The 28th Street Metro Cruise takes place Aug. 27 and 28 in Wyoming and Kentwood. But Cascade will host a “Warm-Up” — with lots of fun and cars — on Thursday, Aug. 26. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
After being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cascade Metro Cruise Warm-Up returns to Cascade Township where it will welcome classic car lovers and community members of all ages.
This year’s event will take place from 4:30-8:30 p.m., on Thursday, Aug. 26, in the parking lot at Fowling Warehouse Grand Rapids, 6797 Cascade Road SE. The free-to-attend event will feature activities for car enthusiasts, music lovers, families and children, including classic show cars, music by The Soul Syndicate, and face painting and balloon sculpting for the little ones.
There will also be variety of dinner and dessert options available from local food trucks, including Patty Matters, The Grilled Greek, O’Hana Ice and Mexcellente.
“The Cascade Metro Cruise Warm-Up is a wonderful way for residents of all ages to get outdoors, have fun and connect with neighbors,” Sandra Korhorn, Cascade Township economic development director, said in supplied material. “We are beyond excited to return this year and gather with the community to listen to great music, grab a bite to eat and, of course, admire dozens of classic cars.”
The Cascade Metro Cruise Warm-Up leads into the 28th Street Metro Cruise, West Michigan’s premiere auto cruise and car show set for Friday, Aug. 27 through Saturday, Aug. 28, at Wyoming’s Rogers Plaza and Kentwood’s Woodland Mall.
Cascade’s Metro Cruise Warm-Up will also feature a silent auction that will benefit the Kent County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office will auction off two ride-alongs with the K-9 Unit. Each ride-along will consist of a six-hour patrol shift that will “give participants the opportunity to see the role of law enforcement from a unique perspective,” according to supplied material. Participants must be 18 years or older and pass a criminal background check. The K-9 Unit will also perform a live demonstration at 7 p.m.
For more information on the Cascade Metro Cruise Warm-Up visit the Township’s website or the event’s Facebook page.
The three-night WinterFest Jazz Festival will feature Christian McBride and plenty of his “friends”, including on Feb. 25 special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée will be featured. (Supplied)
“RoundAgain” is the title of a 2020 studio album by a quartet consisting of modern jazz powerhouses Joshua Redman on saxophone, Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Brian Blade on drums.
The album was released without the usual touring support July 2020 after being recorded in New York City, in September 2019 — just before the music world’s abrupt touring shutdown as the COVID-19 pandemic hit us all.
St. Cecilia Music Center, as part of its 2021-22 concert season filled with “hope of bringing audiences back to Royce Auditorium” after its own shutdown, has its own plans to bring touring jazz “round again” — with Redman and McBride leading the effort as both are scheduled to make appearances in 2022, including McBride hosting the delayed WinterFest Music Festival in February.
“We are thrilled and thankful to begin again in 2021–22 with live concerts featuring most of the artists who were scheduled to appear this past season and had to be sidelined due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive and artistic director said in supplied material at the time of the season announcement. “These great artists are looking forward to getting back out on tour to perform in front of live audiences and to bring music back to concert stages in the U.S. and worldwide.”
And local jazz fans can’t wait for their return as well.
Joshua Redman Quartet (Supplied)
St. Cecilia’s jazz offerings will include WinterFest, an event featuring 7-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist McBride “with some of his most talented musical collaborators” for a three-evening festival Feb. 24 -26.
The St. Cecilia Spectacular Jazz Series itself will include saxophonist Redman on Jan. 20, Grammy and Tony award-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater together with pianist Bill Charlap on March 10, and acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis with his Uptown Jazz Orchestra on April 14.
“It was important to us to bring the artists we had booked this past season for the upcoming 2021-22 season … Recreating that amazing line-up gives us hope for the future.” Holbrook said. “We are also thrilled to announce that our new WinterFest Jazz Festival was able to be rescheduled for the same week” just one year later.
Jazz season opens in January, but tickets available now
Joshua Redman on Jan. 20. Redman, a ceaselessly innovative saxophonist, and his band “evoke a sound that is both challenging and provocative to hard-swinging, melodic, and soulful – music with a joyous and celebratory spirit,” according to supplied material. Redmond’s latest album is “Come What May” was released in Spring 2019 — at which tome JazzTimes said of Redman, he is “unparalleled among horn players today.”
Dee Dee Bridgewater (Supplied)
Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap on March 10. Two Grammy winners will share the stage as Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz vocalist Bridgewater and world- renowned pianist Bill Charlap pay a visit. Bridgewater, over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, “has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics,” according to supplied material. Charlap has performed and recorded with many leading artists of our time, ranging from jazz masters Phil Woods and Wynton Marsalis to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. Since 1997, he has led the Bill Charlap Trio, now recognized as one of the leading groups in jazz.
Delfeayo Marsalis on April 14. Marsalis — of the deep and deeply-talented Marsalis musical family — will lead his Uptown Jazz Orchestra in a performance of big band favorites. Over the course of his music career, acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Marsalis has been praised for his “technical excellence, inventive mind and frequent touches of humor.” He has also been called one of “the best, most imaginative and musical of the trombonists of his generation.” Marsalis, an NEA Jazz Master, has shared the bandstand with jazz legends Art Blakey, Max Roach and Elvin Jones, as well as pop icons Fats Domino, Ray Charles and George Clinton.
St. Cecilia WinterFest Jazz Festival 2022
Acclaimed Grammy–winning jazz bassist McBride will bring plenty of his “friends” to town for a three-day festival: Feb. 24 will feature McBride and Edgar Meyer for a double “double bass” extravaganza; Feb. 25 will be a traditional jazz show showcasing McBride’s celebrated jazz career with his trio and special guest jazz singer Cyrille Aimée; Feb. 26 will be an evening with Christian McBride’s quintet, Inside Straight, for “an unforgettable night of energetic and inspiring jazz.”
Christian McBride, no stranger to St. Cecilia Music Center, will return in a big way in 2021 (Supplied)
McBride, deservedly, has been called a “force of nature, fusing the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman.” With a career now into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today.
His range and recording span the spectrum of music: from jazz (McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny) to R&B (Isaac Hayes, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, and the one and only Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown) to pop/rock (Sting, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon) to hip-hop/neo-soul (The Roots, Queen Latifah) to classical (Kathleen Battle, Edgar Meyer, Shanghai Quartet).
Meyer is in demand as both a performer and a composer. The New Yorker called him “…the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument”, Meyer’s unparalleled technique and musicianship in combination with his gift for composition have brought him to the forefront, where he is appreciated by a vast, varied audience.
Grammy-nominated vocalist Aimée ventured from singing on street corners in Europe to dazzling audiences at the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals; from sneaking out to sing in gypsy encampments in her native France to acting on Broadway; from braving the notoriously tough audiences at New York’s Apollo Theatre to being called a “rising star in the galaxy of jazz singers” by The New York Times.
Inside Straight is Christian McBride’s quintet formed in 2009. “Kind of Brown,” the quintet’s debut studio album, was released in 2009 when Will Lyman of PopMatters wrote “This music is unselfconsciously traditional: it’s fun; it swings…it’s not experimental, but it gives superb voice to several brilliant players and one new discovery. In 2013, the quintet released “People Music”, which one reviewer said “The new album finds the quintet in hard-swing mode, delivering what they call “more road-tested, ‘lived-in’ Inside Straight” in an accessible way, and one that makes the audience part of the experience.”
Tickets and COVID pandemic details
Season subscription and single concert tickets to the 2022 SCMC WinterFest Jazz Festival and Spectacular Jazz Series are available online at scmc-online.org or by calling 616-459-2224.
At this date, St. Cecilia states on its website that it “will require proof of fully-vaccinated status, or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours, to attend a concert at our venue…. SCMC is also highly recommending that all attendees wear a mask while in the building. Attendees will need to bring ID and proof of vaccination the night of a concert. We will continue to monitor the COVID environment and may change policies at any time if necessary. … All ticket holders will be notified if mandatory mask requirements are in effect for a particular show by an artist.”
If SCMC is able to offer post-concert CD-signing receptions, all ticket-holders may be able to meet some of the artists and obtain signed CDs of their releases. Further information will be announced closer to the start of the season on whether COVID restrictions will allow SCMC to hold receptions.
SCMC WinterFest Jazz Festival individual concerts include Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer on Thursday, Feb. 24, with single tickets at $50 and $55; Christian McBride Trio and Cyrille Aimee on Friday, Feb. 25, with single tickets at $40 and $45; and Christian McBride & Inside Straight on Saturday, Feb. 26, with single tickets at $40 and $45.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners is seeking “qualified and interested” residents to serve the community through appointment to various boards, commissions, and committees.
Some positions require certain experience in select fields, while other simply require people to be interested in serving their community. Some, but not all appointments, require an individual to be a resident or a registered voter of Kent County.
All applications for appointment must be filed with the Board of Commissioner’s office by close of business, Friday, Sept. 30.
One open position which requires a citizen of Wyoming is on the Kent District Library Board, with an opening for a Region 8 resident member from the City of Wyoming. (Also available is the Region 4 resident member from either Bowne, Lowell,Vergennes Township or City of Lowell).
Other boards, commissions, and committees that have openings for terms effective Jan. 1, 2022 (unless otherwise noted) include:
Agricultural Preservation Board (openings for agricultural interest representative and conservation representative).
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan, Board of Directors (must be 60 years or older).
Community Health Advisory Committee (openings for at-large member, community-based organization representative, health care provider representative, and Kent ISD representative).
Community Mental Health Authority Board (Network 180) Board (Term begins April 1,2022).
County Building Authority.
Friend of the Court Citizens’ Advisory Committee (attorney who engages primarily in Family Law and one representative of the public).
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRFIA) Authority Board.
Housing Commission.
Jury Commission.
Kent County Community Action Advisory Governing Board (openings for one consumer sector member and one public sector member).
Kent County Family & Children’s Coordinating Council (private agency representatives, private funding representatives).
Kent Hospital Finance Authority (two openings for County Representative members).
Officers’ Compensation Commission (four member openings).
Remonumentation Peer Review Group (openings for four professional surveyor members).
Veterans Services Committee (openings for four U.S. armed forces veteran members).
Qualified residents may apply by completing an online application on the County’s website at accessKent.com/boardappointments. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2021.
For additional information on the boards and commissions visit the Kent County website here or contact the Board of Commissioner’s office at 616-632-7580.
The Wyoming Police are seeing information on an assault that took place in the 4400 block of Herman Avenue on Aug. 23 at around 12:30 a.m.
The incident, according to police, stemmed from an altercation involving four individuals who were known to each other and resulted in all four of them receiving injuries requiring medical treatment at a local hospital. According to police, the injuries were sustained from being stabbed or assaulted with a blunt object. One of these individuals sustained life-threatening injuries and is in critical condition at a local hospital. One individual has been traded and released, one has been treated and then lodged at Kent County Correctional Facility on charges related to this incident, and one remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is ongoing, and detectives are working to determine the role of each person involved in the incident. The individual who was lodged at Kent County Correctional Facility will be held pending review of changes by the Kent County prosecutor.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345.
Bob O’Callaghan, President/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, talks about the chamber’s Metro Cruise expanding out to a second location in 2021, at the Woodland Mall.
People who have a history of cruising with the 28th Street Metro Cruise know it once extended from Cascade to Wyoming, with Woodland Mall a good middle point turnaround for some.
Bob O’Callaghan, President/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, the hosting organization of the Metro Cruise, would like to see those days return.
But this year, just having the event extend its footprint and have a presence at Woodland Mall is a big step in the right direction.
“Woodland (Mall) has been an endpoint for a lot of folks going east,” O’Callaghan said to WKTV. “We are trying to get more people in Cascade, or whatever, doing events that go all the way, the full 13 miles. But at this point Woodland has been a great way to do that.”
The 28th Street Metro Cruise officially kicks-off Friday, Aug. 27, at 4 p.m., at its usual and main location at Rogers Plaza in Wyoming, and will continue Saturday, Aug. 28.
Rogers Plaza mall parking lot in Wyoming is always a focal point for the 28th Street Metro Cruise. (WKACC)
As in past years, the Rogers Plaza mall parking lot will feature food trucks and concessionaires, hundreds of collector cars, a kid’s entertainment area, a community awards ceremony, the crowd-favorite Miss Metro Cruise competition finals, live music on the Metro-Main Stage, and the popular Dynamometer car testing area where attendees can see cars rev up to 160 mph. (For more information and schedule of events visit 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.)
But at the second Main Event site, located on the off 28th Street at Woodland Mall, on Saturday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., will feature a wide array of collector, sports, and antique cars. It will also feature multiple food vendors including local food trucks, and official Metro Cruise merchandise.
“The good thing about this event here at Woodland Mall is that it is an opportunity for some of the folks in Cascade, Ada, who usually drive down to Rogers Plaza but don’t want to, have a closer venue,” O’Callaghan said. “We’ll have a lot of folks come into see the cars, and we’ll have a lot of folks just want see what it is. … It is a great opportunity for people to come in, park, look at the cars, and have a good time.”
O’Callaghan also expressed gratitude to the management of Woodland Mall for working with the Metro Cruise — “We are glad to have them be part of this for this year and hope it grows.”
And Woodland Mall is happy to be part of the festivities.
“We are looking forward again to welcoming the 28th Street Metro Cruise to Woodland Mall,” Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director for Woodland Mall, said to WKTV. “In addition to providing shoppers and guests with an excellent selection of shopping, dining and entertainment offerings, we also host many free events and programs for the community to enjoy year-round. … Metro Cruise is one of many events we’ve been grateful to be a part of again this year to bring the West Michigan community together.”
“As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us that world of make-believe continues into adulthood.”
Puppeteer and Muppets creator Jim Henson
You’ve Got a Friend
George Keen, left, and Ralph Baker on The Racing Show, taped by WKTV in January, 2020. (WKTV)
George Keen was a friend and mentor for many at WKTV. Known as the face of the popular “The Racing Show,” George would lend his natural broadcast talents to a number of WKTV projects such as DreamWheels at Metro Cruise and the sports show. General Manager Tom Norton writes “Something tells me that if Heaven has racing and they want the new guy to ‘call the race,’ everyone back here who knew George would recommend him highly.” WKTV thanks George’s family for sharing this man of many talents with us.
Revving up for Metro Cruise
It’s hard to believe that Metro Cruise is only a week away, but it is! The largest car show in West Michigan has a ton of events including a Wyoming versus Kentwood chicken wings challenge. Of courses, the cars will be the cente point with them lined up along 28th Street. Bonus: this year there will be two main locations, Rogers Plaza and Woodland Mall. For more on this year’s event, click here. For a look at past events, click here. The Metro Cruise schedule is available at wktvjournal.org and 28thstreetmetrocruise.com.
Forward Thinking
Scenes form “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition”, coming to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum this fall. (SEE Attractions)
ArtPrize is on the horizon for Sept. 16 – Oct. 3 but there are several other cool events coming into Grand Rapids this fall as well. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will be hosting “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition.” The immersive visual experience is set to open Oct. 22. The Grand Rapids Art Museum will be featuring the work of Kelly Church and Cherish Parrish, members of the Gun Lake Tribe, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band. The two are renowned for their artistry in black ash basketry. And the John Ball Zoo recently announced it will bring back IllumiZoo Wild Hues this fall. Guests will be able to stroll through an illuminated landscape of nature drenched with lighting and sounds. IllumiZoo will run Sept. 3 to Nov. 14.
La Marquise, the oldest running car in the world. (Public Domain)
Fun Fact: 137 years old and still running
Currently holding the title of the oldest running car is the La Marquise from France. The vehicle was manufactured in 1884 by De Dion, Bouton, and Trepardoux. The car was built as a prototype named after De Dion’s mother, and it was based on a quadricycle design. In 1987, an Englishman bought the car from a French auction and brought it home. After working on the car, he was able to get it running and it was the oldest car in the 1996 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. The car was given the number “0” for the race. In a 2011 auction, the car sold for more than four and half million dollars. It is in a private collection.
Five contestants, including at least two from Kentwood, pulled out their cutlery and their eye for beauty recently as the the Kentwood Farmers Market held its first-ever Charcuterie Challenge, which had the entries given 30 minutes to first buy items from the market and then prepare a charcuterie plater for pubic vote.
The Aug. 12 challenge, eventually won by Lisa Hopkins, included contestants Amy Richey, Marne Becker-Baratta, Trang Wilbur and Joshua Knepper.
The competition took place during the Kentwood Farmers Market, located weekly behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, with the finished boards on display and market-goers able to watch the competitors build their boards and then vote for their favorite. The winner received a gift courtesy of the Kentwood Farmers Market.
In the French tradition, charcuterie (pronounced “shahr-ku-tuh-ree”) is the art of preparing and assembling cured meats and meat products. The idea of charcuterie has evolved over the years to include an assortment of meats, cheeses, veggies and other items.
The market randomly selected five challengers out of a group of applicants to each receive $25 and 30 minutes to shop the market and assemble a one-of-a-kind charcuterie board using only those purchased ingredients.
“Charcuterie has become such a fun, popular way to display and enjoy a variety of food,” market manager Kristina Colby said prior to the event. “We are looking forward to seeing all the creative ways challengers showcase local foods found at the Kentwood Farmers Market and use the beautiful, handmade charcuterie boards Handcrafted by Fellow is suppling for the competition.”
The Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, farmers market manager Kristina Colby, center, prepares the chefs for the challenge. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Joshua Knepper is out shopping at the market. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Amy Richey (of Kentwood) is out shopping at the market. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, the contestants start their work. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Lisa Hopkins — and eventual winner — prepares her plate. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Joshua Knepper prepares his plate. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Marne Becker-Baratta (of Kentwood) prepares her plate. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
At the Kentwood Farmers Market’s first-ever Charcuterie Challenge Aug. 12, contestant Trang Wilbur prepares her plate. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Now in it’s 53rd year, the annual Fallasburg Arts Festival is presented by LowellArts and will be held on Sept. 18 and 19. The 2-day, outdoor festival includes 100 fine art and fine crafts booths, live music on a central stage, food booths supporting local non-profit organizations, a children’s craft area, and traditional craft demonstrations in the pavilion. Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Location: Fallasburg Park, 1124 Fallasburg Park Drive, Lowell, MI, 49331. For more information, visit lowellartsmi.org/fallasburg-arts-festival.
Artist booths are juried and a broad range of different mediums are represented including: jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, glass, fiber, mixed media, wood, painting, drawing, photography, floral, basketry, and more. Demonstrators of traditional crafts are located in the pavilion. Visitors of all ages are invited to watch the artisans at work. Demonstrations include: mosaic, fly tying, quilting, weaving, embroidery, needlefelting, and more.
Musical entertainment is held on an outdoor stage both days of the event, featuring a variety of music styles. Saturday music line-up: 10:15 Eli Roe Music, 11:30 Hawks and Owls, 1:00 The Weatherheads, 2:30 Paddy’s Cure, 4:00 Bruce Matthews Band. Sunday music line-up: 10:15 Easy idle String Band, 11:30 Blue Water Ramblers, 1:00 B-Side Growlers, 2:30 The Adams Family, 4:00 The Wild Honey Collective.
An enclosed Children’s Area provides children the opportunity to decorate and take home a pumpkin. Food booths offer an array of fall-inspired and festival foods, offered by local community organizations. Visitors are invited to purchase raffle tickets to win one of over 75 artist-made items donated by festival artists, or the grand prize quilt, created by Mary Kidwell Tobin for the event. Annual attendance estimates are 25,000. Event sponsors are Fifth Third Bank, Meijer, and All-Weather Seal.
Fallasburg Park is located off Lincoln Lake Road north of downtown Lowell at 1124 Fallasburg Park Drive, Lowell, MI. Lowell is located 14 miles east of Grand Rapids and 1-hour from Lake Michigan and Lansing. For more information, contact LowellArts at (616) 897-8545, e-mail info@lowellartsmi.org.
The centuries old tradition of black ash basketry will be the focus of the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s next installment of its Michigan Artist Series.
Set to open Aug. 28, “The Black Ash Basketry of Kelly Church and Cherish Parrish,” features the work of the mother-and-daughter team who are members of the Gun Lake Tribe, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band.
“The black ash tree is an integral part of who we are, from creation stories to blood memories, to the baskets that we make today,” Artist Kelly Church said. “We start with the black ash tree, and we do all of the processing—we harvest it, we process it, we cut it, and then we make a basket that tells a story of our life today. We’re combining the traditions of our past that have been carried on for thousands of years.”
The artists and their family come from an unbroken line of black ash basket makers. The Anishinabe originally made baskets purely for utility, weaving them in various sizes for carrying, collecting, and storing. As a broader appreciation for Native baskets developed, their ancestors began creating decorative baskets to sell and bolster the tribal economy. Church and Parrish draw on these traditions to create more topical and experimental works. An Interwoven Legacy powerfully demonstrates both their astonishing artistry and their urgent advocacy on behalf of Native traditions.
The exhibition emphasizes two of the artists’ primary motivations: the importance of maintaining the basketmaking tradition within their culture, and their advocacy for the black ash tree’s survival, which is being decimated by an invasive insect, the emerald ash borer. These issues are critically important for people whose cultural survival depends on passing traditions on to the next generations, whether through language, ceremonies, or practices like basketry.
Church added, “Cherish and I take our old traditional teachings and we combine it with the contemporary stories of who we are as Natives in 2021. We are the largest basket weaving family in Michigan, and the fact that we can carry it on this long, to me shows strength and resilience of who we are.”
On exhibit through February 26, the artists will debut more than 20 new works in An Interwoven Legacy that focus on the centuries-old tradition of black ash basketry. The exhibit will be a mix of traditional baskets and the contemporary ones that draw on Native history and storytelling.
“The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s exhibition presents the work of two Michigan basket makers who are nationally-recognized for their remarkable level of skill and craft,” said GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “In Kelly Church and Cherish Parrish’s family, basket weaving has been handed down from one generation to the next, extending back centuries. Their work is especially powerful for the way it balances tradition with their concerns about the environment, both here in West Michigan, and nationally.”
Kelly Church demonstrates her work. (Courtesy)
Accompanying the exhibition will be documentary elements illustrating the strenuous process of harvesting black ash trees and preparing the splints for basketmaking, as well as stories and background information from Church and Parrish about the works on view.
Complementing the exhibition will be several related programming and events, including Drop-in Tours, virtual basketmaking workshops led by Kelly Church, and Drop-in Studio. Guests are encouraged to view the Museum’s updated visitor guidelines in advance of their visit, which includes face mask requirements for all visitors while indoors.
For those who prefer to experience the exhibition virtually, there will be digital resources on GRAM’s website including installation images, a video interview with the artists, archival photographs, and texts.
Kentwood Public Schools and Wyoming Public Schools have announced a mask mandate for the start of the school year.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma joanne@wktv.org
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised the level of COVID-19 infection to ‘high’ from ‘substantial’ for Kent County with the recommendation that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a face mask in indoors.
The CDC defines ‘high’ transmission as more than 100 cases per 100,000 people, or a positivity rate of 10 percent or greater in the past seven days. Kent County currently has a seven-day positivity rate of 8.4 percent and seven-day average for new caess is 103 per 100,000.
“Vaccines remain our best tool for ending this pandemic so we continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Dr. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department, “With the delta variant spreading quickly throughout our community, we must remain vigilant and take extra steps in protecting our friends, family, and neighbors.”
Yesterday, Kentwood Public Schools became the second school district in Kent County to issue a mask mandate starting in the fall. In an open letter to the community. Superintendent Kevin Polsten said that as of Aug. 17 (the date of the letter), 41% of students ages 17-12 have been vaccinated with 67% 16 and older in the Kentwood community having been vaccinated.
Following suit today was the Wyoming Public Schools which announced that based on the latest guidance by the KCHD and the CDC announcement, the district would be requiring masks for all ore-12 students and staff indoors in all district buildings regardless of age or vaccination status.
Grand Rapids Public Schools issued a similar mask mandate earlier this week. Forest Hills Public Schools announced earlier this week that students and staff not vaccinated will be required to wear masks.
London has not issued a mask mandate from the Kent County Health Department, but in a video released, he stated he “highly recommend” people wear masks in indoor places.
The Kent County Health Department with the CDC recommends the following guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
Avoid large crowds and maintain social distance from people outside of your household
Get test if you have symptoms or think you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Due to the current risk classification and positivity rate, an eviction moratorium from CDC now covers Kent County. Tenants with high or substantial transmission who meet income requirements, face a loss of income, are trying to pay rent and submit a declaration form to their landlord, are covers by the moratorium through Oct. 3, 2021. However, residents should remember that there is no moratorium for property taxes.
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we talk with new Grand Rapids Community College head mens basketball coach Joe Fox — a coach with experience assisting on local college teams, a family where coaching basketball runs deep, and a passion for helping student athletes succeed on and off the court.
This summer, Fox was appointed GRCC head coach after serving as an assistant coach — twice — at the downtown Grand Rapids school, as well as at Calvin University and Lansing Community College. He also has been involved with the popular Gus Macker basketball tournament.
And, while it might be cliche, but coaching runs in Fox’s family as his father, Gary Fox, and grandfather, George Fox, both coached high school basketball in Michigan for 25 years. George Fox, in fact, won a state championship with Magic Johnson at Lansing’s Everett high in 1977.
It is Joe Fox’s goals for student-athlete success — in the classroom, on the court, and in life — where Fox says will be a focus of his Raiders program.
Success “on and off the field is a huge thing, not just at the community college level but all colleges,” Fox said to WKTV. “Student athletes, in general, tend to think of themselves through an athletic lens, first and foremost. It’s a big part of their identity, as students. It’s big part of their time. So we are really intentional about making sure they have the academic support they need as well.”
In the WKTV Sports Connection interview, Coach Fox also talked in detail about his experience, his coaching family, and not only what his 2021-22 team will look like but where his program recruiting focus will be.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal sports coverage of high school athletic events and other sports is available at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
George Keen, left, and Ralph Baker on The Racing Show, taped by WKTV in January, 2020. (WKTV)
By Tom Norton, WKTV general manager
Whenever we receive news of the sudden passing of a colleague, friend or family member, it’s always a shock. All of us WKTV Community Media family were shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of George Keen Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021.
George began his decades of volunteering and creating television at WKTV in 1992. I remember first meeting George and knew instantly that he was a natural for broadcast work. His easy-going, affable and conversational manner made him the perfect television host. We used to joke here that George was so good, he could give a play-by-play of paint drying. The ease from which George could take a guest’s answer and play it into the next question made his television appearances, not so much television, but more a conversation which is where television really shines. It seemed like it was an old acquaintance or friends talking and it was always a pleasure to watch.
And watch they did. In 1992 George and his team created “The Racing Show” to in George’s words, ‘give the racing fans something to talk about over the winter when they were at the races.” I asked him what they were going to talk about and he said, “racing, of course.” Within several months of its launch, “The Racing Show”, every Wednesday at 7 p.m., became appointment television for many in West Michigan. There was no internet or social media to push the audience (or divide it up), but the audience grew quickly.
The show sponsored sold out wintertime racing banquets at the K of C Hall and during a WKTV Buy a Brick telethon in 2002, we gave George and the racing community an entire night of the telethon. All night long the phones jangled with the sound of the racing community buying bricks to support WKTV. We knew, however, that they were really heeding George’s call and it showed that the racing community is a tight knit family.
George stayed with us through the early years of The 28th Street Metro Cruise, again providing that effortless style of good conversation when talking to any classic car owner. Gradually, though his talent led him to work more in radio and at Berlin Raceway and when “The Racing Show” went off the air in 2005 we were sad. For us it seemed an era had passed.
George returned occasionally to host a number of different shows including many years doing play-by-play for Golden Gloves Boxing. In February of 2020 George returned again to WKTV to tape the first installment of the new “The Racing Show” which would’ve also featured a podcast. He just couldn’t stay away from making television and it was a comeback we were glad to have. When the pandemic shuttered productions, things never did come back together, but we have the one episode that will stay in our archive forever.
I never saw the man use notes. He ability to wing it effortlessly always impressed me and we’re sure much more will be said of George who had so many friends and colleagues across so many facets of life. Something tells me that if Heaven has racing and they want the new guy to “call the race,” everyone back here who knew George would recommend him highly.
God speed George Keen. Thank you for 29 years at WKTV.
Anybody who has stood inside the Sistine Chapel in Rome and witnessed the power and the glory of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, you know the feeling of heavenly art if not an actual connection with God.
For those of us who haven’t, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will bring to Grand Rapids the feeling of being in the chapel when it hosts “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” this fall. (The museum is currently open but with limited capacity.)
The immersive visual experience that is “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel”, presented by Los Angeles-based SEE Attractions, “recreates one of the world’s greatest artistic achievements through photographic reproduction displayed in its original size,” according to an exhibition announcement.
The exhibition opens on Oct. 22 and runs through Feb. 20, 2022.
“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” will be the museum’s feature exhibit in 2021, and Brooke Clement, acting director of the Ford Museum, said in supplied material that the support from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation was pivotal in the exhibit’s scheduling.
“This is an epic exhibit, and we are proud to partner with our friends at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to bring Michelangelo’s iconic images to West Michigan,” Gleaves Whitney, executive director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, said in supplied material. “There is something in these timeless paintings to delight and teach every visitor — from students who are learning about how art tells our most important stories to seasoned travelers who have toured the Sistine Chapel in person and seek to deepen their knowledge.”
Local ties by exhibit producer
The path for a Los Angeles-born entertainment exhibit, by a German-born producer, to make its way to Grand Rapids, is really a story of local ties.
“I first came to Grand Rapids as an exchange student from Germany in 1975 and graduated from Forest Hills Northern High School,” Martin Biallas, CEO of SEE Attractions, said in supplied material. “That experience inspired me to stay in the US and start my entertainment business, so it’s a special honor for me to be able to bring one of my productions to Grand Rapids.”
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum entrance. (Supplied)
“Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition”, in addition images of timeless masterpieces including the “Creation of Adam” and “The Last Judgment”, includes the ceiling paintings from the Sistine Chapel, all of which have been reproduced in a truly unique way using licensed high-definition photos.
“Brought to life using a special printing technique that emulates the look and feel of the original paintings, visitors are given a chance to engage with the artwork in ways that were never before possible: seeing every detail, every brushstroke, and every color of the artist’s 34 frescoes,” according to supplied material.
Each image is accompanied by informative signage, and audio guides are available to rent for an even more in-depth experience.
For more information about “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition”, visit chapelsistine.com/
The Ford Museum is currently open on Wednesday-Friday, 2-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m,. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, non to 5 p.m. Tickets are limited to a 50-person capacity and available for purchase online at buy.acmeticketing.com/events/277/list.
Since 2005, the 28th Street Metro Cruise has been an annual event put on by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, but “cruising 28th Street” has been a “thing” long before then — people have grown up cruising up and down 28th Street, maybe first with their father and now with their children.
Cruisers have long considered 28th Street a memorable place for car lovers, particularly around the Rogers Plaza area in Wyoming, and “Bringing car lovers together to celebrate this long-standing tradition was the foundation for the current event,” the chamber states on their website.
And WKTV Community Media has been covering the 28th Street Metro Cruise since its inception.
“WKTV Community Media has for nearly half a century been part of the Wyoming and Kentwood community and, with Metro Cruise being one of largest gatherings of our community, we have a long history with the event,” Tom Norton, general manger of WKTV Community Media, said. “We have covered it in many ways over the years. Rain or shine. Big and smaller. The cars change but our commitment to coverage has not.”
For just a sampling of WKTV’s coverage, and some recent YouTube highlights, see the following links:
The History of Metro Cruise
Even in the COVID-19 year of 2020, WKTV got creative and still offered up a show.
In 2017, a car show met Hollywood premiere as WKTV brought classic vehicles to the red carpet.
In 2018, WKTV looked at what “classic sports and performance cars” might look like in the future.
As both pro and against masks supporters protested in Kent County, Kent County Health Department Administrative Health Officer Adam London issued a statement announcing he had no plans at this time to issue a mask mandate.
Dr. Adama London’s full statement on COVID guidelines and masks. (Kent County Health Department)
“…I am not issuing a public health order mandating masks in the schools at this time,” London said in the three-page release. “This decision is due to the reality that not all options have been exhausted to prevent the danger before us.
“The schools and the parents have even a greater power than the health department to protect the children and the community in this instance.”
London said the challenge facing many communities across the nation is indeed severe. The Delta variant spreads many times quicker than the original form of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevent has estimated that upwards of 83 percent of all new COVID cases in the U.S. are the Delta variant.
According to London, a person infected with the the Delta variant will, on average, spread that infection to between five and nine others compared to the original form which spreads to two or thee other people. The current surge in new COVID cases began in the southern states and is rapidly advancing across the nation.
“Sadly, there has also been a steep incline in the number of pediatric COVID cases reported over the past six weeks from about 8,400 per week to almost 94,000 last week,” he said, adding that pediatricians are also increasingly concerned about multi system inflammatory syndrome, which can be serious, even deadly inflammation of a child’s internal organs, and also the chronic effects of long-term COVID.
According to Kent County Health Department information, in Michigan, the new COVID cases has risen from 11 per day in early July to 86 per day this week. The rate of which COVID tests are found to be positive has increased from 2 percent to 7.3 percent during that same timeframe.
“At this time, I am presenting the community with the highest recommendation possible that schools and the parents require adherence to the guidance of the CDC, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Kent County Health Department,” London said in his statement. “Above all, I expect that the children under the age of 12, who are not yet eligible for vaccine, are protected through mask use and other proven prevention strategies.”
For up-to-date information on COVID and related issues, visit the Kent County Health Department’s website
Calling all local musicians! Kent District Library is now accepting submissions to KDL Vibes, our upcoming streaming platform that features music from West Michigan musicians.
Vibes will offer an online collection that showcases and shares current local music for free. Musicians who would like to have their music selected to be featured in the collection are invited to submit a sample track from their album using the online form. After submitting the form, a jury consisting of members of West Michigan’s local music community and library staff with music backgrounds will review and select 40-50 albums per submission round. These musicians will be paid an honorarium for their contribution which is a way for the library to support our vibrant arts community.
“The Vibes platform is a great way to celebrate our local music scene,” said Stacy Schuster, Collection Development Librarian for KDL. “Musicians will have the opportunity to share their songs and music lovers will have access to the amazing talents of musicians in the West Michigan area.”
KDL Vibes streaming platform is set to launch to the public later this year for patrons to listen to music from their favorite West Michigan musicians.
Musicians looking for more information or who have any questions can visit vibes.kdl.org/faq or email the team at vibes@kdl.org.
“To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.”
William Londen
A file photo of a Kent County technician testing mosquitoes for West Nile virus. (KCHD)
Another reason to keep the bugs away
The Kent County Health Department announced recently that the Jamestown Canyon virus has been detected in tested mosquitoes in Kent County. The virus is similar, yet different, than the West Nile virus, and is also carried by mosquitoes. WKTV asked a county health official to detail the similarities and differences — and how to protect yourself from both. Go here for the story.
Keep your mask close in close quarters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently raised the risk level of COVID-19 infection from ‘moderate’ to ‘substantial’ for Kent County. The CDC recommends everyone in areas with a risk designation of ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ wear a face mask in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status. Go here for the story.
Joining together for the community’s heart health
In late July, Metro Health (soon to be University of Michigan Health – West), Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, and Mercy Health Muskegon finalized the agreement to form the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan. Under this agreement, the network will be providing advance cardiovascular services such as coronary artery bypass surgery, cardiac valve repair or replacement, and repair for birth defects. Go here for the story.
(Not so) Fun fact:
20 per day
According to a 2018 survey by the Physicians Foundation, doctors on average work 51 hours a week and see 20 patients a day. Almost a quarter of their time is taken up with nonclinical paperwork. Source.
Grand Rapids Community College athletic director Lauren Ferullo, the first female AD in these schools history, visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on her history and the school’s athletic programs. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, we talk junior college sports conferences, preparing students for success both in athletics and in life, and the impact on female athletics of Title lX. With us is Grand Rapids Community College athletic director Lauren Ferullo, the first female AD in these schools history.
As part of a wide ranging discussion on GRCC sports with WKTV sports volunteer Greg Yoder, AD Ferullo points out that female athletic directors are more and more common these days — if still a small minority — but she still take great pride in being a role modern for young women on the playing field in the field of athletic leadership.
“It definitely matters to me because I am one of few. I actually looked up the statistics today and about 15 percent of (of college athletic directors) … are female. And then it is about 13 percent at the community college level,” Ferullo said to WKTV. “So I am one of very few and I take that very seriously.
“I think I can be a role model for female athletes, I am a product of Title lX. I had those opportunities. I was able to play sports growing up. I was afforded those opportunities and now I am an athletic director.”
The federal act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, in brief, prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. One result was a vast expansion of college athletic scholarships being given to females.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The City of Kentwood has reopened its brush drop-off site for residents to dispose of tree debris resulting from recent storms. Residents can also report debris on city streets to the Department of Public Works, according to a statement from the city.
The drop-off site typically is closed in the summer.
Beginning today, Aug. 12, and running through Aug. 21 city residents can drop off brush, sticks, tree limbs, logs, loose leaves and loose grass clippings from storm damage at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The facility will be open from noon-8 p.m., Monday-Friday, and noon-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
“Our crews are working hard to help clean up storm debris throughout Kentwood,” interim Public Works Director Jerry DeRuiter said in supplied material. “We’re reopening our brush drop-off site to help residents take care of the trees, branches and brush that have fallen on their properties.”
The service is available to Kentwood residents only. Staff will be on-site checking for proof of residency and appropriate materials. Materials that cannot be accepted include paper and plastic bags, trash, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, glass and metal.
Residents can report downed tree limbs and other debris obstructing city streets to the Department of Public Works at 616-554-0817 or 911. Non-emergency street or sidewalk concerns can be reported online at kentwood.us/psr/index.php.
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will again collaborate with LMCU Ballpark to host live theater at the ballpark in August. Broadway at the Ballpark is scheduled for Aug. 27 and 28 with shows at 7 p.m. each night.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre back to the ballpark this year,” said Dan Morrison, VP of Sales for the West Michigan Whitecaps. “This event will once again provide an opportunity for guests to get an up-close look at our field and will offer amazing entertainment for baseball and theatre fans alike.”
The 2021 event will feature world-class entertainment and bigger and better entertainment experiences for all ages. The concert will feature Broadway favorites performed by Civic Theatre actors. This year, the event will also include more musical numbers, greater seating capacity, and an expanded selection of food and beverage, including beer and wine.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for youth aged 3-15. Children 3 and under are free. Guests will bring their own chairs be seated in the outfield of LMCU Ballpark. Gates will open at 5:30 pm, and a special performance from the cast of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of the musical Once will take place from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Tickets go on sale July 7th and will be available online and at the LMCU Ballpark box office.
Civic Theatre is returning to regular live performance after the pandemic closed their doors for nearly 18 months. As the company prepares for its 2020-2021 season in September, Civic Theatre returns to the ballpark for another outdoor show.
“After what’s been a very challenging year, we are so excited to return to LMCU Ballpark again in 2021,” said Ben Greene, Director of Marketing and Engagement for Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. “With fewer pandemic restrictions in place, we are planning to make this experience even more enjoyable for our guests this year.”
“Broadway at the Ballpark”was born after both Civic Theatre and the West Michigan Whitecaps were forced to cancel regular programming in 2020 due to the pandemic. The inaugural event was a hit among guests, and both parties agreed to host the event again in 2021.
VIP packages will be available for purchase for the event for $150. The packages include a table for up to four guests, early entry, VIP parking, and an all-you-can-eat meal plan in the General RV Campground.
“We are always looking for ways to strengthen our community partnerships and offer unique and fun experiences in West Michigan,” Morrison added. “We hope that even more families choose to make ‘Broadway at the Ballpark’ a part of their summer plans this year.”
With the attendance at the Metro Cruise Dust Off and at the Miss Metro Cruise preliminaries almost double in past years, Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan is pretty confident that this year’s Metro Cruise will also have an increase in attendance.
Set for Aug. 27 and 28, the annual car show has previously drawn about 250,000 people city-wide to dozens of events along 28th Street. Because 2020 had no events due to the COVID pandemic, O’Callaghan said he has seen a huge interest in people wanting to get out and do something this summer. Not only has that been proven with the Metro Cruise’s earlier events but both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood have reported high attendance for the municipalities summer concert series.
“So we know people are ready to get out and show their cars,” O’Callaghan said. “We are hoping for a great weekend.”
In response to post-COVID surges seen at other events, Metro Cruise organizers have made some changes for this year’s event. More portable restrooms and hand wash stations have been added. Multiple stations along the main walkway will have hand sanitizer. Collector car parking areas have been shifted further from walkways. The number of vendors also have been decrease in an effort to increase spacing between attendees.
The event will not operate at reduce numbers, nor will mask wearing or six-foot distancing be enforced, unless any Kent County Healthy Department, state or federal mandates are put back in place before the Metro Cruise weekend.
“We encourage all attendees to be smart,” said Event Manager Brandon Simmons. “If you’re sick with COVID-like symptoms, or have recently been exposed to someone who tested positive, please plan to visit us next year. If you do attend, wear a mask if desired and keep some space around you.”
As for the event, it is going to be bigger than last year with the addition of a second anchor location, Woodland Mall. which will be open on Saturday, Aug. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.. The Woodland Mall location will feature a wide array collector, sports, and antique cars along with activities.
A preview event is set for Tuesday, Aug. 24, 6 – 8 p.m. at Rivertown Ridge, 3555 Copper River Ave. SW. The main event will take place Aug. 27 and 28 at Rogers Plaza parking lot. Rogers Plaza will feature more than 20 food trucks and concessionaires, 400 collector cars, kids entertainment area, Community Awards ceremony and the Miss Metro Cruise competition finale, area bands, and the Dynamometer car testing area.
At the 2019 event, there was a donut challenge between the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. The mayors of both cities have been encouraging another event this year, so Metro Cruise will be hosting the Duel of the Cities chicken wing challenge between Wyoming’s Brann’s Steakhouse and Kentwood’s Candied Yam, O’Callaghan said. The event is set for 11 a.m. Aug. 28 at Rogers Plaza.
But the main attraction of Metro Cruise is the cars, O’Callaghan said.
“We get [the cars] from all over the place and it is the whole 13 miles of 28th Street, It is not just our two locations,” O’Callaghan said. “A lot of folks are doing different events as the week goes on.”
The most important aspect of the Metro Cruise is having people support the local businesses, he said.
“So have a burger or purchase a t-shirt from the businesses that are along 28th Street,” he said.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park announced today, Aug. 11, that the Friday, Aug. 13, concert with Mat Kearney has been postponed until Sept. 8 due to a positive test for COVID-19 by the singer.
And while Kearney is full vaccinated, and is in good health, he is exercising caution.
Mat Kearney. (Supplied)
“Despite my best efforts, I have tested positive for COVID-19. I’m thankfully vaccinated, and just feeling a bit under the weather,” Kearney said in supplied material. “For the health and safety of the band, crew and fans, we will be rescheduling Friday’s show … I’m so bummed. I’ve only missed one show in my life, and can’t wait to see you all again.”
(He also asked for “Your binge-worthy tv recommendations,” and we respectively suggest “Queen’s Gambit”, if not already on his board.)
Tickets purchased for the Aug.13 concert will be honored on Sept. 8, according to the Meijer Gardens statement. But for those who cannot attend the Sept. 8, refunds will be available through Etix through Aug. 20. Please note, according to the statement, ticket fees are non-refundable. To request a refund, please click visit bit.ly/KearneyRefundRequest.
Any returned tickets for the sold-out show will be available for purchase beginning on Aug. 21 via Etix.com.
More than 20 regional businesses will showcase their goods and services during the return of the Black-Owned Business Showcase at Woodland Mall on Saturday, Aug. 14 — and there are still booths available.
The event enjoyed a strong response from the local community at its debut in 2020, according to an announcement from the mall, and will again feature booths with Black-owned businesses offering fashion apparel, food, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, kitchen items, gifts, stationery and cards, financial planning, health and wellness items, photography, home services and goods, and more.
Shoppers will be able to browse, sample, buy and connect during the day-long showcase from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“In response to strong consumer demand, we are so pleased to offer this showcase for a second consecutive year,” Mikia Ross, interim senior marketing director for Woodland Mall, said in supplied material. “We appreciate the opportunity to open the mall’s doors to support Black-owned businesses serving our community. There will truly be something for everyone at this event, and we look forward to welcoming these entrepreneurs and their companies.”
Woodland Mall is owned by PREIT, which launched its Support Black-Owned Business and Brands 365 in February as part of an ongoing effort to spotlight Black-owned entrepreneurs and brands within its portfolio of top-tier and region-leading properties in eight states.
Woodland is one of 10 PREIT properties to offer a Black-Owned Business Showcase in August. PREIT properties have hosted activities throughout the year, including art exhibits, documentary screenings and food festivals, as a way to highlight the importance of Black-owned businesses and brands.
The Grand Rapids Ballet, after a year of beautiful but somewhat distant virtual performances last season, returned to rehearsals this week as the company prepared for a 2021-22 season of live audience performances.
But before GR Ballet artistic director James Sofranko’s troupe hits the Peter Martin Wege Theatre stage with a live audience in October, when the ballet will present the appropriately title Off the Canvas program to being its 2021-22 season, the dancers will perform twice this month out-of-doors.
The Studio Park “Listening Lawn”. (Supplied)
In what the ballet is calling its “Summer Series”, it will perform “under the evening skies” at two outdoor venues, the Listening Lawn at Studio Park in downtown Grand Rapids on Aug. 14, and at the amphitheater at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park on Aug. 31.
“We are filled with gratitude that Grand Rapids Ballet is returning to live performances after more than a year away from the stage,” Sofranko said to WKTV this week, “To have the full company back in rehearsals in the studio is such a welcome sight, and our first performance back will no doubt be an emotional one.”
That first performance, at Studio Park, is expected to include on its program “Sweet By and By” and “Calling Forth”, both choreographed by Sofranko, with the latter featuring violinist Gene Hahn. Other works include “Brothers”, choreographed by Jennifer Archibald; “The Old Child” by Danielle Rowe; “Give Me” by Penny Saunders; and a preview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Christopher Stowell (and set for full performance in April 2022).
Company dancer Gretchen Steimle, after a rehearsal this week, probably spoke for her fellow dancers as she echoed Sofranko about the “emotional” return to live audiences.
Grand Rapids Ballet company in rehearsal on Aug. 3. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“We are so excited to get back to live performances, this year has been so difficult for artists who typically perform live,” Steimle said to WKTV. “We’ve had to pivot to do these virtual (performances) … but there is nothing that can replace that shared moment of art … live with an audience. And I know that the dancers have been waiting all year to be able to share what we love to do with our audiences again.”
At both Studio Park and Meijer Gardens, there will some artistic adapting to performing outside, with or without a true stage, in often uncontrollable circumstances. But at least in one aspect, in Steimle’s opinion, there is a joyful advantage to being outside — seeing the audience. (See the video above for her discussion of performing outside.)
As far as the planning for the Summer Series, and using the outside venues, Sofranko said it is all about adapting to audiences and challenging the artistic expression that is dance.
James Sofranko, Grand Rapids Ballet artistic director. (GR Ballet)
“I am always looking for new ways to present the art of ballet to our community and the outdoor venues at Studio Park and FMG offer a unique opportunity to experience the depth and artistry of the Grand Rapids Ballet dancers,” Sofranko said.
The programs also will feature guest artists, including Hahn, associate concertmaster at the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, at Studio Park; and Chisako Oga — an acclaimed soloist at Boston Ballet — at the Meijer Gardens performance.
The Meijer Gardens program is expected to include Archibald’s “Brothers”, “The Old Child” by Danielle Rowe, “Cold Virtues” by Adam Hougland, “Romeo and Juliet Fantasy”, and “Don Quixote” Pas De Deux with guest Oga. “Cold Virtues” will also feature the mesmerizing music of Philip Glass.
The Studio Park program on Aug. 14 will begin at 7 p.m., with general admission tickets available for $25 through Studio Park. The second program features a return to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, on Aug. 31, also at 7 p.m., as part of the Garden’s Tuesday Evening Music Club series, free for Meijer Gardens members and included in general admission for other guests.
The 2021-22 Season will feature classical ballet favorites, including The Nutcracker,Cinderella, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and explores new favorites with contemporary works such as Off the Canvas and Jumpstart 2022.
And having learned from its season of virtual performances, and community feedback, the Grand Rapids Ballet is also is set to begin offering a “virtual season” subscription for those who wish to see the GR Ballet dancers “differently” or are unable to join in person. Additional program details and performance dates and times can be found at grballet.com/2122season. Season subscriptions are now available for the 2021-22 season starting at $139. Individual tickets will go on sale this fall.
It is just too easy to think of the UK band Squeeze and follow your mind’s 1980’s classic earworm memory lane to a song like “Tempted” — oh, you know it alright: “Tempted by the fruit of another. Tempted but the truth is discovered. …”
Still Squeeze founding members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook’s songbook — and catchy, moody hipster tunes — went deeper that that back then and goes much deeper today, as the audience at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will find out when the band stops by on Aug. 22.
If you remember the 1980s, then you remember other “can’t get our of your mind” tunes such as “Cool for Cats”, “Pulling Mussels From A Shell”, and the ultimate kick-back date song for those special “Friends” nights: “Black Coffee in Bed”. If you weren’t there, time to catch up on the caffeine kick.
(Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl even joined the band at the Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville in September 2019 to perform percussion on “Black Coffee in Bed”.)
Tickets for the Meijer Gardens show are still available. For more information visit meijergardens.org.
Founding members, and hipster heart-n-soul, of Squeeze, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. (Supplied)
Squeeze was set to begin the U.S. leg of their 24-date Nomadband tour in early August with a headlining tour interspersed with 18 support dates for Daryl Hall & John Oates and will continue throughout the summer into early fall 2021.
And after more than a year of social isolation due to the COVID pandemic, and all those years playing the hits, more modern tunes, and whatever else strikes their Brit fancy, Difford and Tilbrook say they will be inspired and emotional.
“I’m so excited to be back on stage and in the thick of our wonderful set list of songs,” Difford said in supplied material. “Seeing an audience again will be inspiring and emotional, it’s been too long.”
And this Nomadland tour will feature a little something new in addition to its historic attractions.
“I think this is my most anticipated U.S. tour since our first in 1978,” Tilbrook said in supplied material. “Our great band is just getting greater and we are also welcoming Owen Biddle, who joins us from Nashville.”
History and musical journeys
Squeeze’s debut self-titled album was released in 1978 and at the height of the punk revolution, but its pop songwriting hooks and melodies were often compared to the 1960s British Invasion. The band continued, off and on stage and vinyl releases, through 1999, when the original Squeeze disbanded before reuniting in 2007 and releasing three new albums since then — 2010’s “Spot the Difference”, 2015’s “Cradle to the Grave” and 2017’s “The Knowledge” — as well as various solo projects.
The critically acclaimed ‘Cradle to the Grave’ was written as a soundtrack to Danny Baker’s BBC TV sitcom ‘Cradle To Grave’. One reviewer said “This album marked the complete and triumphant reintegration of the masterful songwriting axis of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, in a beautifully-observed series of fond vignettes about childhood, growing up and the absurdities of the ride through life we’re all on.”
The band has always been known for its live performances as well, and in 2016 they triumphed on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, with The Guardian saying they “[went] down a storm… Squeeze’s success is a pretty infectious thing.”
Aside from Difford and Tilbrook, Squeeze now features keyboardist Stephen Lange and drummer Simon Hanson (since 2007,) percussionist/back-up singer Steve Smith (vocalist for house music group Dirty Vegas) along with pedal/lap steel guitarist Melvin Duffy (who joined them for the 2019 tour) and Owen Biddle, former bassist for The Roots.
Gil Romeyn, a World War II veteran pilot and current resident of Kentwood’s Breton Woods of Holland Home, remembers in great detail his training to fly with the Army Air Corps in 1942. And he also remembers his first airplane with a bit of humor.
Romeyn was one of nine veterans from the local independent living facility who were treated to a flight in a restored 1940 Boeing Stearman biplane Aug. 6 as part of a Dream Flight event at the Sparta airport offered the non-profit Dream Flights program and Breton Woods of Holland Home.
A 1940 Boeing Stearman biplane in flight, at right, from another day of Dream Flights. (Supplied)
“That’s the type of plane I learned to fly in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II,” Romeyn, who served in the precursor of the U.S. Air Force from 1941-45, said to WKTV after his flight. “We started with that aircraft (the Stearman), then went to basic flight training — that’s the (Vultee) BT-13.
“Then we went to advanced, that’s an (Beechcraft) AT-10, a multi-engine (aircraft),” he said, going into great detail. “Then I went to a (Douglas) C-47 transport plane — that’s where I flew in the war zone. North Africa, Italy.”
And while the flight “brought back pleasant memories,” Romeyn said, he also found a little humor in his being in the back in the cockpit — how low he sat in the seat this time. (For a video of Romeyn detailing why he sat lower, and why it was humorous, see video above and here.)
The restored WWII-era biplane stop is part of Operation September Freedom, a barnstorming event led by nonprofit Dream Flights.
Dream Flights pilot Marcus Smith, left, with veteran Martin Sharda, after a flight on restored 1940 Boeing Stearman biplane. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The Holland Home veterans are among the 100,000 members of the “Greatest Generation” — World War II veterans — still alive today, according to supplied material. They are also among the 1,000 or so WWII veterans located in more than 300 US cities that will be honored during Dream Flights’ 61-day tour that began Aug. 1.
According to supplied material, when Dream Flights was told that Holland Home has 11 WWII veterans, the organization said they have never had so many veterans participate from a single senior living community. The oldest veteran participating in 98 and the youngest is 95.
Holland Home bused the veterans, as well as spouses and other veteran residents to the airport, and families and friends are also invited to attend. In addition to the flights, there was also a noontime ceremony with a color guard, national anthem and lunch served.
History in the air
Flying the Stearman out of Paul Miller Airport in Sparta for each of the about 30-minute Dream Flights was pilot Marcus Smith, who works for Dream Flights, out of Carson City, Nevada.
Dream Flights pilot Marcus Smith. (WKTV)
“It was a World War II trainer. … It was the original primary trainer, the first airplane that they flew,” Smith said to WKTV in between flights. “If they did not solo with the airplane within eight to 10 hours of flight time, they were washed out of the program. From there, they went into advanced training, after that they went into either bombers or fighters.”
And the history of this specific restored aircraft?
“This specific airplane was used by the U.S. Army Air Corps for training pilots. Then afterwards it as sold for surplus and in 1946 it was bought by the president of our foundation’s grandfather,” Smith said. “So this specific airplane has been in the family ever since. From then on, it was a crop duster — they put metal wings on it, they put 600 horsepower on it, and they dusted crops in Washington state for a long time. And then after that, it was restored to its original condition and now it is on the road with us fulfilling our mission.”
According to Dream Flights official webpage, the mission of the organization is “honoring military veterans and seniors with the adventure of a lifetime: a flight in a Boeing Stearman biplane.
“As we make these heroes wishes come true, our Dream Flights inspire them to share their stories. We collect, preserve and share those stories of how they survived through times of great strife to remind us of our shared humanity, our connection to each other and the value of listening. Our Dream Flights close the generation gap and open us up to a clearer understanding of ourselves and our world.”
Marge Wilson remembers watching a woman make the sign of the cross just before putting a cup underneath a fountain to get water.
Clean water is an essential need in many third world countries. Polluted water isn’t just dirty, it’s deadly, according to the Koshland Science Museum. Some 1.8 million people die every year of diarrheal diseases like cholera because they drink dirty water. Tens of millions of others are seriously sickened by a host of water-related ailments, many of which are preventable if these people had access to clean drinking water.
It is why Wilson, the owner of Marge’s Donut Den, in 2012 decided to start the Samual Omogo Foundation, which is dedicated to building water wells in villages in Southeastern Nigeria. The foundation is named after Samuel Omogo, a Nigerian man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of people in Nigerian villages. He was well known for his philanthropic deeds of visiting the sick, bringing food, clothing and school supplies to those in need.
“I think Samuel is a man who did so much for his people that I am grateful that his children can see all those wells and say ‘Daddy made a difference in everybody’s life,’” Wilson said in an interview for the foundation.
The Samuel Omogo Foundation will be the focus of the next Mr. Sid’s Video Series Thursday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.
“Our Mr. Sid accomplished many things during his lifetime. Maybe what he was most proud of was he and Beulah’s many service trips to support John and Atts Devries and the work of Mission India,” said Tom Sibly, one of the organizers of the Mr. Sid’s Video program. Sid Lenger was a World War II veteran who loved to share his stories and video travelogues. He passed away in 2019 at the age of 100. Friends and family have continued the video series that have expanded to include special events.
Sibley said the Samuel Omogo Foundation seemed a natural extension to Mr. Sid’s passion of helping people.
Father Peter Omogo will be presenting at the Thursday program. Father Peter will talk about the creation of the Samuel Omogo Foundation, it’s work and his journey that has taken him from Nigeria to West Michigan. Coffee and cookies will be provided after the program.
The next event for the Sid’s Video Series will a Mr. Sid’s birthday program on Sept. 8.
Clean water is one the biggest essential needs in many third world countries. (SOF)
Toxins from harmful algal blooms are well-known as water polluters, but now researchers are looking at how they harm Great Lakes air.
And that could have implications for human health, they say.
Particles of water emerge into the air when waves break, said Andrew Ault, a chemistry professor and researcher of aerosols at the University of Michigan. Those particles sometimes contain toxins.
“This is one of the largest sources of particles getting kicked up into the atmosphere globally, but the Great Lakes are really different,” Ault said.
Scientists have studied particles emerging from the ocean for decades, he said. But freshwater aerosols, like those from the Great Lakes region, have been studied for only about a decade.
Aerosols are liquids or solids suspended in gas, said Haley Plaas, a doctoral student and aerosol researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For example, COVID-19 can be spread through aerosols, and that is one reason why people wear masks.
Plaas publisheda study about airborne toxins from algal blooms in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology.”
Her study’s most important takeaway is that evidence suggests harmful toxins and algae itself are found in the air, she said, and airborne algal toxins may be more of a threat in the Great Lakes than previously thought.
Scientists are unsure how much toxin is in the air, how weather and water quality affect it and how it can affect human health, Plaas said. Right now, more research is needed to understand what inhaling this toxin could mean for respiratory health.
“A main concern is for people who live near these bodies of water that experience the blooms, and also for people using it recreationally, like jet skiing, boating, fishing,” Plaas said.
The wake from a boat is especially troublesome because that’s a source of bubble-bursting that can make the toxins airborne, she said.
Ault has published several papers on aerosols and is working on one that shows that algae toxins in the Great Lakes are getting into the air.
He said he plans to work with engineers and modelers to develop a risk system to help people avoid poor air quality from algal blooms.
Then he’d like to work with epidemiologists to relate exposure to health, he said. “That’s kind of the trajectory of where we see this going.”
A lack of research about harmful algal blooms and air quality is in part due to insufficient funding, Ault said.
“We need to show that it’s important for people to get excited to fund it,” Ault said. “We’re going through that cycle, but I wouldn’t say that funding agencies have paid much attention to it yet.”
Funding has primarily come from local agencies rather than national ones, he said.
Algae blooms occur because of a warming climate and nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from activities like agriculture, said Judy Westrick, a chemistry professor at Wayne State University and a researcher who has worked with Ault.
In the Great Lakes region, algal blooms occur in inland lakes and the western basin of Lake Erie, primarily in shallow water, Westrick said.
Research focuses on water quality because of observations, Westrick said. When people became sick after swimming in toxic water, scientists began researching it.
However, now that water quality is better understood, scientists are branching out into understanding algae toxins and air, Westrick said.
“You’re probably going to see, in probably the next year, like 100 studies on aerosol,” Westrick said. “Aerosol has become a big thing because of a couple of factors.”
Those factors are part of climate change, she said. For example, heavy rainfall can cause waves and break up harmful algae, releasing particles that could be toxic in the air.
Westrick and Ault plan to study living algae being broken apart by waves and how they affect air quality, she said. Once algae breaks apart, it dies and may release toxins into the water.
The expert consensus is algae blooms will get worse as climate change and runoff worsen, Westrick said.
Algae essentially eat nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients from agricultural runoff.
“If you take care of the nutrients and you don’t have the nutrient load, then then they won’t get worse, but if everything stayed the same, the nutrient load, and it just gets warmer, we expect them to go longer,” Westrick said.
However, Ault said people shouldn’t panic about airborne algae toxins.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious, such as not walking in an algae bloom or participating in recreational activities near it, he said.
It is said: “If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.”
Even in 21st Century America, you can find folks who believe that the Earth is flat, that George Washington had wooden teeth, or that a penny dropped from the top of the Empire State Building can kill someone.
It’s not surprising, then, that many money-related myths refuse to die, no matter how hard well-meaning financial advisors and educators try to drive a stake in them. Unfortunately, these myths and misconceptions can cause you to make serious mistakes with your wealth that could wind up costing you thousands in retirement dollars.
In the spirit of helping, you make better decisions with your cash, let’s debunk a few uncommonly bad pieces of money “wisdom.”
It’s always better to buy a home if you can. “You must always own your home” is one gem of wisdom that won’t go away. The reason this myth has stuck around for so long is in part because homeownership is considered necessary to achieve the American dream. However, ifyou are young and just starting your career, owning a home could be an albatross that keeps you staying in one place or with one employer too long. Maintenance, taxes, and other costs of homeownership can eat into your disposable income and savings.
But, if you’re dead set against renting, an alternative might be to purchase a duplex or small apartment building, live in one of the units, and rent the others out.
It’s not worth saving if you can only save a little. This is just not true, particularly if you start young. If you only managed to save 15-20% of your paycheck, and your employer matches your 401k, you could save enough to ensure a pleasant retirement. Plus, putting even a small amount away each month helps you develop a better money mindset and habits that will come in handy as you get older.
I need to put at least 60% of my money into stocks and 40% into bonds.There was a time when the “60/40 rule of investing had some merit. The idea was to invest 60% of your savings into securities and 40% into bonds. However, these days bond yields are anemic. Other safe money vehicles may give you better returns, along with flexibility and safety. Also, if you are within five years or less of retiring, having 60% of your money in the market is not recommended because any loss might be difficult to make up in such a short time.
You should never have credit card debt. Proving that you can use credit responsibly is necessary if you want a healthy credit score. A good credit score comes in handy later when you wish to purchase a home, rental property, or a new car. If you make an effort to pay off your balance in full every month, it’s perfectly acceptable to use credit cards. Be careful, though, to carefully track your spending and avoid emotional purchases. As most of us realize, it can be difficult and stressful to dig oneself out from under a mound of debt.
An emergency fund is unnecessary if you have credit cards If recent disasters such as the economic fallout from COVID-19 have taught us anything, it’s that having emergency funds set aside is essential. Even before COVID, it took people an average of four months to find new jobs after a lay-off. If you try and live on credit for that many months, you will have a considerable amount of debt that might prove difficult to pay off. That’s why experts say that everyone should have six months of emergency cash saved up.
Many other money myths could impact your ability to make sound financial decisions. It’s always a good idea to sit down with an experienced, trusted advisor and get a second opinion before making crucial money decisions.
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.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management
Have an idea for a program you would like to see the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department offer? Cannot live without adult softball? Now is the time to share your opinions.
Do residents enjoy participating in pickle ball? The Wyoming Parks and Recreation is asking for residents’ opinions on what the city should offer. (Supplied)
This week, the city’s Park and Recreation Department has released a survey seeking input from residents on what type of programs they would like to the see the city offer.
“We really want to get a better idea of what residents love and can’t live without and what programs they would like to see the city add,” said the city’s Recreation Supervisor Krashawn Martin.
The survey is 19 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Questions includes what programs residents find valuable such as adult kickball, adult softball, youth dance, youth gymnastics, pickle ball, ceramics, line dance, tumble and play and special events such as Trick or Treat Trail, Daddy Daughter Dance, and the Candy Hunt. Other questions ask what programs residents would like to see for different age levels.
Martin noted the Parks and Recreation Department has not had such a survey in awhile with city officials wanting to learn what residents would like to see.
“Do they want the leagues or maybe they want more special events such as the Trick or Treat Trail,” she said. “This is to help us plan what we will be doing and where we will be going.”
Residents have until Aug. 16 to complete the survey, which can be found here. The results of the survey will impact the 2022-2023 season, Martin said, adding that the city is already in fall program mode.
In fact, registration for fall programs officially has open. For more information on fall programs, click here.
Tulip Time Festival is pleased to announce the 2022 First Bloem Festival Artwork Competition through which a work of art is selected for the official Tulip Time poster. Each year, the Festival invites a juror to select the Top 20 pieces for First Bloem. Mary Sundstrom, Visual artist and Exhibitions Director of the Holland Area Arts Council, will be the 2022 juror.
Through 2010, posters were commissioned work from selected artists. Beginning in 2011, the Festival Artwork Competition began. Nine local artists have been awarded this honor:
2011 Beth Charles – “Drama Queens”
2012 Brittany Strabbing – “Beautiful Dream”
2013 Maggie Schultz – “Clothed in Splendor”
2014 Karin Nelson – “Resilience”
2015 Carolyn Stich – “Joy of Spring”
2016 Alla Dickson – “Spectacle”
2017 Michele Gort – “Playful Time”
2018 Cindy Awrey – “Together”
2019 Carolyn Stich – “Enduring Delft”
2020 Aron Lowe – “Dutch Dance”
In 2020, due to the pandemic restrictions, a competition was not possible. The Festival commissioned a piece from Aron Lowe, the 2020 winning artist, and Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Spring is Here became the 2021 Festival Artwork. Now, for 2022, we are pleased to be able to reintroduce the competition to all local West Michigan artists.
Artists in Ottawa, Allegan, Kent, Muskegon and Kalamazoo counties are invited to submit artwork. Submissions for the 2022 Festival Artwork Competition will be accepted Sept. 27 – 30. The artwork theme should represent Tulip Time’s mission to celebrate Holland’s tulips, Dutch heritage and community. The winner of the 2022 competition will be announced at the First Bloem Reveal, a special unveiling reception held in February.
Come catch a wave next Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Great Lakes Surf Festival, taking place on Pere Marquette Beach in Muskegon.
The event weather forecast is sunny and warm and Tommy’s Boats of Grand Rapids will be making artificial waves ensuring that surfers and paddle boarders will have plenty of waves to enjoy.
Fourteen surfboards and paddleboards will be given away to event goers, including a surf trip to Cost Rica. Enjoy yoga, music, food, and the best of the Great Lakes surf culture has to offer.
“We encourage anyone interested in a fun and family friendly beach day to come out and join us. Imagine a late summer day on an amazing beach, doing what you love and surrounded by so many people from all over the Great Lakes, who share the same passion. That is our goal,” said Event Co-Founder Tammy Bidawid.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised the risk level of COVID-19 infection from ‘moderate’ to ‘substantial’ for Kent County. The CDC recommends everyone in areas with a risk designation of ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ wear a face mask in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC data tracker can be viewed here.
The CDC defines ‘substantial’ transmission as 50-100 cases per 100,000 people, or a positivity rate between 8 and 9.9 percent in the past seven days. Kent County currently has a seven-day positivity rate of 6.68 percent. The current seven-day average for new cases in Kent County is 52.52 per 100,000.
With the move to ‘substantial’ risk level, masks are recommended for indoor activities.
The COVID-19 vaccine cannot prevent 100% of infections, but it does prevent many of them. Also, infections among vaccinated people are less severe than those who have not been vaccinated.
“The vast majority of people who are becoming infected with COVID-19 in Kent County are unvaccinated,” says Dr. Adam London, Director of the Kent County Health Department. “The vaccines that are available are effective, safe and available. They remain our best tool for ending this pandemic, so we encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
The CDC and the Kent County Health Department recommend the following guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Wear a mask or face covering in all indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status,especially now that the risk level has changed to substantial
Practice good handwashing hygiene
Avoid large crowds and maintain social distance from people outside of your household
Get tested if you have symptoms or think you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
The Kent County Health Department announced Friday that the Jamestown Canyon virus has been detected in tested mosquitoes in Kent County. The discovery was made during ongoing surveillance and testing conducted by the health department in the 49504 ZIP code (westside Grand Rapids and Walker).
This is the first time the Jamestown Canyon virus has been detected in Kent County, and the county stresses that the finding was not a human case but in planned mosquito testing.
“Jamestown Canyon virus is similar to West Nile virus in a couple different ways: one is that they are both transmitted by mosquitoes and that they are both quite serious,” Paul Bellamy, KCHD public health epidemiologist, said to WKTV. “However, they differ in the amount that we see them here in the midwest. West Nile virus has been occurring, reoccurring for many years. Jamestown Canyon virus has only been seen over the last (few) years. … over the last decade, we have seen an uptick in the amount of mosquito-born viruses across the U.S. This is one of the symptoms of that (mosquito population increase).”
For a detailed discussion on how Jamestown Canyon virus was discovered, and why Bellamy believes it happened now, see video at top or here.
West Nile and Jamestown viruses can also have similar symptoms, but also are similar in the rarity of their causing serious illness, Bellamy said.
“Both have very similar presentations, as far as when people do become ill,” he said. “A lot of them are asymptotic, but those that do have … fevers, malaise, chills, like that. But it has the potential of becoming serious. … (But) Jamestown Canyon virus has a very low potential of having that happen.”
While the virus has been detected throughout much of the United States, most cases to date have occurred in the upper Midwest. Jamestown Canyon virus can rarely cause severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the lining around the brain (meningitis). There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Jamestown Canyon virus infection.
“Fortunately, the measures that people can take to protect themselves from other mosquito borne illnesses like West Nile Virus will work,” Bellamy said in supplied material. “This time of year, it is good to practice simple and proven steps that we already know work in preventing mosquito bites.”
The KCHD recommends the following prevention tactics: using a mosquito repellant that contains 10-35 percent DEET; wearing light colored clothing and long-sleeved shirts and pants; staying indoors during dusk hours; remove or refresh water in bird baths, children’s wading pools, pet water bowls; and empty other small containers that can collect water in your yard.
This Saturday, Wyoming residents have the opportunity to participate in the citywide Community Clean Up Day. Residents, with proof of residency, may bring items, free of charge for most items, to Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW. Hazardous waste will not be accepted this year. The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and participants must be in line by 1:30 p.m to drop off items. For more information, visit wyomingmi.gov/cleanup.
Photo taken by Tom Schillaci of Muskegon (WMTA)
Make Your Vote Count
Voting is now open for the West Michigan Photo Contest hosted by the West Michigan Tourist Association. More than 1,800 photos were submitted to the competition with WMTA narrowing down the photos to the top 50. Now Michigan residents have the chance to vote on who will be the winners. The top 50 photo entries are posted in a photo album on the West Michigan Facebook page, also available at https://bit.ly/WestMIPhotoContest2021. Visitors to the photo album may cast votes for any photos by “liking” or “reacting” to each photo. Votes may be cast for multiple photos. The winners will be announced on August 16.
Gary E. Mitchell as John Adams and Mary Beth Quillin as Abigail Adams in “My Dearest Friend.” (Photo by Scott Baisden)
The Original Adams Family
“My Dearest Friend,” the story of John and Abigail Adams, will run this weekend and next at the LowellArts, 223 W. Main St., Lowell. “My Dearest Friend,” written by local playwright Mary G. Kron, is based on the letters between John and Abigail Adams, played by Gary E. Mitchell and Mary Beth Quillin from GEM Theatrics. Prolific letter writers, the couple’s story is told through flashback as they witness the American Revolution and the birth of a nation. For tickets, call 616-897-8545.
Fun Fact: The Butterfly Files
Every year, the Monarch butterfly makes the 1,900-mile trip from Northern America to Mexico. One of its stop off points is Peninsula Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Many of the insects make a pit stop there before taking the long journey across Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. The best time to see this “monarch madness”? Early September.
