Category Archives: 3-bottom

Does gardening contribute to daily physical activity recommendations?

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Explore the different ways that gardening activities can help you meet daily physical activity recommendations.

By Tyler Becker, Michigan State University Extension

 

It’s that time of year again. Gardening and landscaping season is upon us. Time to go into the shed and dust off your shovel and go down to your local hardware store to get prepped for growing season. You may be excited to start gardening, but at the same time, maybe you are reluctant because you remembered how sore your muscles were from your first day last year. If you are one of these people, you will not be surprised to hear that gardening activities count towards physical activity recommendations.

 

Heavy gardening activities can strengthen your body.

Gardening and landscaping provide numerous physical and mental benefits. One physical benefit of gardening and landscaping is that you burn calories. This could contribute to weight management by helping you use up some of the energy from the food you consume. The amount of calories used depends on the activity, intensity and duration.

 

You may already think of gardening as a physical activity, one that provides cardiovascular or aerobic exercise for your body, but did you know that some gardening activities can contribute to the muscle- and bone-strengthening guidelines?

Gardening can help strengthen your body

Heavy gardening, which requires you to use a lot of your muscles can help with overall strengthening. Think of bending down to pick up something heavy, digging holes or making a paver wall. Overall, the type of activity and intensity is key. The activity has to be more strenuous than simply bending down to pick up a dropped glove; think of picking up pavers or a bag of mulch. Strive for an intensity in which you are sweating and may not be able to keep a conversation going with someone. Some other activities that may count towards muscle- and bone-strengthening, including shoveling, raking and pushing a wheelbarrow.

Modify gardening and landscaping activities to exercise your whole body

One easy way to include additional musculature (exercise different muscles) during gardening is to switch hands periodically when doing tasks like raking or shoveling. Another method is to change the activity you do every 15 to 30 minutes. An example could be pulling weeds for 15 minutes and then switching to dumping bags of mulch around your trees or bushes. It is likely you already have a rhythm down, but simply going from one activity to another in this way, can incorporate more musculature and increase the number of calories burned. Plus, this approach can break up the monotony of performing the same activity over and over again.

Tips for reducing pain and soreness.

Do you avoid gardening because it makes you feel too sore? There are a number of ways to prevent or even alleviate pain while gardening and landscaping. First, always use proper form during activity regardless of what it is. Moving with proper form helps you avoid pain and injury. For example, if you are picking something up from the ground, keep your shoulder blades back and down, and bend and lift with your knees, not your back.

 

Always listen to your body. If you “overdid it” one day, you probably should take it slow the next day. Also, there are a number of garden tools available that can help alleviate any potential or existing pain. Your local hardware store may have gloves and garden utensils designed for those with arthritis-related issues. Using garden tools as simple as knee pads or foam pads can help lessen any potential knee pain. You should also take breaks here and there while gardening just as you would if at the gym. Try sitting down for five minutes and rehydrating with water. Lastly, be sure to stretch after gardening. This can help not only improve/maintain flexibility but improve muscle recovery too.

 

Remember, if you do not currently garden or landscape, start slow and ease into it; especially if you are focusing on using it to contribute to daily physical activity recommendations, including muscle- and bone-strengthening exercise.

 

Michigan State University Extension has a number of resources including the Master Gardener Program for those considering gardening, and those who have been gardening for a while.

 

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

Kentwood community clean-up day, brush drop-off planned for city residents

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Kentwood Public Works Department oversees the city’s recycling center.

City of Kentwood

 

The City of Kentwood is sponsoring a Community Clean-Up Day for residents wanting to spring clean their homes and yards.

 

The Community Clean-Up Day, scheduled for Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will allow residents to bring general debris, gently used items for donation, household hazardous materials and electronic devices to be recycled.

 

The drop-off will be located near the Kentwood Recycling Center, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.

 

“This is a great opportunity for residents to dispose or recycle items they no longer want or use,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “We are excited to partner with organizations like the Salvation Army, who will be accepting donations; Comprenew, who will be able to properly dispose of electronics; and Kent County, who will accept household hazardous waste.”

 

Examples of accepted electronics include mobile phones, computers and fax machines. Although CRT monitors (old-style vacuum tubes used as display screens in older computer monitor or TVs) will not be accepted at the drop-off site, they can be brought directly to a local Comprenew store. (Comprenew has a local store at 1454 28th St SE, Grand Rapids; call 616-243-5310 for more information.)

 

Yard waste, mattresses and tires are not accepted at Community Clean-Up Day.

 

Community Clean-Up Day is free and open to residents of Kentwood. Residents will be asked to show their photo ID for proof of residency.

 

In addition to Community Clean-up Day, the City of Kentwood will also provide a brush drop-off site from May 7 to June 2. Acceptable items include sticks, branches, logs and tree stumps. Kentwood residents can drop-off between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. The site will be closed on Sundays.

 

For more information, please visit www.kentwood.us or call 616-698-9610.

 

Discover World Fusion music through new WKTV program

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By Lindsay Papciak

WKTV Community Writer

 

The World Fusion Show will make its debut on WKTV Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30 pm. The show is hosted by multi-instrumentalist composer Derrik Jordan and is produced in Brattleboro, VT at community station BCTV. It features interviews, video clips and live in the studio playing with World Fusion composers and musicians. It has been growing rapidly since it debuted in July of 2017 and is now being shown in 16 states across the United States.

 

World Fusion is a term to describe a musical hybrid. Mainly, it is music created outside of the United States and it isn’t Pop, Jazz, or Country and isn’t created for commercial use by major record labels. What is often referred to as Folk Music, it is taken from a traditional ethnic or indigenous dance rhythm and instruments of a particular culture. World Fusion combines unrelated world music to create a new and unique style.

 

Jordan is an award-winning composer and singer-songwriter. He has a background in producing and composing World Fusion music for orchestra, chamber groups, TV and film. He loves bringing musicians and cultures together through his compositions. Along with multiple CDs he has available, he performs throughout the Northeast United States.

 

For more information about The World Fusion Show, visit derrikjordan.com.

Kentwood Fire Department annual report highlights funding, manpower, emergency calls

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The Kentwood Fire Department and Police Department, in a historic photo, host a safety demonstration. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Kentwood Fire Department Chief Brent J. Looman presented, and the City Commission accepted, the department’s 2017 annual report at the commission’s April 9 regular meeting, with highlights including funding, manpower and last year’s emergency calls.

 

“The Kentwood Fire Department continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the community,” Looman said to WKTV. “We are committed to providing the best fire protection and emergency medical services possible.”

 

The report detailed that all but 17.5 percent of the Fire Department’s 2017 operating budget of $6 million goes to employee wages and benefits, with the remainder going to continuing education, supplies and uniforms. It also detailed that Fire Department management consists of a full-time fire chief, a deputy fire chief and an executive assistant, as well as a part-time office assistant.

 

The fire suppression division operates out of Kentwood’s three fire stations, providing emergency response 24/7. Personnel include three battalion chiefs, nine lieutenants/inspectors, nine engine operators and 18 full-time and 10 paid on-call fire fighters. There is also one fire marshal and one full-time fire inspector. Bryan Lynch was named Fire Fighter of the Year for 2017; he has been with the department since 2002.

 

The Fire Department continues to accept applications for paid on-call fire fighters, for more information visit kentwood.workbrightats.com.

 

The report tallied the number of 2017 major incidents, with rescue and emergency medical calls numbering 3,196 of the total 4,595 calls. Responses for fires totaled 115, with 316 “false alarm and false call” incidents and three “severe weather and natural disaster” calls.

 

The Kentwood Fire Department also provides emergency medical services under the direction of the Kent County Emergency Medical Services, a nonprofit group designated by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, but not part of the Kent County governance structure. The Kentwood Fire Department is licensed by the State of Michigan as a Basic Life Support Agency, and all full-time uniformed personnel are licensed EMTs.

 

In 2017, top EMS incidents responded to include 543 breathing problems, 372 fall victims, 310 chest pains and 242 traffic accidents. Conversely, there was only one each reported animal bite, industrial accident and drowning.

 

The Fire Department requests and responds to mutual aid calls from other regional fire departments, with a total of 134 mutual aid calls answered and 59 received. Kentwood responded to 35 mutual aid calls from The City of Wyoming, followed by 32 from Cutlerville and 22 from Grand Rapids. Cutlerville and Grand Rapids answered the most mutual aid calls for Kentwood, with 32 and 22, respectively.

 

The City Commission usually meets twice a month. In May, it is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 15. Meetings usually start at 7 p.m. For more information on City Commission as well as other boards and committee meetings, including any special times and dates, or for agendas and minutes, visit kentwood.us.

 

‘Festival of Faith and Writing’ creates new conversations

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Calvin College sophomore Pete Ford is on Festival’s student committee and is one of the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing’s five Hudson-Townsend Student Fellows (photo courtesy Calvin College)

By Matt Kucinski, Calvin College

 

Pete Ford graduated from high school in 2014. He took a couple of years off. And, in 2016, he again began exploring the possibility of going to college.

 

Ford stepped onto Calvin’s campus for the Festival of Faith & Writing in April. The rest is history.

The door to Calvin

“That opportunity to wander around the campus during the Festival and to see the thought process and the desire to have conversations at Calvin, that’s really the reason I decided to come here,” said Ford, a second-year literature major.

 

Now, in just two years, Ford has gone from curious observer to helpful guide. Ford was on Festival’s student committee and is one of the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing’s five Hudson-Townsend Student Fellows. One of his responsibilities was getting to know the speakers’ work and helping write bios for the website and program.

Renowned speakers, attentive audience

Those bios highlight a diverse, impressive group of writers, including the likes of Edwidge Danticat, a celebrated Haitian-American author who just won the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature; Pulitzer prize-winning poet Marie Howe; New York Times best-selling young adult writer Kwame Alexander, and Peabody Award-winning producer and host of the podcast Strangers, Lea Thau, to name a few.

 

Lisa Ann Cockrel, director of the Festival of Faith & Writing, is always excited to welcome new faces to Festival. And she says the three-day gathering can have a profound impact on speakers who hang around for a while.

 

“What I hear from them is a kind of happy shock that a place like this exists. They often comment on the attentiveness of the audiences, the types of nuanced questions people ask about their work, the respectful engagement with faith from lots of different perspectives,” said Cockrel.

Digging deeper

For a number of writers, the Festival provides readers who are uniquely engaged with the spiritual and moral implications of their work.

 

“When Joyce Carol Oates was here, she told Jennifer Holberg that she can pretty much predict how every book she writes will be reviewed before she writes it. And rarely if ever, do those critics think deeply about faith and religion in her work. But it’s there, even if folks aren’t paying attention to it. And it’s there in the work of many ‘secular’ writers,” said Cockrel.

 

“A lot of the writers who come here are grateful that there’s a place where we’re thinking about the religious elements in their work and also where that engagement doesn’t come with judgment. Instead, we read with open hearts and a spirit of inquiry. And I think this goes back to the best of the reformed tradition that doesn’t feel like it has to be afraid of the world—a tradition that encourages us to engage other people’s creative literary witness to being alive with curiosity and care because every square inch is God’s.”

 

And this type of engagement creates a unique dynamic and pushes the writers and readers into spaces oft not explored. In fact, Cockrel said that multiple speakers who have spent 24-plus hours at Festival, have told their audiences they rewrote their presentations after being on campus.

Something about Festival

“There’s something that happens at the Festival of Faith & Writing where we still surprise each other in that space,” said Cockrel. “It’s a place for people to make genuine connections with people around stories and poems that have enlarged their vision of what it means to be human and a person of faith.”

 

And Cockrel hopes that each and every person who comes to Festival leaves having experienced some moment of communion.

 

“I think that fundamentally there’s this irony at the center of reading—it’s something you do mostly alone, but yet it is this radical act of seeking communion, because you read to seek connection to something outside yourself, whether that’s another person’s story, or the natural world, or God. And I hope that you could map those kinds of possibilities for connection onto the Festival,” said Cockrel.

 

Students like Ford have experienced that connection at Festival, and for him, it provided a pivot point in his life, pointing him towards an English major.

 

“It’s not a conference,” said Ford, “it’s a party where literature is celebrated.”

 

“That’s what’s great about Festival,” said Cockrel. “You sometimes wander into a talk or reading or interview you aren’t sure you’re interested in … and love it.”

 

Reprinted with permission from Calvin College.

Good Mental Health Habits for Kids

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Courtesy Cherry Health

By Mandy Dahms, RN, Registered Nurse Care Manager

 

May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Children can have mental health challenges just as adults can. As a matter of fact, over 2 million children in Michigan experience mental health challenges such as ADHD, anxiety and depression. In order to decrease this number, it is very important to provide our children with whatever there is possible to promote good mental health. The following are some simple suggestions to promote the mental health of a child:

  • Make sure that your child gets regular exercise, balanced meals, plenty of sleep and has time for relaxation.
  • Talk about your child’s troubles with them. Let your child know that their concerns are important to you.
  • Be a role model. Talk about your own feelings when possible, apologize, and don’t express anger with violence.
  • Provide your children with unconditional love. The love, security, and acceptance trio are the foundation to children’s good mental health.
  • Praise your children for the little and big things they do for the first time and/or well, encourage them to make the next steps and help them explore and learn about new things.
  • Surround your child with supportive teachers and care takers.
  • Bring fun and playfulness into your routines. Families tend to stick to routines and forget to have fun. If your child seems stressed or overwhelmed by the routine change it up; for example, every Friday night your family goes to the library – change it up and go to a movie, play games or simply find something different to do.

Children can live happy and productive lives that are filled with love, harmony, and great mental health, but it will take us adults to help them in this direction!

 

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Don’t miss Heritage Hill Weekend Tour of Homes May 19-20

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By Heritage Hill Association

 

Tour one of the country’s largest urban historic districts and help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Heritage Hill Association. The Annual Heritage Hill Tour welcomes you inside seven restored private houses and three historic buildings on Saturday, May 19 from 11 am–5 pm and Sunday, May 20 from 12 pm–6 pm.

 

Tour offers an interior view of stunning turn-of-the-century homes, each uniquely styled by current owners. An elegant Greek revival, amazingly modern Queen Annes, a Chateaux mansion, a Craftsman beauty, a creatively converted 1900 carriage house, and more await you. It’s a celebration of the grandeur and art of the past fused with present-day livability. We’ve come a long way since 1968 when 75% of the neighborhood was slated for demolition.

 

Advance tickets are $18 and are available at the Heritage Hill Association office or at www.heritagehillweb.org. To obtain tickets by check, send to the Heritage Hill Association, 126 College SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Tickets the weekend of the tour are $25. Free shuttle bus transportation for the tour is provided between featured properties.

 

Heritage Hill dates back to 1843 and was named by This Old House as one of the “Best Old House Neighborhoods” in the country. Its 1,300 homes represent Michigan’s finest collection of 19th and 20th century American architecture.

 

Click here for a pdf of this year’s tour flyer.

School News Network: Wyoming Public Schools selects one of its own for top spot

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Craig Hoekstra

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

“Dream big, work hard and make it happen”: That’s the mantra of Craig Hoekstra, a familiar face in the district, who this week was selected as the new superintendent.

 

Hoekstra is an example of turning that philosophy into reality. After deciding to leave his job as a linen delivery driver to pursue college, the 1990 Wyoming Park High School graduate worked as a night custodian at the former Newhall Junior High. He also took classes to get his associate’s degree at Grand Rapids Community College. From there he worked up the ranks as an educator and administrator, most recently as Wyoming’s associate superintendent for instructional services.

 

He knows his background resonates with the young people he encourages to aim high.

 

“It goes to that life lesson of how if we persevere we can achieve everything we have in front of us,” Hoekstra said.

 

Hoekstra is set to begin in his new role July 1, following Superintendent Thomas Reeder, who announced his retirement last month after serving in the position for seven years.

 

Hoekstra was interviewed by the Board of Education last week in an open meeting before an audience of staff, administrators parents and community members. The board did not conduct a superintendent search, but considered internal candidates. Hoekstra was the only applicant interviewed.

 

Hoekstra turned his days of studying all day and working all night into a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, and eventually a master’s degree in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University.

 

He then began his career in education, starting as a second-grade teacher for Hamilton Public Schools, then serving as principal at three elementary schools before being promoted to assistant superintendent for instructional services in 2015.

 

He then served as a second-grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School, in Hamilton Public Schools, for five years; principal at Oriole Park Elementary School, in Wyoming for two years; principal at Hamilton Elementary where he also working as kindergarten-through-fifth grade curriculum director for three years; and principal at Gladiola Elementary, where he was also put in charge of district grants, from 2012 until he was promoted to assistant superintendent for Instructional Services in 2015.

 

“Every move I’ve made, I’ve been fortunate to have been able  to grow my skill set,” he said.

 

It’s an exciting time to take the district’s head job, as plans for a major high school renovation and investing in district facilities over the next seven years take shape.

 

“I’m very excited on many ends with all the great things coming up,” said Hoekstra, who credited Reeder for “amazing leadership” during his tenure, which included consolidating schools and creating new community.

 

“Because of what (Reeder) was able to do to bring the district together, to carry on after him is an absolute honor,” Hoekstra said.

 

In a press release, Board of Education President Craig Popma said the district and community are fortunate to have Hoekstra take the reins.

 

“To have Craig’s dedication, drive and passion for our community will provide great leadership for many years to come,” he said. ”I am excited to begin this new chapter, working closely with Craig and driving Wyoming to our next positive chapter.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

Employment in the Digital Age — free computer literacy workshops available

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Are you uncomfortable using a computer?

 

Are you intimidated by the thought of learning how to use a computer?

 

Has it kept you from advancing in your current job or applying for a job with better pay?

 

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone!  A recent study found that 26% of adults in the United States aren’t able to use a computer at all and two-thirds are unable to access and use information through computers and computer networks.

 

Employers in every industry have a growing need for workers who can use computers to successfully do their jobs. However, the number of workers with the necessary skills is not growing at the same rate. This means that increasing your computer skills could make it easier to find a job and earn a higher wage! But where do you start?

 

West Michigan Works! is now offering a free workshop to help individuals gain basic computer skills. Computer Literacy helps attendees become comfortable using a computer, accessing the internet and using email — all of which can help you find, apply and qualify for a new job.

Computer Literacy at West Michigan Works! in Kent County*
  •  121 Franklin St SE, Grand Rapids – Monday, May 7 and 21, 10 am to noon
  • 215 Straight Ave NW, Grand Rapids – Friday, May 11 and 25, 2 to 4 pm

*available at other locations — find workshops near you at jobs.westmiworks.org/calendar/

 

With the basic skills learned in Computer Literacy, you can take advantage of a variety of other free workshops to help you explore careers, search for jobs and create a resume using a computer.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

As temperatures begin to rise, so do car interiors

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Precautions for those with heat sensitivities and weakened immune systems.

By Pam Daniels, Michigan State University Extension

 

Even mild external temperatures can quickly raise the temperature inside a closed vehicle to dangerously high levels.

 

Sitting in a closed up car for 10 minutes can cause the body’s core temperature to climb. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) report that very high body temperatures can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, as well as heat stroke or death. For individuals with chronic disease, weakened immune systems, the elderly or the very young (and pets), high temperatures coupled with heat sensitive immune systems can rapidly become dangerous.

 

Michigan State University Extension offers the following information to help you and your family stay safe:

  • When outside temperatures are in the 60 degree Fahrenheit range it will cause the temperature insides a closed car to rise well above 110 F.
  • The temperature inside the car does not have to hit 100 F for a person to be at risk.
  • The inside of a closed vehicle acts like a greenhouse, trapping sunlight and heat making the inside of the car much hotter than the air outside. Even when outside temperatures are mild, anyone sitting in a closed car for a short period of time (20 minutes) is at risk of hyperthermia (body temperature greatly above normal).
  • Child safety – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers valuable tips on preventing heat stroke to children in parked cars. They have also investigated various alarms and reminder technology equipment for cars that help reduce heat stroke fatalities.
Take precautions
  • Avoid leaving anyone unattended in a closed vehicle. Rolling down the window two-inches or even half way, won’t help cool the interior temperature.
  • Lock your cars while at home. Children have died from getting into cars, for whatever reason, an then becoming confused and trapped inside the vehicle.
  • Always check the car seats before leaving the vehicle. Making a visual check of the car a part of your routine can help make sure that no child or pet is left unintentionally in the car. Use notes, colored stickers or some type of reminder system so when you exit your car you check the backseat.
Learn the laws
  • Become informed by learning about your state’s vehicle code. Contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles and/or contact any local law enforcement agency.
  • Keep a watchful eye and if you sense that a child or pet is left unattended in a vehicle and is in danger, don’t hesitate to seek help. Do not go in search of the car owner. Dial 911 and let the authorities handle the situation.

For more information on health and wellness visit Michigan State University Extension.

 

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

Kentwood, Wyoming host Drug Take Back events this Saturday

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Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. To help residents prevent this, both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood once again will be participating in the national Drug Take Back program this Saturday.

 

The City of Wyoming has partnered with Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to provide Drug Take Back services between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the main lobby of the Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, or to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW. 

 

Wyoming Public Safety officers will be on hand to anonymously accept medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked. A pharmacist will be available at Metro Health throughout the event to answer questions about medications. Mercury thermometers also may be exchanged for a new digital thermometer from the City of Wyoming and Metro Health.

 

Metro Health and the City of Wyoming partner twice a year to provide this service to the community. This past October, the Drug Take Back Day event took in 502 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and 18 mercury thermometers.

 

The City of Wyoming also offers a prescription drug drop-off service 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, at its Public Safety offices in Wyoming. The service has been so well-received that a second drop-off box has been installed.

 

 

The Kentwood Police Department also will be offering Drug Take Back services from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at its department offices, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Only pills or patches will be accepted at this location. 

 

Those looking to get rid of sharps — the term for medical devices with sharp points or edges that can puncture or cut skin such as needles — should contact the Kent County Health Department about the Sharps program. For more information, visit http://www.reimaginetrash.org/material/sharps/.

 

Last fall, Americans turned in 456 tons (912,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,300 sites operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and almost 4,300 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 14 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than nine million pounds—more than 4,500 tons—of pills.

 

According to the West Michigan Take Back Meds website, 20 percent to 60 percent of prescription medications go unused and are eventually disposed. A 2002 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey of 139 streams across 30 states found that 80 percent of waterways tested had measurable concentrations of prescription and nonprescription drugs, steroids and reproductive hormones. For that and other safety and health hazard reasons, residents are discouraged from disposing unused medicines by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash. For more on West Michigan Take Back Meds, visit www.wmtakebackmeds.com.

Wyoming cleans up with another successful community clean-up day

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Almost 400 cars made their way through the City of Wyoming’s third annual Community Clean-Up Day site this past Saturday.

 

Hosted at the Grand Rapids First church, organizers said about 25,289 pounds of household hazardous waste and more than 41 tons of refuse was removed along with about 40 mattresses collected. Organizers are waiting for the numbers on recycling.

 

The Salvation Army was there as well and several items were donated.

 

The Community Clean-Up Day was established three years ago by one of the three strategic planning committees made up of city employees. When staff first came up with the plan for the community clean ups, they looked at areas of the city that had a particular amount of complaints regarding the improper disposal of refuse, according to organizers, with three specific areas identified. It was decided the event would be hosted in a different part of the city every year. The first year, 2016, it was at Godfrey-Lee Early Education Center. In 2017, it was at North Godwin Elementary School.

 

Every year the event has grown with the first year having around 332 cars to this year having almost 400 cars.

 

For those still cleaning, the city does have a Yard Waste Drop-Off site, located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. There are no limits to the size of branches or shrubs, however, residents must unload the yard waste themselves and all containers must be removed from the facility.

 

Also Kent Recycling offers a number of options for a variety of items to be recycled such as metal, plastic, and paper. For more information, visit reimaginetrash.org.

 

Tree Commission kicks off Tree-covery project, makes plans to add to orchard

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This past Saturday, volunteers plant 24 street trees along the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW. Wyoming residents signed up for the project, pledging to help plant and maintain the tree sapling in front of their home.

 

A matching-funds grant from the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Program helped cover the cost of this project.

 

Up next for the Tree Amigos:

 

City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation: 10 a.m. Friday, April 27, Wyoming City Commissioner Kent VanderWood will read the 2018 City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation during a special celebration at Wyoming West Elementary School. After the speech, West Elementary students will sing a few songs to celebrate the community orchard.

 

Planting at Beverly Bryan Community Orchard: The Tree Amigos will join West Elementary students and volunteers recruited by Kent School Services Network (KSSN) at Wyoming’s West Elementary School after school to plant ten more fruit and nut trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard.  Named for the late wife of the Tree Commission’s vice president Greg Bryan, who provided funding, the orchard was started August 30, 2017 with five, rescued heirloom apple trees, donated by Habitat for Humanity. Other funding comes from a Slow Food West Michigan Biodiveristy Mini-grant, Greater Wyoming Resource Council, District 77 Giveback and private donations in memory of Beverly Bryan.

Holland Home: Supporting someone who is grieving

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By Peg Cochran

Marketing Communications Manager, Holland Home

 

Grieving the loss of friends or family is a difficult process for everyone.  It is also difficult to determine how to support someone else when they go through the grieving process.  What is the best way to walk through grief with someone you love?

 

“Many people find that being with someone who has experienced a loss makes them uncomfortable,” said Janet Jaymin, Director of Bereavement Services for Faith Hospice and a certified grief counselor. “It’s a reminder of our own mortality, and we don’t want to think about it.”

 

According to Jaymin, when you walk through grief with someone you care about, you should keep in mind how you would like to be treated in similar circumstances.  If for some reason dealing with a friend or relative’s grief is too difficult for you, it’s best to be honest.
“Just tell them you are having a hard time coping,” Jaymin said.  “Listening is the number one thing you can do for your loved one.  It’s so easy and so simple.”

 

What should you do or say when someone is grieving?

  1. Listen

Be willing to actively listen in silence.

“Put away your cell phone,” notes Jaymin, “and really be there.”

 

  1. Validate their experience.

Phrases like “it must have been really hard,” show you understand their grief is real.

 

  1. Offer your support.

Take the initiative and offer practical assistance such as walking the dog, going to the grocery store or preparing a meal.

“Your loved one may fear being a bother, and not want to ask for help even though they need it,” said Jaymin.  “Offering something specific makes it easier for them to accept the help.”

 

  1. Encourage your loved one to talk about the person they lost.

“Telling stories is healing,” said Jaymin.  “And don’t be afraid to share your own memories of the deceased.”

 

  1. Let the bereaved person talk about how their loved one died—it ‘s a way to process a traumatic experience.

 

 

What to avoid when someone is grieving.

 

  1. Don’t minimize their loss or compare it to yours. Don’t say “I know how you feel.”  Every person grieves differently and has different feelings.  Don’t say “they’re in a better place” or “it’s God’s plan.”

 

  1. Don’t say, “It’s time to get on with your life,” or “it’s been six months….” Phrases like this, while well-intentioned, shame the grieving person.

“Everyone grieves differently,” said Jaymin, and the amount of time the process takes varies from person to person.

 

  1. Generally, avoid using “you should” or “you will” statements. Respect that the grieving person is on a journey that is unique to them.

 

People often assume that grief does, or should, last a certain period of time.  According to Jaymin, that is not true.  She recommends continuing to check in with the bereaved and not assuming that they no longer need support.

 

“You always remember the people who recognized your loss,” Jaymin said.  But if you weren’t able to express your condolences at the time, “it’s never too late to send a card, flowers or to just call and say I’m thinking of you.”

 

Where to find help

Belief.net
Grief.net
Caregiver.org
griefrecoverymethod.com
webhealing.com
journeyofhearts.org

 

For more information, contact Faith Hospice at 616-235-5113.

Wyoming’s spring carnival set to open this Friday

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , ,

It’s time to celebrate spring, which the City of Wyoming plans to do by hosting its annual spring carnival at Lamar Park.

 

The carnival opens on Friday, April 27 and runs through Sunday, May 6, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Carnival times are Monday through Thursday from 4 – 8:30 p.m.; Friday from 2-8:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon – 8:30 p.m. 

 

“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “The carnival is a great opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the change in seasons in a fun and exciting atmosphere.”

 

The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.

 

Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through its annual grant awarding process.

 

The spring carnival is made possible through the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, call the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.

School News Network: Mariachi band adds festive cultural tradition to music program

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Sophomore Leo Matias strums and sings. (Photos courtesy of School News Network)

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

The sounds of the violin, vihuela, flute, guitar, guitarrón and trumpet are coming together in traditional song, complete with upbeat Spanish vocals, at Wyoming High School, where a new mariachi band is bringing a festive feel to the music program.

 

The traditional Mexican band, made up of high school and junior high students, had its debut performance at the district’s Fine Arts Festival in March. The group serenaded visitors with the songs “Canta, Canta, Canta” by musician Jose Alfredo Jimenez; and “Las Mañanitas,” a traditional birthday song sung in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

 

Mariachi bands are typically hired to play songs requested from the audience. While the Wyoming band hasn’t quite reached that point, they are hopeful to soon play at restaurants, community events and festivals. They also hope to eventually get traditional costumes, which include ornamented jackets and sombreros.

Striking an impressive pose are, from left, freshman Steven Jimenez, sophomore Ower Sales, sophomore Leo Matias, sophomore Omar Zavala, seventh-grader German Cortes, sophomore Hunter Truax and eighth-grader Danely Alvarado

 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

 

Trumpeter Ower Sales, a sophomore who helped start the band, said he was intrigued by the idea of bringing Mexican music to the school music scene. “Starting a high school mariachi band would help spread diversity and culture to other people,” he said.

 

Band director Jane Detweiler wanted to start the mariachi band to give Hispanic students a way to perform traditional music

Wyoming Public Schools’ diverse enrollment includes a large percentage of Hispanic students. Band director Jane Detweiler said she wanted to give them a chance to show off the rich flavor of their traditional music. “I felt it was very important that they could learn music from their own culture,” she said.

 

Students were excited to get involved. “I grew up around this music and wanted to learn to play it,” said sophomore Steven Jimenez, a trumpeter.

 

“I wanted to expand my genre of musical experience and learn something different,” said sophomore Hunter Truax, who plays the violin.

 

“It just brings out our culture and who we are,” added Danely Alvarado, an eighth-grade flutist.

 

Detweiler said it’s been fun learning songs with the students and being part of the culture. The band rehearses weekly.

 

“I love being in that culture,” Detweiler said. “We have a great family.”

How long does home-preserved food last?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , ,
Know the shelf life of home-canned and frozen food to avoid food waste and maximize nutrition.

By Kara Lynch, Michigan State University Extension

 

Don’t let your preserved food go to waste — enjoy it when it tastes great and is nutritious.

May brings flowers and seed magazines stuffed into your mailbox. It is also the perfect time of year to start planning your garden with canning season in mind. Preserving food is a great way to avoid wasting food when you have more fresh produce than you need right away. Just make sure you are able to use all your canned or frozen food within the recommended time.

How long do home-canned foods last?

If foods are preserved correctly, they are safe for years but the quality and nutritional value decreases with the passing of time. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends only preserving enough food to last one year. So that your home-canned foods taste great and are nutritious when you decide to eat them.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a planning guide (page 32) that may be helpful when working out how much food to can or freeze to meet your needs for the year.

Choosing the right canning equipment

It is critical to can foods safely using the right equipment. Use a steam canner or water bath canner for high-acid foods and a pressure canner for low-acid foods. Just within the last couple of years, atmospheric steam canners have been approved to use with high-acid foods. It is also important to use research-based recipes and follow directions carefully. Research-based recipes can be found in updated Ball Blue Books, So Easy to Preserve, the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving. Michigan State University Extension also offers an online home food preservation course.

How long do frozen foods last?

Frozen foods lose moisture the longer they are in the freezer. If the food was correctly frozen and kept at it zero degrees Fahrenheit it is safe indefinitely, however the quality and nutritional value deteriorates, just as it does with canned foods. The USDA has developed the Food Keeper app for smartphones, as well as a website, that lists the shelf life of various foods.

Tips for using up preserved food
  • Home preserved food makes great gifts. If you do have a bountiful harvest, can the extra produce, put a pretty label on the jars and share with your loved ones.
  • Are you in need of an appetizer but don’t have time to make anything?  Pull the dilly beans from your pantry or get the pepper jelly out and combine it with cream cheese to make an amazing dip.
  • Consider your home preserved foods when planning your meals. This helps ensure that you are using up your stored items in a timely way and creates less waste. As you make your grocery list, you may notice cost savings as you pull from your pantry rather than purchasing additional food.
  • Use your home preserved foods in the search cue when looking for a recipe online. This will bring up unique, nutritious recipes utilizing your preserved items. Use pickled beets in a salad recipe, add frozen peas to a casserole, try frozen peaches in a peach cobbler, top cheesecake with home preserved jams, the list is endless.

Michigan Fresh is a Michigan State University Extension initiative that provides information on safely storing and preserving a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. MSU Extension also offers a range of food safety and food preservation classes, in person and online. Contact your local MSU Extension county office to learn more about available classes.

 

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

Proudly conservative state senate candidate, local author on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Election, Health, Local Business, Local Faces, Politics, , ,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Keith St. Clair (WKTV)

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, new volunteer host Keith St. Clair, an instructor at Grand Rapids Community College, talks conservatism and the state of Michigan state politics with  Bob Genetski, a Republican who is running for the 26th State Senate district seat currently held by Tonya Schuitmaker.

 

Genetski served the Michigan House of Representatives from 2009 through 2014, when he was elected as Allegan County Clerk. He is both a one-time public school teacher and was named one of the Michigan House’s most conservative elected officials.

 

Also on this episode of In Focus today is Kathey Batey, a key volunteer with the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, a domestic relations mediator, and accomplished author and sought-after speaker, as well as corporate trainer specializing in conflict communication. She talks with In Focus host Ken Norris about her work with the chamber, in the community and a new book she has written.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, April 24, and will again air on Thursday, April 25, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of April 30. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Grammy nominated musician performs at Van Singel’s Cool Jazz program

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Alphonso Horne with the Byron Center Jazz Orchestra. Horne performs with the group on Friday.

The Van Singel Fine Arts Center finishes its 2017-2018 season with two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne in “Cool Jazz” on Friday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. Horne played and recorded with Marcus Roberts and has performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, and Michael Feinstein. He’ll be joined by Edye Evans Hyde and Max Colley III, along with the nationally recognized Byron Center Jazz Ensembles. The performance is underwritten by Owen-Ames-Kimball, Inc and TowerPinkster Architects.

 

The Byron Center Jazz Orchestra, directed by Marc Townley, has competed at the Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, Georgia every spring since 2014. The Jazz Orchestra has also competed at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition and Festival at Lincoln Center in New York.

 

Reserved seats are $18.50 for adults and $11.50 for students. Reserve tickets in person at the Van Singel box office or by calling (616) 878-6800, Monday through Friday, 12 noon to 5 pm. Tickets are also available at www.vsfac.com.

 

The Van Singel Fine Arts Center is located at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, at 8500 Burlingame SW (84th Street and Burlingame SW) in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131. The Van Singel features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.

 

Cat of the week: Sly Cooper

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , ,
Sly Cooper is a confident boy, always on the prowl for and soaking up all of the attention he can get.

By Sharon Wylie, Crash’s Landing

 

Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Big Sid’s Sanctuary. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

Early October, 2017 brought us a treasure trove of wonderful cats, all of whom Dr. Jen named after pirates of some sort (she loves themes). Our volunteer Alana had been trying her hardest since June to catch this wily fella who had been hanging around her west side neighborhood for ages, getting beaten and banged up — but he just didn’t trust her enough. Finally he gave in and she brought him in to the clinic to assess his issues: flea infestation and skin inflammation from the biting little buggers, a variety of abrasions, infection between his toes and a fatty growth on his belly that had her worried he had suffered more serious trauma. He also tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus.

 

He was painfully shy, scared of his own shadow and especially of his new indoor surroundings. Once Dr. Jen treated his ailments and allowed him to recover from his neuter and acclimate for a few days, she sent Sly Cooper on down to Big Sid’s, into the capable and loving arms of our volunteers who were ready to show him what safety and security was all about.

 

For the few first weeks, Sly (born in the fall of 2014) spent most of his time hunkered down inside of a kitty teepee; though he would accept pets from the peeps who sought him out, he wasn’t going to venture out on his own for attention. However, slowly but surely, he gained confidence and shed his former scaredy-cat self, emerging as a confident boy who is now out and about constantly, looking for and soaking up all of the attention he can get from his human caretakers and visitors.

 

The transformation was incredible to observe, and it warms our heats to see him engage the activity that once frightened him so; what a complete turn-around! We are soooo looking forward to packing this guy’s bags and sending him into a home where he can be showered with the TLC that was missing from his life for so very long. Now that Sly has experienced how fantastic affection is, he cannot get enough!

More about Sly Cooper

NOTE: A $825 grant from Lil BUB’s Big Fund for the ASPCA will enable Crash’s Landing & Big Sid’s Sanctuary, to fund comprehensive exams for five Big Sid’s Sanctuary cats before going to their new home. Each exam would include a full blood panel, dental care, radiographs, urinalysis, antibiotics and pain medication, if needed. Big Sid’s caters exclusively to cats who test positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). FIV and FeLV are viruses that can, if they flare up, suppress a cat’s immune system. The shelter takes cats with FIV or FeLV from all over Michigan.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Feel Like You Belong: Fred Lessing–Lessons from the Holocaust

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, , , , , , , , , ,

 

By Alan Headbloom, Feel Like You Belong

 

As a boy, young Alfred Lessing was like most other children in his native Netherlands. He played with friends and loved his family. But there was one difference: he was Jewish. So when the Nazis overran his country in 1940, his mother sprang into action. Her one goal: save the family from extermination. In this three-part interview, Dutch immigrant Fred Lessing talks of love, hiding, and what we can learn from human atrocities. Interview: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Tips for reseeding lawns in spring

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, How-To's, , ,
Turfgrass damaged from de-icing salts used during winter may need reseeding. Photo credit: Kevin Frank, MSU

By Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences

 

Maybe spots of your lawn died last summer; maybe spots were killed from de-icing salt, dog spot or snow mold over the winter. Regardless of the cause of death, as spring finally arrives seeding dead areas in lawns is a common weekend activity.

 

In the next several weeks as temperatures warm, there might be some areas that are the victim of grub feeding. If you’re reseeding following grub damage, Michigan State University Extension recommends waiting about one to two weeks after applying a grub insecticide before reseeding. For all reseeding, it is safe to apply fertilizer at the time of seeding. For new establishment, a starter fertilizer is recommended. Starter is a fertilizer that has a nitrogen to phosphorus ratio of 1:1 or 1:1.5. A starter fertilizer application at seeding will prove beneficial in getting the young turf seedlings going. Application rates for a starter fertilizer at seeding are approximately 1 pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Starter fertilizer for new establishment is permitted under Michigan’s fertilizer act. Make sure to follow label directions, contain all fertilizer on the area to be seeded and off the driveway, and keep a minimum of 15 feet from any surface water.

 

Make sure to keep the seeded area moist throughout establishment. Depending on what Mother Nature supplies, a new seeding may require watering several times a day. A good mulch cover will help the area stay moist so the site may be watered less frequently. Water lightly when irrigating; there is no need to see water standing or running off the site.

 

Avoid applying herbicides this spring, i.e., no fertilizer plus crabgrass preventer or weed-and-feed products. Young seedlings don’t tolerate herbicides very well and the guideline is usually to wait three “real” mowings before applying any herbicides or in some cases at least 60 days. Real mowings mean you’re actually cutting grass, not just running over the area to trim down any weeds.

 

Dr. Frank’s work is funded in part by MSU’s AgBioResearch.

 

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

Study gauges concerns about climate change in Great Lakes coastal communities

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Recreation, Travel, , , , ,

Participating in outdoor recreation appears to have impact on climate change beliefs.

By Heather Triezenberg, Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension; and Julia Whyte, Michigan State University graduate student

 

Greater involvement in outdoor recreation activities was associated with people identifying with the “Cautious, Concerned, and Alarmed” categories on climate change beliefs. Photo: Todd Marsee, Michigan Sea Grant

Coastal communities and sensitive coastal ecosystems experience a variety of weather-related impacts that are influenced by changing climatic conditions. Michigan State University professor Patricia Norris with students Brockton Feltman and Jessica Batanian have published their findings on Northern Michigan residents’ opinions about climate change in the Journal of Great Lakes Research.

 

The study, funded by Michigan Sea Grant and partners, replicated the “Six Americas of Global Warming” to understand survey respondents in the Grand Traverse Bay region. The “Six Americas” framework assesses individual beliefs about, concern about, and level of engagement with climate change to characterize belief typologies on a spectrum of:

  • Alarmed
  • Concerned
  • Cautious
  • Disengaged
  • Doubtful
  • Dismissive

Range of responses

The authors found nearly 70 percent of those living in the Grand Traverse Bay region, an area dominated by agricultural land use and highly dependent upon natural resource tourism, were categorized as “Cautious, Concerned, or Alarmed” about the issue. Furthermore, the percentage of individuals in the “Doubtful” category (almost 10 percent) was lower than the 2012 national average (13 percent), but the percentage of those in the “Dismissive” category (15 percent) was higher than the 2012 national average (8 percent). The authors attributed this rather large range of responses to the fact residents were surveyed during the summer immediately following the “polar vortex” during the 2013-2014 winter months, and individuals in the area are very attuned to local weather changes.

Outdoor recreation plays role in awareness

There is also evidence that different sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the “Six Americas” categories. For example, the authors found that greater involvement in outdoor recreation activities, higher levels of education, and lower levels of income were associated with the “Cautious, Concerned, and Alarmed” categories. On the other hand, males and older individuals tended to be more dismissive of or disengaged with climate change than their counterparts.

 

Perhaps encouraging people to participate in outdoor activities, appealing to residents’ sense of altruism, providing practical environmentally friendly alternatives, or considering different approaches to informing community members about climate change will all be useful strategies to prepare for an uncertain future.

 

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and its MSU Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.

 

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

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the week

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Going Local, Health, , ,
Wyoming will hold its drug take-back day this week. (WKTV)

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Wyoming: Drug take back day is this Saturday

The City of Wyoming has partnered with Metro Health-University of Michigan Health to provide Drug Take Back services between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the main lobby of the Metro Health Hospital, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW, or to the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.

 

Wyoming Public Safety officers will be on hand to anonymously accept medications, including controlled substances, with no questions asked.

 

For the complete story, click here.

Kentwood/Kent County: Ford airport continues to grow amenity options
The Gerald R. Ford Airport continues to grow its passenger and pubic amenities.

More food and beverage offerings are coming to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, this time in the pre-security area, as “Leinie Lodge” has now opened adjacent to Starbucks in the Airport’s Grand Hall.

 

Leinie Lodge will predominantly feature Leinenkugel’s wide range of award-winning German-inspired beers, as well as a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and an assortment of snacks.

 

For the complete story, click here.

Kelloggsville: Retiree stays active as school-based community advocate 
Jane and Jim Ward meet the KDL elephant, Katie L.

Kent District Library’s Kelloggsville Branch, and community member Jim Ward, are all about getting books into children’s hands. Together they have made it happen inside Kelloggsville High School.

 

Ward, who is retired, was instrumental in planning the library, which opened this winter inside the high school. A Forest Hills Public Schools media specialist for 38 years, he had a strong interest in the concept of public libraries operating within schools, and worked with administrators, who tapped into his knowledge to make that happen.

 

For the complete story, click here.

WKTV programs: ‘Feel Like You Belong’ looks at mentoring minorities — in  golf
Alan Headbloom tapes his show here at WKTV.

This week’s “Feel Like You Belong” program — produced here at WKTV — tackles the subject of how do we change the notion that certain sports are just for white athletes or male participants? By mentoring females and youth of color in those sports. PGA professional Andre Pillow talks about his work with The First Tee of West Michigan and creating access to golf for all young people.

 

For the complete story, click here.

West Michigan: Bennett Prize ($50,000) for women figurative style artists
The Muskegon Museum of Art will host a contest for women painters.

Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters. The winner of The Bennett Prize will create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will first be shown at the Muskegon Museum of Art and then travel the country.

 

The call for entries runs from April 13-Sept. 28, 2018. Details are at www.thebennettprize.org.

 

For the complete story, click here.

 

Call for entries for first-of-its-kind prize to propel careers of women artists

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Susanne Mitchell, Waiting (from the Silence of the Ordinary), 2015, 2015, oil and mixed media on canvas, 65 x 60 in.

By Marguerite Curran, Muskegon Museum of Art

 

Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.Women who paint in the figurative realist style are invited to apply for the $50,000 Bennett Prize, the largest ever offered solely to women painters.

 

The call for entries runs from April 13-Sept. 28, 2018. Details are at www.thebennettprize.org.

 

Endowed by art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt at The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Bennett Prize aims to spotlight women artists who are, or seek to become full-time painters but have not yet reached full professional recognition.

 

“The Bennett Prize is seminal at this moment when it’s harder than ever to pursue a career as a painter or artist of any kind,” said renowned American painter Alyssa Monks. “Artists are being pushed to the fringes and art markets are making it more and more difficult for any artists to feel secure.” “A prize at this level of value and seriousness can propel an artist’s career at a time when so many quit or lose faith or stamina,” Monks said.

 

The winner of The Bennett Prize will create her own solo exhibition of figurative realist paintings, which will first be shown at the Muskegon (Michigan) Museum of Art and then travel the country.

 

The Prize is also designed to create opportunities for the public to learn more about the creative vision of talented women painters in the increasingly popular style of figurative realism.

 

“Women are creating important figurative realist paintings that should be seen by a wider audience,” Bennett said. “Figurative realist painters portray the diverse human form, and have much to say in a society struggling to understand human differences, including race, gender and social status.”

 

American painter Aleah Chapin echoed those thoughts. “A prize such as this is a microphone for women’s thoughtful and unique voices,” Chapin said. “We paint because we have something important to say. When the world listens, that is life-changing. The Bennett Prize amplifies that voice, telling the world that what women have to say is valid.”

 

Bennett and Schmidt, of San Antonio, Texas, have endowed a $3 million fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation to ensure the prize will be awarded every two years in perpetuity. “The Pittsburgh Foundation has a history of funding artists whose work and unique perspectives might otherwise be overlooked,” said Maxwell King, foundation president and CEO. “The Bennett Prize establishes an ongoing mechanism for recognizing and elevating the work of women painters.”

 

A four-member jury, including renowned realist artists Maria Tomasula and Andrea Kowch, will select 10 painters from among the entrants. The 10 finalists will each receive $1,000 to participate in an exhibition opening May 2, 2019, at the Muskegon Museum of Art, where the winner will be announced.

 

“The Muskegon Museum of Art looks to showcase innovative programs, and we expect The Bennett Prize to be a tipping point for the artists’ careers,” said Kirk Hallman, executive director of the museum.

 

The winner will receive $25,000 annually for two years, so she can devote the time necessary to mount a solo exhibition, which will open in Muskegon in 2021 and then travel the country.

 

The Bennett Prize is not open to hobbyists, students or artists who have been paid or received an award of $25,000 or more for any single work of art.

 

Schmidt and Bennett are among the country’s top collectors of figurative realist art and are committed to seeing that talented women painters receive long-overdue recognition.

 

“We’re aiming to help ensure that there are as many paintings by women as men in museums, commanding the same prices and critical esteem,” Schmidt said.

 

Women artists appear ready for the challenge of making that happen. “The Bennett Prize validates and encourages artists who are placing all their chips precariously on their dreams,” Chapin said. “A prize like this tells them that what they are doing is valuable and important – to go ahead and buy that big canvas and big tubes of paint and spend time making the thing you want to exist. It’s worthwhile.”

School News Network: At these schools, student’s hearts and minds are both nurtured

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Endeavor Elementary School third-grader Samuel Makuag shares a handshake with teacher Sheree Bos. (Photos courtesy of School News Network).

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

In Endeavor Elementary School teacher Sheree Bos’ third-grade classroom, students gathered in a living room-style area on futons, pillows and beanbags to talk about how they treat each other and what they need to focus on more.

 

Student Brooklynn Issa, the week’s teacher’s assistant, led the “family meeting,” reviewing expectations, as outlined on their social contract — a large sheet of paper written on in children’s handwriting of various sizes — with her peers. “Be organized. … Be more accountable. … We should tell the truth,” students said.

 

Discussion continued after Brooklynn suggested they revisit voice levels in the hallway and talk about what they are doing well. Students answered, “I’m sharing my markers, pens and colored pencils”; “When someone’s talking to other people we don’t talk over them.”

 

To wrap things up, they chose a focus for the day, something the 8- and 9-year-olds had noticed needs attention. “I think we are doing well on taking turns and I think we should really focus on no put-downs,” said Kimani Belcher.

 

The class agreed.

 

About 2 ½ miles away at Challenger Elementary School, third-graders in teacher Heather Cobb’s class wrote down compliments — or affirmations as they call them — about classmates, with everybody giving and receiving one.

 

“Dear Janiyah, I think you have a really kind heart because when I ask you if I can play with you, you always say ‘yes’ and I have seen you help lots of kids,” read a note to Janiyah Brown from Gisselle Lopez-Zuniga.

 

Students shared statements face-to-face, taking a small slice of the school day to help each other feel good. About receiving the note, Janiyah said she was “really happy” and, about sharing one with classmate Smile Biswa, “It makes me feel wonderful and proud.”

Challenger student Erica Lemus writes an affirmation for a classmate

 

Hearts Have Been Captured

 

From all appearances, Endeavor and Challenger students not only have their heads in the game at school, but their hearts as well.

 

For the past 12 years, Kentwood Public Schools has gotten students involved in creating classroom expectations, sharing affirmative words and getting to know each other on deeper levels by sharing good news – something positive in a student’s life – to start the day on a positive note. The district uses the Capturing Kids’ Hearts model to reach students in ways that build relationships, improve climate and culture and boost attendance and academic performance.

 

Endeavor and Challenger are both recipients of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools Award for this school year, from the The Flippen Group, the consulting group that developed Capturing Kids’ Hearts. Flippen Group representatives visited nominated schools to assess their implementation of the program and improvements in attendance, discipline, climate and culture or academics. In total, 123 schools received the award, including eight in Michigan.

 

All Kentwood teachers are trained in the program using a model called EXCEL, which stands for engage, explore, communicate, empower and launch. Turns out, teachers empowering students leads to students empowering each other.

 

All classrooms at both schools develop social contracts and educators meet all students at the door, greeting each one with a fist bump, handshake or hug.

 

Challenger student Angelic Pascat reads kind words written about her

Principals See Results

 

The program works, said Mark Bea, who has served as Endeavor principal for 3 ½ years and was Challenger Elementary principal for 7 ½.

 

“It’s because it’s directly tied to our vision and mission,” Bea said. “It is our mission to inspire a passion and productive future story for every child, no matter what. We recognize in order to accomplish that mission for every child, everything has to be rooted in relationships. Relationships form the foundation of everything we do.”

 

Challenger Principal Teressa Gatz said the program has created an environment of “happy kids,” who are greeted several times before the school day even begins. They have the opportunity to share special parts of their lives and are each recognized as part of making school a great place to be.

 

“Kids know that you care and when they know you care and believe in them, they put in so much effort and they respond,” Gatz said.

 

Endeavor third-grader Chloe Nguyen explains Capturing Kids’ Hearts in her own way. “It helps us be like living in a big, happy, third-grade family,” she said.

 

A quote from Flip Flippen hangs in the Endeavor Elementary School office

Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff re-energized the program when he became superintendent four years ago.

 

“Our goal has always been to ensure that our campuses are emotionally and physically safe places for students,” Zoerhoff said in a press release. “When strong relationships are built, students, staff and parents come alive with a love for learning. You cannot capture a kid’s mind until you have first captured their hearts.”

 

Bos runs her third-grade classroom at Endeavor with Capturing Kids’ Hearts ingrained into everything she does.

 

“It started out as being something I just did, but now it’s something I’ve become,” she said. “I’m engaging. I’m exploring. I’m communicating. I’m empowering. I’m launching. This is something that has become a part of me now.”

High school girls water polo, Golden Gloves feature coverage part of local sports action

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WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

As the WKTV sports feature coverage crew gets cranked up for outdoor spring sports, and the weather finally turns nice, our cameras will be indoors at East Kentwood for water polo early this week as well as continuing our coverage of Golden Gloves boxing later in the week.

 

And you can catch them both on WKTV with multiple viewing options.

 

The Tuesday, April 24, East Kentwood girls water polo match vs. Portage Central will be cable broadcast at 11 p.m. on the night of the event, and repeat on Wednesday, April 25, at 5 p.m. Then the Friday, April 27, Golden Gloves boxing coverage will be cable broadcast on Saturday, April 28, at 11 a.m.

 

These and other sports events are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99. See WKTVjournal.org for complete feature event schedules.

 

WKTV’s coverage of high school sports and community events are also available on-demand within a week of the event at wktvondemand.com.

 

Following is the this week’s complete high school sports schedule, but many events that have been delayed or cancelled are now rescheduled. For changes, check individual school websites or MHSAA.com .

 

Monday, April 23

Boys Baseball

Holland Christian @ South Christian

Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian

Holland Black River @ Kelloggsville – DH

Girls Softball

Holland Christian @ South Christian

Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights – DH

Wyoming @ Allendale – DH

Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian – DH

Catholic Central @ Kelloggsville – DH

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Belding @ Godwin Heights

NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville

West Michigan Aviation @ South Haven

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

East Kentwood @ Rockford

Girls Tennis

East Grand Rapids @ South Christian

Wayland @ Wyoming

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville

 

Tuesday, April 24

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Christian – DH

FH Eastern @ Wyoming – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Martin @ Zion Christian – DH

Potter’s House vs Tri-Unity Christian @ Fifth Third Ballpark

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – DH

Girls Softball

South Christian @ Christian – DH

FH Eastern @ Wyoming – DH

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven – DH

Boys Lacrosse

Northview @ South Christian

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Godwin Heights @ Hopkins

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Belding @ Kelloggsville

Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Girls Soccer

Hudsonville Hornets @ Wyoming

Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House

West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary

Hudsonville @ East Kentwood

Girls Water Polo

Portage Central @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event

 

Wednesday, April 25

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Wayland

Wyoming @ Wayland – OK Bronze Jamboree

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ Middleville T-K

Kelloggsville @ Sparta

Caledonia @ East Kentwood

Boys Baseball

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Softball

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

Jenison @ East Kentwood

Boys/Girls Track

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

Girls Soccer

Wyoming @ Christian

Kelloggsville @ Belding

 

Thursday, April 26

Boys Baseball

Christian @ South Christian

Wyoming @ FH Eastern

Tri-Unity Christian @ Heritage Christian – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary – DH

Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Grand Rapids Crusdaers @ Potter’s House

Girls Softball

Zeeland East @ South Christian – DH

Union @ Godwin Heights

Muskegon Mona Shores @ Wyoming – DH

Kelloggsville @ East Grand Rapids

Girls Soccer

Calvin Christian @ South Christian

Tri-Unity Christian @ Heritage Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Holland Calvary

Rockford @ East Kentwood

Hudsonville Homeschool @ Potter’s House

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Comstock Park

Boys/Girls Track

Belding @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville

West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

Boys Golf

Wyoming @ Zeeland West

Girls Tennis

Tri-Unity Christian @ Wyoming

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids

 

Friday, April 27

Girls Soccer

FH Northern @ South Christian

Ottawa Hills @ Kelloggsville

Zion Christian @ Grand River Prep

Barry County Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Boys Golf

South Christian @ TC Central – Tee-Off Invite

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball

Godwin Heights @ Potter’s House – DH

Zeeland East @ Wyoming –  DH

Holland @ Kelloggsville – DH

Zion Christian @ Hopkins

NorthPointe Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Girls Tennis

Kelloggsville @ Western Michigan Christian

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville/Zeeland Tournament

Boys/Girls Track

East Kentwood @ Jackson

Girls Softball

East Kentwood @ West Ottawa

 

Saturday, April 28

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ Hudsonville – Hudsonville Invite

Boys Golf

South Christian @ TC Central – Tee-Off Invite

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ Zeeland East

East Kentwood @ Holland

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Grimm Relays

Potter’s House @ Grand Rapids Elite Challenge – Houseman Field

Girls Softball

Godwin Heights @ Otsego

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Hudsonville/Zeeland Tournament

 

Monday, April 30

Girls Softball

Covenant Christian @ South Christian – DH

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Kelloggsville @ Hopkins – DH

Girls Soccer

FH Eastern @ South Christian

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Kelloggsville @ Hopkins

Wellsprings Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ NorthPointe Christian

Boys Golf

South Christian @ East Grand Rapids

Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids

Boys Baseball

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee

Kelloggsville @ Hopkins

Girls Tennis

Christian @ Wyoming

Kelloggsville @ Spring Lake

East Kentwood @ Grand Haven

 

School News Network: Deeply rooted in community, retiree helps plant trees and love of reading

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Jim Ward puts books — and trees — into the hands of Kelloggsville students

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

Seated on comfy new furniture inside the Kent District Library-Kelloggsville Branch, community member Jim Ward said getting books into children’s hand has always been his passion. Now he’s helped make books and other library resources even more accessible to families in the neighborhood where he lives and raised his daughters.

 

Ward, who is retired, was instrumental in planning the library, which opened this winterinside Kelloggsville High School. A Forest Hills Public Schools media specialist for 38 years, he had a strong interest in the concept of public libraries operating within schools, and worked with administrators, who tapped into his knowledge to make that happen.

 

im Ward, a longtime media specialist, has remained involved with Kelloggsville for 26 years, recently offering his library science expertise

He especially likes the idea of reaching underserved communities like Kelloggsville, a low-income district where many students can’t easily get to a library miles away. Before working for Forest Hills, Ward worked at Grand Rapids Public Library for five years in an elementary outreach program and summer reading program.

 

“The connection with Kelloggsville was I thought, ‘Gee, we should really go with that (concept), because these kids in a more urban setting don’t have the mobility they have in Forest Hills,’” Ward said. “It’s difficult for them to get somewhere else for a library.

 

“As far as I know this is the only (school-public library) in an urban setting,” he added. “That’s what really motivated me. These kids deserve good services and access to stuff.”

 

The 6,000 square-foot, two-story library offers an 8,000-item collection, children’s section and materials for all ages. It fills an acute need in the district, which is located some 4 1/2 miles from the Kentwood KDL branch and 3 1/2 miles from the Wyoming branch.

 

Ward and administrators planned the library design, funded by a $250,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation, to incorporate technology like interactive whiteboards, projectors, computers and many outlets, increasing access to digital library services as well as print.

 

Trees are flourishing in Kelloggsville, thanks to Jim Ward

Longtime Kelloggsville Advocate

 

Helping plan the library is one of many ways Ward has helped shape the district over the past 26 years as he has remained rooted in the community.

 

The Wyoming native and Godwin Heights High School graduate actively campaigned to build a new Kelloggsville Middle School in the early 1990s. He has remained involved ever since, most recently helping campaign for the Kent ISD Enhancement Millage, which passed last year, and the district’s bond campaign to renovate the high school, especially in planning the library.

 

He is the father of Kelloggsville graduates Emma, Abby and Rachael. His wife, Jane Ward, has served on the Kelloggsville Board of Education for 22 years. A member of the City of Wyoming Tree Commission, Ward has also included Kelloggsville students in tree-planting, last year passing out saplings to Southeast Elementary fourth-graders.

 

“Jim has always cared about educating kids. His interest in library science stems from his desire to help students gain all the knowledge they need,” said his wife, Jane Ward, noting that Jim was a enthusiastic supporter of their daughters’ many extra-curricular activities in Kelloggsville. “And he maintains an interest in supporting Kelloggsville programs both academic and extracurricular. We both seek to have the the most opportunities as possible for all students.”

 

Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage said Ward is a cherished voice in the district and a person they can always turn to.

 

“When you have a heart for a community such as Jim has for Kelloggsville, the district benefits by his consistent involvement,” she said. “Jim is a community member who understands and can communicate needs to others when the district goes to the community for support on bonds, millages and projects.

 

“Jim’s experience, passion and expertise as a library media specialist was a key component in shaping the vision of a ‘future forward’ Kelloggsville.”

 

Jane and Jim Ward meet the KDL elephant, Katie L

Passing Down Book Love

 

Jim and Jane, who is a retired teacher, inspired their daughter Emma Fogg to become a teacher in the district. She is Young Fives teacher at Kelloggsville, where she runs her own little library.

 

“I have so many books of my own that I had to start a lending library in my own classroom, so that students can bring home more books each week to read with their parents, as my parents read to me when I was their age,” Fogg said. “My dad and mom inspired in me a love of reading and books that I want to share with my students each year, in the hopes that it will inspire them to love reading and books as well.”

 

For Jim, Kelloggsville is home, a close-knit community where teachers and students have always cared for each other and worked hard to bring great programs and instruction to students.

 

He’s been steadfast in doing his part – lending a hand, or a book.

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

From left, fifth-grader Benjamin, third-grader Brieseida and Daniel, 4, play with jumbo chess pieces while mom Cecilia Pumay watches

Updated 2018 hop management guide available to Michigan hop growers

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By Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University Extension 

 

Updated management reference available for Michigan hop growers through Michigan State University Extension.

 

In an effort to assist hop growers in making pesticide and nutrient management decisions, an updated “Michigan Hop Management Guide, 2018” has been created and is available at the Michigan State University Extension Hops page. The packet includes an updated list of registered pesticides, nutrient management recommendations and a guide to seasonal pest occurrence in Michigan.

 

As the growing season approaches, please sign up to receive MSU Extension’s Hop & Barley Production Newsletter, and follow the Michigan State University Hops News Facebook page for up-to-date information. Finally, please sign up for the new MSU Hop listserv for an interactive discussion of all things hop-related. To subscribe:

  • Send an email to: listserv@list.msu.edu
  • Leave the “subject” line blank
  • In the body of the email, type: SUBSCRIBE Hops
  • You will receive a confirmation email directing you to click on a link (this is to avoid spammers). Click on the link.
  • To send an email to the list once you have joined, just send it to: hops@list.msu.edu

To protect yourself, others and the environment, always read the label before applying any pesticide. Although efforts have been made to check the accuracy of information presented in the “Michigan Hop Management Guide,” it is the responsibility of the person using this information to verify it is correct by reading the corresponding pesticide label in its entirety before using the product.

 

Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. Information presented here does not supersede the label directions.

 

This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2015-09785. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888.678.3464).

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the weekend

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Wyoming: Community Clean-Up Day Saturday

One of the events the City of Wyoming hosts is its annual Community Clean-Up Day.

The City of Wyoming, through the support of the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, will have its annual Community Clean-Up Day Saturday at Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW.

 

The site will be open form 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Residents need to have a picture ID with them or proof of residency. Residents will enter east off of 44th Street to the northeast entrance of the church. For the full store, click here.

Wyoming: Flamingo Avenue to get trees

Mayor Jack Poll reads a proclamation at last year’s Arbor Day event.

This Saturday, the Tree Amigos and student volunteers will plant 24 street trees in the City of Wyoming. Planting will begin 9 a.m. in the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW where ten Wyoming residents have signed up for the project. For more on this story, click here.

Kentwood: EK student makes her stage debut

East Kentwood student Ania Powell makes her Civic Theatre debut with “Akeelah and the Bee.”

Ania Powell makes her Grand Rapids Civic Theatre debut in “Akeehal and the Bee,” which opens on Friday and runs through April 29 at the Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. For more on the story, click here.

Wyoming and Kentwood: Record Store Day is Saturday

This Saturday, April 21, is the annual Record Store Day in the Grand Rapids area and, quite literally, around the world. It is a day to celebrate small music stores but also to celebrate records — music on vinyl. For more on the story, click here.

Public Museum: “Water’s Extreme Journey” coming to a close

Water’s Extreme Journey is open now at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) taking visitors on a quest for clean water through an experiential maze! But the exhibit is only open through April 29. For more on this story, click here.

Employment Expertise: Driven to succeed

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Would you have a reliable way to get to work if you didn’t have your own car?

 

Do you live and work somewhere you can easily access public transportation?

 

If the answer is no, how would you maintain a job?

 

Millions of Americans lack reliable transportation. For individuals that don’t have a car or can’t afford or access public transportation, finding a job and showing up every day is a challenge.

 

Sean Phillips knows that struggle first-hand. Sean had a low-paying job that didn’t bring in enough money to support himself and his family; having enough money to pay for essentials—such as gas for their car—was a common difficulty. Being able to afford the training needed to qualify for a better-paying job seemed impossible.

 

Sean decided to take a step toward creating a new life. He came to West Michigan Works! to get help removing the obstacles that were keeping him from opportunities to better support himself and his family.

 

Sean received training funds to attend Tri-Area Trucking School. The funding allowed him to get books and other resources needed for the courses. He also received mileage reimbursements to ensure that he could get to and from his courses. After he successfully completed training, his family received additional transportation supports that allowed them to get a second vehicle. The vehicle support allowed both him and his wife to maintain full-time jobs.

 

Sean is now a Certified Class A & B Commercial Driver and is employed full time with a successful delivery and warehousing company.

 

“I want to thank Michigan Works for the supports they provided. I was able to earn my CDL and further my skills, knowledge, and confidence so I could get a new job at this stage in my life.”

 

Do you face obstacles to finding and keeping a good-paying job? Visit a service center to find out how West Michigan Works! can support you.

World-renowned Polish pianist joins Grand Rapids Symphony for Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1

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Guest pianist Rafał Blechacz will perform 8 pm Friday and Saturday, April 27-28, in DeVos Performance Hall.

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk, Grand Rapids Symphony

 

Music lovers and concert goers often ask classical musicians to name their favorite composer. Typically, the answer leads to the music of whomever they’re currently rehearsing or performing. Or to composers who wrote often or wrote well for their chosen instrument.

 

For conductors whose job it is to see the big picture, the answer sometimes is surprising.

 

“Often people ask me who my favorite composer is. I don’t know how to answer that,” said Grand Rapids Symphony Music Director Marcelo Lehninger. “But if I were going to a desert island, and I had to choose one composer, I probably would pick Chopin.”

 

That might come as a surprise because, while figures such as Maurice Ravel and Richard Strauss were great composers as well as great orchestrators, Frédéric Chopin was a great composer whose skills at arranging for orchestra were, at best, only adequate.

 

Yet the Polish-born musician, one of the greatest pianists of all time, revolutionized composition and piano performance to a degree that no one else has ever done.

 

“He completely changed the way you play the instrument,” said Lehninger, a pianist. “No one else, not even Paganini, did that for his instrument, the violin.”

 

Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates the music of Chopin with guest pianist Rafał Blechacz at 8 pm Friday and Saturday, April 27-28, in DeVos Performance Hall. The program titled Chopin & Dvořák is part of the 2018 Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, centered in Kalamazoo.

 

Joining the Grand Rapids Symphony for Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is Blechacz, the 2014 Gilmore Artist of the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.

 

The concert is in partnership with the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. Concert Sponsor is Merrill Lynch.

 

The ninth concerts of the 2017-18 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series also include Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. It opens with Canto, a brief work by contemporary American composer Adam Schoenberg.

 

Joining the Grand Rapids Symphony for Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor is Polish pianist Rafał Blechacz, the 2014 Gilmore Artist of the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. The concert is in partnership with the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.

 

Not only is Blechacz a fellow Pole, he was the winner of the 15th International Chopin Competition in 2005, becoming the first Polish pianist to win the competition since Krystian Zimerman in 1975.

 

And not only did Blechacz win the top prize, he won all four of the additional prizes for best performance of a polonaise, a mazurka, a sonata, and a concerto with orchestra. No other pianist in the 91-year history of the event, held once every five years in Warsaw, has ever captured every award in the competition.

 

Lehninger, who made his Grand Rapids Symphony debut in February 2015 conducting Dvorak’s popular Symphony No. 9 “From the New World,” will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in Antonin Dvorak’s sunny Symphony No. 8

 

The concerts open with Adam Schoenberg’s Canto, which in Italian means “I sing.” One of the most frequently-heard composers in today’s concert halls, Schoenberg composed the brief work as a lullaby in honor his son, Luca, who was born in 2013.

  • Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall.
  • The complete Chopin & Dvorak program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, May 28, 2018, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets

Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS box office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm, at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 am-6 pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.

 

Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program, sponsored by Comerica and Calvin College. This is a MySymphony360 eligible concert.

Leinie Lodge restaurant is the newest edition to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport

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Tara Hernandez

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

 

More food and beverage offerings are coming to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA), this time in the pre-security meet and greet area.

 

Global restaurateur HMSHost, in partnership with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, is opening a new pre-security bar called “Leinie Lodge” adjacent to Starbucks in the Airport’s Grand Hall.

 

Leinie Lodge will predominantly feature Leinenkugel’s wide range of award-winning German- inspired beers both on tap and by the bottle. To complement the beer offerings, travelers can enjoy a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and an assortment of snacks to perfectly match their beverage of choice.

 

“Our passengers were craving more options for food and beverage pre-security, and this new offering will accomplish just that,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport President & CEO Jim Gill. “We are excited to have a new addition to our restaurant scene, especially in an area where so many West Michigan meeters and greeters welcome in family, friends, and business clientele.”

 

The new space is expected to open in May.

 

“HMSHost is excited to bring a new food and beverage option to travelers with Leinie Lodge this summer,” said HMSHost Vice President of Business Development Bryan Loden. “We, along with our partner Steve Jenkins, are thankful to continue our partnership with GFIA to offer both travelers and those awaiting arriving passengers a place to relax and enjoy a cold drink and snacks.”

Fast facts about Michigan onions, berries, celery and beets

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Food, Health, Local Food, , , , , ,

By Terry McLean, Michigan State University Extension 

 

Each year the Cultivate Michigan and the Michigan Fresh initiatives promote seasonally available Michigan foods to two different groups of people.

 

Two Michigan State University Extension-led initiatives promote the seasonal use of Michigan’s fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy, focusing on two different audiences. Cultivate Michigan is an institutional food purchasing campaign of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network and has the sourcing, marketing and recipe resources to help schools, hospitals and other institutions find, buy and use local foods. A consumer-focused initiative, the Michigan Fresh program, helps individuals explore the state’s bounty of fresh, locally grown foods from farms, gardens and local farmers markets, with tips on growing, handling and preserving as well as healthful recipes. Both initiatives support farmers, food businesses and consumers, enhancing local economies.

 

In 2018, Cultivate Michigan is promoting four seasonal foods: onions (spring), berries (summer), celery (fall) and table beets (winter) to institutional food service directors. A few fast facts about these 2018 featured Michigan fruits and vegetables:

 

Michigan Onions:

Michigan Strawberries, Raspberries and Blackberries:

  • Berries are rich in Vitamin C, an excellent source of potassium, fiber and phytochemicals
  • Michigan grows berries for both fresh and processed uses, and ranked seventh nationally in strawberry production in 2016
  • In 2009, Michigan produced 43,000 tons of fresh strawberries and 3,000 tons of processed strawberries, generating $6.6 million
  • The raspberry and blackberry industry is relatively small in Michigan, we produced 26,512 pounds of raspberries in 2015

Michigan Celery:

Michigan Table Beets:

  • Table beets are a good source of Vitamin C, Iron and Magnesium, and a very good source of fiber, Folate, Potassium and Manganese
  • They are closely related to sugar beets and Swiss Chard
  • Michigan-grown beets are available late July to late October

Each year, the Cultivate Michigan team plans field tours featuring the featured seasonal foods for institutional food service staff and others to learn first-hand about the production, processing and distribution of the foods, as well as to network with other food buyers, growers and suppliers. Several tours are planned for the year ahead featuring Michigan onions, summer berries, celery and beets.

 

Both initiatives support Michigan Good Food, a policy initiative of the Michigan Good Food Charter, and several of its goals by the year 2020:

  • Michigan institutions source 20 percent of their food from Michigan sources
  • 80 percent of Michigan residents have easy access to affordable, fresh, healthy food, 20 percent of which is from Michigan sources
  • Michigan farmers will profitably supply 20 percent of all Michigan institutional, retailer and consumer food purchases and be able to pay fair wages to their workers.

The Michigan Farm to Institution Network and Cultivate Michigan are coordinated by the Michigan State University (MSU) Center for Regional Food Systems with support from MSU Extension. Michigan Fresh is supported by MSU Extension and includes a handy Michigan Availability Guide so you know when dozens of popular items are in season throughout the year, including those crops that are produced using season extension techniques, which extends their availability over a longer period of time.

 

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