With opening day a little less than a month away — with their first game May 4 and first home game May 11 — the West Michigan Whitecaps are gearing up for a season that is bound to be unlike any they have had in the past.
Due to the pandemic, the fan experience will still be fun, but will be slightly different, according to Steve VanWagoner, director of marketing, for the Whitecaps and the now-named LMCU (Lake Michigan Credit Union) Ballpark.
The current capacity for the stadium is at 2,000, which is 20 percent of their normal capacity. Initially, the organization sold multi-game ticket plans to make it easier to comply with health and safety guidelines such as seating groups in pods at the stadium. But a “very limited” number of single game tickets for May and June games are on sale starting Wednesday, April 21.)
“The Whitecaps will be fun and entertaining and be a great experience this summer,” VanWagoner recently said to WKTV. “In the meantime go to our website (milb.com/west-michigan), find the safety and information page, and know that when you come to the ballpark we are serious about being family friendly and safe.”
After the Whitecaps open the season May 4 at the Fort Wayne Tin Cups, then open the home season on May 11 with a six-game homestead starting with the Great Lakes Loons.
VanWagoner said ticketed fans should be expecting an email outlining the team’s plan for how to administer all the necessary safety protocols, such as social distancing, wearing masks, continuing checking bags as in the past, and regulations regarding concession and where you are allowed to eat. Fans will be “recommended” to get tested prior to coming to a game, but it is not a requirement.
However safety precautions are not the only thing that is new for the Whitecaps this upcoming season as they were officially named a High A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.
This decision came during December 2020 and VanWagoner spoke to how this will change the overall fan experience.
“For the fans, (it will be) a better experience, because the players that they are watching are higher caliber with more experience and higher skill level then West Michigan fans are used to seeing, so we expect to see plays that fans haven’t seen before from the Whitecaps, and just a better experience overall,” he said.
Another change for the team came in February when the stadium name was changed from Fifth Third Ballpark to LMCU (Lake Michigan Credit Union) Ballpark in a new 10-year deal. Van Wagoner went into further detail about what this change actually means for the Whitecaps organization and the fans.
“Many huge signs and things inside the ballpark will look different, but to be clear it is a name change and not an ownership change” VanWagoner said. “We are family owned and privately held, as we always have been.”
John Ball Zoo is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Docha, the Zoo’s 16-year-old male African lion. Docha’s care team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him due to progressive neurological issues, along with his declining health and quality of life on Tuesday afternoon.
“Many have a real connection to Docha and he will be greatly missed”, said Peter D’Arienzo, CEO of John Ball Zoo. “He brought joy to many, and created real connections between people and wildlife that have advanced our mission, but most of all, he had a big personality that brought delight to literally millions of people.”
Docha had many health challenges in the past 10 to 12 years after developing epilepsy. Recently, his keepers noticed gradual changes that led the Zoo’s veterinarian, Dr. Ryan Colburn, to consult with Dr. Jill Neiderhuth a veterinary neurologist. Their observations of Docha led them to believe he had a lesion on the left side of his brain.
Confirming this diagnosis would have required Docha to be taken off-site for an MRI. Considering his age, health, and the inability to treat the lesion, Dr. Colburn and the team chose to begin close monitoring, while also attempting to alter Docha’s medications.
In recent days, the Zoo noticed a drastic change in Docha’s balance, stability, and simple motor functions. Due to these factors and the decline in the health and quality of his life, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize Docha.
Docha was born at Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens on April 10, 2005 and joined the John Ball Zoo family in May 2007. (Supplied)
“Docha’s story is a great example of the advancement of zoo medicine and how we can use medical technology and the expertise of veterinary specialists to provide the best possible care for our patients,” said Dr. Colburn. “In June 2011, after experiencing multiple seizures, Docha was transported to Michigan State University where he underwent an MRI that ultimately led to his diagnosis of epilepsy. In the wild, Docha would not have survived but since his diagnosis we have administered anti-seizure medication, along with consistent monitoring and care that led to a long life for Docha.”
Docha was born at Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens on April 10, 2005 and joined the John Ball Zoo family in May 2007. The average lifespan of an African lion in human care is 16.9 years and 10 to 14 years in the wild.
From the first day Docha stepped onto his habitat in 2007, he quickly became a favorite with John Ball Zoo guests and volunteers. He was an impressive ambassador for not only lions but all wild creatures.
“This is always an extremely difficult decision, but is especially difficult with an animal as unique as Docha,” said Tim Sampson, Animal Curator and Docha’s care giver since he arrived at John Ball Zoo. “Docha impacted the staff with his aloof personality and his goofy excitement especially when seeing his favorite people. He will be greatly missed.”
African lions are vulnerable in the wild. While not immediately threatened with extinction, their long-term survival is far from assured. African lions once lived across the entire continent of Africa, but have lost more than 92% of their native range to habitat loss.
Docha’s role in the Zoo as an ambassador for his species created educational moments and lifelong memories, while helping raise funds for the Lion Recovery Fund whose goal is to double the number of lions in the wild by 2050.
The animal care and veterinary staff at John Ball Zoo worked incredibly hard throughout this process. Docha will long be remembered as a wonderful ambassador for his species, and the impact he made will not be forgotten.
For more information about John Ball Zoo, visit www.jbzoo.org or call 616-336-4301.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is preparing once again for Collections & Cocktails, an annual fundraiser focusing on the Museum’s Collections and the stories, preservation and education efforts of artifacts within the Collections.
This year, the GRPM is offering a virtual event on Wednesday, May 19, along with small group, socially distanced, after-hours exploration of curated displays of furniture on May 19, 20 and 21.
2021 Collections & Cocktails will focus on the Museum’s Furniture Collection, and will feature rare and innovative pieces such as a handmade chair by Grand Rapids’ first furniture maker, William Haldane, pieces by iconic designers like Frank Lloyd Wright and Charles Eames, as well as examples of new techniques and materials pioneered right here in Grand Rapids.
To participate in this year’s Collections & Cocktails, you can RSVP to the virtual event, purchase tickets to the self-guided, in-person tours, or to learn more visit grpm.org/2021Collections-Cocktails or call 616-929-1728.
The Collections and Cocktails events supports the museum’s collections. (Supplied)
“Collections & Cocktails provides the Museum an opportunity to showcase a specific category of its Collections, which helps to celebrate some of the special stories unique to our community,” said Amy Van Andel, Chair of the GRPM’s Collections & Cocktails Committee. “By supporting Collections & Cocktails, you’re contributing not only to the Museum’s efforts to enrich our local community but also to its goals of providing expanded educational opportunities and worldwide access to its Collections. As we are not able to host a dinner this year, everyone who purchases tickets to the self-guided, in-person tour will receive a gift card to support a local restaurant at their leisure. This is just another way the GRPM is giving back to our hometown.”
“The Museum’s Furniture Collection is vast and diverse, showcasing the history of furniture making in the city both in the past and currently,” said Alex Forist, the GRPM’s Chief Curator. “Grand Rapids began to build a reputation as the ‘Furniture City’ in the years following the Civil War with the creation of some of the world’s largest residential furniture factories. Over the course of the 20th century, the focus has shifted to the design and manufacture of fixed seating and office furniture, but Grand Rapids remains a Furniture City to this day. Raising awareness to support this popular Collection is crucial to continue to share the story of our city and make it as accessible to the broader community through our digital Collections and fundraisers like Collections & Cocktails.”
Funds raised during Collections & Cocktails support the Museum’s Collection of over 250,000 artifacts and specimens, caring for and preserving these pieces, including their stories and use in educational programs.
Thanks to the support of local furniture companies and partners, the Museum is adding several pieces of furniture into its permanent Collections including modern examples from companies like Haworth, Herman Miller, Steelcase, Irwin Seating Company, Grand Rapids Chair Company, IDA Design, Landscape Forms, Portobello Road, and others.
On May 19, 20 and 21, ticket holders can explore the GRPM’s iconic furniture artifacts, as well as displays by local furniture companies at a special time after the Museum’s regular operating hours. Self-guided tours will be timed entry to ensure social distancing, and small groups will be determined by ticket purchasers. Masks are required during the entire visit.
Along with the GRPM Collections, curated displays from local furniture partners will offer a full experience of Grand Rapids-made furniture. Furniture display partners include: Belwith Keeler, BOLD Furniture, Custer, Inc., Grand Rapids Chair Co., Grand Rapids Public Museum, Haworth, Herman Miller, Irwin Seating, Kendall College of Art & Design, Kindel Grand Rapids, Landscape Forms and Steelcase. Select furniture displays will be available to the public for viewing when visiting the Museum starting Monday, May 3 through Friday, May 21.
On their tours, attendees will have the opportunity to visit newly renovated classrooms within the GRPM. These state-of-the-art classrooms have been upgraded with furniture and design elements with the accessibility of all learners at the forefront, thanks to a grant from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) along with support from Steelcase and Custer. A gift bag featuring New Holland Brewing take-home cocktails and gift cards to local restaurants will be distributed to attendees.
Anyone interested in supporting the care of the Furniture Collections along with the thousands of other pieces in the GRPM’s Collections can do so through sponsorship of Collections & Cocktails or by purchasing tickets to the tours being offered. More information on funding opportunities can be found at grpm.org/2021Collections-Cocktails or by contacting Gina Schulz at gschulz@grpm.org or 616.929.1705. To register for the virtual program on May 19, visit grpm.org/Collections-Cocktails.
Thirteen Michigan residents will be coming together to draw the lines — the lines for the state’s U.S. Congressional district and Michigan’s House or Representative and Senate seats.
The 13 members are part of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, a group that was formed when Michigan voters passed Proposal 2 in 2018. The proposal stated voters and not legislators would be responsible for nonpartisan redistricting. The result was the 13-member commission, most of whom hail from the east side of the state with the closest West Michigan person from Battle Creek.
“Wow. We lost that lottery,” said Wyoming City Council Member Kent Vanderwood during the city’s April 19 Wyoming City Council meeting. “Kent County is a big place. This is the second largest part of the whole state and to have nobody west of Battle Creek is unfortunate.”
Edward Woods III
The council received the presentation about the Commission or MICRC from the MICRC Communications and Outreach Director Edward Woods III. Woods noted that the selecting of the 13-member commission was done by lottery performed by a third party. There was 9,367 applications received for the commission with 627 applicants from Kent County. The largest applicant pool came from Oakland County with 1,777. Wayne County had 1,450 applicants.
Woods said the selection process was completely random and that there was no consideration made for geographical and ethnicity representation. He said there has been comments made about the fact that there are no Hispanics or African-American males on the commission as well as geographical representation.
The commission is made up for four Democrats, four Republicans and five Independents, all of who went through that random selection process.
Redistricting is done every 10 years after the U.S. Census has been completed. The commission started its work in September, scheduling its required meetings to receive public input before any redistricting plans can be drawn, according to Woods. The commission is required to have 10 public meetings and is planning to host 16 in total which includes a July 1 meeting at DeVos Hall with a second meeting planned for Grand Rapids in the fall. The group also will host meetings May 13 in Kalamazoo and June 29 in Muskegon.
The MICRC is responsible for redistricting the U.S. Congressional districts, In 2010, the U.S. Congressional districts had about 711,000 people in each district. Currently, Michigan has 14 U.S. Congressional districts.
“It is being reported that Michigan may lose a seat for the fifth time in a row,” Woods said.
The commission also is responsible for redistricting of the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives. There are currently 38 state senate districts which have about 212,400 to 263,000 people in each district. There are 110 state House of Representative districts, with each having between 77,000 to 99,000 people.
“The concern is how do you want your lines drawn,” Woods said. “Obviously with the congressional district, those are a little bit bigger, but when it comes to the state house and the state senate, that is a little bit different. Are we keeping municipalities together? Are we keeping counties together? Do we split along a business district or an art district or on waterfront communities?”
This is the type of information that the commission will be seeking from residents, Woods said, adding the commission also will be sharing information about the redistricting process which includes the criteria for redistricting such as equal population, the Voting Rights Act, geographically contiguous, no disproportionate advantage to any political party, no favor or disfavor to an incumbent, elected officials or candidates, reflect consideration of county, city and township boundaries, and reasonable compact.
Woods said the commission encourages residents to present ideas, send questions and engage in the process by email redistricting@michigan.gov or mail to MICRC, P.O. Box 30318, Lansing, MI 48909.
Learn more about Michigan’s new redistricting process or to obtain more information about the upcoming public hearings, visit www.michigan.gov/MICRC.
The Commission must adopted the new election district maps by Nov. 1, 2021 with the maps becoming law Dec. 31, 2021. The new districts would be for the 2022 election.
Kent County taxpayers now have easier access to pay delinquent taxes, after Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor this week announced the launch of a new online platform to provide residents with greater access to contactless services.
The service is available though a Kent County website and a free mobile app — myKentCounty — and will allow individuals to pay their delinquent taxes online.
“Over the past year we have seen how important it is to give our residents the option of contactless services,” Treasurer MacGregor said in supplied material. “This new electronic service will allow residents to view and pay their delinquent taxes from the convenience of their home or business.”
To access this new service, residents should visit payments.mykentcounty.com or download the free myKentCounty app in the iPhone or Google Play (Android) app stores. They can then create an account with the internet payment site PayIt, select Kent County Delinquent Property Tax, and then view and pay bills as well as printing or digitally storing receipts.
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor. (WKTV)
“We are excited to launch myKentCounty as it will greatly improve our payment system while simultaneously saving taxpayers time and potential penalties,” MacGregor said. “This is another important step in how my office will serve county residents and we will continue to work with PayIt to add future services to the platform.”
The Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education will interview six finalists — including two in-house candidates and the current superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools — on April 28-29, to replace Michael Zoerhoff as superintendent, who will leave the position at the end of the school year.
The Board of Education, and the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the search, announced today, April 20, that the Kentwood Public Schools superintendent posting closed on April 6, “with considerable interest and 31 applicants,” and Board of Education has selected the six candidates for first-round interviews.
Scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, April 28, are Tracy Reed, chief academic officer at Fort Wayne (Indiana) Community Schools (at 6 p.m.); Marcus Davenport, Ph.D., superintendent of Beecher Community Schools (7 p.m.), and Kevin Polston, Ed.S., superintendent, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools (8 p.m.)
Scheduled to be interviewed on Thursday, April 29, are Evan Hordyk, executive director of secondary education, Kentwood Public Schools (6 p.m.); Nkenge Bergan, director of student services, Kalamazoo Public Schools (7 p.m.); and Jamie Gordon, executive director of human resources, Kentwood Public Schools (8 p.m.).
According to the announcement, interviews will be held in person, with appropriate social distancing, at the Kentwood Administration Building, 5820 Eastern Ave., in Kentwood. Community members, staff and students are encouraged to watch the interviews online as they take place. The district website (kentwoodps.org) will have viewing instructions and more information.
There will also be an option for limited in-person seating and viewing opportunities at the administration building during the interviews. To accommodate proper social distancing, the Board of Education asks that interested persons RSVP to attend the interviews in person by emailing: interviews@kentwoodps.org.
It has been months of work but this Thursday, the proposed transportation and development improvements for the Division Avenue corridor will be released to the public.
The Rapid, in partnership with the cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood, and Wyoming, will host two Virtual Town Hall meetings Thursday, one at 11 a.m. and the second at 6 p.m., to provide residents with an update on the final phase of the Division United project.
“This has been a very unique and an incredible example of the great work our communities can do together with the right partnerships and approach,” said Nick Monoyious, planning manager at The Rapids. “These virtual town hall meetings will provide an informative summary of plans for Division Avenue and will give anyone interested a chance to ask questions and provide feedback.”
In 2014, The Rapid launched the Silver Line, which was looked at as a catalyst for potential economic ground development leading into the downtown area. The Silver Line runs along Division Avenue from 60th Street in Cutlerville to the Medical Mile/Grand Rapids Community college loop.
However, the economic investment did not come, noted Bill Kirk, a business affairs specialist for The Rapid. The Rapid sought and received a Federal Transportation Administration grant that was about $900,000. The cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood, and Wyoming, all of which have parts of Division Avenue within their boundaries, contributed about $25,000 each with the grant monies and contributions used to fund a study to find ways to improve affordable housing options, business opportunities, and neighborhood conditions in the corridor without losing much of the diversity that is part of the Division Avenue, Kirk said.
For more than a year, the project has focused on gathering input from community members, business owners, and city officials along with reviewing current building ordinances for the area, and hosting events that showcased possible public improvements.
There are lot of different elements to the final project, said City of Kentwood Economic Development Coordinator Lisa Golder. There are several key elements to the proposal such as incremental improvements, stabilizing the area so those who live and work there benefit from the redevelopment, maintaining the diversity of Division Avenue and providing public improvements to create a more walkable community.
“This is not something that is going to happen over night,” said City of Kentwood Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer.
Golder added that there will be a lot for the cities to review in regards to recommendations to code changes. The cities of Wyoming and Kentwood worked together to create a form-based code for the portion of Division Avenue in the two cities. The code is designed to allow a variety of development from large projects such as the CityLine Apartments project near 52nd Street and Division Avenue to the redevelopment of the property at 4253 S. Division, which will be the home of the new coffeehouse, The Stray Cafe.
“We are excited to welcome The Stray Café to Wyoming and are looking forward to their grand opening this summer,” said Wyoming Director of Planning and Economic Development Nicole Hofert. “Their investment in the corridor exemplifies the type of development we are striving to attract. Business owners and investors will have an easy-to-use set of tools and strategies provided in the Division United Plan as they invest in our community.”
In fact, The Stray Cafe is an example of incremental developments, where one or two lots are redeveloped versus several lots, Schweitzer said. He added that the City of Kentwood has had success with several developers who specialize in redevelopment of small lots and interest is growing for projects along Division Avenue.
“During the process, we have definitely seen more interest on what could be done along the corridor,” Schweitzer said.
It is the hope that Thursday’s virtual meetings will help to spur on that interest by presenting highlights of the improvement plan, which focuses on the section of Division from Wealthy Street to 60th Street. Each session will be live translated into Spanish and Vietnamese.
In addition to the town hall meetings, draft plans, how-to-videos and a comment form are available on the project at divisionunited.org.
The Virtual Town Hall session will be available via Zoom and The Rapid’s Facebook page.
In honor of Arbor Day and Kentwood’s new designation as a Tree City USA, the city will give away 300 tree seedlings to residents throughout the week leading up to its Arbor Day Celebration on Friday, April 30 — a celebration which will include a tree planting.
Kentwood residents are invited to the city’s Arbor Day Celebration, planned to begin at noon on Friday, April 30, at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St SE. The event will begin with an Arbor Day proclamation, followed by a tree planting in the park.
Arbor Day is an annual day of observance typically held in the spring to celebrate trees and encourage tree planting.
“The Arbor Day Celebration is an exciting opportunity to engage residents in improving the city’s tree canopy,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “Celebrating and planting trees in Kentwood will help generations to come enjoy a better quality of life with a healthier and more beautiful environment.”
Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration is also part of city’s participation in the Tree City USA program. Kentwood was recently recognized with the 2020 Tree City USA honor for promoting and caring for trees within the community, according to supplied material, and this is the first time Kentwood has received the designation.
In order to become a Tree City USA, cities must have an annual Arbor Day observance, a community tree ordinance, a tree board or department, and spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry activities.
“The (Tree City USA) program provides the necessary framework for communities to manage and expand their public trees, celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and improve care of vital city trees,” according to supplied material.
The city’s Arbor Day event will include free hot dogs and slushies, available at the concession stand. Attendees are reminded to wear face coverings, except when eating or drinking, and to follow physical distancing guidelines.
For more information on the City of Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration, visit kentwood.us/events.
Tree seedlings, park steward volunteer opportunities
Leading up to the Arbor Day celebration, city residents can receive free red maple or white pine tree seedlings at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, and at City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. The seedlings will be available during business hours Tuesday, April 27, through Friday, April 30, or until they are gone.
Residents are also invited to post a picture of their planted seedling on social media using the hashtag #GreeningKentwood.
The Kentwood Activities Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. City Hall opens weekdays at 7:30 a.m., and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. City Hall closes at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and at noon Fridays. Face coverings are required for anyone who enters either building.
During Arbor Day week, residents can check on tree seedling availability by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270.
Additionally, residents can also get involved beyond Arbor Day by joining the Kentwood Park Stewards, a new environmentally focused program to help preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.
Kentwood Park Stewards will participate in a hands-on workshop to remove invasive garlic mustard at Paris Park, 3213 60th St. SE, at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24, in collaboration with Kent County Parks. An online “lunch and learn” on the importance of trees will also be offered at noon Wednesday, April 28.
More information and registration details for both events are available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.
With a recent history of voter support for local school millage funding, the Kelloggsville Public Schools district will be seeking an extension of its existing non-residential (non-homestead) property millage and well as an additional temporary 2-year 0.5 mill increase on the May 4 ballot.
The district received voter support on the millage two years ago, and the current and the proposed extension would allow that millage to “be renewed by 18.0181 mills ($18.0181 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and also be increased by 0.5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023,” according to the official Kent County elections ballot proposal information.
According to information supplied by the district, the proposal “is a renewal to be levied against non-homestead property. Resident properties are exempt from being taxed by this proposal (no cost to the homeowner). This is a renewal on business properties and not homes. The renewal will notcost the homeowner any additional taxes.”
“This millage is all student programming and activities. Many of the programs and activities we currently have in place are tied to it,” Eric Alcorn, Director of Human Resources for Kelloggsville Public Schools, said to WKTV. “Again this is a renewal of a millage that we approved two years ago. The support that we receive from our community is and has been tremendous. The continued support would be greatly appreciated.”
If approved, the 0.5 mill increase will also be for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and will “provide funds for operating purposes,” according to the official ballot statement, “the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2022 is approximately $3,463,580 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2021 levy and the addition of millage which will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the ‘Headlee’ amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963.”
For more information about Kelloggsville Public Schools millage extension proposal contact the administration office at 616-538-7460.
How and when to vote
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends that to register to vote by mail for the May 4 ballot voters should do so as soon as possible. Individuals may also register to vote online at Michigan.gov/vote, or in-person at the City of Kentwood and City of Wyoming city clerk’s office through May 4, with the required documentation.
According to state supplied material, due to COVID-19, the Secretary of State will continue mailing absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters. Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot. To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then mail or email it to the city clerk. (When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.)
If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained online at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available by through May 4, 2021.
For Dr. Adam London, the Kent County Health Department health officer, nothing underscores the need for people to get vaccinated than the more than 200 people hospitalized for COVID, of which 50 are fighting for their lives.
“We all want to get back to life as we want it to be as quickly as possible and the COVID vaccine and the vaccination is the best way to do that,” London said during a recent PSA for the Health Department. “We all want to see our restaurants full, we want concerts and ballparks and classrooms full. We want to get back to work and back to life as we want it to be here in West Michigan. The power to do that is your hands.”
London said the best way to accomplish these goals is for people to get vaccinated, and for those already vaccinated, to encourage or help others to do the same.
London noted that the vaccines are safe and and effective and are held to the highest standards before being approved. More than 75 percent of people 65 or older have received vaccines and that group is having the fewest number of new cases, London said.
The groups that are driving up the resurgence are the 20s and 30-year-olds, London said. In the twenty-something group, there is a 22 percent vaccination rate and in the thirty-something group, there is about a 32 percent vaccination rate.
“We need to do what we can to get these numbers down,” London said. “We are seeing more than 400 new cases of COVID diagnosed everyday in Kent County.”
For those unable to navigate the internet or schedule appointments online, they can call 2-1-1 for assistance.
For more about COVID cases in Kent County, visit the Kent County Public Health Department’s website.
In November of last year, then state senator Peter MacGregor won election to the position of Kent County Treasurer, returning to work nearer his Rockford home after more than a decade of public service in Lansing as a state representative and then a senator.
Just after his election, when he resigned his senate seat and was sworn in as Treasurer, MacGregor told WKTV the duties of state senator and county treasurer were very different in most ways but that the common ground fits in with his skill-set and his personal outlook when it comes to taxpayers and use of their taxes.
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor. (WKTV)
In early April, Kent County Treasurer MacGregor visited WKTV Journal In Focus to talk about his job transition, the sometimes little-known duties of the county treasurer, and where he now sees his public service priorities lay — including sometimes knocking on the door to help homeowners behind on their taxes.
Oh, ya, and we also asked how long it took him to stop answering the phone with “This is Senator MacGregor”?
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.
Bands, Brews and BBQ Festival will return July 10 at Big Rapids. (pxhere.com)
By Sandra Braden Mecosta County Visitors Bureau
The Bands, Brews and BBQ Festival committee are excited to announce that they will be back this summer at the Big Rapids Bandshell on July 10 from 2 p.m.- 10 p.m., for an amazing day of Bands, Brews and BBQ.
In an effort of looking for new and exciting ways to generate greater awareness of the Big Rapids Region, the Mecosta County Visitors Bureau (MCVB) partnered with the Big Rapids Lions Club in 2019 to bring back the highly anticipated Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival. “This has been a great partnership between the two organizations,” stated Connie Koepke – Executive Director of the Mecosta County Visitors Bureau. “The MCVB’s mission is to market the area’s tourism highlights in hopes of capturing overnight stays at area hotels, as well as return visits to the hotels,” which is where the Visitors Bureau receives its funding from. The Lions Club mission is to raise funds that can be used in support of a large variety of activities that improve their communities and help people in need. Dave Hamelund with the Big Rapids Lions Club states, “Some of the Lions Club projects include assisting the hearing impaired, providing diabetes awareness and education materials, working on environmental projects and developing youth programs.”
With the two organizations working together on this amazing event, they are able to not only accomplish both of the groups’ missions and goals, but also create an extraordinary event that can be enjoyed by all. “You may have noticed a change in the name of this year’s event, altering Blues to Bands.” This allows the ability to offer more variety of musical styles and bands as this annual event continues throughout the years to come,” noted Koepke.
The day of the event is set for Saturday, July 10, from 2 – 10 p.m., which is a great kickoff to fair week that begins on Monday the 12. The festival will not only include amazing music throughout the day but also local restaurants, offering at least one BBQ themed item, a beer tent as well as a vendor area for community businesses and/or crafters to sell their wares. Cost for a vendor table is just $25 for the day.
The Mecosta County Visitors Bureau, whom is once again sponsoring the event, noted that there is one other change in this year’s festival. There will not be a charge or ticket cost to attend. The festival will be FREE and open to public. “We are asking that those attending do offer a donation that will go towards the Lions Club and the organizations that they support along with a small portion going to help toward next year’s event expenses,” stated Dave Hamelund of the Big Rapids Lions Club.
Current schedule for the day includes: Kickoff with the Veterans Warrior Motorcycle Club and a Salute to our Veterans, National Anthem (performed by Alison LeVeque) and then a fun-filled day of nonstop Bands, Brews and BBQ.
This year’s musical lineup includes: Key West Permafrost Blues Band, Rochelle & the Spoilers, Brenda Loomis Band and Benzing-Graves Collective. The festival’s MC will be by local musical talent Kelly Quinn. Quinn will also performing during the bands’ transitioning between their sets/acts.
If you are interested in more details and/or to purchase a vendor table at the event, please reach out to the Mecosta County Visitors Bureau at director@bigrapids.org or by calling 231.796.7640.
“Love is the most important thing in the world. But baseball is pretty good, too!”
Yogi Berra
WKTV’s Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. (WKTV)
A little Kentwood game action on-demand
WKTV high school sports Featured Game coverage crew started the spring season this week at East Kentwood High School, and will be out twice next week — as long as the nice spring weather holds. Our Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. Go here for the story.
Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin. (WKTV)
Wyoming high baseball … what you need to know
Just before the start of the 2021 spring sports season, WKTV sports volunteer Paul Kabelman sat down with Wyoming high head baseball coach Travis Stricklin to talk about the lost season for the Wolves last year, and how it is just another obstacle for his team to overcome. Go here for the story.
Wyoming high head softball Coach Kaitlin Failing’s WKTV Journal Sports Connection interview with WKTV’s Mike Moll. (WKTV)
Wyoming high softball … what you need to know
Just before the start of the season, Wyoming head softball coach Kaitlin Failing sat down with WKTV’s Mike Moll to talk about her program, the new normal for high school sports still impacted by the pandemic, but also her optimistic outlook about her team and what it might look like this season. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
120 balls in play
According to an MLB equipment manager, up to 120 baseballs can be used per game. This is due to the number used up between home runs, fouls, scuffs and from players tossing them to the stands.
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, many of which are shown in this undated photo from a pre-pandemic student gathering. (Supplied/KPS)
Nearly every building in the Kentwood Public Schools system would see improvements should voters support a bond proposal by the district on the May 4 ballot — a proposal which would actually lower the net millage from the prior year of a school system already the lowest in Kent County.
But two of the items of focus in the stated planned uses of the building and infrastructure funding are in direct response to lessons learned about the need for workforce training for students and for heightened health and safety capabilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A number of improvements are being made in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the district’s 2021 Bond Proposal Fact Sheet. “These changes focus on student health and wellness.
“As a vibrant growing community, KPS needs additional facilities to maintain small class sizes and safe distancing in key areas. In a COVID-19 era, facility renovations and additions such as kitchens and cafeterias, athletic facilities, playgrounds and restroom modifications help to ensure health and safety for students and staff.”
One of the students in the Kentwood Public Schools’ “very hands on” Red Storm Robotics program. (Supplied/KPS)
The fact sheet also takes notice of the need for workforce options for students — “Our community needs skilled plumbers, carpenters, auto mechanics, and first responders. This bond will enhance the facilities that serve these areas and provide students with cutting-edge vocational learning opportunities that will serve our community for years to come.”
Overall, the bond proposal would fund 10-plus years of improvements to district infrastructure and educational technology, that “would provide programs, technology, and facilities for current and future needs.”
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, includes about 1,200 staff, and is responsible for 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites.
Official ballot proposal info
If passed by voters, Kentwood Public Schools would be able to “borrow the sum of not to exceed One Hundred Ninety-Two Million One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($192,150,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds …” according to the Kent County elections office ballot statement.
“The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2022 is 0.21 mill ($0.21 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a net 0.25 mill decrease from the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is thirty (30) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.26 mills ($2.26 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).”
One of Kentwood Public Schools’ 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites. (Supplied/KPS)
As further explained in district-supplied material, if approved, this bond would extend the current debt tax levy from 2044 to 2058. It would decrease the debt tax rate by .25 mills, from 4.25 mills to 4.00 mills in 2022, and “the debt tax rate is projected to remain at 4.00 mills through 2038 and projected to decline further in the future.”
Also detailed in district-supplied material, such bond proposals are the means by which a public school district asks its community for authorization to borrow money to pay for capital expenditures. Voter-approved bond funds can be spent on new construction, additions, remodeling, site improvements, athletic facilities, playgrounds, buses, furnishings, equipment, technology, and other capital needs.
“Funds raised through the sale of bonds cannot be used on operational expenses such as employee salaries and benefits, school supplies, and textbooks,” according to the material.
Funds from such bond proposals are independent of the support the district receives from the State of Michigan for annual operations on a per pupil basis, but “the bond would likely have a positive impact on the annual operating budget for existing facilities.
“It would allow the district to reallocate operating funds that are currently being spent on aging facilities, mechanical systems, and technology. The savings generated from new and cost-efficient facilities could be redirected to student programs and resources.”
For more information about Kentwood Public Schools bond proposal visit the district website at kentwoodps.org/bond2021.
How and when to vote
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends that to register to vote by mail for the May 4 ballot voters should do so by Monday, April 19. Individuals may also register to vote online at Michigan.gov/vote, or in-person at the City of Kentwood City Clerk’s office through May 4, with the required documentation.
An undated State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)
According to supplied material, due to COVID-19, the Secretary of State will continue mailing absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters. Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot. To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then mail or email it to the city clerk. (When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.)
If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained online at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available by through May 4, 2021.
David J. Beeke was a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert who died of cancer a few years ago. A memorial event at the Gilmore Car Museum will benefit a local cancer center. (Supplied/Gilmore)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.com
The Gilmore Car Museum’s car show season will begin a little earlier than expected this year as the museum has added the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show to its 2021 event season.
The early season car show, according to a statement from the museum, “will feature Ford Mustangs, with special emphasis on 80s/90s Foxbody Mustangs and other Ford vehicles, but is open to all classic car makes and models.”
The memorial car show will celebrate classic cars while it also honors the life of passionate car enthusiast David J. Beeke, a Kalamazoo-area Foxbody Mustang restoration expert died of cancer a few years ago.
Beeke’s family and friends started the annual event as a tribute to him, and this year will bring the event — and Beeke’s Mustangs — to the Gilmore. A portion of event proceeds will be donated to the West Michigan Cancer Center (wmcc.org), a 501c3 nonprofit based in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“Bringing a Mustang & Ford Show to the Gilmore Car Museum for our community is exactly the kind of thing that David would have wanted to be a part of,” Matt Sturdy, close friend of Beeke and co-coordinator of the show. “It will be special to have David’s Mustangs there on the grounds, and to have him there with us in spirit.”
Beeke family members and friends will assist with car judging and selection for awards, including presentation of the “Beeke Best In Show” award.
One (little) part of the Gilmore Car Museum. (Supplied)
Food and beverage will be available onsite, as the Gilmore Bar and vintage 1941 George & Sally’s Blue Moon Diner will both be open for business. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Showcar/Participant pre-registration is $20, can be handled in advance online at GilmoreCarMuseum.org, and includes admission for two people (driver + guest). Or, registration can be handled onsite on the morning of the event, once the show car gate opens at 8 a.m.
Registration also includes access to all museum indoor buildings and galleries.
More early season events at the Gilmore
Several more early season events are scheduled for the weeks following the David J. Beeke Mustang & Ford Show, including: Boats at The Barns, May 8, for classic wooden, fiberglass, and aluminum boats; Vintage Travel Trailer Rally, May 15, for vintage campers and RVs; Corks & Crafts Wine and Beer Festival , also on May 15, for beer and wine enthusiasts; and Vintage Motorcycle Weekend, June 12-13, for pre-1996 motorcycles and scooters.
By order of Michigan’s governor, all museum visitors age 5 and over are required to wear a face mask in all indoor spaces, and in outside venues at any posted “mask required” areas or any time social distancing of 6’ cannot be maintained at any area of the museum.
The Gilmore Car Museum is located 20 minutes north of Kalamazoo and 45 minutes south of Grand Rapids. For questions or more information, visit www.GilmoreCarMuseum.org.
Opening day for Mackinac State Historic Parks’ sites is less than three weeks away, and MSHP staff are busy readying new tours, exhibits, publications, and more.
The most exciting opening for the season is the Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum. It had been slated to open for the 2020 season. However, construction progress was derailed during at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing MSHP to only open the site for a weekend at the very end of the 2020 season. It will open on May 1 with the rest of the MSHP island sites.
“We believe everyone will enjoy the reinvented Biddle House,” said Steve Brisson, MSHP director. “Working with the various tribal partners to tell the continuing story of the Anishnaabek people has been very rewarding, and we’re excited to have it open for the season.”
Up at Fort Mackinac, the beloved Kids’ Quarters will receive an update, the third to the exhibit in its history, helping to fulfill MSHP’s mission in presenting the history of the Straits of Mackinac. Housed in the oldest public building in Michigan, the Kids’ Quarters will allow guests to experience how soldiers and civilians lived at Fort Mackinac in the 19th century. Here you’ll be able to play various musical instruments used by the military, try on clothes, or design your very own fort, among many other activities.
“The Kids’ Quarters has consistently been one of our most popular exhibits,” Brisson said. “We’re happy to unveil this expanded and reimagined version to our guests.”
New programs at Fort Mackinac for the 2021 season include “The Changing Face of Fort Mackinac,” “The Army of the 1880s,” a deeper look into Mackinac National Park, a tour showcasing the women who called Fort Mackinac home, a Signal Drill Activity, and a program dedicated to what happened at Fort Mackinac after the army left in 1895. The Tea Room at Fort Mackinac, operated by Grand Hotel, will feature new menu items for the 2021 season, and, as always, will feature one of the most stunning views in Michigan. The venerable fort also saw some physical updates, with buildings painted, boardwalks replaced, and chimneys repaired. As always, the classic cannon and rifle firings will take place throughout the day, and guests can purchase the opportunity to fire the very first cannon salute of the day.
At The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, located in front of Fort Mackinac in Marquette Park, a new juried art exhibition will debut on the second floor – “The Seasons of Mackinac.” While Mackinac has always been known as a “summer gathering place,” its beauty is unparalleled in all seasons. Mackinac Island resident and award-winning artist Bill Murcko will serve as juror for the show. It will be on display at the art museum from May 1 through October 10. Additionally, seven artists-in-residence will stay on Mackinac Island throughout the summer. Each artist will host a special, free workshop on the second Wednesday of their residency.
Special events at Fort Mackinac and Mackinac Island include the annual Vintage Base Ball game, on July 24, special activities for July 4, and Movies in the Fort throughout the summer.
The firing of the canons at Fort Michilimackinac. (Public Domain)
As guests enter Colonial Michilimackinac, in Mackinaw City, they will be stepping back in time to 1778, when rumors of war and peace swirled around Michilimackinac. Guests will see and hear how soldiers, civilians, and Native people responded to threats real and imagined as they attempted to maintain their livelihood, the fur trade.Two new programs at the fort will provide guests an opportunity to get more hands-on with history, where you’ll unpack a trade bale and another where you’ll explore an artilleryman’s arsenal. Other programs at the site will talk about women’s roles at the fort, the enslaved community, the 5,500 square feet of gardens, as well as musket and artillery demonstrations.
An exciting new program at Colonial Michilimackinac allows guests the opportunity to fire all four black-powder weapons at Michilimackinac: the Short Land Musket, Wall Gun (a BIG musket), Coehorn Mortar, and, as the finale, the cannon. This program is available every evening after the fort closes for regular business June 5-October 8.
The Mackinac State Historic Parks’ archaeology program will enter its 63rd season in 2021. Work will continue in House E of the Southeast Rowhouse at Colonial Michilimackinac. Archaeologists will be out daily (weather permitting) during the summer months.
Special events at Colonial Michilimackinac include an exhilarating “Fire at Night” program, informative history talks on topics such as gardening, archaeology, laundry and more, a celebration of the King’s Birth-day on June 4, Movies by the Bridge, the ever-popular Fort Fright, and A Colonial Christmas, among others.
The last few years have seen several gallery openings at Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse – the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum, the Science and Technology Exhibit, and the Marshall Gallery on the extensively renovated second floor. All galleries will be fully open for the 2021 season. Throughout the day guides will sound the Fog Signal Whistle.
Over at Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park, the Adventure Tour will return to operation for the 2021 season. A more robust daily events schedule will showcase the sawpit and sawmill, an extensive tour looking at what else happened historically at Historic Mill Creek, and guided nature hikes through the three miles of groomed hiking trails.
Two new publications will hit bookshelves in 2021. The first, Preservation at Mackinac – The History of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, 1895-2020, is an update to 100 Years at Mackinac, originally published in 1995 as part of the centennial celebration of Mackinac Island State Park. This updated version fills in the past 25 years and adds additional details to other events. The other publication, Pipes and Bottles or Bacchanalian Revels? The Truth About Robinson’s Folly, is a new vignette by Todd E. Harburn and Brian Leigh Dunnigan.
Finally, the last major new development will be the completion of road work along M-185. The road, which has been heavily damaged by high water levels the last few years, will be fully paved throughout the summer. While this may cause annoyances for the 2021 season, the completed road will allow visitors to explore the beautiful shoreline in peace for many years in the future.
“We were very pleased and fortunate to safely open last year,” Brisson said. “We’re optimistic for the 2021 season and excited to provide our guests with these new experiences to go along with the programming they’ve come to expect from us.”
On Thursday, April 15, WKTV will be featuring live coverage of the Change of Command Ceremony of the International Space Station Expedition 64-65, where cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov turns over the space station command to astronaut Shannon Walker. The ceremony begins at 3:45 p.m.
NASA Astronaut Shannon Walker (NASA)
On Friday, April 16, for the Expedition 64 farewells as NASA astronaut Rubin and Roscosmos cosmonauts Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov prepare to return to earth on the Soyuz MS-17. Coverage of the farewells begin at 5:45 p.m., with the hatch closure of the Soyuz MS-17 scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Coverage continues at 11:30 p.m. with the deorbit burn and landing of the Soyuz MS-17. The deorbit burn is scheduled at 12:01 a.m. with the landing near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan scheduled for 12:56 a.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
WKTV’s Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. (WKTV)
WKTV high school sports Featured Game coverage crew started the spring season this week at East Kentwood High School, and will be out twice next week — as long as the nice spring weather holds.
Our Featured Game coverage began Tuesday, April 13, when the East Kentwood Falcons baseball team hosted Holland West Ottawa for the first game of double-header. The game is available on-demand here and on WKTVlive.org.
Next week’s tentative schedule includes Wyoming softball vs. Covenant Christian on Wednesday, April 21; and then Kelloggsville baseball vs. Zion Christian on Friday, April 23.
The WKTV featured game crew plans to schedule two games a week for the rest of the spring high school sport season.
And WKTV is always looking for community volunteers to help coverage of local high school sports — in print on WKTVjournal.org, as part of our in-studio crew for our twice-a-month WKTV Journal Sports Connection program, and as part of our Featured Game truck game coverage crew. Training is provided and for more information email ken@wktv.org.
Where and when to see featured games
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
A sure sign that this spring and summer will be different than last (we can hope) is the return of the Starkbierfest — “strong beer festival” — to Cedar Springs Brewing Company, scheduled for Saturday, April 17, from 3-9 p.m., in downtown Cedar Springs.
The rain-or-shine event will feature a heated tent — you know those Michigan Aprils, right? — with live music, limited beer release, and all the sausage you can eat.
“Besides the famous Oktoberfest, Starkbierfest … or Frühlingsfest, are the second big German beer festival times during the year,” according to promotional material of the event. “Historically, monks brewed strong beer or Bockbier which was higher in calories and a bit stronger to substitute for food during Lenten fasting. This “Liquid Bread” and annual brewing specialties have survived the times.”
The event is open to aged 21+ (w/valid ID) and $10 cover includes 2 hospitality tickets, valid for food or beverage. Tickets are available for pre-purchase and will also available for purchase at the door on the day of the event.
Among the beers to be released are a Küsterer Pale Weizenbock — one of my favorites — and a Wilderness Trail Barrel Aged Dunkel Lager (both in limited quantities), as well as eight other beers.
The live music scheduled includes Rudi Tegethoff, who we are told plays “energetic German polka” music, from about 2-4 p.m.; then Tony Halchak Music’s “Craft Brewed Americana”, from about 4:15-6:15 p.m.; and Hazy Past’s “vintage rock” from about 6:30-9 p.m.
A little Dutch heritage with Knickerbocker Gin at Tulip Time
Holland’s Tulip Time is just around the corner — scheduled to return May 1-9 — and we are told that means over 37,000 tulips will be in bloom in Holland. And New Holland Brewing is getting into the spirit, literally!
To celebrate New Holland’s Dutch heritage, and the return of the Tulip Time Festival for 2021 after being canceled last year, New Holland’s distillery is set to release a collectible Knickerbocker Gin bottle featuring delftware artwork.
New Holland Knickerbocker gin in special bottle. (Supplied)
This commemorative bottle will be available for preorder through Sunday, April 25 (or as long as supplies last.) It will be sold as a single 750mL bottle for $29.99 (plus tax). Pickups will take place at our Holland or Grand Rapids store locations from Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 9.
New Holland promotional material notes that all preorders must be placed through their online store, however, the bottles will not be available for shipping. And every person picking up orders must present a valid ID showing proof of age of 21+.
For more information on Holland’s Tulip Time 2021 visit tuliptime.com. For more information on the special Knickerbocker Gin bottles, visit here, or visit newhollandbrew.com and click on Shop/Online Store.
When you feed Dragon’s Milk to a Wolverine …
New Holland Brewing’s joint project with Wolverine — a limited edition Dragon’s Milk x 1000 Mile boot that also serves to support the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program — is on the verge of being sold out, according to the wolverine.com website.
Wolverine’s New Holland Dragon’s Milk boots, and some reason to walk 1,000 miles. (Supplied/Wolverine)
The “Deliciously Dark” Stout-colored leather boot is “inspired by the rich hues and notes of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, and oak found in Dragon’s Milk,” according to promotional material.
The boot also includes the iconic Dragon’s Milk logo transformed into a metal fob and heat-embossed onto the boot, just like the burnishing on the barrels the stout is aged in. And we are told “Just as Dragon’s Milk develops its unmistakable taste through its aging process, this timeless handcrafted boot will gain character with every wear.”
Wolverine will be donating 10 percent of all sales of this limited edition collaboration to the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program. For more information visit here.
And if you are heading up the Traverse Road
Northern Latitudes Distillery recently announced it is opening its complementary tasting room in Lake Leelanau, with three new spirits — including, we are told, a Horseradish Vodka that a taste of can serve as the “world’s smallest Bloody Mary.”
“We have our tasting room set up to keep you and our spirit guides as safe as possible with plexiglass dividers, disposable tasting glasses, cleaning between customers, and strictly limited numbers to assure social distancing,” according to promotional material.
And after a tasting, you can settle in on their deck for, among other cocktails, a Plum Rum Mule, which features both their Whaleback Spiced Rum and Visions of Sugar Plums Liqueur. (Ps. The Plum Rum Mule recipe is 1 oz. Visions of Sugar Plums Liqueur, 1 oz. Whaleback Spiced Rum, squeeze of half a lime, and ginger beer — squeeze lime into a copper mug or rocks glass with ice. Drop squeezed half into cup as garnish. Add spirits. Top with ginger beer and stir.)
Note, the indoor cocktail bar remains temporarily closed due to COVID safety cautions.
Northern Latitudes Distillery is located at 112 E Philip St (M-204), Lake Leelanau. For more information visit their Facebook page here.
March was Women’s History Month and with that in mind, this is a good time to highlight the everyday women’s journey through healthcare.
Most young women are healthy and are not seen for regular checkups, however even as a young adult routine exam are essential. Same goes for men. By the time you are 18 years of age you should have had one or more encounters with a health care professional to monitor your growth, been seen for a sick visit, or even received a vaccine.
You should visit your health care provider from time to time even if you are healthy. The purpose of these visits is to:
1. Assist you in getting to know your provider just in case you may become ill
2. Encourage a healthy lifestyle
3. Screen for Medical concerns
4. Go over Family and Past Medical history
5. Update Vaccinations
6. Assess your risks for future medical problems
7. Physical Exam
8. Obtain routine lab work
These visits could help you to avoid medical conditions such as high cholesterol and diabetes that are often obtained from labs in the early stages without evidence of symptoms. Not to mention high blood pressure is checked regularly at these visits.
There are of course more specific times when you should see your provider especially between the ages of 18 and 39.
You may be screened for alcohol misuse as early as 18-years-old with too much drinking being seen as greater than three drinks per day or seven drinks per week.
Screening for mammograms begins at 40, while screening for colon cancer begins at 50 but should be considered sooner if someone in your family has or has had it/
Cholesterol screening should start at 20 if you have known risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity or family history.
Go to your dentist twice a year or yearly.
Receive a flu shot every year. Also consider the COVID 19 vaccine as well as get up to date with all other vaccines.
Cervical Cancer screenings begin at age 21 and as per provider recommendations thereafter usually ranging from three to five years depending on your age.
Golfers looking to hit the greens, the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing is set for June 11.
The event, which is co-sponsored by the Grandville-Jenison chamber of Commerce and the Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature dining stations on the course. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy sliced prime rib, beet and chicken kabobs, and Coney Island as they play. Each station also features side dishes, chips, and desserts.
The golf outing, which is $110 per golfer or $400 for a foursome, will include 18 holes of golf with card, driving range, and putting green games such as closet to the pin contest, longest drive contest, and longest putt contest. Tee times begin at 8 a.m. with the event taking place at Gleneagle Golf Clbu, 6150 14th Ave., Hudsonville.
The annual even helps to raise for high school student scholarships in the three chamber areas. Those scholarships are the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber Foundation for Scholarships, Hudsonvlle Are Business Scholarship, Grandville Community Leader Scholarship, and Ted TerHaar Memorial Community Leader Scholarship.
To maintain social distancing, each group will be assigned a tee time. For more information or to register, visit the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, www.southkent.org.
Pandemics, politics and persistent social problems make our communities seem more fractured and polarized than ever. Yet, we must all live together and create communities where people are safe, prosperous and healthy. Kent District Library has partnered with World Affairs Council to present a three-part series focused on Community Resilience. This series tackles the ways we can all work together to create stronger communities, starting right here in Western Michigan.
The Community Resilience series is taking place online. People can attend the series virtually via the World Affairs Council’s YouTube page. Guests will have the ability to send in a question of the speaker-experts during the live presentations. They will also be able to watch them afterwards as archived videos.
Community Resilience: Towards a Newly Vital Midwest
Thursday, April 15, 6:30 p.m. Featuring John Austin, Director of Michigan Economic Center and Nonresident Senior Fellow with Brookings Institution and Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Wyoming City Planner Nicole Hofert
Community Resilience: Empowered People = Community Resilience
Monday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. Featuring Tarah Carnahan, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Treetops Collective, Willie Patterson III, Director of Community Engagement at LINC Up and Carlos Sanchez, Director of Latino Business and Economic Development Center at Ferris State University.
Community Resilience: Responsive Government = Community Resilience Monday, April 26, 6:30 p.m.
Featuring Nicole Hofert, City Planner for City of Wyoming, Stephen Kepley, Mayor of Kentwood, and Milinda Ysasi, Grand Rapids (2nd Ward) City Commissioner.
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan empowers the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world. For more information, visit www.worldmichigan.org.
Visitors have a limited time left to explore the popular Under the Arctic and Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks exhibitions at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM). Under the Arctic’s last date to visit will be Sunday, April 25 and the last date to visit Wild Connections is Sunday, May 2.
“The Museum continues to offer an unforgettable experience for the community, and currently these popular exhibitions offer two distinct experiences allowing all ages to learn about science, ecosystems and the human impact on nature, in a fun and immersive way,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing and PR. “Museums offer a low-risk opportunity for the community to get out of the house, spark their curiosity and create family memories, while learning and having fun. We encourage visitors to plan their trip in advance to see these exhibits before they leave Grand Rapids.”
Explore larger-than-life sculptures made with more than 2 million LEGO® bricks in Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks! Kids and adults are in awe of the stunning sculptures that teach about animal endangerment, ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature. Favorites include the hummingbird that defies gravity, the mountain goats whose textured fur is made from small LEGO® brick people when you look closely at the detail, and the miniature cityscape. Wild Connections must be added in addition to general admission tickets for your visit.
Included with your admission tickets, Under the Arctic addresses climate change through the lens of a thawing Arctic environment to educate visitors about permafrost’s fascinating characteristics and its greater implications. Featuring various interactive components, this exhibit includes a 30-foot-long Alaskan permafrost tunnel replica, fossil research stations and interactive games.
Visit grpm.org to purchase tickets today to see these fascinating exhibitions before they are gone. Kent County residents receive discounted admission to the GRPM, including Kent County kids aged 17 and under receiving free general admission everyday! Wild Connections tickets are only $4 for the public and $2 for GRPM members.
“Under the Arctic” is set to close on April 25. (Supplied)
Advance ticket purchase is required before you visit to ensure a seamless and contactless entry for each visitor. Visitors are required to wear masks properly during the duration of their visit. The Museum offers a low-risk environment with increased sanitization stations and cleaning protocols, hospital grade HVAC ion filters for air filtration, and limited capacity for daily entrance to ensure social distancing.
One resident questioned the need for spraying for gypsy moths, while a few others stated they felt there needed to be more done to control the population during a public hearing at the Wyoming City Council’s April 5 meeting.
The City of Wyoming has annually sprayed parts of the city for the gypsy moth caterpillars which have a voracious appetite and can cause quite a bite of damage to trees, especially Oak trees.
At the April 5 night meeting, the City Council had its first public hearing about the overall gypsy moth spraying project for 2021. A second public meeting has been set for April 19 which will be specifically for the special assessment to property owners to cover the cost of the sprayings.
Gypsy moth caterpillar (Public Domain)
During the public hearing, one resident who lived near Lions Park said he questioned the need for the spraying as he has not seen any gypsy moths and felt that the spraying impacted other wildlife such as butterflies and birds. The spray used is a naturally occurring bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which, according to information provided, is not harmful to humans or animals.
However, a couple of residents, who live near Pinery Park, expressed concern that the gypsy moth caterpillar population seemed to be growing in the city and the need for the city to do more to help control it.
Mayor Jack Poll said they appreciate residents coming forward and letting them know what they see as they do relay that information back to the company that does the spraying, which is Hamilton Helicopters, Inc., to help target the gypsy moths.
The council did approve the project. The total cost of the project is about $65,700. It covers 868 acres at about $64.10 per acre.
The cost of the spraying is passed on to the homeowners in a special assessment. At its April 19 council meeting, the council will review the special assessment to property owners for the spraying. The special assessment will be $26 per standard residential lot that is less than one-half acre. The cost is $75 per treated acre for parcels that are larger than a half an acre. The amount would be added on the 2021 summer property tax bill.
Mayor Jack Poll
2021-2022 Budget
The Wyoming City Council will host a public hearing for its 2021-2022 budget on May 3 at 7:01 p.m. The proposed budget has more than $110 million in expenditures with the largest being for the general fund, $38.6 million, which includes all police and fire expenditures; water, $29.75 million; and sewer, $19.9 million.
The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. It is currently estimated to be 11.8947 mills.
Emergency Order
The City Council has extended its citywide emergency order until July 31. Poll noted that this was so the city continue to host its virtual meetings. He did state that the council would be hitting the road this summer, hosting meetings at several locations in the city.
Poll added that he hoped by July 31, the city would be done with virtual meetings.
Other City items
The City Council did award a $1.192 million bid to Wyoming Excavators, Inc. to replace the watermain along Wadsworth Street from Division Avenue to Buchanan Avneue, Michael Avenue from 44th Street to 42nd Street and DeHoop Avenue from Burton Street to Belfield Street. According to a staff report, the watermains along those streets were built in the 1940s and 1950s and “have reached the end of their useful life.” With engineering costs, the total project costs will be $1.3 million.
Beverly Avenue will be getting a new traffic signal to alert motorists and road users of approaching trains. The cost of the project is around $30,000 which will be reimbursed by the CSX Raildroad.
New Wyoming High School head football coach Carlton Brewster II visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on his return to the Wolves sidelines. (WKTV)
On this latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, a changing of the guard — and program leader — on the Wyoming High School football field.
Wyoming High School head football coach Carlton Brewster II. (WKTV)
When Irv Sigler Jr. resigned his position of head football coach at Wyoming high after this season, Wolves athletic director Ted Hollern said he needed to find a replacement quickly. But more importantly, he needed to find the right guy, quickly. In early March, Wyoming found “the right guy” — Carlton Brewster II, who most recently was head football coach at Kalamazoo Central High School but is no stranger to the Wyoming Wolves football sidelines.
With WKTV sports volunteer Mark Bergsma, Coach Brewster visits WKTV Journal Sports Connection to talk about his journey back to Wyoming, his work as a student mentor as well as a coach — Brewster will also work as Dean of Students at the high school — and what he envisions as the football program he wants to build.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is a WKTV produced program dedicated to bringing you interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports. You can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting WKTVJournal.org/sports. But we also have a volunteer sports crew, both in studio and with our coverage truck. For more information email ken@WKTV.org.
This WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of high school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.org. It also airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule). Individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal Sports Connection are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre opens its doors for the first time in a year. (Supplied)
Live Theater Anyone?
For the first time in a year, the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has opened its doors. This weekend, April 9-11, and next, April 16-18, the company is hosting the finals for Ten for All Festival. Earlier this year, playwrights were invited to submit a 10-minute original play or musical. The six finalists, which have received a $100 cash prize for winning their category, will be performed for two weeks with the opportunity to earn the Audience Choice Award and winning an additional $100. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit www.grct.org.
https://vimeo.com/532988366
A Free Program
This spring, the Grand Rapids Ballet is offering its “Spring Break for Kids 2021: Peter and the Wolf” performance for free. The performance is available through April 11. Spring Break for Kids is tailored specifically for youngsters, and this year features the story of “Peter and the Wolf,” with music by Sergei Prokofiev. Hear (and see) the musicians of the Battle Creek Symphony led by music director Anne Harrigan and watch the music come alive in a brand-new staging, co-choreographed by Artistic Director James Sofranko and Ballet Master Dawnell Dryja. To get the Vinmo link to the performance, register your email at grballet.com.
Snag a Book
Recently a group of local writers released the anthology “Lost and Found,” featuring nine original stories including one by WKTV Managing Editor K.D. Norris. While it is listed as romance, author and contributor Diana Lloyd said the book has something for everyone. So get a head start on collecting up those summer reads by snagging a copy. The book is available on Amazon.
O Canada, O McFlurry
That is correct. That wonderful sweet treat that has become associated with the Golden Arches originated from a franchise in Bathhurst, New Brunswick in Canada. Not much is said as to why the location started offering the treat but by 1997, it was available at all McDonald locations and since then each country that has McDonald’s has created its own special McFlurry. In the United Kingdom, they enjoy the Cadbury Cream Egg McFlurry, while in Japan, it is all about the Matcha McFlurry which we understand can rival the green of the United State’s Shamrock shake.
City of Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts, as part of a discussion on WKTV Journal In Focus, talked about the changes in police vehicle camera technology — which at one point was dashboard cameras and VCRs in the trunk. (WKTV)
The City of Kentwood Police Department prides itself on not only its transparency and accountably but also its community interaction and involvement. So, when Kentwood’s top police official, Chief Richard Roberts, visited WKTV Journal In Focus recently the conversation ranged from plans for expanded officer body camera use to working with local employees to help local restaurants and patrons.
In early March, the City of Kentwood announced its police department would equip its entire force with body cameras in an effort to enhance both accountably and transparency during community interactions. Chief Roberts detailed the program, its needs and goals, training and department protocol for use, and how body cameras are equally good for the community as they are for police officers.
(For a previous WKTV Journal In Focus interviews with Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young which included discussion of the use of law enforcement body cameras, visit Becker’s discussion here and LaJoye-Young’s discussion here.)
Additionally, in our interview with Chief Roberts, he discussed programs such as pop-up events in support of local restaurants and customers, as well as the planned Kentwood Police Youth Academy.
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.
LowellArts Youth Theater presents The Trial of Goldilocks by Joseph Robinette. In rhyme, mime, and mirth, this exciting comedy examines the familiar fairy tale from three points of view: the traditional, the Bears’, then Goldilocks’. Performances are: Friday, April 16, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 17, at 11 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. at Lowell Performing Arts Center/Lowell High School, 11700 Vergennes, Lowell.
The production includes youth and teen actors ages 8 and up from Lowell and surrounding communities. Directed by Teresa Goldner. Tickets are $5 for In-Person Attendance or for Live-Stream Access. Tickets are available at showtix4u.com or by calling 897-8545. More info at www.lowellartsmi.org/trial-ofgoldilocks.
In rhyme, mime and mirth, this exciting comedy examines the familiar fairy tale from three points of view: the traditional, the Bears’, then Goldilocks’. Guilty or innocent? Was the young girl a selfish, spoiled brat, intruding where she didn’t belong? Or was she the victim of three conniving bears (and their animal “band of hoods” in the woods)? Complete with a hard-of-hearing judge, a harried clerk, two comic lawyers and a jury (of any size)—which gets involved in the action as tables, chairs, beds and forest animals–this charming comedy is perfect for performers of all ages. From the opening moment, when three vendors attempt to hawk souvenirs among the audience, to the surprising verdict from the jury—and a “happily-ever-after” conclusion—this play, performed completely in verse, is both unique and enchanting. As one critic wrote: “The work is entertaining on all levels and is highly educational, both in presenting the same story from different points of view and in involving the child performers in a variety of ways.”
2021 Cast
Ellory Duimstra, Wyatt Duimstra, Amelia Herrera, Adria Herring, Neil LaPonsie, Olivia Meekhof, Eleanor Pastor, Adelaide Plank, Victor Preiss, Jozelyn Stroud, Calla Swayze, Brody Swift, Stella Tessmer, and Olivia VanGroningen
While dinning at a restaurant called The Whitney in Detroit, Beverlee Rydel took a photo that remains unexplained. The paranormal possibilities of this photo fueled a passion that lead to a 12-year crusade, often traveling tens of thousands of miles per year across Michigan to research paranormal activity. Rydel and her sister Kathleen Tedsen shared the adventure as they bravely ventured into a world of the unknown.
This paranormal pilgrimage and their tedious historical research culminated in Rydel and Tedsen becoming the award winning authors of “Haunted Travels of Michigan.” This three book series is a unique book and website interactive experience. Each story has its own “Secret Room” offering audio, video, and behind the scene colored photos online, where evidence can be reviewed. Rydel and Tedsen included several of Michigan’s top paranormal investigating teams at many of the haunted locations. Their common goal was to separate fact from fiction when it comes to ghost stories, urban legends, folklore, and myth.
Beverlee Rydel
Honorably, if the authors were investigating a location and “no ghostly activity was identified,” they made it clear, “didn’t turn up any paranormal evidence,” and were not afraid to say “no ghosts” here at this time. Hunting ghosts can be a hazardous hobby with inherent risks and real dangers and is not recommended for amateurs. The serious side of the supernatural is explored as Rydell and Tedsen detail accounts of demons and deliverance. Deliverance is needed when obsession nears possession and can be defined as an exorcism.
Rydel and Tedsen followed their highly successful “Haunted Travels of Michigan” book series with their final book, a collaboration titled “Stepping Into Darkness.” Gone but never to be forgotten, Rydel passed away before the book was completed. Tedsen completed the project with chapter one covering Eloise Psychiatric Hospital, considered to be one of Michigan’s top ten most haunted sites. The author’s special connection introduces the reader to “Mark” a patient at the hospital. The personal insights are astonishingly detailed and descriptive.
Kathleen Tedsen
Another chapter is titled, “Lost Boy of Mackinac Island.” In this story the sisters put together clues from the previous year and are able to encourage the spirit of a young boy to cross over to the other side. Channeling peace to the living and the dead is the ultimate goal of ghost hunters. According to Rydel and Tedsen, “Something does exist out there…Something that can’t be explained…Something paranormal.”
Disclaimer: Since my last article on Mackinac Island, I interviewed Todd Clements and he no longer supports the details of “The Drowning Pool” story.
When thinking about a fundraiser for the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group, the obvious answer to author Diana Lloyd was for the group to put out a book.
Like many organizations the GRRWG has been impacted by COVID and the social guidelines that restrict gatherings.
“We couldn’t meet in person,” Lloyd said, adding that the group use to meet at the Kentwood Peppino’s Sports Grille and Pizzeria, which is located near Celebration! South. “We lost our connection, we lost members. So we were trying to think of something that we could do to raise interest and money for the group.”
The money from the fundraiser would be dedicated to the Workshop for Writers program, which is scheduled for August. Started in 2019, the goal was to have one annually but because of group restrictions due to COVID, the writer’s group had to cancel the 2020 event.
With plans to host the 2021 workshop in the works, the GRRWG needed money to bring in speakers, Lloyd said, which lead to members looking for ways to fundraise.
“There were the usual suggestions, sell flowers for Mother’s Day or popcorn, but how do you do that all online?” Lloyd said. “I started thinking what are we? Writers. And what do we do? Write.”
So Lloyd suggested the idea of putting together an anthology of short stories to show the talent pool of the organization’s members. There were a few hurdles, such as finding an editor and coming up with a theme. Lloyd established the theme of “Lost and Found,” with all the stories centered around romance. Each member was asked to contribute a new, original story based on the theme with a total of nine stories included in the final book.
“The idea was that the book was to be released around Valentine’s Day because romance novels sell best during that time,” Lloyd said. But due to some delays, which included the original editor having to leave the project, the anthology’s release was pushed back to the end of March. GRRWG member and contributor Diana Stout volunteered to edit the anthology, which helped to get the project moving forward.
Lloyd said she believes people will be surprised by the variety of stories since romance provides a broad range of possibilities that can be based in the past, the present and/or the future and can also “be of this world or beyond.”
“I am a romance purest,” Lloyd said. “I read these stories and it got me out of my comfort zone and inspired me to look at things in a different way.”
It is the hope of the authors — which along with Lloyd and Stout include Jae Vel, Lisa Campeau, Martin Shoemaker, Natalia Baird, Patricia Kiyono, Rosanne Bittner, and WKTV Managing Editor K.D. Norris — that others also will be inspired as well.
“I hope people don’t read the word ‘romance’ and let that scare them,” Lloyd said. “There really is something in there for just about everyone: sweet, inspirational, spicy.
“I also hope Michigan residents, or at least people in the Grand Rapids area, will check it out and learn what our writer’s group is about and learn about some of our local writers.”
“Lost and Found” is available through Amazon. For more information about the GRRWG, visit the organization’s Facebook page.
Grand Rapids’ Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, along with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University, continue to offer virtual programs this month.
The next program, available via Zoom meeting, will be “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead”, a virtual book talk with Gen. James M. Mattis (Ret.) — a retired U.S. Marine officer, U.S. Secretary of State, and now book author — on Wednesday, April 21, starting at 7 p.m.
To register for this free event, including on the day of, visit here.
Following the talk by Gen. Mattis, on Thursday, April 22, Prof. H.W. Brands will offer a virtual talk “John Brown and Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Freedom”, based on Brands’ recent book “The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown and Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Freedom”. The talk will begin at 7 p.m.
To register for this free event, including on the day of, visit here.
A general talks leadership, in war and peace
“Call Sign Chaos”, according to supplied material, is the account of Gen. Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East.
James H. Mattis (Ford Presidential Museum)
Along the way, Mattis recounts his “foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of war-fighting and peacemaking,” the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas and short-sighted thinking now facing our nation.
“He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars,” the supplied material states.
Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of war-fighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.
‘The Zealot and the Emancipator’
“The Zealot and the Emancipator” is acclaimed historian H. W. Brands’s account of “how two American giants shaped the war for freedom,” according to supplied material.
John Brown was a charismatic and deeply religious man who heard the God of the Old Testament speaking to him, telling him to destroy slavery by any means. When Congress opened Kansas territory to slavery in 1854, Brown raised a band of followers to wage war. Three years later, Brown and his men assaulted the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to arm slaves with weapons for a race war that would cleanse the nation of slavery.
Brown’s violence pointed ambitious Illinois lawyer and former officeholder Abraham Lincoln toward a different solution to slavery: politics.
Lincoln spoke cautiously and dreamed big, plotting his path back to Washington and perhaps to the White House. Yet his caution could not protect him from the vortex of violence Brown had set in motion. After Brown’s arrest, his righteous dignity on the way to the gallows led many in the North to see him as a martyr to liberty. Southerners responded with anger and horror to a terrorist being made into a saint.
Lincoln, Brands argues, “shrewdly threaded the needle between the opposing voices of the fractured nation and won election as president. But the time for moderation had passed, and Lincoln’s fervent belief that democracy could resolve its moral crises peacefully faced its ultimate test” — the Civil War.
For more information on the Ford Museum’s scheduled of events, visit here. For more information on the museum, visit here.
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s and Mercy Health Muskegon have announced a second collaboration, this time focusing on the heart.
Last year, the organizations announced the Cancer Network of West Michigan to provide cancer patients with broader regional access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis, treatment and support. Following suit, the new Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan would utilize the leverage the expertise of Michigan Medicine’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center and provide a broader regional access to cardiovascular care by offering a second open-heart surgery program in Grand Rapids, which will be located at Metro Health. Currently only Spectrum Health operates a cardiovascular care program in the Grand Rapids area.
Peter Hahn, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health (Supplied)
The health systems have been working together for months on a plan to deepen clinical capabilities and broaden patient access and choice for high-quality cardiovascular care, said Peter Hahn, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States,” Hahn said. “We owe it to our community to provide choice and options for the most advanced care, with access to the finest medical minds, sophisticated treatments and groundbreaking clinical trials.
In March, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a certificate of need authorizing an open-heart surgery program for Metro Health hospital campus in Wyoming. Later phases of the plan call for a dedicated facility.
Services such as coronary artery bypass surgery, cardiac valve repair or replacement, and repair for birth defects of the heart would be provided through the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan.
The network is envisioned as the region’s leading program for open-heart, structural heart and advanced electrophysiology services. It builds on the history of each of the partners collaborating with Michigan Medicine in cardiovascular care.
“As one of the fastest-growing regions in Michigan, the Grand Rapids area has seen a growing need for advanced cardiovascular services,” said Matthew Biersack, MD, interim president and chief medical officer of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s. “Even smaller communities, such as Lansing and Kalamazoo, are served by multiple open-heart programs.
“The Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan will provide an alternative for cardiovascular care and meet our region’s need for quality, increased patient access and delivery of care in an effective and cost-efficient manner,” he said.
The network would become the latest innovative partnership to expand regional cooperation in advanced medical services.
At the same time, strong collaborations are already in place in cardiovascular care. The open-heart program at Mercy Health Muskegon is staffed by Michigan Medicine surgeons. And Michigan Medicine physicians already provide electrophysiology services at all three sites.
“Mercy Health’s partnership with Metro Health – University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine builds upon our unified strengths to provide the highest quality, innovative and comprehensive cardiovascular care throughout west Michigan,” said Gary Allore, president of Mercy Health Muskegon.
By leveraging the combined expertise of the partners, the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan is designed to deliver personalized, patient-centered care while drawing on the expertise of Michigan Medicine.
“This network will provide west Michigan patients with a connection to the world-renowned cardiovascular expertise here at Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Michigan Medicine,” said Gorav Ailawadi, MD, MBA, chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Michigan Medicine.
“We will be able to offer west Michigan patients access to the most sophisticated, least-invasive treatments and world-class care close to home. This is a key step in Michigan Medicine’s mission to advance health care as a destination center for cardiovascular care,” Ailawadi said.
All hospital providers and staff will remain employed by their respective health systems, and no staff reductions will take place as a result of this agreement.
The network partners are working to finalize the agreement over the next several months.
Hastings Live is returning in 2021. It may look different than it has in the past– there may be ticketing for some events and venue changes for others, but it is happening!
“We are thrilled to be hosting Hastings Live again,” said Thornapple Arts Council Executive Director Megan Lavell. “We’re making safety our first priority as we move forward with our 2021 programming. We know this season is going to feel different than years past, and we appreciate everyone following the safety protocols to keep the community safe and keep the program going all summer.”
“We have been working with the Barry-Eaton Health Department, Hastings City Police, and the Hastings Department of Public Services to safely plan the upcoming Hastings Live season,” said Hastings Downtown Development Director Dan King. “Please stay tuned to local medial sources and social media for updates as the season draws closer.”
In addition to the Downtown Sculpture Tour (new sculptures are being installed April 27) Hastings Live includes Hastings City Band, Community Concerts, Fridays at the Fountain, and Friday Night Features, Hastings Live at Summerfest, and the Playing at the Plaza Thursday morning children’s entertainment series.
Playing at the Plaza will be held at the Thornapple Plaza this summer to allow children and their families more room to dance, sing, and play while maintaining social distancing. Wednesday and Friday evening and Summerfest concerts will also be held at the Thornapple Plaza which is adjacent to downtown Hastings and its charming and unique shops and restaurants, many located in HOPS, Hastings’ new downtown social district (log on to https://downtownhastings.com/social-district-hops/for more information). It is also located next to the Riverwalk Trail which hugs the banks of the scenic Thornapple River.
Friday Night Features showcase some of the region’s finest up-and-coming performers along with established artists. Friday Night Feature concerts start at 7:30 p.m. at the Thornapple Plaza The Friday Night Features lineup includes:
June 18 Simply Queen June 25 Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band July 2 Denise Davis July 9 Arena Rock July 16 Jake Kershaw July 23 Roosevelt Diggs July 30 Brian Randall Band Aug. 6 The Insiders Aug. 13 The Army Band Aug. 20 The Accidentals
Hastings City Band has been entertaining audiences for more than 150 years. Members are high school aged and up. All Hastings City Band performances are held on Wednesday at the Thornapple Plaza and start at 7:30 p.m. Hastings City Band performance dates are:
June 2 June 9 June 16 June 23 June 30
Community Concerts feature some of the area’s finest local talent. All Community Concerts are held on Wednesday evening at the Thornapple Plaza and start at 7:30 p.m. This year’s Community Concert line-up includes:
July 7 Out of Favor Boys July 14 Thornapple Jazz Orchestra July 21 Gooder ‘n Grits July 28 Geez Louise Aug. 4 Allie Garland and Awesome Sauce Aug. 11 Jesse Cline Aug. 18 Grumpy Old Men Aug. 25 An Dro
Fridays at the Fountain start at noon on the Barry County Courthouse lawn on the southwest corner of the intersection of Church and State streets. In the event of inclement weather, Friday at the Fountain concerts will be canceled. This year’s line-up includes:
June 18 Gary Niemensky June 25 Chuck Whiting Jr. July 2 Ellie Youngs July 9 Susan Harrison July 16 Daves at 7 July 23 Hastings Heartbeat July 30 Kilkenny Corkers Aug. 6 Community Music School Aug. 13 Dede and the Dreamers
Playing at the Plaza is a children’s music, entertainment and education series will be held at the Thornapple Plaza Thursdays at 11 a.m. during the 2021 season. The line-up includes:
June 17 Brianna Harm June 24 Ben Jammin July 1 Kalamazoo Exotic Animals July 8 Drumming with Dede July 15 Tunes and Tales with Trisha July 22 Palamazoo Aug. 5 Stormy the Magician Aug. 12 Mime Rob Reider
Hastings Live at Summerfest is the last concert series of the summer. All concerts will be held at the Thornapple Plaza on the Friday and Saturday of the last full weekend in August. The line-up for this year includes:
Friday, Aug. 27 4-5:15 p.m. Crooked Root 5:45 – 7 p.m. Zion Lion 7:30 – 9 p.m. Crush Between sets Brianna Harm
Saturday, Aug. 28 2-3 p.m. Brother Adams 3:30 – 5 p.m. Silent Bark 5:30 – 7 p.m. Toppermost 7:30 – 9 p.m. Aeroforce Between sets Expressions Dance Studio
Please note: Due to ongoing public health concerns, Hastings Live events will observe what safety measures are deemed necessary when the series begins. While all events will remain free, some may be ticketed to limit audience sizes. Please check the City of Hastings and Thornapple Council websites, City of Hastings and Hastings Live Facebook pages throughout the season for updates on bands, venues and current health department guidelines.
Singer/songwriter Josh Rose, who once prowled the football sidelines as a coach, is a person who found music to be his life’s playbook. (Supplied/SCMC)
St. Cecilia Music Center, like most live music venues in Wet Michigan, are looking toward the fall of this year with hopeful ears open for a return to filled seats for its chamber, jazz and acoustic folk series. But in the meantime, the center is offering three more virtual concerts in April — two of them “live” from the Royce Auditorium stage.
The first of the three concerts will be this week, Thursday, April 8, starting at 7 p.m., when Jen Sygit and Josh Rose will perform from the Royce Auditorium stage in a performance streaming free of charge on St. Cecilia’s Facebook and YouTube channels, and accessed through scmc-online.org.
Also on the free-streaming concert schedule are Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, on Thursday, April 15, as well as jazz-plus pianist Rufus Ferguson, Wednesday, April 21, with the Ferguson concert again ‘Live” from the Royce Auditorium stage. Both concerts will begin streaming at 7 p.m.
For a complete list of all virtual concerts offered by St. Cecilia for home viewing, see scmc-online.org/virtual/.
Jen Sygit and Josh Rose
Well-known local musicians Sygit and Rose will share the stage, swapping stories and songs “for an hour of fantastic folk,” according to supplied material.
Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, when it comes to her “folk”, singer/songwriter Jen Sygit has released four solo albums with her latest, “It’s About Time”. (Supplied/SCMC)
Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, when it comes to her “folk”, singer/songwriter Sygit has released four solo albums. Her latest, “It’s About Time”, was produced by long-time friend and collaborator Dominic John Davis (bassist to Jack White and Buddy Miller) and features guest performances from Luther Dickinson, Colin Linden, The McCrary Sisters and Rachael Davis.
The album’s title track won “Best Americana Song” at the 2019 Independent Music Awards in New York City and her music video for the tune “Love is Wild” won the “Vox Pop Fan Favorite- Best Director of a Short Form Music Video” the same year.
In addition to her solo career, Sygit co-fronts the roots rock Lincoln County Process with Ann Arbor-based songwriter Sam Corbin, is a founding member of the all-female string band Stella! and is also a veteran session vocalist appearing on over 50 albums nationwide.
Singer/songwriter Rose, who once prowled the football sidelines as a coach, is a person who found music to be his life’s playbook. With his guitar in hand, he has played shows throughout the Midwest for 16 years and has recorded three studio albums — with another on the way, according to supplied material.
“Rose’s wistful songs allow all curious listeners to extract what they can from the cloud, to open the floodgates, and to share in the beauty of music, earth, humanity and air,” we are told.
Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz Orchestra
Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz Orchestra were scheduled to appear as part of the St. Cecilia Jazz Series in the Royce Auditorium on April 15, but were not able to be in-person this year — however, St. Cecilia is working on a reschedule date for the 2021-22 season!
However, local audiences can enjoy the music virtually with a recorded show — on April 15.
Over the course of his prolific music career, acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis has been praised for his “technical excellence, inventive mind and frequent touches of humor,” and heralded as hailed as one of “the best, most imaginative and musical of the trombonists of his generation,” according to supplied material.
The latest Uptown Jazz Orchestra release, “Jazz Party”, pays tribute to the soulful and funky sounds of celebration in music, with a jazz sensibility. But the band’s repertoire consists of material that spans the 100+ years of American music with a contemporary flare, with influences from Louis Armstrong to Count Basie, James Brown to J Cole.
Rufus Ferguson
Pianist Rufus Ferguson is into jazz and so much more. He is an educator who earned degrees from Western Michigan University under the mentorship of Jeremy Siskind and Matthew Fries. And he has shared the stage with artists such as Dwight Adams, Bob Hurst, Rodney Whitaker, Ali Jackson, The Temptations and many more.
Rufus Ferguson (Supplied/SCMC)
Rufus is equally well-versed in multiple genres of music which has made him a fixture in the regional jazz, R&B and gospel music scenes. His jazz arrangements have most recently been presented by his 9-piece ensemble at the 2018 Gilmore Keyboard Festival and his orchestral arrangements have been performed by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
Rufus has performed at several festivals such as the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in Lansing, Michigan, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Elmhurst Jazz Festival, Flint Jazz Festival and the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Louisville, KY.
In March, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker gave a Performance Measurements Review to a committee of the county Board of Commissioners. While some of the review was mostly statistics and governmental detail, we at WKTV thought it an opportunity to get the county’s top attorney in to discuss a wide range of his office’s activities — including its goals, accomplishments and challenges.
In addition to his report to the Board of Commissioners, the county’s top attorney discussed how the current pandemic has impacted the state of the county’s criminal courts, last year and into the future. And, given the news of the day out of a Minneapolis courtroom, we got his take on the value of video evidence in criminal trials — are police body cameras or public cell phone video good witnesses?
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.
