All posts by Joanne

Special night at Wyoming Wolves den as high school honors Rogers, Wyoming Park past with Hall of Fame ceremony

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, WKTV Projects,
Wyoming High School Athletic Department 2022 Hall of Fame Ceremony. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Wyoming High School Wolves athletic department honored its heritage Friday, Feb. 18, as it inducted eight distinguished alumni and friends of both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.

Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.

Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.

Dino Paganelli

Paganelli has had many titles in his life: student and teacher, athlete and coach, and there is that “part-time” job of being an official for NCAA and National Football League games — including Superbowl 47 and 55.

He attended Rogers High School before going on to Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College and gaining his Masters in Education. A three-sport athlete at Rogers, in 1986 he was named Rogers High School Athlete of the Year.

He is now in his 30th year as a teacher and coach in Wyoming Public Schools, and has also served as head varsity baseball coach, and coached varsity softball.

Paganelli joined his late wife, Christy Jaklinski, as members of the Wyoming High School Hall of Fame.

Ashley Heuvelman Smith

Rogers high student athlete Ashley Heuvelman was a three-year varsity player on the basketball and softball teams. She played varsity in both sports for three years, was a key member of the 2001 State Championship softball team, and was her school’s Athlete of the Year in 2002.

She went on to play softball at Aquinas College, was a key member of a 2006 NAIA National Sweet 16 team, and received All American Honors in softball at Aquinas.

Married to high school classmate Chris Smith and with two daughters, she currently teaches at VanGuard Academy and is the assistant girl’s varsity basketball coach at Grandville High School.

Jerry Hoag

Rogers high student athlete Jerry Hoag was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball, and went on to play basketball and baseball at Central Michigan University, where he was a key player of a 1971 National Champion runner up baseball team — but he was an exceptional softball coach.

Now retired, he taught and coached with the Wyoming Public Schools, and then for Jenison High School. His career head varsity softball coaching record is 529 wins and 85 loses, during which he coached 14 league champions and MHSAA state champions six times.

He also served as a basketball referee at the prep and college levels, and was part of the first NCAA Division II Women’s College Basketball National Championship game crew.

Rob Baker

Wyoming Park high student-athlete Rob Baker was an “old school” three-sport athlete —  football, basketball and baseball — but he excelled as a running back for some of the best Wyoming football teams ever. Between the years of 1978-79, the Vikings had a record of 16-3, and in 1978 he earned All State honors.

In basketball he was also a two-year starting point guard for the Vikings. In baseball, he played short stop on the 1979-1980 conference championship teams and was a member of the 1980 state finalist team. He was first team All State as a shortstop and then went on to Hope College, where he continued his baseball career and was awarded All Conference in both 1982 and 1983.

Amanda Hartman Schichtel

Wyoming Park high student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel is currently a front-line hero as a nurse at Grand Rapids Spectrum Health Hospital after earning her degree from Grand Valley State University.

In high school she played tennis, golf and volleyball, earning a total of 10 varsity letters, and was the 1997 Athlete of the Year at the school. In tennis, she was All Conference, All Area, and All State all four years of high school. She was also exceptional in golf, gaining All Conference and All Area every year and, starting her junior year, she was also All State for two years. And in volleyball? She joined the team for two years, and was named team captain in 1997.

She went on to play tennis for four years at Grand Valley State University, where, in her senior season, she was All Conference.

Lexi Popma

Part of the last graduating class of Wyoming Park high — and always proud of her Park Pride — student-athlete Lexi Popma is currently a math teacher at Kelloggsville high.

At Wyoming Park she was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, softball, volleyball. Maybe her best sport as softball — in the spring of 2012 she was All Conference, All Region and All State, and also played in the Michigan High School All Star game after batting .546. (No, that is not a typo.) Additionally, she is still the Wyoming all-time leading base stealer, stealing 88 bases in 91 attempts.
 

She graduated in the top 10 of her class at Wyoming Park, and received scholarships from many schools including Aquinas College, where she went on to play four years of softball at Aquinas College, when she batted over .300, and kept stealing those bases.

Karen & Gary Stockdale

Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale had two children who graduated from the school, and they were really supportive supporters. Karen and Gary were members of the Wyoming Athletic Boosters for 12 years, with Karen serving as president for eleven years.

Both worked countless hours volunteering for the entire school system, and were instrumental in helping with the transition from two Wyoming Public School high schools to the now Wyoming High School Wolves.
 

As their introduction at the ceremony stated: “Karen and Gary Stockdale will forever be remembered for all their tireless work and the support they provided for all our athletes and Wyoming Public Schools Students. We will be grateful and love Karen and Gary Stockdale forever!”

John Wiggers

The late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high, had emotional family members accept the honor.

John, his wife, Tina, and family members all worked to make sure the school’s athletes were provided with all the best equipment, uniforms, and gear possible. John was also a very important part of helping the transition of the two schools athletic departments into the Wyoming Wolves.

“This man and his legacy will forever live on in his family and with the athletes here at Wyoming High School,” his Hall of Fame introduction stated. “We will always, always remember John and his efforts to provide the best Athletic Experience for our students. He has been an awesome member of our Wyoming High School family and we will forever be grateful.”

Financial Perspective: Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer — What about the Middle Class?

3-bottom, Finances, Local Business, , ,

By Dave Stanley
Integrity Financial Service, LLC

Sometimes a never-ending lifetime flow of income is a better option than a pile of money. (pxhere.com)

“A recent study by Oxfam explained the distribution of wealth which to many people is alarming. The report states that 85 individuals in the world have more combined wealth than the poorest 3.5 billion.” — Dave Stanley

It further states about our country: “In the US, where the gap between rich and poor has grown at a faster rate than any other country, the top 1% captured 95% of growth since 2019.  During that time, 70% of Americans became poorer.”

The “rich get richer” as the old saying goes and the gap between rich and the number of poor widens every day. Of course, the obvious way to balance out the deficit would be to add all the money together and give each an equal share. If my memory of history is accurate, this has been tried in the past — it was called Communism.

I wish everyone on planet earth could have all their needs met and live a long and happy life. That being said, the rich will always have an advantage over the poor. Instead of discussing the variance between the rich and the poor, how about those of us in the middle, the other four billion here on planet earth? Those of us who work at a job, save money, and educate our children are the ones who are the middle class, so how do we get ahead?

In September 2020 a UC Berkeley study found that the wealthiest 1% of Americans saw their income grow by 31.4% between 2018 and 2020. Also, it was discovered that income inequality in the United States was the highest since before the Great Depression.

How did this all happen?  How does such inequity occur? One actual reason why most in the middle class cannot move to a loftier position is our tax system. Workers are taxed at a different rate than investors — the difference between earned income and dividend and capital gains taxation is significant. If you work, your tax rate is higher than if you earn from your investments.

How do we accumulate more money? How do we become millionaires? My answer is simple: we don’t need to. Ask yourself, what good is a pile of money? Does it represent success? Does it acknowledge your efforts? Yes, it does, but it is not important.

What is important is cash flow, having enough money to live as well as you desire. Now I know there are those who desire to accumulate a large amount of money. To me, having an income that I cannot outlive is far more critical.

That being said, we in the middle class already have that option open to us, income we cannot ever outlive. It is called investing in an annuity.Sometimes a never-ending lifetime flow of income is a better option than a pile of money. 

Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or  Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463  or click this link:  Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.com  Dave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management

Photo of the Week: It’s a Smorgasbord

Citizen Journalism, ,
Sveden House Smorgasbord, located on 28th Street in Wyoming. (Wyoming Historical Commission)

Known for its chicken, Swedish meatballs, fried shrimp, bread pudding and glorified rice with marshmallows and cherries, the Sveden House Smorgasbord was staple in the City of Wyoming. Located at 1461 28th Street, it was the first to offer an all-you-can-eat buffet. The restaurant closed in the early 1990s and the building has since been torn down. It was national chain with restaurants all over the country and depending where you were at, it was sometimes spelled “Sweden.” The photo is from the Wyoming History Room collection.

Rotary Club of Grand Rapids names Dave and Karen Custer for annual community service award

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Dave and Karen Custer (supplied)

Anyone who meets Dave Custer will probably eventually hear the story of faced with his father’s story closing, he was able to support the tuition at the then Grand Rapids Junior College.

“Grand Rapids Junior College had lower tuition and allowed me to stay at home and helped me get a start on a college degree,” he said in article from the Grand Rapids Community College. “And having that degree allowed for better opportunities of employment, which molded by career.”

Because of the difference that GRCC had made in the CEO and founder of Custer Inc., Custer and his wife, Karen, have dedicated their time and abilities to ensure current GRCC students get the same opportunities that he had.

This month, the couple is being recognized for their service to the the Greater Grand Rapids community as this year’s Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award presented by the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids.

 

“We are pleased and excited to honor the Custers as the 2022 Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award winners for their contributions to our community,” said Meijer, Inc. Executive Chairman Hank Meijer, who is the son of Fred Meijer. “Dave and Karen’s generous and gracious spirts embodies the true meaning of this award.”

The Custers have been involved in a number of organizations such as the WMU Foundation, Chairman of GRCC Foundation, Hope on the Hill Foundation, Clark Retirement Community Capital Campaign Chair and Board Trustee. Dave Custer is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids, member and past chairman of the Grand Rapids Economic Club, member and past president of Cascade Hills Country Club and director at Irwin Seating.

“We are honored to receive an award that bears the name of Fred Meijer and believe that you should do all you can for others when you can and while you can,” Dave Custer said. “We are humbled by this recognition which is truly an honor to us.”

The Custers join City of Wyoming’s Marge Wilson, owner of Marge’s Donut Den, along with several others who have received the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award.

 

The Rotary Club of Grand Rapids will honor the Custers at the Frederik Meijer Service Above Self Award Celebration May 10 at 6 p.m. at The Cultural Center, 2250 E. Paris Ave. SE. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rotary Club of Grand Rapids Charities Foundation. Tickets are on sale at grrotary.org or by calling 616-429-5640.

Local resident helps students become money smart with their own finances

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Non-Profits, Our Cities, , ,

By Nathan Slauer
WKTV Community Writer

No one taught Dondrea Brown about money as a kid, and the last thing anyone around his kitchen table wanted to mention was the rising pile of bills. Growing up in a single-parent household, he admired how his mother juggled multiple jobs and raised his five siblings.

As Brown learned about money management later in life, he kept hearing people say, “I wish kids knew about this stuff, too.” While studying education at Kent State University in Ohio, he drew upon his experience of overcoming economic hardship to develop a financial literacy curriculum geared toward an audience between ten- to seventeen-years-old. 

Dondrea Brown talks to a group of students in his Young Money Finances program. (Supplied)

This curriculum now forms the basis of Young Money Finances, a nonprofit providing financial education to more than 2,000 participants across West Michigan. The fast-growing organization has garnered media attention and significant sponsorship dollars for its innovative approach to removing obstacles to financial security for young people.  Because of his work in teaching financial literacy, Brown, along with Henry Sapp from of Better Wiser Stronger and Cole Williams of the Delta Project, was recently invited to help launch the new collaborative initiative We Matter Now, which is designed to help guide and provide role models for young black and brown men.

“I want this to be the last generation to start from scratch,” Brown said. “My goal is to teach the next generation how to have increased control and awareness of their financial journey, not this perpetuated cycle of ‘oh, we didn’t know.'”

For many young people, the balancing act of caring for family members, finding a job, and keeping up with schools feels overwhelming. Those who lack a support network rely on misleading information from social media, seek instant gratification, and wind up in debt.

At Young Money Finances, participants learn how to address this balancing act by completing one or all three program paths: money management, investment, and entrepreneurship. After completing at least one of the paths, they can meet with a money mentor to discuss real-world spending and saving decisions and practice using the budgeting planner and flashcards in their money manager kits.
 

Even when sessions dive deep into complicated topics like the stock market, the team at Young Money Finances never forget to have a good time. Sessions use “fun police,” who remind instructors to use games and culturally relevant examples such as online sneaker sales when explaining complex concepts.
 

For some participants, the lessons delivered during these sessions have been life-changing. Quavon Hallman, a music enthusiast who spends his free time DJing and running sound for New City Kids and his local church, learned how to use a budget app and track travel expenses.
 

For some participants, the lessons delivered during these sessions have been life-changing. Quavon Hallman, a music enthusiast who spends his free time DJing and running sound for New City Kids and his local church, learned how to use a budget app and track travel expenses. 
 

“I was broke, but I saved up $10,000 and bought my first car,” Hallman said. “I learned the difference between getting rich quickly and building wealth.” 

Another program graduate, Thailin Johnson, found a simulation focused on building on a starting point of $500 in the bank and cutting frivolous spending habits to be helpful. The exercise taught Johnson the importance of making incremental progress toward achieving his life’s ambitions, including attending college to study sociology or international relations, leading community service projects, and traveling to foreign countries like Ghana and Israel. 
 

“Pay attention and take ownership of your money,” Johnson said. “The training taught me how to break the cycle of the poverty mindset. Young people’s money matters.” 
 

After class, Dondrea Brown sits down with a student to review the matierals. (Supplied)

Reginald Haynes, an athlete who enjoys basketball, football, and wrestling, developed an interest in videography during his time in the program. He records special events for Young Money Finances, with a highlight being a basketball game hosted in partnership with the NAACP.
 

            “I want to help pay off my mom’s house and just provide relief,” Haynes said. 

Hallman, Johnson, and Haynes represent the fulfillment of one of Young Money Finances’ goals to help program graduates find employment. Each of these individuals will receive internship credit for assisting with workshop presentations, curriculum development, and social media. 
 

The rapid expansion of Young Money Finances excites Brown, who hopes to purchase a bus for field trips and a building with simulated stock market walls and bank teller stations. 

The organization applied for and received grants from Heart of West Michigan United Way, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Huntington Bank, and Edward Jones. It also established partnerships with local universities, nonprofit organizations, and the Grand Rapids Public School system.
 

To learn more about Young Money Finances, visit the organization’s website or Facebook page.

New Ford bobblehead offers reminder of the contributions of those who served as president

3-bottom, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Sports, West Michigan, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The recently released bobblehead of Gerald R. Ford is the second one to feature the 38th president. (Supplied)

He has an elementary school, amphitheater, post office, gardens, airport and numerous roadways named after him and now Grand Rapids’ favorite son, Gerald R. Ford, has his likeness on a bobblehead.

Actually, the newly release bobblehead in honor of Presidents’ Day is not the first time the 38th President of the United States has been memorialized on a bobblehead, but it is the first time a complete series of United States presidential bobbleheads have been released. Milwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum — think Madame Trussauds’ wax figures only in bobbleheads — released the series today, the day designated to celebrate the U.S. Office of the President.

“We’re excited to release this complete collection of bobbleheads featuring all 46 U.S. Presidents to celebrate Presidents’ Day,” said Phil Sklar, CEO and co-founder of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. “Each president played an important part in our country’s history, and we think people will enjoy this new series of presidential bobbleheads.”

Presidents’ Day started in 1879 by an Act of Congress to honor the nation’s first president, George Washington, whose birthday in the Gregorian calendar is on Feb. 22. (Washington was born on Feb. 11 under the Julian calendar which because it did not account for leap days, was about 11 days  behind the Gregorian calendar, the calendar that had been adopted by the countries tied to the Catholic church. In 1752, the British Empire switched to the Gregorian calendar.)

Miwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum released the first complete set of presidential bobbleheads. (Supplied)

There was a movement in 1951, to have a “Presidents’ Day.” It wasn’t until 1971 that the official holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was a move to shift many federal holidays to a three-day weekend. The act also combined the birthdays of Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on Feb. 12, into a single holiday that honored all of the U.S. Presidents.

This change took effect with an executive order from the President Richard Nixon whose vice president at the time was Spiro Agnew. In 1973, Agnew resigned with Nixon choosing Ford as his new vice president. As Ford and his wife Betty prepared to  move to the new vice president’s residence, Ford received a call to be ready to become the next U.S. President, which he did on Aug. 9, 1974.

Ford is the only person to serve as U.S. president without ever having been elected to the office. He would lose his bid for reelection to Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Today, Ford’s museum is in Grand Rapids, his childhood home, and his library is in Ann Arbor, where he attended the University of Michigan. Over the years, several other places have honored Ford by bestowing his name on several buildings such as the Gerald R. Ford Elementary School in Indian Wells, California; the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Post Office in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Birth Site and Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska; and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are also several roadways in Tennessee, California, Texas, Nebraska, and Michigan, such as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, I-196, that are named after the former president along with the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse at Grand Rapids Community College as well as several books about his life.

The Ford bobblehead, along with the other 45 presidents, is available individuals or as part of the set through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store. The museum is located at 170 S. 1st. St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is open seven days a week.

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it — liquor bottles and packaging

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, Our Cities, Recycling, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org

Laphroaig Scotch bottle and tube. (Laphroaig)



What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items to give you the answers.



In this post, we look at those sometimes expensive, but sometimes worth the cost, bottles of liquor. When the bottle is a dead solider, it’s glass, so that is easy. Or is it? But what about that tube it comes in, part cardboard and part metal? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

The empty and rinsed glass bottle can be placed into your commingled, single-stream curbside recycling cart. The old glass bottle will head to the Recycling Center and then off to a glass recycling facility where it may become a new glass container, fiberglass, highway beads, glass abrasives, or other specialty glass items like recycled glass countertops.
  

Laphroaig Scotch bottle cardboard and metal tube. (Laphroaig)

The tube that the bottle came in cannot be recycled unless you disassemble it first. Separate the metal base and metal top from the cardboard tube. Once these three are successfully separated, they may go into the curbside recycling cart. Once at the Recycling Center, the cardboard tube will be sorted with other cardboard and head off to a paper mill to become another box, tube, or similar product. The metal base and top will go to a metal processing facility and be made into metal containers, cans, or other metal products.

The cork and wrapper cannot be recycled through curbside recycling in Kent County.  Both can be placed in the garbage.

Others in this series:

Holiday Light Strings … Visit here.

At-home COVID tests … Visit here.

Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Boats, brews, and a polar plunge

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , ,

By John Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

The month of February is fading fast.

And the recent warm weather certainly has us thinking about spring and summer. That makes it a perfect time to experience the Grand Rapids Boat Show, which is in this weekend’s Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. KDaLe at Railtown Brewery

If you’re looking for an intense coffee stout, check out Railtown Brewery’s new homebrew collaboration with the  Kent District Library ‘s brewing competition called KDaLe. I stopped by recently to meet up with some friends, and loved the robust and roasty flavors of this coffee beer. Local homebrewer Jason Kniss won with this stout recipe, which was made by the brewers at Railtown. The beer is named after a book called “Repeat” by Neal Pollack. According to reps, “the storyline of the book mimics his experience brewing this stout… It’s smooth and delicious!” As for food, I would recommend any of the mac and cheese dishes, loaded tots and fries, and the Korean Rice Bowl, a Korean-style bibimbap bowl with white rice, shredded carrots, cucumber, pickled onion, kimchi, edamame, and sunny-side up egg.  Along with an extensive luch and dinner menu, the brewery features 20 taps of beer, cider, seltzer and wine. Railtown is located at 3595 68th St SE Dutton, MI 49316. Follow them on Facebook.com/railtownbrewing or check them out at http://www.railtownbrewing.com/.

4. Grand Rapids Polar Plunge

Want to help a great cause? You can support Special Olympics at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 19) at this year’s Grand Rapids Polar Plunge at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. You can register or donate at www.PLUNGEMI.org.

3. World of Winter

The downtown celebration of winter may be a little washed out with the recent rain, but you can still enjoy several weekend activities this weekend. Today (Feb. 18) is the last day to see “Control No Control, an interactive installation at Ah-Nab-Awen Park. This big LED cube reacts to everything that touches it and every movement performed on its surface. Streamlined patterns and generative sound emerge as interaction occurs. Pop-up Entertainers perform from 6-8 p.m. Friday throughout downtown. Also, several local food trucks will be on hand at 555 Monroe Ave. NW (5-8 p.m. Friday, 2-8 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday). Looking for a party? “Modelo Meltdown” is a fundraiser for public art campaigns in 2022. It takes place from noon-5 p.m. Saturday and will have live entertainment, an artist market, games and food & drink to celebrate arts in Grand Rapids. It is located at Grand Rapids Chicks Way behind Garage Bar. Get your FREE tickets here. More details on all events at  https://worldofwintergr.com/events. World of Winter continues through March 6.

2. Winter Jam 2022

Presented by NewSong Ministries with Premier Productions, Winter Jam is Christian Music’s biggest multi-artist tour. It stops at 7 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 19) at Van Andel Arena and features Skillet and Tauren Wells, as well as KB, Colton Dixon, I Am They and NewSong. Sponsored by Compassion International, admission is a $10 donation at the door. More details at www.jamtour.com or www.vanandelarena.com

1. Grand Rapids Boat Show

Summer is right around the corner, and nothing will get you in the mood more than the Grand Rapids Boat Show where you will find power boats, pontoons, fishing boats and other watercraft. The weekend also includes kayak demos, boating safety and Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel more. Hours are noon a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-14 and free to ages younger than 5. Twiggy performs at 2, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 11:30 a.m., and 2:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and noon and 3 p.m. Sunday. More info at https://showspan.com/GRB/.

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Kentwood’s 62-B District Court judge to host judicial outreach event March 2

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Crime Prevention, Going Local, Local Faces, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
The Kentwood Justice Center which houses 62-B District Court and the Kentwood Police Department. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

In conjunction with National Judicial Outreach Week, the City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court has announced that residents are invited to meet Judge Amanda Sterkenburg and learn more about the court during a hybrid public/online event Wednesday, March 2.

National Judicial Outreach Week was created in 2017 by the American Bar Association to encourage judges to invite community members to their courthouses to meet with them, share information about the rule of law and talk about the work courts do every day. Every year, it is held March 1-10 and features a “Preserving the Rule of Law” theme.

The City of Kentwood Justice Center houses both the city’s police department headquarters and the 62-B District Court. (Supplied)

The 62-B District Court will host its event inside the courtroom at the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE, and online via Zoom from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

During the event, Judge Sterkenburg will give a presentation on the importance of the judiciary and how the court preserves the rule of law. Community members will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions on how the court can better serve the community.

62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg. (Supplied)

“National Judicial Outreach Week is a perfect opportunity for the court to foster a greater understanding of our role in government,” Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “We are looking forward to hosting our first-ever judicial outreach event at the 62-B District Court in that spirit and to connect with our community.”

Community members are asked to RSVP for the event online or by calling 616-554-0715.

To help slow the spread of COVID-19, in-person attendance will be limited to the first 40 who register, and face coverings will be required for all regardless of vaccination status.

The event will also be available via Zoom. Virtual participation information will be emailed to registrants prior to the event. Attendees who require interpreter services or other accommodations are asked to contact the court at 616-554-0715 by Friday, Feb. 25.

Sterkenburg began presiding over the 62-B District Court in January 2021, for a six-year term. In her prior practice as a solo attorney, she represented criminal and civil defendants, landlords, tenants and litigants with many different types of claims. Her experience includes successful jury trials on assault, theft and retail fraud offenses. She has more than 90 hours of mediation training and has handled matters in many local circuit and district courts, including the 62-B District Court.

The 62-B District Court, according to the announcement, “strives to earn the public’s trust and confidence by providing a fair and just forum for the resolution of civil and criminal disputes, providing services in a professional, timely and efficient manner with respect and courtesy, educating and providing services in an understandable and user-friendly fashion, being accountable for the resources invested in the court and recognizing the changing needs of the judicial system and the people it serves.”

 For more information contact Court Administrator Michele White at 616-554-0715 or whitem@kentwood.us.

With long history in GR, local curling club and Kentwood Ice Arena team up to offer classes, leagues

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Recreation, Sports, WKTV Projects, ,
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink. (GR Curling Club)
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink (preparing to throw the stone). (GR Curling Club)
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink (giving instructions on placement of stones into the house). (GR Curling Club)
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink (throwing the stone). (GR Curling Club)
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink (notice the sweeper helping the stone’s movement). (GR Curling Club)
  • The sport of curling in action at the Kentwood Ice Rink (who has the shot for point?). (Kristina King)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

Continuing a local history of the sport of curling which the Grand Rapids Curling Club “didn’t even know” about initally, the club is bringing a taste of the Winter Olympics to West Michigan by offering curling lessons and leagues at the Kentwood Ice Arena.

“We are getting more and more people who want to try curling,” said Greg Robinson, president of the Grand Rapids Curling Club. “They see it on the Olympics and want to try it. … We have seen curlers as young as 8 and as old as 90. It is an approachable sport that you can play for a long time.”

Curling has a strong history in Grand Rapids. Robinson said the club discovered records in the Grand Rapids Public Library archives that show a curling club was started in 1897 and was very successful until it dissolved slowly in the late 1920s.

“We are standing on history we didn’t even know we had,” said Robinson. “We aren’t starting a new club, we are restarting one that had gotten lost to history. We want to build upon that.”

  • The original Grand Rapids Curling Club’s Arch Founders, (front) David Forbes, William Miller, John Paul; (standing) George McInnes, John McNabb, Henry Sherwood; (inset) Alex Reeves, James MacGregor. (Image courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Library Digital Collection and Grand Rapids Public Museum Collection)
  • Grand Rapids Curling Club’s Arch Ladies from 1908. The note included with it in the GR Public Library read 
“The city at the time boasted the first curling club in the country composed of women.” Their names are, from left, Mrs. John Brower, Miss Helen Barstow, Mrs. F.E. Hill, Mrs. Stuart Foote, Miss Rosetta Leitelt, Mrs. H.B. Snyder. (Image courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Library Digital Collection and Grand Rapids Public Museum Collection)
  • The original Grand Rapids Curling Club’s rink, circa 1905, located on the Southeast corner of the intersection of Lake Drive and Norwood Avenue.(Image courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Library Digital Collection and Grand Rapids Public Museum Collection)

While the history of curling in the Grand Rapids area goes back a century, the modern history of the sport started just last year as the Kentwood Ice Arena, a part of Kentwood Public Schools, reached out to the GR Curling Club in the summer of 2021 with an offer to host curling lessons and leagues for the club.

It is the first time the ice arena has been used as a venue for curling, and Philip Sweeney, KPS manager of campus operations and events, said that configuring a schedule to ensure the ice is ready for curling while also hosting hockey and other ice events was a challenge.

“Hockey ice versus curling ice is very different,” Sweeney said. “We need an hour to get the ice ready for curling.”

The challenge, however, did not deter the rink or the curling club. They began by offering Learn to Curl classes on Saturday nights and then began developing leagues on Sunday mornings.

“This is a process that is now starting to come to fruition,” Sweeney said. “We now offer corporate events as well.”

Robinson said that the two-hour “Learn to Curl” classes have been a hit with community members, with many saying they want to do it again.

“We hope curling will become more of a hobby than a curiosity,” he said.

A fun sport for old and new

West Michigan resident Kristina King recently began curling after a recommendation from a co-worker who is also a member of the GR Curling Club. “She talked me into joining the league with her and it all progressed from there,” King said.

Like many others, King watched curling as part of the Winter Olympics over the years — with shouts of “Sweep!” at the television screen being her only engagement with the sport.

After trying it, however, King found she enjoys curling.

Susan Yaw (left) and Kristina King (right) have taken up the sport, and taken lessons. (Kristina King)

“It seemed like a sport that I could get better at slowly without being too hard on myself for not being good at it the first time I tried,” she said. “You definitely have to give yourself some grace when learning a new sport on such a slippery surface.

“It has been somewhat of a life lesson being able to laugh at my ‘newborn fawn’ stature on the ice and having everyone around you show support and encouragement.”

King has also been impressed with both Kentwood Ice Arena and the GR Curling Club, mentioning the friendly and inviting atmosphere, staff willingness to answer questions, and easy to use facilities.

“The instructors do a great job of teaching at a level of the crowd,” King said. “I feel as though they balance the class very well and don’t overwhelm you with the technicalities on the very first try.”

Like her co-worker, King has begun recruiting friends to try out the sport.

“My friend, Kristina, was looking for a fourth teammate for an upcoming bonspiel (tournament). I thought, why not?” said Susan Yaw, a Learn to Curl class member. Yaw admitted that she never really gave curling a thought up until that point, but that she is “always willing to try (almost) anything once.”

Yaw said that she found her time at Kentwood Ice Arena and with GR Curling Club members to be enjoyable, even planning to join a Sunday league to get more time on the ice and hone her skills.


“They were very well organized from the registration process through the time I walked out the door,” Yaw said. “The instructors did a wonderful job breaking down the throwing and sweeping motions and teaching the rules and scoring of the game.”

Yaw urges others to try the sport as well.

“I would highly recommend anyone who thinks they might be remotely interested in learning about curling to attend the next Learn to Curl. A couple of tricks to make it more enjoyable … dress warmly and make sure you use rubber bands on your shoes for traction!”

Current and future home in Kentwood

Sweeney believes curling will be a mainstay at Kentwood Ice Arena.

“We envision a 5-year plan where curling becomes a major portion of our ice arena and our business,” Sweeney said. “We have a great partnership with the Grand Rapids Curling Club. They are great people who are excited to grow enthusiasm for the sport.”

Robinson agrees that curling is here to stay in West Michigan.

“This is our first year…and we are over 70 members strong,” Robinson said. “We have had eight classes since the start of the season in October, and all have sold out.”

Part of Robinson’s hopes include the possibility for starting up a junior program since their partnership with KPS has been so successful. “We have had their full support,” Robinson said. “It’s been wonderful.”

Interested community members can sign up for curling lessons on the Grand Rapids Curling Club website: grcurling.com, and also their Facebook page: facebook.com/GRcurling.
 

Health and COVID protocols for Kentwood Ice Arena and the GR Curling Club are outlined in the registration process.

Local voices will add to the story as Opera Grand Rapids premieres new work focused on racial justice

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

As Opera Grand Rapids gets ready to stage the world premiere of Stinney: An American Execution, a companion piece will bring together local artists to talk about Stinney’s story through a variety of additional art forms.

The new opera tells the true story of the execution of George Stinney Jr., a Black teen who died in the electric chair at age 14 after he was wrongfully accused of raping and murdering two White girls. His conviction was overturned in 2014, 70 years after his 1944 execution.

The Stinney Artistic Collaborative, being performed the night before the opera opens, will showcase Ebony Road Players, Dr. Eric Williams from the Smithsonian Museum of African American History, The Diatribe, student artists from WMCAT, and other independent artists, in addition to performances by Opera Grand Rapids. 

“It’s essentially an open invitation for those artists to create after being inspired by George Stinney’s story,” said Emilee Syrewicze, executive director of Opera Grand Rapids.

In 1944 George Stinney Jr. became the youngest American executed. His conviction was over turned in 2014, 70 years after his execution. (Public domain)

“It’s a significant artistic achievement to get a world premiere opera, and particularly one that is so highly regarded,” she said. “That it speaks to a social issue like racial justice is something we wanted to elevate.”

She said after securing the rights to the opera in June, they knew they wanted to do more with it than just perform the opera. They reached out to organizations represented by artists of color and found several that were interested in taking part in a collaborative event.

Edye Evans Hyde, executive director of Ebony Road Players, will be performing songs relevant to the theme of the opera at the Stinney Collaborative.

She said in the current climate around the United States, with books about racial injustice being banned in schools, the arts community is the only place left to telI stories like Stinney: An American Execution.

“The arts still have the ability to further the conversation about equality and inclusion and racism and all these things that we still need to talk about,” Evans Hyde said. “I’m just really proud of the Opera and other Institutions taking on the subject matter so that we can continue to talk about these things, not just in February but the whole year long.”

G. Foster,  a teaching artist and co-founder of The Diatribe, will be performing a poetic work at the Stinney Collaborative.

G. Foster,  a teaching artist and co-founder of The Diatribe, will be performing a poetic work at The Stinney Collaborative. (Supplied)

He’s frustrated by the lack of progress toward racial justice not only around the United States, but in the Grand Rapids community.

“We still have so many problems that need to be addressed,” he said. “In 2021, Mayor Bliss announced that racism is a public health crisis in Grand Rapids. I haven’t heard anybody talking about it. We haven’t been putting in the work to make sure it’s preventable. We have ‘diversity, equity and inclusion.’ These are amazing words, but when you go to the table, there’s no diversity at these tables. It’s usually done by people who don’t look like me.”

He’s participating in The Stinney Artistic Collaborative in hopes that the event will help put words into action.

“We have to know our history, but we have to be able to change our present and our future,” he said.

The Stinney Artistic Collaborative takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, 17 Pearl St. NW.

Stinney: An American Execution will be staged Feb. 25 through 27 at the Peter Martin Wege Theater, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Tickets for Stinney and the Stinney Artistic Collaborative are available online at www.operagr.org or by calling the box office at 616-451-2741.

Christian McBride shows off versatility, friends with St. Cecilia WinterFest Jazz Series

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, , ,
One of Christian McBride’s many musical “hats”, rejoining “A Moodswing Reunion” for a new release and a 2022 tour with, from left, drummer Brian Blade, McBride, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and pianist Brad Mehldau. (Nonsuch Records)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It is no secret that bassist Christian McBride wears many hats — a good number of photographs have him wearing one. But the “many hats” metaphor applies not only to his headgear but where his head is at, musically.

Over his legendary and GRAMMY filled career, dating back now more than 30 years, McBride has slid his stand-up bass in alongside artists ranging from Chaka Khan to Shanghai Quartet; he has effortlessly excelled in jazz, pop, rock and classical, all with little or no real meaning to labels or genres; and he and his bass, it seems — to morph an old phrase — can lead, follow, but never get out of the way.

Christian McBride, from a 2008 concert, is no stranger to St. Cecilia Music Center. (St. Cecilia Music Center)



McBride’s many music hats, and many musical friends, will be on full display at St. Cecilia Music Center’s three-day WinterFest “jazz festival” Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 24-26.



First, Christian McBride & Friends will offer up a unique pairing with fellow bassist Edgar Meyer for a “double bass extravaganza”, then The Christian McBride Trio takes the stage with special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée, and on the final evening, McBride and his award-winning quintet, Inside Straight, will hit the stage.

Tickets for the series, and individual shows, are still available — $123 for the full series, $40 to $55 per single concert — and tickets can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224. 

Man with many hats

McBride moved to New York in 1989 to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School, but he was quickly recruited to hit the road with jazz saxophonist (and composer, arranger and educator) Bobby Watson. From there he gained masterclass after masterclass from the who’s who of music until he, himself, became the master.

 

Christian McBride. (Artist’s Facebook Page)

He leads his own bands, starting in 2000 with the formation of what would become his longest-running project, the genre-bending Christian McBride Band, to the 2009 formation of his more “straight-ahead” Inside Straight quintet, to the later Christian McBride Big Band, whose 2012 release The Good Feeling won the GRAMMY for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album.

He joins other groups, jazz and otherwise, all-star and Young Lion-filled, including the modern who’s who of straight ahead jazz in the legendary 1994 “MoodSwing” quartet of saxophonist Joshua Redman, McBride, pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade — a group that will hit the road again in “A Moodswing Reunion” this spring including a stop in Ann Arbor in April.

Along the way, McBride was named the artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, arguably one of the top three jazz festivals in the world; he hosts and produces “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM satellite radio and National Public Radio’s “Jazz Night in America”; and, with his wife, vocalist Melissa Walker, he formed Jazz House Kids, the nationally recognized community arts organization dedicated to educating children through jazz, but developing musical potential, leadership skills, and academic performance.

Oh, ya. And he has made a lot of musical friends.

Three nights; three vibes

McBride’s opening-night friend, GRAMMY winning bassist Edgar Meyer, is both a unique performer and an accomplished composer, and as The New Yorker says, he “is the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument.”

Edgar Meyer. (Supplied photo by Jim McGuire)

His musical uniqueness was on full display in 2011 when Meyer joined cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mandolinist Chris Thile, and fiddler Stuart Duncan for the recording The Goat Rodeo Sessions which was awarded the 2012 GRAMMY Award for Best Folk Album.

As a composer, his uniqueness was also on full display as he has collaborated with Béla Fleck and Zakir Hussain to write a triple concerto for double bass, banjo, and tabla, which was commissioned for the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.

The pairing of McBride and Meyer will also, to say the least, be unique.

Cyrille Aimée. (Supplied)

The next night, McBride’s trio will team with vocalist Cyrille Aimée, who, the story goes, grew up singing at gypsy camps in her native France and on street corners around Europe, graduated to facing audiences at the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals, not the least of which was the Montreux Jazz Festival.

But her singing is only part of her story. As an actress, Aimée co-starred with Bernadette Peters in a Stephen Sondheim tribute at New York’s City Center, which inspired her to dig deeper into Sondheim’s repertoire, resulting in her fourth and most recent album, “Move On: A Sondheim Adventure.”

And then, on the final night of the WinterFest, McBride will be on stage with his Inside Straight cohorts — drummer Carl Allen, saxophonist Steve Wilson, pianist Peter Martin (who replaced the band’s original pianist Eric Reed) and now joined by young vibraphonist Warren Wolf.
 

Inside Straight’s “Christian McBride & Inside Straight Live at the Village Vanguard” is his quintet’s newest recording and, to some, can be thought of as a companion to the GRAMMY Award-winning Christian McBride Trio Live at the Village Vanguard album released in 2015. 

And the rules at St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia currently requires proof of fully vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, to attend a concert at the SCMC venue. Attendees need to bring photo ID and proof of vaccination, or a negative test, the night of a concert. Note: Home tests are not accepted.

All patrons are required to wear a mask for the full duration of their time in the building.
 

If you have tickets to an upcoming performance and are unwilling or unable to abide by this policy, please contact the SCMC box office for a refund at kelly@scmc-online.org a minimum of 48 hours prior to the concert date.

Lee Legends to induct four into Hall of Fame between basketball games Feb. 18

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff

Wyoming Lee High School athletic department will add four distinguished alumni to its school’s athletic department Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony scheduled between a 5:30 p.m. girls basketball game and a 7 p.m. boys basketball game, both against Byron Center Zion Christian.

The Hall of Fame includes members of both Rebel and now Legends athletics as well as high school distinguished persons. David Britten, former Lee principal and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools superintendent, will speak at the event.

Among the 2021 inductees are long-time teacher Thomas Wier, who taught at the school from 1980-2020; and Larry Landstra (Class of 1956), a student leader at Lee who was captain of his football team and selected in 1955 to the First Team of the Grand Valley Conference. (Landstra is not expected to attend in-person.)

Two other distinguished Lee high persons will also be inducted posthumously: Miss Agnes Noel, who as a teacher from 1892-1932; and Bernard Raterink, who as a Lee teacher, coach, counselor, athletic director and principal — and also played football at Lee and Michigan Site University in the 1950s.

Staying healthy in 2022 — Woodland Mall set to host Health & Wellness Expo on Feb. 19

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One of Woodland Mall’s entrances. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

Woodland Mall has announced plans to help those “looking to maintain your resolutions to stay fit and healthy in 2022” with a free Heath & Wellness Expo planned for Saturday, Feb. 19.
 

A dozen or more vendors will showcase their products and services from noon to 7 p.m., according to an announcement this week from the mall. From exercise equipment to better sleep, and workout clothing to healthy eating, shoppers will be able to connect with experts focused on promoting an active, engaged and healthy lifestyle.

“We’re all looking to improve our health and well-being,” Alyson Presser, marketing manager for Woodland Mall, said in supplied material. “We have drawn from our own retailers and invited a curated collection of West Michigan’s top organizations for this year’s Health & Wellness Expo, which can help shoppers keep their resolutions and live their best and healthiest lives.”

The event is free and open to the public. Booths will be set up throughout the mall.

Among the vendors expected to be at the Health & Wellness Expo are Aerie, Atman Collective, Black Impact Collaborative, CycleBar, EYEQ.ITY, Jamba Juice, JCPenney, Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, Offline by Aerie, Orangetheory Fitness and Tempur-Pedic.
 

The expo will also feature demonstrations by Mayweather Boxing + Fitness and CycleBar, along with a fashion show from Aerie and Offline by Aerie and several workout demonstrations.

Woodland Mall asks all guests to follow CDC recommendations by using the hand sanitizer stations located throughout the mall and practicing physical distancing.

Regular mall hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m., Sunday.

Woodland Mall is located at 3195 28th St SE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit shopwoodlandmall.com.

Traverse City offers mobile passport for spring activity fun

Citizen Journalism

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

One of the stops on the mobile passport is the Traverse City postcard. (Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Traverse City will be offering a mobile passport this spring break that will feature incentives for families to get outside and be active during the break from school.

Available through the Traverse City website, the mobile passport allows users to check into places like Mission Point Lighthouse, the TART trails, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Dune Club along with a variety of other locations. Once five activities are checked off on the mobile passport, the participant is eligible for a free slice of pie gift card at Grand Traverse Pie Company. Gift cards can be picked up at the Traverse City Visitor Center. the fee passport also offers discounts and incentives at a yoga class, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, and Michigan Legacy Art Park.

“Spring is a great time to shake off the winter hibernation and get moving,” said Traverse City Tourism President Trevor Tkach. “Traverse City attracts hundreds of thousands of people to our hiking and biking trails, our lighthouses and other activities. We’re using this to promote healthy and active lifestyle activities.”

Tkach notes spring tourism to the region has grown dramatically in recent years. “The wineries are open, the amazing scenic road trips are a little less crowded, and the pace is a little less hectic. It becomes a perfect time to take in the Traverse City region,” said Tkach.

 

The Spring into Activity passport will be activated mid-February, but sign up is available by clicking here.

For more information about Traverse City, visit www.traversecity.com

Financial Perspectives: Should a deferred income annuity have a place in your retirement plan

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Finances, Local Business, , ,

By Dave Stanley
Integrity Financial Service, LLC

DIAs offer several distinct advantages over kinds of safe money products. (pxhere.com)

“Does a deferred income annuity have a place in your retirement plan? It might fit in your portfolio like a glove.” — Dave Stanley

If you’re looking for payments that begin on a future date and continue for the rest of your life, your spouse’s life, or for a specific period, you might consider a deferred income annuity (DIA).

DIAs offer several distinct advantages over other kinds of safe money products. You won’t need to keep your eyes on the stock market, track interest rates, or calculate dividends. If you desire lifetime guaranteed income that you can’t outlive, a deferred income annuity will accomplish that. Having a DIA can give you more peace of mind knowing you will have a predictable income stream available when you no longer work.

For some, DIAs are an excellent selection for their retirement portfolios because they help defer taxes until later when you could be taxed at a lower rate. Other types of annuities are front-loaded, meaning you pay taxes upfront, perhaps at a higher rate.

DIAs are guaranteed by the issuing insurance company’s assets and are not subject to the ups and downs of the stock market. Also, since deferred income annuities don’t have account management and additional fees, ALL of your premium payments go to your monthly income.

When you choose a DIA, you decide how frequently to receive payments. Typically, deferred income annuity buyers can set payments for every month, yearly or quarterly.

Although DIAs are a less complicated safe money product, they are still highly customizable. Improvements in the DIA product mean that you have options to make your DIA do more for your retirement.

One question about annuities is what happens to your funds when the annuitant dies? Does the insurance company stop making payments? Do loved ones lose all the money put into the annuity? Customization allows payments to continue to designated beneficiaries, so it will enable guaranteed income to continue. There are many other ways to customize your annuity, including extending coverage for a guaranteed period, adding a second person to the annuity, and others. An annuity specialist can help customize one just for you and your circumstances.

Tax issues:

How your annuity proceeds are taxed depends on how you fund it. For example, you can purchase a deferred income annuity with proceeds from selling stocks or bonds, a business, or a home. You might also use cash from a maturing CD or money you’ve saved in a deferred annuity account. When you fund a DIA with lump-sum distributions from a defined benefit or defined contribution plans, SEPs, IRAs, 1035 exchanges, or Section 403b plan, the annuity is now a “Qualified Deferred Income Annuity.” You could also use a lump sum from a tax-qualified account, such as a 401k or traditional IRA. Remember to talk with your tax expert since your plan has been growing tax-deferred, and your payments will be taxable income.

Non-qualified deferred income annuities have not been tax-sheltered. They are funded with monies on which you have already paid taxes. Examples of non-qualified annuity money can come from selling a house, mutual fund, business, or other investment. They might also make sense if you receive large inheritance or proceeds from an insurance settlement.

When you start receiving annuity payouts from a non-qualified annuity, a portion of each payment is considered a return of principal and excluded from taxation. The amount excluded is calculated according to an “exclusion ratio.” You can usually find the details of the exclusion ratio on any quotes you get. Be sure to have your annuity professional explain this to you carefully before deciding on any product or company.

The bottom line: Deferred income annuities are an option for people looking to create a pension-like source of reliable income. Like a variable annuity, you won’t access your money for a specific number of years, allowing it to grow. Like an immediate annuity, DIAs have fixed payouts for life. Customization options will enable you to solve other issues, including ensuring income for a spouse or beneficiary.

If you are looking into deferred income annuities, speak with your qualified local expert experienced with the many types of annuities available. They will evaluate your needs and goals to determine if a DIA will solve the most critical issues.

Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or  Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463  or click this link:  Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.com  Dave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.

Photo of the Week: Mary Lee Candy Shop

Citizen Journalism, , ,
Mary Lee Candy Shop (Grand Rapids Public Museum)

MaryLee Candies, believed to have been founded in Detroit but in the newspapers it is mentioned that it was based in Ohio, was a popular Michigan candy company. This storefront was on Monroe Avenue although it does not indicate if it was the one at 40 Monroe Ave. or 137 Pearl St. NW. Both locates were in downtown Grand Rapids, according to researching through the Grand Rapids Press archives on the kdl.org site. According to a Nov. 11, 1950 Grand Rapids Press article, the store marked its 30th anniversary. The picture, from the Grand Rapids Public Museum Collection, was taken in 1923. The sign hanging in front of the entrance reads “Old Time – Home Made MaryLee Candies.” To the left is the James P. Powers Signs L.M. Kingsley Show Cards.

Lexi Adams and her Nashville sounds opens City of Kentwood’s Winter Concert Series

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Lexi Adams. (Supplied by the artist)

By WKTV Staff

Lexi Adams, who will open the City of Kentwood’s free-to-the-public Winter Concert Series this week, is a singer/songwriter who offers up a mix of covers and original music that are “stories of life experience carefully crafted through each melody and lyric.”

The concert, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17, will take place at the Community Room of Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE, from 6:30-8 p.m. Guests are welcomed to bring their own beer, wine or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy at the show.

Each concert will also have a food truck outside offering a range of cuisines and available for purchase, with Patty Matters Food Truck available on Feb. 17.

Michigan home but Nashville bound

Originally from southwest Michigan Lexi moved to Nashville Tennessee in 2008 to “pursue her love and passion for music,” according to her website. She moved back to Michigan with the intent of taking three months to immerse herself in her newly recorded EP but “she received many opportunities to play her music in the west Michigan area and that hasn’t stopped since.”

Lexi Adams. (Supplied by the artist)

Three months turned into 12, and she continues to pursue her love and passion for music in the local Michigan music scene. And while she hopes to eventually return back to the Nashville — “the city that stole her heart” — for the meantime, “Michigan is where it’s at!”

Lexi Adams’ sound, according to her website, “is Ryan Adams on a cool summer night, smoking cigarettes while leaning in for a kiss with Taylor Swift. It will leave you hurting and longing for more; wishing you had said what you really wanted to say to the love of your life before they walked away.”

For more information on Lexi Adams, visit her website here.

Can’t be there? WKTV will be 

WKTV will record all concerts and will replay them, as scheduled, on our cable channels as well as on WKTV.org by hitting the “Watch Live” button, and also later on-demand at WKTVlive.org.

Tentative run time for Lexi Adams’s concert will be The concerts will air on WKTV 25 Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 9 p.m.; and  Saturday, Feb. 26, at 10 p.m. Visit wktvjournal.org/wktv-on-air-schedule/ for a schedule of replays.

More information is available at kentwood.us/WinterConcerts. Also, according to a city announcement, “residents are encouraged to follow current public health guidelines to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”

WKTV to spotlight Lee high basketball feature games, Legends and Wolves Hall of Fame nights 

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Local Entertainment, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org



The WKTV Feature Game coverage crew will pay a visit to Lee High School Friday, Feb. 18, as both the boys and girls teams will be in action in an evening which will also be the athletic department’s Hall of Fame night. (See a preview story on the Lee high Hall of Fame night here.)

While the truck crew will be at Lee, we will also have cameras at Wyoming high on Feb. 18, as the Wolves athletic department also holds its Hall of Fame night at the halftime of a girls basketball game and as part of a special community night celebration. (See a preview story on the Wyoming high Hall of Fame night here.)

The Wyoming Lee games, when Byron Center Zion Christian comes to the Legends home court for an Alliance League doubleheader, will feature a girls basketball game at 5:30 p.m., and boys game at 7 p.m.

The WKTV Feature Game coverage crew will wrap up the 2021-22 basketball regular season with planned coverage of East Kenwood boys basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 22, against Caledonia, and then a boys and girls basketball doubleheader Friday, Feb. 25, when Wyoming Tri-unity Christian visits Wyoming Potter’s House Christian.

A look-in at Wyoming/Kentwood area basketball

The Grand Rapids South Christian girls won a big game Wednesday, Feb. 9, 42-39, over visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central — and then avoided a letdown on Friday, Feb. 11, with a home win over Wayland, 51-38 — to run their record to 13-3 overall and take control in the OK Conference Gold conference race with a 9-1 record. (The Cougars are also 9-1, but are 12-4 overall). (For a game story and a WKTV video, visit here.)

The Wyoming high boys (9-6, 6-4 OK) won an early week contest last week, defeating Holland, 81-36, at home Feb. 8, before falling to state powerhouse and OK Green leader Muskegon on Feb. 11. (For an on-demand recording of the Wyoming-Holland game, visit here.)

The South Christian boys (10-5, 7-3 OK) went 2-1 last week in a stretch of three-straight OK Conference Gold road contests, bouncing back from a Feb. 8 loss at GR Central Catholic to score wins over Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills, 59-45, on Feb. 9, and then defeating Wayland, 71-44, on Feb. 11.

The West Michigan Aviation Academy boys (10-4 overall) saw their six-game win streak come to an end in their only game last week, a 57-50 loss to Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, on Feb. 8. The two teams are still at the top of the Alliance League standings, however, as Wyoming Potter’s House Christian (10-4) leads the league title chase at 5-0, with Tri-unity at 4-0, and the Aviators at 5-1. In addition to the win over WM Aviation Academy, Tri-unity also defeated Byron Center Zion Christian, 72-31, on Feb. 11.

WKTV coverage and schedule/scores 

Complete local basketball schedules as well as up-to-date scores of previous night’s games are also available at wktvjournal.org/sports-schedules-scores. (You can also just just bookmark WKTVjournal.org on your phone or other device and click on the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.)

WKTV featured games will on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, rebroadcast on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of basketball and other winter prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV’s video coverage team, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.com.

WKTV Journal community contributor’s photos of Valentine’s Day in Puerto Vallarta

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Holidays, Travel, WKTV Projects,
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.
  • Valentine’s Day flowers as photographed by WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams.

By WKTV Staff

WKTV Journal contributor Patty Williams sent us pictures of Valentine’s Day in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where she noted one family of flower farmers prepares arrangements for sale in the streets.

Wyoming Wolves to induct eight into Hall of Fame during basketball halftime ceremony Feb. 18

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,

The Wyoming High School athletic department’s Hall of Fame ceremony from 2020. (Supplied/Wyoming High Athletics)

By WKTV Staff

The Wyoming High School athletic department will add eight distinguished alumni to its Wolves Hall of Fame Friday, Feb. 18, with a ceremony at the halftime of a girls varsity basketball game against Zeeland East scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

The Hall of Fame includes members from both Rogers and Wyoming Park high schools, which combined to form Wyoming high.

Among the 2022 inductees are longtime Wyoming Public Schools teacher and Rogers high graduate (Class of 1986) Dino Paganelli, Rogers high (Class of 2002) student-athlete Ashley Heuvelman, Rogers high (Class of 1968) student athlete Jerry Hoag, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1980) student-athlete Rob Baker, Wyoming Park high (Class of 1997) student-athlete Amanda Hartman Schichtel, and Wyoming Park high (Class of 2012) student-athlete Lexi Popma.

Also to be honored are long-time Wyoming Park high athletic supporters Karen and Gary Stockdale, and the late John Wiggers, a huge supporter of athletics both at Wyoming Park and, later, at Wyoming high.

The game night, which includes a junior varsity game starting at 5:30 p.m., and the Hall of Fame ceremony, will be part of a special Community Night, with performances by the Wyoming high Pep Band, and Wyoming Dance Team led by Coach Meghan Dolata. There will also be a halftime hoop shoot, as well as a raffle, and senior shirts and yard signs available.

The senior all-night party committee will be sponsoring the halftime hoop shoot fundraiser when people will have the opportunity to shoot a half-court or 3-point shot. The 50/50 raffle will also support the senior all-night party.

The senior all-night party committee will be selling auction tickets, senior yard signs, and t-shirts as part of their fundraising efforts.

Next Mr. Sid’s Video Series will focus on the people behind the presidents

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Recreation, Senior Living, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Martha Washington and Betty Ford were former First Ladies who worked hard to help their husband’s achieve the highest office in the United States. (Wikipedia)

A focus on the presidents will be the presentation of the next Mr. Sid’s Video Series Program set for Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.

Mike Martin, along with his wife Ginny and their friend Connie, will showcase a story too often missed in school, the story of greatness bubbling over by heroism of individuals aided and abetted by the love of family and friends. The presentation will focus on the wives of presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Gerald R. Ford, who had to play a steep price for their husbands to achieve so much during their lifetimes.

“The presentation will bring a new understanding to your President’s Day celebration both this year and in the future,” Martin said. “Come ready to laugh and cry and be inspired during an hour you won’t forget.”

The program is free. There will be a gospel sing hosted by Lavonne Ritsema, Sid Lenger’s daughter, beginning at 1:45 p.m.

Upcoming Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Afternoon Programs are:

March 16: Executive Director of theHolland Tulip Festival Gwen Auwerda will discuss the Tulip Festival and one of Sid’s favorite events, the Tulip Festival Parade.

April 20: WOOD TV8’s Sports Director Jack Doles will talk about covering the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

May 18: Rick Vuyst from Fruit Basket-Flowerland will discuss how to prepare for spring from planting flowers and lawn care.

June 15: Chris Stevens, the chaplain for the LPGA, will again join the group and update on the Meijer Charity Golf Classic and Professional Women’s Golf.

Circle Theatre set to host auditions in March for summer series

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events
All are welcome to audition for Circle Theatre’s 2022 season. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Circle Theatre will host auditions for its Main Stage and Summer Concert series in March.

This year’s Main State productions include “RENT,” “The Play That Goes Wrong,” “The Music Man,” “On Golden Pond,” and “Little Shop of Horrors. Auditions for those shows will be held from 6:30 – 10 p.m. March 4 and from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. March 5.

Circle Summer Concert productions include “Nobody Does It Better,” “Get Ready:The Music of Motown,” “Divine Divas: Iconic Women of Pop,” “Soul Groove: The Hits of Soul and R&B, and “Under Pressure:The Music of Queen and David Bowie.” Auditions for these productions will be from 7 – 9 p.m. March 11 and noon – 3 p.m. March 12.

All auditions will be at the Aquinas College Art and Music Center, located on the Aquinas College campus at 1700 Fulton St. SW. Find audition notices, sides and resources, registration info, and more at circletheatre.org/auditions.

For more information on Circle Theatre’s auditions, to purchase 2022 season tickets and memberships or to find more ways to support Circle Theatre, call 616-456-6656 or visit circletheatre.o. 

Valentine special features launch of cargo craft to International Space Station

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By Kelly Taylor
WKTV Program Manager

The Progress 80 cargo craft will head to the International Space Station on Feb. 14. (NASA)

On Monday, Feb. 14, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the launch of the Progress 80 cargo craft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan the International Space Station. Coverage starts at 11 p.m. with the launch scheduled for 11:25 p.m.

NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.

Progress is an unmanned Russian cargo spacecraft which has been used since 1978 to deliver supplies, originally to the Soviet Space stations, and now to the International Space Station.

Live coverage will continue on Thursday, Feb. 19. at 1:30 a.m. for the rendezvous and docking of the cargo craft to the ISS. The docking is scheduled to take place at 2:08 a.m.

For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Ice sculptures, country music, Disney, and Hamilton

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

It’s Super Bowl weekend, and the entire state of Michigan is rooting for the LA Rams and Matthew Stafford. Are there any Bengals fans out there?

Well, the big game is not until 6:30 p.m. Sunday, which means you have plenty of time to get out of the house and enjoy the snow. We have a few ideas in this weekend’s Gonzo’s Top 5, exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go.

Gonzo’s Top 5

John Gonzalez sits down with singer Scotty McCreery (John Gonzalez)

5. Scotty McCreery at The Intersection

I can’t believe it’s been more than 10 years since teen star Scotty McCreery won Season 10 of “American Idol.” It’s been watching him grow as an artist, and as a person. He’s released several hits, got married and even endured loss. Through it all we have we’ve stayed in touch. In fact, I got to spend some time on his tour bus last summer when he performed at an outdoor concert in Grand Rapids. Over the years he has carved out a solid career after his meteoric rise to fame, topping the country charts with hits such as “This is It,” “Five More Minutes,” “You Time” and his most recent video, “Damn Strait.” It’s a classic country song that pays homage to the legendary George Strait. If you’re a fan, you already know he’s in town tonight (Feb. 11) at The Intersection in Grand Rapids as part of his “Same Truck Tour.” Tickets are $39.50 at the door. I guarantee it’s going to be a great show. More info at www.sectionlive.com.

Disney On Ice returns this weekend. (Supplied)

4. Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Friends

Why not celebrate the Disney character we know and love by taking the kids to see “Mickey and Friends” at Van Andel Arena? You’ll spend time with Moana and Maui, Woody and the whole “Toy Story” gang, Anna and Elsa of “Frozen” and so much more! Performances are at 7 tonight (Feb. 11); 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Ticket information at  www.vanandelarena.com.

More than 100 some ice sculptures will be heading to Grand Rapids this weekend. (Supplied)

3. World of Winter in Grand Rapids

It’s a busy weekend in downtown Grand Rapids as World of Winter has several events, including:

  • ICE-Breaker from noon-5 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 12) at Rosa Parks Circle to witness the live carving of the publicly voted 5,000-pound ice sculpture by the Ice Brigade‘s Randy Finch. Also, check out a gallery of ice sculptures all throughout Downtown Grand Rapids. You can also join one of the several guided ice sculpture walking tours led by Grand Rapids Running Tours. 
  • Movies on the Piazza: The Princess Bride, 1-3 p.m. Sunday at Studio Park. It’s a free showing, but ring your own chair and warm up by the fire pits.

     

Learn more about all of the events taking place now through March 6 at www.worldofwintergr.com.

Winter fun at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Supplied)

2. Winter Family Day at Meijer Gardens

If you can’t make it downtown, Meijer Gardens is offering several activities as part of a Winter Family Day from 1-4 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 12). The kids can watch a sculptor transform a block of ice into a piece of ice art; create a winter-inspired craft; and discover how birds play and eat. The special activities are included with your admission to the gardens. Get more info at www.meijergardens.org.

Listen to “Episode 1: Hamilton returns to Grand Rapids, Feb. 8-20” on Spreaker.

1.Hamilton at DeVos Performance Hall

What is there to say? I think everyone knows that “Hamilton,” created by Lin-Manuel Miranda about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, is a groundbreaking Broadway show. It has been selling out since it first debuted in 2015, and tickets for the touring shows remain in high demand. A few tickets still remain for performances through Feb. 20 at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids. Check the latest ticket availability at https://broadwaygrandrapids.com/.

Also, listen to an interview with new Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel, who was a guest on my inaugural “Then By All Means, Lead the Way” theatre podcast. In the interview she said the show is “emotional,” “inspiring” and “the lyrics are so brilliant.” “I sobbed the first time I saw it,” Distel said in the podcast. “I was so moved. And you just want to see it again.” She also talks about the remainder of the Broadway Grand Rapids season and her new role. Please listen.

Well that’s it for this weekend’s Top 5.

Go Bengals!

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe weekend.



John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

WKTV will live stream upcoming income tax informational meeting

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Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The increase revenue would help to add 14 police officers and 27 firefighters to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. (WKTV)

After being snowed out for its first informational income tax meeting, the City of Wyoming will host its next meeting Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. The meeting is at 7 p.m.

 

For those not able to attend, WKTV will be live streaming the meeting on Comcast Channel 26 and on wktv.org.

The meetings are designed to provide information about the city’s proposed income tax and millage reduction proposals that will be on the May 3 ballot.

 

Under the income tax proposals, the city is requesting to be able to levy an income tax of up to 1 percent for residents and up to .5 percent for non-residents. The second proposal would be for a city property millage reduction for property owners both homeowners and business owners. The millage would go from about 11.89 to 5 mils. The two proposals are tied together with both required to pass.

 

Approved by the Wyoming City Council in September, the proposals would minimize the overall tax burden to city residents while generating an additional $6 million in revenue each year. The revenue would be used to improve public safety and parks infrastructure for residents, business and visitors.

 

The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital investment in the city’s park system. (WKTV)

The additional funds would allow the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety to add 27 firefighters and 14 police positions, improving public safety by decreasing response times, enhancing crime prevention efforts and adding more proactive traffic enforcement.

The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital investment in the city’s park system. Many of the city’s parks were built between 1950 and 1970 and while the city has made great stride in developing park properties such as Ideal, Frog Hollow, and Jackson, other parks such as Marquette Park, are 25-years-old or more and are in need of capital improvement. City officials have noted that the current parks millage does not have capacity to provide any funding for capital investment.

The city has five more informational meetings scheduled. The one on March 2 at the Gezon Fire Station, 2300 Gezon Parkway SW, also will be live streamed by WKTV on Comcast Channel 26 and WKTV.org.

The other meetings are:

March 9, Del Mar Community Room

March 15, Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW

March 24, City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW

April 19, KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW

All meetings are at 7 p.m.

 

For more information on the two proposals or to use the tax calculator, visit wyomingmi.gov/FundingForthe Future. 

In basketball tournament-like atmosphere, South Christian girls make a defensive statement with win over Catholic Central

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  • The Grand Rapids South Christian girls basketball team at the start of the Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis gains a gain a ceremonial game ball for her passing the 1,000 point mark as a Sailor in a brief pre-game ceremony Feb. 9. With her is head coach Kim Legge and athletic director David Kool. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian’s girls basketball team breaks huddle in a Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian junior Ashley Raredon in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian head coach Kim Legge “coaching up” her team in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)
  • Grand Rapids South Christian’s girls basketball team celebrates a win in a Feb. 9 home game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org



The Grand Rapids South Christian High School girls basketball team had a statement win Feb. 9 at home over OK Conference Gold rival Grand Rapids Catholic Central, 42-39 — several statements were made, in fact.

The Sailors are not only peaking as tournament time approaches, but with the first order of business gaining a least a share of the OK Gold title. The team also has established that they are a defensive force to be reckoned with.

Grand Rapids South Christian senior Sydney Vis in a Feb. 9 game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. (WKTV)

And, South Christian head coach Kim Legge is quick to say, the team is more than just Sailors super senior Sydney Vis. But her star player is one not afraid to take the ball when her team needs points and the “green light” from her coach to do so.

“You couldn’t ask for more than that,” Legge said to WKTV after Vis and the team secured its biggest win of the year. “When you have someone that everybody looks to, and someone who is as good as she is … she has been here (on varsity) for four years, and I am comfortable with her. She knows me well and I know her well. She knows what she has the green light to do.”

Vis, who will be playing at the college level next year at Hope College, finished the night with 18 points, with eight of them coming from the foul line as she repeatedly challenged the Cougar defense to stop her. That point total adds to Vis’ totals in a Sailors’ uniform, which saw her pass the 1,000-point mark in late January (and gain a ceremonial game ball in a brief pre-game ceremony Feb. 9).

Legge also agreed with the “tournament atmosphere” of the game against Catholic Central, which beat South Christian early in the season. Both teams are now 8-1 in conference but the Sailors are 12-3 overall while the Cougars are 11-4.

“We knew it would be a tough game, two really good teams … and we lost to them the last time,” Legge said. “Even with the crowd tonight, it had a tournament atmosphere.”

Defensive identity, other players contributing

The game against Catholic Central also showed two of South Christian’s strengths — a defensive mindset and the ability to share the scoring more and more as the season goes on. Both of which will help when the tournament starts at the end of the month.

The first quarter found points tough to get, as it ended with the Cougars holding a 13-12 lead, with Vis scoring eight of her team’s 12 points in the quarter.

The low scoring, forced primarily by strong defenses on both sides, continued in the second quarter, which ended with the Cougars still in the lead, at 20-18, but the Sailors staying close thanks in a large part to the work of junior Ashley Raredon.

The scoring picked up in the third quarter as the Sailors finally took the lead late in the period off baskets by Vis and Raredon, and entered the final period up 30-29.

South Christian never lost the lead in the fourth, but Catholic Central stayed close, never trailing by more than 3 points in a back-and-forth contest.

In the end, the Sailors missed some opportunities to put the game away at the foul line, but their defense never faltered to close out a 42-39 win.

Raredon scored 15 points for South Christian, while sophomore Sailor Ashley Thomasma added five. Senior Cougar Ella Mondroski led Catholic Central with 17 points, while junior Sydney Schoenborn added eight.

For the season, Sailors Vis is averaging 19-plus points per game, Thomasma is at about 9 ppg. and Raredon is at 7.5 ppg. — but coming on strong as the season goes on.

“We have had different games with different girls stepping up, it is not always just Sydney,” Legge said. “It makes it difficult for other teams to scout us … and it is getting to a point where we trust each other more. That’s good for us.”

Scoring balance aside — or at least punishing teams which focus too much on Vis, defense has become the “mentality” of the Sailors.

Legge said her teams usually find their personality as the season goes on, in the “second third of the season,” she said. And this season, they decided their personality would be defense.

South Christian will next play Friday, Feb. 11, at home against another tough opponent, Wayland (9-6, 6-3 in OK), which won the OK Gold in the 2020-21 pandemic-altered season, and also knocked the Sailors out of the tournament in second round, in OT.

Fountain Street Church has history, and legendary acoustics, as 2022 concert series begins with Waxahatchee Feb. 14

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local History, Religion, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) will bring songs from her new album, “Saint Cloud”, to be released on March 27, to Fountain Street Church’s historic Sanctuary. (Supplied/Artist website)

By WKTV Staff

The early U2 band poster in the “Green Room” at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church is not there because the historic church once had a reverend who dug the boys from Dublin, the band actually played there in 1981.

The wide variance of concerts held at Fountain Street Church: U2 and the Vienna Boys Choir. (WKTV)

The walls of the Green Room, back stage where guests often await shows, are filled with evidence of the musicians, comedians and just flat interesting people who have visited the famous stain-glass windowed, pipe-organ dominated sanctuary of the church.

And that history of outside entertainers hitting the stage at Fountain Street will continue Monday, Feb. 14, with Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) undoubtedly bringing songs from her new album, “Saint Cloud”, to be released on March 27. (The 7 p.m. show will have Madi Diaz opening.)

Fountain Street Church has served as a platform for a variety of performers since 1928 when senior minister Alfred Wesley Wishart debated Clarence Darrow over the topic “Is There a General Purpose in the Universe?”

Over the years, speakers such as Winston Churchill, Eleanor Roosevelt and Malcolm X have given talks. Notable musicians who have performed in the sanctuary range from Duke Ellington to Frank Zappa, from Alison Krauss to B.B. King.

Fountain Street Church is the venue only, not the promoter, of the entertainment scheduled — which will include comedian Fortune Feimster (currently seen on NBC series “Kenan”) visiting as part of Gilda’s Laughfest on March 18 as well as later shows by Needtobreathe and Welcome to the Night Vale.

Needtobreathe, with Patrick Droney, is scheduled for May 17. Welcome to the Night Vale, with Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin, is scheduled for June 13.

For more information about all shows, visit here.

Take a visit to Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee’s new album, “Saint Cloud” is “an unflinching self-examination,” according to the band’s promotional material.
 

“From a moment of reckoning in Barcelona to a tourist trap in Tennessee to a painful confrontation on Arkadelphia Road, from a nostalgic jaunt down 7th Street in New York City to the Mississippi Gulf, Crutchfield creates a sense of place for her soul-baring tales, a longtime staple of her storytelling. This raw, exposed narrative terrain is aided by a shift in sonic arrangements as well.”
 

Waxahatchee is a project fronted Katie Crutchfield, a singer and songwriter from Birmingham, Ala. She debuted the project in 2011 and has released three critically acclaimed albums under its name since 2012.

Since the age of 15 Crutchfield played in indie rock bands with her twin sister, Allison, the first was called The Ackleys, and the second was called P.S Elliot. That union and band(s) came to an end in 2011.

Around the same time Cruchfield needed to get away from the world, so she went to her parents holiday home in her native state of Alabama. She spent her week there writing the songs that would make up her debut as Waxahatchee, “American Weekend”.

“Katie Crutchfield’s southern roots are undeniable,” it states on her website. “The name of her solo musical project Waxahatchee comes from a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama and seems to represent both where she came from and where she’s going.”

For more information on Waxahatchee, visit here. For a video visit here.

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ — West Michigan singer-songwriter May Erlewine plans a creative twist for Feb. 17 concert at St. Cecilia

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
May Erlewine will be bringing her songs, new and old, and a few stories of her songs and songwriting, to St. Cecilia Music Center Feb. 17. (Supplied)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer 

May Erlewine — singer-songwriter, West Michigan native, and no stranger to Grand Rapids audiences and soundtracks — plans a creative twist for her Feb. 17 concert at St. Cecilia Music Center, when she will debut her new release, “Tiny Beautiful Things”.

And music will be only part of it.

“(Tiny Beautiful Things) is about exchange and all these different faces of love,” Erlewine told WKTV. “The record has songs about falling in love, songs about falling out of love, songs about loving your children, songs about loving those who have passed on, all of the many incarnations love finds in our lives. The sentiment is that love is always there.

“One of the ways I wanted to present this was by reading some letters throughout the concert and share these different incarnations of love and connection.”

Tickets for May Erlewine’s Feb. 17 Folk Series concert can be purchased online at scmc-online.org or by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224.

“We are excited to bring May Erlewine back to SCMC,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia Music Center executive/artistic Director, said in supplied material. “She appeared here many years ago when we first started our folk series. It’s exciting that May can highlight her new album with this show and that audience members will have the chance to purchase the new album that night.”

The artist’s music and life

Not only will the St. Cecilia audience be treated to new songs and the opportunity to purchase Erlewine’s new album, they will also be treated to a more personal aspect of the songwriter’s life.

Erlewine is a strong believer that sharing our connections with others throughout life can do much to enrich our lives. An avid letter writer, Erlewine plans to share snippets of her own correspondence with loved ones over the years to highlight this belief.

May Erlewine. (Supplied)

“Part of the reason I wanted to do this was to remind people how important it is for us to stay connected in a time where most of us are unable to be close to our loved ones,” Erlewine said. “We have all been through a lot of changes and had to sacrifice a lot through this difficult time. We are still very connected in community even though we haven’t been able to actively feel that connection.”

Erlewine urges people to reach out to their loved ones in both little and big ways.

Connection has always been a vital and powerful aspect of Erlewine’s life, even prompting a cross-country journey at age 16.

“I was really curious about seeing the country, seeing how different people lived,” she said. “And I think one of the main reasons I wanted to do that is that I love to hear people’s stories. Songs are basically stories, so I found a great way to share the ones I’ve collected.”

Collecting and listening to stories of people’s lives has always fascinated the songwriter and has been a catalyst for several of her songs.

“We are all living a similar human experience, but we all have these incredible unique things that have happened to us in our lives,” Erlewine said. “There is a lot of meaning and depth in sharing those things.”

Connecting to music young

Erlewine said she felt the power of music at the young age of 12, when she picked up a guitar for the first time.

“I was immediately inspired to write a song. When I did that, I had this ‘aha’ moment of ‘This is something I’m supposed to do. This is my way of expressing myself in the world.’ I just didn’t stop from that point on.”

May Erlewine (Supplied/Michael Poehlman)

Over the years, Erlewine has used her music as a platform for positive change, whether it be individual or as a community, environmental, or even regarding social justice. Her catalog of albums and collaborations gives voice to these themes. (Checkout a 2019 WKTV feature on her “Second Sight” release, and its social/political themes.)

“I had a revelation that music is part of a very long-standing tradition, much larger than just me and what I am feeling,” said Erlewine. “It encompassed something much bigger. I wanted to serve that.”

The passion listeners hear in Erlewine’s voice and songs comes from a deep-seated belief in the power of music to connect people no matter where they come from or what their beliefs are.

“Music has a lot of power in community to bring people together, to speak about issues that are happening around us. That folk tradition of being a voice for the people is something I really believe in and have embraced in my path of music.”

When asked about the fearlessness demonstrated in using her music to speak on social and political issues, Erlewine likened it more to strength.

“It’s always scary to be vulnerable,” Erlewine said. “It takes a lot of strength to go there.”

What helps Erlewine is focusing on what she feels is the “most honest thing to do.”
 

“I have a strong sense that if something feels like the right thing to do,” the songwriter said, “even if it’s scary or even if it puts me in harm’s way, if it’s the right thing to do…then I know that it is part of my path, and I trust that.”

Erlewine’s daughter also plays a large part in giving the songwriter the courage and strength to do what she feels is right.

“When I think about my daughter and her living in this world after I’m gone, I ask, what things can I do that will impact her future in a way that matters to me? That has definitely added some fuel to those moments where I might feel more shaky. This is not just for me, this is for future generations.”

For more informant about the artist, visit mayerlewine.com.

Health and COVID protocols and requirements for SCMC can be found at http://scmc-online.org/concerts-and-events/.

On-Call Hospice supports patients in their hour of need

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By Emmanuel Hospice

Emmanuel Hospice works with those family members wanting to help as caregivers. (Supplied)

When it comes to providing care for its patients, Emmanuel Hospice doesn’t differentiate weekdays from weekends or days from nights. It’s a commitment that runs 24/7/365.

“We do whatever it takes to answer every need, and it doesn’t depend on the hour of day,” said Joyce Robinson-Beck, an extended care nurse for Emmanuel Hospice.

In her role, Robinson-Beck serves as the point person for a larger team of caregivers, who are also available overnight and on weekends. This includes registered nurses, social workers, aides, spiritual caregivers and even a nurse who can handle emergency admissions after-hours.

“When it comes to providing holistic care and compassionate support, we don’t pay too much attention to clocks and calendars,” said Emmanuel Hospice Executive Director Sara Lowe. “We are always at the ready to provide answers and care for our patients in their hour of need – whenever that may be.”

When someone calls the nonprofit provider of hospice care on an evening or weekend, they’ll speak to a registered nurse trained in triage, which is the ability to assign a degree of urgency to an illness or injury. That nurse then communicates with other Emmanuel Hospice personnel, who then process the information and act accordingly.

Sometimes, the situation can be handled by a phone or video call. If a personal visit is warranted, Robinson-Beck says there’s never any hesitation, even if it means repeated visits during the same night.

“Just the other weekend, we had a lady who had fallen to the floor and her husband couldn’t lift her,” Robinson-Beck said. “I went there in an instant and helped get her up. It was two in the morning, but that’s not a factor. You just go.”

She and other members of the extended care team might personally visit up to two dozen or more patients on any given weekend, tending to everything from a need for supplies to altering medications to coaching family members willing to help as caregivers.

 

“Extended care that provides services at night and on weekends is, to me, the root of what our team depends on,” Robinson-Beck said. “Everybody expects people in place from 9 to 5, but we are always trying to go the extra mile in those so-called off hours as well. It’s our goal to fulfill every need, no matter the time.

“And if you need us there in person, we’re on the way.”

Kentwood’s annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, benefitting Little Free Pantry, set for Feb. 19

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A competitor in past City of Kentwood’s Freeze Fest Disc Golf tournament. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

The City of Kentwood has announced that, partnering with Great Lakes Disc, the city will again host its annual Freeze Fest doubles disc golf tournament and food drive on Saturday, Feb. 19.

Disc golfers of all skill levels are invited to join the best-shot doubles competition at Jaycee Park, 1088 Gentian Drive SE. All proceeds will go to support Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.

On-site registration begins at 9 a.m., and the first round of the tournament starts at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is encouraged online at kentwood.us/FreezeFest. The cost is $40 and one canned food donation per team.

“It’s been amazing to see the popularity of our disc golf tournaments grow over the years and, along with it, the support of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry,” Lori Gresnick, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “We are grateful the disc golfer community continues to take part in our annual tournaments for some friendly competition and for a good cause.”

The Kentwood Little Free Pantry initiative began in 2017 as a community service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The small food pantry is open to all community members year-round and is designed to fill an immediate and local need. It offers nonperishable food and personal care items. Anyone can utilize or donate to the pantry. No application is required and no questions are asked.

“Great Lakes Disc is proud to again partner with the City of Kentwood to host the annual Freeze Fest,” Shea Abbgy, owner of Great Lakes Disc, said in supplied material. “It feels great to have our favorite sport play a part in helping the local community.”

The demand for Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, has steadily increased since its opening, and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. To help meet the growing need, the city opened a second pantry location in 2021 at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

More information is available at kentwood.us/LittleFreePantry.

In Love and Health: Happy Valentine’s Day, from my heart to yours

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By Dr. Erik Johnson
Love & Health Chiropractic

The CDC is celebrating February “Heart Month,” with the Surgeon General’s “Call to Action to Control Hypertension.” This call implores each of us to take charge of our blood pressure because “a healthier heart can lead to a healthier life.”

 

What increases your risk for high blood pressure? The CDC shares the following:

  • Unhealthy Diet
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Too Much Alcohol. More than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. 
  • Tobacco Use
  • Family history of high blood pressure combined with unhealthy lifestyle choices.
  • Age. Because your blood pressure tends to rise as you get older.
  • Race or ethnicity. Black people, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives are at higher risk for high blood pressure.

The good news is that healthy behaviors can lower your risk for high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, you can take action to control it and improve your health. And if you enjoy healthy blood pressure, now is the time to create good habits that will sustain it.

About one out of two adults has high blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure puts you at higher risk for heart disease and stroke,  two of the leading causes of death, disability, and healthcare expenses.

What is a  good target to aim for? The CDC recommends keeping your blood pressure under 130/80 mmHg for most of us. AT the top of the list for bringing high blood pressure down are being more physically active and eating a healthier  diet. You can start by taking a daily walk (at the mall if the weather’s bad).

Instead of eliminating unhealthy foods and drinks from your diet, find tasty substitutes. Choose fruits, vegetables, 100% whole grains and chemical-free, free-range meats and eggs instead of foods made with white flour, white rice, sugar, and lots of chemical additives. Enjoy a sparkling water beverage or tea with no sweeteners instead of soda pop. And, if you’re a drinker, cut back on alcohol consumption.

 

You might want to learn to check  your blood pressure at home. Some people’s blood pressure rises whenever they go to a doctor’s or dentist’s office. This is called “White Coat Syndrome.” And it tells you about another contributing factor to high blood pressure: Stress.

If you live a high stress life (and who doesn’t these days) learn how to use deep breathing, mindfulness techniques, and relaxation practices like Yoga Nidra to let some of that stress go. The State of Michigan even provides the online mindfulness resource Headspace to help relieve stress. Check it out!

I know that lifestyle changes don’t come easy. Try to get  your family and friends on board. And of course, enlist support from your healthcare providers—including your chiropractor. An aligned spine enables your brain to communicate with all of your organs so that they can function optimally. In other words, a healthy spine supports a healthy heart.

Dr. Erik Johnson DC is a chiropractor at Love and Health Chiropractic in Wyoming at 1586 44th Street SW.

Two West Michigan artists are the Loeschner Art Competition winners

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

A former WKTV Journal contributor was one of two artists to win the 2021 Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition hosted by the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

 

Lynn Strough. The Conversation, 2021. Photograph printed on acrylic. (Supplied)

Painter and photographer Lynn Strough shared her travels with WKTV Journal readers from 2016-2017. Strough took home the top prize for photography. Muskegon-based artist Lee Ann Frame won for two-dimensional art.

“Nature and art are food for the soul, hence my spending so much time feasting at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, where I find an abundance of both,” Strough said in an artist statement. “It inspires my creativity and refreshes my mind and spirit, soaking in all the beauty of the plants, animals, and sculptures. My current medium is photography, and each time I visit, which is almost weekly, throughout all the seasons, I find new visuals to capture. Some are from far away, like vistas from above the Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, while others, my favorites, are from up close, discovering and sharing things that most people don’t even notice, like a single drew drop on a whorl of green leaves, or a raindrop continuing a world of its own dangling from a twig, of a milkweed plant in conversation with a distant sculpture.”

Strough has a bachelor’s degree in art from Grand Valley State University. Her work has been exhibited in regional exhibitions and has won several awards, including top prizes at West Michigan Regional Competition and Celebration of the Arts. For her book design, she was included in the top 50 children’s books of the year in Smithsonian magazine. Her work is in collections in more than 60 cities and five countries.

Lee Ann Frame. Spring, 2021. Etching. (Supplied)

For a little over a year, she shared her travels through out Europe in Travellynn Travels, reprinted by permission in the WKTV Jounral, visiting such places a Pompeii, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, and France,

 

Frame, who has a master of fine arts in printmaking from Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University and a bachelor of fine arts in painting from Grand Valley State University, has taught printmaking and ceramics at Muskegon Community College for many years. Her work has been included in many regional and national juried competitions. She has exhibited in group exhibitions such as Boston Printmakers Members Exhibition. Society of Graphic Artists and Southwest Michigan Printmakers.

 

“Intaglio is an age-old process that I find to be an engaging and creative process,” Frame said in her artist statement. “I use two copper plates, altering the surface with aquatint and an etched line. For this print, I was engaged with the view of the stone sculpture and bridge from across the waters as they emerge from the surrounding deciduous greens and the steady rocks that sat at the edge of the water creating dynamic textures and composition.

 

The Ray and Nancy Loeschner Art Competition is an annual event that welcomes artists from around the globe to respond to Meijer Gardens in their work. The wining entries receive a $5,000 purchase award in addition to becoming a part of the Meijer Gardens permanent collection. The competition is open to all artists 18 years old and older who are working in a two-dimensional format.

 

Since 2002, the Loeschner Art Competition has sought artwork inspired by Meijer Gardens, with the objective of collecting high-quality work that celebrates the beauty and inspiration Meijer Garens provides. To view the winners, click here.

Three West Michigan nonprofits partner on new initiative serving boys, young men of color

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The leaders of three West Michigan nonprofits have joined forced to create a new collaborative initiative that will serve boys and young men of color under a single mission: becoming something they don’t always get the chance to see.

Cole Williams, o the Delta Project

“We Matter Now reflects the importance of seeing positive Black male leadership that will enable boys and young men of color to create positive change in our community” said Cole Williams, of the Delta Project, who is joined by Dondreá Brown of Young Money Finances and Henry Sapp of Better Wiser Stronger. “Boys and young men of color don’t believe they have an opportunity to change their lives because they don’t see enough successful men of color as role models.

“By sharing our lived experienced, We Matter Now strives to provide examples of what boys and young men of color can become.”

With multiyear financial support from Heart of West Michigan United Way, Brown, Sapp, and Williams have joined forces to serve as resource brokers for We Matter Now. The initiative curates its programming from a strengths-based approach, working to empower “at-potential” boys and young men of color and to equip them with the necessary tools to close the gap on education, wellness and financial achievement.

This year, We Matter Now will offer a conference, summer programming, a celebration and ongoing initiatives for approximately 60 at-potential boys and young men of color in grades 9-11. The inaugural We Matter Now conference will be held Friday, April 22 at Grand Valley State University’s Eberhard Center in downtown Grand Rapids, gathering 60 Black and Brown youth for a day of education, recognition, celebration and connection.

Those interested in joining the first We Matter Now cohort and attending the conference, which is free of charge to participants, can sign up online.

 

Dondrea Brown, of Young Money Finances

“Recognizing the power of words, We Matter Now seeks to serve ‘at-potential’ boys and young men of color, flipping the narrative that too often begins with ‘at-risk’ youth,” Brown said. “Our initiative strives to create a safe space, working to provide Black and Brown high school students with the tools, skills, resources and relationships needed to face challenges within their community.

“Henry, Cole and I appreciate the support from United Way, which has encouraged us to develop programming that will resonate with youth we are already working with in our community. Together, we are creating a road map that will help young men in West Michigan build deeper, stronger relationships and grow into leaders.”

As one of its first steps toward mobilizing the community for change, Heart of West Michigan United Way developed the Transformation Strategy in 2021 to close the economic and achievement gap for people of color in Kent County. Through this strategy, the organization created the Opportunity Initiative to provide local Black, Indigenous and People of Color, or BIPOC-led/founded grassroots organizations –including Young Money Finances, Delta Project and Better Wiser Stronger – financial and educational support through a one-time grant. United Way’s goal was to help build the capacities of small nonprofits and collaboratives that were already successfully addressing systemic change.

“United Way is funding the We Matter Now initiative because we saw how intimately these three organizations work to empower young Black and Brown men who struggle to achieve due to structural racism and other forms of oppression,” said Shannon Blackmon-Gardner, vice president of community impact at Heart of West Michigan United Way. “We are so excited to support their work and see the change, growth and impact that this collaborative will have on our young men of color.”

The theme of the first conference, Our Vision, Our Voice, Our Choice, underscores the initiative’s desire to have boys and young men of color be partners in what programming will look like. Sessions will focus on financial education, healthy behaviors and conflict resolution training, equipping attendees with the support to be impactful members of the community.

Henry Sapp, of Better Wiser Strong

“We Matter Now will serve as a resource broker, collaborating with curated organizations to connect attendees to the high-impact services, information and support they need,” Sapp said. “Research shows it’s critical for young people to have adults who believe in and support them in order to develop a positive sense of their future.

“Youth who can see a future for themselves are more likely to exhibit positive behaviors, such as good decision-making and goal planning, while avoiding problem behaviors and poor choices.”

Through its three partner organizations, We Matter Now will offer summer programming to those who attend the conference as a way to extend the conversation and share resources. This programming will include:

  • Better Wiser Stronger will offer its Blueprint Journal workshop, which is part of its boys-to-men curriculum and designed to provide a blueprint for success.
  • The Delta Project will offer its Delta Conversation, which uses storytelling and video editing to tell personal stories in a meaningful and digestible way.
  • Young Money Finances will offer three sessions – Young Money Managers, Young Investors and Young Entrepreneurs – enabling teens to sharpen their skills around managing money, investing and starting a business.

We Matter Now will also hold a celebrationin August before the start of the new school year to celebrate the connections forged during spring and summer, connect families of attendees with one another and promote a successful return to the classroom.

Spring is coming as John Ball Zoo announces annual hiring event

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

West Michigan doesn’t need Punxsutawney Phil to know when spring is around the corner. A sure sign in West Michigan that spring is coming is when John Ball Zoo announces it annual hiring event.

The John Ball Zoo is hosting a hiring event this week to help fill a number of positions. (Supplied)

The zoo will be hosting an in-person hiring event on Thursday, Feb. 10, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the John Ball Zoo Ballroom, 1300 Fulton St.

The zoo is hiring seasonal employees to fill roles in retail, food, and beverage, guest services experiences, building and grounds, and education through the in-person hiring event.

Interviews for the in-person hiring event will be with leaders from each department in a safe environment where all participants will be required to wear a mask. Prior the even, untested candidates need to apply online. After applying online, candidates show up during the interview times and a department leader will speak to the person. Links to these, along with department descriptions, are available on the zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org/careers/ Note: applicants must be 15 years of age or older.

John Ball Zoo offers competitive pay, free lunches, and pay increases after 45 days. In addition, being  a zoo seasonal employee, team members may earn scholarship opportunities, discounts, behind the scene tours, flexible scheduling, receive free admission for themselves and up to 10 guests, plus discounts on purchases.

 

The zoo is set to open on March 25. To stay connected to what is happening at the John Ball Zoo, visit jbzoo.org.