An East Kentwood graduate, who makes up one third of The Moxie Strings, will be heading to the Van Singel Fine Arts Center for a pre-Patricks Day celebration.
Set for Thursday, March 15, Alison Lynn along with her bandmates, Diana Ladio and Fritz McGirr, will be performing at 7 p.m. The trio brings its high energy show filled with traditional melodies and rock-influenced rhythms in one unique concert. The group will be joined by the Byron Center Orchestra ensembles.
Lynn performs on a newly-invented, electric cello, and Ladio plays a contemporary five-string violin, both through a variety of audio effects pedals. McGirr is the percussionist wizard. This nationally recognized group is known for its unique sound and redefining strings’ role in contemporary music.
Hailed by The Grand Rapids Press as “top-notch, instrumental wizardry,” The Moxie Strings offer listeners the unique opportunity to experience several of the world’s best known musicians. The Moxie Strings compose the majority of their pieces and arrange melodies from many traditions, resulting in a genre-blurring blend of ear-catching melodies and foot-stomping, rock-influenced rhythms.
Soon after forming in 2007, The Moxie Strings members were inspired not only to perform, but also to teach. Having made the exploratory journey from classical music to a world of eclecticism and musical creativity, the three have now dedicated their careers to helping young musicians make this life-changing and transformative transition. The Moxie String clinics focus on musical self-discovery and the importance of incorporating socially and culturally relevant genres of music in the music classroom. They have taught clinics in more than 100 schools throughout the US, and also present on their research and methodologies to teachers at many music education professional development conferences. During most clinics, The Moxie Strings perform for students on electric instruments, teach music by ear, and introduce non-classical playing styles. The group has researched and created an innovative sequence of activities designed to introduce improvisation to classically trained musicians, which they employ at every clinic. The Moxie Strings deliver its message in a fun, accessible way, and stand before students as the illustration of the many opportunities that music holds. The musicians will conduct a daytime workshop with Byron Center orchestra students.
Tickets for The Moxie Strings, $12 for adults and $10 for students, can be purchased in person at the box office or by calling 616-878-6800, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information go to www.vsfac.com or www.themoxiestrings.com. Tickets will be available at the door.
The Van Singel Fine Arts Center is located at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, located at 8500 Burlingame SW, 84th Street and Burlingame SW, in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131 and only 15 minutes south of Grand Rapids. The Van Singel Fine Arts Center features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.
The Michigan Dental Association (MDA) and the Michigan Dental Association Foundation are now working to organize an unprecedented statewide dental access program — the Michigan Mission of Mercy clinic, to be held June 2-3, 2018 at Calvin College’s Huizenga Tennis and Track Center, 3201 Burton SE in Grand Rapids. Approximately 2,500 patients are expected to be treated over the course of two days.
The clinic will be staffed with hundreds of volunteers from throughout the state of Michigan and neighboring states, including licensed dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants. As patients enter the Huizenga Tennis and Track Center, volunteers will register them, take a basic health history, and then direct them to the appropriate treatment area. There are no qualifications or restrictions (except possible health issues) to take advantage of the free dental services.
All patients are examined by a licensed dentist to determine their most important need. Depending on the need, services may include cleanings, fillings, tooth removal (extractions), a limited number or root canals and treatment partials to replace front teeth. They are not able to provide caps, crowns, metal-based partial dentures, dentures, implants, bridges, orthodontics or extraction of wisdom teeth. Narcotics will not be dispensed. The patient and the treating dentist will decide the appropriate service that best fits each patient’s circumstances. An individual’s most severe problem (infection and/or pain) will be given first priority.
Only one major service is usually performed on each patient. Multiple extractions or fillings can be done at one time; however the patient will not receive both of these services at one time. Our philosophy is to provide services to as many people as possible rather than provide many services to fewer people. If a patient receives treatment on Friday, they can get in line for Saturday, too.
Children are welcome. Pediatric dentists will be on-site, especially trained to work with children, who will provide treatment in a gentle and caring manner.
Doors open at 6 am and all services at the Michigan Mission of Mercy are provided on a first-come, first-served basis until we have reached our capacity for the day. Our capacity is determined by the number of professional volunteers present and cannot be predicted in advance of the opening of the MOM event. Our goal is to treat as many patients as we can each day.
Since 2013, the MDA Foundation’s Michigan Mission of Mercy program has united hundreds of dentists, dental team members, and other volunteers to provide dental care, to disadvantaged individuals. From June 1-2, $3 million in dental health care services will be provided at no charge.
Treating patients in need is at the core of all Mission of Mercy events. Individuals interested in attending the 2018 Mission of Mercy event should go here to read through the information available here prior to arriving. Familiarizing yourself with the procedures and requirements will help the volunteers at the 2018 Mission of Mercy provide you with the best care.
Michigan Dental Association Foundation Mission of Mercy is entirely volunteer run and donation based. We have received very generous contributions from our MOM sponsors that allow us to bring in the equipment and supplies necessary for the clinic. Everyone working at the clinic is volunteering their time and talents.
You don’t feel well. You might go to the emergency room, where after initial triage, you’re taken to a hospital room. You’re in a gown, you’ve got an ID bracelet, nurses and doctors are visiting you, and you are given medication. You are inpatient, right?
Maybe not. Under Medicare rules for hospitalization, you can be admitted to a hospital under observation or as an inpatient. While the treatment you’re receiving might be almost identical, no matter your designation, under Medicare rules, it could be the difference between a co-pay or thousands of dollars in medical bills. It is important to understand the difference and know your rights when you are in the hospital.
An example, when Steve suffered a fall, resulting in broken ribs and a severe sprain, he spent 4 days in the hospital. Before returning home, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility for two weeks in order to recover. After Steve returned home, he received an extremely large medical bill in the mail, because Medicare did not pay for his stay at the rehabilitation facility. He was dumbfounded. What he discovered through multiple inquiries was his status at the hospital was observation, not inpatient, prior to going to rehabilitation. Therefore, he was billed for his entire stay at the facility.
Bob Callery, MMAP Regional Coordinator explains, “When a person’s status is inpatient during their hospital stay, it is billed through Medicare part A. As long as they were inpatient during their hospital stay for 3 days, if transferred to a rehab to continue recovery, Medicare part A will pay for that stay as well. Observation, on the other hand, is billed through Medicare part B. If a person’s status is ‘observation’ and they are transferred to a facility, Medicare part B will not cover that stay and patients are billed for their time in rehabilitation.”
What can we do to avoid getting whacked with a huge medical bill?
Callery says, “Get the MOON!” That stands for the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON). As of March 8, 2017, hospitals are required to give patients this form within 24-36 hours of an observation stay. The MOON will let you know whether your status is observation or inpatient and the coinsurance amount you might have to pay. It will also inform you that if you need to go to a skilled nursing facility after your stay in the hospital, your care will not be covered by Medicare if your admission status is observation rather than inpatient.
If you are in the hospital, you or your family member need to make sure you receive this form. Your physician’s decision to transfer you to a skilled nursing facility may be the best treatment decision for you, but s/he may have forgotten that you were originally admitted on an observation status rather than inpatient. In order for Medicare A to cover the costs of rehabilitation, you must be in the hospital under inpatient status for at least 3 days prior to being transferred. If your doctor wants you to continue to recover at a facility, your status needs to be changed before the transfer takes place.
Medicare, with all of its rules and various parts, can be very confusing and difficult to untangle. Remembering to ‘Get the MOON!’ will help you avoid unnecessary medical bills when you’re in the hospital. In addition, there is MMAP. This is Michigan’s Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program. MMAP’s purpose is to help “educate, counsel and empower” people about their Medicare/Medicaid programs and benefits. MMAP, Inc. works through the Area Agencies on Aging. MMAP can also help you appeal a Medicare bill you believe is incorrect, but more importantly, they can help you understand your coverage to avoid receiving those bills in the first place.
If you have questions about your Medicare plan, you can contact MMAP at aaawm.org 800.803.7174 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org. You can also visit www.mmapinc.org to learn more.
They have a dream: a dream of dignity, respect, and protection for all and for this year’s César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering — set for Thursday, March 15 — it will be the DREAMers who will be honored.
“Since 2012, we have been working with and encouraging the DREAMers to stand in solidarity,” said CEC Community Gathering Leader Suzanne Hewitt. So this year’s César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering will focus on and honor the DREAMers, Hewitt said.
Community members, students and business leaders will kick off the day’s activities with the César E. Chávez Social Justice March at 11 a.m. The march will start at the Cook Library Center, 1100 Grandville Ave. SW and head down the César E. Chávez Way (Grandville Avenue) to the Potter House Chapel, 810 Van Raatle Dr. SW.
At the Potter House Chapel, there will be a community gathering at around 11:30 a.m.
Committee to Honor César E. Chávez Chairperson Lupe Ramos-Montigny
Chávez dedicated his life to workers’ rights, empowerment of the poor and disenfranchised, civil rights, economic justice, environmental justice and peace. He co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, later the United Farm Workers union, along with Dolores Huerta. After his death, he became a major historical icon for the Latino community with streets, schools and parks named after him. In the Greater Grand Rapids area, Grandville Avenue was renamed the César E. Chávez Way and there is a Grand Rapids elementary school, César E. Chávez Elementary.
César E. Chávez National Holiday was established by Los Angeles volunteers who organized and led the effort in California. The legal holiday bill was signed into law on August 18, 2000. The holiday is celebrated in California on César E. Chávez’s birthday March 31. This marked the first time that a labor leader or Latino has been honored with a public legal holiday.
For several years, Committee to Honor César E. Chávez has hosted events and social justice activities in remembrance of Chávez and the contributions he made to the Latino community. The committee is chaired by Lupe Ramos-Montigny, who currently sits on the State Board of Education.
All are welcomed to participate in the annual Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice March.
After the gathering, there will be a 2018 César E. Chávez Unity Luncheon at MAYA Mexican Grill and Bar, located in the Rogers Plaza at 1020 28th St. SW. The luncheon is at 1 p.m. and is a fundraiser for a Grand Valley State University scholarship that honors Ramos-Montigny. Tickets are $50 per person or $500 for a table of 10. For more information or tickets, click here.
For more on the 2018 César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering, visit the Committee to Honor César E. Chávez’s Facebook page.
Is Russian President Vladimir Putin envisioning a new Soviet Union of satellite countries under the control of Russia? Is a new Cold War brewing?
These and other questions will be discussed Monday, March 12, as part of the next World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2018 Great Decisions global discussion series, a series which bring leaders in international theory and action to Grand Rapids for lectures.
“Putin, Russia and the New Cold War” will be title of a discussion by Susan B. Glasser, chief international affairs columnist at POLITICO and co-author of “Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin and the End of Revolution”.
The series will offer two options to attend. There will be a daytime lecture, noon-1 p.m. at the Calvin College Recital Hall in the Covenant Fine Arts Center, and then 6-7:15 p.m. at the Aquinas College Performing Arts Center.
There is a $10 admission fee per discussion, with no reservations needed and free parking. For more information on sessions, dates and times, as well as detailed information on speakers, visit worldmichigan.org .
According to supplied information, Putin has spent years consolidating his leadership, moving the country closer to an authoritarian state. For what end? To bring former Soviet satellites once again into the Russian fold and expand its global influence? Is a new Cold War brewing? How will the U.S. respond?
Glasser, who served as founding editor of the award-winning POLITICO Magazine and went on to become editor of POLITICO throughout the 2016 election cycle, has reported everywhere from the halls of Congress to the battle of Tora Bora.
The former editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine, she spent four years traveling the former Soviet Union as the Washington Post’s Moscow co-bureau chief, covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and co-authored “Kremlin Rising: Vladimir Putin and the End of Revolution” with her husband, New York Times chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker.
Before that, Glasser worked for a decade at The Washington Post, where she was a foreign correspondent, editor of the Post’s Sunday Outlook and national news sections and political reporter.
A graduate of Harvard University, Glasser lives in Washington with Baker and their son. She serves on the boards of the Pew Research Center and the Harvard Crimson student newspaper and is a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Discussions will continue through March 26. The reminder of the 2018 series will feature:
Monday, Mar. 19: “South Africa at a Crossroads: Implications for U.S.-South Africa Relations”, with Desirée Cormier, Senior Director, Africa Practice, Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG).
Monday, Mar. 26: “Global Health: Equity, Ethics, and Eradication”, with Ambassador Mary Ann Peters (ret.), CEO, The Carter Center.
Bringing together and celebrating the good that locally-owned businesses have done for the Greater Grand Rapids has been an initiative that LocalFirst has been focused on in the past year.
Recently, the organization celebrated its Good for Grand Rapids campaign by announcing the eight top-scoring businesses that received Good for Grand Rapids Awards. Two of which were from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas: Lindo Mexico received a Good For Employees and Celebration! Cinema received a Good for Community.
LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stroub was on the WKTV Journal to talk about the impact of the awards with host Donna Kidner-Smith.
“It is to bring together and celebrate companies that are using businesses for good,” Stroub said about the Good for Grand Rapids. “And what that means is that they are being good to their employees; they are giving back to the community; they are creating high quality and more jobs for the people that live here.”
Businesses that participated took a quick impact assessment that is available on the LocalFirst website. Stroub said a business owner or someone very familiar with the business could do the assessment which would take anywhere from a half hour to an hour to complete.
“The assessment is industry specific,” Stroub said. “A restaurant is going to have different questions than a PR company. So the business owners who go in and take it only have questions relevant to them.”
More than 70 different business participated in the program. From the Wyoming and Kentwood areas that includes Daddy’s Dough and JoJo’s House of Beauty along with Lindo Mexico and Celebration! Cinema.
Participating in the program not only gives business insight into what they are doing well and what they need to improve upon, but another tool to attract high, quality talent to the West Michigan area, Stroub said.
LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stroub
“A common challenge across industries is talent or acquiring talent,” she said. “As we are noticing, the work force that is entering, they want to work for a company that they are proud of. They want to work for a company that pays attention to social issues, that gives back to its community. We are giving businesses the tools that they need to facilitate that.”
Along with the assessment, LocalFirst is also offering a series of workshops focused on helping business with their sustainability efforts. Information on the first three Good for Grand Rapids workshops are now available on the LocalFirst website along with other events such as mixers to get to know those who are in LocalFirst and have taken the Good for Grand Rapids assessment.
The Candied Yam is just one of the restaurants attending the Taste of Kentwood.
The 17th annual Taste of Kentwood will celebrate a smorgasbord of local cuisine on Thursday, March 15, at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 38th St. SE.
The event will feature food and deserts from many local restaurants and businesses. It will be the first event to take place in Kentwood’s newly renovated Activities Center, which will feature an updated interior and newly renovated teaching kitchen.
“Taste of Kentwood showcases American and international cuisine that we enjoy in our community,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. “It’s a delicious way to experience the diversity of Kentwood while connecting with neighbors and supporting local businesses.”
Taste of Kentwood will feature local favorites such as The Candied Yam and Curry Leaf Indian Cuisine, along with new-to-market Nothing Bundt Cakes. Everyone can find something to enjoy from the variety of food, including sweets, BBQ, Mexican and soups and sandwiches.
Nothing Bundt Cakes will be tempting participants with its sweet treats.
Participating restaurants include:
Bloop Frozen Yogurt
Boardwalk Subs
The Candied Yam
Curry Leaf Indian Cuisine
Daddy’s Dough
Daddy Pete’s BBQ
Irie Kitchen
Jet’s Pizza
Nothing Bundt Cakes
On the Border
Peppino’s Sports Grille
PJ’s Pizza Coffee & Ice Cream
Red Robin
Taco Bob’s
Thai Express
Zoup!
The event is open to everyone. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.kentwood.us/Parks. Two time slots are available, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
At a recent luncheon of about 200 educators, business people and church and community representatives involved in the One Wyoming collaborative, Wyoming Director of Police and Fire Services Chief James Carmody posed a question to the crowd: “Will anyone who is currently attending high school please raise their hand?”
No hands were raised, and thus Carmody made his point. At a meeting of passionate, committed leaders, why weren’t youth present? It was an all-too-common scenario. “Here we are again, finding ourselves talking about the future of our community and the future of our young people, but we are not allowing them to be at the table.”
Godwin Heights freshman Madisyn Rogers said she’d enjoyed talking about issues with the police chief
Carmody himself has made it a priority over the past three years to give high school students a voice at the table. Every week he spends an hour meeting with students, rotating between Wyoming, Godwin Heights, Lee and Kelloggsville high schools to hear their thoughts, receive input and help bridge any divide that may exist between the police force and community.
“I think the importance of how you guys fit into the whole thing is: What do you see in terms of your future here in the city?” Carmody told Godwin students at a February session. “The bottom line is hopefully at some point, whether it’s here or some other community, you realize the value of getting involved.”
While Carmody, who has served in law enforcement for 43 years and has headed the Wyoming force since 2006, is retiring April 26, he said the department’s work with high school students will continue under his successor.
“I’m old enough be your grandfather but young enough to know you have a big, big impact on what’s going on the city,” he told the Godwin Heights students. “This isn’t going away. It’s been too valuable.”
Wyoming Director of Police and Fire Services Chief James Carmody talks with Godwin Heights students about his plans to retire
During sessions, students ask for information about law enforcement and crimes. They seek Carmody’s perspectives on issues and share their own thoughts. They said they’ve learned a lot about the role of officers in Wyoming.
“We can talk to him about issues now. He can do something about it and we get a lot of useful information,” said Godwin Heights freshman Madisyn Rogers.
Students said they’ve also learned that police officers’ main objective is not to lock people up. “He wants to make the world a better place,” said freshman Jeffrey Young.
Carmody said the sessions humanize both teens and officers: “(Teens) don’t want to be defined by that one person who goes out and does horrible things. They don’t want to be painted with a broad stroke of the brush. On that same token, neither do we.”
Senior Mark Herrera listens to Chief James Carmody talk about his hopes for students to be involved in the community
Looking Beyond the Uniform
Students have gotten to know the candid Carmody, who always encourages two-way dialogue and listens to different points of view. He said he started the meetings to give students a chance to get to know him as more than a cop and to directly address what matters to them. He said he’s learned that he and students care about a lot of the same things.
“I really wanted to get down and find out what they think of us,” he said, noting that nothing good is gained from fear of police officers, and that reaching students at a young age is important. Still, police mistrust has become a heated issue nationwide. “I don’t ask for people to do anything other than be objective and to question both sides.”
In Wyoming, he said his role is to serve and protect the public, regardless of anyone’s legal status.
“I’ve gone out on public record where I fall on immigration, and I’m not ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). When I go to someone’s home, I’m not asking for their identification because I want to find out what their status is. I’m asking for their identification because I’m going to have to reach back to that person and talk to them. That’s an uphill battle. But we are not here to do (ICE’s) work.”
Two years ago, students from the groups were invited to a Wyoming City Council retreat and offered valuable input, Carmody said.
“A lot of them want a safe, secure community whether it’s here or anyone else,” he said. “They want to have jobs. They want to know their families have resources and that their families are taken care of. Those are the same questions everybody asks.”
At the Godwin meeting, students asked if they could come to Carmody’s retirement party and mentioned hosting their own. Carmody talked about his past, including highlights of serving on the force and how public safety has evolved over the years. They also talked about the Super Bowl, applying to colleges and planned majors.
It was a conversation between a police chief and teens who have taken the time to get to know one another. “We’ve found mutual respect,” Carmody said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
In the latest episode of the WKTV Journal, we head over to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park to celebrate the work of artist Beverly Pepper. The Gardens has an exhibition of Pepper’s work, “Drawn Into Form: Sixty Years of Drawings and Prints by Beverly Pepper,” up through April 29.
Recently the Vietnamese community came together to celebrate Tet, the Vietnamese New Year and we spend some time with KDL Executive Director Lance Werner who talks about being named Michigan’s first Librarian of the Year by the Library Journal. Also in this newscast, LocalFirst’s Mieke Stroub talks about the Good for Grand Rapids campaign and the West Michigan Tourist Association’s Courtney Sheffer gives us some more tips and ideas on budget friendly places in West Michigan.
The WKTV Journal airs on WKTV Channel 25 Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 7 p.m., and Fridays at 10 a.m.
Winter is hanging on in West Michigan so there are still plenty of cold weather things to do in the West Michigan area.
Recently, Courtney Sheffer, marketing director for the West Michigan Tourist Association stopped by the WKTV Journal to offer a few more ideas on some winter fun in northern West Michigan.
Shanty Creek Resorts
Traverse City
For those looking to learn to ski or snowboard, there is still time as Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire offer the Super Sunday deal until March 18. The deal is $29 per person and includes lift ticket, rental equipment, and staton-by-statin group lessons.
“I’ve done the lessons as Shanty Creek and they do a really great job breaking it down, even for beginners who never touched a board,” Sheffer said. “They make it easy to understand and it is great place to learn.”
Shanty Creek Resorts also other activities such as alpine tubing and in the summer, golfing. For more about Shanty Creek, visit its website, shantycreek.com.
Sweet treats at Kilwin’s
Petoskey
Another favorite winter spot is Petoskey, which Sheffer noted “has a lot of outdoor gems as well. A lot of outdoor trails, a lot of hiking paths, lots of beaches right there.”
But for those looking for more of an indoor-type activity check out the Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen, Sheffer said.
Petoskey is actually Kilwin’s home base and the store at 1050 Bay View Rd. does have free tours Monday through Friday with samples. It is advisable, according to the Kilwin’s website, to make a reservation for a tour. For more information, visit kilwins.com.
Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery
Since we are on a sweet theme, another popular Petoskey spot —especially as Michigan turns to spring — is the Maple Moon Sugarbush and Winery, 4454 Atkins Rd., Petoskey. The family-owned business offers tours seasonally on the maple sap being transformed into maple syrup. Tours are available at 4 p.m. every Saturday.
“And if you are looking for anything maple theme, they have it there,” Sheffer said. “They have maple wine, maple foods, maple candy.”
Right near Petoskey is Lyric Theatre in Harbor Springs. Sheffer said this is a fun place to visit as every Saturday the theater, located at 275 E. Main St., features family favorites with tickets at 25 cents. She noted that it harkens back to the days when the theater first opened and today provides a great budget-friendly adventure to anyone.
For more budget friendly ideas on things to do in and around West Michigan, whether it be winter, spring, summer and fall, pick up a West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide available at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park Ave. or visit wmta.org.
Students are afraid to fill out college applications and financial-aid forms. Volunteers fear driving to school. Counselors don’t have clear answers for students whose futures in the U.S. are uncertain, and parents are afraid to seek help from the police. In school districts with a high percentage of Hispanic families, wondering what the next day will bring has become the new normal.
Whether legitimate or a result of misinformation, the stress is manifesting itself in different ways.
“I’ve seen an increase in fear and anxiety since President Trump took office,” said Duane Bacchus, Kent School Services Network community coordinator for Godwin Heights High School.
Students who are Dreamers, among about 700,000 young people nationwide who arrived to the U.S. as children of undocumented parents and are enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, wonder if they will be able to go to college or secure financial aid. They feel betrayed by the system, Bacchus said.
“DACA made it worse because people took the risk and put their information out there and look what happened,” Bacchus said. “There’s a lot of frustration, anger, and a sense of ‘you’re not getting me again.’”
In the view of many families, he said, “Your rights and what will be afforded you as an (undocumented) immigrant will be up for grabs every four years, depending who is in power. It’s not doing anything to help anyone gain trust in the system at all.”
Loss of Hope
Nazhly Heredia, KSSN community coordinator at Lee Middle/High School, said she feels a sense of guilt because she and other staff members urged students to enroll in DACA when Obama was in office. Students now wonder if they should have remained in the shadows. “We pushed so hard for those kids to apply,” she said.
Heredia said she’s seen a loss of hope among Dreamers. Many do not remember life outside the U.S. One student told her he just plans to “wait to be sent back.”
“It came out of his mouth so naturally. That is what breaks my heart. I wish I had an answer for them.” Unfortunately, she said, there is no “‘This is what you’ve got to do and this is what you’re going to get.’”
Still, Heredia encourages DACA students to keep working to graduate and go to college. She urges them to stay out of trouble.
Bacchus and Lysette Castillo, a Godwin Heights parent and community liaison, also urge students to focus on education.
“I always tell them education is something that nobody can take away from you,” Castillo said. “There’s hope this time (things) will change and in the meantime you’ve taken the advantage of getting an education. But they are very discouraged.”
A father and his daughter attend a “Know Your Rights” session at Kelloggsville High School
Increases in Calls, Activity
A couple, immigrants from Mexico who wish to remain anonymous, drove from their home in Muskegon on a snowy evening to attend a recent “Know Your Rights” meeting at Kelloggsville High School. The discussion focused on how to react in the event they are approached by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents.
The couple was among about a dozen Hispanic parents and community members, from within and outside the district, who attended the session for information on preparing their families for ICE enforcement. The couple was worried about their son, who plans to pursue a business major in college but is vulnerable to deportation if the government does not provide protection for Dreamers.
“My wife is worried all the time,” the father said, stressing that his children are his main concern.
The Immigrant Rights office has seen a noticeable increase in calls and is overwhelmed with requests for speaking arrangements like the Kelloggsville session. The agency offers a hotline where people can consult with an attorney for counsel and, in some cases, representation. “The increase in people calling on behalf of a loved one being detained has been very stark,” Scholten said.
While her office doesn’t track data, Scholten said they are aware of a number of workplace raids. Most commonly, people are detained after an encounter with local law enforcement, such as a traffic stop.
There are certain places ICE considers sensitive locations, such as schools and day care centers, medical treatment facilities and places of worship. However, it’s unclear if agents will follow people from such locations. Scholten said there have been reports of agents doing so.
Courthouses are not considered a sensitive location, which Scholten said she believes undermines the justice process and makes people afraid to attend court hearings.
Under the Obama administration, there was a clear priority for enforcement to target violent criminals. Scholten said that is no longer the case.
Student Absenteeism Up
About 33 percent of Kelloggsville students are Hispanic. Guadalupe Diaz-Medina, the district’s hispanic community liaison, said she is seeing an uptick in student absenteeism among the families she works with. There is general fear concerning going out in public, and families have been affected by ICE deporting family members.
“The families are having a lot of stress in even bringing kids to school,” Diaz-Medina said, adding that she’s seen increase anxiety among all ages. “The whole family is affected.”
She sees students, some of them Dreamers, react too. Many become withdrawn. “They don’t want to talk about the situation because of the fear.”
She said keeping students out of school is counterintuitive because once a student misses too much school they are referred to truancy court or even Childhood Protective Services.
‘The Family Starts Breaking Down into Pieces’
In the one-square-mile Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district, where about 80 percent of students are Hispanic, Heredia, the KSSN worker, said families are too fearful to attend a session like “Know Your Rights” because they don’t want ICE to become aware of it.
“A lot of our families feel this district could be a target. We deal with situations on a one-to-one basis,” she said.
Yet, sometimes there are no clear answers to the questions families ask.
“I feel like it is so hard when you can’t meet with the family and give them some hope. It breaks my heart,” she said. “You know what they want to hear, but unfortunately there is no easy path.”
Heredia is planning an information session about DACA, hosted by Justice for Our Neighbors, to build awareness district-wide of what students and families are experiencing.
There is often a snowball effect when a person is deported.
Frequently it unfolds like this: A father is deported. The mother is no longer able to pay bills, rent, or to put food on the table. The family moves in with relatives. The mother must work long hours, relying on school and neighbors to take care of the children. Heredia knows of a 19-year-old left to take care of younger children after their parents were deported.
“You can see how the family starts breaking down into pieces,” Heredia said. As a result, children become disruptive and withdrawn and their grades slip.
But Heredia and staff members urge students to keep coming to school, where they are safe learning and interacting with peers. “We try to stress to the parents that kids need to be in school. It doesn’t help the situation for kids to be at home.”
Mostly, she hopes people will learn empathy.
“I just wish people would see each other as people. I hate the feeling of people looking at other people’s faces and automatically building a wall, and I am on one side of the wall and you are on the other.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Chammas Jurado, an immigration attorney, provided information to Hispanic families during a “Know Your Rights” event
Amanda is a Spanish teacher from West Michigan. Guillermo is a businessman from Campeche, Mexico. They met and fell in love in … Spain, of course! They join us to talk about intercontinental romance, business, and life in a bi-cultural world.
Legacy Trust Award Collection is giving adult artists with disabilities a chance to win $500, have their artwork displayed in the Grand Rapids Art Museum and enter ArtPrize 2018.
Back for its ninth year, the Legacy Trust Award Collection is soliciting artwork from Michigan artists for its beloved mini-competition in advance of ArtPrize. Four winning artists will each receive $500 and sponsorship for ArtPrize, the international art competition, scheduled this year Sept. 19 through Oct. 7 in downtown Grand Rapids.
The statewide competition is open to all Michigan artists with disabilities and seeks paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, collages, mixed media and other works of art. The four winners will be chosen by popular vote, a panel of celebrity judges and the LTAC Advisory Committee. Four winning artists will also be entered in ArtPrize 2018.
Artists must register with LTAC by Saturday, April 21 to be considered for the 2018 competition.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum will host the LTAC May 14 and 15.
This year, LTAC Arts will be hosting a Saturday workshop for interested artists on April 21. The workshop will feature parallel sessions on how to market, value and use social media to promote artwork session, along with special needs planning sessions for families and caregivers.
Sponsored by Grand Rapids-based investment advisory and wealth management firm Legacy Trust, LTAC will be held this year in the Grand Rapids Art Museum May 14-15. A private reception for all artists, judges and LTAC supporters will be held on the evening of Monday, May 14.
The public will have a chance to view and vote for its favorite entry on Tuesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the GRAM, located in downtown Grand Rapids.
Winning artists will have their work displayed during ArtPrize at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Last year, 141 artists from around the state submitted artwork to LTAC, its eighth straight year of growth.
“We are so excited for our ninth year of LTAC, especially given the past two years being in the triple digits in artwork submissions,” said Mary Ann Sabo, chair of LTAC Arts, the nonprofit arm that supports the event. “Each year, we are amazed by the talent of the artists and the creativity and skill of their work, as well as by the stories of the artists and their families.
“We are thrilled to welcome artists from all over our state. We are so pleased to again partner with the Grand Rapids Art Museum and DeVos Place for a fifth year as we showcase incredible Michigan artists.”
Winners of LTAC 2018 will be announced on Friday, May 25. Along with having their artwork entered into ArtPrize, all entry fees and promotion expenses for ArtPrize will be paid by LTAC Arts. For the fifth year, LTAC Arts has secured the high-profile DeVos Place venue for the winning artists during ArtPrize.
Artists from all genres are invited to participate in the competition. All artists must submit an artist registration to Sabo PR by April 21. All artwork must be completed and available for showing in Grand Rapids by noon on Saturday, April 21.
Following is a list of guidelines for submitting artwork:
All participating artists must be a resident of Michigan and at least 18 years of age by April 3.
All artwork must be original, attributable to the applicant and completed within three years prior to September 18, 2018.
All artwork is subject to the “Official Rules for Artists-ArtPrize,” which can be found at www.artprize.org.
The top four artists will retain ownership and all rights to their artwork, subject to the rules and restrictions of ArtPrize 2018. The artists agree to make themselves and their artwork available to LTAC and all partnering agencies and sponsors prior to and during ArtPrize for promotions and marketing efforts.
The top four artists who receive the award will be entered into ArtPrize 2018 as a Legacy Trust Award Collection winner.
LTAC artists agree that if their artwork wins any ArtPrize award, they will donate 25 percent of any award to create a special LTAC Arts Endowment Fund to continue arts programs for adults with disabilities in greater Grand Rapids.
Winning artists will be notified by LTAC Arts by May 25 and will be entered into ArtPrize.
There are no restrictions on artists who are not part of the Collection from entering ArtPrize on their own.
Artwork may be delivered by mail, UPS, FedEx or in person to Sabo PR, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 463, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49503 by noon on April 21. See the registration form for additional rules and details at www.LTACArts.org.
LTAC Arts will host its workshop on Saturday, April 21, the last day art can be submitted. The workshop will take place at Sabo PR in Grand Rapids. Artwork can be brought to the session and submitted.
ArtPrize, an open art competition that draws hundreds of thousands of people to West Michigan each fall, returns to Grand Rapids for its tenth year on Sept. 19 through Oct. 7.
Presenting sponsor is Legacy Trust with additional support from Sabo PR, Meijer, Grand Rapids Art Museum, DeVos Place, Trivalent Group, Holland Litho, Kitchen Sage and Andrews, Hooper & Pavlik.
About LTAC Arts
The Legacy Trust Award Collection is an art competition for adult artists with disabilities. The competition is held in advance of ArtPrize each year, the radically open art competition in downtown Grand Rapids. Each year the artists are so excited to participate and LTAC Committee is always amazed by the talent of the artists. LTAC gives artists who typically wouldn’t have the chance to showcase their art, a way to show the West Michigan community their incredible work.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. 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).
Kitty Kitty was once a Crash Cat back in 2009. Her name was Sandra then and we had taken her in on a shelter transfer from Harbor Humane Society. How this darling, dainty girl ended up homeless and in need of help was beyond us, but we sure were happy to help out and to have her with us. In fact she was such a charmer that she was adopted out just a few months after her arrival, and Dr. Jen has had the pleasure of providing veterinary care for her all of these years. Dr. Jen can attest to the fact that her owners, a mother and son duo, doted on their baby girl, and our visits were always enjoyable because they simply beamed when they brought her in.
So it was understandably heartbreaking when we were contacted in Sept. 2017 and asked if we could take Kitty Kitty back into our adoption program. Due to unexpected health issues, her mom suddenly found herself caring for her adult son, and that took up all of her time. Knowing that her fluffy friend deserved more than she could now give, she handed her back over into our care, although heavyhearted during the entire process.
Although the dark chocolate beauty (born in the summer of 2006) needed a bit of grooming and some teeth extracted due to dental disease, the bigger concerns were weight loss, loose stool sand arthritis symptoms; she was now sporting a hitch in her giddy-up that needed attention. So Dr. Jen set about righting the wrongs, starting Kitty Kitty on meds to improve her appetite, firm up her stools (major success) and injections to treat her aging joints.
Each and every one of the volunteers who care for her think she is just the sweetest thing, a stunning senior who is more than ready to start the next chapter in her life. And we would like nothing more than to be able to offer her a home of her own again, as her former family would be extremely appreciative and could rest a bit easier knowing that she was once again lounging in the lap of luxury.
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.
At Monday night’s Wyoming City Council meeting, the Wyoming-based Granger Group lost its second rezoning bid for property located southeast of the 56th Street and Wilson Avenue intersection.
Known as the Reserve at Rivertown, the Granger Group was seeking the rezoning of 98.4 acres that was a mix of zonings including estate residential, business and restricted office to a PUD-1 low density planned unit development. Many of the residents living in and near the development objected to the rezoning, having filed a protest petition.
Under Michigan’s Zoning Enable Act, a valid protest petition signed by at least 20 percent of owners within an area extending 100 feet outward from the boundary of land included in the proposed change would require a super majority vote for a rezoning to pass. This meant that for the Wyoming City Council to grant the rezoning for the Reserve at Rivertown, it had to pass by a 5-to-2 vote.
Earlier during the meeting, it was announced that First Ward Council member William Ver Hulst had officially retired, leaving the Wyoming City Council with only six members. Those members could only come to a 4-to-2 vote with Mayor Jack Poll, Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt, and Councilors Kent Vanderwood and Dan Burrill voting for the rezoning. Councilors Rob Postema and Marissa Postler voted against it. Because of the super majority requirement of a two-thirds vote of the entire council, the rezoning request failed, Poll said during the meeting.
Postema said during the meeting that he had some concerns over the Planning Commission approving the rezoning request since the 2018 plan was not much better than the one the city reviewed a few months ago and, he felt, it did not meet the city’s land use plan of incorporating the land’s natural features. The proposal would have utilized some wetlands for the development.
“I watched the planning commission meeting, Postema said, “…and the difference was whether it met the ordinance or not. And for rezoning you don’t need to meet the ordinance. It doesn’t make sense that you would use that as a standard of rezoning because that could apply for any rezoning anywhere by drawing something up that meets that ordinance for that particular zoning district.”
Postler said her concerns were similar but focused on “this dichotomy of it is either this or 2001.
“It’s A or B, but there is no C. But the fact that we had the same conversation like four months ago about the 2017 plan and it was either the 2017 plan or the 2001 and there was no option C, but we are here tonight talking about 2018 which would be option C.”
Postler said she could respect that the Granger Group would like to get something going on the property, but she just could not accept that the plan before the city council was the only option.
“I guess this narrative that we keep hearing is that if this doesn’t get accepted we are just going ‘to go back to the 2001 plan’ and I get that it legally can, but I don’t get that it has to,” she said.
Residents who spoke at Monday night’s meeting and at February’s Planning Commission meeting raised several issues, including overcrowding at the schools, traffic concerns, and legal issues over a home owner association requirement and whether the Granger Group could include the existing homes from first three phases in the new proposed PUD without the homeowners’ consent.
Poll, who lives in the area where the Reserve at Rivertown development is proposed, went through several of the concerns. He said the schools will make room for additional students. No matter what was built in the area, there would be more traffic, he said. And he noted that he did not believe the project would “destroy the panhandle” as some have indicated or have an impact on property values.
If the Granger Group does decide to go back the 2001 PUD plan, which has been modified by the city and the company since its original approval, the Granger Group would still need to seek approval from the city’s Planning Commission for site plans, plates and other items before any development could start, according to staff. The Granger Group has completed three phases based on the 2001 PUD.
Fogg Filler is a family owned business in Holland, Michigan that designs and manufactures rotary filling systems. Their machines are used to fill containers for a growing number of industries throughout the world including dairy, water, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical. The company strives to combine skilled craftsmanship with innovative management to offer their customers exceptional service and quality products.
To learn more about Fogg Filler, we talked to Greg Gibble, a service manager who’s been with Fogg for 34 years.
What is it like to work at Fogg Filler?
I love working at Fogg because of the great family orientated culture and challenging work. Over the years I have seen continuous growth with new product releases and new team members. In my career at Fogg, I started out rebuilding competitor’s filling machines and then moved through the capper, weld, assembly and service departments. I’ve gained valuable knowledge of our products and processes.
How have you seen your job change as technology changes?
When I started at Fogg, we used push-button machines, all my documentation was done by hand and filed in a cabinet. Now, all of our machines come with human-machine interface (HMI) and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and can be programmed to do just about anything. This takes most of the human error out of the process. All of our internal documentation is done on computers and filed electronically. When I started, I was in the service department; if you had any issues, you got me. Now we have a team of five service coordinators, 20 mechanical technicians and 10 electrical programmers to install and maintain our equipment.
What are the most interesting parts of your job?
The custom equipment is the most interesting part of my job. We are continually following customer- and industry-driven improvements for each piece of our equipment. Each machine goes out with a minimum of two improvements. Over time, those improvements add up to huge advancements in technology. Continually learning is our standard operating procedure.
What advice would you like to pass on to a new employee?
Always embrace change. Fogg is a company that is always on the forefront of new products and technology. As each change arises, view them as unique challenges for you to solve. Whether it’s people, technology or documentation, it is another opportunity for you to succeed.
Late last year, as they have at the end of each semester for the last three three school years, Wyoming High School students and teachers honored six exemplary students with the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character Award — two sophomores, two juniors and two seniors.
And WKTV’s cameras were there to assist the school in recording the event.
There will be special airings of the event on WKTV cable channel 25 next week, with the Alpha Wolf Awards being broadcast Wednesday, March 14, at 5 p.m.; Friday, March 16, at 11 p.m.; and Saturday, March 17, at 11 a.m.
The Dec. 7, 2017, ceremony was attended by the student body, special guests from the Wyoming community, City of Wyoming city and public safety leaders, school district administration and the Wyoming Board of Education members. There was also a special flag ceremony.
A special guest at the recent ceremony was the staff of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan and its executive director, Christy Buck, who spoke about the group’s Be Nice initiative. The program works in schools and the community to provide simple, common sense, ways to prevent suicide and be proactive to other dangers resulting from mental illness.
The Alpha Wolf program was led by teachers Jonathan Bushen and John Doyle, who started the program three years ago modeled on a program at Grandville high school, where he kids attended. But many teachers and staff members were involved.
First Ward Council member William VerHulst announced his retirement from the Wyoming City Council.
William A. Ver Hulst, the longest-serving Wyoming City Council member, announced his retirement at Monday night’s meeting.
Citing health reasons, Ver Hulst said that he would step down effective immediately from his representation of Wyomings First Ward. Ver Hulst, 77, served six years on the board of Wyoming Public Schools before being elected to the seven-person Council in 1993. He has served with four different mayors and 21 different Council members during his tenure on the Council.
The Wyoming City Council plans to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of Ver Hulsts term, which expires in November. Those interested in being considered should submit a letter of their qualifications and a resume by Thursday, March 15, to City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg.
Wyoming’s First Ward encompasses Precincts 1 – 9. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
After resumes are reviewed, Council members will interview candidates during its special meeting on Monday, March 26, at 5 p.m. and select a replacement, whose tenure will begin at that time.
”As a community, we are deeply grateful for Bill’s decades of selfless leadership,” said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. ”He has always had a heart to serve the community, which he has done with tremendous integrity. For Bill, it was never about advancing his own agenda he cared about his fellow Wyoming residents and did his best to represent their interests.”
Born and raised in Holland, Mich., Ver Hulst graduated from Holland High School. After a brief stint in the National Guard, he graduated from what was then Davenport College with an associates degree. He then attended Ferris State University, where he received a bachelors degree in accounting. He was offered a scholarship to attend Michigan State University, where he earned a masters degree in accounting before successfully completing the requirements to be a certified public accountant, or CPA.
Ver Hulst took a position working at the accounting firm Seidman & Seidman. He and his wife, Karen, bought a house on Plas Street SW in Wyoming, later moving to a home on Cranwood Avenue that they shared until her death in 2016. He loved the intimacy of the Wyoming community and the proximity to his church, Grace Reformed Church. The couple raised their three children, Clark, Julie (Dyke) and Bart in Wyoming.
Clark Ver Hulst said his father’s faith was the most important thing in his life and the driving factor in his decision to run for the school board first and then City Council.
“I remember campaigning with him when he was running for City Council,” Clark Ver Hulst reminisced. “I went door-t-door with him, and it was a great opportunity to say Vote for my dad; he really cares about the community and the people.
“My dad felt his accounting background and experience as a CPA would be beneficial to the City of Wyoming.”
And it was, according to City Manager Curtis Holt.
“Throughout his tenure, Bill made tremendous contributions to ensure our fiscal stability,” Holt said. ”Bill’s steady hand and wise counsel helped the City navigate safely through the Great Recession of 2008. The team at City Hall and I deeply appreciate his dedication and his passion for service.”
After leaving Seidman & Seidman, Ver Hulst went to work at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, where he spent more than two decades as chief financial officer. Before retiring a dozen years ago, he took a position with Priority Health, where he worked as an auditor.
Active in the community, Ver Hulst served on the board of Westown Jubilee Housing and is a longtime supporter of Words of Hope Ministries. Active in Grace Reformed Church, which he still attends, he has been a youth group leader, Sunday school teacher, after-school program volunteer and mentor. He still oversees the finances for the Reformed Church of America.
“Family has always been very important to my father,” Clark Ver Hulst said. ”He has been a great dad to the three of us and wonderful to his six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. When he was on outings with his grandchildren, it was always hard to tell who was having more fun my dad or the kids. He’s a big kid at heart.
“He was also an exceptional partner and outstanding caregiver to my mother, Karen. In the last two years of her life, he was her round-the-clock caregiver and companion.”
Clark Ver Hulst noted that his father is a huge sports fan and very faithful to the Chicago White Sox and the Michigan State Spartans.
Two Men and A Truck Grand Rapids South is the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s March featured business.
In an effort to continue demonstrating its Core Value of “Give back to the community,” Two Men and A Truck® Grand Rapids South has created a new program that focuses on “Moving People Forward,” and giving back to the community. The company has found that its frontline staff have a passion for giving back. Through a program Movers Who Give, the staff is now able to raise money for local charities in the community.
Here’s how it works: Each person on staff earns money individually. There are many categories that are eligible, and monitored, for earning donations toward the collection. For example, every month, Two Men and a Truck® Grand Rapids South donates $2 on behalf of every employee with perfect attendance to the company’s efforts in giving back to the community. While Two Men and a Truck® continuously strive to demonstrate all of its Core Values, the company is exceptionally excited about this program and having the entire office involved.
On Feb. 2, Bill, the driver who raised the most money through this program, and Blake, the general manager, donated last quarter’s efforts of $1,500 to Alpha Grand Rapids. Alpha Grand Rapids is an organization that walks alongside individuals who are experiencing challenging circumstances, such as an unplanned pregnancy, by providing a safe place to make choices. Alpha Grand Rapids empowers parents to thrive by offering holistic care through free and confidential services, such as mentoring programs, support groups, educational services, and emergency resources.
Two Men and a Truck® Grand Rapids South is proud to partner with Alpha Grand Rapids and other local charities with Movers Who Give. The staff looks forward to continuously growing this program and giving back to the community. To find out more about Alpha Grand Rapids, visit the website, www.alphawc.org.
Nine Cherry Health medical health centers are part of an elite group that has demonstrated commitment to advancing quality care, as certified by a national leader in health-care accreditation.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has certified the following Cherry Health medical sites as a Patient-Centered Medical Home at Level 3, the highest level possible:
Barry Community Health Center
Burton Health Center
Cherry Street Health Center
Heart of the City Health Center Adult Medicine
Heart of the City Health Center Durham Clinic
Heart of the City Health Center Pediatrics
Montcalm Area Health Center
Westside Health Center
Wyoming Community Health Center
That certification means these medical sites meet rigorous standards of patient-centered care.
“We are dedicated to enhancing quality of care at each of our health centers,” said Jodi Pyper, Director of Health Center Programs. “Putting our patients at the center of care allows us to best meet their needs.”
The Patient-Centered Medical Home is a primary-care model with high standards of access, teamwork, and technology. Research shows it can improve quality, lower costs, and provide a better experience for both patients and clinicians.
NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of American health care. Its standards for certifying Patient-Centered Medical Homes follow principles established by the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Osteopathic Association.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, Kevin Polston, Superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, talks with program host Ken Norris about his school district’s upcoming request for public support of an extension of an existing sinking fund millage — an effort to improve safety, security and technology while allowing more general fund dollars to be spend in the classroom.
Also on the episode, State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, a Republican who currently represents the 26th District, which includes the City of Kentwood, talks on a wide-range of topics, including the opioid crisis and her coming effort to become Michigan’s next Attorney General.
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 continue on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m., will again air on Thursday, March 8, also at 6:30 p.m. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
It required a few takes for Wyoming’s Parkview Elementary School third-grader Yaretzi Martinez to record her presentation in front of a green screen, so she shared directly with a visitor the details about Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas.
“Gabby Douglas showed us to follow our dreams because she followed her dreams. Gabby won the gold medal when she was 16,” Yaretzi said.
Parkview Elementary third-grader Yaretzi Martinez records her presentation on gymnast Gabby Douglas in front of a green screen
Yaretzi and her novice tech crew, including third-graders Aiyana Velez and Yamileth Ramirez, were recording in the school hallway. She completed her piece after a couple snafus: poor lighting, an accidental press of the delete button and a few noisy passersby.
“She got hurt and didn’t give up,” Yaretzi said of the Olympic champion.
Students in teachers Julie Tessier’s and Michele LeMieux’s classrooms took a multimedia approach to writing biographies. After researching and writing about historical figures and famous people — including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Michael Jordan, Johannes Brahms, Helen Keller and Amelia Earhart — they recorded their work like mini-broadcasters.
They edited in photos of their subjects to be projected behind them on their recordings. They used iPads, a green screen app called Do Ink, a teleprompter app and a website called Flipgridto create their work.
Many students chose African-American historical figures, tying their work to Black History Month.
Third-grader Manuel Gomez Perez plays his finished presentation on Harriet Tubman on an iPad
Third-grader Manuel Gomez Perez chose Harriet Tubman. “She led 300 slaves to freedom,” he said.
About using the green screen: “It’s fun!” he said. “There’s a giant picture behind you.”
Tessier said she wanted to challenge her students to bring their projects to life, combining writing and technology. She said many of her students studied people who overcame remarkable obstacles, offering a message of perseverance for students.
Multimedia tools support learning in a way students — savvy in technology — are used to. “This is the world they live in,” she said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Grand Rapids hottest venue, 20 Monroe Live, played host to a trio of amazing heavy bands, CyHra, Kreator and Sabaton. We got to the show too late to check out CyHra, but the buzz in the crowd was “they rocked the place.”
Kreator hit the stage with a blast, a non-stop onslaught of sound. With an awesome light show and one killer song after another, Kreator whipped the crowd into a frenzy. They promised a hell of a show and they delivered.
Then Sabaton came on stage and blew everyone away. With tight tunes and killer riffs, they ramped up the energy level in the venue to a new high. Wave after wave of crowd surfers bombarded the stage, bringing a smile to my face. Even the normally stone-faced bouncers were grinning, so you know it was pretty cool. Lead singer, Joakim Broden truly seemed to be having a good time and looked like he was enjoying the concert as much as the audience.
I remember the first time I saw Sabaton, back in 2014 when they opened for Iced Earth at The Intersection. Most of the crowd had come to see Iced Earth, but when Sabaton hit the stage, they won over the crowd instantly. By the time their set was done, they had a legion of new diehard fans.
It was truly an unforgettable night. The next time Sabaton comes to Grand Rapids, be sure to go to the show for a dose of good old-fashioned heavy metal.
Be sure to checkout Sabaton’s twitter feed at twitter.com/sabaton for a live video broadcast of Monday’s concert at 20 Monroe Live.
When my daughter Cora was two years old, she was still struggling with lack of physical strength, muscle coordination, and core muscle use. She was receiving PT and OT, but we were both frustrated with the results. Cora was doing the same thing over and over at every visit with little improvement. It didn’t help that I would diligently work with her between those therapy sessions on the homework the therapists gave me. I was being a great mama and helping my child improve, right? YES, I was being a good mama, but I was also boring my daughter to the point of frustrated tears on both our parts. I was so focused on her achieving the goals that were given to her that I totally ignored what was literally right in front of my face.
You see, I have been a professional horse trainer for over 30 years and with the birth of my daughter Cora I had taken a step back and cut down on the number of clients and horses that I had in training at my facility every month. Don’t get me wrong, I still rode and worked with others, but Cora was the new priority. She would often be in the in the house during most of my horse-related sessions. Once she was strong enough, I brought her out to a play pen near the arena. It was seeing Cora light up while she watched the horses that gave me the idea to get her ON a horse.
You’d think that having her on a horse would have been my first inclination. The adage is true though, that we often don’t see what is right in front of our eyes. Cora started riding a horse after she received the required neck x-ray from the pediatrician. I felt like a failure and a success at the same time. A failure that I hadn’t tried this sooner, and a success because I finally did get Cora on a horse.
Long story short — Cora’s physical strength and core strength increased with the use of a four-legged friend that whinnies. She would ride at a walk gait with a side walker and I would lead the horse while giving Cora little tasks to complete. For half an hour at a time, life was filled with laughter, a child, and a walking horse. I immediately saw improvement in Cora’s strength and coordination.
Cora on horseback
How? It’s called Equine Hippotherapy and here’s how it works. A horse has a walking gait which mimics a human’s walking gait. As the horse walks and the child rides the horse, the movement that works through the body of the child is the same as the child physically walking. The brain does not process that the child is riding a horse. It instead processes the movements as physically walking and therefore the muscles respond in the same way. Cora is 6 years old now and is still riding horses. The physical strength and coordination this kind of play offers has been wonderful for Cora’s progress.
One of the greatest blessings that this journey with Down syndrome continues to teach me is to look outside of the box for the answers that Cora needs. After all, Cora doesn’t do anything the usual way. She traditionally finds her own way and achieves a goal in her own time. Another thing this journey has taught me: Cora will achieve any task handed to her if given the respect to achieve it in her own time.
If you are stuck in a rut with your kiddo’s therapy, think outside of the box. A task usually has at least five ways of getting it done. Society has taught us that there are only two ways to do something — the right way and the wrong way. I encourage you to shake that theory up a little bit just like our kiddos do daily. That extra chromosome they were born with? It comes with a “thinking outside of the box”, “watch while I do it upside down and sideways” genetic makeup. It’s a positive attribute in a stringent world.
Down syndrome is a blessing which allows us parents many opportunities to walk along side our kiddos and ENJOY life — one moment at a time. But, we should remain open to the unseen blessing that will be delivered in a different way. And if a horse is involved, even better!
Katrina Curtis and her husband Scott live in Byron Center, Michigan on a few acres they call We-N-Us Ranch. Their slogan is “Where Courageous Kids and Special Horses rub elbows”. If you would like more information on Equine Hippotherapy and getting your child involved, you may contact Katrina on her Facebook page or email her at plexuskatrina@gmail.com.
John Ball Zoo is happy to welcome visitors back for the 2018 season on March 10.
“The first signs of spring gets the animals moving – just like it does for people. It’s a great time to get outside and visit the Zoo.” said Chief Executive Officer Peter D’Arienzo.
In the Living Shores Aqurium are penguins and other exotic aquatic animals.
Even if there’s still a winter chill in the air, there are plenty of animals to see both inside and out. Guests can expect all the North American and some Asian animals including the grizzly bears, bald eagles, otters, mountain lions, and snow leopards. Indoors, they will find the penguins and other exotic aquatic animals in the Living Shores Aquarium; reptiles, amphibians and small primates in the Nature’s Treasures of the building; and the chimpanzees of Mokomboso Valley are always viewable in their day room. If temperatures are mild, additional animals like the lions will be offered the choice to go outside or stay in. Plus, winter admission rates are reduced to $8 for adults and $7 for children.
Visitors can grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate at The Shade Grounds or have some lunch in the Monkey Island Café. Maybe take time to watch a penguin feeding before heading to the Gifts of the Wild to see what new items have arrived.
Spring Fever is rampant so it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy John Ball Zoo again with the whole family.
John Ball Zoo is located on Fulton Ave., 1 mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. The Zoo is the fourth most attended cultural institution in the state. For more information visit www.jbzoo.org or call 616-336-4301.
If the U.S. had performed as well as its peer countries between 1961 and 2010, researchers concluded, more than 600,000 deaths of children from birth to age 19 could have been avoided over those 50 years
Happy Valentine’s Day, kids. You’re our top priority.
Except when you’re not. Which is pretty much all the time, if you are to believe the World Health Organization and researchers from Johns Hopkins University Medical School, who have concluded the United States is the “the most dangerous of wealthy nations for a child to be born into.”
Our most recent Valentine’s gift to children was the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida. Fourteen students, a teacher, an athletic director and football coach were gunned down by a suspect believed to be a former classmate and troubled 19-year-old.
A study published on Jan.18 in the journal Health Affairs found U.S. teenagers are 82 times more likely to be killed by firearm than in any other wealthy developed nation in the world. Researchers concluded the wealthy nations most like the U.S. are the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development members Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Before we parse this discussion into one of mental health vs. gun control, let’s dig a bit deeper. Our lack of concern for children begins far earlier than their exposure to gunfire by individuals who can legally obtain assault weapons in virtually every jurisdiction within the U.S.
Our nation’s infant mortality rate is 76 percent higher than the 19 other members of the OECD cited above. That along with all other sources of mortality, including gun and motor vehicle deaths, put children and young adults in the U.S. at greater risk than any other wealthy nation.
If the U.S. had performed as well as its peer countries between 1961 and 2010, researchers concluded, more than 600,000 deaths of children from birth to age 19 could have been avoided over those 50 years.
Let’s think about that a minute. Look around you. Imagine a disaster that could wipe out virtually every man, woman and child in Kent County. That’s what 600,000 childhood deaths represents, as the 2015 census update estimated our county’s population at 636,369.
“There is not a single category for which the OECD 19 had higher mortality rates than the U.S. over the last three decades of our analysis,” wrote Dr. Ashish Thakrar, lead researcher for the Johns Hopkins study.
Students Suffer Academically, Too
U.S. educational neglect is almost as devastating as the disastrous deaths of infants, teenage auto accident victims, and those gunned down in school shootings and other incidents involving weapons.
The Pew Research Center reported a year ago that U.S. educational performance in math, as measured by the Programme For International Student Assessment, lagged each of the 19 OECD nations. American students topped just five of those countries in science and four in reading.
Michigan, of course, is now near the bottom of performance among the states nationwide. That could be due, in part, to the dramatic underfunding of our schools identified early this year in research commissioned by the Michigan School Finance Research Collaborative. That study found general education students with no special needs should receive nearly $2,000 more per year in resources to achieve state standards. Students who are economically disadvantaged, English-language learners and children with special needs require far more resources to meet proficiency on state-prescribed standards.
Nearly every policy maker elected to any state, local or national position higher than dog catcher or drain commissioner will tell you his or her highest priorities are the health, education and safety of children.
I know what my 86-year-old mother would say to those office holders after reading this column. She’d say the same thing she said to me when I argued innocence after failing to meet her expectations. “Actions speak louder than words.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
By K. Caldwell, Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University
As priorities of government have shifted away from directly providing services and programs, there has also been an explicit and implied expectations shift between government and philanthropy (defined here to include donors, volunteers, charities, and foundations). The partnerships between governments and philanthropy have evolved from working on similar issues independently, to working together or in place of one another. Consequently, there are new challenges in terms of roles, responsibilities, resources, and repercussions that merit exploration.
In recent years, philanthropy has undeniably taken on a larger role in meeting community needs and serving as an economic engine. Nearly one-third of nonprofit sector revenues come from public sources to fund vital services (McKeever, 2015). And one in ten workers in America are employed by a nonprofit organization. That workforce is growing in response to society’s demands (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016).
What is more fascinating (and perhaps alarming), is the many ways, in which philanthropy is now temporarily substituting for, or flat out supplanting, the traditional roles of government. A few examples from Michigan present very different, yet similarly complicated examples of sector role conflation.
Kalamazoo, Mich. launched the Kalamazoo Promise — an effort to provide higher education opportunities for all public-school graduates — with the support of five anonymous donors (Bartik, 2015). In that same community, two other donors have committed their wealth toward the creation of a new nonprofit, the Foundation for Excellence, which provides funds to maintain a stable property tax rate and structure and funds innovative community solutions as defined by city government.
Flint, Mich. experienced one of the nation’s greatest infrastructure failures when the city switched its public water source to the Flint River without proper anticorrosion treatment, thereby damaging the plumbing system, and leaching lead into the drinking water (Bosman, 2016). Foundations and nonprofits stepped up as first responders, delivering bottled water and water filters to residents. A group of foundations ultimately
stepped in to underwrite the costs of switching the water back to the original source, and the community foundation launched a response fund to provide for the long-term nutrition and education needs of the children affected by the increased lead levels (French, 2016).
When Detroit, Mich. filed for bankruptcy in July 2013, its debt was estimated at $18-$20 billion. Several foundations pooled their resources to help ensure that pensioners could survive on their fixed incomes, while the Detroit Institute of Arts (which was otherwise headed for the auction block) was reinvented as a nonprofit with a solid financial footing. A new fund was developed through the local community foundation to disperse settlement funds to various individuals and organizations involved in the settlement. (Ferris, 2017)
If paradigm shifts such as these are a good thing for the sector and demonstrate the versatility and leadership philanthropy can demonstrate, there are important questions to address as these new “muscles” are exercised. Can philanthropy’s assets substitute for those provided through the public sector? If so, are the sector’s current fiscal and operational systems ready to deal with the change? What are the accountability and transparency responsibilities of philanthropy if it is asked to step into leadership roles traditionally occupied by elected bodies? It is important to be cognizant of the challenges that unclear boundaries and unrealistic expectations can bring to such paradigm shifts.
Reprinted with permission from Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University.
Monday, March 5, Drake’s Pub officially closes. It in about two weeks it will be opened as a new Garage Ba & Grill.
Less than a year after acquiring a bar and grill in Wyoming’s Godwin Heights area, Third Coast Development along with Garage Bar & Grill owner and operator Kevin Farhat announce that Drake’s Pub, 3766 Division Avenue, will soon become a second Garage Bar & Grill establishment.
Starting Monday, March 6, Drake’s Pub, which was once known as Southland Tavern, will be closed. The place will be remodeled over two weeks and then reopening as Garage Bar & Grill. Proprietor Kevin Farhat says the interior will be redecorated to resemble the popular North Monroe district’s design and a completely new kitchen will be constructed.
Garage Bar & Grill executive chef Shaen Abbott joins Farhat as an operating partner at the Division Avenue location.
“We are excited to bring the popular Garage Bar & Grill concept to Godwin Heights,” said Kevin Farhat. “As we mentioned last year when we acquired the property, we want to blend our brand into the characteristic of this neighborhood, and we feel the Garage Bar concept, and its exceptional menu, will accomplish that goal, especially with the automotive manufacturing history of this area.”
Aside from the new name, interior design and signage, the biggest change to the facility will be the kitchen operations and menu items.
“Don’t let the ‘bar’ name fool you, Garage Bar & Grill has won several awards for its menu, so we are excited to bring new, fresh items at a fair price to Godwin Heights,” said Shaen Abbott. “No frozen food here, just fresh ingredients that arrive daily from our local suppliers,” Abbott added.
After remodeling the former Teazers Bar & Grill in 2014 to the current Garage Bar & Grill (located at 819 Ottawa Ave. NW), the newly established restaurant quickly gained a reputation for serving quality food at reasonable prices, according to Grand Rapids Press food critic John Serba.
All the food and drink specials and philanthropic commitment to honoring veterans that customers have experienced at the North Monroe location will be present at the new location.
Third Coast partner Brad Rosely said he is excited about the possibilities for the Garage Bar & Grill brand in Wyoming’s Godwin Heights area.
“We firmly believe that the success we’ve had at the original Garage Bar will be replicated at our Godwin Heights location,” Rosely said. “Kevin always says that he knows how to ‘run a good party’, so we’re excited to bring that Garage Bar energy to this location. But, he also knows how to run a great establishment, so we’re eager to enhance the bar and grill offerings to the Godwin Heights area.”
There are decorated classrooms and then there’s Wyoming’s Gladiola Elementary School teacher Jennifer Blackburn’s decked-out classroom. Seeking to appeal to and stimulate her first graders’ senses and give them a home away from home, Blackburn’s classroom is a student mecca of comfy chairs, whimsical decorations and colors.
At first glance, girls seated at a dining room table could just as easily be having a tea party as doing math. There’s ample student artwork mixed in with twisty borders and loopy streamers. Rather than working at desks or even assigned tables, students settle into camping chairs, antique rockers and wicker seats or choose backrest pillows for cozy reading on the floor. The walls are painted a calming blue Blackburn used at her own house; paper-lantern globes hang from the ceilings and lamps illuminate soft light.
Alexis Winfield, left, and Brooklyn Weenum work at a wooden table
Three years ago, Blackburn became inspired to make her classroom more like home, from colors to furniture to lighting and decor. She’s hung curtains and added seat covers.
“I was trying to meet the different brain needs of students,” said the 18-year Wyoming teacher. She felt traditional classrooms were too sterile and institutional, and wanted a more inviting atmosphere.
“As a classroom it’s kind of like their second home, as well as mine,” she said, noting that she adds more seating and decor as her budget allows.
Appealing to Different Learners
Blackburn studied multi-sensory learning and flexible seating, both based on philosophies that students learn through movement and by using all of their senses. She wanted to give them a place they are excited about, call their own and feel comfortable learning, moving and growing.
Marlee Waldrop, left, and Carly Alonzo settle on the floor to do math
“I was going for an alternative style that provides comfort,” Blackburn said. “This kind of environment lends itself to them having ownership.”
Recently, in the midst of the energetic youngsters, Blackburn conferred with a student about her reading progress, pointing out big improvements. “That’s what we want to see, girl,” she said, offering a high five. Around her, students read and worked independently in spots of their choosing.
“I like to sit at the owl table,” said first-grader Francisco Castillo, referring to the dining room table, which has seats covered in an owl-patterned cloth. His classmate Yudexy DeLos Santos agreed, saying, “It is much more comfortable to sit at.”
But Oscar Hernandez, who said he likes the ABC decorations on the walls, had a different favorite spot: “I like sitting in the rocking chair.”
Blackburn’s goal is to give students opportunity and choice so they are independent learners. “A lot of brain-based learning has to do with movement. It’s student-led.”
In instruction, Blackburn encourages getting out of the seats. Students hop to count “ones” in math, stand like a stick to resemble a base 10 blocks. “It’s not a sit-and-get class,” she said.
To accommodate that, she’s always adding more touches of home to her classroom because she sees how students react.
“There’s a calmness. There’s definitely a pride of ownership in taking care of the items in the room,” she said. “They gravitate to certain areas of the classroom they find comforting to them.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of Wyoming and Kentwood sports events and government meetings, including the monthly Government Matters meeting. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
The WKTV sports truck was on the road Wednesday night at the girls high school District 57 tournament at Wyoming Godwin Heights and, after the outcome of the early week tournament action, we have added the Friday, March 2, Class D District 98 finals at Wyoming Potter’s House Christian to our coverage schedule.
The 6 p.m. game will pit host Potter’s House (12-10 on the season) against West Michigan Lutheran (15-5). The two teams met previously this season, when Potter’s House won, 31-29, on Dec. 5, 2017. To get to the finals, Potter’s House defeated Holland Calvary, 37-27, on Monday; then defeated Tri-unity Christian, 25-22, on Wednesday. WML gained a bye in the first round and defeated Byron Center Zion Christian, 38-33, on Wednesday. The winner of the District 98 will move on to face the winner of District 99 in the Regional 25 bracket at Burr Oak.
The Potter’s House vs. WML game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeated Saturday at 11 a.m., on WKTV 25 and AT&T U-verse 99.
Repeats of the two semifinals games WKTV covered Wednesday, Feb. 28, Wyoming Kelloggsville vs. West Michigan Aviation Academy and Wyoming Godwin Heights vs. Grand Rapids South Christian, will be rebroadcast Saturday after the District 98, at about 12:30 p.m.
And check back on Monday, March 5, to see where the WKTV coverage crew will be as boys basketball district action starts.
All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com .
The complete schedule of all local high school sports action, and for any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is being recognized for having one of the best and most energy-efficient airports in the region. Consumers Energy presented a rebate check for $151,631 to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) today, as part of the company’s energy efficiency program which is saving the airport energy and money.
GFIA received the rebates for six projects totaling $151,631 and 2,140,991 kilowatt hours in annual savings – enough electricity to power nearly 300 Michigan homes for a year. The six projects include the most recent completion of the Gateway Transformation Project Phase One, work in the Airport’s parking garage, and upgrades in the Field Maintenance and Airport Rescue Firefighting facilities.
“Our airport is proud to receive recognition for being energy-efficient, and we are grateful to have partners like Consumers Energy who help us recognize areas where we can improve and be more resourceful,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “As we continue to expand our footprint during upcoming construction and make technology upgrades and improvements, we want to be as green as possible.”
Consumers Energy has helped Michigan customers save more than $1.5 billion through energy efficiency projects since 2009.
“Our commitment to world class performance delivering hometown service means we work every day helping customers like GFIA with creative solutions to reduce energy consumption. This is good for the planet, and also lowers energy bills which ultimately benefits Michigan’s economy,” said L
The National Weather Service will be hosting a SKYWARN Basic Spotter Training Thursday, March 1, at Hudsonville Hudsonville High School, 5037 32nd Ave., Hudsonville.
Each year, United States citizens cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 flood, 1,200 tornadoes, and two landfall hurricanes. Approximately 90 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather-related, causing around 500 deaths each year and nearly $14 million in damage.
In the 1960s, the National Weather Service developed a program to trained weather spotters who provide reports of severe and hazardous weather to help meteorologists make lifesaving warning decisions. Spotters are concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, mariners, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials who volunteer their time and energy to report on hazardous weather impacting their community.
During the summer, SKYWARN weather spotters could report on such summer weather hazards as tornadoes, thunderstorms, lighting, flooding, heat, hurricanes, rip currents, wildfires and air quality drought. For more about the SKYWARN program, visit skywarn.org.
The March 1 training is from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Those interested should register at https://skywarn2018.eventbrite.com. The training is free.
Javier Olvera is the president and owner of Supermercado Mexico in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He joins us to tell his own immigrant story, talk about the joys and challenges of business ownership, and share his vision for Hispanic entrepreneurship in his adopted city.
Michigan’s U.S. Senator Gary Peters delivered the annual reading of President George Washington’s Farewell Address on the Senate floor Feb. 26 in honor of the first president’s birthday.
To this day, Washington’s Farewell Address is considered be one of the most important documents in American history and the foundation of the Federalist party’s political doctrine. In 1862, during the American Civil War, thousands of Philadelphia residents signed a petition requesting that Congress commemorate the 130th anniversary of Washington’s birth by reading his Farewell Address in either the House of Representatives or Senate. It was first read in a joint meeting of the House and Senate on February 1862. Both the House and the Senate read the Farewell address until 1984 when the House abandoned the practice. Since 1896, senators of alternating parties have delivered the 7,641-word speech.
“President Washington’s Farewell Address offers a powerful message about the strength derived when our nation comes together as one — a message that is as relevant today as it was when it was written in 1796,” Peters said. “Washington’s words provide a valuable perspective at a time when our partisan politics are deeply divisive and increasingly marked by vitriol. I’m honored to take part in this tradition that returns to our country’s roots, inspires all Americans to strive for unity, and guides elected officials to seek out bipartisan compromises that help our national move forward together,” Peters said.
Peters is the third senator from Michigan to deliver the Address. Michigan’s U.S. Senators Julius C. Burrows (1895-1911) and Arthur Vandenberg (1928-1951) delivered it in 1902 and 1930, respectively. Peters’ family also has a personal connection to Washington. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and his forefather, William Garrett, served in the Virginia militia alongside General Washington at Valley Forge during the harsh winter of 1777-1778.
After the reading, the selected senator signs their name and writes a personal note in a book kept by the Secretary of the Senate.
Some people like to hunt for their eggs and others prefer to swim for them. Well, at least that is what area children will do at the 8th Annual Kentwood Public Schools Aquatics Center In-Water Easter Egg Hunt.
Set for March 24 from noon to 1 p.m., the aquatic center staff fills its pool up with bright color Easter Eggs with area children having the chance to jump in and collect as many as they can.
According to Joey Sutherlin, one of the organizers, more than 200 children attended last year’s In-Water Easter Egg Hunt, “but thanks to the generosity of our Kentwood community, we were able to accommodate them all and increase that number.”
Organizers for the annual event have put a call out to the community to once again donate items. The items needed are:
• plastic Easter eggs
• sandwich baggies or clear Easter gift baggies
• chocolate bunnies
• candy
• aquatic or Easter toys
• cash donations
Donations should be dropped off at the pool, located at the East Kentwood High School, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. The aquatic center is located at Entrance K. Organizers are asking that donations be dropped off by 2 p.m. March 21.
The March 24 In-Water Easter Egg Hunt is free and open to the public. Children four and under will meet at the splash pool with their egg hunt starting at 12:15 p.m. Children five and up will be at 12:35 p.m. and second round, if needed will be at 12:50 p.m.
