The City of Kentwood will once again offer free brush and leaf drop-off services to residents this spring.
According to an announcement from the city, starting Saturday, April 3, residents may drop off brush, sticks, tree limbs, logs, loose leaves and grass clippings at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. Drop-off is available noon-8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. on Sunday, continuing through Saturday, May 29.
“As snow melts in the spring, getting yard and tree debris out of the right-of-way is incredibly important for our roadways and storm drains,”Jim Wolford, Department of Public Works supervisor, said in supplied material. “Clearing brush and leaves prevents buildup in these areas, keeping our infrastructure running smoothly throughout the city.”
The services are available to Kentwood residents only, and proof of residency is required. Materials that cannot be accepted include trash, paper and plastic bags, dirt, concrete, asphalt, tires, rocks, stones, construction materials, glass and metal.
In addition to making yard maintenance easier, leaf and brush drop-off services also help residents stay in compliance with city ordinances. The accumulation of leaves and debris on a property or in the right-of-way is prohibited in the City of Kentwood, as well as burning leaves and brush.
More information about Kentwood’s brush and leaf drop-off services is available at kentwood.us/BrushLeafDropOff.
Godfrey-Lee School District athletic director Jason Faasse visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection to catch us up on his Lee High School Legends news. (WKTV)
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our coverage of local high school athletics, Godfrey-Lee School District athletic director Jason Faasse visited our studios to catch us up on Lee High School sports.
And what’s new with the Legends includes a planned athletic conference change coming in 2021-22, some long-awaited continuity in their coaching staff, and — oh, ya — there is that infrastructure bond measure that was passed last year and what it will mean for the Lee teams and programs.
And, like all schools across Michigan, there have been impacts of COVID-19.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection brings its audience interviews and stories focused on local Wyoming and Kentwood area high schools sports, both on cable television and on our on-demand and YouTube channels. Readers can catch up on all our local sports coverage by visiting wktvjournal.com/sports.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection is available on-demand, along with WKTV coverage of highs school athletic events and other sports, at WKTVlive.com. 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.
Carlton Brewster II, shown in the colors of Kalamazoo Central High School, will be wearing a different color when he takes the field as Wyoming High School football head coach. (Coach Brewster’s Twitter Page)
Wyoming Pubic Schools announced this week that 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, has been named Wyoming high head football coach as well as the school’s Dean of Students.
Brewster takes over the Wyoming program from Irv Sigler Jr., who resigned his coaching position in January after four years leading the Wolves.
Brewster, at Kalamazoo Central, also served as “Character Development Coach” and WPS superintendent Craig Hoekstra stressed that the new coach brings knowledge and skills both on and off the playing field.
“After a thorough interview process, we are confident his knowledge and experience makes him the right person to lead our team,” Hoekstra said in supplied material. “Brewster knows what it takes to be a successful student-athlete both on and off the field and he brings to Wyoming an impressive plan to grow and develop our football program.”
After graduating from and playing football at Grand Rapids’ Creston High School, Brewster played football at the college and professional levels, and coached at three Wyoming-area highs schools — Wyoming high, Lee and Godwin Heights — before his stint at Kalamazoo Central. Coach Brewster and his wife, Cassondra, live in Wyoming with their five children: Aniyah, Kevin, Teonna, Zara and Carlton III.
And being back in the community where he lives and where much of his coaching history was made is important to “Coach Brewster”.
“I have been living in Wyoming for the past 10 years and coaching at Wyoming High School has been a dream of mine,” Brewster said in supplied material. “I look forward to serving our community and students.”
Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern not only knows Coach Brewster well but has high expectations for the football program under its new coach.
“Coach Brewster is a great addition to the Wyoming High School staff and athletic department,” Hollern said in supplied material. “He brings excitement, experience, and a tremendous work ethic. I know our student athletes will be prepared and have fun while competing against teams in the O.K. Conference.”
A wealth of experience and success
After playing at Creston high, Brewster was a standout wide receiver at Ferris State University, ranking high in the Bulldogs record book for wide receivers with 234 receptions for a total of 3,184 yards. Also at Ferris State, he earned his Bachelor of Integrative Studies of Arts and Science in 2010, and then his Masters in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University in 2013.
Following his tenure playing for the Bulldogs, Brewster spent two years in the NFL as a wide receiver and punt returner for the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos. Later he also played semi-pro ball for the Grand Rapids Rampage, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz and Chicago Rush.
Once his playing career had finished, Brewster moved to the sidelines to coach.
His first stops were as wide receiver coach at Creston High School, Ottawa Hills High School, Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Forest Hills Eastern.
In 2014, Brewster served as the Wyoming high offensive coordinator. That season, Wolves quarterback Brendan Berg threw for 2,001 yards and wide receiver Michael Williams was named 1st Team All Conference.
Brewster was then named head coach at Godfrey Lee Public School’s Wyoming Lee High School in 2015. He then spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the head coach at Godwin Heights, where his teams went 5-5 and then 7-3. In 2018, Brewster was named head coach at Kalamazoo Central, and in three years his team complied an 11-15 overall record, including the COVID-19 disrupted 2020 season.
The City of Kentwood announced last week that it is seeking community volunteers to join its new Kentwood Park Stewards program, but that is just one of several big things happening in the city as it has also recently announced it will put free public Wi-Fi zones around the city and it has opened a second Little Free Pantry.
With so much happening, WKTV Journal In Focus decided to go to the top to get to the bottom of it all, so we invited Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley into our studio for a little talk.
In a quick 10-minute sit-down, we discussed the city working with the Kent County to provide free internet access to the community after setting up Wi-Fi service available at 13 locations including the city’s main campus as well as in city parks. We also talked about the importance of community involvement, past and future in protecting the city’s parks through the new Kentwood Park Stewards program, as well the launch of the city’s second Little Free Pantry.
WKTV previously also helped the City of Kentwood and Kent Conservation District’s Invasive Species Strike Team produce a video about how to identify and manage oriental bittersweet, an aggressive invasive species causing damage to trees in the Kentwood parks system and other communities. The problem is one of the efforts the new Park Stewards program will assist with.
Details of Kentwood Park Stewards program
The Kentwood Park Stewards is a new environmentally focused program created by the City of Kentwood and designed to engage residents in monthly activities involving invasive species control, native habitat restoration and park beautification to help preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.
According to supplied material, as a park steward, community volunteers will participate in hands-on workdays, educational workshops and other activities, such as cutting invasive vines, pulling invasive garlic mustard and planting native plants. The program also encourages neighbor-led cleanups, adopt-a-park projects and other park maintenance efforts.
“The Kentwood Park Stewards program strengthens the relationship between residents and their neighborhood parks while creating lasting benefits to the environment,” Kristina Colby, recreation program coordinator with the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, said in supplied material. “Opportunities for residents to get involved and care for their neighborhood parks helps foster a greater sense of community pride in our park system. The contributions of our Kentwood Park Stewards will support the natural beauty and appeal of our parks today and for future generations.”
The new program expands on several invasive species control trainings and workdays the city began offering last fall through a partnership with the Kent Conservation District Invasive Species Strike Team.
Since launching Kentwood Park Stewards earlier this year, Kentwood has joined the West Michigan Conservation Network and collaborated with the Kent County Parks, Rotary Club, Plaster Creek Stewards and gardening clubs, among others.
Those who are interested in signing up to join Kentwood Parks Stewards may complete a volunteer form online or contact the Parks and Recreation Department at eRecreation@kentwood.us or 616-656-5270. More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.
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.
Want to try your hand at quilting? The Lakeshore Museum Center is providing residents with hand quilting supplies and a virtual hand quilting workshop Tuesday, March 23, at 6 pm to encourage those interested in picking up a fun new skill.
Participants will learn how to use a template, trace patterns, cut fabric, piece together blocks, quilt, and bind the final product. Everything will be done by hand and no machine is required. LMC’s own Interim Executive Director and avid quilter Melissa Horton will host participants via Zoom. Over the last 16 years, she has crafted 12 of her own quilts by hand and is eager to share her knowledge with the public.
“This event knits together our Who is Rosie Lee Wilkins? exhibit with a fun hobby anyone can enjoy,” said Interim Executive Director Melissa Horton. “This is a great spot for beginners to try their ‘hand’ at hand quilting and speak with others interested in the same hobby.”
The temporary exhibit, Who is Rosie Lee Wilkins, features a local quilter of the same name who created over 100 quilts in her lifetime. The exhibit is open through April 24. Unlike crochet or knitting, the art of quilting uses cut pieces of fabric to create patterns for a variety of quilts without the use of a machine. At the end of the workshop, participants will have constructed their own square to use as a potholder, doily or the first square of their very own quilt.
Participants can register for the workshop on Eventbrit www.eventbrite.com/e/hand-quilting-101-tickets-138800294417 for $20, or $18 for museum members. Supplies will be available for pickup beginning March 15 until the day of the event. For more information, call the museum at 231.722.0278.
Magic City Egg Fest event organizers have announced the barbecue festival will be held on Saturday, August 21, 2021. The Magic City Egg Fest, a culinary competition and barbecue festival for enthusiasts of the Big Green Egg, the world’s most popular kamado-style outdoor grill, oven, and smoker, began in June 2019 in the Village of Colon. In its first year, 15 culinary barbecue teams competed in three rounds of cooking, preparing ribs, chicken, and pizzas for hungry crowds of more than 440 who attended the inaugural event.
“Last year’s event was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic but we are confident the event will move ahead this year and we are beyond thrilled that all the teams and sponsors remained committed to the event.”, said Taylor.
Egg fests occur throughout the nation but the Magic City Egg Fest remains the only Egg Fest in the state of Michigan
The number of culinary teams will more than double this year with the addition of a corn hole tournament, celebrity judges and cooking demonstrations. Prizes, trophies and bragging rights will be awarded to the top three teams in each of the three categories, as well as an all-around “Taster’s Choice Award” voted by the attendees to the event for the best all-around team. Attendees to the event purchase advanced tasting tickets for $10.00 or $15.00 at the door and can sample the culinary creations from any of the competing teams. Culinary teams can sign up for the event at www.magiccityeggfest.com.
The newly announced date for the 2nd Annual Magic City Egg Fest is August 21, 2021. Teams and individuals who purchased tickets for the 2020 cancelled event can use their tickets for this year’s event.
“We are delighted to support and sponsor this outstanding community event and for such a worthy cause,” said Luke Cook, event sponsor and Manager of BMC, the owner and operator of three Ace Hardware stores in Hastings, Byron Center, and Midtown Kalamazoo. “We are all looking forward to gathering as a community this summer.”
This week WKTV Sports will record two featured games, a girls basketball game at Kelloggsville High School and a hockey match from Kentwood’s Ice Arena.
Starting off, Sparta will visit Kelloggsville for an OK Conference Silver girls basketball contest on Tuesday, March 9. The Spartans enter the game with a 6-3 overall record (4-2 in conference) and coming off a home win against Godwin Heights. The Rockets enter at 3-6 (3-5 in conference) but coming off a tight, 27-26, loss to conference leader and undefeated Comstock Park (8-0, 5-0).
WKTV will cover high school hockey this week. (WKTV)
Later in the week, on Friday, March 12, the WKTV crew will be at the hockey game between Kenowa Hills and East Kentwood. The Falcons enter the week with a 1-10 overall record (0-6 in OK Red), but coming off their first win of the season, at home (8-5, over Northview) followed by a tough, 3-2, loss to Jenison on the road. Kenowa Hills is 8-2, and 1-0 in a 3-team OK Conference Gold.
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 6 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m.; then Wednesday, March 10, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The Thursday hockey match will have the puck drop at 4:40 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Friday night, at 11 p.m., then Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later.
To see both featured games on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
Additionally, the remainder of the WKTV featured game tentative schedule has the WKTV truck and team covering the Tuesday, March 16, girls and boys basketball games when Zion Christian visits Grand River Preparatory (at 5:30 and 7 p.m.), and then the Thursday, March 18, girls basketball game when Zeeland East visits Wyoming high (at 7 p.m.).
We are also tentatively scheduled to cover the girls district Division 2 tournament at Godwin Heights, with Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and Lee all set to participate.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
While not the thousands of people it would normal host during Spring Break, the Salvation Army Kroc Center will be offering limited activities for the annual vacation time for families.
With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing many families from traveling during Spring Break, Kroc Center officials decided to step in and offer opportunities for families to get out of the house and have fun safely.
Families and groups are encouraged to sign up for a group session. (supplied)
“Spring Break is normally our busiest week of the year, but last year we were closed entirely as COVID was just starting to spread,” said Captain Bill Brutto, senior Kroc officer. “This year, we really want to give families a chance to take part in their favorite Kroc Center activities, while making sure safety is still the top priority.”
Each day, April 5–9, Kroc Center recreation areas will be available for exclusive private experiences between 12:30 and 2:30pm, when the rest of the building is closed to members for cleaning. Families are encouraged to gather with friends and relatives they feel comfortable creating a “pod” with to take advantage of the group activities.
The available activities include:
The Aquatics Center, including giant waterslide, lazy river, and more, with lifeguard supervision.
$350 for up to 35 total guests
The Gymnasium (two courts available), including several options for sports equipment, plus an attendant.
$125 for up to 15 total guests
The Worship and Performing Arts Center, including bounce houses and other games, plus an attendant.
$100 for up to 15 total guests
All guests will be expected to follow health and safety guidelines put in place by the State of Michigan’s epidemic orders while at the Kroc Center. This includes temperature checks and health screenings upon entry, along with requirements on face coverings during all activities (except swimming).
“While we would love to be able to offer the full Spring Break experience, it’s not possible with the capacity limitations we still have from the state,” Brutto said. “We felt this would be the next best way to give families opportunities to enjoy the Kroc in a way that helps them feel safe and comfortable.”
At C Grace Productions, we love horses, road trips, and working together. So, pooling our talents and passions, with friends in the creative and tech industries, we support those in the equine industry. Michigan captured our hearts as we fell in love with the scenery and the people.
Trixie Chicks Trick Riders perform at the 2002 Michigan Horse Expo in Lansing. (Supplied)
In 2016, we attended a Keuring, a judging venue of Friesian foals, mares, geldings, and stallions. Having only admired these horses in movies, we were overwhelmed by their beauty. We had lots of questions and the owners were happy to educate us. We soon grasped the need to support them and others in the equine industry with digital marketing and video support. In the meantime, Bill Rinderknecht had begun volunteering for WKTV who trained him to master videography…the timing was impeccable.
In early 2020, we were cruising into the new year with plans for travel, filming, meeting friends, and making new ones. We had a major cross-country trip planned for April/May to film at farms and events. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 restrictions put the kibosh on that. Fortunately, we were able to enjoy the Michigan Horse Expo in Lansing. It was one of the last major Michigan events before COVID restrictions shut down sports, concerts, and other arena events throughout the state. The Expo, held at the Michigan State University Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education, brought horses, performers, vendors, and spectators from around the region.
A team from Heritage Hill Farms. (Supplied)
With Charlotte Rinderknecht directing and the support of WKTV, husband Bill, and Riley Zoet captured much of the weekend’s action. The highlight of the weekend was the “Mane Event” on Saturday night in the arena. It was produced by Gascon Horsemanship from Poplarville, Mississippi. Michael Gascon, known as the horse guru, has trained many untrainable horses and hosts clinics and conferences nationwide. He led the exciting “MG Never Give Up Tour” to Lansing and thrilled the packed house.
The performers, many from within 100 miles of Lansing and some internationally known, included beautiful horses, trick riders, dancers, ropers, and even an aerial act that thrilled the crowd—ever seen soccer on horseback?(!) C Grace captured the entire show with highlights scheduled to be broadcast on WKTV. On Wednesday, March 10, at 4 p.m. and Friday, March 12, at noon, will be the MG Never Give Up Tour show.
In past 100 years, the average life expectancy of a man in the United States has gone from 40 to 77 with women going from 40 to 88. With the average life expectancy continues to increase so does the likelihood of older adults suffering from four or more chronic diseases.
Amongst these chronic diseases, Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia reign supreme. Although both disorders are common, they are not a result of “just getting old”. In other words “getting old” doesn’t necessarily mean you will get dementia.
Mild dementia: In early stages of dementia your loved one may not experience any symptoms though changes in the brain are present. Family members or spouses may notice small abnormalities that are indeed so small that one may dismiss them as normal forgetfulness. This can include forgetting a meeting, loosing your keys, or misplacing an item.
Moderate dementia: In moderate dementia signs of memory changes are more evident. Ability to maintain ones household is more difficulty because bills aren’t being managed. Forgetfulness in regards to managing medication and eating is apparent. Next the individual requires more assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing, remembering addresses and hygiene.
Severe dementia: In severe dementia, constant supervision is required. Loosing control of bowel and bladder may be present. Personality changes are noticed. Speech starts to decrease and the ability to recognize loved ones wane. The individual is unaware of his/her surroundings and is unable to communicate their needs.
Dementia effects the patient and the family. The total lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia is estimated to be nearly $350,000. Learn to recognize early and late signs will allow for your love one to be cared for appropriately and always contact your health provider with questions.
Rose, Ruby and Willow are ready to meet their adorning fans which will be soon as the John Ball Zoo prepares for its opening day, March 27.
The zoo’s season officially kicks off at 9 a.m. that day with admission tickets going on sale starting this Friday, March 12, for opening day, through April 11.
The red panda triplets, Rose, Ruby, and Willow, are three of the most anticipated animals for guests to see this season, according to zoo officials. Born June 25, 2020, the three were growing and bonding behind the scenes last season and were out of the view of guests. The three are now romping and playing outside for everyone to enjoy along with their parents, Wyatt and Wasabi.
Also making a debut is Yoshi, a Canadian lynx born last May. While Yoshi may not look like a kitten anymore, she still has the same playful and energetic spirit that makes her a guest favorite.
Guest favorite Yosi, a Canadian Lynx, will be making an appearance during opening day. (Supplied/John Ball Zoo)
Many of the John Ball Zo’s animals are active and playful in the cool spring weather, while others prefer to stay inside until warmer temperatures arrive. There are a number of viewing opportunities for guest in the Aquarium, Natural Teasures, Frog’s buildings, and the chimpanzees in their day room.
Also on opening day, John Ball Zoo will offer a sneak peek into the SUPERSIZED exhibition. This exhibition supersizes nature’s small and mighty. From sneaky predators such as the fearless honey badger to the venomous blue-ringed octopus, the more than 30 toy brick sculptures are featured because of their colorful appearance in nature, unusual natural ability, and because they can be magnified to an eye-popping size.
John Ball Zoo will be operating at a limited guest capacity. Guests should reserve an online timed-entry ticket to secure their visit time. Tickets will be available at the zoo but immediate entry is not guaranteed. Spring hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Following the regulations of the State of Michigan and the Centers for Disease Control, all guess ages 5 and older will be required to wear a mask at all times and everywhere in John Ball Zoo, including outdoor spaces. Guests may remove their mask temporarily to eat or drink when at a safe distance from others.
Social distancing will be encouraged and additional hand washing and sanitizing stations will be available along with cashless transactions and monitoring the number of guests inside buildings.
To reserve timed entry tickets and for more information, visit John Ball Zoo’s website at www.jbzoo.org/visitandtickets. For questions, call 616-336-4300 or email info@jbzoo.org.
“This one looks good, but I like this one too,” said City of Wyoming Recreation Director Krashawn Martin as she looks through books on a table just outside of the WKTV Community Media Center’s studio.
“Well, you can read two,” said Wyoming’s Communication Specialist Amanda Moore.
Martin was one of almost a couple dozen City of Wyoming staff and leaders who came into the station to record reading books as part of a citywide celebration of March is Reading Month.
Amy Berridge holds up the book her sister, Stacy DeFord, wrote. (WKTV)
Some like Martin selected from books that were available and others, like Amy Berridge, who is in the city’s finance department, brought their own.
“This is actually a book written by my sister,” said Berridge as she displayed “The Fairy Painting,” written by Stacy DeFord.
“The story is about believing in yourself,” Berridge said, adding an important message she wanted to share with students.
Many of the stories selected had special meanings such as the first book Martin selected “Wilma Unlimited,” by Kathleen Knell, which tells the story of how Wilma Rudolph overcomes polio to become one of the world’s finest athletes.
Wyoming Recreation Director Krashawn Martin reads “Double Trouble in Walla, Walla,” by Andrew Clements. (WKTV)
“It shows the power of women,” Martin said. “It shows how girls can be told certain things, that they can’t do this. Yet, we see the bravery of them overcoming and not just settling. I love seeing a person breaking barriers.”
Other stories are just fun like Martin’s second choice “Double Trouble in Walla, Walla,” by Andrew Clements, which Martin said was a tongue twister at time.
“I think it is just fun,” Martin said about reading the stories. “It is a great way to interact with residents and provide some sort of fun and sense of community in the times that we are currently living in.”
City Council member John Fitzgerald enjoyed the opportunity to share his love of read. (WKTV)
Providing some fun and sharing his love of reading were the reasons City Council member John Fitzgerald wanted to participate.
“I love having the opportunity to read to children and young adults,” Fitzgerald said. “I hope it helps them find pleasure in reading as well. When I was in school, I discovered how valuable reading can be and I hope to share the good things that reading can bring to life.”
Fitzgerald selected the book “Who You Were Made to Be,” by Joanna Gaines, because it “talks about bringing forth your best effort.”
“I really liked how she spoke up about injustice and cared about the well being of other people in the world,” said Jill Beltmen about the book she selected “Malala’s Magic Pencil,” by Malala Yousafzai. Beltman works in the city’s community services with the TEAM 21 program.
Jill Beltman, part of the city’s community services team, showcased one of the 200 books that was donated to the TEAM 21 program from the RiverTown Barnes & Noble. (WKTV)
Beltman’s selection was one of about 200 books the TEAM 21 program received from Barnes & Noble at RiverTown Mall. Every holiday, the bookseller hosts a book drive where shoppers may purchase a book to donate. For the 2020 holiday season, the Grandville Barnes & Noble designated TEAM 21 as the recipient of its book drive.
“The store also donated tote bags, mini science kits, bookmarks and a few sets of flashcards and learning supports,” Beltman said. “We are thrilled to celebrate the March Reading Month in TEAM 21 with all these exciting new stories and gear.”
Some of the other books — all the books will be handed out to students in the TEAM 21 program later this year — from the Barnes & Noble donations were featured in the city’s reading program along with books in Spanish. All of the recorded programs can be viewed on the WKTV channels 25 and 26, at wktv.org or on the City of Wyoming’s Facebook page.
Treetops Collective is hosting a four-part speaker series, “Women are Resilient,” beginning today, on International Women’s Day, March 8, and continuing throughout the month of March.
One of Treetops Collective’s core values is a “posture of listening” that recognizes that “each person is an expert of their own experience,” according to supplied material. As a practice of this value, the Women are Resilient speaker series is “an invitation to learn from the strength, creativity, and leadership displayed by women throughout West Michigan who are engaged in transformative work and relationships.”
All four events will take place online and are free to the public.
According to the Treetops Collective website the group’s focus is making West Michigan a place “where refugee women can sink their roots down and flourish with their families for generations to come.”
Also, the March program includes a special opportunity to support local businesses and the work of Treetops Collective by purchasing a cocktail kit for our final celebration of women entrepreneurs.
This series is supported by the partnership of Eastern Kille Distillery and Emme’s Plantain Chips.
Kentwood’s 32nd Street between Breton and Shaffer avenues will be closed for a week starting today, March 8.
The City of Kentwoodannounced today that starting Monday, March 8, 32nd Street between Breton Avenue and Shaffer Avenue in Kentwood will be closed all week for tree clearing to prepare for the reconstruction of 32nd Street.
The road is expected to reopen on the evening of Friday, March 12. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour.
When you ask about community and governmental leadership to Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack, you better be prepared for his unvarnished take on the matter — especially if you give him more than a 30-second soundbite.
WKTV Journal In Focus recently talked with him for 15 minutes or so, and asked those questions of Commissioner Womack, who late last year was named to co-chair Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s new state initiative, the Black Leadership Advisory Council — a group intended to “develop, review, and recommend policies and actions designed to prevent and eradicate discrimination and racial inequity in Michigan.”
Commissioner Womack gave us his opinion on the Governor selecting him to offer advice, his take on the similarities and differences between leadership and “Black leadership”, and, yes, he caught us up on the current and future plans of the advisory council.
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.
“Last year certainly brought its challenges (to the Kent District Library system), but we never allowed those challenges to stop us from serving our communities – our impact continued. Our branches were closed for a time, but the library never closed.”
KDL Executive Director Lance Werner
(pxhere.com)
The COVID-19 vaccine is coming for a wider population
The Kent County Health Department this week was notified by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that the state is expanding vaccination eligibility — including beginning March 22 expanding vaccine eligibility to include all Michiganders 50 years of age and older. Go here for the story.
Despite the pandemic, local lead exposure battle continues
The pandemic has shut down many things, but not the efforts of Kent County and its partners to identify and reduce lead exposure in the community — a serious health hazard especially for children before, during and unfortunately likely to continue after COVID-19. The health department issues a report this week. Go here for the story.
Wyoming City Council debates funding of Kent County Dispatch
While recognizing the accomplishments of the Kent Country Dispatch, the Wyoming City Council this week expressed concern over the funding of the dispatch authority and decided to only approve a one-year renewal agreement for dispatch services at the council’s Monday night meeting. Go here for the story.
(Not so) Fun fact:
33,000 county households without the internet
According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 33,000 households in Kent County do not have a broadband internet subscription. But Kent County, the City of Kentwood, and others are working on the problem. Read the story here.
Auditions. It was a word we thought we would never hear again, yet today Circle Theater announced it would hold auditions for its summer season.
“We are thrilled to be able to finally welcome back our wonderful community of actors, said Circle Theatre Executive and Artistic Director Lynne Brown-Tepper. “We are excited to hold auditions again after so many months of the Theatre being dark. We know that everyone is looking forward to doing what we all love in the place that we all love.
“After all, the Grand Rapids theater community is more that just a community — It’s a family and we have been waiting for this time, when we can all be together again.”
Through March 14, Circle Theatre will be hosting virtual auditions for three of its upcoming productions, ‘The Gin Game” and ‘Always…Patsy Cline.” These two will be Circle On the Lawn productions with the shows being performed on a stage set up on the Circle Theatre lawn.
Virtual auditions for “Cabaret”” will take place through March 28. In July, Circle Theatre will move back into its main stage with “Cabaret.”
“While we are disappointed that we will not be able to produce the first three originally planned productions, we are thrilled to be able to offer some new opportunities for performers of a variety of ages, with an emphasis on casting performers of color,” Tepper said.
“The Gin Game,” the winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, brings audiences along for a game of wits, as Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship. Weller teaches Fonsia how to play gin rummy and they share stories of their lives. That is until Fonsia keeps winning every hand and the gin games become a battleground.
“Always…Patsy Cline” is a tribute to the legendary country singer who died at the age of 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The story is based on Cline’s real-life friendship with one of her fans, Louise Seger.
Winner of 12 Tony Awards, “Cabaret” is one of the most recognized musicals in the world. The story, set in 1931 Berlin, focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with cabaret performer Sally Bowles.
To end this week’s Featured Game schedule, WKTV is covering an OK Gold Conference matchup between Ada Forest Hills Eastern and Grand Rapids South Christian girls varsity basketball teams, scheduled for Thursday, March 4, at South Christian High School.
The contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it Friday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and make it available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.) The WKTV sports crew was also at East Kentwood for a March 2 game this week, and it is available on-demand.
The South Christian Sailors come into the game with a record of 7-2 (6-2 in OK Gold), but coming off a 43-49 loss to Middleville Thornapple Kellogg. With the exception of their two losses, they have dominated the game on the defensive side of the floor causing almost 20 turnovers each game.
The leading scorers for the Sailors are junior Sydney Vis, followed by senior Josie Vink.
The Forest Hills Eastern Hawks currently sit at 4-6 (4-5 in OK Gold) coming off a 38-33 victory against Grand Rapids Catholic Central. After an 0-4 start the Hawks have started to pick up a rhythm.
Both of these teams have shown improvements from the previous 2019-20 season.
The Lady Sailors were 10-10 last year, and will likely surpass their win total in this pandemic-delayed year. Last season they did win their district and eventually lose in the regional semifinal, so they are hoping to transform their district title into a regional one this year.
The Hawks struggled last season with a 2-18 record, and they were defeated in the district opener by Grand Rapids Christian. So, they have already improved on this record this year.
South Christian has already defeated FH Eastern once this year by a score of 50-23. However, the Sailors were one of two victories the Hawks claimed last season.
To see the Forest Hills Eastern vs South Christian girls basketball on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
It’s been said, “No man is an island” but they probably haven’t met Mackinac Island’s haunted historian expert Todd Clements. Clements authored “Haunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends & Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island,” and followed it with his second book where he added “The Next Chapter” to the title.
Author Todd Clements
“Haunts of Mackinac” is also the name of Clements’ nightly Haunted History Tours on the island. These 90-minute guided tours start in May and run until late October. It’s about an hour walk ending at Mission Point. It’s family and pet friendly and is filled with ghost stories and tragic tales of the islands history.
Clements” books offer pictures, descriptions, actual addresses, and maps to the islands’ haunted locations. Each ghost story location is provided with a “Haunting & Ghosts Activity Scale” to measure the level of intensity or strength of activity, the regularity or frequency of activity, and the time scale or most recent activity. Either, one, two, or three stars, with 3 stars being the most recent, most intense, and most frequent. Several locations received three stars in all three categories on the list of most haunted, including: Mission Point Resort, Rifle Range Trails, Fort Mackinac, St. Cloud Dormitory, and Pine Cottage & Chateau Lorraine.
The Grand Hotel has been rumored to be a “hot spot” for paranormal activity with an “Evil Entity,” a black mass with glowing red eyes. Other haunts have a ghost playing piano man wearing a top hat and a woman in Victorian clothing roaming the halls and getting into beds. The Drowning Pool has a tragic story of seven women/witches, who as a test to determine if they were witches, had rocks tied to their feet and were thrown into the pool to see if they would float. They sank and drowned. Visitors say they see these seven women floating and splashing in the Drowning Pool. Mission Point has its resident ghost, “Harvey” who either died of a suicide or was murdered, “Harvey” likes to pinch and poke people.
Todd Clements’ book “Haunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends & Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island”
Mackinac Island is a perfect storm for paranormal activity. The surrounding water currents create electrical magnetic fields which ghost are able to use to help them manifest as apparitions. The huge limestone cliffs can store residual energies created during wars and play back these tragic events as ghost activity. Combine these factors with the history of some of the oldest residential and private homes in Michigan and you have the catalyst for paranormal calamity.
Clements was the guest on the eighth episode of Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Podcast and we featured him on Cryptic Frequencies episode 12.
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) was notified by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) that the State is expanding vaccination eligibility.
Beginning March 8, residents 50 years of age or older with a pre-existing condition or disability and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care need will be eligible to get vaccinated. Beginning March 22, vaccine eligibility will further expand to include all Michiganders 50 years of age and older.
The KCHD is working to expand its process to ensure all eligible residents can be vaccinated. Vaccine supplies remain extremely limited, so we ask for patience as we work through the details.
In the meantime, the KCHD urges all eligible residents to visit vaccinatewestmi.com and complete a vaccination registration form with a local provider. Residents can also visit this website and sign-up for a newsletter to receive up-to-date vaccine information.
The words echo down the hall of the Wyoming Intermediate School “Push the doubt away.”
From the sounds, there is no doubt that the Wyoming Competitive Cheer team is back. Like many of the winter high school sports team, the group has had to weather delays as the state and Michigan High School Sports Association (MHSSA) grabbled with the COVID pandemic and the guidelines for social distancing. While floor routines, seen in Rounds 1 and 2, do not require cheerleaders to touch, stunting, often in Round 3, does, which had competitive cheer fall into contact sports.
In a typical year, tryouts for competitive cheer would happen in November, which they did for the Wyoming’s team, and competitions would have started right after the first of the year. Competitive cheer, along with other contact sports such as basketball and wrestling, were given the go ahead to resumed practice on Jan. 16 but it pushed the season back. Now post season will start on March 19 with the final competitions on March 26 and 27.
This was on top of the fact that there was a switch up in divisions for competitive cheer which started this year. The team was placed in the same league as powerhouse Muskegon Heights, which has consecutively headed to state finals. Rounding out the league is Zeeland East, Zeeland West, Muskegon, and Reeths Puffer.
“We have already had one meet this year and our scores where fairly close,” said Coach Ashley Kron, who took over the program last year. With a growing program and a young team, Kron said it will be tough for the group to bring home a district championship this year, but for many of the girls on the team, that’s OK. They are on the mats and have a season and that is all that maters.
Senior Maddie Dewey has been looking forward to cheering in her senior year. (WKTV)
The stress of waiting to know the future of this competitive season was hard and just when she had thought it would not happen is when senior Maddie Dewey learned that MHSSA had given the go ahead.
“This is something that I have been looking forward to since forever,” said Dewey, who has been cheering since sixth grade. “Even though it is going to be different, I am happy that I am here and that we do have a season.”
There are challenges such as the requirement of wearing masks while competing, which can make it difficult to breathe, but the chance to complete her senior year as cheerleader is worth it, she said.
Tenth grader Amya Brown also has had a passion for cheer since the seventh grade.
Sophomore Amya Brown said she enjoys the connection to her teammates and the coaches. (WKTV)
“I am really glad for this opportunity,” Brown said. “It makes it fun and you have this family, a connection to the girls and the coaches.”
There are still COVID concerns, Brown said, but the fact that the team is having a season demonstrates how much people have followed the guidelines.
The team has four total meets this season. Except for the masks, most of the rounds will not look that different. There are some guidelines on stunting for Round 3. The rules also only allow for each participant to have up to two spectators at each meet. Anyone who has been to a competitive cheer meet knows that the spectators shouting back is part of the fun.
“It may not be as loud,” Dewey said, “but it will still be fun.”
For the Wyoming Competitive Cheer Team, being back on the mats and having a season are the most important things. (WKTV)
The West Michigan Jazz Society will host a Facebook live “Speaking of Jazz with WMJS” discussion, “Women in Jazz Roundtable”, Wednesday, March 3, starting at 8 p.m.
The conversation will be hosted by guest moderator Crystal Rebone, and will feature Lisa Sung, Robin Connell, Kaleigh Wilder, Sharon Cho and Cristina Smith.
“Speaking of Jazz with WMJS”, according to supplied materials is “focused on providing insights into the lives and careers of jazz musicians in our region, and also nationally.”
(Additionally, pianist Connell, with guest Paul Brewer, will live stream a special piano jazz concert at St Cecilia Music Center on March 11, starting at 8 p.m. Visit here for more information.)
St. Patrick’s Day runs were a common-place thing in March before 2020 … and COVID-19. Hopefully things will change in 2021, including having a local Shamrock run. (Creative Commons/from a Baltimore run in 2019)
The local running club RunGR has had to cancel many events over the last year, but they are planning to keep their St. Patrick’s Day tradition “running” with a 5K run this year as part of the RunGR Shamrock Shenanigans 5K on March 20.
With the safety of participants in mind, the RunGR Shamrock Shenanigans 5K will be using both Millennium and Meadows Parks in Grand Rapids to spread the course and participants out. They also have created registration by 5-minute time blocks, with each block having a registration cap to limit the number of people gather before and after the race, as well on the course itself.
There is also created a virtual participation option for those who may not able to join be present at the starting line.
According to the group’s website, RunGR’s mission is to “bring running to the Grand Rapids community in a way that enables our members to live healthier and happier lives by providing the structure, organization, support, training, guidance, and friendships necessary to push themselves to new limits and achieve their running goals.”
This year’s run will also be a benefit for Riding for Ryan, a program which promotes the safety of young bike riders through visibility and awareness.
“Riding for Ryan’s goal is to provide free bicycle safety flags to kids to help keep them safe as they enjoy one of the most cherished and memorable activities,” according to the RunGR promotional material. “As the temperatures warm-up, it is a good time to make sure kids are visible to cars and other cyclists while enjoying their bikes.”
RunGR’s goal is to raise more than $1,000, and A+ Family Medicine has committed to matching the first $350 of donations.
While recognizing the accomplishments of the Kent Country Dispatch, the Wyoming City Council expressed concern over the funding of the dispatch authority and decided to only approve a one-year renewal agreement for dispatch services at the council’s Monday night meeting..
Mayor Jack Poll said the concern is with Kent County dispatching its Sheriff Department personal to areas in townships without any payment by the townships.
“This is in addition to the county essential providing those townships some free services from the Sheriff Department, some townships pay for enhanced services, and charging the townships for jailing persons committing crimes in townships and paying the costs for courts that serve townships,” Poll read from a discussion that took place about dispatch funding.
Poll noted that cities like Wyoming must pay for most of the same services with Wyoming residents paying county taxes to support services for the townships while also playing city taxes to the city so it can pay the county to provide those services to the city residents.
City Manager Curtis Holt, who was the chairman for the Kent County Dispatch for 14 years, said funding has been a concern with the authority. The county does view the issue differently in that it the sheriff provides police services for those communities as part of the dispatch which is part of the county taxes.
“The difference is is in 75 percent of the nation dispatch authorities stand separate and are not part of the sheriff’s department,” Holt said during the city council meeting. “We have actually voiced a desire to look at this as an independent agency and the county continues to resist that as a potential solution.”
Holt said longterm funding of the dispatch authority is something that will have to be considered in the near future.
The county was seeking a five-year renewal for dispatch services. Poll said under the approved agreement, the city could opt out if a better solution is found.
Council members did note that over the years, the services provided to both residents and officers through the dispatch have improved greatly. This included eliminating the number of call transfers from residents to local police departments and bringing online a new 800 megahertz countywide dispatch system that will make it easier for the different departments to communicate with each other.
Palmer field set to get new lights. (WKTV)
Palmer Park
At its Monday meeting, the City Council approved a $277,137 bid by Buist Electric for new field lights and a net at the Palmer field. Buist Electric was the lowest bidder.
Wyoming Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt said that many people do not realize that the Palmer field is located on Kent County land. The ball field is located on the edge of Kaufman Golf Course, which is operated by the county and the 44th Street Armory. The city has had a relationship with Kent County specific to the Palmer softball field since the 1960s.
That agreement, according to Rynbrandt, is that the city is responsible to operate and maintain the field and its related facilities such as the parking lot, restrooms, lights and retention wall.
According to Poll, the lights at the park are 35-years-old with the electrical service in the park being antiquated and need of upgrades to meet code. The project was noted as a priority with the city’s 5-year community Recreation Plan. The new netting would be added to the left field fence with the height being raised to help prevent balls being hit onto 44th Street. The work is scheduled to be done this year.
The total costs came in higher than the estimates of $175,000 partly because of the decision to use LED lighting which uses a fraction of the energy relative to other lighting sources. LED lighting also has a 25-year warranty , which provides a savings in maintenances and repair costs. The LED lights will reduce the light spilling into the surrounding neighborhood.
Due to the age of the equipment and the transition to an LED product, the city is seeking a reimbursement of some funding through a Consumers Energy program. The Council did approve an amendment to the budget of $130,000.
[Re]Imagine Wyoming Master Plan
After 16 months of work and numerous meetings with community members, the Wyoming City Council approved its new master plan, which will provide a framework for city growth over the next 15 – 20 years.
Stop sign added
The council also approved a new stop sign for the intersection of Goldcrest and Mulligan drives. Drivers on Goldcrest Drive will now need to stop at the intersection before entering onto Mulligan Drive.
Appointments
The City Council approved Nancy Quero-Ramirez to the Community Enrichment Commission and Audrey Zapata to the Planning Commission.
This week WKTV Sports features two high school girls basketball match-ups beginning Tuesday, March 2, with an OK Conference Red match-up as Grandville visits East Kentwood, the state’s No. 4 ranked team in Division 1.
Later in the week, on Thursday, March 4, the WKTV crew will be at South Christian as Forest Hills Eastern visits for an OK Gold contest. The Sailors enter the week 6-1 in conference and 7-1 overall; FH Eastern is 3-5 and 3-6 overall.
The WKTV Featured Game sports crew includes volunteer announcers including, from a 2020 game at East Kentwood, Ron Schultz and Mark Bergsma. (WKTV)
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at end of story.)
The Grandville Bulldogs come into the game with 2-7 record (1-6 in OK Red) and coming off a 73-38 loss at Holland West Ottawa on Feb. 27.
The Falcons come into the game with a 6-1 record, all in conference, after a 54-43 road win at Grand Haven Feb. 27, and riding a 2-game winning streak following their only loss of the season, a 56-52 nail-biter at OK Red leader Hudsonville (7-0, 8-1 overall). The Falcons and the Eagles will have their rematch, at East Kentwood, on March 13.
According to information provided to WKTV by Eric Large, East Kentwood head girls basketball coach, the Falcons are a deep, experienced team with four seniors nominated for McDonald’s All American: Alexis McCully, Kaybriana Hallman, Madisyn Tillman and Keliese Christopher.
Christopher is averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds a game; McCully is averaging 17 points and 8 assists; junior guard Deyonce Thompson is averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists; and Tilman is averaging 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Hallman is currently out due to an injury but, coach Large reports, she is ranked nationally (ESPN #46 in the country) and has signed to play at Xavier University next season. Tilmann will be playing at Eastern Michigan next season, and both Christopher and McCully have Division 1 offers.
To see the Grandville at East Kentwood basketball game on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
Did you know that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month? According to the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, 58,500 Michiganders will experience a brain injury during 2021. Ranging from mild to fatal, brain injuries happen to people of all ages. Those due to congenital abnormalities or from degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s are called acquired brain injuries. The kind of brain injuries that you can help prevent are traumatic brain injuries—TBIs.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services found that 30% of TBIs in Michigan are caused by car crashes. TBIs can happen if you are in an automobile accident, you fall and hit your head, you dive into shallow water, or you’re hit by a hard ball during sports activities. One type of TBI you’ve probably heard of, a concussion happens when you bump or receive a hit to your head that moves your head rapidly back and forth.
The CDC has put together this list of ways you can prevent traumatic brain injuries:
On the road
Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Wear a helmet when you ride a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or use an all-terrain vehicle.
Tots and tykes
Install window guards to keep young children from falling out.
Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
Go to playgrounds with soft material like mulch or sand under swings and slides.
Never shake a baby or child.
Playing sports
Wear a helmet when you play sports—contact sports, skating or skateboarding, running bases, riding horses, skiing or snowboarding.
Jump in first to check water depth in rivers and lakes. Obey “no diving” warnings at pools.
As you age
Review your prescription and over-the-counter medicines—can they make you dizzy or sleepy?
Ask your healthcare provider about vitamin D.
Do exercise, like tai chi, to strengthen your legs and improve your balance.
Get a vision check-up at least once a year.
In your home, remove trip-and-fall hazards like small rugs; install grab bars by the tub or shower and next to the toilet; put railings on both sides of stairs; and keep your home well-lit, including nightlights.
If you or a loved one experience a hit to the head followed by nausea, unsteadiness, headache, or difficulty concentrating, go to your primary care doctor, urgent care, or emergency room right away. Prompt treatment can mean the difference between life and death—or a life lived with severe impairments.
Depending on how serious a TBI is, recovery can be a slow and painful process. Those with serious brain injuries may survive, but never completely recover. A report on the National Institute for Health website states that traumatic brain injuries provide “a unique target of opportunity for complementary and alternative medicine.” The report explored modalities like acupuncture, meditation, and mindfulness.
When one of my patient’s sons was seven years old, his brother accidentally threw a screwdriver at his head. After emergency surgery and nine days in a Grand Rapids hospital, doctors said he might never be able to read or walk very well. During each of those nine days, his chiropractor visited and gave him gentle adjustments. After discharge, the little fellow began music therapy. Throughout high school, he was first-string quarterback—and graduated as valedictorian. Today, he is a successful architect.
That said, the best course of action is to take care of your noggin. Buckle up! Wear a helmet! Avoid falls! In other words, use your brain!
The Kent District Library 2020 Annual Report tells the story of a year of drastic change and major accomplishments. The annual report is available for download at kdl.org/AnnualReport, and highlights numerous community needs that were met during unprecedented times, including:
In response to having to cancel all in-person events, 1,402 live-streamed events were created to bring the library into homes and viewed 471,809 times.
While branches were closed to in-person visits, curbside service delivered 432,582 items for 125,024 pickups.
Though the circulation of physical materials decreased, the circulation of digital materials increased by 31%, to 1.7 million items.
800 new Mobile WiFi Hotspots were added to the collection to meet the needs of at-home students and workers, and were checked out 2,888 times.
On January 24, 2020, the Men of Color Read initiative was launched in Kent County. Over 25 men met at the Martin Luther King Leadership Academy to read to small groups of children. The pandemic put a pause on in-school visits, but MOCR is continuing with a live-streamed program.
Talking Book & Braille Center circulation increased by 38%.
“Last year certainly brought its challenges, but we never allowed those challenges to stop us from serving our communities – our impact continued,” said Executive Director Lance Werner. “Our branches were closed for a time, but the library never closed.”
For more detailed information, including a breakdown of statistics by branch and municipality, check out the 2020 Impact Report at kdl.org/ImpactReport.
Kent District Library is pleased to launch a 2021-2023 Strategic Plan. The plan will guide KDL’s purpose to further all people by highlighting three strategic focuses: 1.) Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 2.) Engagement and Service and 3.) Sustainability. Details of the new strategic plan can be viewed at kdl.org/strategic-plan.
Several popular summer events have announced that they will return this summer such as Grand Rapids’ Festival of the Arts. Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Mason Street Warehouse also has announced it summer season.
But first, we start with an event in March.
“Bee” in “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGOs” at the Grand Rapids Public Museum through May 2. (Supplied)
Grand Rapids Public Museum
Artist Sean Kenney of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s current exhibit “Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO Bricks” will be the guest speaker during a March 14GRPM Facebook live presentation.
The 1 p.m. event will feature Kenney sharing his experience as a professional artist working with LEGO bricks, a behind-the-scenes tour of his studio space and will conclude with Kenny answering questions submitted by viewers in real time.
“I look forward to meeting with members of the GRPM community, and sharing my thoughts on the process of how we bring these sculptures to life,” Kenney said.
“Wild Connections,” featuring several LEGO sculptures created by Kenney, will run through May 2.
The 2021Festival of the Arts will feature Plein Air performances June 4 – 6. (Supplied)
Festival of the Arts
In February, Festival of the Arts announced it would return this June with a different format.
Plein Air will take place June 4 – 6 and will feature artists creating landscape portraits as well as musicians performing throughout the city. Participants are encouraged to pick up their favorite food item from one of the many area restaurants and then come to one of the social zones featuring an artist. The regional art show will be virtual.
In the fall, Festival of the Arts will partner with ArtPrize to host a stage at Calder along with the Festival’s artisan market, featuring local artists and their works. The fall event will take place Sept. 17 – 19.
Saugatuck Center for the Arts announces its summer season. (Supplied)
Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Saugatuck Center for the Arts announced there will be live theater this summer at Mason Street Warehouse.
“Last summer’s outdoor concerts and films were a fantastic dress rehearsal for this summer,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “So we converted our parking lot into a flexible, multi-purpose plaza. We’re now able to host theatre, concerts, markets, classes, special events — and still park on it when needed. Guest will have a fresher, much lovelier experience in the reimagined space.”
Stamm noted that the outdoor plaza stage is smaller than the indoor theater stage. This year guests will see original sets, unique lighting design, and bold costumes during all of the shows. Live musicians will accompany the musical productions.
Three productions will be staged at the renovated outdoor plaza with participants encouraged to bring their own chairs. The season starts June 30 with “Shout! The Mod Musical.” “Dixie’s Tupperware Party” is in July and “Just Too Big! Songs from Broadway Blockbusters” is in August. There will be two Cabaret-series shows, “The Big Red Show!” Sept. 4 and The Best Bad Idea Sept. 16.
The pandemic has shut down many things, but not the efforts of Kent County and its partners to identify and reduce lead exposure in the community — a serious health hazard especially for children before, during and unfortunately likely to continue after COVID-19.
Kent County Health Department Director Dr. Adam London provided an update Feb. 25 to the Executive Committee of the Kent County Board of Commissioners. As part of the report, London detailed the “significant strides the department has taken over the last year to identify lead hazards and conduct education efforts,” according to a statement from the county, work which occurred despite the coronavirus pandemic shutting down site visits for approximately six months.
“There is no safe level of lead in children and it is toxic to everyone,” London said in supplied material. “We have to keep the momentum of this work going to mitigate long-term negative impact of lead exposure on our community.”
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) manages three lead programs including the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), the Multiple Elevated Blood Level (MEBL) list, and part of the county-funded Ready by Five effort.
According to the Kent County announcement, since December 2019, several actions have been taken, including: 161 ongoing or completed investigations at properties that have/had potential lead hazards, and 81 properties on the MEBL List out of 427 properties identified by Lead Action Team; 57 site visits for lead inspection, risk assessments and home health screenings; and 39 homes cleared of lead hazards including helping remediate/abate lead hazards at 28.
In addition, the effort has attained regulatory compliance through working with residents and landlords and initiated enforcement activities at five properties. Also, the lead team has been fully staffed with five lead sanitarians, a health educator, and a lead clerk.
“I am very proud of our team,” Brendan Earl, KCHD supervising sanitarian, said in supplied material. “We have been able to continue the critical work of reducing lead exposure despite the setbacks caused by COVID-19.”
Additionally, according the announcement, the KCHD will be “working in the months ahead to re-engage the Lead Action Team which was formed in February 2020 to bring together local units of government and a multitude of other partners to make our community safer from the harms of lead exposure.”
WKTV’s featured game crew was at this 2019 baseball game between Wyoming and South Christian high schools — the last season the Wolves were able to take the field due to the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions. (WKTV)
High school baseball and softball games in March routinely get rained, or snowed, out in West Michigan. But this year, even if delayed, they stand a chance to played — unlike last season, which was canceled as COVID-19 hit the scene.
So even before the announcement last week from the Michigan High School Athletic Association that spring sports practices and competitions would be delayed by a week, which is expected to have little impact on the Wyoming High School’s ball teams, the Wolves are mostly simply eager for their first live action in more than a year.
“With the delayed start being only one week, as well as the MHSAA allowing us to continue both four man workouts and conditioning workouts, I see no real impact,” Travis Stricklin, Wyoming head baseball coach, said to WKTV. Stricklin is entering his first year leading the Wolves onto the field. “If anything, it gives us an extra week with the kids to prepare and get ready for the start of our season.”
Kaitlin Failing, Wyoming head softball coach, agrees — but includes an additional reason the delay isn’t so bad.
“I think that the later start date is good considering basketball got pushed back,” Failing said to WKTV. “We share a lot of athletes with basketball and it would become pretty difficult to field teams if they are overlapping. We never really get games in the first couple of weeks anyways, so it doesn’t really matter to us that we are starting later.”
Both coaches, however, see last year’s hiatus from high school competition as being the real obstacle to be overcome by their 2021 teams and their entire programs.
“I think (losing) the entire season really affected our program and other programs in similar economic situations,” Failing said. “We tend to run a lot of opportunities for the girls within Wyoming to participate in softball through the school system, for 5th grade up. With the season being cancelled, our girls lost out on their only opportunity to participate in softball. … (Also) without being allowed to run clubs and clinics for all of our younger students, we are not able to get new students interested in playing or give our younger girls the opportunity to get better.”
Failing also pointed out that some high school programs had a high level of travel participation, with their athletes able to play throughout the summer and fall despite Michigan restrictions, “while a lot of our athletes haven’t played in over a year now … our athletes missed out on their only opportunities to play if they do not play travel” ball.
And, she pointed out, with the missing season, many student-athletes are choosing not to play this season “for a number of other reasons because of COVID.”
Much the same is true for the Wolves baseball program.
“Not having a season last year took a toll on our program for sure,” Stricklin said. “We feel that we are beginning to progress as a program, so losing a year due to the pandemic was definitely not easy.
“That being said, I am beyond proud of the way our kids handled it. Rather than getting upset and letting it keep them down, they simply asked when we could begin working out together again to try and get better for whenever we do actually get to play.”
Delay aside, a 2021 season is expected
The MHSAA announced Feb. 22 that its Representative Council had approved an “adjustment to the Spring 2021 schedule delaying the start of practices in those sports one week to March 22 and competition to March 26 “to accommodate a later end to Winter sports this season,” according to the statement.
“The calendar change should alleviate pressures on indoor facility usage and athletes changing seasons with Winter sports concluding up to two weeks later this school year after a delayed start due to COVID-19,” according to the MHSAA statement.
The MHSAA said it based its decision in part on feedback from a survey of MHSAA member high schools, which saw 74 percent favoring a delay in spring sports activity of at least one week. State coaches associations for spring sports also were consulted, and, according to the MHSAA statement “the great majority of Michigan schools are unable to begin consistent spring sports outdoor activity and competition until early April.”
All spring sports tournament dates remain as originally scheduled, however, with MHSAA finals in baseball, softball and girls soccer concluding the 2020-21 postseason June 19.
Previously, the MHSAA council approved an allowance for spring teams to meet for voluntary practices over 16 contact days in September and October, 2020. General conditioning with an unlimited number of students was allowed, with other out-of-season training (four-player workouts, open gyms/facilities) allowed to continue through March 21, with council having eliminated the preseason downtime restriction for Spring sports this year.
But those allowances did not necessarily benefit all schools, or programs, equally.
“We couldn’t really do much with the 16 days because we do not have enough athletes to scrimmage ourselves or run practices because our athletes all play other sports in the fall,” Failing said. “We held open fields but we knew we wouldn’t have a ton of participation because they were not available. I know other schools were able to get their teams together and scrimmage themselves.”
The stage lights at Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre will have been dark for over a year by the time May 14 arrives, which will be opening night for the venue’s 35th season of Broadway plays and musicals.
“The pandemic has been hard on us all,” says Patti Cornwell, whose family has owned and operated Cornwell’s Turkeyville USA for over 50 years on their 400-acre farm, “but we put the time to good use. I am very excited for everyone to meet our new Producing Artistic Director, Dexter Brigham, and see the wonderful new shows he is bringing to our stage.”
Dexter joins the Cornwell’s team from Midland Center for the Arts, where he served as the Director of Theatre Programs for the past eight years. He has 18 years of experience as a theatre producer and director, including twelve seasons as the founder and artistic director of Festival 56, Illinois’ largest summer theatre festival. Prior to becoming a producer, Dexter was an actor for many years. Among his many roles, you may have seen him come through Miller Auditorium as Fred Petruchio on the Broadway national tour of Kiss Me, Kate, or understudying Percy in the national tour of The Scarlet Pimpernel. He and his wife, Laura, have two young boys, Cullen and Jack.
“I’m so excited to get started. I can’t wait to welcome the Cornwell’s audiences back to the farm, and into the theatre,” says Dexter. “It’s been way too long since we’ve been able to come together and enjoy a show, and we are working hard to make sure we can give everyone a safe and entertaining day in the country!”
When asked about his new role, Dexter comments, “I love everything about Cornwell’s: the warmth and intimacy of the venue, the incredible food, and having it all under the wide-open Michigan sky. Patti and I are in complete agreement that the shows on our stage are going be new, ambitious, and feature the very best talent we can hire from across the country.”
Kicking off the season on May 14 will be the bedroom farce, Right Bed, Wrong Husband, which follows a young man whose uncle holds the keys to his considerable inheritance. In order to have his allowance increased, he lies to his uncle about having a fiancée. But when the uncle arrives on his doorstep, he and his friends scramble to keep up the illusion!
On July 8, the musical adaptation of the gospel according to St. Matthew, Godspell, the first musical from the Grammy and Academy Award-winning songwriter behind Wicked and Pippin, Stephen Schwartz, will come to the Cornwell’s stage. A ragtag group of misfits help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and hefty doses of comic timing.
In the fall, opening Sept. 9, the songbook of Johnny Cash takes the stage in Ring of Fire. This unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family has entertained audiences around the world. More than two dozen classic hits—including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and the title tune—paint a musical portrait of The Man in Black that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to a unique musical legend.
The final show of the season, Dashing Through the Snow, follows in the longstanding tradition of Cornwell’s musical holiday celebrations. When a family get stranded in a roadside motel lobby during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, they find themselves making unexpected friends and a whole lot of memories.
Season tickets for the 2021 season are now available. Ticket pricing and information can be found on the Cornwell’s website at turkeyville.com, or by calling 269-781-4293.
This week WKTV Sports features a OK Green Conference showdown between the Zeeland East Chix and the Wyoming Wolves boys basketball varsity teams, Thursday, Feb. 25, at Wyoming High School.
The contest will tip off at 7 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Friday night, at 11 p.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and make it available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The Zeeland East Chix come into the game with a perfect 6-0 (5-0 on OK Green) record coming off of a Feb. 23 victory against rivals Zeeland West in which they outscored them 44-39.
The Chix are led by seniors Trip Riemersma and brothers Brandon and Nate Claerbaut.
Wyoming has not fared quite as well this year, as they have gotten off to a 3-4 start (3-2 in OK Green), but the Wolves are coming off of a 63-54 victory this week against Grand Rapids Union which snapped a 3-game slide.
Both of these teams are looking to continue the success they experienced during the 2019-20 season where the Chix finished with a 14-6 record, and the Wolves finished with an 18-2 record. In the state tournament last season, both teams were victorious in their first two playoff games and made it to the district championship, which was eventually cancelled due to COVID-19.
To see the Zeeland East vs Wyoming boys basketball on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on the night of the game and various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
