There is one holiday event that the officers at the Wyoming Department of Public Safety look forward to — Shop With a Cop — and the officers were not about to let COVID prevent it from happening.
Traditionally, children are partnered with a police officer or firefighter from the department and shop for things that are on their Christmas list. But the recent COVID-19 pandemic put a kink in those plans due to restrictions large gatherings.
So instead, the officers from the department’s community service unit, with lists in hand, headed to the Meijer on Clyde Park Avenue and went shopping for the children.
“We have done this for a numbers of years,” said Connie Searl. “They are a great part of our community and they come in and shop for all the different kids to make sure they too have a great Christmas.”
Officers connected with students over the phone and through email to get their wish lists. With a $3,000 donation from Clyde Park Meijer and $2,500 from the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, the officers spent several hours shopping for gifts for the children and their families. Lt. Joe Steffes, part of the community service unit, said the department helped about 40 families this year.
There was a wrapping party at the station with about every officer pitching in to help. Officers then delivered the gifts to the children and their families.
Steffes said the officers are thrilled at the opportunity to make the holidays a little brighter for some of the community’s families.
“It’s a great opportunity for kids to connect with police in a fun and exciting way,” Koster said. “Their time is spent shopping, talking and getting to know each other. One of the really cool things that we see every year is that most children want to spend their money on gifts for their family members. I just love that.”
Earlier this month, the City of Wyoming hosted its first live broadcast of the Wyoming Gives Back.
Traditionally, the event is hosted at the Rogers Plaza Mall, but due to COVID restrictions on large gatherings, the event was broadcast live from the WKTV Community Media.
The program features music from Wyoming’s San Juan Diego Academy along with holiday greetings from city staff and council members including newly elected Councilor John Fitzgerald. There is also appearances from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The program was hosted by Mayor Jack Poll and WOOD-TV8’s Michele DeSelms.
Click on the video above to see the entire show, or click here to look at the playlist.
Carillonneur, Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, poses for a portrait after practicing songs on the Beckering Family Carillon Tower on Grand Valley State University’s Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids Dec. 14. Vanden Wyngaard will perform a Christmas Eve concert where guests can drive up and “crack their windows just a little” to hear the music. (Photo courtesy of GVSU)
For the past 19 years, retired GVSU carillonneur Julianne Vanden Wyngaard has climbed the 112 steps of the Beckering Family Carillon Tower for a special Christmas performance — a performance that cannot be stopped by the current COVID pandemic.
Since it has always been a drive-up concert, the program does not have to make any changes to meet the 2020 gathering guidelines. So the free Christmas Eve Carillon Concert will take place at 9:30 p.m. on the Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus, 401 W. Fulton St.
Vanden Wyngaard said it was important to her to continue the tradition, which is celebrating a 20th anniversary. She performs from the playing cabin of the carillon, with the windows of the bell tower’s belfry open on all sides, knowing an audience that she doesn’t see has gathered in vehicles parked nearby. “Silent Night” always closes the concert.
“Then they just toot their horns and drift off into the darkness,” Vanden Wyngaard said.
She said the 9:30 p.m. concert is timed so that people with either evening or midnight services can still stop by to enjoy the music.
The concert is free and open to the public. Find more information here.
Constructed in 2000, the Beckering Family Carillon Tower is 151-foot carillon-clock tower that features 48 bronze-casted carillon bells by famed French foundry Fonderie Paccard, which has casted more than 120,000 bells that are throughout the world.
Most Kent County offices and COVID-19 testing sites will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday. County offices also will be closed on Jan. 1, 2021 in observance of New Year.
A few service exemptions are:
The Kent County Correctional Facility will remain open with regular hours; however, all other services will be closed.
The Department of Public Works disposal facilities will close at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24. The Recycling Center will reopen on Saturday, Dec. 26, for commercial haulers from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Additionally, all disposal facilities will close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31, the Recycling Center will reopen on Saturday, Jan. 2, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for commercial haulers.
County offices are open for business Dec. 28, 29, 30 and 31.
For more information on how to access Kent County departments and offices, visit www.accesskent.com.
Tulip Time Festival has announced that the 2021 Festival will take place May 1 – 9.
Events currently being planned include: – Tulip Time Artisan Market, May 1 & 2 at the outdoor grounds of Beechwood Church on Ottawa Beach Road (previously held at Centennial Park) – Tulip Time Run, May 1, in person or virtual – A new Tulip Immersion Garden, May 1 – 9, at Dunton Park on Holland’s north side – Dutch Marktplaats, including the NEW Dutch Dance Costume Exhibit, May 1 – 8, to be held at Holland Civic Center Place
Widening the festival footprint beyond Downtown Holland and introducing timed ticketing for all events will allow guests to spread out and maintain a safe, steady flow in accordance with recommended social distancing and capacity guidelines. Details on these events and additional ticket information, including on-sale date, will be forthcoming.
According to Tulip Time organizers, the health and safety of visitors, volunteers, and community are of utmost importance, and Tulip Time will continue to follow the recommendations and directives of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the State of Michigan and the local health department. Planning during this ever-changing landscape is challenging, but organizers are optimistic.
Many festival favorites are yet to be determined, including Dutch Dance performances, the carnival, and parades. If Tulip Time can safely host a parade, it would likely be on Saturday, May 8, with no grandstand seating available. Indoor, fixed-seated events are not planned at this time.
Tulip Time has been a tradition in Holland for over 90 years. Thousands of community members have been involved in organizing and running the annual event and hundreds of thousands of visitors plan to make it a part of their spring celebration. Millions of tulips have been planted in Holland in anticipation of the annual event.
Organizers will continue to monitor national and local directives and adapt plans accordingly. For more on Tulip Time, visit tuliptime.com, follow on Facebook, and/or the email list www.tuliptime.com/about/join-mailing-list.
Darren Dykhouse, founder and lead investigator of (LSP) Lakeshore Paranormal has appeared on four episodes of Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Paranormal Podcast and was the Grand Rapids Ghost Hunter’s first guest on Cryptic Frequencies, my Blog Talk Radio show. We open every show with a literary reference significant to each guest and so Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” has become LSP’s signature opening.
Dykhouse mostly explores local urban legends and suspected haunted locations in Michigan, but he also investigates private homes and provides smudging and blessings on request. He tediously edits and regularly posts his 10-15 minute video blogs to YouTube where viewers are able to see different haunted sites through the camera lens. On the list are: The Felt Mansion, The Old Allegan County Jail Museum, Joliet Prison, The Old Stimpson Hospital, and these ships rumored to be haunted; the Coast Guard ship USCGC Acacia and the S.S. City of Milwaukee both docked in Manistee, and the USS LST 393 in Muskegon.
Darren Dykhouse of the Lakeshore Paranormal
This list is incomplete as additional videos spotlight haunted trains, woods, piers, many cemeteries, and an Alien connection. Dykhouse is perhaps the king of cemetery sessions with reports from The Old Beaver Dam Cemetery, Nunica, Woodville Lake, the Ada Witch/Finlay Cemetery, Bath Cemetery, and others. Bath being the location of the worst school massacre in U.S. history.
Darren uses a simple approach to investigating the supernatural, asking a minimal number of questions with only one or two investigators. Collaborations have included Robert Walker of Michigander Man, scuba diving specialist Taff Williams, Brandon Hoezee of Kent County Paranormal, Jamie Rae Wonders, myself and others. He currently has been teaming up with Ali’s Vlogs T.V.
Dykhouse likes to keep it basic but does experiment with some modern devices and techniques, using his P-SB11 Spirit Box, proximity pods, Spiritus Whispering and Necrophonic phone apps, and on occasion utilizing the Estes Method. You can find his videos on You Tube and conversations with him on our show G.R.G.H.P.P. episodes 7, 14, 18, & 31 and Cryptic Frequencies’ first episode.
Dykhouse is empathic and like the rest of us he is sometimes haunted by doubts, sorrows, fears, and even loved ones. The ghost of Edgar Allan Poe’s lost love “Lenore” would have us believe, “’Tis the wind and nothing more.”
Christmas Button from Wurzburg Department store (Grand Rapids Public Museum)
Founded in 1872 by Frederick W. Wurzburg, Wurburg’s was a popular department store in the Grand Rapids area from about the 1920s to the 1960s. There was even one in Wyoming’s Southland Shopping Center, now the 28th West Place (formerly Wyoming Village Mall). In 1951, Wurzburg’s took over the Herpolsheimer’s location at 101 – 103 Monroe NW, where the Grand Rapids Art Museum is now. Christmas was a special time at the store with thousands lining the streets around Wurzburg’s just to see the store’s animated Christmas windows. And like Macy’s in New York, Wurzburg’s also hosted the annual Santa Claus parade in downtown Grand Rapids.
The image is part of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Collections. To see more of the collection, visit www.grpmcollections.org.
East Kentwood High School wresting co-head coach Eric Foster visits the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (Falcons’ hockey head coach Phil Sweeney’s interview is later in this story.)
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal Sports Connection, as part of our continuing series of shows focused on different local high schools’ sports departments, we check in with the East Kentwood wrestling and hockey teams — both of which are dealing with pandemic-related restrictions and continued uncertainty.
Visiting the WKTV studios earlier this month were Falcon’s wresting co-head coach Eric Foster, and then hockey head coach Phil Sweeney. We talk with coach Foster and coach Sweeney about how their Falcon coaching staffs and teams are coping with the current pause in high school athletics, and about coaching in these unprecedented times.
But we also look ahead with hope, for lower COVID-19 numbers and the continuation of the current resumption of high school athletics — see a story on fall sports returning here — and we also get a peek from the coaches at their teams’ outlook for the 2020-21 season.
WKTV Journal Sports Connection, with this latest episode hosted by WKTV volunteer Cory Dalton, 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.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium will reopen and welcome visitors on a limited capacity basis starting on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Visitors to the Chaffee Planetarium can relax, recline and visit the galaxy, constellations, far away planets, learn about asteroids and much more! All of the shows feature the latest Digistar projection technology and immersive surround sound for an unbelievably rich and realistic experience.
The Chaffee Planetarium will host multiple shows per week with enough time in between for a thorough cleaning. The schedule beginning this week will include the holiday show, Let it Snow, as well as the popular show Incoming!, Under Starlit Skies and Ice Worlds.
Let it Snow This special holiday show features a new variety of festive classics from Frank Sinatra and Chuck Berry to Burl Ives and Brenda Lee, and includes a stunning multimedia finale by the Trans Siberian Orchestra. The soundtrack is visually enhanced with thematic animation, laser imagery and special effects. Let it Snowwill run through Jan. 3, 2021.
George Takei’s “Incoming!” at the Chaffee Planetarium. (Photo courtesy of Grand Rapids Public Museum)
Incoming! Narrated by George Takei, Incoming! explores asteroids, comets and meteors. California Academy of Sciences developed cutting-edge visualizations based on real-time data from current NASA missions to show audiences the dynamic story of our Solar System. A live show was created by the GRPM to accompany the movie portion of Incoming! in partnership with NASA scientist Dr. Brent Bos, who is currently studying asteroids and grew up in West Michigan.
Ice Worlds The delicate balance between ice, water and the existence of life has been a topic of scientific inquiry for generations. In travels to the Arctic and Antarctic regions of our planet, viewers will examine the ecosystems that exist and thrive there and learn how their survival is connected with our own. Beyond Earth, see how the existence of ice shapes the landscape and the natural systems on other planets and moons in our solar system.
Under Starlit Skies – LIVE Presentation Join a live presenter to explore the wonders of the winter night sky. Learn tips and tricks that will help you find planets and constellations from your own backyard. Fly to the far reaches of the solar system to get a closer look at planets, moons and more.
For a full Chaffee Planetarium show schedule, visit grpm.org/planetarium. Planetarium tickets are $2 for Museum members, $4 each with general admission to the Museum, and $5 each for planetarium only tickets. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required and can be purchased at grpm.org.
The GRPM is open and welcoming visitors. Explore three floors of core exhibitions, along with Sean Kenney’s Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks and Under the Arctic. Limited capacity; advance ticketing is required. For additional details about the GRPM’s visitor experience, visit grpm.org/the-grpms-new-visitor-experience/. The Museum will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. For updates, please visit grpm.org.
Access of West Michigan is one of the several food banks in Michigan and Indiana to benefit from SpartanNash and Miller Polury’s recent donation of more that 24,000 pounds of chicken.
Throughout December, SpartanNash and Miller Poultry teamed up to donate 8,000 pounds of chicken to Access of West Michigan and its network of local food pantries – including SECOM, Streams of Hope, St. Al’s and Green Apple; 9,200 pounds of chicken to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan; and 7,000 pounds of chicken to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.
VG’s Grocery, Family Fare and Martin’s Super Market associates helped with the distribution of the donations.
In total, the 24,200 pounds of chicken will provide 96,800 meals this holiday season.
“We are proud to carry Miller Poultry in our company-owned retail stores throughout the Midwest – and we are excited to once again team up with them to provide food to families in need this holiday season,” said Meredith Gremel, vice president of corporate affairs and communications for SpartanNash and executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “As a company that takes food places, SpartanNash and the SpartanNash Foundation are committed to building stronger communities by ensuring families have access to healthy, affordable food.”
SpartanNash owns and operates more than 155 stores in nine states, including 18 Martin’s Super Markets in Indiana and 87 stores in Michigan under the banners of Ada Fresh Market, D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods, Martin’s Super Markets, VG’s Grocery and ValuLand.
SpartanNash and Miller Poultry have taken part in the annual holiday tradition for more than 10 years, donating nearly 300,000 pounds of chicken to help families in need throughout Michigan and Indiana.
“We are a local, family-owned company, and our culture has always revolved around supporting local family farms, and the communities in which we all live,” said Galen Miller, owner and CEO of Miller Poultry. “2020 has been a tough year for many of us, but through our partnership with SpartanNash, we were able to make these donations happen again this year, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share.”
Each year, SpartanNash donates more than five million pounds of food throughout its company footprint as part of its corporate responsibility initiatives, in addition to providing financial grants to food pantry partners through corporate giving initiatives and the SpartanNash Foundation.
After a state-mandated five-week “pause” in the state high school football playoffs, the South Christian High School Sailors are back on the practice field today and preparing for a regional final game at Edwardsburg on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.
With action by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on Dec. 18, announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and resulting action by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) on that same day, football and two other high school fall sports are allowed to resume practice in preparation of finishing their seasons.
David Kool, South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (WKTV)
“I have had a virtual meeting with the team since the news was announced and they are very excited,” Danny Brown, South Christian head football coach, said to WKTV. “I think excitement might be an understatement. We are also thankful for the opportunity to get closure on our season. These kids have sacrificed a lot to get us to this point and it is awesome they will have the chance to see their season all the way to the end.”
The Sailors (8-1, and 3-0 in the playoffs), have not played since Nov. 13, when they defeated Hamilton in a regional semifinal, and are scheduled to travel to Edwardsburg (8-0) for the regional final.
The MDHSS and Gov. Whitmer in mid-November, responding to COVID-19 pandemic statistical surges, banned in-school education for high schools and, as a result, put football, volleyball and girls swimming and diving teams into hiatus as their fall tournaments were in process.
The November order also put a pause on winter sports practices and competitions, including girls and boys basketball. Last week’s changes of state health department and MHSAA directions does not allow for resumption of basketball and other winter sports at this time.
A key element in resuming winter sports will likely be how the fall sports competitions operate with new pandemic related “rapid testing” protocols.
According to a MHSAA statement on Dec. 18. “teams and individuals still participating in tournament play will be allowed to do so as part of an MDHHS pilot rapid testing program designed to gain insight and collect data on the spread of COVID-19 as the MDHHS plans to provide expanded rapid testing availability to schools in January.”
At this point, the details of that rapid testing protocol are yet to come from the MDHSS and the MHSAA.
David Kool, South Christian athletic director, on the set of WKTV Journal Sports Connection. (WKTV)
“We don’t know the specifics yet of the pilot testing program that is going to be mandatory for our athletes but we look forward to complying with the MHSAA and MDHHS on this,” David Kool, South Christian athletic director said to WKTV. “We realize this is the only thing that gives the kids a chance to finish their season and we are really happy about that.”
The uncertainty is not diminishing the anticipation for the resumption of the Sailor’s state title drive, however.
“We are thrilled that the MHSAA announced the restart of the football playoffs,” Kool said. “Coach Brown, along with the rest of the staff and players, cannot wait to take the field on January 2nd at Edwardsburg. Amidst all of this chaos, this is a special opportunity that these kids will never forget and we are blessed to have another chance at finishing this season.”
And, after waiting more than a month not knowing if they would even get a change to get back on the field, coach Brown says his staff and team are ready for whatever comes.
“The testing part adds a whole new element to the situation but we are willing to do whatever it takes to get to the finish line,” Brown said.
Details of initial MHSAA restart plans
According both MHSAA Dec. 18 statement, football playoffs will begin Saturday, Jan. 2, with regional finals for 11-player teams and semifinals for 8-player teams. The 8-player championship games in both divisions and all 11-player semifinals will be played Saturday, Jan. 9. The football season will conclude with the 11-player finals in all divisions the weekend of Jan. 15-16. All semifinals in both 11 and 8-player will be played at home sites. Sites for championship games will be finalized and announced later.
In addition, the girls volleyball tournament will begin again with quarterfinals on Jan. 5, with semifinals and finals to be played Jan. 7-9 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Also, the girls swimming and diving finals with return with its three Lower Peninsula finals competed during the weekend of Jan. 15-16, with one division at each of three locations.
“All previous safety protocols remain in place, and no spectators will be allowed at the fall tournament events,” according to the MHSAA statement. And “all indoor Winter sports — which are not part of the pilot rapid testing program — remain on pause from the MDHHS until Jan. 16, although girls and boys alpine skiing season — competed outdoors and following safety protocols including all activity must be outdoors — will be allowed to begin practice Monday, Dec. 21.”
The MHSAA Representative Council is expected to meet Tuesday, Dec. 22, to discuss details for the rest of winter sports. And all Spring 2021 sports are expected to begin on time and play complete seasons concluding with their traditional MHSAA tournament dates in May and June.
The Michigan Legacy Art Park (MLAP), in collaboration with the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA), is facilitating a creative way to foster “togetherness.” Through this project, people can learn what everyone else was and is still going through. As a result, participants will reconnect with their community as they begin the journey back to normalcy.
The groups are offering masks at no cost to anyone who wishes to participate. A contact form where you can make your request is available at www.RamsdellTheatre.org/facemask.
MLAP started this project earlier in 2020. The project asked participants to reflect and then decorate a paper-mache mask to express personal stories during the current health crisis. In the exploration of this powerful symbol, the feelings it invokes, and to bring the Art Park family closer together during this challenging time — the Volunteer Director of Education Patricia Innis led the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” art project with their volunteers, board members, artists, and staff.
“The project not only gave people something new to think about it also gave them a creative way to express their feelings and experiences,” Innis said. “Many people found the process cathartic and looked forward to seeing what others had been going through.”
“A mutual supporter of both groups brought us together to talk about how we can work on putting together an exhibit and involve more people,” said RRCA Executive Director Xavier Verna.
The groups reached out to other organizations like the senior center, Manistee Friendship Society, City Council, Conservatory of Dance, Youth Advisory Council, Youth Armory Project, Vogue Theatre, and the list goes on. Amy Wojciechowski, director of the Youth Armory Project, shared how this has already made a positive impact on someone’s life.
“We had a family stop by for food from the food truck this morning. I recognized the family because they attend Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where I am a member,” she said. “Our pastor, Dr. James Friesner, passed away on Tuesday night, and we all felt very close to him. Dr. Friesner had an especially close bond with the youngest member of this family. The mother of this family just sent me the following message – ‘thank you for sending those masks for them to do. My son has not had an easy time with the pastor passing away. He finally did something and colored that mask.’”
Webinars have been scheduled for anyone who wants to get ideas on how to decorate their mask. Local artists Lynn Williams and Mary Wahr are leading both webinars scheduled for Dec. 22 and Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. Registration is required, and the links can be found at www.RamsdellTheatre.org/facemask.
Masks must be completed by Jan. 12. The RRCA will arrange pickups or a drop off at the Ramsdell. The exhibit will feature all of the masks that are turned in, and it will be up for the month of February in Hardy Hall (101 Maple St, Manistee, MI 49660).
“I feel awesome,” declared Mary Wisinski, the first person at the Kent County Health Department to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Distribution of the Pfizer vaccine is underway with the Kent County Health Department administering its first vaccine on Friday, Dec. 18, to Wisinski, the the department’s immunization program supervisor.
“This is an incredible day,” she said. “we’ve been working so hard to battle this virus, and some days, it felt like it got the best of us. This isn’t one of those days. This gives us hope — we’re going to beat this.”
Because Wisinski will lead the health department’s team of immunization nurses in administering the vaccine, she was among the first group deemed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to receive the vaccine.
“Stay Positive, Stay Heroic, Stay Healthy” is what the sticker from the Kent County Health Department says. (Photo courtesy Kent County Health Department)
The Kent County Health Department received 1,950 doses on Dec. 17 and will be administering those doses to individuals in the highest risk groups. which also includes Kent County area medical first responders.
Area Hospitals, such as Metro Health — University of Michigan Health, also began administering doses to its frontline healthcare workers. Metro Health began on Friday.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses that are administered 21 days apart. Most agencies, such as the Kent County Health Department, will receive its second does within three weeks.
Vaccines receive support
Both the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last week, received support from seven Catholic bishops in Michigan included Most Rev. David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids.
The statement, which can be found at the Diocese of Grand Rapids website, states “It is morally permissible to receive the vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna. Neither of these vaccines have used cell lines originated in tissue taken from aborted babies in their deign, development and production. However, both Pfizer and Moderna vaccine did use such a cell line in the confirmatory testing. This connection to the abortion is very remote, however, it is important to keep in mind that there are varying levels of responsibility. Greater moral responsibility lives with the researchers than with those who receive the vaccine.”
The statement goes on that the Congregation for Doctrine of Faith indicates that it is morally permissible to be vaccinated if there are not alternatives and there are serious health risks as in the current COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of a consortium of West Michigan health departments and other health organizations, the Kent County Health Department announced the site VaccinateWestMI.com. The site is designed to provide information about vaccine availability, local distribution plans, safety and efficacy, and will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you have accomplished … It’s about who you’ve lifted up. Who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
Denzel Washington
Kentwood police Off. Jeff Augustyn was at Al-Bos restaurant as the police force and Lacks Enterprises Inc. paid for a customer’s take out meal. (City of Kentwood)
Kentwood police and Lacks Enterprises
The Kentwood police community services team, led by Sgt. Tim Wierenga, had this idea to “showcase” local small business, to not only offer monetary support to eateries but to provide a little holiday surprise to customers by paying for their take-out meal. Lacks Enterprises Inc. stepped up for the community where they work and their employees eat out. Kentwood police community services team, led by Sgt. Tim Wierenga, had this idea to “showcase” local small business, to not only offer monetary support to eateries — on Dec. 16, Al-Bos and Daniele’s Pizzeria — but to provide a little holiday surprise to customers by paying for their take-out meal. Go here for the story. If you are business which wants to be spotlighted for donating and helping local small business, call Sgt. Wierenga at 616-656-6561.
With the pandemic, Family Network of Wyoming, like many area food pantries, have seen an increase in need. (WKTV)
Family Network of Wyoming
With the increased need, Family Network of Wyoming has been receiving an increase in food assistance requests. So through a holiday season partnership with the Wyoming Family Fare — and donations from the community — Family Network is set to provide holiday meals to area families. Go here for the story. This time of the year, and all year round, donations are needed at www.fntw.org/donate.
Ton Evans pof Bethany Christian Services of West Michigan talks to WKTV about his organization. (WKTV)
Bethany Christian Services of West Michigan
One group working hard to make West Michigan a better community, in a multitude of seen and unseen ways, is Bethany Christian Services. WKTV talked with a representative of the group recently about its efforts to be funded by a new Kent County Community Violence Prevention Grant. But that is just one element of the group’s work. Go here for the story and video. Do you want to find out more about Bethany? Support its efforts? Visit bethany.org.
Fun fact:
Giving is good for the giver
Studies show that giving can actually boost your physical and mental health. From volunteering at a soup kitchen to committing to raise money for a specific charity, health benefits associated with giving can include: lower blood pressure, increased self-esteem, lower stress levels and — maybe most important — greater happiness and satisfaction. Source.
At 6 a.m. today, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health began to vaccinate its employees with the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19.
“This vaccine will provide much-needed protection for our employees , who serve on behalf of our community on the front lines of the pandemic,” said Metro Health – University of Michigan Health President and CEO Dr. Peter Hahn. “This is a breakthrough moment. This is how we start to turn the tide in our long battle with COVID-19.”
One of the first Metro Health staff to be vaccinated, Dr. Gabriel Pedraza, director of critical care at Metro Health, agreed with Hahn.
“I am going to fee a lot more comfortable treating my patients, my COVID patients,” Pedraza. Pedraza said he trusts the Center for Disease Control and knows that the Federal Drug and Food Administration would not have approved something that would put people at risk.
“Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation out there,” Pedraza said. “I have looked at some of the data. I trust the CDC. I trust the FDA. They are not going to release an unsafe vaccine.
A Metro Health – University of Michigan staff person shows her vaccine record. (Supplied)
“This is a big moment for our country and for us and I really highly recommend that we all get vaccinated. I did. I do what I preach and I think it is very important that we all do that. I recommend that everyone can, get vaccinated.”
The Pfizer vaccine was the first to be approved by the FDA on Dec. 11. Shipments of the vaccine, which is made in Kalamazoo, started leaving the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Airport on Monday. The vaccine arrived at Wyoming’s Metro Health – University of Michigan Health on Thursday.
“This generation’s greatest minds have been working tirelessly on vaccines from almost the moment the pandemic began,” he said. “Soon we will have to do our part, by being vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to each of us.”
Hahn praised the historic scientific effort and rigorous evaluation that made a vaccine available this year.
Metro Health’s initial shipment was 975 doses, with more anticipated on a regular cadence over the weeks to come. Metro Health’s Human Resources team collected input from its own Infection Prevention experts and clinical leaders, along with guidance from the CDC, to develop tiers of vaccine distribution based on risk of exposure and role in daily operations.
“As vaccine supplies grow, we look forward to extending the vaccine’s protection beyond our walls by following the guidance of public health experts,” Hahn said. Hahn and other leaders plan to receive the vaccine as soon as they meet the distribution criteria.
“As an ICU physician and healthcare leader, I will urge everyone to do the same,” he said.
The City of Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc., both understand the importance of small businesses, including local eateries, to the community. And that is as true in normal times as it is in this time of COVID-19 dining restrictions.
So the Kentwood police community services team, led by Sgt. Tim Wierenga, had this idea to “showcase” local small business, to not only offer monetary support to eateries — on Dec. 16, Al-Bos and Daniele’s Pizzeria — but to provide a little holiday surprise to customers by paying for their take-out meal.
And Lacks was more than happy to support the cause, with a $1,000 donation to the initial “business showcase” pop-up event, with the money being split $500 each at the two eateries.
im Green, executive director of human resources at Lacks Enterprises, Inc. (WKTV)
“Lacks Enterprises believes you need a lot of different components to make a community a place for people to live and raise their families,” Jim Green, executive director of human resources at Lacks, said to WKTV that night at Daniele’s. “Kentwood is a fantastic community and we think it has all those components. It has excellent law enforcement, you’ve got great schools, you’ve got businesses like Lacks. But the real backbone of this community is the small businesses. Without that you would not have all the other things that make the community what it is today.”
The Kentwood police department and Lacks Enterprises welcome customers at Daniele’s Pizzeria … and a little surprise awaits them. (City of Kentwood)
A representative of both the Kentwood Police Department and Lacks Enterprises, Inc., spread holiday cheer and supported local restaurants at both Al-Bos and Daniele’s Pizzeria on Dec. 16, where unbeknownst to customers coming in for take-out orders at the eateries had their meals paid for.
Al-Bos is located at 2930 Shaffer Ave. SE, and Daniele’s Pizzeria at 1429 60th St. SE, both in Kentwood.
At Daniele’s Pizzeria, a customer got a little more than he ordered — like a free order. (City of Kentwood)
This week’s pop-up event is, hopefully, also just the beginning of what the police department hopes to be “a local business showcase series to support Kentwood businesses and create positive experiences with community members during these difficult times,” according to a supplied statement.
Throughout the local business showcase series, the department will use donations to highlight businesses within Kentwood — both those donating to the restaurants to create similar pop-up events and the local businesses supported by the donations.
“We just wanted to give our small businesses a little support,” Sgt. Wierenga said to WKTV. “What we’d like to see of this is (to continue) showcasing our business community and showcasing the city that we love. We would love for this to develop into something more. … We’d love to have some more show case events.”
Kentwood police Off. Jeff Augustyn was at Al-Bos. (City of Kentwood)
Sgt. Wierenga was at Daniele’s Pizzeria and Off. Jeff Augustyn was at Al-Bos, with representatives of Lacks also at each.
Local businesses interested in participating can call Sgt. Wierenga at 616-656-6561.
The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) partners with artists Tyler and Ashley Voorhees (Glenn, Michigan) to present The Lamplighter. This stunning sculpture will be on display through Jan. 4, next to the Christmas tree in downtown Manistee. The Lamplighter is an interactive sculpture for people to enjoy safely and yet, encourage togetherness.
The Lamplighter harks back to the early days when the streets of most towns and cities were lit by gas lamps. By means of long poles, ladders, and even tall bikes, these lamps had to be lit each night as dusk turned to darkness. Lamplighters provided not only light but also safety in their communities. More than just a job, these harbingers of light represent a way of life: illuminating darkness.
The Lamplighter sculpture is constructed with dozens of antiquated tools and man-made artifacts in a grand gesture to this humble worker of the past. You are invited to pedal the stationary bikes surrounding the sculpture to generate light. This illumination is a nod to the light that we all carry within us. The Lamplighter symbolizes a collective connection to spread that light.
In a year of adaptation, artists Tyler and Ashley Voorhees have had to find new avenues to connect with patrons as their typical schedule of art festivals was upended by COVID-19. The Lamplighter sculpture was originally scheduled to be debuted at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. After that event was added to the endless list of canceled events, the Voorhees duo searched out a new venue to unveil the sculpture. Xavier Verna, Executive Director of the RRCA, answered the call, and the stage was set for this momentous month-long exhibition.
The exhibition will run from through Jan. 4. This sculpture is supported by patrons of the arts, Arts Midwest, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, The City of Manistee, and presented by the Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts.
“Regular winter park hours (7 a.m. -8 p.m.) begin on Oct. 16 each year,” said Jason Shamblin, Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Director. “Although, with three miles of lit trails and no snow to begin our winter operations, the commission agreed to extend the park hours for hikers and bikers to 10 p.m.”
As usual, when winter operations begin and trails are groomed for cross-country skiing the park will close to hikers, dogs, and mountain bikers.
“We are so pleased to be able to make this adjustment at Pigeon Creek Park, especially during these stressful times,” said Shamblin. “By the time many of us finish with our work day, myself included, it’s too dark to get out for a hike. Between turning on the trail lights and extending our operating hours, we hope to help more individuals and families spend more time outside.”
After publishing its first Sustainability Plan in 2017, the Ottawa County Parks & Recreation Department began to transition to LED trail lights. Making this switch has allowed the lights to remain on more often without additional cost.
Pigeon Creek Lodge & Equipment Rental
Ski and snowshoe rental will be available at the Pigeon Creek Lodge this year. We believe getting outside is more important to our health and wellness than ever. Although, visitors should expect some adjustments to our operation this year:
Masks/face coverings will be required everywhere except out on ski/snowshoe trails, including the sledding hill.
Rental equipment is only available during satisfactory snow conditions and our rental hours have changed. Before you visit, check our trail conditions page for lodge and rental information: miOttawa.org/trails
Ski and snowshoe rental will be available in the lodge. Capacity will be limited inside the rental area; be prepared to wait outdoors.
The Lodge will not be open for warming or concessions. Please bring your own snacks and beverages, and be prepared to use your vehicle as base camp.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) concludes its 2020 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ Concerts with a virtual Holiday Classics concert performed by Lance Luce on Friday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.
Deck the halls this season by enjoying cheerful holiday songs on the GRPM’s 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ performed by an internationally acclaimed theatre organist.
Lance has played hundreds of concerts across the U.S., Canada, England and Australia. While at the Organ Grinder in Toronto, Ontario, he played for well over a million patrons within eight years. In 2014, he was awarded “Organist of the Year” by the American Theatre Organ Society. He has played concerts for numerous chapters of the American Theatre Organ Society, other affiliated theatre organ groups and clubs, and for the national and regional conventions of the ATOS in the United States and TOSA in Australia.
Recently, Lance became the head organist for the Detroit Red Wings at the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. He was also the house organist at several family style restaurants, with two of them being located in Michigan. He has been a church organist for 43 years and is currently at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Bloomfield Hills.
Virtual organ concerts will be brought into the homes of ticket holders, with a fantastic screen presentation highlighting the organist playing the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ, with various views including an up-close view of the organist playing the keys.
The Holiday Classics Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ Concert will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Virtual tickets are $5 per member, $10 for the public. Special group rates available. Only one ticket link is needed per household or group. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/Organ or by calling 616.929.1700.
The Kent County Health Department announced this week that a consortium of West Michigan health departments, hospitals, healthcare providers, universities and others have launched a website where area residents can find the latest information about the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the Dec. 15 announcement, VaccinateWestMI.com is intended to be the “go to” site for information about vaccine availability, local distribution plans, safety and efficacy, and will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, highly effective and will be our best defense against the virus,” Dr. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department (KCHD), said in supplied material. “But it won’t be available to everyone immediately. It’s critical for the residents of West Michigan to have access to accurate, timely and consistent information about the vaccine so we can all do our part to slow the spread of the virus. That’s why we joined with partners throughout the region to launch this site.”
The Pfizer vaccine was the first to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use in the U.S. on Dec.11, and other vaccine approvals either have or are expected to follow.
But initial supplies are extremely limited. The first shipments arrived at area hospitals this week, with vaccinations starting with frontline health care workers. Workers and residents of long-term care facilities are also slated to be among the first to receive the vaccine, with other high-risk groups scheduled to follow.
As supplies of the vaccine increase, those at lower risk will qualify, and, according KCHD, “experts project all individuals 16 years and older will qualify to get vaccinated by mid- to late-2021.”
As vaccines become available, healthcare providers will distribute the vaccine according to the plans developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a national independent committee of medical and public health experts, according to the KCHD announcement.
VaccinateWestMI.com will be regularly updated as information becomes available, and visitors to the site can sign up for email updates on the vaccine.
Members of the consortium include: Kent County Health Department, Allegan County Health Department, Barry-Eaton District Health Department, Berrien County Health Department, District Health Department #10, Ionia County Health Department, Mid-Michigan District Health Department, Muskegon County Public Health, Ottawa County Department of Public Health, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Spectrum Health, Holland Hospital, Spectrum Health Lakeland, North Ottawa Community Hospital, Michigan Health & Hospital Association, Answer Health, Cherry Health, CVS Pharmacy, Kent County Emergency Medical Services, SpartanNash, We Are For Children, Calvin University, Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
This photo is circa 1930–31. In the distance you can see the lighted dome atop the Grand Rapids National Bank (now the McKay Tower) Building and the new George Leland Stone facade is on The Stand Theatre and Prange buildings just south of Wurzburg’s.
The image is part of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Collections. To see more of the collection, visit www.grpmcollections.org.
What is the holidays without a little holiday theater magic? Two West Michigan theater companies oblige with a couple of holiday classics.
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” (Supplied)
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will be hosting a on-demand streaming presentation of the Charles Dickens holiday classic Dec. 18 -31. The live 1940s radio broadcast, complete with vintage costumes and live sound effects, was set to be presented live similar to Civic’s presentation of “Dracula” in October. The recent statewide partial shutdown, reducing the number of people in a gathering, forced the theater company to rethink its plans.
Instead, the program will be live streamed Dec. 18 – 31 through Broadway On Demand. From the novella by Dickens, “A Christmas Carol,” follows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he his visited by three ghosts and learns the true meaning of Christmas.
There are two casts for the live broadcasts. Tickets are $9.99 for individuals and $24.99 for per family. For tickets, visit grct.org.
Farmers Alley
Farmers Alley Theatre presents “Home for the Holidays” through Dec. 24 (Supplied)
Of course, there is no place like home for the holidays and Farmers Alley Theatre will be hosting a special presentation titled “Home for the Holidays” through Dec. 24.
Hosted by Farmers Alley Founders Adam & Rob Weiner and Denene Mulay Koch & Jeremy Koch, this 90-minute special will feature favorite holiday classics, new seasonal songs and a dose of Christmas magic all of which will be streaming on Broadway On Demand.
The event features performances by Nat Zegree, Whitney Weiner, Joriah Kwame, Julie Nemitz, Sandy Bremer, WMU’s Gold Company, Andrea Arvanigian, Max Wardlaw and so many more PLUS a special reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas featuring a cavalcade of stars.
This is one of two cars the Wyoming Department of Public Safety is seeking information about. This is a Black BMW 5 Series. (Wyoming Department of Public Safety)
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety continues to investigate the Nov. 27 homicide of Cynthia McCoy, 34 year-old mother of four children. Investigators have identified two vehicles of interest in the investigation and are asking the public for help in identifying the owner’s and/or drivers of these vehicles.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety or Silent Observer.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 27, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the reports of gunshots fired and a person down on the sidewalk in the 900 block of Burton St. SW.
This is one of two cars the Wyoming Department of Public Safety is seeking information about. This is a Gray Chevy Malibu with Black Rims. (Wyoming Department of Public Safety)
The initial investigation indicates that 34-year-old female was walking on the sidewalk when she was shot. The victim was transported to a local area hospital where she was was pronounced deceased. After shooting the victim, the suspect fled the area on foot. The suspect is described as an unknown race male, 5’10” – 6’2” tall, wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and blue face mask.
Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7366 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
During a recent visit to the studio of WKTV Journal In Focus, we talked with Antonio (Tony) Evans, a vocational trainer for Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, about the history of Bethany and some of its West Michigan services — especially its upcoming work funded by a Kent County Community Violence Prevention Grant.
But for Evans, it is clear that his work for Bethany Christian Services is more than simply providing any one service or fulfilling one grant action requirement.
“In order to work for Bethany Christian, in order to work for Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation, it’s not a job, it’s a way of life,” Evans said to WKTV. “You have to be entrenched in it. … Our center is one of those spots where, whatever you need, we are going to help you.”
Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, part of a national group with several West Michigan locations including in Wyoming and Kentwood, has been approved for a Community Violence Prevention grant of nearly $150,000 to, quoting from the group’s application, “take a multi-acton approach at crime prevention by increasing opportunities, information, and activities to those within the south Grand Rapids’ 49507 zip code” — an area that borders both Wyoming and Kentwood.
For more information about Bethany Christian Services, visit bethany.org.
Antonio (Tony) Evans, left, a vocational trainer for Bethany Christian Services of Michigan, recently visited the set of WKTV Journal In Focus and talked with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
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.
Christian McBride, from a 2008 concert, is no stranger to St. Cecilia Music Center. But his planned Winterfest with Christian McBride series will need to await a year. (St. Cecilia Music Center)
Not unexpectedly, St. Cecilia Music Center announced this week the cancellation of its originally scheduled January through March 2021 live concerts. But, continuing to not be silent in this winter of pandemic, the center also announced a series of virtual concerts running January through April.
The initially bad, but ultimately good, news includes jazz star Christian McBride laying down a base line — his much-anticipated “Winterfest with Christian McBride” series, originally scheduled Feb. 25–27, has been cancelled. But added to St. Cecilia’s virtual offerings is Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer — two superior bassists with different backgrounds but speak the same musical language — on Feb. 25, with a $15 per ticket program.
Among the other cancelled live in-person concerts cancelled are Joshua Redmond (Jan. 21), Shawn Colvin (Jan. 22), the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s “Magical Schubert” presentation (Jan. 28), Leo Kottke (Feb. 18); Kat Edmonson (March 4) and Rodney Crowell (March 18).
“St. Cecilia Music Center is committed to our audience in helping to ‘Keep Music Alive’ in West Michigan,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive and artistic director, said in supplied material. “While we are still unable to gather audiences in person at this time due to COVID-19, we remain committed to bringing our patrons great music into the safety of their own home.”
Other virtual concerts announced this week include three by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) — “The Brandenburg Concertos” (Jan. 7), “Mendelson, Liszt & Field” featuring pianist Gloria Chien (Feb. 11), “Schumann, Shostakovich & More” featuring violist Paul Neubauer (March 18), and “CMS Brahms & Dvorák” featuring violinist Ani Kavafian (April 1).
All CMS virtual concerts are free to view on the St. Cecilia website beginning the date they first air and for seven days after.
The SCMC folk series virtual concerts include Mariza Sings Amália (Jan. 29) and Judy Collins (Feb. 12), each with $40 tickets allowing viewing for 48 hours. Kat Edmonson (March 4) will be free to view on St. Cecilia Facebook page and YouTube channel.
For tickets and more about virtual concerts offered by St. Cecilia for home viewing, see scmc-online.org/virtual/.
More about those cancelled concerts
The St. Cecilia announcement notes that “many of these (canceled show) artists who were to appear in person have now been rescheduled for St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2021-2022 Presenting Series” and that the 2012-22 season will be announced in late spring 2021.
All ticket holders for the cancelled concerts will receive individual emails to opt for a full refund, gift cards for future concerts, or making a tax-deductible donation.
For additional questions about cancelled concert tickets, contact Kelly Herremans, St. Cecilia box office manager, at Kelly@scmc-online.org.
About the McBride & Meyer, and Ms. Edmonson
The six-time GRAMMY-winning jazz bassist McBride is so much more than just a “jazz bassist” — with a career now into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. His work goes from jazz to soul to pop/rock to classical, including working with Kathleen Battle, Shanghai Quartet … and Edgar Meyer.
Meyer is in demand as both a performer and a composer, and has been hailed by The New Yorker as “…the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument.” One of his most recent compositions is the Double Concerto for Double Bass and Violin, which received its world premiere July 2012 with Joshua Bell at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated with Béla Fleck and Zakir Hussain to write a triple concerto for double bass, banjo, and tabla, which was commissioned for the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
Edmonson, known for her vintage pop and jazz with a Texas touch, began crafting her signature sound while performing in Austin’s local club circuit for years before releasing her debut LP “Take To The Sky” in 2009. She has toured with Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak, Gary Clark Jr., Shawn Colvin, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Nick Lowe and more. She recently released “Dreamers Do”, an album that “blends original compositions and reimagined mid-20th century classic Disney songs to tell a story which takes place over the course of one sleepless night.”
There are telling signs of a person who has never had to visit a food pantry.
“People will bring their income statements to show they are in need,” said Family Network of Wyoming Executive Director Karrie Brown. “I even had one woman bring all her family member’s social security cards. I tell people I don’t need to see them. I just need to know they are in need and that they live within Wyoming (the food pantry’s service area.)”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide shutdown in March, Brown has seen a lot of new people — many who never thought they would need help from a food pantry — come to the Family Network of Wyoming, located off of 44th Street.
“We have had so many people come through our drive thru that we have had cars backing up on to 44th street,” Brown said, adding that the parking lot at Family Network is fairly deep with it being able to accommodate two circle of cars.
Usually averaging about a 1,000 participants a month, the pantry saw some of its largest numbers in April as people waited for unemployment checks. Now that may are still waiting for the next round of stimulus money and the holidays around the corner, numbers are once again on the rise. This August had almost a 40 percent increase in participants over August 2019.
With the increased need, Family Network of Wyoming has been receiving an increase in assistance. Most recently with a partnership with the Wyoming Family Fare located at 2775 Health Dr. SW. Through donations, Family Network is hoping to provide 130 meals to area families. Donations are being received through Dec. 15 and will be used to purchase a holiday meal of turkey or ham plus sides and dessert. To donate, visit www.fntw.org/donate.
Other assistance has come in the form of grant funds from the Wyoming Community Foundation and federal CARES Act dollars distributed by the Kent County Board of Commissioners earlier this year.
The organization was one of two organizations to split a $5,000 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation with United Church Outreach Ministries (UCOM). The money, Brown said will be used to create a mini shopping experience for those who come to the pantry. That project has been put on hold due to the pandemic. For now, items are pre-boxed and distributed to those waiting in their cars.
Family Network of Wyoming also was one of 112 non-profits to qualify to receive funding for the Kent County Non-Profit Organization COVID-19 Grant Fund. Earlier this year, the Kent County Board of Commissioners allocated $9.5 million federal CARES Act dollars to the grant fund. The funding is intended to assist local local 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) nonprofit health and human service organizations located within Kent County serving individuals and communities that have been directly affected by COVID-19 and continued to provide services throughout the pandemic.
With the pandemic, Family Network of Wyoming, like many area food pantries, have seen an increase in need. (WKTV)
Family Network of Wyoming was part of the first round of recipients receiving $50,000 which Brown said was used for food purchases and personal hygiene products.
“Here I go again talking about the need for toilet paper,” Brown said. Because personal hygiene projects like toilet paper do not expire such as food items, it is difficult for many food pantries to get the items donated.
“This way we were able to purchase the items and were able to give those who came a package of toilet paper along with other hygiene needs,” Brown said. The money also was used to purchase food from Feeding America and from Farm Link, which offers fresh food from local farmers.
The need continues to grow as more and more families feel the trickling effects of the pandemic with businesses trimming costs and/or closing. Brown said about 70 percent of the people who come to Family Network of Wyoming are families with school age children.
Along with that, many school grab and go programs will be closed during the holidays, Brown said, making the partnership with Family Fare even more meaningful as well as a recent partnership with the YMCA, which is distributing lunches for children to local agencies.
Those in need are encouraged to text or call 211, which offers a number of services including help with food insecurities. Also residents, may visit any local food pantry which will help them connect to the right program.
With another Great Lakes winter already upon West Michigan, and the official beginning of the season coming next week on Dec. 21, cold temperatures are already impacting local households.
So, Consumers Energy recently announced 10 safety and savings tips to help Michiganders conquer winter weather.
“Following these simple yet important tips can help ensure Michigan residents remain safe during the heating season and save money on energy bills,” according to the statement.
First, and maybe foremost in some households, help is available for those finding it difficult to pay energy bills. Consumers Energy this fall gave $12 million to help households and small businesses with their energy bills, according to the statement. Contact 2-1-1 to find out what resources within your community are available to help with energy, housing, transportation and other needs.
Energy savings opportunities
Consumers Energy is offering free smart thermostats to households and small businesses to help them reduce costs. Smart thermostats can help customers save 10 percent or more on energy bills, reduce energy waste and help the electric grid by reducing energy use during times when demand for energy is highest, according to the statement.
The free thermostats are available to businesses that Consumers Energy serves. Businesses can see if they qualify at ConsumersEnergy.com/marketplace, where they can also purchase other energy-saving products. Residential customers can see if they qualify by visiting ConsumersEnergyStore.com.
Other cost-saving tips include: change your furnace filter monthly during winter months, especially with pets in the home; seal air leaks around windows and doors coming into your home with weather stripping and caulk; let drapes hang loose but make sure they don’t block heat registers and air-return ducts, and close registers/ducts in unused rooms.
Also, if working/learning from home due to COVID-19, regularly unplug electronic devices when not in use, or use a smart power strip. Devices that continue to draw power when they appear to be turned off can cost up to $200 annually in wasted energy, according to Consumers Energy.
Heating safety advice
Consumers Energy recommends households install an audible UL listed carbon monoxide alarm. Poisonings from this colorless, odorless toxic gas are most prevalent in the winter when furnaces are operational, and doors and windows are shut, according to the statement.
In addition, make sure furnaces are operating efficiently and safely by having them inspected and tuned by a qualified professional annually; keep flammable materials such as clothing and boxes well away from the furnace; keep space heaters away from curtains, furniture, clothing and other flammable materials; and unplug space heaters before leaving the room or going to sleep.
Also, in the category if “strongly recommends,” never use a stovetop or oven or charcoal grill to heat your home; and never use a generator inside a home, basement or garage — keep them outdoors at least 25 feet from the home.
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health is realizing its vision of taking health care to a better place as proven by the recent award of an “A” rating by the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grade.
“We are honored to receive an A rating from the esteemed Leapfrog Group,” said Stacie Bommersbach, Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “The dedication and commitment of our staff are what led to this achievement.”
For the last 20 years, the Leapfrog Group has given ratings to hospitals for their efforts to take “giant leaps forward in the quality and safety” of health care for the communities they serve. This nonprofit leader reviews more than 2,600 hospitals nationwide for their commitments to patient safety and reducing errors, infections and injuries.
The Hospital Safety Grade is the only independent ratings program that focuses exclusively on how hospitals work to keep their patients safe. Patients and families more than ever turn to the Hospital Safety Grade to make their healthcare decisions. A study by the Altarum Institute found, when given the choice of selecting a hospital based on safety or cost, consumers will choose the safer hospital 97 percent of the time.
“Keeping our patients safe has been a top priority during this pandemic,” said Bommersbach. “This honor demonstrates the tremendous team effort in place at Metro Health to continually improve the care our patients receive.”
Please visit metrohealth.net/covid-19-updates for the most up-to-date information from the CDC and resources to protect yourself and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Kent County Health Department and area hospitals, in a joint statement released today, Dec. 14, continue to urge residents to stay home for the upcoming December holidays. As of Dec. 14, Kent County has surpassed 35,800 total cases with a 14.7 percent positivity rate in the last seven days.
“We are making progress, but need to work together to continue to reduce the positivity rate and to reduce the spread and the strain on our hospitals and health care workers,” Darryl Elmouchi, MD, president of Spectrum Health West Michigan, said in supplied material. “We will continue to move this in the right direction by not traveling or gathering with people outside our immediate family.”
While it may be difficult to miss traditional holiday celebrations, the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) statement stressed “the importance of staying home and avoiding any kind of travel and group gatherings in order to avoid an even more devastating spike after the new year.”
The local “I love you so” holiday advertising campaign, which the health department and hospital partners launched in November, will extend to encompass all holidays through the end of the year.
The message builds on the sentiment, “I love you SO I’m staying home,” acknowledging the desire to be with loved ones over the holidays but also to protect them from the spread of the coronavirus.
Kent County is seeing more than 500 new coronavirus cases each day, according to the statement, and “the volume of cases has put a significant strain on local hospitals and frontline healthcare providers, and it has made it impossible for public health investigators and contact tracers to effectively do their jobs.”
With the contract tracing system under strain, the risk of community spread is increased because some people may not know they need to quarantine.
“Residents helped a lot by celebrating Thanksgiving with only people inside of their immediate households,” Hyung Kim, MD, president of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s said in supplied material. “Since infection rates, hospitalizations and mortality are still high, I hope people will stay strong in the upcoming holidays and avoid gathering with people outside their immediate households. We are far from being in the clear from COVID.”
At an early age, singer/songwriter Netty Bruce Manga, stage name Ney-T, discovered he had a knack for music as he was able to distinguish the different parts of harmony.
From the West African nation of Senegal (bordered by Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Gambia, and Mauritania), Manga recently sat down with Feel Like You Belong host to talk about his home country and his “passion for the rhythms of life.”
Netty Bruce Manga (WKTV)
Manga said that his mother was directing him more to what people call “respected jobs” such as a lawyer or engineer.
“But when I discovered my passion for music, it was a very big discussion,” Manga said during the interview.
Manga continued to head down a different career path until he bought himself his first guitar while in college. It was with that guitar that he discovered just how much music meant to him and that he needed to follow the calling.
Hosting Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Paranormal Podcast and Cryptic Frequencies Blog Talk Radio show has introduced me to the spooky, weird, and strange world that surrounds us here in our Great Lake State. Michigan measures very high on the mysterious meter with Bigfoot, Dogman, and lake monster sightings, significant UFO sightings, haunted ships and lighthouses, roads, cemeteries, libraries, and museums. We profile mysterious people and places, authors and investigating teams and it’s my pleasure to share some supernatural insights, starting with one of our all-time favorite guests, Shetan Noir.
Noir recently joined us for a special WKTV, The Whole Picture Podcast Halloween episode #34 where we discussed urban legends and superstitions. We opened with the poem “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by A.H. Schacknofsky and co-host Brandon Hoezee offered insights into the half-truths and his own family connections to the legend of the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow.
Guest Shetan Noir dresses as a green mermaid during the Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Paranormal Podcast special Halloween edition. (WKTV)
Co-host Kim Kolean presented evidence of the Allegan County “Melon Heads” with a disturbing photo image of what they might have looked like. The show also featured two of Noir’s books, “Lake Monsters and Odd Creatures of the Great Lakes” and “Mothman and Other Flying Creatures of the Midwest.” She shared an incredibly fascinating story of the Lake Superior Mermaid while dressed in costume as a shimmering green dragon lady.
My first encounter with Noir was during the 2018 Michigan’s Ghost Coast Paranormal Convention in Grand Haven. Noir was one of the featured speakers and during the day she asked to interview our team for her podcast Into the Liminal Abyss. Noir is an author and a journalist who has spent 25 years researching the paranormal in the field of cryptozoology, the search for or study of animals whose existence is disputed or unsubstantiated.
Currently Noir is the lead investigator for the Michigan Chapter of the North American Dogman Project as well as research into Lake Monsters, Mothman, Bigfoot, Nain Rouge. While ghost hunting might have been enough to keep most people busy, Noir found time to author several books. Noir’s amazing research chronicles actual eye witness accounts, historical testimony, real world explanations, hoaxes, fossil evidence, and artistic renditions of what these monsters might have looked like with detailed descriptions. Noir’s extensive research documents evidence of hundreds of people experiencing strange creatures at the same time with very similar descriptions by reputable well respected citizens, police, sea captains and crews, and collectively challenges the true definition of cryptozoology.
For more about Noir and her work, listen to the Grand Rapids Ghost hunters Paranormal Podcast at the WKTV Journal or on Facebook at The Whole Picture Podcasts.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will be offering new educational programs for first through sixth graders available in-person or virtually during the holiday break in 2020.
Educational offerings will be available on a limited capacity basis for in-person Snowflake Break Camps and online Digital Discovery Sessions from Dec. 21 – 30, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Snowflake Break Camps and Digital Discovery Sessions will offer a variety of topics from holiday traditions to space exploration and LEGO® brick fun to watershed science.
“The Museum is looking forward to offering fun, educational programs for kids during their winter school break, whether in-person or virtually,” said Rob Schuitema, the GRPM’s Director of Public Programs. “These programs create environments that encourage students to get excited about learning, resulting in better content retention and curious minds that are eager to further explore history, science and culture.”
To register, visit grpm.org/EduClasses. There is limited capacity for both Snowflake Break Camps and Digital Discovery Sessions; early registration is recommended, discounts available for Museum members.
Digital Discovery Sessions
Online Digital Discovery Sessions are designed for kids to explore science, history, culture and more online and from the comfort of their home. Museum educators will lead digital learners through themed projects using Zoom and the platform SeeSaw. Digital Discovery Sessions are available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from December 21-30, and run for two hours. Morning and afternoon camps are available, with various topics. These sessions are designed for kids to work independently.
Participation will require access to the internet and the use of a device to watch presentations and complete activities. A recommended materials list is provided with each session description.
Digital Discovery Sessions are $20 per child, with a reduced rate of $10 per child for GRPM members.
Snowflake Break Camps
Beginning Dec. 21, kids can partake in small-group, in person camps at the GRPM to use the Museum as a learning lab, while interacting with artifacts and specimens, and conducting experiments to explore science, history, culture and more. Museum educators will lead small-group, hands-on learning experiences tied to classroom curriculum objectives.
Classes are available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Snowflake Break from Dec. 21-30, and run for three hours. Morning and afternoon camps are available, with various topics. Capacity is limited to eight students per session, to ensure a low risk environment. Students will be required to complete a COVID-19 screening prior to attending the session.
Snowflake Break camps are $40 per child, with a reduced rate of $30 per child for GRPM members.
GG Reindeer Farm will be open this Saturday to visit the reindeer.
Visit the Reindeer
Bring the family out this weekend and meet the reindeer at the GG Reindeer Farm, 3754 76th St. SE, Caledonia. Guests can feed apples to the reindeer and take pictures on Santa’s sleigh. It is free to visit but donations are appreciated and all events will be held outside. The reindeer will be taking visitors Saturday, Dec. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The reindeer visits will take place Saturday, Dec. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again on Friday, Dec. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here for more information.
The Crowds: The New Age will be at The Getty Drive-In this weekend. (DreamWorks)
Go to the Drive-In
It will be Christmas movie overload this weekend at the Getty Drive-In, 920 E. Summit Ave., Muskegon. Saturday will be ‘The Croods: A New Age” / “The Christmas Chronicles 2” and “Die Hard” / “All My Life,” and Sunday will include “Die Hard” / “All My Life,” and “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” / “Elf.” Movie time is 5:30 p.m. with tickets starting at $6.50. Children 5 and under are free.
Area restaurants have come up with creative ways to provide outdoor seating. (Photo by Experience GR)
Eating in a bubble
Oh we are all so tired of eating at home so area restaurants are providing an alternative: creative outdoor dining experiences. These experiences range from enclosed patios to eating in mini-outdoor domes and bubbles. Many of the locations are heated and often require reservations. As one person put it, “when are you going to get a chance to eat out like this in the dead of winter?” So snap up the opportunity and support those local restaurants. For a complete list of outdoor venues, visit Experience GR.
Fun Fact: KFC for Christmas dinner
In America, traditional Christmas dinner can range from turkey to cold cuts, but rarely does it include Kentucky Fried Chicken. However, in Japan KFC is the meal of choice for the holiday. The story is: hoping to establish KFC in the Japanese market, the manager of the first KFC marketed the fried chicken “party barrels” as a substitute to the American Christmas dinner of turkey. In 1974, KFC picked up the campaign and as Christmas became more popular in Japan, KFC became the holiday dinner of choice. Today, it is estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to KFC on Christmas and is about five percent of Japan’s KFC’s annual revenue. Japan is third in sales for KFC behind the United States and China.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport has become one of the first airports in the nation to be a COVID-19 testing site.
Through a partnership with TACKL Health, the drive-up, no-appointment-needed site will offer both rapid antigen tests, which provide results in 15 minutes, and molecular PCR tests, which provide results in 24-48 hours. The testing site will initially be open from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Those wishing to be tested do not need to have COVID-19 symptoms or a doctor’s referral.
“As we head deeper into the holiday season, we hope this service will give community members greater peace of mind before traveling or visiting loved ones,” said Stephen Clark, director of business development for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “With so many test sites in West Michigan overloaded, this new site should help increase testing capabilities, especially for those who might not otherwise qualify.
“The site is open to all in the community, not just those traveling through the Ford Airport. For our passengers, we hope the tests will let them fly more confidently. We look forward to partnering with TACKL to offer this service to the community.”
Airport officials emphasized how the onsite COVID testing will be particularly helpful for business travelers visiting international destinations where the PCR molecular test is required before entry.
“We know our business community is anticipating a return to international travel in the coming year, so having resources at the Airport to make their journey easier will be critical in the coming months,” Clark said. “Armed with test results, travelers will be able to board a flight in West Michigan with the confidence they can meet screening requirements in the country of their final destination.”
Testing will take place in the Airport’s economy lot and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. When guests arrive, they will need to fill out an intake form using a QR code. If they are unable to access the form or need assistance, a technician will be available at the testing site.
TACKL does not accept health insurance so the testing will be out-of-pocket. Cost for the testing will be $75 for the rapid antigen, $125 for the molecular PCR or $160 for both tests.
Christmas is just around the corner and that means the Christmas Lite Show is back with more than a million lights, colorful tunnels, and 50 animated displays for which guests can view from the comfort of their own vehicles.
“It’s great entertainment for the family and lots of lights and displays to see,” said the creator of the show William “Bill” Schrader.
After he became inspired by a friend who had a light show, Schrader decided to put together the Christmas Lite Show. At the time, he had just retired from the military after 28 years of service and wanted to do something different and exciting. The show has been going for 23 years and last year, more than 70,000 guests visited the site at Fifth/Third Ballpark.
“The show started out with a few generators and a few extension cords,” Schrader said. When the show first started back in 1997, a box of lights was less than a dollar to purchase. Still, Schrader said the display was small with charge only being $5 per car.
Every year, Schrader said he tries to add more to the show. Last year it was Tala the elephant, who entertained the crowds by shooting candy canes out of her trunk. This year, Tala has returned to the show with her two babies Lumi and Auggie. This past summer, there was a designed contest for a display for the show. The winner was 7-year-old Lucas Cummings. Cummings drew a big tunnel covered in red lights with a Santa hat on top. His winning design is now part of this year’s light show.
The Christmas Lite Show features more than 50 displays. (courtesy Christmas Lite Show)
Another addition to look for at the 2020 show is the patriotic scene. Last year’s American flag has been joined by the Statue of Liberty, which stands 18 feet hight. The area filled out with lots of red, white, and blue trees and arches.
Guests have the option to take the Memory Lane Train or drive through the Christmas Lite Show. On the Memory Lane Train, every seat on the train allows for a 365-degree view of the show and the night sky. The ride will take about a half-hour to weave through about the two miles of lights and guests are advised to dress warmly.
Though Covid-19 had put a damper on most of the year, it has only made a few small changes to the show, according to Schrader. This year, the Christmas Lite Show team implemented new safety measures to be sure guests are safe when they take a ride on the Memory Lane Train. There also is a socially-distanced waiting areas, designated spacing on the train, and regular sanitation between trips. Guests also are asked to wear masks when aboard the Memory Lane Train. In addition tickets for the drive-thru show are scanned without contact.
Typically it takes about half an hour to travel through the light show. Guests are welcome to take as many photos as they would like as long as they are not operating the vehicle. Guests are also instructed to stay in their vehicles and on the train.
The show will continue every night until Jan 2, 2021. The show takes place at Fifth/Third Ballpark on Sundays to Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m and on Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets start at $25 a car (depending on vehicle) and $60 for a row on the Memory Train, which seats up to four people. To learn more details or to book a group train ride, call or text 616-745-9955 or visit christmasliteshow.com.
