the third night half off, or stay one night and get the second night 25% off. These stays include what has made the Grand Hotel such a sought-after destination, but with a little savings.
Explore a tropical garden filled with hundreds of exotic butterflies at the Grand Traverse Butterfly House and Bug Zoo in Williamsburg. Watch honeybees making honey, find your favorite tarantula inside the Tarantula Tree display, and discover beetles and friends in the Beetle Boulder.
Hop aboard a Tommy’s Rentals Sunset Cruise at Hotel Walloon on Walloon Lake. Offered every Friday night in the summer, these cruises include a captain, appetizer, wine, and beer. Also offered throughout the summer are the outdoor movies in the Village Green Park on Thursday nights. Grab a blanket or park your boat at the dock to catch an outdoor movie starting June 29th.
See some of the area’s best animals compete at the Berrien County Youth Fairon August 14th to 19th. There’s also concerts, carnival rides, food, and more to fill your week at the fair.
Visit Mecosta County and the second longest river in Michigan, the Muskegon River. On the
river, you can go tubing, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, and more. There’s 14 places to purchase a fishing license in the area, making it easier than ever to hit the waters in search for the big catch of the day.
Tahquamenon Falls
Visitors to Sault Ste. Marie have two attractions worthy of your bucket list: and the Soo Locks. Tahquamenon Falls is a 50-foot waterfall, with a park that is open year-round. The Soo Locks is widely considered a man-made wonder, used to help ships traverse the 21-foot drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron every day and night. There’s much more fun to be had in Sault Ste. Marie, but these should be at the top of your list of things to see and do.
Celebrate Mackinac Island’s oldest hotel with a visit to the Island House Hotel. This historic landmark was originally commissioned by Charles O’Malley to be his summer beach house, and 165 years later, you can stay there when they celebrate their anniversary on July 7th.
Ride antique bikes in vintage or traditional British cycling attire and stay at Mission Point Resort during the Lakeside Ride with a Bit of Style on May 12th. The two-mile ride takes you through downtown historic Mackinac Island and past the Arch Rock in the state park. The event is free and open to all, but the best way to experience the event is with the Tweed Ride Experience Package from Mission Point Resort.
Find Michigan’s State Stone, the Petoskey Stone, or visit Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain Resort, Michigan’s largest indoor water park when you visit the Petoskey area.
If ziplining is one of those things you can’t wait to try, check out Wildwood Rush in Boyne City with its 1,200 foot triple racing line.
Rent a pontoon and make it a day of relaxation on the many lakes of Coldwater, or go to one of the remaining drive-in movie theaters in the state at the Capri Drive-In. Recently upgraded to digital, the Capri Drive-In shows first-run double features on each of the two screens.
Get the “up north” experience and try a new sport at Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire. Guests will find the beauty of the woods and water of northern Michigan at a slower pace far from the crowds and traffic. You can even try a unique sport called FootGolf, a hybrid of golf and soccer, that’s sweeping the world of golf in recent years. It is now a recognized tournament sport in over 20 countries, and the American FootGolf League recognizes 85 participating U.S. courses in 29 states.
For many, a trip over the Mackinac Bridge is a bucket list worthy goal, but once you arrive on the other side and head north, you’re treated to Marquette County. Here, you can visit Sugarloaf Mountain or go for a scenic hike at Presque Isle Park, often considered the finest natural city park in the world.
Waldo Wright’s Flying Service
Experience lazy-eights, steep and shallow 360 degree turns, and maybe even a few “whoopty-dos” at Waldo Wright’s Flying Service in Portage. Carrying up to 4 passengers in a large front-open cockpit, guests experience the sensations of flight in the open cockpit. See, smell, feel, and hear the experience for yourself on one of these rides.
For 42 years, the St. Ignace Car Show has been a Michigan summer staple for people who love automobiles. This year, Car Show weekend is June 22nd to 24th, when hundreds of custom, antique, and celebrity automobiles will be on display in the streets of this quaint Upper Peninsula community. This event is great for families and conveniently located near beaches, parks, hiking trails, and Mackinac Island ferries.
Enjoy West Michigan’s finest display of fireworks on July 3rd from the deck of the Michigan Maritime Museum’stall ship, Friends Good Will. Sail out of South Haven onto Lake Michigan as you watch the fireworks light up the lake and sky on this memorable cruise.
Take the ferry out of Charlevoix to one of Lake Michigan’s most hidden gems: Beaver Island —America’s Emerald Isle. Enjoy a relaxing boat ride as you dock in Paradise Bay, surrounded by turquoise water and welcoming lighthouses. Tours are offered Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The Leila Arboretum & Kaleidoscope Garden in Battle Creek is a must-visit for families. Their Fantasy Forest is an amazing display of artistic talent and creativity. In 2015 and 2016, artists gathered from around the country to transform a grove of 100-year-old Ash trees into stunning works of art. They also have their Kaleidoscope Garden. Like the popular children’s toy, the Kaleidoscope Garden is always changing, highlighting different colors, shapes, and experiences as the seasons progress. Throughout the one-acre garden, visitors will take a closer look at how plants affect their everyday lives while getting a glimpse into some of Battle Creek’s interesting history.
The Grand Haven area’s Musical Fountain is truly one of a kind. The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a synchronized water and light show accompanied by music of all varieties. Each 25-minute show features a variety of well-known music. The 2017 season opened on May 5th and runs through September.
See historical re-enactments at the 17th Annual Feast of the Strawberry Moon in Grand Haven on June 10th. This event brings in approximately 250 re-enactors, entertainers, demonstrators, and period vendors to provide the experience of the 18th century.
See how many rides you can squeeze into a day at Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon. They have everything from high-thrill roller coasters and water rides to the relaxing Lazy River. At Michigan’s Adventure, you get two parks for the price of one.
The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established a network of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) across the country as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. CAAs were created to coordinate poverty relief programs and help people in their communities achieve self-sufficiency. Today there are over 1,000 Community Action Agencies serving 99% of the counties in the US.
Each May is recognized as Community Action Month and provides an opportunity to celebrate the work CAA’s continue to do in the fight against poverty. ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) is doing this work here in Kent County.
ACSET CAA’s Mission: We fight the causes and circumstances of poverty by investing in low-income individuals and families. Through dedicated staff and community partnerships we provide services, resources, education and advocacy to improve the quality of life for all residents of Kent County.
Each year ACSET CAA, with help from partnering agencies and volunteers, serves over 5000 Kent County residents. Most of these individuals live at 100% or less of federal poverty guidelines — that’s $2,050 per month or less for a family of four. They offer a variety of programs for low-income individuals, including:
Senior Services
Food Distribution
Transportation
Utility Assistance
Weatherization
Tax Preparation
Homeless Prevention
To learn more or find out if you qualify for services, contact ACSET CAA at 616.336.4000 or find them online at www.communityactionkent.org.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org
Extremely funny and smart, Where’d You Go, Bernadette is the kind of book you recommend to everyone you know. Told through letters, emails, other correspondence, and official documents collected by Bee, the daughter of the quirky and unusual Bernadette, this is a fast read, yet the story is slowly revealed, with each letter and email adding up to a larger picture that comes together in the end like a jigsaw puzzle.
The main character, Bernadette, is the kind of person you want to know and, in some instances, be more like. She hates Seattle and the culture of her daughter’s private school, she’s the weird neighbor, the not-like-everyone-else’s-mom mom. The kind of details and dialog the author adds to this book—they keep an Airstream parked in their backyard!—will keep any literary fiction reader happy, while the pacing and humor will appeal to those who are craving a good beach read, and the mother-daughter relationship in this book will draw every reader in.
The Meyer May House is one of the homes feature in the “Grand Homes of Heritage Hill” series.
One of the area’s most popular home tours returns this month, the Heritage Hill 2017 Weekend Tour of Homes, and to help whet your appetite, WKTV will once again be airing “The Grand Homes of Heritage Hill” which includes a peek inside a home currently closed to the public.
“Grand Homes of Heritage Hill,” produced by WKTV volunteer Thomas Hegewald, kicks off Monday, May 15, with a 9 a.m. airtime for The Connors House, which is a privately owned home. On Thursdays, May 16, at 6 p.m., the next installment will feature The Meyer May House, which was restored and owned by Steelcase. Last the installment will feature The Voigt House, which is owned by the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Tours through the house were discontinued in 2009, making Hegewald’s show the only way for the general public to view the home. This show, which Hegewald received a 2007 Telly Award and a 2007 Festival of the Arts film award, will be aired Friday, May 19, at noon, the day before the Heritage Hill tour starts.
The Heritage Hill 2017 Weekend Tour of Homes is May 20 and 21 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 22 from noon to 6 p.m. Advance tickets are $18 and available through www.heritagehillweb.org or the Heritage Hill Association office, 126 College Ave. SE.; Martha’s Vineyard, 200 Union Ave. NE; Art of the Table, 606 Wealth St. SE; D&W, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods and Lake Michigan Credit Union locations.
“The Grand Homes of Heritage Hill” episode feature The Voigt House won a Telly Award.
Tickets on the weekend of the tour are $25 and available only at GRCC DeVos campus, 435 E. Fulton.
On the ticket, there is a map of all the homes. You can see the houses in any order and on either or both days. Walk, bike or take the free shuttle buses that stop at each house on the tour. You can get on and off the bus at each house. If you are interested in getting a free ticket, volunteer. For more information to do that, email heritage@heritagehillweb.org or call 616-459-8950.
Houses for this year’s tour are: the 1874 the Italinate-style home at 71 LaFayette NE; the Amber House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright protégé Marion Mahoney at 505 College SE; the 1886 Queen Anne-style home at 521 Madison SE; the Victorian Gothic cottage at 264 Paris SE; the Stick Style home at 417 Crescent NE; the Craftsman Style home at 544 College SE; the 1903 Widdicomb furniture family home at 422 Fountain NE; Oakwood Manor at 547 Cherry SE; the Calkins Law Office at 237 State St. SE; Child Discover Center at 409 LaFayette SE; and the Women’s City Club at 254 E. Fulton St.
The Pinery Park Little League’s annual Celebration Day, coming this Saturday, is a celebration of the hundreds of kids involved with about 30 teams playing in the park’s youth baseball and softball program. It is also a celebration of the parents and volunteers who work to make the program a success.
WKTV’s mobile coverage crew will be recording it all, starting at 10 a.m., May 13, and set for broadcast at 6 p.m. that night on WKTV community television Channel 25.
“This is our traditional ‘opening day’ celebration; we have been playing for several weeks but we like to wait until we have a better chance of good weather,” said Joe Gonzalez, president of the Pinery Park Little League. “It is a celebration of the kids, but also all the people who are trying to make the league stronger, to keep it going.”
Gonzalez said the event will have a “parade” of teams of players introduced in their team shirts, and then a carnival and food for the kids starting at 11 a.m. Many of the sponsors of the teams and the league will also be identified at the event.
According to Gonzalez, the league hosts a spectrum of levels of baseball and softball teams, including multiple teams in T-ball, coach pitch, minor and major levels. He said there are usually about 14 players in each baseball team and about 10-to-12 players in each softball team.
Pinery Park is located at 2301 De Hoop Ave. (off 28th Street), in Wyoming.
Celebrating their year abroad in America are, from left, Natale Aurtenetxe, Elisabeta Karlin, Hang Thi Minh Ha, Triet Vu, Yuka Nagai and Ayaka Kawasaki.
In his year of study at Wyoming High School, Triet Vu learned a lot of things about America and its education system that were much different from his home in Vietnam: the easier curriculum, the pervasive technology, the intensely controversial election. But what he valued most? His fellow students.
“I really like the people,” said Triet, a senior. “It’s so nice. I can just say hi to a random person, have small talk and we’ll be friends. I can feel like I’m getting more sociable and mature.”
Triet is one of 57 students who attended Kent County schools this year through the Educatius Group, a foreign-student exchange program operating in more than 230 U.S. high schools. It also works with some 120 universities to help students like Triet access higher education here; he has been accepted by Grand Valley State University to study nursing next year.
Ayaka Kawasaki, left from Japan, and Hang The Minh Ha and Triet Vu, of Vietnam, were impressed by how engage Americans were in the election.
The foreign-exchange experience has enriched the lives of students and their host families for generations, thanks to a variety of agencies. Boston-based Educatius has provided that experience for students from more than 50 countries in the past 10 years, an increasing number of them in West Michigan. With an office in Grand Rapids, it has grown from 39 students attending area schools in 2014 to 92 this year.
School News Network invited a half-dozen Educatius students to come together in mid-April and compare notes on their school year, which just happened to coincide with one of the most divisive presidential elections in American history. Here they weigh in on that and other, less controversial topics.
What Was Weird?
“I’m really surprised by how much you guys eat fast food,” said Triet, who as he said has become very sociable. “We had a lot of pizza, like, a LOT of pizza.”
For Elisabeta Karlin of Wiesbaden, Germany, who goes by Lisa, it was what she called “spray cheese,” better known here as Cheez Whiz. “I haven’t tried it, but I thought it was weird,” said Lisa, who attends the Rockford Freshman Center.
Ayaka Kawasaki, a junior at Wyoming High School, thought it was weird that students eat in the classroom, something never done at her school in Tokyo.
“We don’t use so many cars as you,” said Natale Aurtenetxe, a sophomore at Rockford High School. “We use more public transport” back home in Bilbao, Spain.
For Yuka Nagai, a sophomore at Catholic Central, it was weird not having the steering wheel on the right side, as in Japan. But it was much easier to get to school than in Tokyo, where it took her 30 minutes by bike, 30 minutes by train and 30 minutes walking – yes, that’s 90 minutes total.
Triet Vu
What Was Hard?
Lisa and Natale were both thrown by how often classes change. Back home they spent most of the school day with the same students.
“I like that you switch and can meet new people,” said Lisa, whereas always being with the same group, “You get annoyed with some people.”
Just physically changing classes at 1,800-student Rockford High was a challenge, added Natale: “It’s like if your locker’s downstairs and you need to go upstairs, it’s really difficult. There’s a lot of people.”
Although he found his studies “pretty easy,” Triet also found the constant class changes at Wyoming High disconcerting. “Teachers ask us to pair up and I’m like, ‘Oh crap, I don’t know anyone!’”
Yuka was taken aback by how much American students discuss topics with their teachers, so unlike the sit-quietly-and-take-notes norm of Japanese students. “If I could speak English more, I’d prefer the American style,” she said.
Hang The Minh Ha
Hang Thi Minh Ha was unnerved by having to give class presentations at Wyoming, which was way out of her comfort zone compared to students’ passive routine in Vietnam. “I was so scared,” Hang said. “I tried my best. It was good for me.”
What Did You Most Appreciate?
“The teachers were really nice to you and really helpful,” Lisa piped up immediately.
For Yuka, it was the ready availability of technology, whether working from an iPad, emailing a teacher or using Google Translate. “In Japan, we have to carry a bunch of textbooks every single day,” she said. “I thought my back was going to be broken.”
For Hang, it was being able to know more people and ask teachers for help after school. That’s not easy in Vietnam, where she said she attended school six days a week until 5:30 p.m., and sometimes evenings if she needed more help.
Ayaka appreciated the diversity of students in Wyoming. “Everybody’s different,” she said. “I like that. Japan’s so boring. Everyone’s the same.”
And What about That Election?
To a person, the students were impressed with how intensely engaged the public was in the showdown between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
“It’s crazy how you guys have all different opinions,” Triet marveled. “American people kind of put me to shame. I know literally nothing about Vietnamese politics. We just can’t have opinions.” On the other hand, he saw here “so much protesting and so much hate. I don’t like that.”
Lisa was also fascinated by Americans’ “strongly different opinions of things. In Germany, you don’t have such a strong opinion about politics.” However, she also sometimes found the election “kind of scary,” like when she heard of people beating each other up.
Hang went to the polling place with her host father, Eddie Tauler, and was impressed. “I saw how Americans care about their government and their president. They have freedom to speak about what they think.” In Vietnam, she added, “You have to be careful what you say.”
“In Japan, I never saw government as interesting,” Ayaka said. Yuka agreed, adding, “I was so impressed that even younger people (in America) have interest in their government and politics.”
What Was Most Special?
All agreed it was the people – new friends at school and at home, with their host families.
Lisa traveled with her host parents, Shannon and Sara Moore, to see their daughter Michelle compete in Color Guard. She and Natale played on the Rockford tennis team, and Natale went camping with her host family, Matt and Karyll Russell, and helped daughters Karys and Jocelyn with their Spanish Immersion studies.
Hang and Ayaka, who both stayed with Eddie and Jamie Tauler, laugh about eating Eddie’s macaroni and cheese – “The American food I will never forget,” Hang said.
And that’s definitely not all.
“It’s really tough on them to leave, and leave the friends they made,” said Laurie Ledesma, who hosted Yuka and helps coordinate Educatius locally.
Triet agreed. “Basically, friends is what makes the year really special.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Kentwood native and graduate Kathleen M. Allen, an attorney with a long history of working with the disadvantaged and in family law, has been named the new chief executive officer (CEO) of Catholic Charities West Michigan (CCWM).
Allen, who has been serving as vice chair of the nonprofit human service agency’s board of directors, is currently a staff attorney for Legal Aid of Western Michigan in Grand Rapids and will begin her new duties on May 1. Pamela Cohn Hammer, CCWM’s chief operating officer, has been acting as interim president and CEO.
“I know Kathleen very well and know that she will bring the needed expertise and energy to the highly challenging job of leading this agency in the years ahead,” said CCWM Board Chair Juan Salazar.
Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, welcomed Allen to the position. “Catholic Charities West Michigan is a vital organization which allows us to live out the call of Christ to care for the poor, clothe the needy, and feed the hungry throughout the 11 counties we serve,” he said. “I welcome Kathleen and look forward to partnering with her, the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, and staff to continue to serve the community in a compassionate way.”
Allen, who has a bachelor of arts degree from Michigan State University and a law degree from Valparaiso School of Law in Valparaiso, Ind. said: “My more than 20 years of practicing as a Legal Aid of Western Michigan attorney gave me the opportunity to serve, one on one, many area vulnerable poor and low income persons and families.”
Prior to beginning work at Legal Aid of Western Michigan in 1997, Allen was affiliated with three Grand Rapids law firms as a law clerk and associate. Former President and CEO Terry Walsh left the agency in July 2016.
Detroit horror writer/author Josh Malerman will be coming to Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE, Thursday, May 25, to discuss his latest novel, “Black Mad Wheel.”
Malerman had a debut that most authors dream of with his highly praised literary horror novel “Bird Box.” He received incredible reviews and Bird Box was named a Michigan Notable book and short-listed for the James Herbert Award and the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. Now he is back with “Black Mad Wheel,” a post-World War II psychological thriller that is part “Heart of Darkness,” part “Lost.”
Malerman’s presentation will be at 7 p.m. at the book store. For more information, visit schulerbooks.com.
Are you over 50 and back in the job market for the first time in years? Do you think your age will make it harder to find a new job?
It’s true; hiring managers can make generalizations about mature job seekers. They may worry that you are not up to speed with the latest technology. They might also assume you are overqualified and will demand a higher salary.
There are ways to overcome these barriers. Here are five tips to help you get back in the workforce:
Consider training to update your skills. Is there new technology used in your line of work? Would you like to break into a new field? Use this time to get the training you need to land your next job.
Refresh your resume. To prevent broadcasting your age, don’t include graduation dates or experience dating more than 10-15 years. Focus only on skills that relate to the job you are applying for.
Stay up-to-date with technology. You will need to be comfortable searching the web for jobs and applying online. A strong LinkedIn profile can show potential employers you are comfortable with technology.
Network. Connect with friends, former colleagues and supervisors first. Let them know you are looking for a new position and ask them for advice and referrals.
Highlight your strengths. Older employees can bring a high level of professionalism, strong problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence to a position. This can make you a valuable member of any team.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
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 a new forever home. 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.
Esmeralda
Esmeralda — Female American Pit Bull Terrier Mix
I’m a sweet and playful 1-year-old girl looking for my forever home. I recently had surgery to repair a hip joint issue and am recovering well in a foster home. I love to cuddle and sit on laps! I would do well in a home that is relaxed enough to give the time and TLC to recover from my surgery. If you’re interested in meeting me please call Humane Society of West Michigan!
I’m a small 5-year-old cat who enjoys having my own space to snuggle up and snooze. I was transferred to HSWM from another animal shelter making much of my history a mystery. Adult cats, ages 5 months and older, have their adoption fees waived right now. Please come meet me and see if we are the purr-fect fit!
A test for heartworm disease (if six months or older)
A first series of vaccines including DHLPP (distemper combo), Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine, and rabies (if older than 14 weeks of age)
Spay/Neuter Surgery
Treatment for internal parasites
One dose of flea preventative
One dose of heartworm preventative
The organization 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.
Part of the group of those honored at the City of Wyoming Employee Service Awards event. (Supplied)
WKTV Staff
The City of Wyoming last week celebrated 46 employees — with a combined 945 years of service to the city — during an Employee Service Awards event. The awards are given out once a year and recognize employees for service in 5-year increments, with the longest tenured employee gaining a 40-year service award.
The department breakdown of the service awards are as follows:
Finance – 1 individual, 30 years
Housing – 1 individual, 20 years
HR/Risk Management – 1 individual, 15 years
Treasurer – 1 individual, 20 years
Information Technology – 2 individuals, 40 years
Court – 4 individuals, 100 years
Public Works – 7 individuals, 150 years
Clean Water Plant/Drinking Water Plant/Utilities – 8 individuals, 140 years
Community Services – 1 individual, 30 years
Parks & Recreation – 1 individual, 20 years
Inspections – 2 individuals, 30 years
Facilities – 1 individual, 15 years
Public Safety (Fire) – 5 individuals, 95 years
Public Safety (Police) – 11 individuals, 240 years
By Carl Meyering, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
Area 51 — An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen
No piece of government real estate has been so shrouded in government secrecy, yet has been the subject so much speculation by the public. Located 75 miles north of Las Vegas, Area 51 has had a part in almost every newsworthy event in the Cold War: from flying saucers, the U-2 spy plane, atomic bomb testing to military drones.
National security reporter Annie Jacobsen has researched the 60-year history of Area 51 heavily, having sifted through declassified government documents and interviewed 74 people with firsthand knowledge. She populates her book with many revelations from Chuck Yeager-style test pilots, base administrators and staff that brings credibility to her text.
Jacobsen reveals for the fist time numerous secrets about the base and writes of the many conspiracy theories connected with the base: the faking of the moon landing, space aliens and flying saucers. The reader must read through the epilogue to understand the full weight and ramifications of her revelations.
At the Metro Health Farm Market, not every booth is farm produce – some are fine crafts, coffees and spices, offering shoppers a variety of local goods to choose from.
One of the most vibrant farm markets in West Michigan returns to the campus of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health for its 14th season beginning Thursday, May 11.
The Metro Health Farm Market expects to welcome about 35 local vendors on opening day, adding another 20 or so as the weather warms. For the 2017 season, the farm market will be open every Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine, May 11 through Oct. 12.
“A healthy community starts with a healthy diet,” says Mike Faas, chief executive officer of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “Metro Health isn’t here just to treat illness. We’re here to be a complete wellness resource. Providing access to affordable, healthy food is part of our responsibility to the community.”
The Metro Health Farm Market is located on the grounds of Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW in Wyoming, adjacent to the Village Green.
Though best known for fresh fruits and vegetables, it also offers baked goods, homemade foods, plants and hand-crafted items. Vendors come from throughout West Michigan.
“We aim for a mix of about three food vendors to every one crafter,” says Emil Hannesson, farm market manager. “Our priority is to support sustainable local farms selling their own produce.”
One such vendor is Austhof’s Farm in Grandville, which returns to the Metro Health Farm Market for its seventh season.
“The Metro market is the place to be in the summer,” says Tamryn Austhof of Austhof’s Farm. “We love it because it delivers such a strong sense of community and such a broad variety of vendors.”
The fare is so diverse that the market publishes a weekly recipe featuring produce from vendors. The Farm Market Recipe of the Week is distributed at the on-site information booth and available on the Metro Health website.
Daily attendance at the Metro Health Farm Market averages well over 1,000. Shoppers come from the surrounding Wyoming community, as well as throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.
“Many of our customers are low income, with few options for fresh, affordable produce,” Hannesson says. “The Farm Market supports community health by making it easier for these customers to choose nutritious food.”
About one-third of customers pay using government assistance. The Farm Market accepts SNAP Bridge Cards, WIC Project FRESH and Senior Project FRESH.
The Farm Market also participates in Double Up Food Bucks, a state assistance program that helps low-income people stretch their food dollars. When SNAP shoppers spend at the Farm Market, they’re eligible for matching funds to buy Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables—up to $20 each market day.
Beyond its role as a source of fresh, affordable produce, the Metro Health Farm Market also serves as a place for the community to come together. That’s especially true when market days coincide with the following special events planned for the Metro Health Village Green:
Kids Day on June 15 offers a variety of fun activities for families.
Health and Wellness Day on July 27 invites the community to learn about ways to live healthier.
Sustainability Day on August 17 invites the community to learn about ways to live greener.
“If it’s about improving health—of our patients, of our community, of our environment—it’s happening here,” Faas says.
From “Bonaparte” to “Eroica”, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 faced an identity crisis from the start.
Ludwig van Beethoven intended to nickname his Third Symphony “Bonaparte”, for Napoleon Bonaparte, the French general he admired. After Napoleon declared himself Emperor in 1804, Beethoven revoked his dedication and renamed the brilliant piece, Sinfonia Eroica, to celebrate the memory of a great man.
The solemn, second movement of Symphony No. 3, which was premiered in 1805 in Vienna, seems to foreshadow the funeral march of Napoleon, 17 years before his actual death in 1821.
Larry Rachleff will lead the final concerts of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2016-17 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 19-20, in DeVos Performance Hall.
Concert sponsor is Zhang Financial, and guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.
In prelude to the bitter-sweet symphonic work of Beethoven, Grand Rapids Symphony will begin the concerts with Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. For this French-centered finale, the orchestra welcomes former Music Advisor Larry Rachleff back to Grand Rapids together with his wife, soprano Susan Lorette Dunn, to sing selections from Joseph Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne.
“A take-charge maestro who invests everything he conducts with deep musical understanding”( Chicago Tribune), Larry Rachleff is in his 20th season as Music Director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and served as Grand Rapids Symphony’s Music Advisor for the 2015-16 season. Rachleff is Director of Orchestras and a professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in Houston. Last season, he conducted three of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Classical Series concerts in DeVos Performance Hall.
Australian soprano, Susan Lorette Dunn studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, Queensland. Dunn is a Churchill Fellow and worked with the New York Festival of Song in New York City. She and her husband reside in Houston with their son, Sammy.
Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’aprés-midi d’un faune, based on the poem of the same name by Stéphane Mallarmé, often is compared to the lush and dreamy works of Wagner but in half the time. The work is just nine minutes long.
Susan Lorette Dunn
Debussy himself wrote: “The music of this prelude is a very free illustration of Mallarmé’s beautiful poem. By no means does it claim to be a synthesis of it. Rather there is a succession of scenes through which pass the desires and dreams of the faun in the heat of the afternoon. Then, tired of pursuing the timorous flight of nymphs and naiads, he succumbs to intoxicating sleep, in which he can finally realize his dreams of possession in universal Nature.”
Joseph Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne includes six of the sweetest French songs and pastorals you may ever hear.
Malurous qu’o uno fenno is a playful bourée exploring the dilemma whether it is better to be in love or out of love. Lo fiolaire is a sensuous tribute to a beautiful girl, spinning at her wheel, with the onomatopoeia of the sound of wheel forming a lilting refrain.
Closing the set and the first half is Lou coucut, one of the many bird songs in the Auvergne collections, this one is about a noisy cuckoo.
Upbeat, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall. Upbeat is sponsored by BDO USA.
The Grand Rapids Symphony this season has introduced a special cocktail for its audiences in DeVos Performance Hall. At every concert in the 2016-17 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series, try a “Spirit of the Symphony,” also called a French 75.
The complete Beethoven’s Eroica program will be rebroadcast on June 4, 2017, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm, at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Passport program. This is a MySymphony360-eligible concert.
This activity is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Schuler Books welcomes David Sedaris back for his first bookstore tour in years, on Monday, June 5, for the release of one of the most anticipated books of the season, Theft by Finding: Diaries (1977-2002).
The humorist tells all in a book that is, literally, a lifetime in the making.
Sedaris has kept a diary for 40 years. In his diaries, he’s recorded everything that has captured his attention — overheard comments, salacious gossip, soap opera plot twists, secrets confided by total strangers. These observations are the source code for his nest work, and with them he has honed his self-deprecation and learned to craft his cunning, surprising sentences.
Now, for the first time, Sedaris shares his private writings with the world in Theft By Finding: Diaries 1977- 2002. This is the first-person account of how a drug-abusing dropout with a weakness for the International House of Pancakes and a chronic inability to hold down a real job became one of the funniest people on the planet.
Written with a sharp eye and ear for the bizarre, the beautiful, and the uncomfortable, and with a generosity of spirit that even a misanthropic sense of humor can’t fully disguise, Theft By Finding proves that Sedaris is one of our great modern observers.
Ticketing Info
This will be a ticketed event, with tickets available via pre-order of Theft by Finding from www.SchulerBooks.com beginning at 10 am on Monday, May 1st. Pre-sales will end on Sunday, May 28. Ticket sales will resume IN-STORE ONLY at the 28th St. location on Tuesday, May 30th at 9am.
Who: #1 NYT Bestselling Author DAVID SEDARIS
What: Talk & Signing
Where: Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids 49512
David Sedaris is the author of the books: Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Holidays on Ice, Naked, and Barrel Fever. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and BBC Radio 4. He lives in England.
Praise for Theft By Finding
“Sedaris fans will thrill to this opportunity to poke around in the writer’s personal diaries, which he has faithfully kept for four decades and used as raw material for his hilarious nonfiction as well as his performances.”―Paul S. Makishima, Boston Globe
“Scintillating… Sedaris is a latter-day Charlie Chaplin: droll, put-upon but not innocent, and besieged by all sorts of obstreperous or menacing folks… Sedaris’s storytelling, even in diary jottings, is so consistently well-crafted and hilarious that few will care whether it’s embroidered.”―Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Raw glimpses of the humorist’s personal life as he clambered from starving artist to household name… though the mood is usually light, the book is also a more serious look into his travails as an artist and per- son… A surprisingly poignant portrait of the artist as a young to middle-aged man.”
Being a caregiver is one of the most difficult roles to fulfill, yet with the population of people age 60+ continuing to grow, it is a role that 1 in 3 people find themselves taking on. Some of us are thrust into caregiving due to an illness or an accident. Oftentimes though, we discover that the caregiving role has crept in and slowly taken over our lives.
It might start out simple — taking a loved one to the grocery store on occasion. Then occasionally turns into every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. along with doctors’ appointments several times a month. On these trips you notice difficulties with money or paperwork, so you double-check their bills, discover they are overpaying, and now you’re a shopper, bill payer, and health advocate. Sarah Sobel, LMSW, Caregiver Resource Coordinator at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan said, “When I talk with caregivers, often times I go through some daily living tasks and I ask them about how much assistance they are providing to their loved one with these activities. Many caregivers don’t realize how much they are providing assistance on a daily basis until it is reflected back to them.”
We discover we’ve become a caregiver and didn’t even know it.
What starts out as lending a hand gradually grows into another job. The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that caregivers spend at least 20 hours per week caring for a loved one. Yet, many people in this position still don’t consider themselves caregivers, especially if their loved one continues to reside in their own home. We regard these tasks as the duties or responsibilities that a spouse, a child, a parent or even a friend undertakes for a person they love, so we juggle the caregiver role with other parts of our lives, like our career, family and social life.
Fulfilling the duties of caregiver without recognizing that we are a caregiver can result in stress, anger and ultimately burnout, putting our own health and well-being at risk.
Sobel said, “This is why I encourage caregivers to build a village — whether formal or informal — for the times when caregiving becomes hard to handle. Do they have a friend they can call to sit with their loved one, while they take a walk? Maybe their loved one is a good candidate for an adult day program — where they might receive some attention and the caregiver can have some time off to take care of themselves.”
When we recognize ourselves as caregivers, we embrace that we are going above and beyond typical expectations, and we also then come to understand that taking care of ourselves is paramount to our being able to take care of others.
This realization also opens doors to resources that can help support us in our new role.
“An important part of my work at Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan,” Sobel shared, “is to provide the caregivers with education. These classes are a great way for caregivers to come together and learn about some of the issues they are facing.”
Taking advantage of the resources available in our communities helps caregivers build that “village” Sobel said is important, “In these classes, caregivers can come together — to share with each other about their experiences” and begin building a support network. Getting connected to resources early can also help us assess the growing needs of the person we’re caring for and, if necessary, get connected to professional caregiving services.
If you’re interested in understanding more about caregiving and the resources available, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at 888.456.5664 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org. You can also visit the Caregiver Resource Network website. Caregiver Resource Network and Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan can be found on Facebook.
Seniors Jailene Rodas-Sandoval junior Thomas Robinson and senior Ramses Larabel play “Happy Birthday” on their electronic instrument, which involves a computer program. (Photos courtesy of School News Network.
Though his rendition of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” was a bit ding-y, Lee High School senior Scott Peuler looked pleased with himself as he finished the tune by hitting glass bottles filled with different levels of water with a miniature drumstick.
Nursery rhymes were the ditties of the day in teacher Steve Feutz’s engineering class, as students demonstrated the connections between engineering and sound. Senior Israel Hernandez strummed “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” on a tiny harp made with wood and rubber bands. Sophomore Jennifer Pablo, juniors Paul Villarreal, Maura Mendoza and Adriana Sanchez and senior Betty Almanzo played “Hot Cross Buns” on a xylophone-inspired percussion instrument made of Pringles cans and cardboard.
Students combined innovation, precision – and a little Mother Goose – to make instruments that created different pitches and notes for the latest project in the class, which started this school year. Feutz, who has taught math for five years, has undergraduate degrees in aerospace engineering and music theory, so fitting a music-themed project into the class was natural.
“Music is my biggest passion, then engineering, math and science,” said Feutz, who sings and plays trumpet and piano.
Juniors Paul Villereal and Maura Mendoza hold up their Pringle-can percussion instrument.
Physics is involved in how sound is created, he noted. Students experimented by using household objects turned into instruments. “There’s four different instrument groups and they all sound a little different,” he said.
The class touches on many types of engineering, giving students an idea of skills needed in the local workforce. The demand for engineers and designers in manufacturing outstrips supply by at least double, according to the West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook report, published in September 2016. This is largely due to a shortage of graduates needed to fill vacancies for industrial and electrical engineers.
“My whole goal is to teach them what engineers do and how they do it,” Feutz said. His students learn to follow an engineering design process: come up with an idea, build, test, and improve if necessary.
Every project touches on a different branch of engineering. Students studied aerospace by designing cardboard gliders with egg containers and launching them off the school’s football stadium press box. They studied electrical engineering by creating gadgets that involve circuitry, remote controls, trains and other inventions.
They also built wooden cabinets into existing tables, now in classroom use, and spaghetti bridges, with one group of students competing in the Ferris State University Spaghetti Bridge Competition in March.
“I’ve liked being introduced to different types of engineering,” said Israel Hernandez, demonstrating how his harp strings make lower sounds depending on how taut the rubber bands are pulled. “We’ve done stuff with electricity and wiring – basic stuff – but it was cool to learn. This class gave me an interest in civil engineering.”
Junior Jeffrey Anderson plays his pan flute, made of straws and tape.
Paul Villarreal said he enjoys having the chance to make things by hand. “It helps you learn the basics of what you need to put something together. It takes math to different levels and puts it all together.”
“I’ve done things in this class I haven’t done in any other class,” added Scott Peuler.
The class started as a trimester course, but because of student interest was expanded to include Engineering A B and C, allowing the option for a full year of engineering.
It’s great for students who like to tinker and spend their time making things, Feutz said.
“It’s cool to see kids who don’t like the traditional classroom model, who really like being able to do hands-on things and build,” he added. “They essentially make a mess of the classroom, make something out of it, and make it their own.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Hugh J. Gray was appointed secretary/manager of WMTA upon its formation, and is honored with a stone cairn constructed of one stone from every county in Michigan to commemorate Gray as the “Dean of Michigan’s Tourist Activity.”
On May 7, 1917, delegates from across Michigan gathered in the Pantlind Hotel in Grand Rapids (today part of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel), to work together to form the Michigan Tourist and Resort Association (today known as the West Michigan Tourist Association). Hugh J. Gray was appointed secretary/manager of WMTA upon its formation, and is honored with a stone cairn constructed of one stone from every county in Michigan to commemorate Gray as the “Dean of Michigan’s Tourist Activity.” This was the first grass roots tourist organization in the country, and was formed with the goal of promoting the attractions of West Michigan, and to encourage travelers to visit the region.
A hundred years later, the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) continues to work towards that same goal with a special tribute from Michigan’s Governor on the occasion of WMTA’s anniversary. With more than 850 member properties throughout the area, WMTA has come to be recognized as the leading source of travel information for the West Michigan area. WMTA makes a wide variety of travel information available free of charge, including an annual West Michigan Travel Guide, a Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map, a monthly e-newsletter, and more.
WMTA is celebrating their centennial throughout 2017 with additional travel promotions and ways for the public to become involved:
Request a free copy of the West Michigan Travel Guide by mail (or view it online) to travel through the past 100 years in West Michigan, as well as the best of present day.
Follow along on the West Michigan social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram) for Throwback Thursday (#TBT) posts each week to explore visuals from the last 100 years in West Michigan.
Since 1917, the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) has worked to market the very best of West Michigan to travelers from around the world. As WMTA celebrates 100 years in 2017, that commitment continues.
WMTA’s membership base consists of more than 800 attractions, lodging, events, and activities all across the west side of Michigan, from the Indiana border all the way into the Upper Peninsula. Over the past century, Michigan’s tourism industry has become second to only manufacturing in Michigan, making WMTA a vital resource for the area’s tourist destinations.
Today, WMTA continues its mission as a self-sustaining, membership-funded non-profit. For more information, please visit WMTA.org.
Extensive research shows that children involved in summertime reading programs sponsored by public libraries are more likely to retain their edge come the start of school, and in many cases do better on standardized tests offered at the beginning of the academic year.
