All posts by Joanne

Shapshots: Summer theater, beer pass, and keeping uninvited guests at bay

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“Have you really read all those books in your room?” Alaska laughing – “Oh God no. I’ve maybe read a third of ’em. but I’m going to read them all. I call it my Life’s Library. Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought all the books that looked interesting. So I always have something to read.”

John Green, “Looking for Alaska”


Circle Theatre presents “Cabaret” through July 31. (Supplied)

Head to the Cabaret

One way to beat the heat is to head into a cool theater. We don’t know how cool the Aquinas College of Performing Arts Center will be with the red-hot performance of “Cabaret” being presented by Circle Theatre, but it is worth a try. The timeless classic has been reimagined to tell the story of 1930s Germany through minority voices as it follows the story of American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with cabaret performer Sally Bowles. All of it is set against the backdrop of 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. with a 3 p.m. Sunday, July 25. Tickets for shows are available at circletheatre.org or call 616-456-6656.

Take a Pass

Now through Oct. 31, area residents can get the free digital pass, Craft Pass GR, to visit about 25 different local breweries and distilleries. The pass includes specials for each of those locations and when a patron checks in they have the opportunity to win prizes. The main purpose behind the Craft Pass GR, according to Experience Grand Rapids, is to celebrate the wide range of quality adult beverages offered by the Grand Rapids-based breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies.

A mosquito’s bite could lead to infection with West Nile virus. (CDC)

The Uninvited Guest

Heading outside for the weekend? Then make sure to grab some mosquito repellant that contains 10 to 35 percent DEET. Why? Because those pesky uninvited guests, mosquitos are on the rise this summer according to the Centers for Disease Control. Mosquitos are known carriers of the West Nile Disease and Eastern Equine Encephalitis or Triple E. While for most people, illness is related to West Nile is rare, according to the Kent County Health Department, it is still advisable to take precautions such as where a mosquito repellant, going in at dusk when mosquitos are activity, and changing water in such items as pools and bird baths.

Leland Blue

Fun Fact: Michigan’s Leland Blue

Sounds like a reference to the color of Lake Superior’s water but it is actually the name of a stone, which really isn’t a stone. Leland Blue is slag. Northern Michigan was known for its iron ores and through the process of separating the metal from the ore, the slag (a waste product) was usually put into the Great Lakes. The result is some pretty stones. The most famous place to search for Leland Blue is in Leland, Michigan (which is off of Lake Michigan not Lake Superior), but it can also be found along other Northern Michigan beaches. There are different slag colors depending on the Great Lake and area the mining operation was located. For example, slag from Lake Superior can look green, purple or black.

Diversity, equity and inclusion In Focus as Kent County’s new chief inclusion officer visits WKTV Journal

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WKTV Journal In Focus Teresa Branson, Kent County Chief Inclusion Officer, July 2021

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

On this episode pf WKTV Journal In Focus, the continuing effort of the Kent County Commission and administration to make diversity and inclusion — at all levels of the county workforce — a focus.

More than simply another focus, actually, the county has made a commitment to fully embed diversity, equity and inclusion in Kent County’s strategic priorities. Firm evidence of that commitment is the recent promotion of Teresa Branson to be the county’s first Chief Inclusion Officer.

On the WKTV set, Branson talks a little about her history, and a whole lot about what her position, its duties, and the county’s commitment means to area residents. Included in the discussion is how her job, in brief, will be working with “county leadership teams, employees and community partners to build on the work that has already been done and to implement meaningful change” in the future.

“It’s about the people I work with. It’s about the people we serve, we have what 650,000 people in Kent County,” Branson said. “At the end of the day, I want to know I have done something to make a difference. … doing something as important as ensuring people feel like they belong, in our workforce, and more importantly for every single person that comes in our door.”

Teresa Branson, Kent County Chief Inclusion Officer, on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus. (WKTV)

For the complete WKTV Journal In Focus interview, visit here.

Branson holds a Master of Health Administration from Grand Valley State University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education from Central Michigan University.

Prior to her new assignment, she worked as the Deputy Administrative Health Officer for the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). Prior to that, she held numerous public health education positions within KCHD, Child & Family Services of West MI, Inc., and Arbor Circle Corporation.

WKTV Journal In Focus 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 included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

It’s all about the nineties at the next Wyoming Concert in the Park

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Lamar Park has been packed for the Wyoming Concerts in the Park. The next concert is Tuesday, July 27. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Hip-hop, rap, reggae, contemporary R&B, teen pop, and dance-pop — there is no denying that the music of the nineties was eclectic.

 

And while categorizing the era may be nearly impossible, it’s cross-pollination of sounds left a boundary-break legacy that remains today. One of which was grunge music, an alternative forum of rock music that bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains were most known for.

It was, according to West Michigan band PROJECT 90, “the last golden decade of guitar-driven rock” which is the reason the five residents came together in 2016 to form the West Michigan-based group.

The nineties rock tribute band performs at Lamar Park Tuesday, July 27, as part of the Wyoming Concerts in the Park series. The concert is at 7 p.m.

 

PROJECT 90 comes to Lamar Park on Tuesday, July 27. (PROJECT 90)

“I thought it was an amazing crowd for the first night out there and in fact, I think it is the biggest opening crowd that I have seen,” said Mayor Jack Poll as he commented to the council at its Monday night council meeting about the Wyoming Concerts in the Park series. “It seemed to kick off really well.

“They are only doing four or five of them this summer…I always wander before time and talk to a lot of the folks that were there and there was just real enthusiasm to have it back and some of it may be due to COVID, but everyone wants to be outside and communicating with other people. So I thought the attitude and the response there for (the first week) was wonderful.”

Part of the goal of the Wyomig Community Enrichment Committee, which hosts the concerts for the city, is to offer a variety of music, according to LeighAnn TeBos, chair of the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission. The second week featured the Yellow Brick Road Dueling Pianos with members performing an array of cover songs from such performers as Journey, Queen, Lady Gaga, and Elton John. This week is nineties music and the last concert, Aug. 3, will be country as local group Mustang Band performs.

In its five years, PROJECT 90s has racked up a number of awards including being named as best cover band in 2018 by “Revue” magazine. The group’s catalog includes an array of music from some of the leading nineties performers such as blink-182, Green Day, Bon Jovi, Radiohead, Smash Mouth, Cracker, Alice in Chains and 3 Doors Down. The five-piece rock band features lead vocals and corny jokes by Mark Gardner, guitars by Nolan Romzek and Brian Zeemering, bass and vocals by Matt Vail, and Stephen Legg on drums.

Lamar Park is located at 2561 Porter ST. SW. The concerts are recorded by WKTV and rebroadcasted on Comcast Channel 25 at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday. 

44th Street bridge over U.S. 131 closed for maintenance

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The 44th Street bridge over U.S. 131 is temporarily closed due to maintenance.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The 44th Street SW bridge over U.S. 131 will be closed to through traffic staring today, July 23, through 6 a.m. Monday, July 26. The closure is due to maintenance.

U.S. 131 traffic will be allowed to turn right fro the freeway exits on 44th Street but will not be able to turn left and cross the bridge. Traffic on 44th Street will be directed to turn before the bridge and yes the next exit, either 36th Street or 54th Street.

 

All work is weather dependent. The project is being lead by the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Other road projects in the city include resurfacing work on Wilson Avenue, both northbound and southbound lanes. Currently, traffic is now routed to the outer lanes while the contractor performs concrete restoration on the median islands.

For more on road projects in the City of Wyoming, click here. 

After reports of dead birds, West Nile virus infected mosquitoes confirmed in Kent County

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Brendan Earl, Kent County Parks’ supervising sanitarian, further discussed the relationship between dead birds and the virus, and what to do if people find dead birds. (Kent County Health Department)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It has long been known that dead birds can be a sign of West Nile virus infected mosquitoes in the area, and there has been reports in Kent County of dead birds with no obvious injury. But today the Kent County Health Department confirmed that West Nile virus has been detected in tested mosquitoes — not in an infected human — in the county.

According to an health department announcement July 22, the  confirmation was made “during ongoing surveillance and testing” conducted by the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) The discovery comes after testing pools of mosquitoes that were trapped by the health department in the 49506 ZIP code (East Grand Rapids and area).

Brendan Earl, Kent County Parks’ supervising sanitarian, discussed with WKTV the relationship between dead birds and West Nile virus, and why the county is focused on testing live mosquitoes rather than dead birds.

A file photo of a Kent County technician testing mosquitoes for West Nile virus. (KCHD)

“Generally it (the virus) goes from mosquitoes to birds, and then (mosquitoes) to humans,” Earl said to WKTV. “It used to be you brought in a dead bird and you tested the bird, because finding a dead bird is pretty obvious, right, and concerning for most people.

“Here at the health department, we like to look at the mosquito because it is a step before the bird. It is more preventive, it allows us to realize that West Nile is in the environment, in our county, so we can get the word out and take proper precautions to prevent the transmission into humans.”

Additionally, Earl said, finding positive tests in dead birds is a delayed indicator of the virus’ presence.

“When a mosquito bites and transfers the virus into a bird, they act as a host. Now any mosquito that bites the bird will now, itself, become infected. So that will amplify the number of mosquitoes the are positive. Unlike humans, who are dead-end hosts — so if we have West Nile virus and a mosquito bites us, we are not going to transmit the virus to the mosquito.”

(Earl further discussed the relationship between dead birds and the virus, and what to do if people find dead birds, in the video above. This is a link to to report dead birds to the state.)

West Nile and human infection

Humans may be ‘dead-end’ hosts, as Earl said, and rarely have severe consequences from infection unless the person is already immune compromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But that does not mean precautions are not advised.

A mosquito’s bite could lead to infection with West Nile virus. (CDC)

“This discovery is important because it lets us know that this season’s mosquitoes are now carrying the virus and it could spread to humans,” Paul Bellamy, KCHD public health epidemiologist. “It is important for people to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites as much as possible.”

West Nile virus is spread primarily by infected Culex mosquitoes, according to KCHD. Only about 20 percent of the people infected will notice symptoms that may include headache, body aches, joint pains, and fatigue.

Most people with West Nile virus completely recover, but fatigue may linger. About 1 in 150 people infected develop severe illness that can affect the central nervous system. Recovery from West Nile virus may take several months. Some damage to the central nervous system can be permanent. In rare instances the disease can lead to death.

Since there is no vaccine or cure for West Nile virus, the best treatment is prevention. KCHD recommends the following measures:

Wear a mosquito repellant that contains 10 to 35 percent DEET.


Wear light colored clothing and stay indoors during dusk to reduce your risk of being bitten.


Remove or refresh water in bird baths, children’s wading pools, water bowls for your pets, and empty other small containers that can collect water in your yard.

More information about prevention can be found at accesskent.com.

Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum, 2021 Primary Election: Kentwood City Commissioner Ward 2

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosted candidate forums for elections in the Wyoming and Kentwood area. One of them was the City of Kentwood City Commission Ward 2 candidate forum. The forums were produced through the facilities of WKTV Community Media.

Kentwood’s Ward 2 includes voting Precincts 10-18, roughly the east and northeast areas of the city. For a precinct and ward map, click here.

The non-partisan candidates are incumbent Tom McKelvey and challengers Jessica Ann Tyson and Dan VanderMolen. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election (unless one of the primary candidates get 50 percent plus 1 vote in the primary, in which case they will win the seat).

Note: Commissioner McKelvey and Ms. Tyson were able to attend the forum via Zoom; Mr. VanderMolen was not able to attend.

Kentwood City Commissioner candidate forum will air on WKTV Government 26, Friday, July 23, at 8:50 p.m. (immediately following the rebroadcast of this week’s Kentwood Commission Meeting), on Wednesday, July 28, at 8 p.m.; Friday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, July 31, at 1 p.m. It is also available on demand at WKTVvideos on YouTube.

For more information on the candidates in the City of Kentwood City Commission Ward 2 primary election, see this WKTV Journal story on our We The People videos of the race.

 

Public Museum debuts new accessibility technology for blind and low vision visitors

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Kate Kocienski
Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is excited to announce the implementation of Aira, an app-based service that connects people who are blind or have low vision to highly trained, remotely-located agents in real time to guide them through exploration of the Museum at no cost to the visitor.

Through the app on the user’s smartphone, Aira delivers instant access to visual information at the touch of a button, enhancing everyday efficiency, engagement and independence. Visitors to the GRPM can download the app and begin using the service during their visit for free. Through visual interpretation, this guided service provides access for visitors  who are blind or low vision to engage with exhibits, label text, interactives and more while they explore the Museum on their terms.

 

“The Grand Rapids Public Museum is proud to continue to expand access to the Museum for members of the community who are blind or low vision, unlocking an independent experience,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the GRPM. “By partnering with Aira to offer this free access to anyone visiting the GRPM, we are continuing to ensure the Museum is as accessible and inclusive to the broadest population.”

Once connected to an Aira agent, the  visitor, referred to Aira as an Explorer, will decide where and when they would like additional access to information.  They can choose to be navigated through the Museum, making their way to exhibits, the Curiosity Shop, Cafe or anywhere else they would like to go. The Aira agent will customize the experience to what the visitor or Explorer is interested in seeing and learning, reading labels and explaining the details of the artifacts and information around them.

Aira came recommended to the GRPM by the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) through the Museum’s exhibit design process. As the Museum works towards a new, internally-designed exhibit, Fashion and Nature, it connects with local groups and experts within the community for feedback on design, accessibility and inclusivity. As the Museum looks to not only ensure that Fashion and Nature is being designed and built for broad audiences, but that the entire Museum experience is accessible, members of ABVI shared their experience using the Aira service and how empowering it has been in their everyday lives. ABVI is one of many groups the Museum works with for this feedback, including GVSU occupational therapists, Anishinaabe Circle, Disability Advocates of Kent County and more.

 

For more information or to begin your visit to the GRPM, visit grpm.org.

Photo of the Week: The First GM Stamping Plant

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Built in 1936, the GM Stamping Plant, once located on the corner of Buchanan Avenue and 36th Street in Wyoming, was the company’s first stamping plant and was known as Plant No. 1. The plant occupied two million square feet on 92 acres and at its peek, employed more than 3,000 people. In 2007, it would ship 213,091 tons of steel, which is the equivalent of 83,000 GMC Suburbans.

The plant would be one of the causalities of the early 2000s recession that impacted the auto industry with the announcement made in 2007 that it would close. Seventy-four years after opening, in 2010, the last employees left, posing for a Grand Rapids Press photo in front of the plant’s sign. In 2011, the city had the plant demolished.

This image is from a colored photographic lantern slide labeled “general view of stamping division of General Motors.” The slide is part of a slideshow about the GM Grand Rapids Stamping plant that was used by the Grand Rapids Public Museum for educational purposes. The slide is part of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s collection.

Tickets now available for KDL’s Literary Libations

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Grand Rapids author Christopher Cosmos is just one of the authors who will be at the KDL’s Literary Libations event on Sept. 16.

The Kent District Library has partnered with the Meijer Frederik Gardens & Sculpture to host the Literary Libations Gala on Sept. 16.

The event includes cocktails, dinner, and personal reflections for four best selling authors.

Rebecca Deng, author of the memoir “What They Meant for Evil: How a Lost Girl of Sudan Found Healing, Peace, and Purpose in the Midst of Suffering.”

Peter Heller, the best-selling author of “The River” whose most recent book is “The Guide.”

Catherine Coulter, an author best known for her romantic suspense thrillers and historical romances. Her next book “Vortex: An FBI Thriller” is expected in August.

Christopher Cosmos, a Grand Rapids author who graduated from the University of Michigan. His debut novel is “Once We Were Here,” a story about the Greek Resistance in World War II.

Literary Libations is from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE. This year’s program’s fundraising goal is to support the KDL youth poetry programs.

 

For tickets and more information, click here. 

Kent County Veterans Services set to recognize often overlooked female vets with special night

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Local female veterans at a “female only” retreat early this year. (KC Veterans Services)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Kent County Veterans Services recently, and quite literally, opened its office doors to all county veterans and families in need of support and services. And the office is making sure the “all” in “all county veterans” includes female veterans.

To that end, the office is hosting the first of what it plans to be annual Female Veterans Banquet, July 31, at the American Legion Boat and Canoe Club in Grand Rapids. RSVPs are requested by Friday, July 23.

The banquet, a semi-formal affair with the fun of dinner and dancing, and the distinguished speaking of the honorable Rosemary Aqualina, JD, and United States Air Force veteran; and Deborah Brown, DMD and MHS, and U.SA. Army Veteran. It will run 6-11 p.m.

It will also be a night to celebrate female veterans, an often under-celebrated group of veterans.

“The idea for the banquet came from former (Veterans Services Advisory Committee) chair Mel Bauman, and the committee … decided to go ahead with it as part of KCVS overall initiative to engage more female vets in activities and services that are available to them,” Martha Burkett, manager of Kent County Veterans Services, said to WKTV.

“This banquet is an opportunity to celebrate female veterans, to thank them for their service and to acknowledge them for the amazing people that they are and the sacrifices they have made.”

And while all veterans should be thanked for their service, and the sacrifices they have made, female veterans are often left out of the celebrations and recognitions. And the reasons are manyfold.

Female (and male) veterans at an art workshop. (KC Veterans Services)

“Women are less likely to publicly identify as veterans than their male counterparts, and the public does not make a great effort to engage them,” Burkett said. “Often in situations when veterans are being recognized, men will be noticed and commended — even in couples where the man and woman are both vets, the public assumes that he is a vet and she is not. If a woman is unaccompanied in such a situation, unless she is wearing clothing or patches /pins that identify her as a veteran, she is likely to be overlooked entirely.”

Another reason, just beginning to be recognized and addressed, is women in the military sometimes experience military sexual trauma, bullying, and marginalization, Burkett said.

“This is not to say that males to not have these experiences, but it happens less frequently and/or they are less likely to report. Women are also reluctant to report, fearing retaliation and invalidation by their superiors and peers. Often male colleagues will cover for each other, or the military will move the woman to another military base rather than sanctioning the man.

“They make the same sacrifices as men and often experience hostile work and or living environments. Some women have a wonderful experience in the military and are impacted very little by the concerns that I mentioned. Others are greatly impacted and often harbor un earned feelings of shame and guilt or failure about their ability or inability to cope in the environment.”

Female veterans attend an online workshop. (KC Veterans Services)

The bottom line is the a veteran is a veteran, regardless of gender, and the Female Veterans Banquet is addressing that fact.

“Women in the military are as essential and effective in their roles as men,” Burkett said. “Women in the military are smart, strong, capable, and courageous and should be recognized for their efforts accordingly.”

For more information on the Female Veterans Banquet, and to sign up, visit here.

Kent County Veterans Services is located at 836 Fuller NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit kentcountyveteransservices.com or call 616-632-5722.

Dalmatian Stone, with a little stone soul rhythm, coming to Kentwood summer concerts

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Dalmatian Stone (Supplied/Dalmatian Stone)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

There are times when Dalmatian Stone, bringing their soulful blues sound to the Kentwood Summer Concert Series this week, wants (or needs) to be small and tight, and times when it wants to be big and brassy.

Either way, the group — whose members make up the core of the The Stone Soul Rhythm Band — will be offering up a mix of sweet Motown soul to today’s hot funk and dance “and a whole lot of recognizable fun in between,” according to Diego Morales, the leader of what he calls his “mad musical laboratory.”

And why the two bands and two band names?

“Dalmatian Stone is its own entity as an original recording band and for special events, etc., which allows us to keep a good mix of covers with our original music,” Morales said to WKTV. “As that entity we were finding it difficult to secure as many gigs as we had hoped for since the market here really calls for cover bands and original bands need to either play for very little money or travel quite a bit.

“So we decided to resurrect my old band, The Soulz of Rhythm, to pick up extra gigs but found it easier to consolidate into something new, The Stone Soul Rhythm Band, covering songs from Motown soul, R&B through 70’s disco funk, and horn bands like Chicago, Ides of March, Lighthouse and such. … In short we can come to any venue as either entity with or without horns.”

So, while it will be the smaller Dalmatian Stone beginning on stage Thursday, July 22, Morales said “As a special treat we were planning on inviting our horn section up for the last few songs. In essence converting into The Stone Soul Rhythm Band.”

The best of both worlds of music.

For more information on The Stone Soul Rhythm Band (and Dalmatian Stone), visit facebook.com/StoneSoulRhythmBand.

The Kentwood Summer Concert Series, which will run most Thursday nights through Aug. 19, with David Gerald on July 29, 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.

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.

More information is available at kentwood.us/SummerConcertSeries.

Residents sought for subcommittees for Kent County’s improvement planning process

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The Kent County Health Department is looking for residents to join one for four subcommittees to help implement its three-year strategic plan. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The Kent County Health Department is looking for partnering agencies, organizations, and residents to join in developing and implementing its three-year strategic plan 2020 Community Needs Assessment.

This is the next step in the Needs Assessment which was was started in August 2020 with a community-wide survey asking residents to identify the most pressing health issues impacting Kent County.  The survey results identified four areas – mental health, access to health care, discrimination and racial inequity, and economic security – as priorities for the community. Based on these results, an action-oriented and collaborative strategic plan will be developed and implemented to address these community concerns. 

“In order to address the health needs of our community, we not only need community input in identifying the areas of concern but we must have community participation in implementing the strategies to addresses those issues,” said KCHD Public Health Division Director Brian Hartl. “We encourage anyone who would like to be part of this process to join a subcommittee.”

Interested individuals should complete a survey by Monday, July 26. Subcommittee participation will require a one-year commitment and attendance at monthly subcommittee meetings and quarterly coalition meetings.

The Health Department is also seeking individuals to serve as subcommittee chairs. Individuals serving in this capacity must have previous or current affiliation with a community-based organization and be willing to facilitate.

KCHD has been in the business of providing health services to Kent County since 1931. The Health Department is home to nearly 260 employees including public health nurses, sanitarians, health educators, technicians, public health administrators, and specialized staff at the Kent County Animal Shelter. The Health Department operates one main clinic and three satellite clinics located in Kentwood, Rockford, and Grand Rapids. To learn more about KCHD services, visit www.accesskent.com/health. 

The Bootstrap Boys don’t disappoint in third Sounds of Summer concert

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By Patty Williams
P. Williams Productions

  • The drum says it all
  • Lara Wiliams does a sound check
  • Lead singer Jason Stilson (Big Jake Bootstrap)
  • Jon Bruha on bass
  • Nick Alexander on lead guitar and vocals
  • Jeff Knol on drums for The Bootstrap Boys
  • Having a swingin’ good time
  • Jon Bruha on bass
  • Show producer Patty Williams records the shows
  • A volunteer helps with the show
  • Hanging out and listening to the music

Crowds continue to pack Cutler Park as the third Sounds of Summer concert series took place July 15 and featured country music with the Bootstrap Boys.

Line dancing and singing along with some old country favorites delighted the audience throughout the night.

Lead singer Jason Stilson (Big Jake Bootstrap) showcased many original songs along with the country classics. Round out the band was Nick Alexander lead guitar and vocals; Jeff Knol on drum and vocals; Jon Bruha on bass; and lead singer songwriter on rhythm guitar Jason Stilson.

The Bootstrap Boys put on a highly professional show and have been traveling the music scene nationwide. The group has several CDs available and a classic record album. To learn more about The Bootstrap Boys, visit the group’s Facebook page. 

There are two more Sounds of Summer concerts left. This Thursday, July 22, is the rock band Jaded 8. The July 29 grand finale will feature national headliner Audie Blyalock and Redline bluegrass. 

Sponsored by the Byron Township and a nested by P. Williams Productions, all the concerts are free. Concerts are at 7 p.m. at Cutler Park, 6701 Cutler Park Dr. SW.

For more information visit the Sounds of Summer Cutlerville Facebook page or call 616-818-9874.

Public, with RSVP, invited to Michigan Veterans Homes GR open house July 22

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A memorial and a new building at West Michigan’s veteran-care facility. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids, a local facility previously called the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, will hold an open house of the new new facility on July 22 from 3-7 p.m., and the public is invited.

The Michigan Veteran Homes GR is located at 2950 Monroe Avenue, NE, Grand Rapids. (For a WKTV Journal story, video and photographs on the new facility, visit here.)

The event is hosted by the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Michigan Veteran Homes and the Michigan Veterans Facility Authority Board of Directors.

Paying respects to veterans: a Scout places a flag at a graveyard near the new Michigan Veterans Homes GR. (Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs)

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our community members, veteran service organizations, and other stakeholders to take a 30-minute tour of the new Home,” Tiffany Carr, Michigan Veteran Homes, said in supplied material.  “Although our current members and their families have had the opportunity to tour the new home, we felt that it was also important to provide our community partners with the opportunity to see what we’ve been working on.

“We’re looking forward to the chance to meet with those curious about the new Home, as well as provide information about admissions, volunteer opportunities and other ways the community can help support our Heroes.”

Those interested in touring the home should RSVP by July 19 at this link or to email her at CarrT1@michigan.gov.

Construction on the new home began in April 2019. Funding for the project came from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs State Home Construction Grant Program, which contributed $40.9 million, and the state of Michigan, which covered the remaining $22 million for a total project cost of $62.9 million, according to supplied material.

The facility, which will serve 128 veterans and dependents in need of skilled nursing care, occupies 153,000 square feet and consists of four unique neighborhood buildings and a community center.

The new building is designed to provide care in a more “home-like” environment rather than the older more institutional setting that used to exist. The neighborhood buildings contain private-resident rooms with ensuite baths and feature shared living and dining spaces.

The adjacent 33,000 square foot community center is the centerpiece of the home and features therapeutic facilities for behavioral, occupational, physical and group therapy, an exam room, chapel, barbershop and salon, café bistro and gift shop. Residents will also have access to outdoor courtyards which will allow them to observe the natural surroundings the campus has to offer.

West Michigan’s veteran-care facility held a small ceremony early this year to raise a 30- by 50-foot flag just off Monroe Avenue NE across from Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

The Michigan Veteran Homes (MVH), according to supplied material, is the entity that provides day-to-day operational oversight of the state’s veteran homes on behalf of the Michigan Veterans Facility Authority and is a branch of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

The MVH operates the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids, the Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti in Marquette and the new Michigan Veteran Homes at Chesterfield Township.

For more information on the MVH visit: michigan.gov/mvh.

With primary Aug. 3, WKTV Election 2021 stories you might have missed

3-bottom, Election, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Politics, Upcoming Events, We The People,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of private citizen” casting their vote.

Louis Brandeis, justice on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1916-39

2021 primary and general local election summary

When 2021 election filing deadline passed in April, the Kent County election office reported six candidates running for the open 28th District State Senate seat (more could be added if independents file) and there will be five contested elections in the City of Kentwood, including for mayor, city commissioners and the city clerk. Go here for the story.

Primary election, City of Kentwood, Commissioner Ward 2

The City of Kentwood Ward 2 includes three non-partisan candidates: incumbent Tom McKelvey and challengers Jessica Ann Tyson and Dan VanderMolen. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election (unless one of the primary candidates get 50 percent plus 1 vote in the primary, in which case they will win the seat). Go here for the story.

Primary election, 28th District Senate

Last year, Peter MacGregor stepped away from the 28th District Senate seat to take over the position of Kent County treasurer, leaving the seat open until the governor called a special election. Five candidates, two Democrats and three Republicans are seeking the nomination from their respective parties in the Aug. 3 primary. The top vote getters in each of the party elections (and possible independent candidates) will face off in the November general election. Go here for the story.

Fun fact:

80 million

More Americans voted in 2020 than in any other presidential-year election in 120 years. About 67 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, but that still means a third did not. That amounts to about 80 million people. Source.

WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20: Kentwood ‘working family man’, yet Muslim who sometimes feels like an outsider

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Local Business, Local Faces, Local History, Voices, WKTV Journal In Focus, ,

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Continuing the WKTV Journal In Focus series “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”, Hamid Elmorabeti, who was born and raised Morocco, leads a classic American immigrant family.

He and his family live in a quiet neighborhood in Kentwood where everybody had great lawns and kids ride their bikes. After first operating a trucking company with his family, he now works in truck maintenance. His wife, Mirsada, also works locally, and their son, Marwin, attends Kentwood Pubic Schools.

In our interview, Elmorabeti talks about his and his family’s journey to West Michigan and American citizenship, about that fateful 9/11 day 20 years ago when his wife advised him to not leave the house, and about how things have gotten better for local Muslims as that tragic day has become more history than nightly news.
 

The Kentwood family of Hamid Elmorabeti, at home prayer during COVID-19 mosque closure. (Courtesy of Elmorabeti Family)

But Elmorabeti, who has deep roots in the community — decades-long roots, admits he often still feels like an outsider.

“Yes, sometimes I do,”  Elmorabeti said in the interview. “Society, they choose how they look at us. We try as hard as we can to fit in. But sometimes it is really hard. I remember one time I was driving a truck … ”

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 and global politics, we now present 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.

Latino Community Coalition seeking nominations to have downtown alleyway named for local Latina

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Local History, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

It is a City of Grand Rapids alleyway which will eventually bear the name of a local Latina woman and which the Latino Community Coalition hopes “will honor our rich history and the women to whom many families owe their legacies here in Grand Rapids.”

But the Latino Community Coalition knows that a woman who made an impact in Grand Rapids may well have lived and had family anywhere in West Michigan.

“Gentrification and displacement has been a significant factor shaping our migration story in Grand Rapids,” a spokesperson for the Latino Community Coalition Committee said to WKTV. “We encourage nominations from families across West Michigan and invite you to submit stories of your loved Latinas.”

“La gentrificación y el desplazamiento han sido un factor importante que ha dado forma a nuestra historia de migración en Grand Rapids. Alentamos las nominaciones de familias de West Michigan y los invitamos a enviar historias de sus amadas latinas.”

For information in Spanish see this. Para obtener información en español, consulte este.

HERencia_spanishDownload

The Latino Community Coalition is seeking nominations from the Latino community for a Latina women after whom they will be naming an alleyway downtown as part of the Downtown Grand Rapids alleyway activation initiative. They are calling their effort “HERencia.”

“We hope our community can help us by bringing forth a Latina woman who has passed on, but whose memory lives on in the minds and hearts of her family members,” according to an announcement this week from the coalition. “We want to honor the point of origin to which their family can trace their roots here in Grand Rapids.”

Instead of relying on accomplishments, awards and other merits, the group hopes to celebrate women who were the first in their family to set roots in Grand Rapid.

“We hope to elevate the stability they brought to their home, how they anchored the family for generations to come, and all the milestones and accomplishments for those generations we can now celebrate,” according to the coalition. “Her story is our story, and it will be archived at the Cook Library Center for future generations to always remember her. This alley will honor her life and legacy.”

The Downtown Grand Rapids alleyway activation initiative is meant to create permanent physical representation of our community in public places.

The Coalition is partnering with the Downtown Grand Rapids Inc on the project, as well as the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, which is located next to the alley which will bear the name.

“Grand Rapids Community Foundation is proud to partner with the Latino Community Coalition to honor the legacy of local Latina women who have helped shape our community,” Diana Sieger, president of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, said in supplied material.
 

As part of that effort, the Latino Community Coalition is holding an online event July 20. Go here for the Facebook event details.

People in local Latino communities who would like to nominate a Latina from their family, neighborhood or community are encouraged to do so online in English or in Spanish at bit.ly/herenciaGR.

Nominations can also be submitted by visiting partnering agencies which can assist with filling out paper applications, including The Other Way Ministries, the Hispanic Center of West Michigan, the Latina Network of West Michigan, La Casa de la Cobija, Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, Isabel Media Studios, and the Grandville Ave Arts and Humanities.

The deadline to submit applications is July 31, after which the Latino Community Coalition will choose finalists and gather further information from each family, before making a final decision.

GR’s only dueling piano show next up at the Wyoming Concerts in the Park

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
The music continues at Lamar Park with the next concert set for Tuesday, July 20. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

They are a familiar sight to the outdoor summer concert series: two guys with two pianos better known as the Yellow Brick Road Dueling Pianos.

The group is headed to Wyoming next week for the second Concerts in the Park series set for Tuesday, July 20, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The concert starts at 7 p.m. 

The Yellow Brick Road Dueling Pianos perform Tuesday, July 20, at Lamar Park. (Supplied)

“We are very excited to be able to bring the concerts back,” said LeighAnn TeBos, chair of the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission. The commission oversees the annual Concerts in the Park. “It is truncated this year, but it is all about getting Wyoming back into the grove of things.”

That was definitely the case with the July 13 concert featuring The Soul Syndicate. Despite the threat of rain, there was a big crowd and lots of dancing.

“When there are dance tunes, people definitely come out,” TeBos said with a laugh.

And there will be dance tunes Tuesday, July 20, as Grand Rapids only traveling dueling piano show takes over the Lamar Park stage. The duo performs a number of rock classics from such groups as Queen, Journey, Lady Gaga, and, of course, Elton John. There also will be lots of audience participation time as the group performs iconic songs that anyone will know the chorus to such as “Sweet Caroline,” “Margaritaville,” and “Don’t Stop Believin’”.

Next up for the Concerts in the Park will be the Project 90 (featuring favorites from the nineties), July 27; and country and classic rock covers from the Mustang Band, Aug. 3. All concerts are free. Concerts start at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park.

The concerts are recorded by WKTV and rebroadcasted on Comcast Channel 25 at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday. 

Perfect for little royals — parade and fairytale brunch kids day coming to Gilmore Car Museum

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, West Michigan,
Fairytale princesses will be cruising in cool cars at the Gilmore Car Museum next week. (Gilmore Car Museum)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Gilmore Car Museum, and a bunch of little princesses and princes, had so much fun early this year that the museum will hold its second Princesses on Parade & Fairytale Brunch outdoor event on Friday, July 23.

“Children will enjoy unforgettable interactions with their favorite storybook princesses and special cars from the museum’s world-class collection,” according to an announcement from the museum, located between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo at Hickory Corners. Activities will run 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and different levels of tickets are on sale now.

With purchase of a Fairytale Brunch ticket, children can enjoy a delicious morning brunch with Rapunzel, Ariel, and Belle, as they mingle with guests under the outdoor tent, lead a special welcome dance, and conduct a wishing ceremony.

Pretty in Pink: Princesses and cars at the Gilmore Car Museum. (Gilmore Car Museum)

Or, with purchase of a standalone Meet & Greet ticket, children can capture memorable outdoor photo ops with up to 12 storybook princesses and vintage vehicles as they tour the Gilmore lawns, according to the announcement. Also, purchase of a special Princesses on Parade ride ticket allows for parent and child to enjoy a ride around campus alongside a Princess, waving to onlookers, in a classic convertible.

“Princess Days at the Gilmore Car Museum engage and delight children, yet also educate and introduce them to automotive history,” Josh Russell, executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum, said in supplied material.

Outdoor photos with the featured princesses will be taken in front of landmark buildings and special vehicles from the museum collections, including a 1921 Roamer Speedster, America’s Sweetheart Model A Ford, and a 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sedanca DeVille.

Capacity for the Fairytale Brunch is limited to 150 guests, and capacity for Princesses on Parade convertible rides are limited to 80 guests.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

Princess Day at the Gilmore Car Museum is produced in collaboration with Michigan-based Olivia Grace & Company, and its cast of unforgettable character performers. For additional information on Olivia Grace & Company, please visit oliviagraceandcompany.com.

For more information, visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org, call 269-671-5089 or email info@gilmorecarmuseum.org.

Benzing Graves Collective brings ‘swingin’ good times’ to Kentwood Summer Concert Series this week

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
The Benzing Graves Collective will be bringing their West Michigan bred country sounds to Kentwood. (Benzing Graves Collective)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Benzing Graves Collective — aka “BGC” — may be led in music and name by Austin Benzing and Hannah Rose Graves, but with Jeremiah Wenger, Luke Lenhart and Max Griffith added to the “collective”, the band’s stop in Kentwood this week is sure to offer the audience “old-school country steeped in swingin’ good times,” so they say their facebook page.

The West Michigan group of musicians and songwriters hail from different parts of Michigan, were raised on different styles of music, but blend all of the best genres to create their own completely unique sound.

For more information on the Benzing Graves Collective, visit the band’s Facebook page.

The Kentwood Summer Concert Series, which will run most Thursday nights through Aug. 19, will also include West Michigan favorites Dalmatian Stone on July 22, David Gerald on July 29, 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.

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.

New this year, Kentwood will offer essential workers and their guests special VIP seating near the stage. Essential workers who are interested can RSVP online prior to each concert.

More information is available at kentwood.us/SummerConcertSeries.

We the People 2021 Primary Election: City of Kentwood’s City Commissioner Ward 2

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Election, Going Local, Local Faces, Local History, Politics, Upcoming Events, We The People, ,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Note: For the Michigan Aug. 3 primary election, WKTV’s We The People program invited participation from all candidates. If they participated, their videos are linked here, For those who did not participate, either a candidate-provided biography/issues statement, or simply their name is listed. All videos are 5-minutes or less, and were not edited in any way by WKTV.

The City of Kentwood Ward 2 includes voting Precincts 10-18, roughly the east and northeast areas of the city. For a precinct and ward map, click here.

The non-partisan candidates are incumbent Tom McKelvey and challengers Jessica Ann Tyson and Dan VanderMolen. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election (unless one of the primary candidates get 50 percent plus 1 vote in the primary, in which case they will win the seat).

Note: Commissioner McKelvey chose not to record a We The People video

Tom McKelvey – Incumbent

Occupation: President of Leadership Consulting Associates

Why did you decide to run for this position?

When I decided to run in 2017, I ran because I wanted to get involved and make a difference in Kentwood. Over the past 4 years, I have grown into a stronger leader for Kentwood citizens. I am running again, because I feel with my proven leadership experience, I can continue to help Kentwood create a vision for the future, that will create a strong, economically viable city for many years.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Kentwood citizens and businesses have just come out of a challenging year. It’s time now that we use the funds that have been given to us to build a stronger business community through loans and grants, that we improve our parks and quality of life, and that we stay within our budget so that we don’t need to ask the citizens of Kentwood to increase their taxes. We have the funds to do all these things, we just need to have the discipline to manage citizen tax dollars wisely and fairly.


  

Jessica Ann Tyson — Candidate

Occupation: Business owner of The Candied Yam — Delightful Southern Cuisine; JA PR Group, LLC; Pink Lounge Dry Salt Therapy

Why did you decide to run for this position?

I want to continue and expand my volunteer service to the community I love, work and live in.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Involved leadership — If you serve the community you must be genuinely and authenticity involved. You only know what the community needs if you show up. Lack of involved leadership will only cause further disconnect. Our community is changing and deserves leadership involvement.
 

The community of Kentwood is facing space deficits. From crisis with housing to available land for zoning uses, the right leadership can support with expertise and knowledge. The city needs active and forward thinkers in utilization and creation of spaces available that will make sense for our community and generations to come.

 

Dan VanderMolen — Candidate

Occupation: Project Coordinator at First Steps Kent

Why did you decide to run for this position?

I’m running for this position because I believe that the residents of Kentwood want a solutions-focused government that works for them, with them, to tackle the important issues facing the city. Kentwood has an incredible opportunity right now to establish a future of long term growth and development, and for that to happen we need to leverage all of our available resources and create intentional, strategic partnerships with the amazing people and organizations in our area. I have made community collaboration the focus of my career over the past ten years and know for a fact that If we work cooperatively we can create a thriving city that works for everyone. However, we’ll only be able to accomplish that if we pledge to focus on what brings us together, not what tears us apart.

Please list two to three issues you feel your voters are facing:

Affordable Housing: It’s no secret that Kent County currently suffers from an affordable housing crisis which extends to the community of Kentwood. Far too often our residents are faced with the difficult decision of whether to pay their rent or mortgage, or spend money on basic needs. As housing costs continue to climb, pricing many people out of the market, it is imperative that we provide effective measures to help people find safe, attainable housing no matter what the budget.

High quality, affordable child care: The Covid-19 pandemic illuminated a number of things about our world, one of which is just how important access to child care is to the health of our families, our community, and our economy. To address this crisis, we need to tackle it on two fronts: Lower costs for families and higher wages for providers. The only way to accomplish that is through targeted financial investment at the local, state, and federal levels.

Broadband internet: Another issue that became abundantly clear over the past year and a half is that not everyone in our community has equal access to the broadband internet services absolutely necessary to support remote learning and work. By working with local tech companies and internet providers we can develop the much needed infrastructure required to assure that nobody in Kentwood is ever left behind again.

Financial Perspective: How to Avoid Cyber Scams During (and After the Pandemic)

Citizen Journalism

Dave Stanley
Integrity Financial Service, LLC

“In the spirit of never letting a good crisis go to waste, cybercriminals are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to steal vital information and gain access to your money and credit.” – Dave Stanley

COVID-19-related measures have Americans spending more time than ever online, working, attending school, or shopping. This captive audience is tempting to fraudsters who are finding more efficient and creative ways to steal insurance, medical, and banking information, and other personal data.

According to 2019 fraud studies, identity fraud victims’ out-of-pocket costs doubled from 2016 to 2018, totaling nearly $1.7 billion. Experts warn this amount could potentially increase by the end of the pandemic.

Emboldened by the chaos created by COVID-19, cybercriminals are moving beyond banking and credit cards into other, less obvious areas. Scammers are now adept at breaching customer loyalty accounts, mobile phones, and retirement savings accounts. Professional cyber thieves can often able to fool even sophisticated verification processes.

Forced to spend more time online, older Americans are primary targets for those pushing vaccine scams, bogus text-message campaigns, robo-calls, and fake emails. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to mitigate the risk of becoming a victim of online theft. 


Become more aware.

Exercise vigilance when it comes to all your accounts. This includes automated bill-paying accounts, banking and checking, credit cards, and any site where you store personal information. Use a shredder for any important but to be discarded personal information. Many accounts give you the option to receive instant notifications if suspicious activity is detected, a feature that could be helpful.

Never reveal your personal or financial information online. Use caution even when entering data into local or city government, insurance and financial, or utility websites. If you can, call these entities and verify your identity over the phone. Assume that anything posted on social media sites could be made public and available to con artists and other criminals.

Keep your phone and computer updated regularly. Software and hardware manufacturers routinely discover weaknesses that hackers can exploit to steal data. Updating your devices consistently helps ensure you don’t miss important security fixes that make you vulnerable to being hacked. If you receive many requests daily to update your email system, verify by calling your service, do NOT click on the link.

Use “multifactor” authentication on password-protected accounts. Using multifactor authentication can be a bit of a hassle, but multiple forms of verification, such as having codes texted to you, can help discourage hackers. 123456 is NOT a good password!


Hang up on “spam” and robocalls.

Trust your gut when you get calls from numbers you don’t recognize or texts that don’t seem quite right. Hang up immediately and report the number as spam. 

Put a red flag on all communications concerning COVID vaccines. Unless you are 100% sure the text, email, or phone call you get is from local authorities, be cautious about responding to vaccine or testing “information.” Watch for text scams that claim to have Covid-19 cures for sale or offer to sell you admission to testing sites or at-home test kits.


Watch out for fake government communications. 

If you are asked for any personally-identifying information, including your Social Security number, date of birth, or a credit card number, be extremely cautious. You should NEVER pay money in advance to sign up for the vaccine or get an appointment.

Be skeptical about any text, email, or call you get from sources claiming they are from the Social Security Administration, the IRS, the state health department, or other government agencies. Government employees will not threaten you with cutting off benefits if you don’t provide information. Unless you have specifically asked for a phone call or text, most government agencies will never contact you except through regular mail.

The IRS does not call you on the phone and threaten you, neither does the Social Security Administration, these are scammers.


Bottom line: Online criminals are taking advantage of the pandemic’s unusual circumstances to ramp up their data theft and scams. Leveraging fears surrounding the virus, these thieves invent new ways to entice naturally cautious people into giving up vital financial information.

Even if you spend limited time online or use your mobile device, you need to be diligent about the type of information you share online and with whom you share this data.


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

HOM Flats, City of Wyoming seeking vendors for fall public market

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , ,
HŌM Flats at 28 West and the City of Wyoming will be hosting two public markets in September. (pxhere.com)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

An open market will return to the former 28th Studio site in the form of the HŌM Flats Public Market scheduled for this September.

“HŌM Flats is about providing quality homes that are accessible to all,” said Jaylyn McCloy with Magnus Capital Partners, which owns HŌM Flats at 28 West, located right across from the Wyoming High School at 1401 Prairie Parkway SW. The location was once part of the Studio 28 site and hosted the Studio 28 Flea Market for 50 years.

“We also wanted to be able to offer everything that the community has to our residents right to their front door,” McCloy said, adding that is how the public market idea was born. 

The goal is to have vendors and food trucks representing businesses from the area, she said. The entire market is free to those attending and to the vendors.

“We really wanted to emphasis the community aspect and have the market open and available to everyone,” McCloy said, adding there is no fees for vendors to participate.  

There is a deadline for those wishing to be a vendor, which is July 23. If you are interested in being a vendor, contact McCloy at jpm@magnuscapitalpartners.com. McCloy said vendors will receive information about the event and a bio sheet to complete.

“We had been planning this for a couple of months and once all the pieces were in place, we approached the city about sponsoring,” McCloy said. “It turns out that the city also was looking at doing something similar and really liked the concept, so they asked to partner.”

The partnership means the event will be hosted on two days, Sept. 18 at HŌM Flats at 28 West and Sept. 25 at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Both events will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

Vendors may participate in either one or both events, McCloy said. Due to the locations, spaces are limited, so vendors are encouraged to apply soon. 

The threat of rain could not stop the music at Cutler Park

3-bottom, Local Entertainment, WKTV Projects,
  • Tommie Foster and his FAN Club
  • Prepping for the show
  • Tommie Foster on lead guitar and vocals.
  • Justin Audeh on bass and vocals and Ezekiel Kinny on fiddle
  • Scott Nesbit on mandolin and vocals and Justin Audeh on bass and vocals
  • Tommie Foster on lead guitar and vocals.
  • Ezekiel Kinny on fiddle

By Patty Williams
P. Williams Productions

The threat of rain did not keep the Sounds of Summer fans from filling Cutler Park last Thursday to see the Americana/folk band Tommie and his FAN Club from the North Muskegon/Whitehall area.

The band members are Ezekiel Kinny on fiddle and vocals, Scott Nesbit mandolin and vocals, Justin Audeh bass and vocals, and Tommie Foster lead guitar and vocals.

Tommie and his FAN Club band had the crowd singing along and goofing around all night with an exceptional entertaining show. Setting aside the comedy, there is no doubt that these guys are well seasoned musicians.

 

The author with the Tommie and his FAN Club. (Photos by Patty Williams)

Zeke and Scott played and sang several bluegrass favorites on fiddle and mandolin.

Applause from all angles of the park erupted as the members played solo breaks on their instruments. Justin, dressed in his colorful clothing and glasses, played and sang old-time country favorites like Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away.”

Band leader Tommy Foster has a lifetime of music in his background as a singer, songwriter, and entertainer. Tommy has no fear on stage when it came to being crazy with the crowd. The spontaneous one-liners and dancing had the people laughing all evening, making it a great show and fun night.

All of the Sounds of Summer concerts are sponsored by The Byron Township. The concerts are every Thursday evening in July. This week, Thursday, July 15, features The Bootstrap Boys Country. On July 22 will be rock group Jaded 8 and the grand finale on July 29 will feature national headliner Audie Blaylock and Redline bluegrass band. All concerts are at 7 p.m. at Cutler Park, 6701 Cutler Park Dr. SW.

For more information visit the Sounds of Summer Cutlerville Facebook page or call 616-818-9874.

We the People 2021 Primary: State of Michigan 28th District Senate Seat

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Last year, Peter MacGregor stepped away from the 28th District Senate seat to take over the position of Kent County treasurer, leaving the 28th District Senate seat open. Five candidates, two Democrats and three Republicans are seeking the nomination from their respective parties in the Aug. 3 primary. The top vote getters in each of the party elections will face off in the general election for the seat. This is for one year with the seat returning to its regular election cycle in 2022. Note, voters may only vote for a Republican or Democrat candidate.

The 28th District of the State Senate includes the City of Wyoming as well as the cities of Walker, Rockford and Cedar Springs. For a district map, click here.

Democrats

Keith Courtade

Occupation: Retired UAW Skills Trades

Why did you decide to run for the District 28 Senate seat?

I feel important things are going on and I have a passion for it. I have always had a passion for it and I want to help people. I’ve been a voice for the middle class and have a passion to help people.

What are the key issues you are focused on?

The biggest issue is the right to vote. I believe all people should have the right to vote. The next one, and the one closer to Michigan, is cleaning up and protecting our groundwater. I’ve seen firsthand what happened in Flint as I was working at the GM plant there at the time. More needs to be done to fix the problem not just in the in the Flint area but all of Michigan as contaminated groundwater is a statewide issue.

Gidget Groendyk

Occupation: Hobby farmer and home remodeler

Why did you decide to run for the District 28 Senate seat?

My family has always been committed to serving the community which started with my grandfather who the day after the Pearl Harbor attack joined Patton’s army.

 

What are the key issues you are focused on?

I am a grassroots activist, environmentalist, advocate for social justice, nonviolent resister and regular citizens who’ve had enough of corporate-dominated politics. I would look at infrastructure, the PFAS contamination, and work on reopening small businesses.

Republicans

Tommy Brann

Occupation: The current 77th District State Representative, serving the City of Wyoming and Byron Township, Brann is a restaurant owner and president of the Division Avenue Business Association.

Why did you decide to run for the District 28 Senate seat?

My restaurant business is a small business and I will have been there 50 years. I see so much at my restaurant. My experiences at the restaurant I take to Lansing such as homelessness, something that I often witness. I fought hard to get $1.9 million to get homeless shelters up to $18 per bed. I also have given half of my salary, about $60,000, back to the community.

What are the key issues you are focused on?

I will continue to be focused on housing and homelessness. Also we need to be supporting family businesses and I want to work to get our K-12 education in the top 10 of the nation.

Kevin Green

Occupation: Green is the Algoma Township Supervisor and has served as a Wyoming City Council member and 77th District State Representative.

Why did you decide to run for the District 28 Senate seat?

I felt that the Legislature was not being effective in stopping the Governor on her mandates. I feel that my voice could be a lot more effective in carrying what the people want and I believe I have shown that in my past history in public service.

What are the key issues you are focused on?

Election integrity is an important issue. We need to follow that chain of custody, following the vote and making sure it matches with the signature. We also need to focus on our businesses as they slowly reopen. Lastly, I have worked on legislation for Count the Kicks, which is a a stillbirth prevention campaign that encourages expectant parents to track their baby’s movements during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Mark Huizenga

Occupation: The current 74th District State Representative, which covers Rockford, Cedar Springs, Algoma Township along with the cities of Walker and Grandville, Huizenga owns Mark Huizenga Systems Consulting, a consulting firm, and is the managing partner for Key Green Solutions, a software company.

Why did you decide to run for the District 28 Senate seat?

I have always been involved not because of the campaigns or the politics, but because I have been asked to. My past background includes serving the state and mayoral experience with the City of Walker. I offer transparent accountability and am known to respond to all questions. I also make a point of meeting with people and talking about the issues that impact them.

 

What are the key issues you are focused on?

Currently there is no formula for state funding of higher education with some institutions receiving more than others. I sit on the Higher Education Committee and have been working toward creating a more equability funding system. Other issues are mental health, especial in our schools and I have worked to help launch a new hotline through the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, we need to look at gun violence. 

From Parisian jazz to Detroit soul, GRAM on the Green has got it

Entertainment, Local Entertainment
Djangophonique performs with Via and The Playboys July 29 for GRAM on the Green. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The music will return to the front outdoor area of the Grand Rapids Art Museum as the organization recently announced it would host its free summer concert series GRAM on the Green.

In partnership with WYCE 88.1 FM, this will be the 12th year that GRAM has offered the annual free summer concert series, which will take place Thursday evenings from July 29 to Aug. 12.

“We’re thrilled for free summer concerts to return to the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s terrace this summer,” said GRAM Communications Manager Elizabeth Payne. “GRAM on the Green with WYCE 88.1F is part of the Museum’s ongoing commitment to provide free and accessible experiences for our community year-round.”

JROB+Bedrock performs with the garage-rock band Hollywood Makeout. (Supplied)

This year’s lineup brings three evenings of performances by local and regional talent to downtown Grand Rapids. Guests of all ages are invited to relax on the Museum’s outdoor terrace and enjoy free live music, food trucks, free museum admission, art-making activities, and a cash bar.

Kicking off the series July 29 is Diangophonique with Via & The Playboys. The performance will feature musical tribute of the Parisian Jazz Monouche style that was made popular by Sinit guitarist Django Reinhardt and his Quintette du Hot Club de France.

Aug. 5 is JROB + Bedrock with Hollywood Makeout. JROB + Bedrock is known for a mix of music hip-hop, rap, R&B, and techno music while Hollywood Makeout is a beloved local garage-rock band.

Laura Rain & The Caesars wrapped up the GRAM on the Green series Aug. 12. (Supplied)

Wrapping up the series on Aug. 12 is Laura Rain & The Caesars, and R&B soul group from Detroit that is known to put their own unique twist to some of the classic recordings of the past. 

“The lineup this year reflects not only the diversity of the music scene here in Grand Rapids, but across Michigan,” said WYCE Station Manager Jess Martin. “We can’t wait to see everyone at the shows this summer!”

Admission to the Museum is free during GRAM on the Green evenings from 5 – 9 p.m., as part of Meijer Free Thursday Nights. 

Concert guests are invited inside the galleries to explore the exhibitions on view during the summer months, including “American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum,” “A Summer Potluck: Stephen Frykholm’s Picnic Posters,” “Design Highlights from the Permanent Collection,” and rotating works from the Permanent Collection.

Photo of the Week: The Rodeo Gates

City of Wyoming, , ,

Once a fixture at Wyoming’s Lamar Park, the Wyoming Rodeo drew in hundreds of thousands of people every year. To celebrate the city’s incorporation, Wyoming decided to host the Wyoming Festival in 1962. The event was so popular that at the suggestion of business owner Lyle Converse, the Wyoming Rodeo was born. For about the next 25 years, the rodeo brought some of the biggest name performers of the time, such as Bob Hope, Michael Landon, Reba McEntire, Crystal Gale, and Tammy Wynette. By the mid-1980s, interest in the rodeo had dwindled. The building was torn down in the 1990s.

From the Wyoming Rodeo came the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission which hosts the annual Concerts in the Park at Lamar Park and other events.

Kent County health joins with community groups to bring mobile vaccination unit to underserved

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Hard News, Health, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects
Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for Kent County Health Department, talks about its mobile unit and why it is part of the effort to reach under vaccinated populations. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Kent County Health Department’s mobile COVID-19 vaccination unit’s community outreach effort last week happened to be at a south Grand Rapids neighborhood, but it could have been — and could yet be — to any under-served, under-vaccinated neighborhood including ones in Wyoming and Kentwood.

Kent County Health Department nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket in south Grand Rapids last week. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

The health department, which initially led the effort to establish mass vaccination sites, is transforming part of its efforts to team with local community groups and offer vaccination availability to persons not yet served — as they did July 8 when its nursing staff and mobile vaccine unit visited the Great Giant Supermarket, at 1226 Madison Ave. SE, for the first of four Thursdays in July, each from 1-3 p.m.

“We are finding more and more, with people who are kind of on the fence about vaccination … We have heard that it needs to be convenient for them,” Brian Hartl, epidemiology supervisor for the health department, said to WKTV. “So we have the mobile unit out, at a couple different locations each week.”

And why the selection of the south Grand Rapids location? The answer if two-fold: low vaccination rates and hesitancy to get vaccinated by the black community, and the partnership with a trusted community group.

A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“This area has a low vacation rate, we know that from our data,” Hartl said. “And we really want to partner with community organizations that are in these neighborhoods and are trusted by the residents.”

In the case of the south Grand Rapids area, that “trusted” community organization is Seeds of Promise — a group who’s expressed goals include “building local resident leadership and trust, deep listening to community voices, and meeting the needs and wants that are expressed by the neighborhood.”

Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise, said teaming with the health deportment meets all three of those goals.

Ron Jimmerson, executive director of Seeds of Promise. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“If we are going to service the people, we have to be able to bring the services to the people,” Jimmerson said to WKTV. “Many of our residents, over 50 percent of them, don’t have WiFi. They don’t have iPhones. So it was very difficult fo them to get signed up, and get transportation, and go to somewhere outside their community. So the residents wanted us to bring the service, the vaccinations, to the community.”

At last week’s event, Jimmerson praised the owners of the Great Giant Supermarket for allowing the mobile vaccination clinic to set up for several weeks. But the effort was not focused just on the people that would be shopping at the store, as its location is also in a neighborhood with a homeless population.

“The other concern that the residents had was that we have a large homeless population in this location, in this area,” Jimmerson said. “We want to be able to serve them, and work with other organizations to bring this service to them.”

The Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be available at all the mobile vaccine clinics, according to the health department. Appointments are not required and there is no charge for the vaccine. More information on vaccine locations can be at vaccinatewestmi.com/clinics.

For more information on Seeds of Promise, visit seedsofpromisegr.org.

Great Lakes Surf Festival hosts its third event at Muskegon’s Pere Marquette Beach

Entertainment, Great Lakes, Local Entertainment, , , ,
Great Lakes Surf Festival returns in 2021 with an August date and location at Muskegon’s Pere Marquette Beach. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

After great success during the first two events in 2018 and 2019, the Great Lakes Surf Festival is back and will be holding their third annual event on Aug. 14 at Pere Marquette Beach in Muskegon Michigan. For 2021, event goers will be able to learn how to surf and paddleboard, along with practicing in yoga directly on the beach. Music, food, and a raffle will also take place. Several surfboards and paddleboards will be given away along with a trip to Costa Rica.

 

No waves? No problem! The Great Lakes Surf Festival in conjunction with Tommy’s Boats of Grand Rapids Michigan will be making artificial waves. Tommy’s Boats will be able to generate waist high waves to simulate ocean waves. These conditions will be ideal for those seeking a gentle way to learn a variety of boardsports.

 

“We are excited to see the Great Lakes Surf Festival grow and to have the support from our sponsors and from the surf and paddleboard industry,” said Event Co-Founder Joe Bidawid. “We have one of the most beautiful venue locations on the Great Lakes, in Pere Marquette Beach, and we encourage anyone interested in a fun and family friendly beach day to come out and join us.

 

“Imagine a late summer day on an amazing beach, doing what you love and surrounded by so many people from all over the Great Lakes, who share the same passion. That is our goal.”

More information can be found at www.GreatLakesSurfFestival.com. Contact the Great Lakes Surf Festival at info@greatlakessurffestival.com.

It’s a tropical theme for the next John Ball Zoo Adult Night Out event

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , ,
John Ball Zoo will be hosting three more Adult Night Out events, one more in July and two in August. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

John Ball Zoo’s popular Adult Night Out continues with the third of the six event series this Thursday, July 15.

Adult Night Out gives guests ages 21+ the opportunity to experience the Zoo at night without any kids. There will be select animal encounters for guests to enjoy, along with beer and wine selections, including a specialty brew from Two Guys Brewing, and delicious food options throughout the Zoo.

For July 15th, a tropical-themed menu will be offered at the Zoo’s Monkey Island Café featuring cilantro lime rice mixed with juicy pulled pork served in a pineapple bowl, a classic Cuban sandwich, jerk chicken wrap with rice, greens, jerk chicken and the Zoo’s signature sauce, along with pineapple Dole Whip.


John Ball Zoo will be hosting three additional Adult Night Out evenings on July 29, and August 12, 26. They are a perfect date night, an opportunity to network, or to enjoy a friends’ night out.

Each Adult Night Out is 6 – 9 p.m. The Zoo offers four times to enter at 6, 6:15, 6:30, and 6:45 p.m.

Tickets for all dates are available online for $18 for members or $20 for non-members at jbzoo.org/AdultNightOut. Limited tickets are available for each evening. Both events in the month of June did sell out, so the Zoo highly recommends reserving tickets before the event.

John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. For questions for more information, visit www.jbzoo.org, call 616-336-4301 or email info@jbzoo.org.

Friendship, fun, according to contestants that’s what it is all about at the Miss Metro Cruise

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Dream Wheels, Upcoming Events
  • Dr. Joules Kelvin (Juliette Brown) from Lansing
  • Bee Bee Von Schweetz (Molly Sheehan), from Cleveland, Ohio
  • GiGi Martini (Sarah Gillman) from Grand Rapids
  • Margaux Monroe (Raluca Simion Theron) from Romania
  • Trudy Blue (Beth Miller) from Three Rivers
  • Aurora Re’Bell (Erin Wiseman-Pavlein
  • In the blue and white, Teena Marée (Krystina McNamara) from Mecosta
  • Maelynn Mitten (Jaime Collick) from Port Huron
  • Sweet Caroline (Caroline Kelly Wright) from Rockford, Ill.
  • Victoria Jean (Cathy Jean Swanson) from Grand Rapids

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Classic cars in the parking lot and ladies dressed up to the nines, the Wyoming Moose Lodge definitely had a Metro Cruise vibe this Saturday.

The service organization once again hosted the Miss Metro Cruise, organized by Kentwood’s JA PR Group. The annual competition is a lead up to the Metro Cruise, which is set to take place Aug. 27 and 28 at Wyoming’s Roger Plaza and Kentwood’s Woodland Mall.

“This is just an amazing event,” said Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan about the Miss Metro Cruise competition. The Chamber organizes and hosts the annual Metro Cruise. “After COVID, people are just so excited to be out and have an opportunity to participate in something.”

A sentiment that was shared by contestant Bee Bee Von Schweetz, whose real name is Molly Sheehan, of Cleveland, Ohio.

“I was involved in the preliminaries in 2019 and I loved the spectators and the friends I made,” finalist Bee Bee Von Schweetz said. “Unfortunately, the world shut down last year but this year, as things started to open up, I decided to give it a shot. So this is my summer of being a pin up.”

The Miss Metro Cruise preliminaries contestants pose with Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob O’Callaghan (middle, blue shirt) and JR PR Group owner Jessica Ann Tyson (far left). (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

There were a total of 15 girls who competed in the Saturday preliminaries. The final 10 will compete for the title of 2021 Miss Metro Cruise during Saturday’s events at the Roger Plaza staging area. The top ten moving on to the finals are (all are pictured above): Bee Bee Von Schweetz, Dr. Joules Kelvin (Julliet Brown), of Lansing; Trudy Blue (Beth Miller), of Three Rivers; Victoria Jean (Cathy Jean Swanson), of Grand Rapids; Margaux Monroe (Raluca Simion Theron), of Romania; Gigi Martini (Sarah Gillman), of Grand Rapids; Maelynn Mitten (Jaime Collick), of Port Huron; Sweet Caroline (Caroline Kelly Wright), of Rockford, Ill.; Teena Marée (Krystina McNamara), of Mecosta; and Aurora Re’Belle, (Erin Wiseman-Parlein), of Jenison.

Chamber President Bob O’Callgahan thanks Wyoming Moose Lodge and the lodge administrator Sean Smith for hosting the Miss Metro Cruise preliminary contest. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

“This is my first year competing in pin-up contests,” said finalist Dr. Joules Kelvin, who already had a win as Ms. Lakeview. “I have heard wonderful things about the Miss Metro Cruise and that it attracts a large crowd, so I decided to dip my toes into the big leagues.”

Through the efforts of the JA PR Group, the Miss Metro Cruise has increased in popularity over the past five years the local communications company has been running it, according to O’Callaghan. The competition attracts a packed house for the event with people cheering for their favorites. Afterwards, constants pose with the classic cars and talk to fans.

 

“My neighbor, Morgan Harrington, who was a former contestant and winner, had done this particular contest and she just inspired me to enter the world of pin-up and to come here and be a part of Miss Metro Cruise,” said finalist Sweet Caroline.

Finalist Maelynn Mitten has been participating in pin-up contests for the past four and half year, including Miss Metro Cruise. She is happy to be able to return this year since the event did not fit in her 2019 schedule and everything was shut down in 2020, adding with a laugh, “It is like the year didn’t even happen.”

“I love doing this and I think it is a lot of fun,” finalist Teena Marée said. “Everyone works to make sure that it is a positive experience.”

Positivity about women is what finalist Aurora Re’Belle, a historian, believes that pin-up competitions help showcase.

 

“I believe this is a good role for women as it shows beauty can be strength and strength can be beauty,” she said. “I think it is important for people to be able to see that we can be strong, beautiful women who are intelligent as it helps everyone to advance.”

Blood supply shortage has one local company hoping to serve as an inspiration to others to host drives

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Health, Local Business, Non-Profits, , , ,
According to the Kent County Health Department the local blood supply is at a critical low. (pxhere.com)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

For a person with sickle cell disease, a blood transfusion remains one of the most effective and proven treatments, according to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. So imagine heading to the hospital and possibly not being able to receive that treatment.

This is what many West Michigan hospitals and blood clinics are facing as blood donations have dropped “to critically levels” since the COVID pandemic, according to Kent County Health Department’s Administrative Health Officer Dr. Adam London.

 

“Donations have been down certainly due to the pandemic,” said Versiti Area Vice President and Director of Donor Services Dawn Kaiser, during a recent interview on A Matter of Public Health podcast, hosted by the Kent County Health Department. “We were down about 40 percent in 2020 and into 2021 because of high schools, colleges, and university not hosting — kids are at home learning — and that is where we get our brand new donors and about 40 percent of our blood.”

The same is true for many businesses, with people working from home, making it difficult for organizations to host mobile drives.

One such Versiti blood drive partner that has faced those struggles has been SpartanNash which has hosted blood drives at its offices and distribution center, both located in Byron Center, since 2015. The grocery company received the Beacon of Hope award in 2019 from Versiti for its blood drives which in had collected 560 donations treating about 1,680 patients that year. In the past six years, SpartanNash employees have donated more than 2,000 pints of blood.

According to Versiti Blood Center, it receives about 60 percent of its blood from mobile blood drives hosted by local businesses and other organizations. (pxhere.com)

“We have been a longtime Versiti blood drive partner,” said SpartanNash Community Engagement Specialist Courtney Carlson. “With COVID, we discovered we just couldn’t do that as our distribution center was overloaded with supply chain issues and the risk of safety, we had to cancel our drives, especially during the COVID time.”

SpartanNash was able to host a drive in March of 2020, just as the state was starting to shutdown. But like many manufacturing and distribution centers, visitors were not allowed in to the SpartanNash distribution center and many of their office workers worked from home.

 

As the world resets itself and more employees return to work, events like blood drives can happen, according to London.

 

“Blood donation sites are a very low risk place in terms of COVID,” London said during the A Matter of Public Health podcast. “I am not aware of any outbreaks associated with a blood draw event and the majority of the blood we have in our blood supply comes from the sort of community events at churches and schools and places of work. We really need those places to step up and allow Versiti and other blood banks to come in and do their important work.”

SpartanNash hosted offsite blood drives over the past several months but next week will be having its first onsite blood drive since the pandemic at its distribution center. While the offsite donation drives helped, Carlson said it is much easier for employees to donate at their work place since they can simply take an hour, donate, and then get back to work versus having to drive to another location.

As for safety, Carlson said they have confidence in Versiti which requires face masks, has temperature checks before donating, cleans between donors, and works at making everyone comfortable.

 

“We are hoping that by letting the community know that we are hosting mobile blood drives at our facilities that it will inspire other work places and organizations to do the same,” she said.

London noted that about one in several people visiting a hospital will need blood and that the shortage is critical.

While O-type is always needed, blood from a diverse pool is very important, Kaiser said.

“Everybody has an A, B, or O blood type. Everybody is pretty familiar with that,” she said. “There is also about an alphabet after that most people don’t know. So a little more specific type.”

For African-Americans, 44 percent of them have a blood type called RO in addition to their A, B, O blood type. According to the Centers for Disease control, one our of 365 African-Americans have sickle cell anemia with the major treatment being blood transfusions. A person with sickle cell anemia may have 10 to 15 units of blood in a month and because of that need, would benefit from blood from someone with the same or similar ethnicity, according to Kaiser.

“That is why we are asking communities of color to roll up their sleeves and give back to their communities,” she said.

To host a blood drive or to donate, visit Versiti’s website, Versiti.org. 

Snapshots: A&E returning to “normal” — WKTV stories you might have missed

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul. I want to get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away.”

From the song “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray

The Soul Syndicate. (Supplied by the band)

A summer concert on the lawn in Wyoming

The Soul Syndicate will open this summer’s season of Wyoming Concerts in the Park on Tuesday, July 13. The free performance, hosted by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission, will at at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Go here for the story.

The Accidentals (Supplied/Courtesy Aryn Madigan)

And another summer concert series, in Kentwood

The free Kentwood Summer Concert Series, which kicked off this week with The Bootstrap Boys, continues July 15 and most Thursday nights through Aug. 19 and includes West Michigan favorites The Accidentals, Benzing Graves Collective, Dalmatian Stone and David Gerald … and The Soul Syndicate night rescheduled for Aug. 19. Concerts will be livestreamed by WKTV and will also be available on WKTV cable channels. (See the WKTV On-air Schedule for details.) Go here for the story.

A classic car show on the shore in St. Joe

As part of St. Joseph’s Love Local Weekend July 16-18, The Mike Yore Memorial Car Show kicks off the weekend on Friday, July 16, from 4- 8 p.m., downtown. View classic cars from days gone by as they line up along Lake Boulevard. Attendees will also “cruise” along the bluff. Go here for the story.

Fun fact:

83 million

The number of entertainment event attendees who lost out on various entertainment events around the world — in the first month of pandemic shutdowns in March-April 2020 — according to Forbes. Source.

Michigan Veteran Homes GR honors longtime volunteer Sarah Brooks in new memorial garden

3-bottom, Community Health, Local Faces, Our Cities, Veterans, WKTV Projects, ,
The Sarah Brooks Memorial at the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids. (Michigan DMVA)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Michigan Veteran Homes (MVH), which has a local facility previously called the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, held a ceremony Monday, July 6, to memorialize Sarah Brooks, who had many connections to Grandville and the local area, in the new memorial garden at the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids (MVHGR).

The Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids facility is located at 2950 Monroe Avenue, NE, Grand Rapids.

The dedication of the new memorial garden included a private ceremony to honor Brooks, who was the Department of Michigan American Legion Auxiliary Hospital Representative at the facility.

Detail of the Sarah Brooks Memorial. (Michigan DMVA)

Brooks, according to supplied material, volunteered since 1958, having logged over 60,000 hours of service which is the equivalent of working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, without a single day off for nearly 29 years.

The wife of Army veteran John R. Brooks Sr. and mother to Navy veteran Sandra Jennings, Brooks passed away this last Veterans Day.

Brooks was been a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Crispus Attucks Unit #59 for 75 years, having held many offices in the local, state, district and national auxiliary, according to her 2020 obituary. She volunteered for Grandville Senior Neighbors, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Mary Free Bed Hospital, Kent Community Hospital since 1990 and was Past Chapau of 8 et 40 La Boutique, an organization that supports children with respiratory diseases. She was one of the people who founded the Unknown Black Soldier at Oak Hill Cemetery in Battle Creek.

Remarks at the ceremony were led by Tracey Nelson, administrator of MVHGR; Bruce Kalish, chaplain of MVHGR; Betty Rhodes-Machen, secretary of the American Legion Auxiliary Crispus Attucks Unit #59; and Robert Troost, resident member and past president of the member’s council at MVHGR.

The ceremony included the revealing of a silver-plated memorial plaque, installed at the base of a sugar gum tree donated by Twin Lakes Nursery of Grand Rapids, and bench seating for members to enjoy the outdoor space.

Tickets went fast for Meijer Gardens concerts, but GR Symphony series still available as public sales opens

3-bottom, Local Entertainment, Reviews, Upcoming Events, WKTV Projects, ,
Grand Rapids Symphony’s Bob Bernhardt will be on the podium when the group plays at Meijer Gardens. (Undated photo supplied by GR Symphony)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Yes, there are already more than a dozen sell-outs of the Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens’ 28-show July-September lineup, with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park members-only sales continuing until open-public sales start July 10.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band. (Supplied/by Danny Clinch)

And yes, some of the usual “classic rock” suspects are among the sell-outs — The Beach Boys, Kansas, America and Pat Benatar. But, for those more inclined to the “classics” — classic jazz and classic Star Wars — yes in deed, there are still some great concerts with tickets still on the board, including an opening night with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

 

According to a spokesperson for Meijer Gardens, since members-only opening sales opened two weeks ago about 77 percent of all possible tickets have been sold during the “members only” period.

“Many venues offer pre-sale tickets to their VIP lists, club seat holders and other groups, and we’ve chosen to offer a similar benefit to our members by including early access to discounted tickets as a benefit to being a member of Meijer Gardens,” a Meijer Gardens spokesperson said to WKTV this week. “The public is welcome to purchase tickets after our member pre-sale, as well as attend the Tuesday Evening Music Club series which runs every Tuesday night in July and August from 7-9 p.m. Those concerts are included in a general admission ticket to Meijer Gardens.”

 (Visit here for the current list of concert tickets available, and already on the sold-out.)

A member of the Grand Rapids Symphony. (From An undated outdoor event, supplied by GR Symphony)

Somewhat surprisingly, though, three nights when the Grand Rapids Symphony, with other acts and as the featured act, are among those ticket that remain available.

To kick off the summer concert series, Preservation Hall Jazz Band with the Grand Rapids Symphony will be on stage July 18.

Then the Grand Rapids Symphony conducted by Bob Bernhardt, principal pops conductor, have the stage all by themselves on July 22. The symphony will be performing works by some of the most popular movie composers of all time — including John Williams’ music from the Star Wars saga, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park. (Music from Star Trek the Next Generation, Cinema Paradiso and Titanic, will also be on the program, we are told.)

China Forbes will be performing with Pink Martini, and the symphony (Supplied/by Chris Hornbecker)

Finally, the always popular night of partying with Pink Martini ( this time featuring China Forbes) will be accompanied by the Grand Rapids Symphony on July 29.

“We are very excited to bring the Grand Rapids Symphony back to Meijer Gardens for these special concerts,” Mary Tuuk Kuras, symphony president & CEO, said in supplied material. “Our shared mission of promoting the arts and bringing our community together makes this partnership a wonderful fit.”

Getting all ‘jazzed’ up

While all three of the symphony concerts should be great night of music, opening night with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will likely be a night not to be missed.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band — or just PHJB, for the in the groove — are proof that New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface. The group has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 50 years, “all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history,” according to supplied material.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band. (Supplied/by Danny Clinch)

PHJB continues that march forward with So It Is, the septet’s second release featuring all-new original music. The album, according two supplied material, “redefines what New Orleans music means today by tapping into a sonic continuum that stretches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots, through its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom the PHJB have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead and modern giants like My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire and the Black Keys.”

Take a breath, and take that in for a moment.

Details of getting the tickets

Tickets for the concerts, via Meijer Gardens’s new new ticketing partner, Etix, will be available online at Etix.com (preferred method) with handling fee of $10 per order, or by phone at 1-800-514-etix (3849), also with a handling fee of $10 per order. There will be no on-site ticket sales at Meijer Gardens.

Gate and show start times vary. Check MeijerGardens.org/concerts for details. All information is subject to change. All shows will take place rain or shine, weather delays are possible. There are no ticket returns or refunds.

Meijer Gardens has created an Insider’s Guide to Buying Tickets to help with ticket purchasing. The Insider’s Guide is available at MeijerGardens.org/concerts.


Members can continue to buy tickets during the members-only presale through midnight, July 9.

Sales to the public begin at 9 a.m., July 10. There is a limit of 8 tickets per show, per transaction. Again, there will be no on-site ticket sales at Meijer Gardens. Ticket can be purchased online at eTix.com with a handling fee of $5 per order (not per ticket) and convenience fee of $5.25 per ticket applies to all sales, or by phone at 1-800-514-etix (3849), also with a handling fee of $5 per order and convenience fee of $5.25 per ticket applies to all sales.