WKTV Government 26 will be featuring two special programming events from NASA TV.
On Saturday, Jan. 13, WKTV will be showcasing the departure of the SpaceX/Dragon CRS-13 Cargo Craft from the International Space Station. Coverage will begin at approximately 4:30 a.m., with the release scheduled at 5 a.m.
Dragon will return to Earth with about 3,600 pounds of cargo after an approximately one-month stay at the orbiting laboratory. About five hours after Dragon leaves the space station, it will conduct its de-orbit burn, which lasts up to 10 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes for Dragon to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California.
Tuesday, Jan. 16, WKTV will be featuring the RS-25 Engine Fire Test from the Stennis Space Center, a NASA rocket test facility. The test will begin at 4 p.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and on AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
With her kind voice and seemingly ever-present smile, it’s easy to see how Kentwood Public School’s Challenger Elementary social worker Pam Buschle has impacted the lives of children over the past 26 years, offering support and a helping hand to many.
Now, with the help of East Kentwood High School engineering students, she’s made it possible to literally give a hand –- a 3-D-printed prosthetic one — to a child in need.
Students recently printed and assembled a hand prototype and will soon create a final version for a child, thanks to an online community of designers and a challenge from Buschle. They will be able to choose the child who will receive the hand, and they are especially interested in supporting someone from a war-torn country.
Social worker Pam Buschle uses an iPad with her prosthetic hand.
This gift was made possible by the No Limbits (pronounced “no limits”) Foundation, created by Buschle and her husband, Marty, a year ago. Its mission is to provide children with prosthetic limbs and to help people who have faced physical challenges have the highest quality of life possible in other ways. Challenger Student Council members raised about $500 for the foundation.
Buschle had both legs and both arms amputated while batting septic shock following routine surgery in early 2014. She now wears prosthetics to replace all four limbs, and is still able to work, walk, use her iPad, open doors and much more.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to give back,” Buschle said. “When I lost my limbs, the Kentwood community, students and teachers all gave back to me. This project is allowing me to give back to someone who might not have hope. I was the recipient of so much love and assistance, and now we are going to be able to offer that to someone.”
Because of cost, prosthetics are out of reach for many people. Buschle’s electric prosthetics cost $125,000 each, mostly paid for through insurance and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Fittings alone cost thousands of dollars. While the 3-D-printed hand is much more basic than Buschle’s, a professionally made, muscle-actuated hand can cost around $6,000 to $10,000, so cost is a huge barrier around the world.
A 3D-printed prosthetic will give new opportunities to a child who is missing a hand
Making Prosthetics Accessible
E-NABLE, a community of individuals from all over the world, offers free, downloadable designs for people to use their 3-D printers to create prosthetic hands and arms. Design kits are open source and available through the site.
At Buschle’s request, East Kentwood engineering teacher Randy Smith challenged seniors Gabe LaComte and Jason Gray-Moore, and juniors Joshua Cancler and Cole Culp, to 3-D-print the hand using files from e-NABLE. They spent about 20 hours using two printers in Smith’s classroom to finish a prototype by following a step-by-step process. They will next upload a video of the hand to e-NABLE, which will verify it and send specific measurements from a child for the final hand.
Money raised by Challenger students was used to purchase materials, including filament for the 3-D hand.
“I enjoyed doing 3-D printing of the hand,” Jason said. “You can help somebody who is not as fortunate as us and we can give them a hand because we have the resources to do it.”
Added Cole, “It’s a good opportunity to make a change for someone who doesn’t have something as basic as a hand. Some people go their whole lives without being able to pick up something. It’s nice to know you helped them with something like that.”
Social worker Pam Buschle lost her arms and legs while battling septic shock
No Limbits has also brought a child to Grand Rapids for a prosthetic hand, Zoey Krause from the Dominican Republic, whose father, Tim Krause, is an East Kentwood High School graduate. They sponsored a 5K run called Medaling Monkeys for special education students; provided scholarships for teenagers who need adaptive equipment to participate in a sport; sent care packages to people around the country who have lost their limbs; and they plan to build more 3-D hands.
Buschle said her career has given her perspective on life. For many years she worked with students on the autism spectrum.
“Seeing the resilience and hard work students would put into living their happiest, fullest life gave me a lot of inspiration when I went through this experience,” she said. “I was able to look at the students and families I had known for years, and think about how they put one foot in front of the other when things seemed very impossible and difficult, and draw a lot of strength from that.”
Buschle returned to work seven months after losing her arms and legs.
“It was really beautiful, being back in school, how much the students encouraged me and accepted me, and have shown me how to be compassionate and accepting and loving. Children are naturals at that. There are a lot of lessons we can learn from our students.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
These students helped raise money for school social worker Pam Buschle’s foundation: from left, Challenger students Whitney Dixon, Aaron Cobb, Emma Belden, Leena Karaein and Cheyanne Meyers
Taking advantage of changes in state rules on how schools can spend sinking fund millage requests, and after unanimous approval by the Godfrey-Lee School Board this week, the district will put before voters on the May 8 ballot a 3-mill sinking fund request to address safety, security and technology issues.
An 2016 amendment to the state’s School Code allows expenditure of up-to-10-year, 3-mill maximum, sinking fund millage increases for additional school infrastructure uses such as technology and security upgrades in addition to building repairs and renovations.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston, center, speaks to the State Board of Education recently. (Supplied)
Approval of a new sinking fund would “ease the general fund to allow as many dollars as possible to stay in the classroom,” Superintendent Kevin Polston said to WKTV. “A new eligible area of the sinking fund is technology. We currently use general fund dollars to pay for technology devices. As we know, general fund dollars fluctuate and there is no guarantee as to what we will get from year to year. Much less keeping up with inflation. The sinking fund will provide a sustainable means to provide current technology devices for our students across our K-12 system.”
The 3 mills would be collected for 10 years — 2019 to 2028 — and generate approximately $315,000 the first year. Polston said 2 mills would go toward maintenance, energy and safety and security, with 1 mill for technology.
Polston said a series of community meetings will be scheduled to discuss the tax request with residents.
“In regards to maintenance, as stewards of our taxpayers dollars, we need to maintain our buildings to provide the best learning environments we can for our students. If we do not follow a regular maintenance schedule, it will result in higher costs and less dollars going to the classroom,” Polston said.
“In addition, there are new technologies that have lower operating costs, but have an initial up front cost. An example is through the sinking fund we will install LED lighting in all of our buildings. LED lighting provides an enhanced learning environment at a significantly reduced operating costs and longer lifespan.”
The district’s previous sinking fund levy, 1.9976-mill, approved by Godfrey-Lee voters in 2009 is expiring.
According to the district, the average home value for a residence in the district is $67,169 and a homeowner with a homestead exemption is currently paying $67 per year and with the extra mill requested would see an increase of $34 for a total of $101.
It’s love on the run — literally — as Kentwood hosts its first-ever Valentine’s Dash Feb. 10.
“We decided to add an additional race to our list of events due to the cancellation of our Ugly Sweater Run in November because of inclement weather,” said Spencer McKellar, a recreation program coordinator for the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, who is overseeing the Valentine’s Dash event.
“As a department we also realize there are limited outdoor recreation opportunities in the winter. By offering this new race during February, we hope to encourage members of our community to get out and enjoy our beautiful trails and parks throughout the entire year.”
The 3.1-mile course, which McKellar note is great for any skill level, will have participants start and end at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, traveling along an east/west trail and into the Old Farm Park and adjoining neighborhood. Along the way, there will be Valentine’s candy stations.
McKellar said the library provides a warm place for both registration and the after party/awards program. Each participant will receive a knit cap and a goodie bag. There also will be a race raffle with a number of items raffled off including a night stay for two at the DoubleTree hotel, golf packages and other items.
Awards will be given for fastest time as well as best dressed with other runners helping to judge those in Valentine-themed costumes. Also at the after party will be music, Valentine-themed snacks, and a photo booth.
“We want to make this a fun Valentine-themed race with candy, prizes and lots of fun,” McKellar said.
In an effort to improve third-grade reading proficiency, the Godfrey Lee Public Schools district will receive $20,000 to implement instructional practices recommended by Reading Now Network over the next two-and-half years.
An instructional team of about a dozen literacy experts from all over the state recently visited classrooms to observe reading and writing instruction at Godfrey Elementary School, which houses third through fifth grades, and Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Education Center, which houses preschool through second grade.
The district was invited to receive help from RNN because of its demographics and low third-grade reading proficiency levels. The district has the second-highest English-language learner population in the state, at about 50 percent. About 90 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch and third-grade reading proficiency is about 27 percent.
“We are one of the lower-achieving schools,” said Godfrey Elementary Principal Andrew Steketee. “We don’t want our socioeconomic status to be an excuse for that. Knowing our students and staff, there is no reason we can’t be higher achieving. They are going to help us identify how to be more successful.”
Reading Now Network, a collaborative effort involving 100 districts, launched in 2014 to increase the proportion of third-graders reading proficiently to 80 percent.
It was started by examining best instructional practices at elementary schools with high reading success rates in order to implement them region-wide. High-achieving schools studied ranged from urban to rural, with varying levels of poverty.
Literacy expert Patti Konarska helps a student with letters (Photo courtesy of Kyle Mayer)
Help from the Experts
As a participant, the Godfrey-Lee district receives a day of instructional rounds from literacy experts. Steketee will work with a facilitator, a highly skilled literacy expert, to put into practice priorities identified in the classroom visits.
Western Michigan University, in partnership with RNN, received a $12.5 million federal grant known as the High Impact Leadership Project. This project will support 152 of the highest-poverty, lowest-achieving schools in 20 West and Southwest Michigan counties, including Kent and Ottawa.
In its first group of schools, which includes Godfrey-Lee, RNN will conduct Harvard Instructional Rounds in participating schools by March 1, said Kyle Mayer, Ottawa Area ISD assistant superintendent. Schools will receive $20,000 from the High Impact Leadership Project, and assistance to implement the resulting recommendations and to support early literacy practices of the General Education Leadership Network.
If work done over the next two-and-half years in those schools proves effective in boosting student literacy achievement, another cohort of schools will receive similar supports.
“We are optimistic that if we work together to support research-based practice in every classroom every day, student achievement gains will follow,” Mayer said. If data shows improvement, the grant will be extended.
Project Provides Focus
Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center Principal Pete Geerling said he looks forward to recommendations from RNN.
“Right now, there are so many good things out there, and we as a district try to make sure we are up to speed with best practice,” Geerling said. “But this is going to provide some focus — a couple things we can wrap our heads around and really try to attack.”
RNN has also worked in identified lab schools, helping them improve scores through effective instructional practices. Those schools included Parkview Elementary in Wyoming Public Schools; Moon Elementary in Muskegon Public Schools; Woodbridge Elementary in Zeeland Public Schools; and Big Jackson, a two-room schoolhouse in Newaygo County.
As a result, Moon Elementary boosted third-grade proficiency rates on the M-STEP from about 8 to 17 percent. The school has an almost 100 percent free and reduced lunch rate.
“They hosted this process of instructional rounds two years ago, identified some priorities and were supported by the Muskegon ISD in following through on those,” Mayer said. “They are kind of the shining star as a school that is really deeply committed to recommendations that were produced out of an instructional rounds day. They have results that show things are moving in the right direction.”
The Little Free Pantry, usually located at the Kentwood Activities Center, has been well received since first being introduced last year.
In fact, according to Kentwood Parks and Recreation Coordinator Laura Barbrick, it has been so popular that at times it has been a little tough keeping it stocked.
So as part of this year’s Kentwood Martin Luther King Jr. event, the city will be hosting a food drive to help stock the Little Free Pantry. The food drive is set to run from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at Family Fare, 6127 Kalamazoo Ave. SE and from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Celebration Cinema South, 1506 Eastport Dr. SE.
The Little Food Pantry is located in the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.
Started in Arkansas with the motto “Neighbors serving neighbors,” the Little Free Pantry is similar to the little free library movement. The pantries are designed to be small and fill an immediate and local need. Basically, take an item or items when needed and leave an item or items when you can.
Kentwood introduced the Little Free Pantry at the 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. event. It’s official home is at the Kentwood Activities Center, however; while the center is being remodeled, the pantry has been moved to the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
“We have a number of families that utilize the pantry on a regular basis,” Barbrick said. “We are definitely getting more donations now that it is at the library, but we anticipate the need will continue once it moves back to the Activities Center.”
Donations are accepted at the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, during normal business hours, and once the center reopens in March, donations will be accepted there as well.
The city will end Jan. 15 with a program honoring Dr. King. That program will be at 4:30 p.m. at the library. There will be a proclamation from Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, a presentation by Kyle Ray, pastor of Kentwood Community Church, music by Craig Tyson, and refreshments provided by The Candied Yam.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King’s birthday, January 15. Campaigns for the day honoring King, who was assassinated in 1968, began soon after his death. Former President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
At the January Wyoming City Council work session this week, 1st Ward Councilmember William VerHulst announced he would not be seeking re-election this fall.
VerHulst said due to health issues, which caused him to miss the Jan. 2 meeting, he has made the decision to not run for his current seat. VerHulst has served as the city’s 1st Ward Councilmember since 1993.
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.
Mayor Jack Poll
Besides the 1st Ward Councilmember seat, seats also up for election will be the mayor’s, currently held by Jack Poll, and two council-member at large seats currently held by Kent Vanderwood and Sam Bolt. Bolt also is currently serving as mayor pro tem. Vanderwood and Bolt have not made any announcements on whether they will seek re-election. Mayor Jack Poll is expected to make an announcement on if he seeks to run for re-election at his State of the City Address set at the next council meeting Monday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW.
Those interested in running for any of the council or mayor seats need to file with the Wyoming City’s clerk office by 4 p.m. April 24. The clerk’s office is located in the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Candidate packets are available at the front desk.
The primary election is set for Aug. 7 and the general election is set for Nov. 6.
The community is invited to attend Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll’s annual State of the City Address on Monday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. The Address will be delivered at the beginning of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting in the Council Chambers of Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Individuals who are unable to attend in person are invited to watch the Address on WKTV or stream it live at wktv.org.
Mayor Poll will give an overview of the City’s activities from 2017 and a preview of its initiatives for 2018. He is also expected to announce his future political plans, as his current term expires in November of this year. Prior to being elected mayor, Poll served on the Wyoming City Council from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009.
For more information, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or follow the City on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofWyoming. You can watch the the Wyoming City Council meeting live on WKTV Channel 26 and it is rebroadcast again at 7 p.m. on Fridays.
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).
Here are the Cliff notes version of Beverly Leslie’s tale of woe and wonder. The frail but fabulous four-year-old (born in late 2013) was found hanging around the Wyoming condo of two of our volunteers in late October, but they weren’t able to wrangle her until two weeks later. Beverly Leslie’s initial laundry list of issues included being bloated due to a presumed pregnancy, a flea infestation, severe gingivitis and a rip-roaring bilateral ear infection secondary to untreated ear mites that ended up rupturing both eardrums.
A week later she was healthy enough to take to surgery to spay her where Dr. Jen discovered that the kitty was suffering from a uterine infection (no babies thankfully). At that time Dr. Jen also flushed out Beverly Leslie’s infected ear canals which unfortunately led to a complicated upper respiratory infection involving her nasal passages; this caused excessive post-nasal drip and literally weeks of batting fevers, drainage and a helluva roller-coaster ride of recuperation.
When Dr. Jen took her back to surgery on Nov. 27 to again address kitty’s aural issues, yet another problem presented itself: Beverly Leslie had developed nasopharyngeal polyps in both middle ears, further complicating her recovery; removal was a success but her white blood cell count was astronomically high due to the chronic nature of her conditions.
Thankfully with Christmas came the return of her health, and Dr. Jen was able to allow Beverly Leslie to take her hard-won spot on our adoption list!
In spite of everything, this darling little lady never squawked or complained, taking her nose wiping and temperature taking like the fierce warrior princess she is! Small yet feisty, she got her name from that quirky yet beloved character on the TV show Will & Grace, and let me tell you, she is a force to be reckoned with, as nothing keeps her down for long! She loves, loves, LOVES people and simply cannot get enough of their attention! It took her quite some time to adjust and accept the other kitties as her roomies, but once she did, she made a few furry friends.
Beverly Leslie will absolutely thrive in a place where cuddles and snuggles are plentiful and would most definitely do great with kids. We can tell you that she will receive a marvelous send off, once it is finally time for her to pack her bags and go home; if anyone deserves it, it is our magnificent marmalade Bev Les!
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.
Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library
Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library, has been named the top librarian in the nation by Library Journal.
The 2018 Librarian of the Year award honors a professional librarian among nominees from across the country for outstanding achievement and accomplishments reflecting the loftiest service goals of the library profession. Werner was recognized for his strong leadership, effective legislative advocacy and championing access for his more than 200,000 patrons in Kent County.
Werner is the first – and only – Michigan librarian to win the Librarian of the Year award.
“My version of leadership is to get the best people I can, give them what they need and then get out of their way,” Werner said. “I’m one gear in a big machine where everyone is important.” Werner credits this philosophy as a cornerstone to building strong advocacy among his team, municipalities, strategic partners and patrons.
Under Werner’s leadership, Kent District Library:
Championed access for all by becoming the first public library in the state to offer e-magazines, e-movies, e-comics and streaming video games free of charge.
Extended the reach of technology by circulating iPads and wireless hotspots community-wide.
Installed a collection of Little Free Libraries around Kent County. There are currently 14, which are housed in community centers, senior centers, parks and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Opened a branch in Kelloggsville High School, which will be a community library outside of school hours.
Began offering healthcare for part-time employees.
Partnered with other West Michigan libraries to collect 50,000 library materials for the Port Arthur Public Library, a Texas library devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
Launched a statewide short story contest called Write Michigan, now in its 6th year, which most recently drew more than 900 submissions from children, teens, adults and Spanish-language writers.
Provided books for military troops stationed in the Middle East.
Trained all staff members in first aid and CPR.
Launched adult program series highlighting beer (KDaLe), wine (KDL Uncorked) and coffee (KDL Caffeinated).
Partnered with The Geek Group and other local organizations to offer innovative programming, including STEM initiatives.
“Working with Lance is exciting,” said Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, KDL’s director of innovation and user experience. “I admire that he has respect for all of our staff and genuinely wants to do the best for our patrons and communities. This shows in the relationships he has grown over the years and our efforts to grow our KDL family to include more and more community groups.”
Werner builds his life around three pillars: kindness, empathy and love.
“I don’t feel like I have a job, it’s more of a calling,” Werner explained. “I’m so blessed to do work that I love, with those that I love, for those that I love. I consider myself a public servant and want to add to the greater good and touch the lives of future generations.”
Werner has been director of Kent District Library since May 2011. He previously served as director of the Capital Area District Library in Lansing and as a library law specialist at the Library of Michigan. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado, a law degree from Michigan State University and a master’s of library information systems from Wayne State University.
“As the 30th recipient of the LJ Librarian of the Year award, Lance exemplifies the dynamism and keen intelligence we expect in a winner,” said Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of Library Journal and School Library Journal. “His deep understanding of the importance of building and nurturing strong relationships at all levels has resulted in improved service for his community, enhanced benefits for the Kent District Library staff, and improved the outlook for libraries across Michigan. We are very excited to name him LJ’s 2018 Librarian of the Year.”
Werner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and is featured in Library Journal’s January 2018 issue, available in print and online. Werner was previously a 2016 LJ Mover & Shaker and 2017 Michigan Library Association Librarian of the Year.
WKTV’s Viebit service allows on-demand viewing of Wyoming and Kentwood government meetings, including the monthly Government Matters meeting. (WKTV)
WKTV Staff
news@wktv.org
Discussion ranging from national security to local mental health care were presented Monday, Jan. 8, as part of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meeting.
At the meeting, a representative of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters’ office talked about Sen.s Peters and Debbie Stabenow (both D-Mich.) attending the activation ceremony of the 272nd Cyber Operations Squadron at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base on Jan. 6. The 110th Attack Wing at Battle Creek “will bolster efforts to protect Department of Defense networks against cyber threats,” according to supplied information.
Also at the Government Matters meeting, Kent County Commissioner Harold Mast discussed the current funding shortfall for Network180, the county’s provider of support to persons with developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health problems including addiction and substance use, and the family members who access services for those needing mental health assistance. Network180 is currently dealing with a nearly $10 million shortfall due to changes in State of Michigan reimbursement of Medicaid policies.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be Feb. 12 at Wyoming City Hall.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktv.viebit.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
The Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council heard a presentation by Scott Gilman, executive director of Network180, on Jan. 2. (Supplied by Kent County)
Kent County’s community mental health provider, Network180, has already made internal staffing reductions and will likely cut funding from several community-service groups and projects after a now-started period of review and decision-making.
Combined, Network180 and a spectrum of independent groups provide support to persons with developmental disabilities, mental and behavioral health problems including addiction and substance use, and the family members who access services for those needing mental health assistance.
The bad news for Network180 employees, with more than 30 full-time equivalent positions cut — and the potential of more bad news of other providers — was detailed during a presentation Jan. 2 at the Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council by Scott Gilman, executive director of Network180.
The basic cause of the funding shortfalls, according to Gilman, is the difference in state funding between two Medicaid programs: the older, established Disabled, Aged and Blind (DAB) program and Michigan’s newer Healthy Michigan. Healthy Michigan provides $24 per person versus the $270 received from DAB. That leads to a $9.7 million shortfall for Network180.
The scheduled and potential cuts will also be part of the agenda at a meeting of Network180’s Board of Directors, which is chaired by County Commissioner Harold Mast, whose district includes portions of both Wyoming and Kentwood.
Kent County Commissioner Harold Mast, right, at a recent Wyoming-Kentwood area Chamber of Commerce Government Matters meeting. (WKTV)
“We are going to be facing with roughly $11 million deficit for this fiscal year, which started in October, or we are going to start running out of cash in May and June,” Mast said Monday to the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters meeting. “It is a complicated issue, (state) Sen. (Peter) MacGregor and, I know, (state) Sen. (Dave) Hildenbrand and a lot of other government officials, are trying to figure out what we can do to help it. But we are at a stage where we can’t continue to operate the way we are.
“It is not just our county, it is the seven counties in West Michigan, the Lakeshore Regional Entity. It is throughout the state,” Mast said Monday. “It is an issue of funding, the way the funding is given from the department of (Michigan Department of) Health and Human Services (MDHSS) for Medicaid eligible individuals. That has changed dramatically in the past year, and it just needs to get fixed. But in the meantime, we are running out of cash, so we are going to start cutting back some services.”
The Lakeshore Regional Entity manages a contact with MDHHS to provide services to Kent, Allegan, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.
“It is difficult for us because at the same time we are in a cost-cutting mode, we are also in a reinvention mode,” Mast said. “We really need to move forward … with an integration of physical and mental health, because that is what we need to perform better mental health services.”
And while funding for Network180, and groups and programs it funds, flow through the Kent County Commission, Mast admitted that, while there will be discussions on the situation, there is likely little the county can do to blunt the likely service cutbacks.
Mast said that likely only the state can solve the problem.
“Over the course of the last couple of months, as we saw it coming … we were confident until probably October, that the state was going to rectify what we thought was an easily solved issue,” Mast said to WKTV at the Jan. 2 meeting.
But “they have not recognized the discrepancy in the reimbursement rate. First of all they have resisted any acceptance of our study … they said even with that, you still have enough money. You should have enough money in your reserves. Well, we don’t … So we are at the cusp of a worse problem. All of a sudden its has come to a head, we have got to take some action, because we (Network 180) are going to run out of money … we are not going to be able to pay our bills.”
An independent study — funded by Lakeshore Regional Entity and eight of the state’s other nine Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) — by the Grand Rapids based Rehmann Group estimated a $97 million state-wide revenue shortfall, and a $7.8 million loss for the Lakeshore Regional Entity.
And, Mast says, there is likely nothing the county commission can do to rescue Network180, and the Lakeshore Regional Entity it is a member of.
“We (the county commission) have not had that discussion, that would be a difficult discussion, I think, whether the county would be willing to ante up,” Mast said. “I our case, it would be $10 or $11 million. We would have to have some pretty good guarantees because that is local tax money. We have not had that discussion.”
The County Commission has not had any discussions on this issue, according to a Jan. 9 statement from the county. “There are still a number of regulatory issues that would need to be addressed (i.e. we may not be able to use County funds to supplant Medicaid funding). We continue to work with the State to find a resolution.”
There is some discussion, Mast added, that the Lakeshore Regional Entity might be able to get a commercial loan of some sort in the short term with the promise of state funding flowing in and paying the loans back. “But there is not guarantee of that,” he added.
Van Andel Institute Graduate School (VAIGS), under the auspices of Van Andel Research Institute, offers a program of study leading to a Ph.D. in cell and molecular genetics. VAIGS is seeking reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as part of the standard pathway. VAIGS was granted initial accreditation in November 2013. As part of the reaffirmation process, VAIGS invites comments from the public prior to an on-site evaluation visit by a team from HLC.
In the United States, colleges and universities voluntarily seek accreditation from nongovernmental bodies. The Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional organizations that conducts institutional accreditation. To ensure the accreditation process is responsive to a broad range of constituents, HLC has integrated into its regular accrediting processes the third-party comment process mandated by the federal Higher Education Act Amendments. HLC forwards these comments to the evaluation team members and the institution.
Comments should address substantive matters related to the quality of VAIGS and its academic programs. Comments should include the name and address of the person(s) providing the comments, and will not be treated as confidential. Interested parties can submit comments by Monday, Jan. 29, either online at http://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/third-party-comment.html or by regular mail:
Third-Party Comment on Van Andel Institute Graduate School
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411
More information about the Higher Learning Commission can be obtained through its website at www.hlcommission.org. The VAIGS website is found at vaigs.vai.org.
It may have been a short Wyoming City Council meeting this past Monday, but it was a busy one with the council hiring a new finance director for the city and approving a tower for Kent County’s new dispatch system.
In 2016, Kent County voters approved a 70-cent surcharge on their telephone and internet connections. The estimated $4.5 million a year would be split between converting the county’s current public safety dispatch system and countywide fire dispatch services.
The City of Wyoming was approached about placing one of three of the towers needed for the new 800 MHz radio system on the Gezon Water tower, City Manager Curtis Holt told the council at the meeting. The new system would allow all police, emergency responders and state police personal as well as neighboring county police and fire to be interconnectable as they would all be utilizing the same radio system, Curtis said.
The agreement is slightly different then other tower agreements the city has.
“This is a no cost agreement,” he said. “We are not charging for this location. We are not charging for this location because it benefits our public safety.”
He said the other municipalities hosting towers, which are the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County, are not charging as well to help keep costs down, Curtis said.
Curtis also pointed out that the agreement has a maintenance section where as during maintenance of the water tower, the county, at its own cost, would have to move the dispatch tower to a temporary location.
The council unanimously approved the agreement. Curtis said the Gezon Water tower will be undergoing a painting project this spring with the new dispatch antennas being installed after that project is completed.
The Wyoming City Council also approved an amended agreement with Kent County for dispatch services since effective Jan. 1, the city will not be charged for fire safety dispatch since that is covered under the new surcharge.
Rosa Ooms has been named the city’s new finance director.
New City Finance Director
After several years without a finance director, the Wyoming City Council approved a motion to promote Rosa Ooms to the position.
According to the city’s website, the finance department at the City of Wyoming works in the following areas: payroll, payments to vendors, insurance plans such as medical, dental, vision, liability, property, life, and workers compensation, cash management, retirement plans, budget, and bonding. Robert Luders left the finance director position in 2015. The city has been working with a contracted CPA firm since 2014.
According to Mayor Jack Poll, Ooms, who has been the city’s deputy finance director, has been in the department, working with staff. “…[from] what she has shown and where we anticipate the finance department to go that she will be an excellent leader in there,” he said.
During the council meeting, City Manager Curtis Holt also spoke highly of Ooms and her work in the city’s finance department.
“We have been through kind of some ups and downs with our finance department since our finance director retired…,” Holt said. “Rosa has really stepped up and done a great job with our finance department. Our entire finance department is really operating very, very well. We are really pleased with what we are doing and I think that is kind of a tribute to Rosa and her leadership over this kind of tumultuous period. Congratulations to her and I think it is well deserved and I thank her for doing this.”
The City Council unanimously approved the recommendation with Ooms officially starting her new position on Jan. 8.
The next regular Wyoming City Council meeting, set for Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, will include the State of the City address from Mayor Jack Poll.
A live mermaid will be visiting the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) Jan. 13 and 14 as part of the Museum’s Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids exhibit.
For this special weekend, visit Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids to explore the various mythical creatures of the world and meet Mermaid Phantom! Mermaid Phantom will be in the exhibit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both January 13 and 14. Visitors can talk to Phantom, ask her questions about mermaids and mythical creatures, touch her tail and take photos with her!
“I am so excited to come warm up my fins at the Grand Rapids Public Museum when I visit the Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids the weekend of Jan. 13 and 14,” said Mermaid Phantom. “I haven’t seen humans in Lake Michigan since last summer! I hope I’ll meet plenty of people so we can take tons of pictures together… and talk about mermaid things too!”
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids featuring models and replicas of preserved specimens as well as cast fossils of prehistoric animals to investigate how they could have, through misidentification, speculation, fear, or imagination, inspired the development of some legendary creatures.
Admission to Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is $12 for adults, $7 for children, $9 for Kent County resident adults, $4 for Kent County resident children, and $2 for all Museum members! Tickets include general admission to the Museum, and can be purchased online at grpm.org or by calling 616.929.1700.
Mermaid Phantom will be talking about mermaid life along with discussing other mythical creatures.
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids offers many interactive stations throughout the exhibition. Visitors can build their own dragon on an engaging touch-screen and watch it come alive before their eyes in a virtual environment.
Visitors will touch casts of a narwhal tusk to discover how they lent credence to the centuries-old belief in the unicorn. Hands-on stations also include the lower jaw of Gigantopithecus (extinct group of apes) and a life-size reproduction of the talon of a Haast’s eagle.
This exhibitis located on the Museum’s third floor and runs through May 20.
Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (amnh.org), in collaboration with the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney; Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau-Quebec; Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Atlanta; and The Field Museum, Chicago.
Last year the U.S. saw a 17-year low in its unemployment rate and the addition of nearly 2 million new jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts unemployment will continue to decrease as job growth increases to 20.5 million new jobs through 2020.
As more Baby Boomers retire and the pool of unemployed individuals looking for work shrinks, the gap between job openings and qualified workers will grow. This skills gap will drive many of this year’s job trends.
Job seekers will likely notice these four trends in 2018:
IT Jobs in Diverse Industries: The increasing use of technology is creating the need for IT positions within manufacturing, health care and many more industries. Tech is not going away; now is the time for job seekers to gain new skills to meet the need for qualified IT workers.
Healthcare Boom: The aging U.S. population is increasing the need for health care. Providers will likely struggle to fill the roles needed to meet growing demand. Investing in health care training now will likely result in long-term payoffs for job seekers.
Upskilling Current Workers: Research has found that a major reason employees leave their jobs is because their interests change. Employers are increasingly investing in training so their staff will have the skills they need to grow into new roles and stay with the company.
Non-Traditional Education: Increasing college tuition combined with the need for skilled trades workers is shifting education paths after high school. Online courses and apprenticeships provide the skills needed for a successful career without hefty student loan debt. Employers are expected to accept more diverse credentials to expand their pool of qualified candidates.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
It is common practice to honor the flag prior to the a high school basketball game, to stand for the playing of the national anthem. But South Christian High School pushed honoring America, and American service members and veterans, to an whole other level at a game last month when it hosted a special veterans recognition ceremony.
At the Sailors’ Dec. 15 game when it hosted Caledonia, a special ceremony between the girls and boys games honored U.S. Navy SEAL David Warsen, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2012, and well as other servicemen and women that have sacrificed their lives. It was also a benefit for the David Warsen Foundation and Warriors Set Free, a Grand Rapids based organization for veterans run by veterans to help deal with PTSD, suicide, anxiety, depression, and other life issues.
The event was the creation of two South Christian students, seniors Andrew Haan and Will Warsen.
David Warsen “was a cousin of my friend Will, my partner in organizing the event,” Haan said to WKTV. “I know Dean VanderMey who is on the board at Set Free Ministries, I told him about this project and he referred me to Steve Prince, the main person at Warriors Set Free, which is an offshoot of Set Free Ministries.”
For Prince, it was not his first time working with the David Warsen Foundation and it all fit perfectly with his ministry’s mission.
“I was invited to the South Christian event by Andrew Haan, his brother is connected to Set Free Ministries,” Prince said to WKTV. “I have also attended several events with the David Warsen Foundation. A large part of my ministry is spreading the word about what we are doing, so being at that event helped to inform more people about our mission. I also spent some time (at the game) talking with people who are already connected to Set Free Ministries and military vets.”
Warriors Set Free — “Where the hurting and the Healer connect”, according to its website — “is a (Christian-based) ministry run by Veterans for Veterans. Typically a Veteran will only be comfortable talking to another Veteran about the experiences they have had in a war or military service. Trying to explain your military experience to a civilian has its challenges. We remove that problem by training Vets to help Vets. Our director, founder and volunteers are all Veterans.”
The Literacy Center of West Michigan is searching for volunteers to teach reading and writing skills to adults in the Kent County area. Volunteers offer one-on-one reading help to adults asking for assistance in reading or English as a Second language (ESL.)
Information sessions for volunteers are going to be held on Thursday Jan. 4 at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m., and Friday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. All of these sessions will last one hour and be held at 1120 Monroe Ave., N.W. Suite 240 – Grand Rapids, MI. To register, please call 459-5151, ext. 10, or email info.literacycenterwm.org.
The Literacy Center is a non-profit, United Way agency devoted to reducing illiteracy in the community. According to the 2003 National Assessment for Adult Literacy, up to 14.6% of adults in Kent County lack reading and writing skills used in every day life.
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Sheba — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a 13-year-old cat looking for my forever home. I’m a sweet and social girl who loves pets and playing! I also like to relax and would do best in a quiet home that would give me some love and attention. I’m an easygoing cat and would bring someone a lot of joy. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan! Animals ages 7 years and older have their adoption fees waived due to generous grant funding.
More about Sheba:
Animal ID: 31378891
Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Fun-loving Mijia
Female
Size: Medium
Color: Black/Orange
Spayed
Declawed
Mijia — Female American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
I am a fun-loving, 3-year-old looking for my forever home! I seem to be house trained, love to play, and know several commands. I am currently too stressed to go home with another dog, but may do well with a male dog once I’m comfortable in a home. I love to snuggle and go for walks! If I sound like a good fit for you, please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Mijia:
Animal ID: 37155706
Terrier, American Staffordshire/Mix
Female
Size: Large
Color: Brindle
Spayed
Chessy — Female Domestic Short Hair
Dainty Chessy
I am a 5-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I need to be placed in a home with no dogs and no small children. I am social and playful, however, I am not very tolerant of being picked up or pet. I need an environment where I can approach people on my own terms and in my own time and have a space to hide when I need to be alone. I do enjoy playing with people, especially with wand toys once I have warmed up. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Chessy:
Animal ID: 31798714
Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Female
Size: Small
Color: Grey
Spayed
Not declawed
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tuesday-Friday 12pm-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 11am-4pm.
The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
Calvin College’s January Series of lectures, always an intellectual bright light in the often dark days of mid-winter in West Michigan, has never shied away important if not always pleasant topics and often bright national speakers to local audiences.
The 2018 edition is no different, with weighty topics discussed including poverty and racism, and speakers including a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a New York Times best-selling author and a former technology adviser to the White House.
But Kristi Potter, director of the January Series, says there was a conscience effort this year to bring “positive and encouraging stories” to the college’s Covenant Fine Arts Center.
“This year as I reflected on what was happening in the news and what conversations would be good to have on the series in 2018, I felt a strong need to bring positive and encouraging stories,” Potter said in supplied material. “So as always, we will hear from speakers on a number of difficult topics like poverty, racism, pollution, restorative justice and dementia, but we will also hear stories of how we can make a difference in the world with our influence, our power, our money or even our mindset.”
From Wednesday, Jan. 3, through Tuesday, Jan. 23, attendees will hear 15 speakers who are leading voices in some of the nation’s — and world’s — most pivotal and timely discussions.
Among the featured presenters are Katherine Boo, a staff writer for The New Yorker whose work has been honored by a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant and Pulitzer Prize, and Jeremy McCarter, co-author of “Hamilton: The Revolution” and a person who witnessed the Broadway show’s journey from concept to cultural phenomenon.
Among the other notable, if possibly lesser known lecturers, are Kevin Olusola, who is best known as the beatboxing member of the Grammy-winning vocal quintet Pentatonix but has re-imagined the cello by mashing it together and the urban art of beatboxing into a new musical genre called cello-boxing. He will talk Wednesday, Jan. 17.
Shane ClairborneJohn Swinton
Also notable, if under-the-radar, lecturers are Shane Clairborne, who on Monday, Jan. 8, will present a talk titled “Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why it is Killing Us; and John Swinton, who on Tuesday, Jan, 23, will present a talk titled “Still Waters Run Deep: Reimagining Dementia and Humanness”.
And, also as is the January Series overriding theme, spirituality plays a central role in many lectures.
“I think this year’s lineup reminds us to have hope that God is in control and there are good things happening in the world and good people leading this work,” Potter said. “And we can be a part of it.”
The series runs from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Covenant Fine Arts Center on Calvin’s campus. A repeat performance and conversation with Olusola will take place on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. No tickets required for the day or one evening events (but they do fill up quickly, so do not be late).
Field work is now complete on the expansion of the methane gas collection system at the closed Kentwood Landfill. Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) installed eighteen new gas wells to extract the methane gas from the western edge of the landfill. Eight additional wells were installed to provide access for continued routine monitoring of the site.
During routine monitoring in fall of 2016, the DPW discovered methane gas migrating outside the solid waste boundaries of the Kentwood Landfill causing potential for methane gas intrusion into nearby City of Kentwood buildings and neighboring residences. Kent County DPW organized a project team and worked alongside the City of Kentwood, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and engineering consultants to design a second methane extraction system.
In fall 2017, after extensive investigation and continued monitoring, DPW moved forward with the installation of eighteen new gas wells between 15 and 106 feet deep and added eight monitoring wells. On Dec. 27, a new flare system was activated and is now extracting methane gas along the western boundary of the landfill where methane was found to be migrating. DPW will monitor the newly installed system and will continue to routinely test onsite and off site monitoring wells indefinitely.
“Work at the site progressed as expected and the new flare is now activated,” said Molly Sherwood, Environmental Compliance Manager at Kent County DPW. “Our project team is confident that this expansion will serve the site well to control the methane that is migrating outside the boundaries of the landfill.”
Kent County DPW continues to offer no-cost, third-party methane testing for the 150 residences within 1500 feet of the landfill’s western boundary. To date, voluntary testing in nine residences and weekly monitoring of City of Kentwood facilities has shown no methane vapor intrusion into building structures.
The cost of this new extraction system was roughly $1 million with funding provided through the Kent County Solid Waste Surcharge.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced changes to open hours for 2018 starting this Saturday, Jan. 6, including earlier hours on Sundays.
Starting this weekend, visitors can visit the Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. This provides more opportunities for visitors to take advantage of the GRPM as the community hub for science, history and culture.
“We are excited to open earlier on Sundays for our visitors,” said Kate Moore, the Museum’s Vice President of Marketing & PR. “Based on visitor patterns we are shifting our hours to better accommodate our guests to be open when they want to visit us.”
The GRPM will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information on upcoming exhibits, events and more, visit grpm.org.
The Museum will no longer offer their extended evening hours on Tuesday nights with plans to do more regular evening programming at the Museum, including the Concerts Under the Stars series and Beer Explorers.
There is probably not a vantage point on the grounds of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park where you cannot see Beverly Pepper’s monumental sculpture “Galileo’s Wedge”. Depending on one’s world view, it is either an authoritative metal finger pointing toward the heavens or an elongated monolith-like spike sinking deep into the Earth.
Either way, the 2009 acquisition by Meijer Gardens is a soaring steel object of visual beauty and, simultaneously, engineering mastery which rises nearly 40 feet into the sky and an undefined depth into the ground.
It is that imagination-bending blend of engineering mastery and visual beauty which will be the focus of the next featured exhibit at Meijer Gardens as “Drawn Into Form: Sixty Years of Drawings and Prints by Beverly Pepper” opens Feb. 2, 2018.
The exhibition is the first public showing ofthe gift of Pepper’s expansive print and drawing archives that was given to Meijer Gardens in 2016 and 2017. Spanning seven decades of work by the contemporary sculptor, the archives includes hundreds of drawings, prints, works on paper and notebooks, with many containing sketches of her major sculptural endeavors on display around the world.
Beverly Pepper at Meijer Gardens. (Undated photo taken by George Tatge)
“The 2018 retrospective surveying sixty-five years of work is a rare luxury, and an unbelievable opportunity,” Pepper said in supplied material. “Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has clearly demonstrated a strong commitment to my sculpture and I am enthusiastic to now have this major body of my work there.” Pepper said in supplied material. “To have in one location a space to study, compare and sequence my drawings and prints is an exceptional opportunity.”
Pepper (born 1922 in Brooklyn, N.Y.) lives and works in Italy. Her works have been exhibited and collected by major arts institutions and galleries around the world, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., Les Jardins du Palais Royal in Paris, and The Museum of Modern Art in Sapporo, Japan.
Joseph Antenucci Becherer, chief curator and vice president of Meijer Gardens, sees the exhibit as a logical public extension of the artist’s gift.
“The importance of the gift and this exhibition simply cannot be overstated,” Becherer said in supplied material. “The opportunity to experience the sheer brilliance of Pepper’s work and trace the trajectory of her career from a realist aesthetic in the late 1940s and 50s, through her embrace of abstraction to become one of America’s leading abstract sculptors, is beyond compare.”
The exhibition will run through April 19, 2018.
Pepper is world-renowned for her work, which often incorporates industrial metals like iron, bronze, stainless steel and stone into sculpture of a monumental scale, but her vast drawing and print repertoire is lesser known.
Associated with the exhibit will be several special events including a March 18 discussion on “Five Great Women Sculptors” by Suzanne Eberle, Professor of Art History at Kendall College of Art & Design. The talk will focus on important female artists — including Pepper, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Louise Bourgeois, Barbara Hepworth, and Louise Nevelson — who have worked in large scale.
In our last newscast for 2017, we take a look back at the Year of the Rooster, according to the Vietnamese calendar. In 2017, the City of Kentwood marked its 50th anniversary with a variety of special events that included a weekend-long celebration in August. Mayor Stephen Kepley was re-elected to a second term as the city’s mayor and newcomers Emily Bridson and Tom McKelvey joined the Kentwood City Commission.
There also was a host of activities in the city of Wyoming as well from its second annual Clean Up Day to the Metro Cruise. Both cities also approved The Rapid millage continuing busing within the cities.
In the film “America Now,” Sid Lenger talks about why George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are featured on Mt. Rushmore.
“We were about ready to retire,” said Sid Lenger. “I was 69 at the time and we were showing films at Godwin Heights High School when this person came up and said ‘Would you like to go to India?’
“So we retired right into visiting India for the next 24 years.”
Lenger has never missed an opportunity to film. While serving on a landing ship, tank (LST) during World War II, he received permission to have a camera “and I brought a video camera as well,” he said.
The former owner of Lenger Travel has created hundreds of films. At age 99, he is not the globe-trotter he once was, but his travel films remain popular keeping Lenger busy with scheduling various series at Marge’s Donut Den. Starting on Jan. 2, WKTV will be featuring a selection of Lenger’s travel films, which will air at 2:30 p.m. on WKTV 25 and repeat at noon on Fridays.
“What makes his films so unique is that its not just the usual overview of well-known places such as Munich or Berlin, but Sid captures what life is really like,” said WKTV volunteer Tom Sibley, who has worked with Lenger on his series at Marge’s Donut Den. “When he took tour groups, he often would take smaller groups so that they could get up close to the whales or access to places larger groups could not visit.”
Lenger also built a lot of relationships with people because he kept coming back to those smaller communities, Sibley said. Such was the case when Lenger headed to the mountains of Northern Italy and film the history and art of the Anri wood carvers, recording a century-old tradition.
“The narration is clear,” Sibley said. “He doesn’t waste a lot of words and yet you can tell, he has done a lot of research.”
Sid Lenger with WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
“In ‘America Then’ (the first in the WKTV series), I take each of the presidents on Mt. Rushmore and explain why that president is there and what is going on during their lifetime,” Lenger said, adding the film also discusses the history of the U.S. flag. “A teacher came up to me and said that it is the best history lesson she had ever seen.”
In his partnership with Pastor John Devries, the founder of Mission India and the person who asked Lenger and his wife Beulah if they would be interested in visiting the country, Lenger filmed scenery and life in a country that was not always welcoming to Christians.
Filmmaking always has been a hobby for the World War II veteran. He created many of his travel films and showed them at Godwin Heights High School to help increase interest in some of the tours offered through his agency. Today, it still remains a hobby with Lenger maintaining a studio space in his home where he edits on a regular basis, according to his daughter Lavonne Ritzema. He also has an area for painting as well, she noted.
“I’ve got this Michigan film I’ve put together,” Lenger said. “I need to redo it. This summer, I am going to head over to Frankenmuth and get some footage of the Silent Night Chapel.”
As we all await for the Michigan film, take some time to check out some of Lenger’s earlier travel films on WKTV. Also, Lenger film series is every other Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. The Marge’s Donut Den series will restart on Jan. 10.
Ever wanted an ultimate Frisbee court? Hoping to have a splash pad at your park? How about more walking trails? Now is the time for Wyoming residents to speak up as the City of Wyoming asks for their input on what Gezon Park should offer.
Through Jan. 11, the City of Wyoming is seeking Wyoming residents’ input on a new master plan for Gezon Park.
The Gezon Park project is part of the library millage proposal that Wyoming voters approved in May. Voters approved a proposal that allowed the city to open up its current library millage to help with park improvements. About .16 of the .39 library millage, about $800,000 a year, is being used to help pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million.
The master plan will be the basis of the future park development plans. Residents are encouraged to take a survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GezonParkMasterPlan. The survey only takes about a couple of minutes to complete. The survey will be available until Jan. 11. After the survey information has been processed, there will be two public meetings on the park as well. The first is scheduled for Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The second will be on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St., located in the hospital.
Gezon Park, which includes 94 acres with two entrances, 5651 Gezon Ct. SW and 1940 52nd St SW, actually had a site plan developed in 1996. However much has changed since then, noted Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt, who oversees the parks.
“With the growth in the City’s southern region, from developments at Metro Health Village to expanded residential housing along Wilson Avenue, we need the facilities of Gezon Park to align, not only the community needs of today, but well into the future,” Rynbrandt said. “We really look to our community and area residents to guide this process so Gezon can be exactly what is needed for the area.”
The walking path at Gezon Park during the summer.
While Gezon Park runs from Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street, only the entrance areas have been developed. The north end of the park (the 52nd Street entrance) serves as a neighborhood park with basketball courts, a picnic shelter, playground area and walking trail.The south end of the park (the Gezon Parkway entrance) is an active sports park with baseball, softball, and football fields along with restroom facilities. The vast majority of the park remains undeveloped. The City of Wyoming Water Treatment Plant is located adjacent to the park on the City property as well.
Gezon Park is one of four parks included in the proposed park improvements. The other parks are Ferrand Park, a pocket park on Byron Center Avenue; Jackson Park, located at 1331 33rd St. SW; and Ideal Park, located at 5843 Crippen Ave. SW.
For more information about Gezon Park or the greater Wyoming Parks system or program, contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
2017 top story: Grace Bible College’s Kate Shellenbarger makes a difference by working with Wyoming police Det./Lt. James Maguffee. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
As 2017 comes to a close, I thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the most popular stories for the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.
In compiling this list, I took a look at both page views on a story, which indicates the number of people who clicked on the article, and also social media statistics. The result is a mix of both most read and shared articles from the WKTV Journal website.
A room with a view: The partnership to make the Kelloggsville Library a community library wrapped up the year and our list for most read and shared stories of 2017.
The first Kentwood City Commission met on Feb. 27, 1967. The city kicked off its 50th anniversary by hosting a commission meeting on Feb. 27, 2017.
The biggest event that took place in the City of Kentwood was the city’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration, so it only makes sense that many of the most read and shared Kentwood stories centered around the celebration. Some of those stories were:
Who does not love a good animal story? Through partnerships with such groups as Crash’s Landing and the Humane Society of West Michigan, we have featured a number of adoptable animals and of the top five, Nessarose, Jamie, Heihei, Cuervo, and Salsa (All from Crash’s Landing), three have been adopted, Nessarose’s adoption is pending and Jamie is being fostered.
Wrapping up our list of the 2017 biggest stories is Kelloggsville, KDL join together to open high school library to entire community, which I could not think of a better way to cap off the year. The story, which was published in December and did remarkably well for the short time it has been up, serves as an excellent example of how various community groups working together can find a way to fill a need. Those partnerships are what has enabled the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood to accomplish some pretty amazing things, as you can tell from this list of 2017 most read and shared stories.
And with that said, we look forward to covering the amazing things that both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood accomplish in 2018.
Two women who started national movements against acts of oppression will visit Grand Valley State University as keynote speakers during the campus’ 2018 commemoration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
April Reign, creator of the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, is slated as the speaker on Monday, Jan. 15; and Bree Newsome, who climbed a flagpole in South Carolina in 2015 to remove a Confederate flag, is the Wednesday, Jan. 17, speaker.
Reign is an attorney and writer who lives in Washington, D.C. In 2015, she sent a tweet critical of the 88th Academy Awards ceremony and lack of people of color nominated in major acting and directing categories. Her #OscarsSoWhite tweet went viral and was a catalyst for a social media movement and caused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to change its membership policies and voting rules.
Reign now has a social media following of more than 100,000, and is listed among the top 15 accounts on #BlackTwitter by the National Journal. She regularly appears at academic institutions, entertainment networks and studios to speak about diversity and inclusion.
As part of a collaborative effort among Grand Valley, Grand Rapids Community College and Davenport University, Reign also will give presentations at GRCC, Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids and Davenport’s campus during her two-day stay in West Michigan.
Bree Newsome
Newsome is a filmmaker and artist who was in the national spotlight in 2015 when the climbed a flagpole in Columbia, South Carolina — the state’s capital — to lower its Confederate flag. Her action came shortly after the mass shooting of nine African American parishioners at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. She was arrested along with another activist and soon #FreeBree was a Twitter trend and $100,000 raised for her $3,000 jail fine.
Her actions stirred the political pot in many communities. The Confederate flag was permanently removed from the statehouse by then-Gov. Nikki Haley and discussion moved across the country considering flags and monuments.
Newsome lives in North Carolina and works as an artist and community organizer. She earned the 2016 NAACP Image Award and was named to the Ebony 100, recognizing her commitment to civil rights.
Grand Valley’s 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week will run Jan. 15-20; visit gvsu.edu/mlkfor updates.
The first Parkview attendance celebration was a red-carpet affair for students like these kindergartners (from left) Major Weese, Benjamin Ramey, Taeja Gibson, Angel Gonzalez and Marianna Brault being recognized on stage. (All photos courtesy of School News Network.)
Parkview Elementary students shined, smiles spreading from ear to ear, as they walked down the red carpet laid out for them during a celebration of their success in getting to school nearly every day, all day.
Along with the grand Hollywood-style entrance, names of 260 kindergartners through fourth-graders were announced as students walked on stage in the Dan Heintzelman Fine Arts Center, honored for being in class 95 percent or more of the time during the first marking period. They then watched a movie with their families and went home with goodie bags. Beverly Reformed and Wyoming Park United Methodist churches sponsored the event.
The celebration, the first of three planned this school year, promotes family involvement in attendance, said Teresa Dood, Kent School Services Network community coordinator She works on the school’s attendance team with Principal Katie Jobson, social worker Micah Bell, KSSN clinician Staci Wolters, and Sarah Wildman, success coach for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Attendance is a critical piece to success in school, Dood said. “Kids miss critical building blocks when they miss school and days add up so quickly.”
About 8 percent of Parkview students were chronically absent for a range of reasons during the first marking period. The team takes multiple steps to remove barriers that are keeping children from school.
Those include transportation; unstable housing and homelessness; a parent who works third shift; and illness, anxiety and mental health issues. The staff goes as far as to help with car repairs, walk students to school, and connect families with health-care professionals. They make sure classrooms are stocked with hand sanitizer, tissues and cleaning wipes.
Superintendent Tom Reeder applauds as first-grader Kiara Thomas enters the building
Aligned with County-wide Goals
The countywide goal is for students to miss no more than five days per school year, said Mark Larson, Kent ISD’s truancy and attendance coordinator. Last year, Kent County education leaders — including a group of district superintendents, representatives from Kent County Juvenile Court, the Kent County School Justice Partnership and others — created a new policy with common definitions.
According to a study in Berrien County, replicated in other areas, top reasons students are kept home include parent-diagnosed illness, which includes the sniffles or other mild symptoms; routine dentist and doctors’ appointments for which parents pull students out midday and then don’t return; and parents placing a lack of value in attendance, including having older children stay home with younger siblings.
“When you look at it through that lens, it’s important the whole family values regular and consistent attendance,” Larson said.
Kristin Jacob and son, kindergartner Josiah, walk the red carpet to applause
Keeping Track of Days Missed
At Parkview, Dood and the staff review attendance records weekly, noticing patterns of absence early.
“Attendance is often an iceberg issue and really there are a lot of underlying things the family is struggling with,” Dood said. “When we talk to families, we try to look at it in a solution-focused manner: ‘What can we do to help you?’
“There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to attendance, it really needs to be individual.”
Sometimes the solution is just to stress the importance of attendance, beginning in kindergarten, to parents who have an “it’s just kindergarten” mentality. Stressing appropriate bedtimes is also important.
At the Parkview celebration, parents posed for photos with their children. Tim Agema, father to third-grader Ellie and first-grader Landon, said attendance is a priority for them. The reason? “Of course, education,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. You gotta be there every day.”
“Once you fall behind it’s hard to keep up. Every day matters,” added Kristin Jacob, mom to kindergartner Josiah.
Second-grader Sa’riyah Brown also knows why it’s important to be in class: “If you’re not there you don’t get to be smarter.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Parents also deserve recognition for making sure their students are in school as much as possible.
Wyoming and Kentwood’s local state government representatives were busy in Lansing in 2017, often on legislative action they felt passionate about. (Michigan Municipal League)
When it comes to working on public policy in Lansing, Michigan state legislators try to vote knowledgeably on wide range of issues. But they often have focal points for their efforts; legislative bills which they champion because they consider them uniquely important or, often, have a personal connection.
As 2017 comes to a close, WKTV asked the two state senators and two representatives who represent the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood to tell us about one of their legislative efforts that rose above the routine job of public policy and governance.
The answers ranged from combating the state’s opioid epidemic to supporting foster care parents, from protecting people by protecting their pets to a deeply held belief in the sanctity of the unborn.
Sen. Schuitmaker seeking an decline in opioid abuse
For Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker — Senate President Pro Tempore, R-26th District, which represents the city of Kentwood and Gaines Township in Kent County — a chance meeting with a constituent who lost her child to opioid abuse led her to focus on the issue and to work on several fronts to combat what some call an epidemic.
State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-26th District)
First, Schuitmaker sponsored legislation to allow law enforcement and first responders to carry the life-saving Naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Then, in 2015, she was appointed to Gov. Rick Snyder’s Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force, which issued several recommendations including the use of the Michigan Automated Prescription System to deter over-prescription problems such as so-called “doctor shopping” and “pill mills.”
Senate Bills 166 and 167 are expected to be signed by the governor soon.
“Every community across our state has experienced the devastating effects of prescription drug and opioid abuse,” Schuitmaker said to WKTV. “My colleagues and I have heard from parents of victims, individuals who have suffered from addiction, medical specialists, law enforcement and many others.
“Though many tragedies have happened in recent years, Senate Bills 166 and 167 are a culmination of hard work from every end of the spectrum to help put an end to this crisis. … This legislation will put an end to pill mills and other illegal operations by creating a paper trail for every Schedule 2 through Schedule 5 controlled substance. A quick, three-second search gives health care professionals a complete outline of a patient’s controlled substance prescription history; allowing them to see if something doesn’t look right.”
Rep. Brann takes love of animals to legally protected level
Anybody who knows Rep. Tommy Brann — R-77th District, including the City of Wyoming and Byron Township — knows he often explains his stands on issues with stories about people in his community if not in his restaurant. In this, his first year working in Lansing, he says one of his “pet” efforts was the introduction of House Bill 4332 and House Bill 4333, which increases the penalties of animal cruelty.
“I call HB 4332 the ‘Howie Bill’ because it changes the definition of animals to reflect them as companions in law, which is how I saw my dog Howie,” Brann said to WKTV. But the bill really has more of a backstory than just the legislator’s dog.
State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-77th District)
“While clearing tables at my restaurant and I overheard at booth #99 customers talking about the best way to get revenge on someone was to kill their dog,” Brann said. “This had a major impact on me, because of how much pets mean to me. Animal abuse should not be tolerated, and the proper, humane treatment of animals is good for society. According to multiple studies, there is a correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence.”
According to Brann, HB 4332 and 4333 make it a crime to knowingly kill, torture, or mutilate a companion animal, knowingly administer poison to a companion animal, or threaten to do any of those things, with the intent to cause mental suffering or distress to a person or exert control over a person. The bill also increases penalties for some existing animal abuse crimes, and expands some existing crimes. The legislation keeps some penalties against animal abusers the same but adds three tiers to the sentencing guidelines, and there is no minimum sentencing guidelines.
The House passed HB 4332 (92-15) and 4333 (90-17) and are currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee for review, he said.
Rep. Johnson follows his beliefs with anti-abortion effort
Rep. Steve Johnson — R-72nd District, which includes the City of Kentwood — is also in his first year in Lansing. And while he has had a busy year and been active on many issues, he was Christian conservative before he was elected and will be whenever he finally leaves state government. So his support of right-to-life issues are strong.
State Rep. Steven Johnson, left, talks with WKTV Journal: In Focus host Ken Norris during a 2017 interview. (WKTV)
“The first piece of legislation I introduced that I’m very passionate about is HB 4221, which would prohibit the state from sending money to clinics in Michigan that provide elective abortion services,” Johnson said to WKTV. “Protecting the sanctity of life is a responsibility I take very seriously. Our budget in Michigan should not be used to fund abortion clinics, whether directly through state-generated revenue or indirectly with money we receive from the federal government.”
HB 4221 is currently awaiting a vote in the House Appropriations Committee, he said.
Sen. MacGregor works to support child care efforts
As chairman of the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Peter MacGregor — R-28th District, which includes the City of Wyoming — has been working to reform the Child Care Fund for several years, most recently and specifically through Senate Bills 529 and 530.
State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District)
MacGregor has “worked closely with the Child Care Fund and the groups involved with taking care of this vulnerable population of children for over five years,” according to a statement from his office to WKTV. “What started out as a meeting to examine slow payments to counties and non-profit service providers from the state, eventually morphed into a two-year workgroup with the goal of changing the Child Care Fund payment system.”
Michigan’s Child Care Fund (CCF) provides financial reimbursement to counties for community-based programming and placement costs for youth with an annual budget of approximately $400 million. The workgroup included the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, county courts and other county representatives, and non-profit child placing agencies.
SB 529 and 530 amend the Social Welfare Act to improve the reimbursement process. The Child Care Fund pays for costs associated with foster care/child welfare and the juvenile justice services.
“Currently, it’s a convoluted system both in function and process where there is a 50-50 cost sharing between the state and counties,” according to the statement. “The goal of this legislation, which will transition to a state pays first system, is to make the system more efficient and to clarify the process relative to what is reimbursed.
“It’s been a delicate balance because separately each member of this group plays a different role in caring for the children and in how they use or oversee the fund. However, the communication, commitment to work on solutions and the time put into the proposed solution has really been amazing.”
SB 529 and 530 had overwhelming support in the Senate and are expected to gain a positive the state House of Representatives vote January 2018.
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).
On Oct. 2, 2017, this totally adorable, 21-toed, intact male was unceremoniously dumped on the doorstep of our shelter, in a filthy travel carrier with a note attached. Evidently he was thought to be suffering from a urinary blockage and his owners couldn’t afford to have him treated, so instead of asking for help, they left him behind in the hopes that we would: 1) be able to care for him and 2) have the space to accommodate him once his medical issues were addressed.
As luck would have it, even though the unexpected addition of 2-1/2 year old Captain Kidd (Dr. Jen’s name for the handsome bloke who was born in the spring of 2015) put us up over our acceptable head count, he wasn’t afflicted by a urinary tract blockage but rather a non-infectious, inflammatory condition of his bladder.
Dr. Jen suspects that Kiddo was showing symptoms of discomfort and either straining to pee, producing bloody urine or going outside of the box. His issues have been simply remedied by neutering him, making sure his daily water intake is increased by feeding him canned food, and inexpensive medical management in the form of twice weekly anti-inflammatory tablets that he takes like a champ. And his litter box manners are something to behold, as he is a proud piddler and uses those massive mitts to cover his business when all is said and done.
Captain Kidd is not only drop-dead gorgeous but he is HILARIOUS! He is always in the thick of things, sticking his nose (and those toes) into anything and everything he isn’t supposed to! He is like our very own Energizer Bunny and he cracks us up with his playful antics and his zany, kitten-like behavior.
He gets along famously well with the other kitties at Crash’s but in all honesty he wouldn’t have to go into a multi-cat household; as long as he is the center of attention and has plenty to keep him occupied (think rambunctious children or perhaps even a boisterous canine companion), he is absolutely going to make a fabulously fun addition to any family that is fortunate enough to end up with him! And c’mon, those tootsies alone are simply stupendous!
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.
West Michigan Lutheran and West Michigan Aviation Academy, shown in a WKTV featured game from last year, are among the small high school teams featured in the Drive Winter Classic. (WKTV)
The WKTV sports broadcast team is in the midst of taking a holiday break, returning with basketball Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, and hockey the next day. But there is some local high school action this week and next including several local basketball tournaments highlighted by a special small-high-school basketball tournament at a big-time venue — The Drive Winter Classic at The Deltaplex Arena in Grand Rapids.
“The tournament was put together to feature the talent in small school basketball,” Eric Frohriep, President of the All-Star Officials Association, said to WKTV. “The Grand Rapids Drive have been working with me to put this on. … The officials are donating their game fees to raise travel expenses to work the National Dwarf Games in Orlando, Fl., this summer.”
The bracket for the tournament will begin at The Deltaplex on Thursday, Jan. 4 at noon with a boys game between Grand River Preparatory High School and Calhoun Christian High School. That game will be followed, at 4 and 6 p.m., by another boys game featuring West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science (WMAES) and Holt’s Martin Luther High School, and then by a girls game between WMAES and West Michigan Lutheran High School. (The Calhoun Christian girls team has a bye and will automatically advance to the tournament finals.)
The tournament will conclude Friday, Jan. 5, at The Deltaplex with the boys championship at 1:30 p.m. and the girls championship at 3:30 p.m.
All games are $5 to attend. and following the girls title game, fans can also Fans buy tickets for the Wisconsin Herd vs. Grand Rapids Drive game at 7 p.m.
The consolation game of the boys bracket will be played at West Michigan Lutheran, with the boys game at 6 p.m.
The girls team of Cedar Spring’s Creative Technologies Academy is also participating, but is not a MHSAA school so are not in the tournament portion of the Classic, Frohriep said. They are playing the Calhoun Christian girls at 2 p.m. at The Deltaplex on Jan. 4, and playing the loser of the girls opening round game at West Michigan Lutheran, also on Jan. 5.
For more information visit about The Deltaplex Arena visit deltaplex.com. For more information on the All-Star Officials Association visit their Facebook page.
Small high schools will also be the focus of the return of WKTV’s high school sports coverage in the new year.
WKTV’s sports crew will be on the road Jan. 5 with a doubleheader of boys and girls basketball, with Grand River Preparatory High School at Wyoming Potter’s House on the girls side, and Kelloggsville High School at The Potter’s House High School on the boys side. Then on Jan. 6, the crew will be at South Christian High School for a boys hockey game against Catholic Central High School.
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Wyoming @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
East Kentwood @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights vs TBD @ Kelloggsville Holiday Tourney
Boys Basketball
TBD @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Basketball Tourney
Thursday, Dec. 28
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights vs TBD @ Kelloggsville Holiday Tourney
Boys Basketball
TBD @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Basketball Tourney
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
Friday, Dec. 29
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights vs FH Central @ Cornerstone University
Local First featured Uccello’s Hospitality Group back in October when we were gearing up for Fork Fest. Now that we’ve all had a chance to digest a bit, we thought it would be a perfect time to highlight the group’s newest additions, Mazzo Cucina D’Italia.
Mazzo opened last May with a Farm-to-Table menu and a team-centered focus. Using locally-sourced ingredients, the Mazzo staff works together to create menu items and special features. The results of which benefit not only the restaurant patrons, but also give them employees something to brag about.
“When they can see their ideas work and become successful they become more engaged and excited about their work and their future with Mazzo,” says Brittany Knoch, director of marketing.
The team came together first to decide the layout of the newly remodeled space. Knoch recalls the careful placement of the wood fired pizza oven, an essential part of Uccello’s legendary pizza.
“It was fully constructed when it shipped to us,” remembers Knoch. “We needed to use a crane just to lift it off the ground. With its mammoth size, we decided to knock out the front windows and the crane just dropped it right in.”
The windows have since been replaced and Mazzo has made a cozy home on Monroe Center. They’re excited for the Holiday season, which will make great use of their event space, Atrium at Mazzo, and even more excited to celebrate 2017 at New Year’s Eve at Mazzo.
A new report from researchers on charitable giving has found that the growing trend of collective giving is helping foster diversity in philanthropy.
Collective giving groups, which are often known as giving circles, have become an increasingly popular way for donors with diverse backgrounds to support charitable organizations or projects of mutual interest.
The study was conducted by the Collective Giving Research Group (CGRG), which includes Jason Franklin, the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy chair at Grand Valley State University’s Johnson Center for Philanthropy.
The study focused on the current scope and scale of collective giving groups in order to understand their impact on donor giving and civic engagement.
Researchers found that giving circles have engaged at least 150,000 people in all 50 states and given as much as $1.29 billion since their inception. A majority of giving circles are created around a particular identity — including groups based on gender, race, age and religion. Giving circles have become more inclusive of income levels as the average and most frequent amount given by individual donors may be decreasing, while total dollars donated by giving circles are increasing.
“Giving circles are a powerful tool to democratize and diversify philanthropy, engage new donors and increase local giving,” Franklin said. “This research sheds critically needed new light on this popular form of collective giving. In a time when philanthropy is increasingly focused on the giving habits of billionaires, this research is an important reminder that everyday givers are coming together and pooling their resources to make a difference in their communities and for the issues they care about.”
Other key findings include:
• Collaborative giving is becoming more inclusive with donors from a wide range of income levels.
Giving circles have always provided avenues for those without substantial means to participate in significant giving, but this latest study suggests these groups now attract members from a wider range of income levels. Today, minimum dollar amounts required for participation range from less than $20 to $2 million, and the average donation amount was found to be $1,312 – compared to $2,809 in 2007.
• Identity-based groups make up 60 percent of giving circles and drive much of the growth in collaborative giving.
Giving circles attract many types of people, including those who may not typically engage in institutional philanthropy. Most groups are formed around a specific identity including groups based on gender, race, age and religion.
• Women dominate giving circle membership, making up 70 percent of all members. This collective model of giving is particularly popular among women. While men have a presence in 66 percent of giving circles, they are only the majority of members in 7.5 percent of groups.
• Giving circles are connected to each other and to philanthropy.
Networks of giving circles have emerged since 2007, with 25 networks now in existence. Today, 45 percent of identified giving circles participate in a network or alliance group. Community foundations, corporate partners and other outside donors view these collective giving groups as an effective way to give, with 52 percent of giving circles receiving additional funds or grants from these sources.
The study was conducted by the Collective Giving Research Group and was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, via the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Researchers who co-authored the report with Franklin include Jessica Bearman from Bearman Consulting; Julie Carboni, Syracuse University; and Angela Eikenberry, University of Nebraska at Omaha.
With presents in tow for 26 North Godwin Elementary School kindergartners, Dutton Christian School sixth-graders helped the younger students make gift bags and cards for their parents.
Julianett Vazquez works on her reindeer gift bag
“This is the best day ever, because we are making presents for our parents,” said excited kindergartner Abul Anyar.
Dutton students Dahlea Abdoo, Chloe Koster, Lilly Harkema and Anna Haverdink were taking part in their school’s annual “Give This Christmas Away,” community-service project.
Each year students break into groups to visit North Godwin and many other locations, where they present gifts and spend time with others. An anonymous donor provides $100 for gifts for people at each site, a total of 28 locations this year, said Wendy Vostad, sister-in-law to North Godwin teacher Holly Vostad.
Along with the crafts, sixth-graders read stories to students.
Holly Vostad said her kindergartners love the extra attention from people who care about them. “They just light up,” she said.
Anna said she enjoyed her time at North Godwin. “I want to be a kindergarten teacher and I love to hang out with little kids,” she said. “I like Christmas a lot and it’s fun to help other kids have a good Christmas, too.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Dutton students arrive with gifts and helping hands each school year.
Dragon will return to Earth with about 3,600 pounds of cargo after an approximately one-month stay at the orbiting laboratory. About five hours after Dragon leaves the space station, it will conduct its de-orbit burn, which lasts up to 10 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes for Dragon to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California.
