All posts by Joanne

Some last minute ideas for Valentine’s Day

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,

By the West Michigan Tourist Association

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Find gift ideas, special events, dinners, and get-aways to treat your Valentine to a uniquely West Michigan experience.

Gift Ideas & Valentine’s Day Events

Need help finding a card for your Valentine? Kalamazoo’s Bell’s Brewery has you covered! Choose from 23 Bell’s Brewery inspired Beerentine e-cards to send digitally to someone special.

 

Join swing dance instructor Becky Biesiada at SE4SONS Gastropub inside the Muskegon Country Club for a series of three dance classes in February. This is a fun opportunity to learn something new! Don’t forget to check out SE4SONS Gastropub after class for great Happy Hour Deals. Call 231-755-3737 for reservations. Classes will be held 6 – 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, and 20. Cost is $85 per couple, $60 for individuals.

Head to Guardian Brewing in Saugatuck on Feb. 13 for Guardian Beer School: Galentine’s Day Beer, Cheese, and Chocolate Pairing.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, from 6 — 8 p.m., celebrate your Valentine and friends with Date Night: Pizza & Puzzles at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Bring your sweetheart or a friend for a relaxed night of pizza and puzzles in the galleries. Tickets include a table for puzzle building with your partner, pizza, and one free drink ticket for the cash bar. Puzzles are provided. The cost is $20 per person.

For special gifts, visit downtown Marshall. You’ll find flowers, wine, specialty shops to write love letters or memory books, and treats for your four-legged Valentine. Strawberries dipped in chocolate are a romantic treat, but what about pickles and chocolate, or chocolate-covered cheesecake jalapeno poppers? These unique treats and more await you in Marshall.

Valentine’s Day Weekend Dinners & Events

Enjoy a special Valentine’s Day menu at The Grove Restaurant at Gordon Beach Inn in Union Pier. Dinner is $80 per couple and includes butternut squash soup, mixed green salad, surf & turf featuring lobster tail and filet, parmesean risotto croquettes, chocolate dipped strawberries, and split of proseco. Reservations are requested, call 269-934-9700 to reserve your table. 

Journeyman Distillery serves up an evening of cask-strength laughs on Valentine’s Day at Comedy on the Rocks, featuring award winning stand-up comedians and craft-cocktails with a view of their working stills at their Three Oaks distillery. Featuring Zako Ryan, headliner Amy Sumpter, and your host for the evening, Maxwell Tidey. Admission is $20 per person.

Cornwell’s Turkeyville will feature a Murder Mystery Dinner on Feb. 14 and 15. (Cornwall’s Turkeyville)

Cornwell’s Turkeyville in Marshall hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner: Get a Clue, Feb. 14 and 15, a fun and entertaining way to spend your Valentines’ weekend!

Spend Valentine’s Day at Vineyard 2121 in Benton Harbor with a candlelight dinner and wine pairing suggestions, live music, and dancing to your favorite romantic songs, Friday, February 14th, 6:00 pm-9:00 pm. Seating is limited and advanced tickets are suggested.

Airway Fun Center in Portage is hosting a Couples Cocktail Class inside their taproom February 14th at 6:00 pm. Guests will enjoy step by step instructions as they create three creative cocktails. Appetizers will be included in the cost of the class. Registration is $30 per person.

This Valentine’s Day, say “I love you” with a romantic dinner date at the historic W.K. Kellogg Manor House in Hickory Corners, overlooking beautiful Gull Lake. Enjoy a four-course dinner that will include grilled mojo sirloin steak or grilled salmon filet, both served with fresh pico de gallo, avocado, tortilla strips and Cotija cheese, coconut rice and fresh vegetables, and a dark chocolate ganache served with fresh fruit and whipped cream for dessert.

Crane’s Winery presents the 2020 Cider-Maker’s Dinner on Feb. 15, 6 – 9 p.m., at their restaurant in Fennville, showcasing West Michigan’s wonderful cider-making expertise with a six-course pairing dinner featuring dishes made from local ingredients in an “Upscale Cider Pub” theme. Courses include wild game and local cheese selections, creamy New England clam chowder, lemony kale caesar salad in a parmesan crisp bowl, spicy elk nachos, smoked chicken & waffles, and a specialty Crane’s dessert. Seating is very limited. Tickets are $65 per person (this includes tax and tip), available at eventbrite.com. Come show some love to the amazing food and drink West Michigan has to offer. Crane’s is a family owned, family run business that has been a treasured travel destination in West Michigan for decades. Nestled in the lush, rolling hills of the family’s fruit farms just minutes from Lake Michigan’s shore, at Crane’s Pie Pantry Restaurant & Winery you will take home with you an experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression. The Crane’s family of businesses can be found throughout the Lakeshore with locations in Fennville (farms, pie pantry and winery), Crane’s Wine and Cider in Saugatuck and Crane’s In The City in Holland. 

The Grand Rapids Downtown Market will be hosting an ice sculpturing event Feb. 14 – 16.


Join the Grand Rapids Downtown Market Feb. 14 — 16 and chill out with over ten ice sculptures under the Downtown Market Shed, part of the Grand Rapids World of Winter events. On Saturday, enjoy an outdoor bar while watching chainsaw masters perform ice sculpting demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

 

Michigan’s only professional ballet company, Grand Rapids Ballet, presents Eternal Desire, a “mixed-bill” program featuring five different stand-alone pieces, including three never-before-seen world premieres, Feb. 14 and 16 at the ballet’s Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

 

Enjoy live music, cookie classes, gourmet hand-dipped chocolates and treats, and a special Daddy-Daughter Dance when you visit the Holland Area for Valentine’s celebrations.

Beer lovers, head to Grand Haven’s sixth annual Craft Beer Crawl on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 — 7 p.m. Enjoy craft beers from over a dozen Michigan Craft Breweries at participating venues on a casual Saturday afternoon in Downtown Grand Haven.

Join Lemon Creek Winery Grand Haven Tasting Room for Wine and Chocolate Pairings celebrating Love, Wine & Chocolate Month in February. Starting weekends in February, visit the Grand Haven Tasting Room Fridays through Sundays for these special pairings featuring chocolates and Lemon Creek Wines. This featured tasting will also be available on February 14th, so bring your special someone. Cost is $14 per person or two for $25. Ice wine tasting, chocolate dessert cups with your favorite wine, and specialty chocolates are also available. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead for reservations. Must be at least 21 years old for wine tastings. Hours are Fridays & Saturdays noon — 7 p.m. and Sundays noon — 5 p.m.

On Friday, Feb.14, from 5:30 –7:30 p.m., come to the Lakeshore Museum Center in Muskegon for a Valentine’s Day Friday Family Fun Night. Take the whole family on a date at the museum. Enjoy collecting Valentines from various museum creatures, create your own Valentine’s Day craft, and learn some love science. You’ll also get a Valentine’s Day treat to take home. The cost is $5. No RSVP is required.

 

Treat your sweetheart to performances around Muskegon over Valentine’s weekend, including live music from popular West Michigan bands or stand-up comedians. Find details to help plan your weekend at the Muskegon Community Calendar. 

Saturday, Feb. 15, the Muskegon Luge & Adventure Sports Park presents “Parkas & Plates.” This is a fun night for couples and friends who want to hit the lighted cross country ski or snowshoe trails, enjoy some amazing food and beverages, and kick back to live acoustic music. It’s the perfect Valentine’s date night or just a fun night out with friends. 

Whether you and your sweetheart are keen to cozy, romantic dinners by candlelight or something a bit more adventurous like skiing or sledding, the Mt. Pleasant area offers a variety of Valentine’s Day date spots. Plan your Valentine’s Day date with the Mt. Pleasant date guide. Looking for unique, one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day gifts for that special someone? Check out the Mt. Pleasant gift guide to find the perfect gift for your sweetheart.

Hotel Frankfort is hosting a Valentine’s Day Five Course Dinner at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. Dinner is $50 per person and includes brie en croute, crab cakes, caprese salade, choice of filet minot or shrimp scampi, salted carmel apple crisp, and wine samples especially paired for each course. Reservations are required, call 231-352-8090.

 

A romantic Valentines Day wine paired dinner awaits you at the Inn at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay. The Valentine’s-themed menu will be curated with courses to be shared making for a truly amorous, wine-paired culinary experience. Tables are limited, so purchase your tickets today.

 

Old Mission Peninsula Wineries in Traverse City present the Romancing the Riesling event Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb. 15 from 10 a,m, — 5 p.m.

Surprise your sweetheart with the gift of adventure in the most pristine, northernmost-tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, an area of rugged beauty, ancient Lake Superior shorelines, and breathtaking terrain with Keweenaw Adventure Company in Copper Harbor. Cozy up in the Adventure Chalet and get out to explore by mountain bike and sea kayak.

 

Treat Your Valentine to a Special Getaway

South Haven has a gift for you when you stay at one of the area’s participating lodging properties between February and April 2020, including Lake Bluff Inn & Suites, and Baymont Inn & Suites. Receive two bottles of wine, a red and a white, two wine glasses, and corkscrew in a very nice, four bottle, insulated bag. Plus, coupons for free wine and beer tastings are included compliments of local breweries and Cogdal Vineyards. Don’t miss out on this fantastic Gift Bag Promotion, click here for participating lodging properties. From November 1st to May 15th, stay in one of the participating lodging properties and receive a free $25 Dine on Us card, then relax at one of South Haven’s top-ranked, participating restaurants, such as Taste, and enjoy the local cuisine.

Make it a weekend getaway at Maplewood Hotel in Saugatuck! Stay Friday night and get half-off Saturday night stay through Feb. 18. Book directly by calling 1-800-650-9790.

Plan a romantic, winter weekend getaway and experience the true joy of winter in West Michigan. From snowshoeing to ice fishing to indoor hot tubs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Get the most out of your weekend getaway this winter by staying at one of Ludington’s top hotels. Stay Saturday night at the standard non-discounted rate and get Sunday night free! The Comfort Inn Ludington is the perfect balance of relaxation and fun. Call (231) 845-7004 to book your weekend getaway! 

Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids is offering a Celebrate Romance package with overnight accommodations, complimentary bottle of sparkling wine or cider, and breakfast for two. Choose a romantic dinner for two at onsite restaurants, or a massage for two at  Amway Grand Plaza Spa & Salon, or treat your special someone to the gift of relaxation with a certificate to the spa.

Celebrate a night of romance with overnight accommodations at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Elevate your evening with a bottle of wine or chocolate covered strawberries. Enjoy a special menu at Margaux or a massage for two at The Spa at JW.

Is your Valentine a fishing enthusiast? Treat them to a getaway at the Pere Marquette River Lodge in Baldwin, an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing outfitter, February 21st-23rd for Steelhead School. The school teaches the basics of fly fishing for steelhead and includes two nights lodging, breakfasts, lunches, and a half day guide trip for $405/person (based on double occupancy). For more, call the fly shop at 231-745-3972 or book your stay online.

Take your Valentine to Treetops Resort in Gaylord for their Wilderness Sleigh Ride Dinner on Valentine’s weekend or on a Skiable Feast Adventure. Can’t make it Valentine’s Weekend? Dates for both are available throughout the season.

 

Treat your Valentine to a getaway at Terrace Inn in Petoskey with a two night stay in a cottage room on Valentines weekend (Feb. 14 and 15) for $279. This package includes dinner for two and a Champagne split and a fabulous breakfast is also included each morning. Guests who just want to visit for dinner can enjoy a three course meal for just $39.95 per person and Nathan Towne will be performing in the dining room. 

Indulge in sweeping views of Little Traverse Bay, a bottle of champagne, breakfast for two, and an evening in the hot tub or by the fireplace while being minutes away from Petoskey’s most romantic destinations. The Courtyard by Marriott Petoskey’s Romance Package is the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day in Northern Michigan. Book your Romance Package today.

Love is in the air at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire. Surprise someone special with a weekend getaway and enjoy the outdoors. Create a custom package, including spa treatments, lift tickets, or cross-country trail passes, to get away to a Northern Michigan resort that spans 5,000 acres.

Whether you’re planning a surprise trip or celebrating an anniversary, Mackinac Island’s romantic charm can be felt around every corner. Give the gift of Mackinac this Valentine’s Day with Mission Point Resort’s Island Romance package; A picturesque getaway for two in a setting of historic churches, garden gazebos, refreshing lake breezes, and turquoise blue waters. This package features two night’s accommodations, a wine and cheese welcome amenity, half-day bike rentals to explore Mackinac Island, tickets aboard a Sip N’ Sail boat cruise, a romantic dinner for two in Chianti, and much more! Experience the magic of Mackinac with the one you love this summer.

Escape to the Keweenaw Area and find special Valentine’s Day experiences and packages, including luxury lodging with flower bouquets and in-room champagne or a spa experience designed to rejuvenate your body and mind with hot and cold-water exposure. Find more Keweenaw lodging options and specials by visiting the Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

Stormy weather ahead: Only if you are a theater lover

Entertainment, , ,
This year’s LEFF will wrap with the 24-Hour Theatre: LEFF Edition on March 7. (LEFF)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

There is a festival celebrating laughter and comedy (LaughFest) and a couple celebrating the arts (ArtPrize and Festival of the Arts). We even have WYCE’s celebration of local music (The Jammies).

So with so many local college and community theater organizations, it only makes sense that Grand Rapids has its own festival to celebrate theater.

Now in its eighth season, the Lake Effect Fringe Festival, better known as LEFF, returns to celebrate local theater by hosting an array of productions by several local theater companies.

“You are going to see works that are not produced in the larger theaters in town or works by local playwrights,” said Mary Beth Qullin, one of the organizers. “There is a lot of comedy or improv that goes on during the Festival. It is something different almost every weekend.”

In fact, starting Feb. 11 and running through Mar. 7. the calendar at the Dog Story Theatre, 7 Jefferson SE, is packed with a variety of shows, and Qullin said there is something for about everyone in the mix.

To kick off the 8thAnnual Festival, Fictional Friends Improv is performing a one-night only fundraising event “Throw $ at LEFF, Tuesday, Feb. 11, to help raise funds to cover the space rental fee for the remaining Festival participants. The event starts at 8 p.m.

The Fictional Friends Improv has a lineup of fan favorite games, some classics from the vault that haven’t been performed in years, and of course a few things that have never been performed for an audience, or performed at all for that matter.

Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company performs at LEFF Feb. 13 – 15 at Dog Story Theatre.


The rest of LEFF schedule is as follows:

Feb. 13 – 15: The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Co., Michigan’s only year-round touring Shakespeare Company, presents Oliver Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer.”  This comedic farce follows the exploits of the Hardcastle family. Mr. Hardcastle wants his daughter Kate to marry eligible bachelor Charles Marlow. The problem is that Marlow is hopelessly intimidated by women. Mr. Hardcastle and Marlow’s father plan for the younger Marlow to visit the Hardcastle home, but because of the tricks of Hardcastle’s stepson Tony Lumpkin, young Marlow and his friend Hastings believe that Hardcastle’s house is an inn. Kate takes advantage of this deception to pose as a maid in the “inn” so that she can observe her potential mate without him knowing.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can. Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 13, in $5 increments.Pigeon Creek is Michigan’s only year-round touring Shakespeare Company.


Feb. 20 – 21: The Brutal Sea presents its new full-length original play “Mangoyle!” Enter the crime-spattered Urchin District of Sinneapolis, where Mayor Sparromarten has created a living gargoyle to solve the critical mystery of his missing vacation photos. Meanwhile, a coven of punk-rock witches trade their protest signs for direct magical action, and lurking deep in the shadows — are those…gnomes? You won’t want to miss this wickedly hilarious show!

Show times are at 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can. Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 20, in $5 increments.  This show contains mature themes and language.


Feb. 27 – 29: Hole in the Wall Theatre Company, Grand Rapids’ only Commedia Troupe, presents “Naples’ Story: Welcome to the Neighborhood!” Inspired by a collection of Italian scenarios from the 1500s, “Naples Story” shows us how life’s little adventures take hold as we meet the residents of a small neighborhood in Naples.

 The Hole in the Wall Theatre Company’s small cast will portray the entire neighborhood in 90 minutes of sketch-improv. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Thursday’s performance is a fundraising event for the LEFF and is pay-what-you-can.   Tickets are only available at the door on Thursday, Feb. 27, in $5 increments.  

March 3: Grand Rapids’ Maggot Baby will screen its horrific movie “White Girl Wasted” along with the terrible “Lobster Cabin” and a few of their repugnant short films as a fundraising event for the Lake Effect Fringe Festival. “White Girl Wasted” began filming seven years ago, briefly appeared on YouTube, and then disappeared into Maggot Baby’s Box of Embarrassments. Have a laugh at this no-budget horror/comedy’s first public screening ever, featuring new footage and filmmakers in attendance. WARNING: This event is 18+ only. Show time is at 6 p.m.

March 5 and 6: Pyrus Calleryana presents “TV Program.” It’s late. A frightful howl pierces the silence of the night. Sleep escapes you. You have nowhere to turn. Nowhere… except the channels.

Join Pyrus Calleryana on a delightfully disturbing journey into the depths of a late night TV wormhole. Bizarre burlesque from beyond basic cable and more as-seen-on-TV weirdness than your remote control can handle. Don’t touch that dial!  Mature Audiences only. Show time is 8 p.m.

March 7: Wrapping up this year’s LEFF is the 24-Hour Theatre: LEFF Edition. Five writers, five directors and all the actors we can muster! Five new short plays written, rehearsed and produced within a 24 hour period. Come see your favorite local actors, directors and writers produce some new plays!

Interested in Participating in the 24-Hour Theatre: LEFF Edition?


We are in need of actors! If you are interested, please message 24-Hour Theater with your email and preferred role. No experience needed.


Schedule:
March 6, 8 p.m. – Writers begin writing at Little Space Studio, go as late as necessary (usually done by 2 or 3 a.m.)
March 7,  8 a.m. – Directors called @ Dog Story Theater
9 a.m. – Actors called @ Dog Story Theater, rehearse throughout day
8 p.m. – Shows go live!
Co-produced by Rachel Finan and Cody Colvin


The Lake Effect Fringe Festival seeks to highlight performer-focused theater in a non-traditional theater space, creating an intimate performance experience for audiences who can expect different seating configurations and differing levels of interaction with the performers at any given performance. All performances take place in the black box performance space of the Dog Story Theater, 7 Jefferson SE, Grand Rapids, 49503. Tickets for all events can be purchased in advance on the Dog Story Theater’s website: www.dogstorytheater.com, and are $15/adults and $10/students and seniors, plus Eventbrite fees.

WKTV has Wyoming, Kentwood high school sports schedules, featured game coverage

Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Veterans, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week.

The Featured Game coverage schedule for the last week of February includes the following:

Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Girls Basketball East Grand Rapids at South Christian

Friday, Feb. 14 — Girls/Boys Basketball Christian @ Wyoming

Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Boys Basketball Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee

Friday, Feb. 21 — Girls/Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House

Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep

Friday, Feb. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Potter’s House

Where and when to see the game

Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.


For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.


 
Following is this week’s schedule:

Monday, Feb. 10
Girls Basketball
Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming Lee @ Belding
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Zeeland East/Zeeland West @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Unity Christian
Rockford @ East Kentwood

Tuesday, Feb. 11
Boys Basketball
Morley Stanwood @ Tri-Unity Christian
Calhoun Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Grand River Prep @ Wellsprings Prep
Ravenna @ Potter’s House
Zion Christian @ Martin
Wyoming Lee @ White Cloud
Belding @ Godwin Heights
South Christian @ East Grand Rapids
Wyoming @ Wayland
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Girls Basketball
Battle Creek Calhoun Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran
Grand River Prep @ Wellsprings Prep
Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee
Martin @ Zion Christian
Godwin Heights @ Belding
East Grand Rapids at South Christian — WKTV Featured Event
Wyoming @ Wayland
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
East Kentwood @ West Ottawa
Boys Swimming
South Christian @ Wayland
Boys/Girls Bowling
Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville

Wednesday, Feb. 12
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ FH Northern
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights
Unity Christian @ South Christian
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K – Girls
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA State Team Districts
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – MHSAA State Team Districts
East Kentwood @ Grandville – MHSAA State Team Districts
Girls Cheer
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Thursday, Feb. 13
Boys/Girls Bowling
Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House
Girls Basketball
Hudsonville Home School @ West Michigan Lutheran
Boys Swimming
East Kentwood @ Rockford

Friday, Feb. 14
Boys Basketball
Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep
Potter’s House @ Cedar Springs
Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee
Covenant Christian @ South Christian
GR Christian @ Wyoming — WKTV Featured Event
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Girls Basketball
West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep
Holland Black River @ Potter’s House
Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian
Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee
Covenant Christian @ South Christian
Christian @ Wyoming — WKTV Featured Event
Kelloggsville @ Hopkins
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ East Grand Rapids
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ South Christian
Boys Swimming
South Christian – MISCA Diving Meet @ EMU
East Kentwood – MISCA Diving Meet

Saturday, Feb. 15
Boys Hockey
East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation
Lake Orion @ South Christian
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Fremont – MHSAA State Individual Districts
Godwin Heights @ Fremont – MHSAA State Individual Districts
Wyoming @ Lowell – MHSAA State Individual Districts
Kelloggsville @ Lowell – MHSAA State Individual Districts
East Kentwood – MHSAA State Individual Districts
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park
Boys Basketball
Comstock Park @ Godwin Heights
Boys Swimming
South Christian – MISCA Swim Meet @ EMU
East Kentwood – MISCA Swim Meet
Boys/Girls Dance
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills
Girls Cheer
East Kentwood – Delta Plex Invite
Girls Dance
East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills

Monday, Feb. 17
Boys/Girls Bowling
South Christian @ FH Eastern
Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids
Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep
Girls Cheer
Wyoming @ Comstock Park
Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park

Kentwood nonprofit selects its first full-time executive director

3-bottom, ,
Streams of Hope’s new executive director, Kurtis Kaechele. (Supplied)

Streams of Hope announced last week that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointment of Kurtis Kaechele as its next executive director.

Kurtis will be taking leadership in the organization’s first full-time position beginning Feb. 17. With the continued growth of 10 existing programs and planned expansion into new offerings for its community, the time is ripe for Streams of Hope to invest in a full-time leader. Former Executive Director Paul Holtrop, who has helped lead the organization since its inception in 2006, will be ensuring a smooth transition with Kurtis.

 

“I’m excited to have Kurtis starting soon,” Holtrop said. “He is an enthusiastic leader and faithful Christian who will continue to emphasize community building at Streams of Hope.”

Kaechele is a native of Caledonia and lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and young daughter. He spent the past 15 years as a brand and marketing strategist, most recently as the marketing director for Nexstar Media, the parent organization for WOOD TV8 locally. Kaechele holds a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in Communications and Media, and has been instrumental in planning and promoting the popular Maranda Park Parties in West Michigan. His background in communication and strategic planning is a wonderful fit for this nonprofit which has been a staple of the Townline community for the past 12 years.

“Streams of Hope is well established, and it’s just starting to build on a really solid foundation,” Kaechele said. “I’m really impressed with what they offer and the good work they’re doing in our community, and I look forward to sharing that story with others.”

Streams of Hope is a fairly young organization, but it already has significant, long-term impact on its community. Its focus is healthy schools, neighborhoods, and families. Through a variety of programs it touches almost 600 neighbors each month. Supportive services like the Food Center, an onsite medical clinic, fitness and cooking classes, and after-school programs for students help foster a healthier community.

Under Kaechele’s leadership, the Streams of Hope team plans to continue expanding its programs to reach more neighbors. In 2019, the nonprofit had a $1 million economic impact on its community and is looking forward to increased growth.

“God has truly blessed me with this incredible opportunity,” Kaechele said. “I am excited to bring my passion, experience, and fresh perspective to this amazing team of staff and volunteers. Together we’ll build upon Streams of Hope’s successful history of positive, sustainable change in our community!”

To learn more about Streams of Hope, visit streamsofhope.org.

Get the dish on aging well

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Food, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , , ,
Mediterranean food that’s full of vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and fish tend to reduce insulin resistance. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Diana Bitner, MD, Spectrum Health Beat


The best way to get through midlife and menopause is to know the tricks.


One of the tricks for healthy aging is to eat the Mediterranean way. This way of cooking and eating is healthy, tasty, satisfying and good for staying on a budget.


Mediterranean cooking includes whole grains, lean protein such as seafood and chicken, extra-virgin olive oil and lots of veggies.


For flavor and health benefits, the recipes use lemons, lots of garlic, and spices such as oregano, dill and parsley.


There are so many options to consider, and my favorite cookbook for Mediterranean cooking is Live to Eat by Michael Psilakis.


He organizes everything by key items to keep on hand: Greek yogurt for sauces and dips, garden-fresh veggies and fruits, peppers, onions, roasted cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic confit. From these items, healthy meals are a snap.


Mediterranean cooking has been proven to reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.


Insulin resistance is the common denominator for all these issues, which combined are the cause of death for a third of women.


Insulin resistance is when the blood sugar stays higher longer after consuming food—and especially higher after consuming simple carbs such as white flour pasta, white bread, white rice, alcohol or treats.


When blood sugar stays high, it can damage tissue and cause higher levels of insulin, which increase cravings for sugar, as well as promote storage of sugar into belly fat.


One of the other things sugar does is make blood vessel linings sticky, which allows fat to adhere to them, increasing the risk of a blockage.


The bottom line, a diet high in foods made with simple carbs cause preventable disease.


Learning how to cook the Mediterranean way can save lives.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


GVSU economist: Local economy remains soft

3-bottom, ,
Brian Long is a local business forecaster. Credit: GVSU

By Dottie Barnes
Grand Valley State University

The West Michigan industrial economy remains marginally soft, said Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business.

Long surveyed local business leaders and his findings below are based on data collected during the last two weeks of January.

The survey’s index of business improvement (new orders) edged down to -9 from -7, but continues to be ahead of October’s much weaker -21. The production index recovered to -2 from -7. The index of purchases remained negative at -6 from -17, and the employment index fell to -7 from -2.

Long said the West Michigan economy is poised for a period of slower growth entering 2020. 

He said the tariff wars are not over, but there has been progress. The new tariff agreement with Canada and Mexico will correct some inequities that have popped up over the past 26 years.  “For West Michigan, the biggest beneficiaries will be our local auto parts producers who will have their tariffs to Canada reduced or eliminated,” he said. 

Long said some West Michigan farmers may benefit from the Phase I trade agreement with China.

 

“Many of the tariffs that have disrupted Chinese pricing for many commodities and sub-assemblies for some of our local businesses are not included in the agreement,” said Long. “The agreement may contain a lot of loopholes that could allow China to fudge compliance numbers. In fact, it may be a year before we know if the agreement has actually done us any good.”

 

Long said the coronavirus could slightly dampen the world economy. “The CDC tells us that a vaccine is still about 12-14 months away, so world travel and other measures to contain the spread may put a dent in the Chinese economy, as well as other economies around the world, including our own,” he said. 

The Institute for Supply Management survey is a monthly survey of business conditions that includes 45 purchasing managers in the greater Grand Rapids area and 25 in Kalamazoo. The respondents are from the region’s major industrial manufacturers, distributors and industrial service organizations. It is patterned after a nationwide survey conducted by the Institute for Supply Management. Each month, the respondents are asked to rate eight factors as “same,” “up” or “down.”

For more information, contact Brian Long at 269-870-0428. 

Hand2Hand hosts February informational meeting for Wyoming/Kentwood area

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Hand2Hand Executive Director Cheryl Hondred talks about the Hand2Hand program. (Video by WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Hand2Hand, a local children’s food program, will host an informational meeting Thursday, Feb. 27, for area business, church, and school leaders in the Wyoming/Kentwood area.

According to Hand2Hand, there are about 6,619 students in the Wyoming/Kentwood area in need of weekend food. Weekends are the  most vulnerable time for child whose home lacks food resources.

Hand2Hand delivers a bag of food to children for that weekend time. The program parnters with local churches and schools and also engages businesses and individuals to help provide that food. 

The informational meeting for the Wyoming/Kentwood area will be Feb. 27 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Cornerstone Church’s Wyoming campus, 2730 56th St. SW. During the meeting, participants will learn about Hand2Hand and its purpose, hear from Wyoming and Kentwood superintendents about the program, and receive a complimentary lunch.

Those interested in attending the program should RSVP by Feb. 18 to jodi@h2hkids.org or call 616-209-2779.

Grand Rapids Public Museum: Turning over the story of a lava medallion

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wtkv.org

Sometimes you never know what you will find when you unpack a box. That certainly has been the case for Dr. Cory Redman, the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s science curator, and his team as they unpack the science collection at the Community Archives Research Center located at 223 Washington St. SE.

About 95 percent of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s collection is displayed at the Community Archives Research Center, also called CARC. Redman has been tasked with unboxing and cataloging the many boxes that contain the science collection.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s lava medallion. (WKTV)

It was during this process that the team discovered a curious item, a lava medallion. 

“These became popular in the 1820 as kind of souvenir or commemorative object,” Redman said during a recent segment on the WKTV Journal.

In the mid-18th Century, taking a Grand Tour of Europe had become fashionable among the wealthy elite. People would visit cities like Paris, Rome, Venice, Florenece, and Naples with a tutor to learn about languages, geography, culture, art, and architecture. When passing through Naples, the volcano of Mount Vesuvius — yes the volcano that destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D. — became a must see stop mostly because instead of getting a postcard, you pick up a lava medallion. Mt. Vesuvius is where the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s lava medallion is from.

The other side of the lava medallion showing the name for who it was made for. (WKTV)

“The way it is formed is you actually take hot molten lava and you put it in some type of mold,” Redman said. “It is usually a two-part mold to press it and then you dunk it in water to solidify it.”

The museum’s medallion was made by Henry Augustus Ward who in 1862 started the Ward’s Nature Science in Rochester, New York, Redmen said. At that time, the company supplied museums with specimen and artifacts but today provides science equipment and materials to schools.

As to how the museum acquired the medallion, Redmen said his guess is that it came from one of the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s past directors, Henry Levi Ward, who served from 1922 — 1932 and also was the son of Henry Augustus Ward.

For more about the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s collections, visit grpm.org/collections/. 

Adventures in Michigan: Polish Exhibit opening at Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, , , ,
From “100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918.” (University of Michigan)

By The West Michigan Tourist Association

The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts (RRCA) is pleased to present an exhibition and lecture on Zakopane, Poland. “100 Years of Polish Independence: Zakopane 1918”is an exhibition of photographs from the archives of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane. It tells the unique story of the short-lived Republic of Zakopane, which was established in the concluding weeks of the First World War. The exhibit will run from Feb. 10 – March 27 with an opening reception and lecture on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 1 – 5 p.m. The University of Michigan lecturer and assistant director of undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan history department, Dr. Kate Wroblewski, will present a lecture at 2 p.m.

Situated in the scenic Tatra Mountains, in the 19th century, Zakopane attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals from Poland’s four corners. Together with the local inhabitants, they created a diverse and distinctive community that flourishes today. This exhibit will feature stunning archival photographs revealing the beauty, originality, and diversity of the mountain resort town and its inhabitants.

The University of Michigan Alumni Club of  Greater Manistee-Ludington is providing support for the reception and in assisting with the transportation of the exhibit. “We are thrilled to introduce Zakopane to Manistee! We appreciate the support from the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Greater Manistee-Ludington in making this a reality,” said Xavier Verna, Executive Director of the RRCA. “We are working together to curate this photography exhibit with food, music, and the Polish community in our region. Two Slices will prepare Polish-inspired food, and music will be furnished by Virgil Baker and the Just for Fund Band.“

The lecture and exhibit are free and open to the public. Reserve your spot for the lecture at RamsdellTheatre.org/art-exhibits. The exhibit is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Enter through 1st Street to view it. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, February 15 from 1 – 5 p.m.

CCPS has curated the exhibit and organized public lectures in collaboration with the Tatra Museum, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw, and Culture.pl as part of POLSKA 100, an international cultural program commemorating the centenary of Poland regaining Independence. It is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as part of the multi-year program NIEPODLEGŁA 2017-22.

Adventures in Michigan: Michigan’s Richest Snowmobile Fun Run

Entertainment,

By Christie Walcott
Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau

The Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau is gearing up for the Michigan Snowmobile Festival, scheduled for Feb. 21-22. It’s “all outdoors” and it’s everything snowmobile. “Gaylord is one of the best snowmobile destinations in Michigan and we want to celebrate that,”  said Paul Beachnau, Executive Director of the Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau.

This year’s festival has been revamped to a two-day event where snowmobilers can look forward to doing what they love most – riding othe Gaylord trail system! Dubbed “Michigan’s Richest Snowmobile Fun Run,” participants can pre-register online at gaylordmichigan.net or stop by the Tourism Bureau office located at 319 West Main Street Feb. 21 from noon – 6 p.m. or Saturday, Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. – noon. All registrants must pick up a packet during those hours and the first 100 to arrive will receive a free hat, courtesy of the Sled Shed.

The snowmobile fun run is a free event! Participants have two days to visit ten outstanding Gaylord area locations and drop a registration slip at each stop. While riders do not have to follow a certain route or stop at all locations, a guided ride will leave at 10:30 a.m. from the Tourism Bureau on Saturday. After making your rounds, the event will conclude on Saturday at the Eagles Hall at 515 South Wisconsin Ave., featuring live music with Straight Shooters, beverages, complementary food, prizes, and the $1,000 cash drawing. You must be present and at least 18 years old to win all prizes.


For more information or to register online, visit www.gaylordmichigan.net.

Wyoming community blood drive set for Feb. 12

3-bottom, City of Wyoming,

A community blood drive has been set for Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wyoming City Hall Council Chambers, 115 28th St. SW.


Those interested in donating blood at the drive should make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. Also, participants should plan to bring a photo ID with birth date.

Appointments are preferred. To make an appointment, call 866-642-5662 or visit versiti.org/MI.

Kent County recycling center to temporarily close for paper recycling separation upgrades

3-bottom, Hard News, Local Business, Our Cities, Upcoming Events,
Recycling Education also occurs at the Kent County Recycling & Education Center. (Kent County)

By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org

Kent County announced this week that Kent County Recycling & Education Center at 977 Wealthy St. SW will be closed and unable to accept recyclable materials from both curbside and public drop-off locations for processing while new equipment is installed.

The equipment upgrades will “improve efficiency and quality by replacing the mechanical screens used to sort paper,” according to supplied material. Renovations will take place starting Monday, Feb. 24 and last until approximately Friday, March 13, according to the county.

During that period, there will be no recycling accepted by the county — from citizens at the downtown and north county transfer facilities, or by contract trash haulers who also collect recycling — a county spokesperson confirmed to WKTV.

(WKTV)

“We are giving advance notice to ensure residents can get as much of their existing recycling picked up and recycled before the February 24 temporary closure,” Dar Baas, director of Kent County Department of Public Works, said in supplied material. “We understand this is inconvenient but it’s necessary to ensure we can continue to be a reliable processor of recyclables for the region.”

According to the county, paper accounts for 70 percent of the processed material at the recycling center. In 2019, the center processed 16,692 tons of paper product, the equivalent of 283,764 trees, according to the county. The facility sorts out at least a truckload of paper every day. The screens used to sort paper are original equipment from when the center opened in 2010 and have run for over 30,000 operational hours.

Recycling is an ever-changing technology. And Kent County’s recycling system is changing. (Supplied)

“Periodic upgrades and renovations, like the replacement of our paper screens, ensure the recycling facility is up-to-date and can efficiently and reliably process clean materials for recycling markets,” Nic VanderVinne, Resource Recovery & Recycling Manager for the Kent County Department of Public Works, said in supplied material. “The Kent County Recycling & Education Center allows residents to conveniently recycle materials with a single-stream sorting process, that requires we have screens to automate the sorting process for materials like glass, metal, plastic and paper.”

The Kent County Recycling & Education Center is approaching its 10th year of single-stream recycling. Over the past decade, the center has undergone periodic maintenance and upgrades to adapt to changes in community recycling habits and packaging trends. In 2017, Kent County added equipment to accept paper cartons and improve automation.

“The recycling industry has changed significantly in the past few years due to increased global import restrictions,” Baas said in supplied material. “It’s imperative we make improvements to keep producing a high-quality product in a very competitive domestic market.”

For any updates and more information on the temporary closure visit reimaginetrash.org or call 616-632-7945.

Up early? You’re a rare bird

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, ,
Extreme early birds seem to function well in the daytime but they have trouble staying awake for evening social commitments, according to researchers. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay


Early to bed and early to rise? In its extreme form, this tendency is more common than previously believed, according to a new study.


Going to sleep at 8pm and waking up as early as 4am is called advanced sleep phase. It was believed to be rare, but this study concluded that it may affect at least one in 300 adults.


In advanced sleep phase, your body clock (circadian rhythm) is on a schedule hours earlier than most other people’s. You have premature release of the sleep hormone melatonin and shift in body temperature.


Advanced sleepers also wake more easily than others and are satisfied with an average of five-to-10 minutes extra sleep on non-work days, compared with the 30-to-38 minutes more sleep that other people would take advantage of, according to study senior author Dr. Louis Ptacek. He’s a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco.


Advanced sleep is not the same as early rising that develops with normal aging, or the waking in the early hours linked to depression.


“While most people struggle with getting out of bed at 4 or 5am, people with advanced sleep phase wake up naturally at this time, rested and ready to take on the day,” Ptacek said in a university news release.


“These extreme early birds tend to function well in the daytime but may have trouble staying awake for social commitments in the evening,” he added.


In order to determine the prevalence of advanced sleepers, the researchers analyzed data from more than 2,400 patients at a sleep disorder clinic. Of those, 0.03% were determined to be advanced sleepers. This is a conservative estimate, the study authors explained, because it did not include patients who didn’t want to participate in the study or advanced sleepers who had no need to attend a sleep clinic.


The researchers also said that all of the advanced sleepers in the study reported at least one close relative with the same early sleep-wake schedule.


“We hope the results of this study will not only raise awareness of advanced sleep phase and familial advanced sleep phase, but also help identify the circadian clock genes and any medical conditions that they may influence,” Ptacek said.


The report was published recently in the journal Sleep.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Snapshots: Three ways to get involved in the Kentwood, Wyoming community

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Health, Kids Activities, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.”

George Bernard Shaw

Community programs in Wyoming

There are a number of spring programs available through the Wyoming Department of Parks and Recreation Registration is now open for these programs. Go here for the story.

Run and dance in Kentwood

The City of Kentwood has community-focused events all year round but February may be a little more busy than most months with its annual Valentine’s Dash 5K on Saturday, Feb. 8, and two more events later in the month, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22. Go here for the story.

Summer sunny job in Wyoming

Whether a college student just home for the summer or an older adult looking to do something different, the City of Wyoming has a number of seasonal job opportunities available. Go here for the story.

Fun fact:

$3,910 … or so

If you will reach full retirement age in 2019, you may earn up to $3,910 per month without losing any of your Social Security benefits. Source.

Two groups join forces to celebrate the life of NASA astronaut Roger B. Chaffee

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Roger B. Chaffee (Photo courtesy of the Grand Rapids Public Museum)

By Grand Rapids Public Museum

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that Roger That! is returning this February for the fourth year. Roger That!celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day experience, featuring STEM school programming and a public celebration at the GRPM and an academic and public conference at Grand Valley State University (GVSU).

The two-part event will feature speeches both days by NASA astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave, who was the only astronaut to fly on every shuttle that went into space. The free academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14 will include a keynote from Alice Bowman, one of the leaders of a mission that explored Pluto, along with programs for school groups and breakout sessions. School groups are invited for STEM programming on Friday, Feb. 14 at the GRPM, followed by public programming on Saturday, February 15.

GRPM Public Celebration 

Join the GRPM for Roger That!on Saturday, Feb. 15.Visitors will learn more about Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration with hands-on activities including a jet propulsion activity, gazing at the daytime sky with telescopes, creating underwater ROVs, interacting with space artifacts and much more! 

Community partners will engage with visitors through hands-on activities. New this year, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) and YETi CGI will join returning partners, Kent District Library (KDL), the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA), the GVSU Padnos College of Engineering, GVSU Physics Club and the GVSU Lunar Lakers. 

Activities will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the GRPM. Activities are included with general admission. Planetarium shows take place every hour and are $4 per person; free for Museum members. For planetarium show schedules and to purchase tickets, visit grpm.org/planetarium.

Dr. Story Musgrave (NASA)

Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave: From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond

  

Astronaut Dr. Franklin Story Musgrave will present From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond as part of Roger That! on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. in the GRPM’s Meijer Theater. Theater doors will open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are free and must be reserved in advance at grpm.org/RogerThat. Limited tickets available. Following the presentation, there will be a meet and greet opportunity with Dr. Musgrave.

 

Dr. Musgrave is an American physician and a retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut. He is a public speaker and consultant to both Disney’s Imagineering group and Applied Minds in California. 

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Musgrave earned an impressive list of academic credentials, including a combination of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, operations analysis, chemistry, literature and physiology, as well as a medical degree from Columbia University. As an expert on cardiovascular and exercise physiology, Musgrave was selected by NASA to serve on future space missions.

 

Musgrave’s first space mission was on STS-6, the maiden flight of the Challengerspace shuttle (April 1983). Musgrave’s most important mission came in December 1993, where he led a crew in a successful effort to repair the faultily constructed Hubble Space Telescope. In addition to Musgrave’s impressive work history, he also published several scientific papers on aerospace medicine, exercise physiology and other subjects. Musgrave retired from NASA in 1997.

 

Roger B. Chaffee By NASA/photographer unknown – NASA [1] Great Images in NASA Description, Public Domain

Academic, Public Conference at Grand Valley State University

 

Join GVSU for a free, public academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and celebrating Valentine’s Day with an educational “Love Story” theme. Those interested in attending should register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.

GSVU will kick off the Roger That! academic conference with keynote speaker Alice Bowman, the Mission Operations Manager for New Horizons, presenting New Horizons: Exploring the Icy Heart of Pluto and Beyond at 11 a.m. Bowman’s presentation will highlight the watery elements of Pluto, theories of a subsurface water ocean and discuss the Sputnik Planitia ice field on Pluto, the most famous “heart” in the Kuiper Belt.

 

A plenary session will be held at 2:30 p.m., featuring guests from the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. The session will discuss Aquarius, a citizen-scientist program that allows students and scientists to work together, using underwater robots and additional technology, to search for pieces of a 600-pound meteorite that splashed into Lake Michigan in February 2017.

 

Following, Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave will present The Way of Water: Essential, Engaged, Energetic, Adaptable, Cohesive, Transparent, Creative, Flowing, Synergistic, Multidimensional, Unbeatable and Beautifulat 5:30 p.m. in GVSU’s Loosemore Auditorium.

Additionally, GVSU will host an honorary dinner for Alice Bowman and Dr. Story Musgrave at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown, followed by a special showing of Space School in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium. Tickets to the dinner are $25 and can be purchased at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.

Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy

 

On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.

Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.

Adventures in Michigan: Downtown Holland hosts Girlfriends Weekend

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Downtown Holland has announced the return of its popular Girlfriends Weekend event, scheduled this year is for March 6 — 8. During this three-day event, women are invited to celebrate their friendships as they shop, wine, dine and indulge in Downtown Holland. Registration for the event is just $65 per person, which includes a swag bag stuffed with goodies, a coupon book full of savings to Downtown Holland shops and restaurants, fun hands-on activities and classes at participating merchants, the chance to win great giveaways, live music, a Sunday brunch buffet and more. A little over 200 spots remain available.

“Girlfriends Weekend was initially designed to help give our merchants a boost during a slower time of year,” said Downtown Holland Marketing Coordinator Kara de Alvare, “But it’s really grown into something much bigger than that. We have women who have been attending every year since our first Girlfriends Weekend in 2009 and we constantly hear how much this weekend means to the women that attend year after year. For so many women, Girlfriends Weekend provides a rare opportunity for them to relax, reconnect and recharge. And we’re honored to be able to provide that opportunity here in Downtown Holland.”

Girlfriends Weekend officially kicks off March 6. Beginning at 8 a.m. that morning, attendees can enjoy a complimentary mimosa at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel while checking in for the event and picking up their name badges, swag bags, Girlfriends Weekend brochure, event tickets and brunch voucher. Then from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., attendees are invited to attend the annual Ready, Set…Shop! event. During this open house-style event, attendees can enjoy complimentary refreshments at participating businesses while they get an early start on their shopping…or simply create their wish list for the rest of the weekend! At each participating store, women can also enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card of a gift valued at $25 or more.

On Friday night from 8 – 11 p.m., women are invited to Friday Night Live! As part of the event, Big Lake Brewing, the Curragh Irish Pub, Hops at 84 East, New Holland Brewing and Parrot’s Lounge will each feature live local music and Girlfriends Weekend drink specials for attendees. A cash bar will be available at each participating bar and restaurant.

Saturday, March 7 begins with a Breakfast and Fashion Show at the Holland Civic Center Place. This style show will highlight the latest spring collections of clothes, shoes, jewelry and other accessories that can only be found in the boutiques of Downtown Holland. While currently sold out, attendees can be placed on a waiting list to attend the show. Tickets are just $15 each with a Girlfriends Weekend registration. The rest of Saturday is free for attendees to shop ‘til they drop, wine and dine at a number of pubs and restaurants and indulge in manis, pedis, massages and more at 40 participating businesses.

Attendees can also participate in a number of free in-store activities, including mini makeovers, chair massages, food sampling and more. A number of classes will also be available for a small additional fee, including cooking demonstrations and cocktail-making classes, among others.

On Saturday night, Girlfriends Weekend will host a Rock The Red Carpet party at the Holland Civic Center Place, featuring a DJ and dancing, free photo booth, fun party favors and a cash bar. Attendees are encouraged to dress to impress! Tickets to Rock The Red Carpet are additional $10 each.

Girlfriends Weekend will conclude March 8 with a fabulous brunch buffet at Alpenrose Restaurant. Women will dine on a wide variety of breakfast and lunch entrées, soups, salads, desserts and more before heading out to make their last minute purchases and returning home. Brunch reservations must be made in advance when registering for Girlfriends Weekend.

Advance registration for Girlfriends Weekend is required online at www.girlfriendsweekend.org.

While overnight accommodations are not included in the Girlfriends Weekend registration price, room blocks have been reserved at Downtown Holland hotels, including at the premier hotel sponsor, Courtyard Marriott. Room blocks are also available at the CityFlatsHotel and the Doubletree Hotel, just a 10-minute drive from Downtown Holland. Visit the hotel page on the Girlfriends Weekend website for details on how to make your reservation.

For more information on Girlfriends Weekend, visit www.girlfriendsweekend.org or contact the Downtown Holland office by phone at 616-796-1210 or via email at info@girlfriendsweekend.org.

ICCF looks for volunteers to help make homes move-in ready

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

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The tan and white home at 4827 Walton Ave. SW is not anything fancy, just a simple little bungalow. The 1,384-square-foot home, located near Kelloggsville High School, has three bedrooms, two downstairs and one upstairs; a bathroom with tub and shower, living room, kitchen, a fenced off backyard, and a basement that could be easily finished off.

All it needs is some landscaping, paint, new vinyl floors, and refinishing the existing hardwood floors to make it move in ready for one of the numerous families on the Inner City Christian Federation’s waiting-for-homes list.

“It’s been a great home for 70 years and it could be again,” said Chris Hall, the community homes initiative manager for the Inner City Christian Federation.

ICCF has about 250 homes in its Community Homes Initiative, many of which only need simple maintenance and repair, such as plastering and painting, to become livable again. These were homes the organization acquired in 2017-2018 through philanthropic efforts, returning the homes to local management, said Michelle Covington, ICCF’s vice president of advancement.

 

“When you think of Grand Rapids right now, it is a hot city,” Covington said. “It is one of the hottest zip codes in the city and so what happens is the home rates and rentals rise.”

By purchasing the large portfolio, ICCF’s goal is that homes remain affordable for low and moderate income households.

“Once we move someone out of the shelter into a home, it is only about day to repaint and do repairs at the shelter before someone else moves in,” Hall said as an illustration of the need for affordable housing.

“The key to the success is that we renovate these homes,” Covington said, adding to do that ICCF needs volunteers willing to help.

Chris Hall outside the Walton Street home discussing some of the needs to get the house move-in ready. (WKTV)



Most of what is needed is basic, patching walls, painting, cleaning, painting the trim, and landscaping, to make the homes safe, energy efficient, and affordable.

“You do not need to be a professional builder to do these types of things” Hall said, adding that ICCF already has had professionals come in for any major repair work.

 

For example, in the Walton Street home, the kitchen walls need plaster and paint and the moldings need to be washed and painted to transform the room into a nice living space.

Hall noted that a group of eight to 10 individuals could easily complete the work necessary in a few days.

 

“We have plenty of opportunities for this type of work if you are interested in helping to tackle this affordable housing crisis,” Covington said.

The homes are scattered throughout Wyoming and the Greater Grand Rapids area. The portfolio also included some homes in the Lansing area as well.

For more information on the Community Homes Initiative, visit the Inner City Christian Federation’s website, iccf,org.

Got insomnia? Watch your heart health

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, Senior Living, ,
People with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels, according to a recent study. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay


If you spend a lot of nights watching the clock instead of sleeping, new research suggests you may need to be as concerned about your heart health as you are about lost shut-eye.


People with genetic variants linked to insomnia have an increased risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke, according to the study.


“Good sleep is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said study author Susanna Larsson. She’s from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.


“A potential explanation for our observed associations between insomnia and heart disease and stroke is that insomnia problems potentially lead to the metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, increased body weight and type 2 diabetes, which increase the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke,” she said.


Insomnia affects up to 30% of the general population, the study authors said. More than 200 genetic variants are associated with insomnia complaints.


For the new study, the researchers looked at health information on more than 1.3 million people in Europe. The investigators compared whether or not genetic variants linked to insomnia were also associated with the risk of heart conditions and stroke.


The study found that people with a genetic predisposition to insomnia had a higher risk of heart disease, heart failure and stroke that affected large blood vessels. Other types of stroke were not increased.


The researchers also noted that the risk of a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation wasn’t linked to insomnia.


Certain conditions, including heart disease and risk factors for heart disease, such as sleep apnea, may cause difficulty sleeping—and that makes it hard to tease out which condition comes first.


But, that’s a strength of this research, Larsson said.


Because they used genetic information to define insomnia instead of symptoms, it’s easier to see if sleep woes are directly related to the increased risk of heart problems and stroke.


There’s a flip side to that argument, however.


Because it’s not clear if the study volunteers actually had sleep troubles, or if they just had genes that made insomnia more likely, it’s hard to say if insomnia symptoms are truly the cause of these heart concerns and strokes.


Dr. John Osborne, an American Heart Association spokesperson and director of cardiology at State of the Heart Cardiology in Southlake, Texas, said he won’t be losing any sleep over the findings.


“It’s interesting and they used a powerful statistical technique that appears to be pretty accurate at identifying causal relationships. But the study didn’t identify how severe insomnia was or if people just have a tendency to insomnia,” he explained.


And, he said, the links they did find between insomnia and other conditions were only weak associations. Plus, the study was done in a European population. The findings may not be the same in more diverse groups of people.


Still, both experts said it’s a good idea to get the sleep you need for your health.


Larsson suggested that “individuals with poor sleep should try to change their habits and reduce stress in order to improve their sleep. Our genetic make-up has only a very minor influence on our risk of insomnia, which is mainly driven by behaviors, stress and other environmental factors.”


Osborne said stress management can help with sleep, as can avoiding stimulating substances like cigarettes and caffeine. He said to talk to your primary care doctor if you’re having a lot of trouble getting a full night’s sleep.


The study was published recently in the journal Circulation.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Michigan Open Meetings Act: Understanding closed sessions

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, ,

By John Amrhein, Michigan State University Extension


In this article series which includes “Michigan’s Open Meetings Act: An introduction” and “Michigan’s Open Meetings Act: Explore the details,” you will learn more about the Open Meetings Act in depth.


The Open Meetings Act provides 11 circumstances where a meeting may be closed to the public. These sessions must be called by a roll call vote of those elected and serving. This requires a majority of the total board, not just those present at the meeting. For a nine-member board, this means five votes in favor of the closed session regardless of how many are in attendance at the meeting. The roll call and the purpose of the closed session go into the minutes of the open meeting. The public body can only deliberate in the closed session. Decisions must be voted on in an open session.


Some of the closed session purposes require a two-thirds vote to approve going into the closed session. These are indicated below by “(2/3)” after the purpose. The 11 closed session purposes are:

  1. Personnel matters, if requested by the individual, and the individual may rescind the request at any time, but cannot then request to go back into closed session.
  2. Student discipline, if requested by the student, or their parent or guardian, with the same one time restriction as #1.
  3. Collective bargaining negotiations, if requested by either party.
  4. Purchase or lease of real estate up until the time an option to purchase or lease is obtained. (2/3)
  5. Attorney consultation on specific pending litigation. (2/3)
  6. Review of applications for employment or appointment, if the candidate requests confidentiality. Interviews must be held in open meetings.
  7. Partisan caucuses of members of the state legislature.
  8. Consideration of material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute. This includes materials exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, such as written opinions from the board’s attorney. (2/3)
  9. Department of Commerce health code compliance conference.
  10. Certain meetings in the search for a university president, if the search process meets several specific criteria spelled out in the act.
  11. School boards to consider security planning.

Minutes of closed sessions are kept by the clerk for at least one year and one day following the regular meeting at which the closed session was approved, and longer if it is the subject of current litigation. These notes are not available to the public. Individuals requesting closed sessions may not later request that the closed session minutes be made available to the public.

The Michigan State House of Representatives in Lansing, Michigan
CREDIT: USER CEDARBENDDRIVE / FLICKR

The spirit of the Open Meetings Act is to make government open and accessible to the people. People have the right to attend a meeting of any public body unless the meeting falls under one of the eleven statutory exceptions.


The full text of the Open Meetings Act is available online from the Michigan Legislature website. This site also provides access to all Michigan laws.


The Office of the Attorney General for the State of Michigan has for many years published an excellent Open Meetings Act Handbook, which can be found here.


This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).




Local World Affairs Council’s 2020 Great Decisions discussion series begins Feb. 10-11

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Marisa O. Ensor, center, has worked in in countries around the world and will talk on “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”. (Courtesy)

WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2020 Great Decisions series of local discussions will again tackle this year’s “issues of national an international importance” — the India and Pakistan powder keg, China’s power in the Americas, the present and future of American immigration policy, and the human impact of climate change, to name just a few.

The line-up of discussions, to be held Monday evenings at Aquinas College and Tuesday noontimes at Calvin University, will begin Feb. 10-11 with a discussion titled “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” and will continue through the week of March 30.

All discussions are open to the public, with a $10 admission fee for non-Council members and collegiate partners, but free parking on each campus. No reservations are needed, and discounted series passes are available.

With the 2020 Great Decisions series, the World Affairs Council “continues its mission to empower the people and organizations of West Michigan to engage thoughtfully with the world,” according to supplied material. “Our largest community event, which we have been hosting since the mid-1950s. Diplomats, policy makers and practitioners, think tank specialists and journalists lead the conversation on some of the most pressing global issues of our time.”

The Monday lectures will run from 6 to 7:15 p.m., at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center. The Tuesday lectures will run from Noon to 1 p.m., at the Recital Hall in the Covenant Fine Arts Center at Calvin University.

Raza Ahmad Rumi (Supplied)

The opening lecture, “Kashmir: Flashpoint between India and Pakistan” will be led by Raza Ahmad Rumi, Director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca (N.Y.) College. Rumi has been living in the United States since 2014, and is editor of Daily Times and founder of the Nayadaur Media digital platform. He is also a visiting faculty at Cornell Institute for Public Affairs.

Drawing on his deep background as a journalist and policy analyst, Rumi will “contextualize the factors that play into India and Pakistan’s actions and the U.S. response to these countries,” according to supplied material. Asking and discussing the questions “How do we de-escalate conflict between these two nuclear powers? India and Pakistan have a long history of conflict. How has escalation within the Kashmir region changed the stakes for the U.S. and the world?”

The other lecture dates, titles and speakers are:

February 17-18, “Mirror to the World: The Philippines under Duterte”, with Julie McCarthy, international correspondent with Manila Bureau of NPR.

February 24-25, “Regional Security in the Red Sea”, with Steve Dalzell, senior defense policy researcher at RAND Corporation.

March 2-3, “Green Peacebuilding: Justice in the face of Climate Change”, with Marisa O. Ensor, Justice and Peace Studies Program & Institute for the Study of International Migration, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.

March 9-10, “Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives”, a panel discussion moderated by Rachel VerWys, co-creator of Solutions to End Exploitation (SEE).

March 16-17, “The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and National Security”, with Lindsey Sheppard, fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).

March 23-24, “China’s Road into Latin America”, with Margaret Myers, director of Asia & Latin America at Inter-American Dialogue.

March 30-31, “Central American Immigration and U.S. Foreign Policy”, with Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer-winning journalist and author of “Enrique’s Journey”.

Of particular interest, for many, will be Ensor’s discussion on world justice in time of climate change. She describes herself, on her website, as “a gender and youth specialist with a background in forced displacement, environmental peacebuilding, humanitarian intervention, and post-conflict justice.”

Marisa Ensor (Courtesy)
Marisa O. Ensor (Courtesy)

She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Law in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex (UK), and a certificate in Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford (UK). She has over a decade of international experience in “the design and implementation of gender- and youth-inclusive projects in conflict-affected and fragile states, and those confronting forced migration and environmental insecurity” in 19 countries so far in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and Europe.

In her discussion, Ensor “maps the relationship between climate change, conflict and fragile states and the lessons we can learn from those fighting for human rights and peace within their communities,” according to supplied material. Specifically she will discuss “What can young activists teach us about peace and climate change? … Climate change has become one of the defining issues of our time.”

For more information on the Great Decisions 2020 series visit here.

School News Network: Apple pie sales a real band booster

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Freshman Karyna Espinoza and sophomores Mackenzie Griffin and Jose Briones-Maya helped their Lee band raise $13,400 in the district’s largest fundraiser, a 13th annual apple pie assembly and sale. (School News Network)

By Cris Greer
School News Network

Like most marching band students, freshman trumpet player Karyna Espinoza played her part in the annual apple pie fundraiser for the Legends Middle and High band program.

“I cut up the apples and helped peel them,” said Karyna, who also wrestles and runs cross-country and track.

The 13th annual operation in late fall brought together hundreds of band students, parents and other volunteers in the school gym to transform 6,000 pounds of apples into 2,000 apple pies to raise $13,400 for the band program.

The apples came from Band Director Kevin Gabrielse’ 10-acre orchard in Leighton Township.

“This really envelops the entire community, both in the sale and the assembly process,” said Gabrielse, in his 20th year as band director.

He said fundraisers such as the apple pie sale help cut the cost of activities such as band camp, which would set each student back around $450… and also goes to some uniform parts such as shoes and gloves. As a result, students are charged $160 of the band camp’s total cost, and sales of 12 apple pies slices another $50 off per student.

Lee Band Director Kevin Gabrielse plays along with the trombones during concert band rehearsal. (School News Network)

Grandma G and Her Son’s Orchard

“This is how we work to make a difference for families,” said Gabrielse, who praised his mom Judy — “Grandma G” — for her significant role in the fundraiser. “She does a lot of the work out in the orchard, and it’s her secret apple pie recipe.”

He said his mother “works all fall in the orchard picking and sorting apples so we can have enough to give to the band, our kids’ local Christian school and several food pantries in the Greater Grand Rapids area. We also sell fruit at a roadside stand next to our house.”

The orchard leans on retired volunteers from Judy Gabrielse’s church, band students and his two high school-age children to pick apples. Students and parents are invited to help in pie-making and sales, he said.

Gabrielse said the land he and his wife, Karen, bought in 2006 to build their house was “on a nice hill with great sunsets” and also had an active apple orchard. The farmer who took care of the orchard died in a car accident about a year later, so the Gabrielses decided to keep it going themselves.

“Thanks to the MSU Extension and YouTube, we learned how to farm the trees and over the years have been ripping out the old trees and replacing them with the newest varieties,” said Gabrielse, who grows a variety of apples including Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji and Gala, plus sweet cherries and pears.

Band members, parents and other volunteers gathered this past fall in the Lee Middle and High School gym to help make apple pies for their annual fundraiser. (School News Network)

Apples to Amazing

Band booster Deanna Mockerman said the apple pie fundraiser is how most students cover their portion of band camp.

“We never not allow students to be in band because they cannot afford to pay for band camp,” Mockerman said. “We also have several sibling groups in our band; so asking parents to come up with that money for not only one student, but two… they wouldn’t be able to do it. To be honest, as a band parent myself, that is how we were able to afford camp for our daughters.

“Without this fundraiser, I truly don’t believe band camp would happen — or at least it wouldn’t be an overnight camp.”

Mockerman said the fundraiser accounts for 80% or more of the total amount of band funds raised each year, making it what she called the largest “by far” student-involved fundraiser in the district.

“The band program would not be what it is without this event,” she continued. “I also believe our marching band program wouldn’t be where it is now if we weren’t able to have band camp the way we have.

“Band camp is more than just practicing music, learning to march, learning drills, etc. It’s also the opportunity for students to build relationships with the other band students; they become like a family. The juniors and seniors help the incoming freshman learn the routine of the week and the ins and outs of marching.”

And at Godfrey-Lee, family means apple pie time.

“I was more into the manual labor of loading the pies onto the truck,” said Jose Briones-Maya, who also runs cross-country and track and wrestles. “It’s a really great fundraiser to help the band out.”

Gabrielse was named the MSBOA District 10 Band Teacher of the Year in 2019 and earned 19 years of Division 1 superior band ratings, but said it’s about more than the awards.

“When they graduate, it’s more important to me that they’re ready for what’s next,” he explained. “Developing amazing students who are ready to go out into the world, that’s really my passion.”

For more stories about area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.

Lee Band Director Kevin Gabrielse prepares the concert band for the upcoming MSBOA Band Festival. (School News Network)

Stories from the Tripartite Pact, Pearl Harbor, and the start of World War II

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Left, American Colonel Ralph W. Hauenstein and right, Saburo Kurusu. Kurusu was part of the special envoy to the U.S. when Pearl Harbor was attacked. (Supplied)

By Nate Hoekstra
Grand Valley State University

Pia Kurusu White was just a girl when her father, the late Saburo Kurusu, took part in two significant events in 1940 and 1941 that led to the beginning of the United States’ involvement in World War II, but she vividly remembers her father’s recounting of the hours before the attacks on Pearl Harbor and his role in signing the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy.

White will join Brian Hauenstein, grandson of American Colonel Ralph W. Hauenstein, who served as an officer in Iceland during the opening stages of World War II and later in significant intelligence roles, for a presentation of American and Japanese perspectives on World War II, hosted by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University. 

Total War: American and Japanese Perspectives on World War II

Pia Kurusu White and Brian Hauenstein

February 7, 4-6 p.m.

Loosemore Auditorium, Richard M. DeVos Center

401 Fulton St. W., Grand Rapids, MI 49504

This event is expected to be at capacity, so registration is strongly encouraged at gvsu.edu/hc/events

The event is free and open to the public.

Pia Kurusu White, the daughter of Saburo Kurusu, is scheduled to speak at GVSU Friday, Feb. 7.

The drama of World War II will be brought to life by the recollections of two West Michigan residents who learned about the history of the war from two men who were central figures in its beginning and ending stages. 

Saburo Kurusu was the ambassador from Japan to Nazi Germany and famously signed the Tripartite Pact between Italy, Germany and Japan alongside Joachim von Ribbentrop and Galeazzo Ciano. He would be the only one who was not executed by the end of the war. More famously, Kurusu was the special envoy to the Japanese Embassy in the United States in December of 1941, when on December 7 they received instructions from Tokyo to decode a lengthy message and deliver it to Secretary of State Cordell Hull. The message formally broke off negotiations and had to be delivered before the Japanese began bombing the naval base at Pearl Harbor. However, the translation took too long and Kurusu and the Japanese ambassador were an hour late delivering it. As a result, the Pearl Harbor attack came without a formal declaration of war, and led President Roosevelt to declare December 7 “a day which will live in infamy.”

Brian Hauenstein will relate the stories of Ralph Hauenstein, his grandfather and namesake of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. His stories will begin with Ralph’s time serving as a US Army officer in the little-known period prior to Pearl Harbor when the United States sent soldiers to secure Iceland from Nazi aggression. He famously inspected the plane wreckage in which General Andrews (the namesake of Andrews Air Force Base and the creator of the modern US Air Force) was killed, and was put in charge of arranging the funeral for the General and his crew who perished in the crash. More significantly, Ralph was responsible for the discovery of a Nazi codebook when a German plane crashed in the mountains of Iceland, which led to breaking the Enigma machines’ Nazi encryptions.

Following his deployment in Iceland, Hauenstein was entrusted with intelligence efforts in occupied Europe, was the first American officer to enter liberated Paris, and the first American officer to enter and spearhead the liberation of the Dachau death camp, including interrogating the commandant of the camp who would later be executed for crimes against humanity.

Brian will also discuss his grandfather’s legacy after the war, when he discovered his vocation as an entrepreneur, founded several baking companies, and dedicated his life to philanthropy, serving as a confidant and friend to President Gerald R. Ford, and serving as a lay-auditor at the Second Vatican Council in Rome. 

For more information or to register for this free event, visit gvsu.edu/hc 

SpartanNash adds 22 nutrition, lifestyle attributes to store labels

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

By Lauren DeVol
SpartanNash

To make the healthy choice the easy choice and enable store guests to quickly and easily identify products that fit their lifestyle and nutrition needs, SpartanNash today introduced Nutrition Pathways. Nutrition Pathways are 22 nutrition and lifestyle attributes designed to help SpartanNash customers more easily identify heart healthy, sustainable, nothing artificial, organic and other key product features in store and on shopthefastlane.com.

In Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market and VG’s Grocery stores, Nutrition Pathways attributes are now displayed at the bottom of all shelf tags, allowing store guests to quickly see up to four key attributes for every product. Martin’s Super Markets, Forest Hills Foods, Family Fresh Market, Dan’s Supermarket and all other SpartanNash-owned stores will launch Nutrition Pathways by March 2020.



“Our customers are looking for healthier choices – but it can be time consuming to read through nutrition facts panels and ingredient lists and difficult to know exactly what fits into your diet,” Chief Merchandising and Marketing Executive Lori Raya said. “With Nutrition Pathways, we’ve done all the hard work for you, so your shopping trips can be quick, convenient and, most importantly, fit within your lifestyle or wellness journey.”

SpartanNash Regional Wellness Specialists used industry standards as well as evidence-based nutrition guidelines to create the definition for each Nutrition Pathway. Many of the pathways highlight the most nutritious foods on the journey to well-being – whether store guests are managing a health condition, following a food lifestyle or just wanting to make healthier choices.

Consumers generally shop for products based on four stages of wellness2:

  1. General Wellness: Customers care about everyday healthy choices and eating a variety of foods.
  2. Sustainability: Customers care about the environment, how products are made, grown or raised and appreciate food transparency.
  3. Ailments: Customers’ shopping habits revolve around ailments such as heart disease or diabetes that drive them to eat or not eat certain foods, so they read labels and ingredient lists.
  4. Life Stage: Customers want to live longer and stay healthier by making smarter choices.

“What we eat is a huge contributor to many chronic diseases, and eating a healthier diet helps prevent and treat many of these conditions,” said Barbara Karenko, DO, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “Food works as preventative medicine to keep us healthy and is essential to a person’s well-being.”

Nutrition Pathways key attributes include: 



  • Heart healthy – This product is considered ‘heart healthy’ by the American Heart Association (AHA) and contains less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving.
  • Five or less ingredients – This product has five or fewer ingredients.
  • High fiber – This product has at least five grams of fiber per serving.
  • Whole grain – The first ingredient in this product is a whole grain. 
  • No added sugar – This product does not contain any added sugar. 
  • Low sodium – This product has 140 mg or less sodium per serving. 
  • Good source protein – This product contains at least five grams of protein.
  • Gluten free – This product is gluten-free. 
  • Nut free – This product is free of tree nuts and peanuts.
  • Lactose free – This product does not contain any lactose.
  • Non-dairy – This product does not contain dairy or milk ingredients.
  • Free from – This product is free from the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy), antibiotics, high fructose corn syrup, hormones, partially hydrogenated oil ingredients, pesticides, nitrates and nitrates.
  • Nothing artificial – This product does not contain artificial color, artificial flavor, artificial sweetener or artificial preservatives.
  • Vegan (plant-based) – This product does not contain animal by-products or any animal ingredients.
  • Kosher – This product is Kosher. 
  • Organic – This product is considered organic. 
  • Non-GMO – This product does not contain any genetically modified (GMO) ingredients.
  • Sustainable – This product has one of the following claims and/or certifications: B Corp, Biobased, BPA Free, Carbon Footprint, Dolphin Safe, Environmentally Friendly, Ethical, Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, Marine Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance Cert, Sustainable Farming, Sustainable Fishing, Sustainable Forest Initiative, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Seafood or Wild Caught.
  • Fragrance free – This product does not contain fragrance ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a fragrance-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
  • Hypoallergenic – This product claims to be hypoallergenic. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
  • Paraben free – This product does not contain paraben ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a paraben-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
  • Meat first – The first ingredient in the ingredients statement of this product is identified to be a meat-containing ingredient. You will find this pathway in the Pet Food section.


On shopthefastlane.com – SpartanNash’s proprietary, intuitive online grocery shopping solution available at 70 stores in six states – all Nutrition Pathways attributes are listed, allowing customers to filter products based on their lifestyles and nutrition needs. 



Nutrition Pathways is part of SpartanNash’s “Living Well” initiatives, which also include an ever-growing assortment of organic offerings, free and reduced-cost prescriptions at their pharmacies, Kids Crew programming and Regional Wellness Specialists who serve company-owned retail stores and communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and the greater Omaha, Neb. area.



Wellness Specialists work with community partners and healthcare organizations to raise awareness about programs such as Nutrition Pathways and provide resources about nutrition and optimal food choices.

1 Nielsen Global Health and Ingredient-Sentiment Survey. (2016, August 30). Retrieved December 30, 2019, from https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2016/whats-in-our-food-and-on-our-minds/#.

2 What’s in our food and on our mind. (2016, August). Retrieved December 30, 2019, from https://www.nielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/04/global-ingredient-and-out-of-home-dining-trends-aug-2016.pd

SpartanNash named among 2020 Military Friendly Brands

Citizen Journalism, , , ,



By Lauren DeVol
SpartanNash

SpartanNash today announced it has been named among the nation’s 2020 Top 10 Military Friendly® Brands, earning sixth place out of more than 60 organizations. The annual list is compiled by VIQTORY, whose mission is to provide veterans and their spouses with the finest choices for employment opportunities.

The Military Friendly® Brands designation, one of four components of the Military Friendly® Companies ratings, measures a company’s social and material investment in support of the military and veteran community, including consumer supports and protections. Organizations earning the Military Friendly® Brand designation were evaluated using public data sources, personal feedback from military community members and responses from VIQTORY’s proprietary survey.

“We are honored to be named a Military Friendly Brand, because it reinforces our commitment to building stronger communities,” Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources and Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer Yvonne Trupiano said. “At SpartanNash, one of our core values is patriotism, and we are deeply committed to serving our military heroes and their families, whether it is as a part of our family of associates or in the communities we serve.”

This is the first year SpartanNash has been named a Military Friendly® Brand. The company was previously honored as a Military Friendly® Employer in both 2019 and 2020, earning Bronze status in 2020.

SpartanNash and its charitable giving arm, the SpartanNash Foundation, are committed to supporting military heroes in their local communities, raising funds and awareness for a variety of nonprofit organizations that provide vital services to veterans and their families.

In 2019, the SpartanNash Foundation granted more than $350,000 to organizations that are making an impact in the lives of our military veterans, active duty personnel and their families. Through partnerships with local and national organizations – including Team Red, White & Blue, Operation Homefront, Vetshouse, Give an Hour, Fisher House Foundation and Honor and Remember – the SpartanNash Foundation has provided critical financial assistance to military families, opportunities for veterans to engage in community service opportunities, free mental health services and has honored the memory of those who have fallen.

Additionally, SpartanNash associates volunteered more than 1,500 hours with military organizations and veterans service organizations of their choosing in 2019.

As a leading distributor of grocery products to U.S. military commissaries and exchanges around the world, SpartanNash currently employs more than 750 military veterans, Reservists and National Guardsmen, in addition to many Blue and Gold Star family members throughout the company. SpartanNash also offers an employee resource group, SNVETS, which focuses on supporting, networking, volunteering, educating, training and serving military associates, their families and veterans in the community.

For more information about SpartanNash’s commitment to our military heroes, visit spartannash.com/foundation.

The Military Friendly® Company survey investigates and identifies the organizations whose commitment to serving the military and veteran community is comprehensive in scope and meaningful in terms of actual outcomes and impact. From hiring and career advancement to customer service and charitable investment, organizations earning the Military Friendly® Brand designation were evaluated using both public and government data sources with responses from a comprehensive survey completed by the employer.

More than 60 companies were named Military Friendly® Brands for 2020.

Low blood sugar can be a concern, too

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A Spectrum Health Diabetes Educator shows two glucose monitoring devices that are available for patients. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)

By Jon Ziomek, Spectrum Health Beat


Diabetes is the body’s inability to properly process sugar, causing blood sugar to rise to unhealthy, sometimes dangerous, levels.


But the opposite problem—low blood sugar—can be a concern for people with diabetes, too.


About 60 percent of people with diabetes have had episodes of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, according to a national survey by the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Of those people, 19 percent went to an emergency room.


“The prevalence is huge, and patients are concerned about it,” said Evan Sisson, PharmD, MHA, and a certified diabetes educator and former American Association of Diabetes Educators board member.


But the survey also showed that many patients “don’t know how to recognize hypoglycemia, and what to do if they do have it,” Dr. Sisson added.


A surprisingly high percentage of the survey’s respondents—nearly one-fifth—didn’t know how to define low blood sugar.


The number of patients who are unaware of low blood sugar treatment, or not properly treating low blood sugar, is worrisome to medical professionals because they demonstrate high patient concern but low knowledge.


When addressed properly at the first sign of symptoms, hypoglycemia can be little more than a minor annoyance. But if ignored, the symptoms become significantly worse—sluggishness, mental confusion, loss of consciousness.


Low blood sugar symptoms—the alarm signals include feeling shaky or sweaty, hungry or nauseated, or having a pounding heart—can begin when glucose levels drop to 70 milligrams per deciliter, or lower.


“Several factors put patients at increased risk of hypoglycemia,” said Annie House, a certified diabetes educator and diabetes education program coordinator at Spectrum Health Medical Group.


These factors include: too much diabetes medicine, too little food, or unplanned activity such as extra exercise in the summer or snow shoveling during the winter—any of which can use up much of the body’s glucose supply.


“Diabetes educators know to screen patients for these things and discuss the symptoms, treatment and methods of preventing low blood sugar,” House explained.


She added that modern technology is helping with such increasingly popular devices as continuous glucose monitors, which can warn patients electronically if their blood sugar is getting too low.


Dr. Sisson emphasized the importance of people with diabetes staying alert to their body’s changes.


“We’d like people to stay tuned to what their bodies are telling them,” he said. “Being able to anticipate changes in our body’s blood sugar from various activities, or from a missed meal or snack, is an important skill that comes from discipline and vigilance. And it’s important to include a patient’s medical professional in this effort.”


House said the diabetes professionals at Spectrum Health often bring up the subject of hypoglycemia during patient assessments. People with diabetes should ask their medical team about the impact of glucose medication or activities on blood sugar levels, just as a primary care provider may want to remind patients to check blood glucose before or after any physical activity, and to have appropriate snacks readily available if glucose levels fall.


Don’t be shy about this.


“When I talk with patients, one of the things I try to highlight is that hypoglycemia is a common issue,” Dr. Sisson said. “For that matter, diabetes itself is common. They’re not the odd person out. They’re not alone.”


Including a patient’s entire medical team to help develop a disciplined approach to monitoring symptoms is strongly recommended.


“We believe the patient is part of their own team,” Dr. Sisson said. “The take-home message for us in this survey is that more education is needed all the way around.”


House noted that the subject of hypoglycemia is covered, in depth, in Spectrum Health diabetes group classes, which are covered by most insurance plans.


“Hearing other people’s experiences resonates well,” she said. “Someone else’s story can have a big impact on another patient’s personal behaviors.”


By consistently monitoring their blood sugar and working with a diabetes educator, people can manage their diabetes and minimize the incidence of low blood sugar.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Kelloggsville boys basketball hosts Comstock Park in non-conference WKTV Featured Game

Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The Kelloggsville High School boys basketball team will take a break from its OK-Conference Silver schedule to host Comstock Park out of the OK Blue Tuesday, Feb. 4, as both teams look to get back in the win column.

The Kelloggsville Rockets (4-6 overall, 2-4 in league) are coming off a road loss to OK Silver foe Godwin Heights on Jan. 31. Comstock Park (2-8 and 1-5) will be out to break a six-game skid including a home loss to Central Catholic also on Jan. 31.

The WKTV Sports Featured Game will be available on cable television and on-demand at WKTVlive.org.

WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.

For complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule.

Registration now open for spring programs in City of Wyoming

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WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

There are a number of spring programs available through the Wyoming Department of Parks and Recreation Registration is now open for these programs.

One such program is the spring youth soccer program. The program, which is opens children ages 4 to 12, runs April 25 to June 6. For other programs, click here.

There are four ways to register for programs:

Visit www.wyomingmi.gov/PRRegistration

Call 616-530-3164

Mail in form to the appropriate office

Register at the Parks and Recreation office at the City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW

There are scholarships available for those interested in participating in the Parks and Recreation Department youth programs. For a scholarship, click here or call 616-530-361 or email Kenny Westrate at westratk@wyomingmi.gov for more information.

Volunteer coaches are needed for the soccer programs and other activities. For coaching opportunities, email parks_info@wyoming.gov or call 616-530-3164.

Also, dog lovers, the city has a Dog Park, located north of Kimble Stadium at 1414 Nagel St. SW, and has areas for both large and small dogs. the park is equipped with doggy drinking foundation and sand hill. An annual membership is $12 for residents and $24 for non-residents. For a Wyoming Dog Park packet, click here and for a registration form, click here. For more information about the Wyoming Dog Park, email parks_info@wyoming.gov or call 616-530-3164.

See the doctor in your PJs

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By Eve Clayton, Spectrum Health Beat

Photos by Chris Clark


Kaitlyn Jones left school early one Wednesday in January because she felt awful: headache, body ache, chills, fatigue.


It must be the flu, she thought, noting how some of her fellow cosmetology students were among the many suffering from the virus this year.


She hoped she could get a prescription to treat it. But once she got home and learned she had a 102-degree fever, the last thing she wanted to do was get back into the car and go to the doctor.


So Kaitlyn, 18, took her mom’s advice and pulled up the MedNow app on her iPad.


Within minutes, she was having a video visit with Melissa Wilson, a nurse practitioner with MedNow, Spectrum Health’s telemedicine service.


MedNow lets anyone in Michigan who has access to a smartphone, tablet or camera-equipped laptop to receive non-emergency care from a Spectrum Health provider on-screen, 24/7.


“It was kind of like FaceTime,” Kaitlyn said. “Super easy.”

No waiting room

After she signed in to the app and picked the next available appointment time—in this case, immediately—Kaitlyn connected via video chat with a MedNow medical assistant, who got her registered and verified her insurance.


Then Wilson took over the video visit, asking about Kaitlyn’s medical history and walking her through a brief physical exam. From the comfort of her family’s home in Rockford, Michigan, Kaitlyn checked her neck and ears for tenderness and tried to show Wilson the back of her throat using her iPad’s camera.


“We went through my symptoms together, and then she prescribed Tamiflu,” Kaitlyn said. “She sent it right away from there to the pharmacy, so I was able to get it that night.”


Two days later, she felt well enough to return to class.


Tamiflu, or oseltamivir, is an oral drug that can shorten the duration of seasonal influenza if you take it soon after contracting the illness. It’s not essential for all flu patients, but it was important for Kaitlyn because she has Type 1 diabetes, which puts her at higher risk for complications.

Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat

“I thought, we need to nip this in the bud,” said Holly Jones, Kaitlyn’s mom. “With diabetes, it’s just more complicated when they get the flu.”


Kaitlyn’s diabetes diagnosis is only a few months old, making her extra cautious about her health.


“Because I’m so new, I’m hyper aware and really scared of doing anything that would cause my blood sugars to go crazy,” she said.


The idea of sitting in a doctor’s office or urgent care center didn’t sit well with her—or her mom.


“I didn’t want her near the germy waiting room to catch whatever else was in there,” Holly said.


That’s what made the MedNow visit so ideal.


“I don’t even think you got out of your pajamas,” Holly said to her daughter.

Growing popularity

Kaitlyn’s video visit wasn’t just fast and convenient—at $45, it was also less expensive than a trip to the doctor, an urgent care center or the emergency department.


According to Amanda Reed, MedNow’s operations director, each MedNow visit saves patients and insurers more than $120, on average, compared to other sources of care. These cost savings, combined with convenience and quality of care, have propelled MedNow’s popularity.


“We reached our new high mark on January 24, with 127 patients seen in one day,” Reed said. “We had over 5,000 app downloads in the month of January alone.”


This year’s hard-hitting flu season is a catalyst for MedNow’s growth, according to Elizabeth Suing, PA, one of about 30 providers who spend at least part of their time treating MedNow patients.


“Right now, over 50 percent of the patients we are seeing in a day are flu patients,” she said.


Many of these are first-time MedNow users. But Suing predicts they’ll be back the next time they need non-emergency care—treatment for concerns like allergies, back pain, bites and stings, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, sinus problems, sprains and strains, urinary symptoms and more.


“Patients love the telemedicine. They love the convenience of it,” Suing said. “I think it’s the way that the world is going.”


Kaitlyn’s mom, Holly, confirms Suing’s view.


“I recommend it a lot,” she said. “My friends will say, ‘Oh, but I don’t want to go to urgent care,” and I say, ‘Try MedNow. Download the app. Make an appointment.’”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


February a busy month for Kentwood community events, community-support activities

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From a previous year’s City of Kentwood Daddy-Daughter Dance, which this year will be expanded to be an “all family” dance. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood has community-focused events all year round but February may be a little more busy than most months with its annual Valentine’s Dash 5K on Saturday, Feb. 8, and two more events later in the month, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22.

Many of the city’s community events also support local persons in need. This week’s run/walk will benefit Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, while the disc golf tournament also serves as a food drive for the pantry.

This week’s 5K run/walk will start and end at the Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, located at 4950 Breton Ave. SE. Check-in, on-site registration and packet pick-up will all take place at 9:30 a.m. The race will begin at 11 a.m.

Some of the runners at a previous Kentwood Valentine’s Dash 5K. (WKTV)

The 5K route will include a combination of trails and roads with mile markers and Valentine’s Day candy stations. Valentine’s-themed costumes are encouraged for the occasion. Fellow participants will vote to determine who is the “best dressed” and awards will also be presented to the fastest runners. While the 5K is intended to be a fun run, it will be chip-timed.

Following the race, participates will be invited into the library’s community room for a party that will include music, snacks, a photo booth, the award ceremony and more. If participants bring a non-perishable item or additional monetary donation for the pantry, they will be entered to win a special door prize.

Online registration costs $30 until Feb. 7, and $35 for day-of registration. Participant packets include a long-sleeve shirt “and other goodies.” Runners who sign up as a couple will save $5 each.

A full day of fun on Saturday, Feb. 22

The late-month events are filled with family fun at the library and outdoor adventure, with the Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance particularly unique.

“This dance is such a great opportunity for kids to get dressed up, have fun and dance with the adults in their lives,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “Whether they choose to attend with their parents or grandparents, primary caregivers, guardians or other relatives, the event is open for children to enjoy an evening making memories with their family, whoever that is to them.”

Formerly known as the Daddy-Daughter Dance, this family event will run 6 to 8 p.m. in the community room at the Kent District Library’s Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch and include refreshments, crafts, a photo area with props and a DJ. The evening will also include a short hula performance by Pacific Island Dancers.


Tickets cost $10 per person, and pre-registration is required. To purchase tickets go online at kentwood.us/familyluau or call 616-656-5270.

Earlier that day, the Freeze Fest doubles as a disc golf tournament and food drive as the City of Kentwood and Great Lakes Disc have once again partnered to host the competition.

The start of the 2019 Freeze Fest disc golf event. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)

Disc golfers of all levels are invited to partake in the best-shot doubles competition at Jaycee Park, located at 1088 Gentian Dr. SE. Funds raised this year will benefit City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation youth programs and all food donations will help stock Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry.

On-site registration begins at 9 a.m., and the first round of the tournament starts at 10 a.m. The cost is $40 and one canned food donation per team.

“We look forward to this event every year not only because disc golf and a little competition is exciting by nature, but because it’s incredible to watch community members come together in support of Kentwood initiatives,” Lori Gresnick, Kentwood recreation program coordinator, said in supplied material. “Last year, we collected an entire car load of groceries and supplies for the Little Free Pantry, which really goes a long way.”

Pre-registration and more event information is available online at: kentwood.us/freezefest.


Located in the Kentwood Activities Center at 355 48th St. SE, Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry is a year-round resource for area residents to take or donate food and personal care items. No applications necessary, and no questions asked. More information about Kentwood Little Free Pantry, including a list of suggested donations, is available online at kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.

Two West Michigan theaters host showings of the 2020 Oscar-nominated shorts

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The 2020 Oscars are quickly approaching but you do not have to wait to see some of the nominated films.

Starting Feb. 7, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts will be hosting the “Oscar Shorts 2020: Animated” and “Oscar Shorts 2020: Live Action” and on Feb. 21, will hosts Oscar Shorts 2020: Documentary A and Oscar Shorts 2020: Documentary B.


Or if you would like to take a little road trip on Feb. 9 — the day of the Oscars show — the Tibbits Classic Film Series will once again showcase the 2020 Academy Award nominees for best animated and live action short films on at Tibbits Opera House.

A short film is any motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits, per guidelines set forth by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In the past, short films generally relied on exhibitions at festivals to reach an audience. This is still the case for the most part, with the short films being shown at Sundance and Cannes, the biggest festivals.

Animation really took advantage of the short film format when Warner Brothers and Disney began putting short cartoons before all of the studios’ feature length films. This is a tradition that Pixar has carried over to the present day by screening a short along with each of its feature films during its initial theatrical run since 1995.

Showtimes for UICA, located at 2 W. Fulton St., vary. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for UICA members. Visit uica.org for more information on the Oscar nominated shorts film series, other film series, exhibitions and events.

The Tibbits Opera House, located at 14 S. Hancheet St., Coldwater, will be Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. the cost is $8. Tibbets Classic Film Series showcases Hollywood classics from such genres as sci-fi, film noir, musicals, comedies, and mysteries. All other showing to the Classic Film Series are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit Tibbits.org or call 517-278-6029.

Free 2020 West Michigan ‘Carefree Travel Guide’ introduces you to the best of West Michigan

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By West Michigan Tourist Association

When you’re ready to start dreaming of warmer weather and summer trips, pick up a free copy of the new West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide for inspiration! The brand-new 2020 edition of the guide is now available both digitally and by mail, at no cost.



This free guide is available from the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) for viewing online, or travelers may request that a free copy be mailed to them, both at the following web address: http://www.wmta.org/about-wmta/request-free-travel-info/

Whether you’re thinking about visiting, you’re spending a few days in the area, or you live in West Michigan, the Carefree Travel Guide is an excellent resource to help you get out and explore the many things that West Michigan has to offer.

“Let us inspire your dining while you’re here, or help you find a B&B or a hotel with an outstanding breakfast offering. If you’re traveling with your pet, we can help you plan a trip they can enjoy right alongside you,” says Dan Sippel, WMTA’s Executive Director. In addition, the guide contains information on area trails, local arts, beaches, lighthouses, and much more.

You’ll also find maps throughout the guide, making it easy to find which breweries, wineries, boating spots, golf courses, and more will be near your destination.

Want to get a real-time look at West Michigan? Check out our gallery of live West Michigan cameras, where you can see what’s happening around the area right now! You’ll find all of the live camera feeds at WMTA.org/Live-West-Michigan-Camera-Gallery.

Start planning your trip when you request you free copy of the guide, and access WMTA.org on your computer or mobile device to get updates on events happening throughout the year, and to find out what’s going on where you are.

If you are a business who would like to request a large quantity of Carefree Travel Guides for distribution (free of charge), please contact Judy@WMTA.org to arrange delivery.

Photo of the Week: It’s a Bird, It’s a Barn

Citizen Journalism



This week’s photo is a second photo from TJ Norris in the Barn Art series in the Port Austin area, which is located in the Michigan’s thumb. This picture is of “Walden” by Hygienic Dress League. “Walden” can be seen from the road and is meant to mimic the kind advertisements that used to appear on barn sides. The work is one of a number of art pieces in the the Port Austin area that utilizes old barns. To learn more about barn art in the thumb, click here.

Do you have a picture you would like considered for Photo of the Week? Send it to joanne@wktv.org or share it on our Facebook page, WKTV Community Media.

Wyoming’s odd/even parking runs through March 31

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By the City of Wyoming

The City of Wyoming’s odd/even parking ordinance is in effect through March 31. The ordinance helps facilitate the City’s snow plowing operations.

Under the ordinance, residents must park on the side of the street that corresponds with that day’s date. For example, on Feb. 5 cars should be parked on the side of the street with odd-numbered addresses. On Feb. 6 cars should be parked on the side of the street with even-numbered addresses. On a cul-de-sac, parking may occur on even-numbered days.

Cars mus the parked on the correct side of the street from midnight to 7 p.m. From 7 p.m. to midnight, they may be parked on either side. Odd-even parking rules apply to all streets in Wyoming that are not already designated “no parking.”

For questions, please contact the City of Wyoming’s Department of Public Works at 616-530-7260.

ICCF’s newest project includes apartments for homeless youth

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The building at 501 Eastern Ave. SE will have 17 units dedicated to homeless youth. (Supplied)

By Inner City Christian Federation

Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 30 for a new affordable housing development at 501 Eastern Ave SE between Logan and Baxter.

In partnership with Bethany Christian Services, this development will offer permanent affordable housing for homeless youth along with supportive services to help them successfully transition into independent living. The two apartment buildings will ensure low-income households and families continue to have a place to live and thrive in the Baxter and Madison neighborhoods. 

The two four-story 65-unit apartment buildings include:

  • 61 affordable housing units
  • 4 market rate units
  • First floor live/work space for households with small businesses
  • 17 youth housing units 
  • Ground floor community space and kids room
  • Rear parking lot for residents
  • LEED Silver designation 


The 65-unit apartment building will feature 17 youth housing unit and a first flow live/work space for households with small businesses.
The ribbon cutting event included a “cornerstone” plaque presentation to Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church and Restoration Row, whose support was instrumental in this project. (Supplied)


“In a climate where rent prices continue to rise and vulnerable families are displaced, this new development is the embodiment of ICCF’s commitment to providing and preserving affordable housing for low-income families and homeless youth on the southeast side,” said Ryan VerWys, President/CEO ICCF.

“We are thrilled to see this project come to fruition,” said Justin Beene, founder of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) of which Bethany Christian Services is a core partner. “For the past six years, Bethany has been forging new partnerships in the community. We are grateful that this innovative collaboration will provide 17 of our previously homeless youth with a safe, affordable place to live.”

 

This project is made possible by funding from MSHDA Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Love Funding, Insite Capital/Chemical Bank, HUD, Grand Rapids Housing Commission, City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Herman Miller Cares, Restoration Row LLC, and the DEQ.

Those who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony had the opportunity to tour the facility. (Supplied)

Adventures in Michigan: Movie fundraiser to support young women in STEM

Entertainment,
Photo credit: Tornato Film Festival

By the West Michigan Tourist Association

The documentary Maiden will be shown at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay on Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. to support Inland Seas Education Association’s (ISEA) Young Women in STEM program. A panel of women will follow the movie for a brief Q & A. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at schoolship.org.

Maiden is a film about the first-ever, all-female crew to enter the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race. As the young women competed in this male-dominated race, they overcame cultural, financial, and personal struggles which is the perfect backdrop for this fundraiser. “Past Young Women in STEM participants have shared with us how this program has been life-changing for them,” Fred Sitkins, ISEA Executive Director, stated. “They have more confidence or absolutely know they want to go into a STEM career after the program.”

Maggie Oudsema, a 2000 YWIS participant, credits the program and ISEA for confirming her career choice and helping her to obtain her current job with the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) at Grand Valley State University. She has been a research assistant with AWRI since 2010 and has recently been studying microplastics in the Lake Michigan food web.

Panel participants include Paige McDowell, a former YWIS participant, and Lily Heyns, ISEA’s relief captain. Additional panel members will be announced on ISEA’s website. Paige will share her experience on a Young Women in STEM program and Lily will share what it is like being a woman in a male-dominated career field. Questions for the panel can be emailed to isea@schoolship.org prior to the event.

“This Maiden Fundraiser will allow young women to participate in our three-day Young Women in STEM program for just $300,” shared Troy DeShano, ISEA Fund Development Coordinator. Chemical Bank is sponsoring the event so all proceeds from ticket prices and donations will go directly toward the program. Program costs include lodging accommodations on the ship, food, research and sailing instruction, and professional crew.

On the YWIS programs, high school girls are introduced to careers in the freshwater and STEM fields as they sail to ports and islands around Lakes Michigan and Huron. In addition to sailing and research, they step out of their comfort zones, gain confidence, and confirm career paths. “All ISEA’s youth programs focus on helping to prepare our future scientists, mathematicians, designers, and engineers. They will be the future protectors of the Great Lakes and we are honored to be part of their learning experience,” explained Sitkins. Learn more about the YWIS program here.

The Bay Theatre is located at 214 N St Joseph Street in Suttons Bay, MI. Doors will open at 5:30 pm. Concessions will be available for purchase.

Inland Seas Education Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Suttons Bay, Michigan, dedicated to STEM education on the Great Lakes. Its shipboard and shore-side education programs are designed to inspire people of all ages to provide for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. ISEA offers programs to schools, groups, and the public. For further information, contact Inland Seas Education Association at 231-271-3077 or on the web at www.schoolship.org.