The City of Kentwood Farmers Market is seeking five competitors for its first-ever Charcuterie Challenge, described in a city statement as “a food assembly showdown using only farmers market ingredients” and slated for Thursday, Aug. 12.
Individuals who are interested in the competition must submit an online application by Monday, Aug. 9. The market will select up to five challengers out of the 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.
The beauty of food will be on display and the Kentwood Farmers Market’s “Charcuterie Challenge”. (WKTV)
“Charcuterie has become such a fun, popular way to display and enjoy a variety of food,” farmers market manager Kristina Colby said in supplied material. “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.”
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 “friendly” competition will take place during the Farmers Market, from 5-5:30 p.m., behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, and the boards will remain on display until 7:30 p.m. Marketgoers can watch the competitors build their boards and then vote for their favorite. The winner will receive a gift courtesy of the Kentwood Farmers Market.
Handcrafted by Fellows, a husband-and-wife duo, will be on-site selling their charcuterie boards and other handmade wood decor items. An additional 20 vendors will be at the market, from 4:30-7:30 p.m., selling staples such as fresh produce, cheese, honey, jam, bread and more. Food trucks El Jalapeño and Ohana Hawaiian Ice will also be on-site. Live music entertainment by Just Jill will be available 6-7 p.m.
In its seventh season, the Kentwood Farmers Market provides the community weekly opportunities each summer to buy a variety of goods from local vendors. This year’s market is offered every Thursday, 4:30-7:30 p.m., behind Kentwood City Hall. In addition to exploring an array of items for purchase, marketgoers can enjoy free classes and special events tied into the market’s schedule.
Other special events planned in August include: On Aug. 19, Makers and Crafters Day featuring more than 40 vendors, with a free concert at 7 p.m. featuring The Soul Syndicate; and on Aug. 26, free yoga at 6 p.m.
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood’s National Night Out community celebration this week had police and other city personal at more than 15 locations throughout the city, but events at three local churches clearly showed a shared desire to engage the community after a long period of pandemic distancing.
On the evening of Aug. 3, at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue — which along with Faith Baptist Church and Pentecostals Church on 44th Street hosted special large scale events — Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible pastor Jason Ross talked to WKTV about their shared focus on the community.
Kentwood police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible Church Pastor Jason Ross, at the church’s National Night Out event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“What we share, is we desire to connect with the community in a positive way,” pastor Ross said. “We can do that as a church. We can also do that with the people, within Ada Bible Church, as well as in the community. … We want you to feel like you are welcome here.”
Chief Roberts also talked about the shared focus and the great opportunity of interacting with the community at local churches.
“We are privileged to be invited to Ada Bible Church … This just gives us a great opportunity, especially given this past year, for us to all come out and celebrate in a special way on National Night Out,” Chief Roberts said.
McGruff and a future Detroit Lions fan had a moment at Woodland Mall. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The City of Kentwood was truly bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities — including a special presence at Woodland Mall — on National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.”
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and city leaders joined residents, who had the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles at events, as well as learn about a variety of safety topics.
“Positive interactions with residents are invaluable for fostering strong community relationships and safer neighborhoods,” Chief Roberts previously said in supplied material. “National Night Out creates a wonderful opportunity to bring officers and community members together in a fun and relaxing setting. Members of our department always look forward to getting to know residents better and encourage more open lines of communication.”
National Night Out was created in the 1980s through an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the nation. It began with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes.
One of the events the City of Wyoming hosts is its annual Community Clean-Up Day. The city will not be accepting hazardous waste at this year’s community clean up set for Saturday, Aug. 7. (WKTV)
After a year and half of lockdown, we probably all need to do a little purging so the City of Wyoming has brought back its popular Community Clean Up Day which is set for Saturday, Aug. 7, at Grand Rapids First. 2100 44th St. SW. The event will be from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Started five years ago by employees, the event has become one of the most popular in the city. Before the annual clean up, the city would place dumpsters in certain neighborhoods where residents would be able to discard unwanted items. In 2016, city staff decided to host the community clean-up day which had more than 300 cars come through the site and 33 20-yard roll-offs of trash. The event has continued to grow every year since.
“We hope to have a great turnout for this event as we have had in the past,” said Mayor Jack Poll.
Residents should enter Grand Rapids First on the right lane of eastbound 44th Street. (WKTV)
Of course with the COVID pandemic, the event was cancelled for 2020. City officials made the commitment to have the event this year. City Manager Curtis Holt, at the Aug. 2 City Council meeting, noted that this year the city will not be collecting hazardous waste. For those looking to dispose of hazardous waste such as rechargeable batteries, needles, or garage and automotive products such as coolant, visit the Kent County site reimagetrash.org for drop off locations.
Other items not accepted at the Wyoming Community Clean-Up day are kitchen garbage, liquid latex paint, yard waste, TVs, vehicles batteries, sealed drums, liquid, biological, radioactive waste, propane tanks, refrigerants, and explosives.
Liquid latex paint can be dried and placed in residential waste disposal. For details on doing this, search “drying paint for disposal.”
For yard waste, the city does have a yard waste drop-off site at 2600 Burlingame Ave. SW. Wyoming residents, with proof of residency, may bring sorted yard waste from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Ties and mattresses or box springs may be brought to Community Clean-Up event, however there is a fee for those items. Whole tires are $10 each and mattresses or box springs are $15 each.
Poll said residents also may bring gently used items as the Salvation Army will be on hand to collect as well.
Residents must bring proof of residency such as a photo identification, utility or credit card statement within the last 90 days, bank statement from the last 90 days, mortgage, lease, or rental agreement, insurance policy, a license, or Michigan vehicle registration.
Participants should enter the site using the right lane of eastbound 44th Street. Participants also must be in line by 1:30 p.m. in order to drop off items.
For many American families, back to school means back to waking up early, stressful schedules, and junk food. All three of these can wear down children’s immune systems, leaving them more vulnerable to colds, the flu, and, these days, COVID-19. What can parents do keep their kids’ immune response strong? The answer is a lot!
Sleep, the great healer
As the new school year approaches, start encouraging kids to wake up and go to bed a little earlier each day. That way, the 6 a.m. alarm won’t be such a shock on the first day of school. According to the Mayo Clinic, when we don’t get quality sleep we are more likely to get sick when exposed to a virus. And, when we do get sick, we might not recover as fast.
When we sleep, our immune system releases cytokine proteins, which not only help promote sleep but help our bodies handle infections and stress. When kids don’t get enough sleep, their bodies may make fewer cytokines. Lack of sleep also reduces our bodies’ production of the antibodies that fight off infections.
Over-scheduled and overwhelmed
Another hallmark of the school year is the full calendar. Between schoolwork, sports, clubs, music lessons, and other appointments, many families rarely have time to enjoy some good old-fashioned downtime. One lesson we learned during the COVID lockdowns was how to be with our families. Resist the urge to step back into overbooked routines amp up stress and reduce quality family time.
On its website FamilyDoctor.org, The American Academy of Pediatrics advises, “Finding a balance between school, activities, and play can mean the difference between a well-adjusted child and a stressed-out one. Finding this balance is different for every child. It’s up to you, as the parent or guardian, to find the mixture of scheduled time and play time that works best for your child.”
Try to arrange your schedules so kids have free time every day and a day every week with nothing to do.
Overfed and undernourished
Back to school too often means back to junk food. We cave into sugar cereals at breakfast to get them to eat something. If kids eat hot lunch at school, they may eat the sugary treats and throw the real food. In the trash. And, when school activities dominate the calendar, it’s way too easy to serve them a fast-food dinner.
Plan ahead
Make a list of healthy breakfast, lunch and snack items that your child will eat and stock your pantry accordingly. Look for items without added sugars or chemicals and 100% whole grains. Stock up on fresh fruits and veggies—bring baggies of carrots, celery and green pepper with you when you go to pick the kids up. Keep them on the table for munching. Serve them alongside meals. Instead of chips and cookies, stock up on nuts, seeds, 100% whole grain cracker snacks. Don’t forget the cheese and peanut butter! Pop some popcorn the old-fashioned way–in a pan on the stove where you control the additives.
Plan healthy dinners, too. Put that crock pot to use or cook two portions and keep one for the next day to cut your prep time in half. As you cook dinner, relax. The simple act of preparing healthy food can bring solace to the soul as well as health to the body.
A well-adjusted child
You may not have realized that chiropractic care is for kids, too. Many spinal problems seen in adults begin at childhood. Children experience bumps, falls and accidents almost daily. These incidents can cause their spine to misalign the same as they do in adults. Chiropractic care keeps children’s spines and nervous systems healthy, too! Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit a child’s size, weight and unique spinal problem. Parents of children, who are regularly adjusted, report that their children seem healthier than other children their age.
It’s good to see schools opening and kids getting back to normal. Let’s all do the best we can to support the kids in our lives with good sleep, good times, good food, and good care!
Police cars, K9 officers, food, and a slip-n-slide were all part of the Wyoming National Night Out event which took place Tuesday, Aug. 3.
This year, the city had two main National Night Out events, one at Grand Rapids First and the other at Grace Christian University. Sgt. Brian Look said the department wanted a location in the northland of the city and one in the south to make the event as accessible to as many residents as possible.
“We love the engagement with the community,” said Rick Pilieci, Grace Christian University pastor and chaplain for the Wyoming Public Department of Safety. “We have a strong partnership with the department because officers do come into our criminal justice program.
“We believe in the message that the city is focused on for this event, communicate safety. It is just a great opportunity for us meet our neighbors and the community.”
At the Grace Christian University event, there was hot dogs, popcorn, and donuts from Marge’s Donut Den. Also on site was the Clyde Park Church of the Nazarene, which provided cotton candy and snow cones. Activities included the game nine-square and a slip-n-slide. The Wyoming Department of Public Safety had police cars, motorcycles, the tactical truck and K9 Chase was wowing the crowd.
Meanwhile, the newest member of the K9 unit, Max, was busy meeting Wyoming residents at Grand Rapids First, which also had police cars and motorcycles along with a fire truck. Visitors enjoyed cool treats while checking out the vehicles and talking to officers about safety tips.
“It is an opportunity for our community to get together with our public safety people and show appreciation both ways, our public safety people for what our citizens do for them and certainly what they do for us in keeping us safe,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “It gets everybody talking and communicating and the more we know our neighbors, the safer our community is.”
It was a nail bitter to the end for the 28th District Senate Republican Primary with Mark Huizenga narrowly defeating the other two candidates, Kevin Green and Tommy Brann.
Mark Huizenga (WKTV)
Huizenga received 9,531 votes with Green coming in second with 9,357. Brann, who had a two-to-one lead in the City of Wyoming and Byron Township, received a total of 9,272 votes.
The Senate seat became vacant last year when Peter MacGregor, a second-term Republican, left to take over as the Kent County treasurer.
Both Huizenga and Brann are currently serving as state representatives. Brann serves District 77 which includes the City of Wyoming and Byron Township. Huizenga serves District 74, which includes a portion of northern Kent County such as the townships of Tyron, Solon, Sparta, Algoma, Alpine and the cities of Rockford and Cedar Springs as well as the cities of Walker and Grandville.
The 28th District Senate seat includes both Brann’s and Huizenga’s areas along with the townships of Nelson, Spencer, Courtland, Oakfield, Cannon, Grattan, and Vergennes.
“I am humbled, and thank the people of the 28th Senate District for nominating me to be the Republican candidate for the November 2nd general election,” Huizenga said in a statement. “I pledge to represent you with honesty and integrity — always seeking and speaking the truth. Moving forward, we must all unite together to protect and promote our community’s shared values.”
Keith Courtade (WKTV)
At the Nov. 2 general election, Huizenga will face off against Democrat candidate Keith Courtade who won the Democrat nomination with more than 2,000 votes over candidate Gidget Groendyk. Courtade had 6,413 votes to Gorendyk’s 4,101 votes.
Courtade is a retired UAW Skills Trades worker and a former Kent County Commissioner. Huizenga, along with being a state representative, owns Mark Huizenga Systems Consulting, a consulting firm, and is the managing partner for Key Green Solutions, a software company. He also served as the City of Walker mayor.
Voter turn out for the primary was about 15 percent or 56,853 of the 381,291 registered voters in Kent County. There were only nine issues on exception of the 28th District Senate seat, most of the ballot issues were for a specific community and not countywide. In the City of Wyoming, the voter turnout for the primary was 11.85 percent or 6,531 of the 55,135 registered voters. The only item Wyoming residents were voting on was the 28th District Senate seat.
City of Kentwood incumbent Ward 2 commissioner Tom McKelvey finished third in a three-candidate primary election Tuesday, Aug. 3, with Jessica Ann Tyson leading the vote — but not enough to avoid a runoff — and Dan VanderMolen coming in second.
With 100 percent of City of Kentwood’s seven Ward 2 precincts counted, Tyson gained 986 votes, VanderMolen 711 and McKelvey 576, according to final unofficial results supplied by the Kent County Elections Office. Tyson’s total was not 50 percent plus 1 of the votes, which would have given her the Ward 2 seat outright.
Of the 19,867 registered voters in Ward 2, only 2,301 voters cast a ballot, or 11.58 percent, according to the county elections office.
“I am honored and humbled that Kentwood residents took the time to vote for me. To others who supported our campaign, I am thankful that you understand how passionate I am about my community,” Tyson, an owner of three local businesses, said to WKTV.
“Everyone is talking about ‘diversity’. Sad it has become a buzz word made popular to tingle ears to sound more WOKE. With more than 51,000 residents and over 80 different languages spoken, Kentwood is a beautiful melting pot. The people who live, work and play in Kentwood need an authenticity diverse representative who is already involved in the community.”
VanderMolen, who is a project coordinator for First Steps Kent, praised both McKelvey and Tyson as he looked forward to November.
“I want to thank everyone who turned out tonight in support of my unique vision for Kentwood,” VanderMolen said to WKTV. “I also want to thank Tom McKelvey for his dedication and service to the city these past four years, and Jessica Ann Tyson for the experience she’s brought to the campaign.
“The three of us might not agree on everything from a policy standpoint, but we all share a love for our community and desire to help Kentwood thrive. I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue having a productive, issues-focused conversation with the people of Kentwood over the next three months as we build towards the future together.”
Tyson also commented on the low voter turn out.
“With low voter turn out, it is apparent the community has voter fatigue and is tired of politics,” Tyson said to WKTV. “This is a nonpartisan race. It is directly about the residents of Kentwood. There is way too much at stake for our future, so we must not be weary now.”
Mayoral race tops ballot at November field is set
Mayor Stephen Kepley was out and about on Tuesday, primary election night — at Kentwood National Night Out events. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
In addition to the City of Kentwood Ward 2 runoff election set for the Nov. 2 non-partisan Kentwood ballot, city voters will also pick a mayor, two other council members, as well as vote on the city clerk and city treasurer positions.
Incumbent Mayor Stephen Kepley is being challenged by current City Commissioner Emily Bridson, incumbent Commissioner-At Large Betsy Artz is challenged by Leonica Riley Erwin, and two candidates will look to fill the Ward 4 seat vacated by Bridson, Clarkston Morgan and Meochia Thompson.
Running uncontested in the City of Kentwood elections is incumbent Treasurer Laurie Sheldon, and, now, incumbent City Clerk Dan Kasunic, will be unopposed as previous challenger Taylor VanderLaan is no longer on the ballot.
Mayoral candidate, and current Kentwood Commissioner, Emily Bridson was also out and about on National Night Out. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
All City of Kentwood seats are for 4-year terms.
WKTV’s We The People available to candidates
As always, WKTV Community Media’s election season candidate coverage will include our We The People candidate videos. We The People gives all candidates the opportunity to record up-to-5-minute videos using their own scripts and unedited by WKTV.
For the November election all candidates (including unopposed candidates) will be invited to record videos in September for run and posting in early October.
As electric vehicle demands grow, one focus of concern is how to make them more environmentally sustainable.
A new project by recycling company Battery Solutions and sustainability-focused group NextEnergy aims to make electric vehicle recycling opportunity recommendations to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy by February 2022.
The project is funded by a $50,000 grant from the state department as part of its NextCycle Michigan initiative.
A major part of the project is to build capacity in the state for repurposing and recycling electric vehicle batteries, said Jim Saber, the president and CEO of Detroit-based NextEnergy.
The six-stage project will involve cataloging, evaluating and analyzing Michigan’s electric vehicle battery supply chain and infrastructure.
The project will also analyze gaps in electric vehicle battery secondary use and recycling opportunities.
“When you identify those areas within the actual chain that are sometimes a challenge, it provides opportunity for Michigan to enhance its foothold within sustainability,” said Danielle Spalding, the director of marketing and communications at Battery Solutions in Wixom.
The downsides to not recycling those batteries are largely environmental, said Thomas Bjarnemark, the president and CEO of Battery Solutions, who said. people don’t want the stuff to be dumped in landfills or contaminate the environment.
Another downside is the reliance on natural resources extracted from the ground, said Matt Flechter, a recycling market development specialist at Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Recycling and repurposing will be better for the environment and in how people best manage available natural resources, Saber said.
Bjarnemark said that during recycling, batteries are disassembled into components that can be used to manufacture new batteries or be repurposed for other industrial uses.
Other applications involve reuse of the batteries for renewable power or energy sources.
“So even if they don’t go into new battery manufacturing, they can be put to good use,” Bjarnemark said.
The more that people understand the opportunities in the size of regional markets, they can develop circular economy applications, Saber said, “Where we use it locally, we repurpose it locally, and then we recycle or redeploy locally.”
Flechter said recycling is a system that depends on experts using their skills to inform residents and businesses about how, why and where to recycle.
There are many reasons peoplet want to recycle, he said.
“It’s not only an economic issue that moves materials back into manufacturing,” Flechter said. “It’s also an environmental issue where we can reduce greenhouse gases and save energy while supporting the environment and the economy.”
The NextCycle Michigan initiative provides grants that fund ideas and opportunities for recycling.
The partnership between Battery Solutions and NextEnergy strives to do that, he said.
“It’s also really important in that system, that we think about the entire lifecycle of that product,” Flechter said. “Once I’m done with it, who can use it next? And how can partnerships create opportunities for those materials once thought of as waste?”
The fun never ends at Wyoming’s Craig’s Cruisers Family Fun Centers. Having been in the community for 22 years, Craig’s Cruisers provides a host of activities from mini golf to go-carts. In 2009, it added the 700-capacity seating restaurant – the largest seating capacity restaurant in Kent County – and a few years ago expanded again to add an inside roller coaster, laser tag, trampolines, and a Ninja obstacle course. Marketing Manager Cait Thrasher filled us in on some of the details about the popular family fun spot.
Name of business: Craig’s Cruisers Family Fun Centers
What is your business? (IE: Restaurant serving Italian specialities, gift shop, manufacture of auto parts): Family Fun Center / Amusement / Entertainment
How long has your business been operating? The business began in Silver Lake, Michigan, in 1979. We’ve been in Wyoming since 1999.
How did your business get started? In 1979 Craig Cihak and his parents Ron & Donna Cihak purchased property in Silver Lake, Michigan (formerly Bill’s Dune Rides). They started the first go-kart track with just eight go-karts. Each spring for several years, new attractions were added. Campers and seasonal tourists at the beautiful sand dune vacation spot patronized the first Craig’s Cruisers Family Fun Center. As patronage grew, so did the business. In 1990, a second location was built in Muskegon. In 1994, a third location was built in Holland, and in 1999, a fourth location was built in Grand Rapids (Wyoming).
Craig’s Cruisers has the largest capacity restaurant in Kent County. (Supplied)
Why did you decide to locate your business in the Wyoming/Kentwood area? Craig’s Cruisers wanted to be able to offer indoor entertainment for guests through all four of Michigan’s seasons. After much research and planning the doors to our fourth Grand Rapids (Wyoming) location opened in December 1999. The first offerings included: indoor electric go-karts, laser tag, video arcade, private party/meeting rooms, full kitchen and four outdoor attractions.
What has been the greatest challenge for your business? Recently, operating during the pandemic with the ever-changing restrictions and regulations. The covid restrictions have been very hard on the entertainment and hospitality industry.
What is the most popular product/item at your business/restaurant? Go-Karts
What is a Wyoming/Kentwood business you like to visit during your free time? Express Signs on 44th St. is a business that we use on a regular basis. On a personal note, nothing beats Marge’s Donut Den!
Hopes for 2021: We hope to see covid numbers and restrictions disappear so we can continue to host our customers. We hope to see the return of school field trips and corporate outings. Lastly, to continue to offer a safe, clean and fun space for guests to make memories!
One of the recent additions was the rollercoaster. (Supplied)
From mid-August through September, Peninsula Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for “monarch madness.”
Monarch butterflies use Peninsula Point in the Hiawatha National Forest as a staging area before crossing Lake Michigan on route to Mexico. (Department of Natural Resources)
That’s when huge numbers of the distinctive orange butterfly migrate from Minnesota, Wisconsin and the U.P. south to Mexico, a 1,900-mile journey for an insect with a wingspan of less than 4 inches.
Waves of monarchs use Peninsula Point as a staging area before attempting the long open water crossing of Lake Michigan. At the peak of the migration in early September a decade ago, you could witness 3,000 or more monarchs fluttering in a handful of trees at this Hiawatha National Forest day-use area at the end of Stonington Peninsula.
Since then, climate change and deforestation of the insect’s mountainous winter habitat in central Mexico has greatly harmed the monarch population. It’s estimated that the Eastern species has declined by more than 80% since the 1980s, but it’s still an amazing migration. And it’s best seen today in Michigan at Peninsula Point.
Can’t make it for the monarch madness? Come whenever you can.
The brick lighthouse at Peninsula Point is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Department of Natural Resources)
This small spit of land is loaded with history, excellent birding opportunities and a lighthouse that visitors can climb for a watery panoramic of Lake Michigan.
The centerpiece of the day-use area is Peninsula Point Lighthouse.
Congress authorized its construction in 1864 because wooden sailing ships, hauling lumber, iron ore and fish from Escanaba, Gladstone and Fayette, were no match for the treacherous shoals that separate Big Bay de Noc from Little Bay de Noc.
The structure was built in 1865 and consisted of a 40-foot tower, lit by an oil lamp and reflectors, and an adjoining home for the lightkeeper and family.
The light went out for the last time in 1936, but the view from the point was so spectacular that the U.S. Forest Service converted it into a public picnic area in 1937. The lightkeeper’s house burned to the ground in 1959, but the brick tower survived and today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Peninsula Point is also an important migration stopover for birds traveling up the Lake Michigan shore. Spring migrations can be exceptional, a time when birders can sight more than 200 species.
Much of the point is forested, and winding through the trees or skirting the shoreline is an interpretive trail and a rugged single-lane dirt road. The two can be combined for a scenic hike, a 2.2-mile loop from the RV parking area at the end of the pavement to the picnic grounds that surrounded the lighthouse. In addition, the nearby Maywood History Trail features an old growth hemlock forest on the west shore of Stonington Peninsula.
Jim DuFresne of MichiganTrailMaps.com is a Michigan State University journalism alumnus.
Continuing WKTV Journal’s series “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”, Loie Ghannam was born locally and is a Grand Valley State University student studying supply chain management and non-profit administration. His family is of Palestinian heritage and his parents immigrated to American 25 years ago.
He, however, was born and raised in Grand Rapids — “My Palestinian heritage, very proud of my Palestinian heritage … (but) I really have known nothing but Grand Rapids,” Ghannam said to WKTV.
And all his life, it seems, he has needed to defend his religion and his heritage, and dispel the misguided perception of some that being Muslim is somehow akin to being a terrorist. But it has not always been easy.
“I was a baby when 9/11 happened,” Ghannam said. “It was something that really set the stage for Muslims, not just in the United States but, I guess, in the West. What I’ve been told, my whole life, is that because of this you are going to be put in certain situations that might be a little difficult. You are going to be, sometimes, confronted in public. You are going to have questions asked that might not be comfortable.
“It has always been ‘This (9/11) happened, but always make sure you distance yourself from it.’ And that is simply because it got to a point where, for the lack of a better term, your safety depended on it.”
Ghannam, however, says as he has grown he often welcomed the opportunity to discuss Islam, his heritage and why 9/11 must not define an entire religion. (See the video clip above.)
For the complete WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 interview, including Ghannam’s view of the historic and continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, visit WKTVvideos on YouTube.
Loie Ghannam, on set at WKTV Journal In Focus. (WKTV)
This special WKTV Voices project presents video interviews, and online/print stories, covering a range of personal stories of the 9/11 attacks and their impact over the following two decades. Following previous background interviews dealing with American Islamic history, global politics, and the current Islamic world, WKTV has presented the voices of Muslim community leaders and, most importantly, local Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11.
WKTV Journal’s “Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. Online/print stories are available by searching “9/11 at 20” on WKTVJournal.org. You can also search Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the Hashtag #voices9/11at20.
It was 21 years ago that the City of Kentwood broke ground for its proposed justice building, now located at 4742 Walma Ave. SE. What makes 21 was special is that the groundbreaking took place 21 years after city officials had moved into the then new city hall, currently located at 4900 Breton Rd. SE. Growth in the city caused Kentwood to expand and build the justice center in 2000.
Helping to turn the ground was former Police Chief Richard Mattice who after 21 years of service to the City of Kentwood, retired in 2012.
Audie Blaylock & Redline perform at the Sounds of Summer
Audie Blaylock
Audie Blaylock on guitar and Reed Jones on bass
Evan Ward, from California, on banjo
Mason Wright on fiddle
Reed Jones on bass
Plenty of dancing at the last concert
They were even dancing on the playground.
By Patty Williams P. Williams Productions
It was a bluegrass ending to the Sounds of Summer as headliner Audie Blaylock & Redline closed out the music series on July 29.
Cutler Park was filled with bluegrass fans ad local musicians from all over Michigan and the surrounding states. They were not disappointed as the consensus of the audience was that the last concert was a tremendous show.
The Redline musicians traveled from California, West Virginia, and Indiana to perform at the Cutlerville Sounds of Summer. The band features Reed Jones on bass, Evan Ward on banjo, Mason Wright on fiddle and Audie Blaylock on guitar. Audie opened with “Hello Michigan good to be back.”
This past year halted many touring musicians/bands including Redline. So, the group had a blast playing music to the packed park and live audience.
Audie opened with “Hello Michigan good to be back.” (Photos by Patty Williams
From start to finish, Audie performed bluegrass music from its roots. Mason Wright kicked off a hot fiddle tune and the audience knew this was going to be some “good ole” toe tapping bluegrass and the excitement resonated all evening.
The group played and sang many Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley songs and featured several requests including Audie Blaylock’s No. 1 song recorded on The 615 Hideaway Records, “Love’s Fleeting Fire.”
The music was exceptional and the bands tight harmonies were flawless. The concert ended with an encore standing ovation.
All the Sounds of Summer concerts are recorded and can be watched on WKTV Channel 25. Check listings for times. The concerts are produced by P. Williams Productions and sponsored by Byron Township. To follow the Sounds of Summer, visit the Facebook page. Note that the series will be back in 2022 with the same schedule, every Thursday in July at 7 p.m. at Cutler Park.
The Accidentals, talking to WKTV early this year, said they could not wait to leave their pandemic quiet places in their hometown of Traverse City and get back on the road — but they were productive in their time off.
“We found things that work for us and found things that didn’t work for us,” Savannah “Sav” Buist — who along with Katie Larson and Michael Dause make up The Accidentals — said to WKTV in May. “But I think it was just nice to have the time … We toured so consistently that when we come home Katie and I just tend to spit out songs within a week and then not really look back. It was nice to look back … I learned to take my time, to come back to a song.”
Back on the road with their usual hectic pace of concerts across Michigan and the region, the band will be making a stop Thursday, Aug. 5, at the outdoor Kentwood Summer Concerts free series hitting the stage at 7 p.m.
And songs familiar and new will be on the set list.
The Accidentals (Supplied/Courtesy Aryn Madigan)
“Might As Well Be Gold” is one of the new songs, included on the “TIME OUT (Session 1), which was released May 7. The EP is a collection of songs which includes the single “Wildfire”, co-written by Kim Richey — who has worked with the likes ofTrisha Yearwood, Radney Foster, Brooks & Dunn — and which is getting The Accidentals a fair amount of national notice and airplay.
The Kentwood Summer Concert Series has one more Thursday night date, a rescheduled night with The Soul Syndicate on Aug. 19.
While most of the series of concerts have been livestreamed by WKTV, contractual restrictions by the band’s record label will prevent The Accidentals from being shown live or on-demand.
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and conclude around 8:30 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Each concert will feature food trucks, which will have food and beverages available for purchase. Guests may also bring their own food and beer or wine.
All are also invited to visit the Kentwood Farmers Market, which overlaps with the concert schedule as the market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday in front of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
“Democracy is about voting and it’s about a majority vote. And it’s time that we started exercising the Democratic process.”
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Voters at the voting booth. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)
Voting in Kentwood and Wyoming
There will be contested primary elections happening in both Kentwood and Wyoming, with a Kentwood City Commission race possibly settled, and local Democrats and Republicans set to decide who from their part will be on the ballot for a State Senate seat up for final vote in the fall. Go here for the story.
National Night Out is all about getting people out and mixing with local public service employees including police and firefighters. (NATA.org)
Night out in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities as part of the city-and-community celebration of National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.” Go here for the story.
Night out in Wyoming
A change for this year’s Wyoming National Night Out event will be that the city will host two main sites — Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, and Grace Christian University, 1011 Alden St. SW. Both locations will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
71
Number of cities in Michigan which have registered to be involved in National Night Out. Source.
The extension on foreclosure and eviction suspensions ends Saturday with some residents facing the fact that the mortgage payments they paused during the pandemic will need to be paid back. (pxhere.com)
With the federal extension on foreclosure and eviction suspensions set to end Saturday, representatives from Home Repair Services of Kent County says now is the time to communicate with your lender to work out a payment plan.
“What we’re seeing is a lot of people just hearing ‘call in’ and ‘pause mortgage payments’ without really understanding that eventually that money has to be paid back somehow,” said Rodrigo Ortiz, Housing Counseling and Education Program Manager at HRS. “It’s not something that’s forgiven.”
For example, a person who was making a $1,500 house payment but decided to ‘pause’ their payments for the last 12 months would owe $18,000 in back mortgage payments on top of the regular mortgage payments they now must pay. That hurdle, according to Home Repair Services Executive Director Joel Ruiter, can be challenging.
“It is important to be communicating with your lender and to start exploring possibilities and find solutions to avoid eviction,” Ruiter said.
Home Repair Services of Kent County is a non-profit program that works with homeowners to help educate them on their options before they lose their home along with providing classes on how to care for and improve a home. HRS is available to any resident in Kent County or counties that touch Kent County (Newaygo, Ottawa, Ionia, Barry, Muskegon, Allegan, and Montcalm). All of the HRS housing counselors are certified by the Housing and Urban Development to provide West Michigan homeowners a lifeline of counseling and education.
“We are willing to contact the lender and see what can be done,” Ruiter said, adding that in our example, HRS would see if the amount could be added on to the end of the loan. “You might go from paying on it for the next 25 years to 30, but you would still be in your home.”
Ruiter said they are not certain what the impact will be once the extension has expired. According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, there where 342,000 Michiganders unemployed as of November 2020 compared to 190,000 the year before. About 21,500 residents are in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming area.
“In 2008 we had the tsunami of foreclosures,” Ruiter said. “It will be interesting to see what will happen next week and in the future. It will be a little different as it probably will not be as deep as 2008, but there are still going to be some folks who have gotten swept up in delaying those payments.
“It has been a challenging year and we know there are folks in the community who are facing the possibility of losing their home. When you lose your home your cost of living goes up because rents have gone up plus the upheaval of having to move. Then there is the amount of time it takes to get the credit you need to purchase another home and then the market barriers of just reentering the housing market. It really adds up which is why we just want people to stay in their homes.”
Taxes have never been suspended during the COVID pandemic as they pay for much of the local infrastructure and schools. (pxhere.com)
Property Taxes Were Never Exempt
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor said he too wants people to stay in their homes which is why he works with Kent County residents who are delinquent on their property taxes. The county does not have anything to do with mortgages.
One thing many people do not realize is that property taxes were never exempt during the pandemic with people expected to pay the taxes as it goes toward funding local governments, schools and other millages such as the senior millage.
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor (Supplied)
“What happens is when a property owner has been delinquent, the county then pays the local city or township the missing property taxes and then we become the enforcer to collect those taxes,” MacGregor said. The process can take up to three years before the county will foreclose on a house which means those who have not paid property taxes during the pandemic would face foreclosure in 2023.
“I often get calls just before the foreclosure is to happen asking for help,”MacGregor said, adding that people should not wait until then to reach out. “Communication is key.
“There are people who outright can’t pay their local taxes right now because they are struggling. Work with me to make an arrangement so that in two and half years I am not foreclosing on your home.”
Kent County residents who are delinquent on their property taxes can reach out to MacGregor, who is able to grant extensions however, MacGregor pointed out that he does have to follow statute and that there is interest that can accrue on delayed payments.
“I am here to help and I would much rather help than foreclose on a home,” MacGregor said. “To be honest the county does not want your house.”
In fact, MacGregor said his office has had about a 92/93 percent success rate in helping resolve delinquent property taxes.
For those in need of property tax assistance, contact the Kent County Treasurer’s Office at 616-632-7500. For mortgage assistance, Home Repair Services of Kent County, located at 1100 S. Division Ave., can be reached at 616-241-2601.
In the 1990s, country music was changing to a more modern sound with such songs as “Achy Breaky Heart” leading the way. Coupled with the start of country station B-93 in Grand Rapids and local venues started looking for bands who could perform the new country style.
Already on the scene was Grand Rapids Mustang Band, which had been performing country classics since 1994.
“It was not difficult to change gears and move toward the modern sound,” said band founder Eric Vander Stel. From there, the Mustang Band carved out a niche in offering country music from the classics of Johnny Cash to the current artists such as Jason Alden.
“We play some rock ‘n’ roll,” Vander Stel said, “but mostly it is country, just about anything from now to the past.”
It will be mostly country music Tuesday, Aug. 3, as the Mustang Band wraps up the Wyoming Concerts in the Park series. The performance is at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.
Like many local bands, Mustang Band has been performing regulary since the start of summer when many of the COVID restrictions were relaxed.
“We are very responsive to our audience and people have just been very happy to have music,” Vander Stel said.
The band members, which are Wendy Allen on lead vocals, Steve Bouchard on bass, Stacy Hill on drums and Vander Stel on vocals and guitar, work hard to incorporate the audience in the show. Vander Stel mentioned at a recent show they had an audience member playing spoons with the group.
“With everything that has happened over the last summer, I think people are just making up and enjoying this summer,” Vander Stel said, adding the Mustang Band is happy to be part of the fun.
All of the Wyoming Concerts in Park are recorded by WKTV and rebroadcasted on Comcast Channel 25 at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.
West Michigan residents can travel the world without even packing a suitcase at the International Festival of Holland on Saturday, Aug. 21, 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the Holland Civic Center Place. This free, family-friendly community event includes award-winning performers, hands-on children’s activities, a marketplace of global goods and food trucks offering international cuisine.
The International Festival of Holland is hosted by the City of Holland’s International Relations Commission (IRC) and the International Festival Advisory Board.
“Our vision for the 2021 International Festival of Holland is to celebrate the variety of cultures living, working, and playing in our community and to create awareness of others,” said IRC Chair Alissa Wilson. “We feel the best way to do this is through everyone’s favorite things: food and music.”
The IRC is releasing a 20 Day Countdown to the International Festival, which offers activities individuals and families can do to learn about our global community, help promote the festival, and build momentum for the big day. Follow the 20 Day Countdown on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by searching for International Festival of Holland.
“Please keep an open mind about things that you might not easily believe, as we explore the mysterious.” The Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Podcast opens each show with this same declaration.
On episodes 26 and 41, we featured Marie Cisneros with an impressive resume of spookiness. Astrologist, numerologist, and ufologist tops her list of accolades. Cisneros was also an investigative reporter and journalist for Paranormal Muskegon on the Muskegon channel.
So what is next for a highly intelligent person who blends two science degrees, more than 10 years as a Michigan MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) field investigator, Tarot reader, wedding officiant, and CEO of Cygnus Research? She is getting ready to add published author to her resume. “Haunted Muskegon” by Marie Cisneros is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2022, to be followed by her first sci-fi novel, “Sequence 17.”
Marie Cisneros
What might be included as some of the chapters of a book entitled, “Haunted Muskegon?” No spoiler alert here, but as Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters we did investigate a brewery in Muskegon with ghostly activity. Out of respect for the people involved and in consideration of the emotions that can live forever in our hearts and homes, those names shall remain anonymous. Brandon Hoezee and Kent County Paranormal did investigate the Torrent House and we also interviewed at the Hackley Public Library.
On January 10, 2020, Cisneros interviewed Mallory Metzger, the Hackley library program and marketing coordinator. Often general managers and people in charge are more concerned with doing their jobs and it’s just easier to deny any paranormal activity. Metzger on that day offered straight forward answers to what must have been difficult questions. These reports are difficult to substantiate; unexplained sounds and voices, and multiple incidences of books flying off shelves. More sensational accounts describe an apparition of an elderly man dressed in Victorian style clothing, appearing and disappearing. The reflection of a face seen in the bathroom was later identified as the man who donated the library to the city, Charles Hackley, one of the founders of Muskegon.
Different reports have Hackley’s ghost haunting several locations in and around Muskegon. Why not? Hackley practiced a philosophy proposed by Andrew Carnergie, “Die rich…die disgraced.” In that respect, Hackley felt obligated to give back to the community “to improve the quality of life.” Hackley gave his heart and soul to the city, donating towards schools, hospitals, parks, museums, and the Hackley public Library. It is estimated he gave back more than one third of his acquired wealth. Not sure Cisneros included Hackley’s haunted adventures in her new book, but I am sure her attention to detail will define “Haunted Muskegon.”
It is fitting, for many reasons, that Ani Di Franco’s just released album is titled “Revolutionary Love” — one reason being the fact that the musician and social activist has a long history of writing songs as reflections of not only her personal life but also society at large.
It is also fitting, as the audience will see Aug. 23 when Di Franco hits the stage at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, that the new release is on her Righteous Babe Records label.
Ani Di Franco. (Daymon Gardner)
With the current divisions and strife in our world, Di Franco states that “Revolutionary Love” is necessary now, for her and for the message she wants to bring.
“It’s about carrying the energy of love and compassion into the center of our social movements and making it the driving force,” Di Franco said in supplied material. “It’s about finding it within ourselves to stay curious about our opponents instead of shutting down.”
Tickets for the Meijer Gardens show are still available. Visit more information visit meijergardens.org.
Di Franco wrote many of the new tracks on the road prior to returning home to New Orleans in February 2020 — just days before the touring music businesses shut down.
While the country soon encountered COVID and solitary lives, Di Franco felt the urgent need to collaborate creatively and record the new music. After being off the road due to the pandemic, Di Franco is back on tour beginning Aug. 19, and her stop at the Fifth Third Banks Summer Concerts series will be one of her first shows. Elizabeth Moen is expected to open.
“My songs have always reflected an acute connection between my personal life and the life of my society,” Di Franco said in supplied material. “As I started to come out of dealing with years of personal hardship, I saw that my entire country was struggling with the same problems: the same themes of how much damage we do to each other and how much pain we’re carrying, and the same question of how to keep going when we’re so broken.”
Inspiration for new music came from another activist
With its exploration of so many complex emotional states — forgiveness, shame, empathy, resilience — “Revolutionary Love” opens on its title track, a “profoundly resolute” piece inspired by Sikh-American activist/filmmaker/lawyer/author Valarie Kaur.
Album cover of Ani DiFranco’s “Revolutionary Love”. (Supplied)
“A lot of the language in that song comes from Kaur’s book ‘See No Stranger’,” saidDiFranco, who connected with Kaur after watching a talk she’d given in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election.
Throughout “Revolutionary Love — the song and the collection — DiFranco hits a potent balance of determination and dreamy reflection, a dynamic that echoes one of the central lessons of Kaur’s teachings: “If we don’t push, we will die. If we don’t breathe, we will die.”
“I wanted to have these moments where, after you acknowledge all the insanity and the strife, we step back and shake off that anxiety and fear,” DiFranco said. “We all need that quiet space to reconnect with ourselves and our hope.”
A little history, a little video
While sometimes considered a feminist icon, Grammy winner Ani Di Franco is the mother of the DIY recording movement, being one of the first artists to create her own record label in 1990. While she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has embraced punk, funk, hip hop, jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds.
Her collaborators have included everyone from Utah Phillips to legendary R&B saxophonist Maceo Parker to Prince. She has shared stages with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Brown, Billy Bragg, Michael Franti, Chuck D. and many more.
Di Franco also recently released “Revolutionary Love: Live at Big Blue”, a 95-minute concert documentary film from herself, Terence Higgins and special guest Ivan Neville, and is available for download and on CD via the Righteous Babe store and Bandcamp.
But, heck, see the Righteous Babe live if you can.
At a special announcement at Woodland Mall this week, new mall movie-theater tenant Phoenix Theaters’ management team made clear that “big company” high-tech visuals, solid sound and premium seats will be the standard when the mall’s theater building reopens as early as this fall.
But Phoenix Theatres CEO Cory Jacobson also made clear to the small crowd at the mall Tuesday, July 27, that, in his “small” movie-theater company, families come first at Phoenix and in its theaters, and COO John Scanlan, talking to WKTV, made clear that Phoenix’s nimble “small” company structure is one of the reasons they were able to take advantage of the Woodland Mall opportunity.
Phoenix Theatres CEO Cory Jacobson. (WKTV)
The company is a 21-year-old independently owned movie theatre company that plans to invest $4 million to refurbish the 14-screen theatre, according to supplied material, a project which will expand a company which operates several theaters in Southeast Michigan as well as one each in Iowa and Massachusetts.
It is also a company which prides itself on having employees who have worked their way up from taking tickets and popping popcorn, to top-level management.
“All these people have something in common. They have all worked for our company for many, many years,” Jacobson said as he introduced his management team to the crowd at Woodland Mall. “All of the senior staff started out popping popcorn, ripping tickets, selling concession items.”
After Jacobson and others of the management team talked to the Woodland Mall crowd about his company’s “family” outlook, and his theaters’ amenities including plush twin seats that can be opened up for customer “families,” Scanlan also talked to WKTV about how being a now-not-so-small family-owned company allowed it to move quickly when the Woodland Mall opportunity presented itself. (See complete discussion in video below.)
“We are still nimble enough to pivot, and move, and we all work so closely together that we are able to make these decision fairly quickly,” Scanlon said. “We have one owner (Cory Jacobson), we do not have to worry about having a group thought. … Cory can make decisions on the fly and that allows us to make decisions on the fly as well.”
Phoenix Theatres at Woodland Mall is the first major post-pandemic theatre investment in West Michigan, “signaling renewed confidence in the strength of this property and the regional economy,” according to PREIT, the mall’s parent company.
For Phoenix Theatres CEO Jacobson, the Woodland Mall expansion just felt right from the moment he first visited.
“Phoenix Theatres has always been a neighborhood theatre company, and that’s something we’re very proud of,” Jacobson said in supplied material. “After spending several weeks exploring the city, we felt very much at home in the culture of the community. Movie theatres are places where people come together to enjoy themselves. Creating an environment that celebrates community has always been our highest goal.”
After the renovations at the Woodland Mall location, the theater will be a 14-screen theatre within the 47,000-square-foot building, and will feature all-new premium reclining heated seating, 4K digital projection, Dolby Atmos, first-run movies and “family-friendly pricing.”
“It is basically our Super Bowl,” said Wyoming Officer Jenni Eby as she described National Night Out, which will take place Tuesday, Aug. 3.
“It is a nice opportunity for us to be able to focus on the people and the connection between the police and the community,” Eby said.
Give me five: A residents gives a Wyoming police officer a high-five. (WKTV)
Always the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out is a nationwide event that encourages residents to turn their porch lights on and come out and meet their neighbors. With last year’s pandemic, the event was cancelled.
“We are excited about seeing people especially since it has been more than a year,” Eby said.
A change for this year’s Wyoming event will be that the city will host two main sites, Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW, and Grace Christian University, 1011 Alden St. SW. Both locations will be open from 5 to 7 p.m.
“Our community service officers work very closely with the neighborhood associations over the years and this is something they wanted to try on a trial basis this year.” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief Kim Koster during a recent council meeting. “They wanted to be able to bring all of our resources together and to have two big parties where people can come and enjoy all the services.
“Sometimes, say our K9 unit, they don’t have the time to make it to all 15 parties, so there are people who don’t get to see the K9 unit or get to see the motorcycle unit.”
By hosting the two larger events, it is the hope that these parties will have “a bigger splash,” allowing the Public Safety Department to have a greater reach and connect with more residents, Koster said.
Neighborhoods can still host individual events, she said, adding that if they reach out to the department, officers will see what they can do to have someone from the department stop by.
Eby said that the department’s resources will be split between the two locations.
“There will be K9s at both locations, as well motorcycles and other vehicles,” she said. “The tactical truck will be splitting its time between the two locations as there is only one.”
Basically, residents attending either location, GR First or Grace Christian University, will be able to see all that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety has available.
Flashing lights: Residents check out a Wyoming police car during a past National Night Out event. (WKTV)
Eby said there will be tables at both locations providing information on a variety of safety programs, such as:
Smart 911: With landlines, it was easy to determine where a call was being made. Cell phones make it much harder to know the location of the emergency. Through Smart 911, residents can create a free, secure profile that dispatch operators can call up to help police and rescue personal get to a person faster.
OK2SAY: This is a student safety program that operates similar to Silent Observer in that students are able to confidentially report tips on potential harm or criminal activities.
Stop the Bleed: A program that teaches people how to help those who are severely bleeding while waiting for first responders.
Mary Beth Quillin echoed what many performers and actors are saying right now: “We’re excited to be back.”
Quillin and partner, both on and off the staff, Gary E. Mitchell, make up the company GEM Theatrics. The two will be returning to the performance stage next week, presenting one of their popular shows, “My Dearest Friend,” the story of founding father John Adams and his wife Abigail. The show will run Aug. 6-8 and 13 and 14 at the Lowell Arts Gallery, 223 W. Main St., Lowell.
“Originally we were invited to perform because for the LowellArts getting performers and crew in the summer can be difficult due to vacations and summer activities,” Quillin said of last year’s scheduled performance. She said LowellArts decided to bring in GEM Theatrics because the duo brought their own sets, costumes and actors requiring LowellArts to cover lighting and crew.
Also, Quillin said, the GEM Theatrics’ set fits nicely into the LowellArts Gallery, which is currently featuring the summer exhibit SOLO Together. The exhibit features the work of eight Michigan artists and represents a number of different media styles including painting, photography, mixed media sculpture, metal sculpture, mixed media drawing, tissue paper collage, and woodblock prints.
“Basically, people could still walk around the gallery and be able to look at the art,” Quillin said.
GEM Theatrics is a local theater company that has performed around West Michigan. In fact, Quillin’s and Mitchell’s name might be familiar to some as Quillin recently directed two Jewish theater productions including the December taped production “Kunstler,” which featured Mitchell in the title role.
Gary E. Mitchell as John Adams and Mary Beth Quillin as Abigail Adams in “My Dearest Friend.” (Photo by Scott Baisden)
“So we have been doing things,” Quillin said, adding that it is nice to be able to get back into a theater space and present a show.
“My Dearest Friend,” written by local playwright Mary G. Kron, is based on the letters between John and Abigail Adams. Prolific letter writers, the couple’s story is told through flashback as they witness the American Revolution and the birth of a nation. “My Dearest Friend” is a featured performance in the Michigan Arts and Humanities Touring Directory.
The production will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday with playwright Kron attending for an audience talk back about the play. Advanced tickets are $18/general admission and $16/LowellArts members. At the door, tickets are $2 more. For tickets, call 616-897-8545.
With extreme weather predicted for tonight by local meteorologists, Consumer Energy crews are preparing for power outages, downed wires, and other safety hazards.
“We may experience some hurricane-type, typhoon-type winds tonight,” said WOODTV 8 Meteorologist Matt Kirkwood earlier today. “If not here, certainly throughout the region of the Great Lakes,”
More recently, the Greater Grand Rapids area has moved to a moderate risk, which is the second highest risk factor for storms by the National Weather Service. According to Kirkwood, the storm is expected come in around 10 p.m. and last through 7 a.m. Thursday. Wind gusts are expected to be around 60+ mph with about 2 to 4 inches of rain.
Consumers Energy provided these preparation tips for potential severe weather include:
· Charge all electronic devices. It’s advised to have an emergency battery or charging station available for use during an outage.
Consumers Energy crews are preparing for outages and other safety hazards. (Supplied)
· Have an emergency kit that includes flashlights and extra batteries, water, canned food and blankets. Be prepared with enough medication, baby supplies and pet food if applicable. A battery-operated radio is also a good idea.
· Unplug sensitive electronics like TVs, computers and printers. Turn power strips off.
Consumers Energy also urges the public to keep these important storm safety tips in mind:
· Stay at least 25 feet away from downed wires, keep children or pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy crews are taking extra health and safety precautions because of the COVID-19 situation and asks the public to keep at least six feet of distance from its crews.
Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas.
Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.
Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
Customers can report an outage, check the status of an outage and get useful tips what to do after a storm by visiting www.ConsumersEnergy.com/OutageCenter. Customers can also sign up to get outage alerts and restoration times sent to a phone, email or text message, Text ‘REG’ to 232273 or visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/alerts.
“You are likely to be retired much longer than you think. A recent study suggests that 50% of those born now will live beyond 100.” Dave Stanley
For how long do you think you will live? Do you believe you’ll live into your late 70s? Are you confident you’ll follow in the path of your parents, who were alive and well into their mid to late 80s?
The average joint life expectancy (men and women together) is approximately 88 years for more than 49% of the population. A full 20% of Americans live to age 95!
Depending on your unique perspective, that’s either good news or bad news. It is good because many people want to live for as long as possible, provided they are in decent physical and mental health. However, a long life can be bad news when it puts you at risk of outliving your money in retirement.
Something else to consider is that these numbers are averages. There are many exceptions to the rule, especially if you are the beneficiary of excellent genes, have tried to stay fit and healthy, and have managed stress properly. More people are hitting triple digits, and you could very well be one of them.
Longevity is a possibility. Therefore, creating a portfolio to help you maintain your current standard of living in 30 plus years of retirement is challenging. Having less money in retirement is a concern for retirees and pre-retirees. Nearly all seniors know someone who has beaten the odds and has lived for a longer time than they planned.
Many retirees and pre-retirees had had someone in their own families who went through hardship and deprivation because they ran out of many at a time when they needed it the most.
The logical solution to not having enough money for retirement is to start earlier and save more. That is not always easy to do, however. Many people are barely making ends meet and do not have much discretionary money to create retirement income. You may fall into that category and worry that you will not have any money to build a retirement account.
How do you find money to finance a retirement plan?
Developing a saving and income-planning mindset is valuable at any age.
Understandably, you might have a tight budget due to where you are in your career track. Or, you might have family, medical, or debt issues that make saving a tough proposition.
Fortunately, there are some ways you can free up cash or find the money you never knew you had, to fund a retirement plan. Here are three things you can do right now to free up money for retirement.
1. Debt restructuring. Take a look at all your debt, including student loans and consumer debt. Perhaps you can negotiate lower rates or pay debt off more slowly. For example, instead of paying more than the minimum due on a debt, take that money and put into something like a dividend-paying whole life insurance policy, annuity (depending on your age), or dividend-paying stocks. When you pay your debt off TOO fast, you lose the opportunity to grow that money.
2. IRA or 401(k) Use every advantage to contribute the maximum amount of money allowed. As you age, begin to move a higher percentage to assets that are not as volatile, such as annuities. Ask your financial expert and tax advisor to see if you might transfer your 401(k) funds to a self-directed IRA and purchase an income annuity. Always consider this with the big picture in mind, make sure you seek licensed and authorized professional advisors.
3.Live a simpler lifestyle. Making your car, major appliances, and other big-ticket items last longer can add up to thousands of dollars you can use to fund your post-career life. Eat out less often, never pay full retail, and look for every bargain you can find.
No matter your current financial situation, you can and should set aside money for a time when you will no longer get a paycheck. Starting early and being consistent, along with small lifestyle changes, will help you avoid common mistakes and achieve a better retirement lifestyle.
Here is a word to the wise. Before making any decisions about where and how you invest your retirement money, always consult a licensed and authorized professional.
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
If you were thinking about getting tickets to see St. Cecilia Music Center’s first live folk concert in more than 18 months, Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Marc Cohn’s twice rescheduled visit on Aug. 21, the venue has a deal for you.
To mark the first live show since March 2020, St. Cecilia announced this week that tickets to Cohn’s performance were available with a “buy one, get one free” offer. The deal is only good through Friday, July 30, however.
Marc Cohn concert tickets are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org.
Since Cohn was last at St. Cecilia, in Spring 2017, he has spent time on the road with legendary Michael McDonald, worked closely with David Crosby and other American music greats including soul survivor William Bell, who won his first Grammy at age 78 with Marc’s help in creating Bell’s celebrated album, “This is Where I Live”.
In August 2019, just months before the pandemic shutdown and his originally scheduled visit to St. Cecilia, Cohn released a soul/gospel/pop album “Work to Do”, along with Grammy Award winners Blind Boys of Alabama. The album’s collection “combined Cohn’s unique vocal and songwriting talents with the sanctified genius of these veteran gospel stars,” according to supplied material.
Cohn originally rose to musical fame when he won the Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” and since that time he has solidified his place as one of this generation’s “most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man,” according to supplied material.
No less of a singer/songwriter than Bonnie Raitt reportedly said, “Marc is one of the most soulful, talented artists I know. I love his songs, he’s an incredible singer, and I marvel at his ability to mesmerize every audience he plays for.”
The City of Kentwood will be bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities Tuesday, Aug. 3, as part of the city-and-community celebration of National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.”
According to information provided by the city, National Night Out encourages people to turn their porch lights on and come outside to meet their neighbors, as well as community leaders, police and fire department personnel who will be out and about. The city also “encourages residents to continue to follow current public health guidelines.”
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and city leaders will join residents at more than 15 gatherings, most of which will take place between 6-8 p.m. Residents will have the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles at events, as well as learn about a variety of safety topics.
“Positive interactions with residents are invaluable for fostering strong community relationships and safer neighborhoods,” Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts said in supplied material. “National Night Out creates a wonderful opportunity to bring officers and community members together in a fun and relaxing setting. Members of our department always look forward to getting to know residents better and encourage more open lines of communication.”
The Kentwood Police Department will once again partner with Woodland Mall to offer community members an up-close look at police vehicles inside the mall, from 3-5 p.m. Shoppers will be able to learn about and explore a police cruiser and motorcycle and enjoy giveaways.
In addition, several community-based events will be hosted throughout the evening and feature a variety of free activities, including appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog. Among the major event locations are:
Ada Bible Church, 1640 East Paris Ave. SE, which will offer food and activities from 5-8 p.m.
Faith Baptist Church, 1412 44th St. SE, which will have food trucks, live bands and prizes from 7-9 p.m.
Pentecostals Church, 2627 44th St. SE, which will host a party from 6-8 p.m., featuring a bounce house, food and games.
“National Night Out’s message of neighborhood connections and the importance of caring for one another is right in line with Kentwood’s community effort,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “The City’s leadership team is looking forward to a fun evening connecting with residents, celebrating community and learning about ways we can work together to keep Kentwood a wonderful and safe place to call home.”
More information about National Night Out events in Kentwood is available at kentwood.us/NNO.
National Night Out was created in the 1980s through an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the nation. It began with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes.
All sides within the Kent County courts’ criminal trials system know that after more than a 18 months of a pandemic-related pause of in-person trials there will be issues as courts slowly resume a courtroom calendar — most especially a backlog of criminal and civil cases awaiting trial, a backlog that could take more than a year to clear.
All Kent County courts handing criminal trials — from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood’s smaller 62A and 62B district courts, to the larger countywide 63rd District and 17th Circuit courts — are now scheduling trials.
Kentwood’s 62B recently reported it held its first in-person trial in June and currently has a dozen or so scheduled through the end of the year — “We have a slight back log of cases waiting trial … All other hearings are current at 62B District Court,” a spokesperson for Judge Amanda Sterkenburg’s office told WKTV.
The 63rd District Court, however, will not begin criminal trials until mid-August, and their backlog could stretch out well into 2022 before a “sense of normal” returns, a situation most larger courts across the state are facing.
63rd district court Judge Sara J. Smolenski (Kent County)
“What is a sense of normal in the court system, that is a good question,” 63rd district court Judge Sara J. Smolenski said to WKTV. “Obviously, the pandemic has taken its toll on every aspect of our lives. Here at the Court, we are working daily to have things be more normal or resume to normal, but it is constantly evolving. A good guess would hopefully be by the end of 2021.”
While Judge Smolenski is, maybe, optimistic about the backlog, the leaders of the two criminal trial lawyer groups often in opposition in the courtroom — the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office and Kent County Office of the Defender — are not so optimistic.
“It will take at least a year to get back to ‘normal’ in my estimation,” Prosecutor Chris Becker said to WKTV. “There is such a backlog of cases, while adding new ones through all of this, there just is not an easy and fast way to catch up. It is going to take time to work through all of them.”
“Misdemeanors (in District Court) are a little better positioned for returning to normal sooner than felonies in Circuit Court,” Chris Dennie, Director, Kent County Office of the Defender, said to WKTV. “Even though there is quite a backlog, I can see getting close to usual in about a year.”
In general, the Kent County District Court system handles trials of civil suits involving $25,000 or less, and adult criminal misdemeanor offenses punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment. The Kent County Circuit Court is the trial court in all civil cases involving more than $25,000, in all criminal cases where the offense is a felony or a serious misdemeanor, as well as all domestic relations cases, and all child abuse, neglect, and delinquency cases.
No shortcuts in criminal cases during pandemic
All sides in the county’s legal system also make clear that while judges and opposing lowers have been “creative” is handling cases during the pandemic, nothing has been done to simply push cases through.
“Every case is dealt with on an individual basis,” Judge Smolenski said. “The right to a speedy trial is very important, but no one has ever been through a pandemic like this where for many months you couldn’t bring jurors together for a case. Defense attorneys and prosecutors are working together to resolve the cases that can be resolved.”
Prosecutor Becker and Defender Dennie might argue that judicial point, however.
“The judges have tried to encourage resolving cases throughout the pause in jury trials,” Dennie said. “However, the prosecutors (both county and city) must be willing and the offices have made it clear they do not want to have what they call a “fire sale” on cases. There has been some work to resolve cases, but not enough to make a big difference.”
“I’ve told my staff to know and go over their cases and make the best possible offer they can, without violating the norms of what we do,” Becker said. “I’m sure if I offered a misdemeanor larceny $200-1,000 to someone charged with an armed robbery felony, they would take that deal. We could ‘catch up’ the docket pretty quick that way. We are not going to do that however; we still have to consider plea offers in relationship to long term public safety and the victims who were impacted by the crime.
“We have done things around the edges more, we have given more sentence recommendations perhaps, but nothing extreme. Judges have gotten involved more as well in this area.”
Backlog not only problem awaiting return to ‘normal’
Two other issues which could come into play with the resumption of jury trials after about 18-months is the as-yet resolved issue of defendants not gaining a “speedy” trial during and of a possible reluctance of citizen jurors returning to their civic duties live and in the courtrooms.
Becker, however, does not think the denial of a speedy trial will be a big issue, but he does hedge his bets a bit.
The idea “has been raised in other places, and I’m sure it will be brought up again. So I can’t say it is a settled part of the law at all,” Becker said. “I’m not sure how successful it will be however, when you had the (State of Michigan) Supreme Court saying trials were not allowed for a large portion of the pandemic. It is fairly unprecedented, but not sure how you can hold a trial when being told not do by the people who run the court system to some extent.”
However, when it comes to the issue of juror reluctance, Judge Smolenski, Prosecutor Becker and Defender Dennie each expressed concern.
“It has been the jury trials, wherein we were prohibited from having groups of jurors in the courtroom, that has become our biggest focus to resolve,” Judge Smolenski said.
“Not sure (but) hearing reports in other areas of larger amount of jurors not showing up when summoned when things re-started,” Becker said. There is “still fear out there, and people may not want to show up in a public area when ordered to. So it will be interesting to see how jurors respond when called to serve.”
And that possible lack of ‘a jury of peers” is particularly of concern to Defender Dennie.
“Defense attorneys have been very concerned about getting a fair and true cross section of the community for the jury pools,” Dennie said. “I’ve been told that in practice, so far, as they send out jury summons, very few people are asking to be released. So we remain concerned, but hopeful, that our clients are able to have fair juries.
Manistee Beach in 2014. A team of Michigan State University researchers is working with volunteers in coastal communities to track erosion in the state. (McCoy Scribner)
Although Great Lakes water levels are down, the risk of coastal erosion remains high, Michigan State University researchers say. Now, the researchers are enlisting “citizen scientists” to assist in helping better understand coastal change.
Funded by a $300,000 early concept grant from the National Science Foundation Coastlines and People Initiative, the Interdisciplinary Citizen-based Coastal REmote Sensing for Adaptive Management (IC-CREAM) project wants to work with multiple communities in the Great Lakes region facing impacts from record-high water levels.
The IC-CREAM team is developing a first-of-its kind citizen science program to equip and train volunteers to pilot drones and use other geospatial technologies to better monitor and understand coastal change and vulnerabilities.
The project, led by Assistant and Associate Professors Erin Bunting, Ethan Theuerkauf and Elizabeth Mack, aims to empower Michigan coastal communities to generate their own data on coastal changes and hazards by taking pictures of what is seen at beaches and uploading them to a web app.
“Take a picture with your phone. That photo has a geotag located, so all you have to do is upload that photo to the web app, and put in some information about like when it was collected, all that kind of stuff, and that helps us document it,” Theuerkauf said.
The team is working with citizen scientists to gather data in Marquette, Manistique, Iosco County, Chikaming Township, Manistee and South Haven.
Theuerkauf said getting scientists, citizens, and community decision-makers to work together is an important step in addressing coastal issues.
“We’re working hand in hand with those communities, we’re working hand in hand with the public, to provide information that we know is useful because we worked with them from the onset to decide what direction we need to take with this data collection and this processing.”
Planning is underway for additional proposals and partnerships with local, state and federal entities to expand project work and research.
This story is brought to you as part of a partnership between WKAR and Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
Five groups or individuals have been selected as finalists for the 2021 Lakeshore Innovator of the Year award including one person who has been a lead in developing a platform for women veterans.
Zaneta Adams, who was on the WKTV Journal and is the director of Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, is the president and founder for WINC for All Women Veterans. Adams also created the Military Sisterhood Initiative, an online/app network platform for women veterans all over the country and beyond to connect and help lower the rate of suicide among them. Adams took her idea and partnered WINC with Challenge America to create a network that has over 5,000 women from all over the world connecting with one another and sharing stories of survival. She was recognized as a Department of Veteran Affairs Trailblazer in 2021 for her work in this area. Adams also founded the women veterans recognition day held June 12 every year in Michigan.
The Lakeshore Innovator, pressed by Grand Valley State University’s Innovation Hub, celebrates and recognizes the most innovative ideas on the Lakeshore. The winner will be announced at a ceremony July 29 from 5-7 p.m. at the Hub, located at 200 Viridian Dr. in Muskegon. The program begins at 6 p.m.; the event is free and open to the public.
The keynote speaker is Jamiel Robinson, founder and CEO of Grand Rapids Area Black Business (GRABB), and co-owner of several ventures including Motu Viget Spirits, Ambiance GR Kitchen and Lounge, and Motu Lakeshore Wine Bar.
“All of the 2021 Lakeshore Innovator of the Year finalists epitomize the breadth and depth of the creativity and innovation happening on the West Michigan Lakeshore,” said Kevin Ricco, director of the Muskegon Innovation Hub.
The other finalists for the Lakeshore Innovator of the Year are:
Jill Batka and Curtis Chambers – Dynamic Conveyor Corporation
Curtis Chambers noted a lack of light-duty portable conveyors available to serve injection molders like his Pliant Plastics Corporation. So, he designed a modular plastic conveyor loosely modeled after Legos. DynaCon has grown under the leadership of Jill Batka, one of Chambers’ three daughters who own Dynamic. Dynamic designed a new line of easy-to-clean conveyors specifically for food processing and packaging. The DynaClean sanitary conveyor line has a simple design allowing easy access to internal components. The DynaClean conveyors offer the food industry a line of plastic, custom conveyors that are eco-friendly, easy to clean, and save time and money. A line of specialty conveyors was introduced in early 2020.
Beth Beaman – Playhouse at White Lake
The Playhouse at White Lake has utilized inventive methods to remain connected and relevant over the past year. In order to continue offering new content amid the pandemic, The Playhouse traded in its live, in-person Summer Theatre Festival to become a three-camera movie production house. With only a four-week turnaround, Managing Director Beth Beaman decided not to cancel the beloved summer season, but rather, to pivot and engage with audiences virtually, all while putting displaced artists to work. In addition, the White Lake Youth Theatre Council was formed to help support year-round arts education programming at the Playhouse. The White Lake Youth Theatre Council aims to cultivate a compassionate community, leadership and life skills through arts education at The Playhouse. This program is open to all area high school students and hones inclusivity and business skills in the next generation of arts leaders.
Michael Hyacinthe – Wimage, LLC
Michael Hyacinthe founded Wimage, LLC in 2014 after creating the Wimage app, an educational application that allows kids to input words to create images and turn their ideas into a visual story. Wimage stands for “words to images.” The goal of Wimage is to move kids from being passive consumers of digital content to being creative producers of content. Studies show low-income students and students of color are more likely to be passive consumers, and students learn better when they use technology to create their own content, rather than just consuming content. In cooperation with the Kent District Library, Wimage, LLC also created an educational livestream show that engages children through visual storytelling and vocabulary building, meeting the unique needs of students, educators and parents during the pandemic.
Brent Raeth – CatchMark Technologies
CatchMark Technologies was founded in 2013 with the purpose of delivering professional technology services to small and midsize businesses throughout West Michigan. The “CatchMark Gives Back” program was created to encourage CatchMark teammates to use their skills, expertise and company resources to improve the communities they are part of. In the last year, CatchMark has donated to multiple high school sports programs, provided computers to local robotics teams, donated “Causeway Cams” to the White Lake Chamber of Commerce, and provided free tech services to multiple churches and struggling organizations. In August 2020, Montague Area Public Schools approached CatchMark Technologies to help them find a solution to a viewership issue caused by COVID restrictions established by MHSAA and the state of Michigan. The restrictions only allowed for two fans per player to watch any athletic event live and in person. CatchMark offered to purchase equipment and help run a Livestream at all home athletic events.
About the Muskegon Innovation Hub
The Muskegon Innovation Hub is a business innovation center that provides business incubation, coworking space, funding assistance, events and programming. It is a key partner in the regional innovation ecosystem, and supports startup businesses, entrepreneurs and corporate innovation teams. For more information, visit gvsu.edu/mihub.
This large, carved painted Bugs character was originally displayed on the inside marquee of Studio 28 which was located along 28th Street next to the 28 West Place mall. The HOM Flats development is on the studio’s former parking lot. Studio 28 was the first megaplex movie theater and once the largest theater in the world, opening on Christmas Day in 1965, and closing November 23, 2008. It started as a single 1,000-seat theater by movie pioneer Jack Loeks.
The Bugs Bunny and Goofy that were on the inside marquee had become symbols of Loeks Theater, which later became Celebration! Cinema under Loeks son, John. The two neon versions adorned Loeks’ first theater, the Beltline Drive-in Theater, which was razed in 1988. The Studio 28 Bugs Bunny and Goofy were donated to the Grand Rapids Public Museum Collection.
Making a return is the Runway 5K at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff
After a pandemic pause, the popular Runway 5K will return to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport on Saturday, Sept. 25.
Registration has already begun for this unique race, which is capped at 1,200 participants and gives walkers and runners the rare opportunity to compete on an actual airport runway. The course will begin north of the economy parking lot, looping on taxiway Juliet and runway 8L/26R, the Airport’s general aviation runway, before ending back at the parking lot.
Race-day registration and packet pick-up begins at 7 a.m., with the race starting at 9 a.m. A one-mile fun run will begin at 9:05 a.m. Awards for the top three overall males and females, as well as age groups, will be presented at 10:15 a.m.
The race is being hosted by Trivium Racing, with this year’s charity partner being the Family Hope Foundation. The Jenison nonprofit provides resources, activities, support and funding for therapies to families of children with special needs in West Michigan.
“We are delighted to welcome West Michigan back to the Airport for this year’s Runway 5K,” said Torrance A. Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “While COVID forced the cancellation of last year’s race, we are back better than ever this fall – and looking forward to seeing our friends and neighbors for this race.
“We are also honored to support the good work of Family Hope Foundation, which provides therapy scholarships, family fun, advocacy, education and resources to families of children with special needs. We encourage runners and walkers of all abilities to come out and see the Airport from a perspective you will only get once a year.”
Registration for the 5K begins at $39, with prices increasing after July 31 and until the event is sold out. Registration for the one-mile fun run begins at $25, with prices increasing after July 31. Registration includes a T-shirt, post-race snacks and beverages, awards for top finishers and other giveaways.
In 2019, the Runway 5K raised nearly $14,600 for charity.
“The true impact of 2020 is beginning to come to light,” said Jane Eppard, executive director of the Family Hope Foundation. “Many children with special needs lost ground due to disruptions in school and routine in the past year. This was clearly evident in the 25% increase in scholarship requests we received this spring.
“We begin accepting applications for our fall scholarship cycle Aug. 1. The opportunity to be the charity partner for this year’s Runway 5K and the support it will bring to families in our community is deeply appreciated and gives the organization hope.”
The Ford Airport’s two commercial aviation runways will still be operational during the race.
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, which will soon become University of Michigan – West, will be adding cardiovascular services with a new agreement between the health facility and Mercy Health Saint Mary’s and Mercy Health Muskegon. (Supplied)
Work is underway at Metro Health – University of Michigan Health Hospital campus in Wyoming to accommodate new cardiovascular services now that a joint operating agreement has been finalized.
Peter Hahn, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health (Supplied)
On July 21, Metro Health (which is becoming 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. The network also will utilize the clinical expertise of University of Michigan Health’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center, one of the nation’s highest-rated centers for cardiology and heart surgery, and the No. 1-rated program in the state. The services will be offered at Metro Health.
Dr. Peter Hahn, CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, said the network is envisioned as the region’s leading program for open-heart, structural heart and advanced electrophysiology services.
“This will show what is possible through innovative regional collaboration, working in tandem with one of the highest-ranked heart programs in the nation, University of Michigan Health,” Hahn said.
Network partners have selected key leadership to advance their plans, which include expanding open- heart surgery availability in the Grand Rapids market, adding choice to the largest population center in the state currently with only a single open-heart program.
The network’s inaugural executive director will be Dr. Himanshu J. Patel, a U-M cardiac surgeon, Joe D. Morris Collegiate Professor of Cardiac Surgery and Section Head of Adult Cardiac Surgery at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center. The administrative director will be Kristine Todd, clinical service director for heart and vascular services at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s. The network also announced the appointment of two associate medical directors: Dr. Matthew Sevensma of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Dr. Eugene Chung of Michigan Medicine.
Dr. Himanshu J. Patel, executive director for the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan
Patel said the network builds on a strong history of cardiovascular collaboration each of the partners has established with University of Michigan Health.
“This initiative is based on each partner’s overarching goal of providing not only the highest quality care, but also choice for the patients we serve in west Michigan,” Patel said. “To accomplish this goal, for the fastest-growing part of our state we will also leverage the rich expertise already present at University of Michigan’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center.”
Physicians will confer on cases in a collaborative approach. This is similar to the tumor boards established by the Cancer Network of West Michigan, which the same partners established last year to provide broader regional access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and support.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year issued a certificate of need authorizing open-heart procedures at the Wyoming site. Later phases of the network’s plans call for a dedicated facility.
All hospital providers and staff will remain employed by their respective health systems, and no staff reductions will take place as a result of this agreement.
Organizer Patty Williams hangs with the Jaded 8 band members.
Jaded 8 provided the music as many enjoyed picnics during the show.
Organizer Patty Williams helps record the show.
Having a swinging good time at last Thursday’s Jaded 8 concert.
Lots of dancing and fun taking place.
Mark Pawlak on lead vocals and guitar
Jeffrey Post on bass and vocals
Jeffrey Post on bass and vocals
The crowd was dancing up a storm last Thursday.
ByPatty Williams P. Williams Production
P. Williams Productions featured rock night at the Thursday evening free concert series Sounds of Summer held in Cutler Park last Thursday.
Picnic baskets lined the park tables as fans awaited the 7 p.m. show. The playground was filled with children and laughter with their front row swing seats enjoying the classic rock tunes.
Jaded 8 band had the audience singing and dancing along to the timeless hits by Kiss, Journey, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams just to name a few. The three-piece band rocking the park was lead by singer/guitarist Mark Pawlak with Lee Nelson on drums/vocals and Jeffrey Post Bass/vocals.
The July 29 Sounds of Summer Cutlerville grand finale show features national headliner Audie Blaylock and Redline bluegrass band. Show time is at 7 p.m. A food truck and beverages will be available at this week grand finale concert.
According to organizers, it has been such a great season with exceptional bands and large crowds in the park this year. The familiar faces at each week’s concert feels like family.
The Sounds of Summer is produced by P. Williams Productions and sponsored by Byron Township.
It is no coincidence that guitarist and vocalist David Gerald likes to call his tight, taught guitar-bass-drum group a “Power Trio” — seeing him on video, hearing him on vinyl, tells you he knows that his hometown Detroit blues, R&B and rock sound is all about bringing the power to the stage.
Which, we can assume, he and his trio will do, Thursday, July 29, as they visit the outdoor Kentwood Summer Concert free series for a 7 p.m. gig.
Gerald also knows all about the blues, coming from a family that lived it, and grabbing the power, from a father who grabbed it.
Gerald is the son of rural Mississippi born and raised parents, and while he was born in Detroit, the youngest of 11 children, six of his siblings were born and partly raised in Mississippi.
David Gerald. (Courtesy of David Gerald)
“Because segregation and racial discrimination were so bad in Mississippi at the time, my dad moved the family north to Detroit when he was 33, so we’d have a better chance at the American dream,” Gerald said in supplied material.
And Gerald’s version of the American Dream is playing his beloved Detroit-sound music — what he calls “blues-infused rock and soul hybrid” — with his lead guitar a central figure since he first pickup one up at age 14.
“I was lucky enough to have a neighbor who was a guitarist and gave me scrap guitars. I would piece them together and build ‘Frankenstein’ guitars,” Gerald said. “They were horrible to play and sounded bad, but I had to play music. It was and is my destiny. I finally scraped up enough money to buy an old amp and I was happy.”
After cutting his teeth and honing his guitar skills in the 1980s, he says he began to explore the music of blues guitar heavyweights like Albert King, ZZ Hill, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan — and his sound “evolved and expanded to where it is today.”
His 2009 debut CD, “Hell And Back,” reached #1 on Roots Music Report’s Blues Chart for Michigan based artists and remained in the top 20 for many weeks in a row. His newest album, “N2U”, was released in April 2018.
“N2U” had “been a long time coming,” he said. “I put together these songs for myself, my friends and supporters. It’s all about new thoughts, new experiences and deeply felt emotions. I hope everyone who listens can find something that touches them. Something they can relate to.”
For more information on the David Gerald Band, visit davidgerald.com.
The Kentwood Summer Concert Series has two more Thursday night dates: The Accidentals on Aug. 5 and a rescheduled night with The Soul Syndicate on Aug. 19.
Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV for those who would prefer to enjoy the performances from home.
Before the music starts, get a little treat at Kentwood Farmers Market. (WKTV/K/D. Norris)
All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., and conclude around 8:30 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Each concert will feature food trucks, which will have food and beverages available for purchase. Guests may also bring their own food and beer or wine.
All are also invited to visit the Kentwood Farmers Market, which overlaps with the concert schedule as the market will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Thursday in front of the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
