“I can’t say that the documentary will do this for everyone, but it changed my life,” said Eefsting, who was inspired by the stories shared by the interviewees. “It changed my consciousness.
“The first question we asked each person was, ‘How did you come to terms with your sexuality?’ Eefsting said. “And it occurred to me that I never had to ask myself that question.”
The Grand Rapids People’s History Project was inspired by radical historian and author of A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn, who passed away in 2010. It uses the insurgent and radical people’s history approach that Zinn developed and is being continued through the Zinn Education Project.
The first Pride Celebration took place in 1988 in downtown Grand Rapids at the Monroe Amphitheater (now Rosa Parks Circle). Watch footage of that event here.
“I make documentaries to remind people that we have the power to make social change,” said Eesting. “This is evident throughout history.”
The Grand Rapids People’s History Project’s goal is to research and create media that gives voice to the people and movements in Grand Rapids that are often marginalized or ignored by “official” history. It also seeks to provide a context for the struggles against systems of oppression that have denied people basic rights and the opportunity for collective liberation.
The Wyoming Concerts in the Park continues tonight with a Ladies Night program featuring Kalamazoo-based country group Shelagh Brown Band.
The concert is at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Shelagh Brown will perform country favorites as well as her own highly acclaimed music with her six-piece band. “Ladies Night” means any lady who attends will be recognized with fun gifts.
Coming from a musical family, Brown always had a musical interest performing in choirs since third grade. She did not decide to go into music until she attended Michigan State University and then later transferred to Western Michigan University to pursue musical theater and is where she discovered country music.
At tonight’s concert, Brown will perform country tunes from Loretta to Carrie along wth showcasing her own songwriting through her tunes including “Sunflower,” “Friend in You,” and “Best for Me” to name just a few, currently available on iTunes!
The Concerts in the Park are every Tuesday evening through Aug. 1 at Lamar Park.
The new summer exhibition, Stories of Us: Transforming Communities Through Art, comes to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver St.). Stories of Us will run from June 10 to September 3, Mondays through Fridays from 9 am-7 pm, and weekends from 10 am-7 pm, with free admission.
Stories of Us features works from four Chicago-based urban artists that create “street art” as well as works for galleries and exhibitions. In the exhibition, artists Rubén Aguirre, Andy Bellomo, Miguel A. Del Real, and Sam Kirk will share their own works, along with a collaborative 3-D installation piece made for the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ gallery.
“We’re thrilled to welcome this group of incredibly talented young artists to West Michigan,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “They are all connected by place (Chicago), their roots in graffiti art, and their passion for using art as a means of deep story telling. The four have never done a collaborative show before – we’re very excited to debut their work at the SCA!”
The artists’ exhibition at the SCA features work that encourages unity, and their pieces reveal stories interwoven with optimism and a better understanding of people; their culture, their identity, and their circumstances.
Ruben Aguirre, the Artist in Residence for summer 2017 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, transitioned from graffiti artist to abstract painter/contemporary muralist. His mural can be seen on buildings and neighborhoods in Chicago as well as Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands.
Andy Bellomo is a mixed media artist, using her perspective to transform acrylic, stained glass, repurposed objects, and spray paint into works of art. Bellomo’s pieces have been featured in galleries across the country.
Miguel A. Del Real’s art illustrates mostly black line works contrasted with colorful accents and original designs influenced by pre-Columbian and indigenous patterns, as well as calligraphy and urban art. Del Real has created large-scale public mural installations that can be recognized in Chicago neighborhoods, as well as in Brooklyn, New York and Oaxaca City, Mexico.
Sam Kirk creates paintings and murals using art to provoke people to feel, see or understand things differently. Recognized for her public art and solo shows in Chicago, Kirk has exhibited in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis. Kirk is an award-winning artist, and has been commissioned by Guinness, Smirnoff, Ciroc, Rolling Stone Magazine and Proctor & Gamble.
Rubén, Andy, Miguel, and Sam believe art is a transformative tool, each using their art as a means of creating community. Their work encourages unity, and understanding of others’ culture, identity, and circumstances. The art featured in this exhibition serves as a platform for discussion, learning, and human connection in the Saugatuck community in the spirit of creativity and openness to all people.
For information on other SCA programs featuring these artists throughout the summer visit sc4a.org.
Stories of Us is sponsored by Bud Baty & Max Matteson, Debra Minton & Terri Osborne, Lori & Keith Hayward, Marlo & Tom Byrne/Barbara Bradley Bakagaar Foundation.
Alumnus John Graham can memorize an 80-digit number in 40 seconds, a list of 70 random words in five minutes, and 148 names and faces in 15 minutes. If he walked into a room filled with 100 people and met them all, he could remember all of their names.
Graham’s photographic memory is what some would call a “superpower,” and he will put his ability to the test when he competes on FOX’s new television series, “Superhuman.”
Graham, ’09, will compete on the first episode of the series, which airs Monday, June 12, at 9 p.m. EST.
In each episode, five seemingly ordinary people use their extraordinary skills to compete for the opportunity to win $50,000. The competition is judged by panelists Mike Tyson, Christina Milian, and brain surgeon and neuroscientist Rahul Jandial.
During the premiere episode, a group of people jog past Graham. His challenge is to memorize the names and random five-digit numbers each person is wearing, and then repeat them back to the show’s host, actor Kal Penn.
What makes Graham’s ability additionally superhuman is the fact that he taught himself how to have a photographic memory by reading a book on memory techniques in 2014, called “Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer.
“The book talked about competitions where ordinary people tried to memorize the most numbers, cards, words or names. What shocked me is that none of the competitors had photographic memories,” said Graham, a native of Three Rivers. “They had all trained their memories with different techniques. I had always thought you were either born with a good memory, or you weren’t.”
Graham said he quickly learned how to memorize a shuffled deck of cards in about six minutes after a week of practicing the techniques. Now, he can perform the feat in about one minute.
“Most people would think that memory training would be boring and make their brain hurt, but the techniques are all about visualization and creativity. It’s actually really stimulating,” he said.
During his challenge on the show, Graham said his strategy involved taking the task one step at a time.
“When I was training in the weeks leading up to the show, I just kept telling myself, ‘You can absolutely do this; just stay focused.’ I tried really hard to tell myself that when the cameras were rolling, but the pressure of 400 people staring at me made it a lot harder than my practice sessions.”
Competing on “Superhuman” isn’t the first time Graham has tested his enhanced memory on a grand stage. In 2014, he competed in the World Memory Championships in China. A few months later, he competed in the 2015 USA Memory Championship in New York City and earned a 6th-place ranking.
“That’s when I really knew I was onto something,” said Graham, who currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his fiancée.
Graham’s road to competing on “Superhuman” began in 2016 when the show aired a special episode.
“I knew two memory contestants on that episode, and one of them actually won the whole thing,” recalled Graham, who majored in liberal studies with an emphasis in politics and public policy at Grand Valley. “I thought, ‘If he can do it, so can I.’”
A few months later, that contestant posted on Facebook that the show was searching for people with superhuman talents, so Graham applied.
While he can’t divulge details about the results of the episode, Graham said he enjoyed being treated like a celebrity on the set.
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The producers, crew and judges were all very uplifting and encouraging throughout the experience,” Graham said. “When the van came for me and the other contestants at the airport, we felt like we were the X-Men or the Avengers gathering to save the day with our superpowers.”
Graham is currently in the final stages of completing a memory course that he will use to teach people how to have a “superhuman” memory similar to his. The course is available at memoryjohn.com. He also hopes to engage audiences interested in having enhanced memories through future public speaking opportunities.
Metro Health–University of Michigan Health has signed physician‐led Foundation Radiology Group to provide all patient imaging services. The 208‐bed acute care teaching hospital serving Kent County and the surrounding Grand Rapids area will make the transition to Foundation Radiology for medical imaging services beginning July 1.
Foundation Radiology provides onsite imaging leaders supported by a team of radiologists with expertise across subspecialties and imaging modalities available at all hours.
“In order to continue to provide the high quality of care our patients expect and deserve, we are pleased to forge this relationship with Foundation Radiology Group,” said Mike Faas, Metro Health–University of Michigan Health president and CEO. “In our partnership, we are pleased to provide 24/7, 365-day interventional and neurointerventional coverage, as well as on‐site radiologists for our patients. As Metro continues to grow, we will be ready to support that growth.”
“Foundation Radiology and Metro Health share a common mission of putting patient well‐ being at the center of all we do,” said Foundation CEO Richard Vance, MD. “We’re looking forward to working closely with all the physicians, hospital staff and the communities that Metro Health serves.”
Foundation pioneered its “hybrid” radiology model in 2007 and has implemented it in dozens of health systems and integrated delivery networks.
“We call it an academy at your fingertips. Having boots‐on‐the‐ground radiologists offering onsite leadership along with on‐demand, subspecialist care available every minute of the day is radically different,” said Chief Medical Officer, James Backstrom, MD. “When you have 100% of critical findings delivered in under 20 minutes with more accurate diagnoses — you’re not only supporting the growth of hospital centers of excellence, you are saving lives.”
Its focus on value‐based care and improving quality has fueled the significant growth of Foundation as one of the nation’s largest radiology organizations. Vance reported this week the physician‐founded company has doubled revenue in the past three years.
In the library of Harrison Park School, Ryan Rose read aloud from a book about African animals as a dozen students listened expectantly.
“We all went on a safari, past an old Acadia tree,” Rose read. “Nearby, giraffes were grazing. Caleb counted three.”
The children broke into screams of laughter and pointed at their classmate Caleb, the designated giraffe-spotter. They were learning about animals, but having plenty of fun as well.
This is the LOOP program, which serves about 3,000 children from Grand Rapids Public Schools with after-school learning, recreation and meals five days a week. Under the federal education budget proposed by President Donald Trump, it would be eliminated.
Students participate in team-building activities at West Elementary’s TEAM 21 program (courtesy photo)
GRPS and other school districts in Kent ISD are responding with alarm to the proposed $9.2 billion in cuts to the U.S. Education Department budget, which is now being taken up by Congress. Among its many effects on local school districts, the 13.5-percent spending reduction would eliminate a $1.2 billion grant program for after-school and summer programming.
School leaders are speaking out against many of the proposed cuts, such as $2 billion in grants for teacher development as well as reductions in special-education funding. But of particular concern is cutting off funding for after-school and summer programs that serve some 6,500 students in Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming. More than $8 million was awarded this year to districts in those cities by the Michigan Department of Education, which administers the federal grants for the state.
Second grader Miquean Hawkins proudly shows off his giraffe-walk, as site supervisor Ryan Rose asks students to identify African animal’s at the Harrison. Park School LOOP program
“Just the mere fact the president has proposed such dramatic cuts to public education creates this level of uncertainty, at a time when we have finally stabilized our district,” said John Helmholdt, GRPS executive director of communications and external affairs. “It’s sending a signal that they’re disinvesting in public education, disinvesting in public school teachers, and that they don’t value after-school programming.”
‘Devastating Impact’
Helmholdt and GRPS Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal last week met with U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, telling the 3rd District congressman the proposed budget would cost GRPS more than $8 million. That includes nearly $4 million from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant for the LOOP program. Without replacement funding, that program would be eliminated, they said.
“We wouldn’t be able to do this” if federal funding is axed, said Irma Alicia Lopez, director of the LOOP program. “There’s no way.”
Planting apple trees was one of many funactivbites during TEAM 21 summer programming (courtesy photo)
Earlier this year, the Grand Rapids Board of Education issued a statement that the proposed budget would have a “devastating impact” on the schools and community, asserting programs like LOOP and professional development for teachers are “increasing student achievement and helping more students graduate.”
Amash issued a statement saying it was great to hear of the “impressive progress” GRPS has made in recent years, and that he will “discuss these issues with my colleagues as Congress prepares its own budget and appropriations.”
Schools just south of Grand Rapids also would take a huge hit. The TEAM 21 after-school program serves 15 schools and over 2,000 K-8 students in the Wyoming, Godfrey-Lee, Godwin Heights and Kelloggsville districts. It also offers a six-week, full-day summer program including academics and enrichment activities like field trips and exposure to careers.
TEAM 21 is funded entirely through the federal grant program with a budget of more than $2 million, employing 80 staff members during the school year and 100-plus in the summer.
Elena Borjas-Garfio, left, and Morgan Williams paint miniature African hand pianos as part of the afternoon LOOP.
“That money is never going to be able to be made up by local districts if it’s eliminated,” said Scott Bloem, TEAM 21 program director.
Bloem notes that in the districts it serves, 80 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches. TEAM 21 provides students a dinner and snack along with transportation.
“I think it’s a shocking suggestion (that these programs could be cut) and I think a lot of people would agree with me,” Bloem said, adding the programs receive broad support from people regardless of political affiliation. “It’s really shocking news that this is even being discussed.”
Becki Barrenger, assistant project director for Kentwood Public Schools’ after-school and summer program ARCH, said the program is licensed to serve up to 1,500 students across 15 sites, though numbers fluctuate. It is funded completely by the 21st Century fund with three $675,000 grants, each serving five sites.
“I truly believe in this program and I believe it’s made a difference in the lives of our students and their families,” Barrenger said. “I want to see it in our community for years to come. I think it’s necessary and needed.”
Second-grader La’Rae Murray gets a warm hug form LOOP program supervisor Irma Alicia Lopez.
Investment or Disinvestment?
Their perspective is far different from that of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who in announcing the budget called it a “historic investment in America’s students.” The West Michigan native touted it as returning decision-making to the states and more control to parents while providing more options for school choice, including $250 million to provide private-school vouchers and $167 million more for charter schools.
DeVos asserted the budget maintains support for vulnerable students but takes “a hard look at programs that sound nice but simply haven’t yielded the desired outcomes.” One of those, she argued, is the 21st Century Community Learning Center program, which her budget outline said “lacks strong evidence of meeting its objectives, such as improving student achievement.”
Local school and civic officials strongly disagree.
In Wyoming, Grand Rapids and elsewhere, the benefits of after-school and summer programs are multifaceted, officials say. Among them: a safe environment for youths who might otherwise be unsupervised; nurturing relationships with caring adults; extra academic help; and exposure to cultural experiences and possible career fields.
The programs’ worth is attested to by strong demand from parents, said Lynn Heemstra, executive director of Our Community’s Children, a partnership between the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Public Schools and the community.
Fifth graders Iyanna Wright, left, and Devin Allen enjoy making random patterns with their pendulum-paint technique.
Heemstra works with after-school program providers as part of the ELO Network, a coalition of community stakeholders consisting of over 60 organizations serving over 21,000 children at 180 sites, to help after-school programs shape curriculum around academics and enrichment including exposure to careers. Many programs have more demand than space for students, she said.
“There continues to be waiting lists for students. As after-school programs become more tuned into science and math and those kinds of programs, there is greater demand.”
Programs such as LOOP, TEAM 21 and Kentwood’s ARCH provide a safe environment for many low-income students whose parents work two to three jobs, Heemstra said. “The majority of our kids, 99 percent, are not involved with the police and we know that for a fact.”
A 2014 report by the Johnson Center at Grand Valley State University found a 44 percent drop in Grand Rapids juveniles involved in crime or curfew violations from 2006 to 2012. While many factors may have contributed, the report notes a major increase in after-school programming since 2001 aimed to make “a positive impact on the life trajectories of Grand Rapids’ children.”
Heemstra said students in after-school programs, especially African-American and Latino males, are doing better academically than those who aren’t, and all students have better school attendance than those not in programs. The ELO Network provides data on those trends, while Johnson Center research shows African-American students in after-school programs are 1.5 times more likely to meet or exceed growth expectations in math than non-participants, Heemstra said.
“If those programs are not there, the communities are going to see some repercussions,” she said.
Blandford Nature Center presents All About owls during TEAM 21 at Parkview Elementary School (courtesy photo)
In Wyoming, more than 90 percent of parents surveyed said their children are getting better grades and have better homework completion because of TEAM 21, and 97 percent say “staff know how to work with a child like mine,” Bloem said.
A Parent’s Perspective
Lisa and Jordan Wiseman’s twin daughters, fifth-grade Wyoming Intermediate School students Carmen and Cadia, have been attending TEAM 21’s after-school and summer programs for several years, beginning as Oriole Park Elementary students.
“At first it was something they could do that was fun during the summer,” Lisa Wiseman said. “Then, as they got older they needed a little help in certain areas, and it wasn’t difficult to convince them to go because they had been going and had fun.
“That worked for me because I was able to pick them up after I got out of work,” she added. “They would get help with their homework and it would be all done by the time I pick them up to take them home.”
It was particularly helpful this school year for Carmen while 10-year-old Cadia spent many days in the hospital receiving treatment for leukemia. “Carmen welcomed the distraction,” Wiseman said.
Cadia continues to recover, and both girls are enrolled in the summer program, partly because Cadia missed quite a bit of school, their mother said.
If TEAM 21 is eliminated, it would be “a huge loss” for many Wyoming families will be negatively impacted, Wiseman said.
“It gives the kids something to do in the summer. So many of these kids have parents who work during the day. They get breakfast and lunch (during the summer and dinner during the school year), which helps a lot of the lower-income families.”
Local and National Pushback
Heemstra’s office is working with the Michigan Afterschool Partnership to advocate for programs at the federal and local levels, and make sure the public is more aware of their importance by spreading the word. Our Community’s Children is also advocating for the State of Michigan to match the 21st Century grant funds, as well as tapping other potential funding sources.
Despite the uncertainty around the 21st Century program, the Michigan Department of Education plans to announce 2017-18 grant awards in the next few weeks, said spokesman William DiSessa.
At the national level, ASSA: The School Superintendents Association is lobbying against what it calls “deep, damaging cuts” in federal funding. After-school funding in particular has had broad, bipartisan support from Congress in the past, as a proven program to help provide structure, academic enrichment and social support in students’ lives, said Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate director for policy and advocacy. She noted some programs for older students include college guidance, mental-health counseling and teen pregnancy reduction.
“The neediest communities tend to be the poorest, meaning they’re disproportionately reliant on federal dollars,” Ellerson Ng said, adding that eliminating after-school funding “disproportionately impacts students who need it the most.”
She said the chances of the budget being approved by Congress in its current form are “next to none.” Indeed, during DeVos’ testimony this week before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, Republican chairman Sen. Roy Blunt said deep cuts to programs such as after-school would be “all but impossible” to get through Congress.
However, Ellerson Ng said lawmakers must be held accountable based on what students need, not on this proposed budget: “We cannot allow a very flawed Trump proposal to become a baseline to measure anything realistic. Because the Trump budget is unrealistic.”
Impact is Academic… and Beyond
Back at Harrison Park School, students spent an afternoon earlier this semester doing lots of things, starting with an hour of help with homework. Fourth-graders split for the gym while younger students did crafts centered on African cultural studies: making necklaces in the style of the Masai people, or painting African thumb pianos. Fifth- and sixth-graders created bright, splashy paintings using a pendulum.
They were supervised by staff from the YMCA, one of three partner agencies that run LOOP programs at about 30 GRPS schools. Others are United Methodist Community House and Camp Fire West Michigan 4C (see related story).
A big plus for these students is the friendships and relationships they build, said Lopez, who’s directed LOOP for five years.
“If they’re not in sports, they have something they’re attached to,” she said. “Parents are always so grateful, because they see the students more outgoing, more interested in coming to school. I think the interest in coming to school and having better attendance is because they are building those relationships and are more social.”
That spills over into academic gains in the classroom and fewer chronic absences, she added.
Ryan Rose, the site coordinator, says LOOP creates a supportive atmosphere.
“They’re with people who care about them, and they feel safe and it’s fun,” Rose said. “It motivates them to want to come to school, because they know they’re a part of LOOP, and then they engage throughout the school day.”
At the end of the afternoon, students would take home snacks provided by Kids’ Food Basket; middle school students get hot meals provided by the YMCA.
All told it was a full afternoon for students, of the kind Lopez hopes will be able to continue. If not, she doesn’t know what parents would do who can’t afford child care, or what students would do without the structure of LOOP.
“What are they going to do after school, if there’s no funding?” she said. “It would be a huge loss for the kids, and for the families.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
The S.S. Badger is the last coal-fired passenger steamship in operation in the United States. She has provided a fun, reliable and affordable shortcut across beautiful Lake Michigan for more than 60 years and has transported millions of passengers since her re-birth in 1992. In 2016, she received the nation’s highest historic honor when the Department of Interior officially designated the Badger as a National Historic Landmark (NHL). Additionally, the Badger is extremely unique in that she is an NHL that moves.
The 410-ft. S.S. BADGER can accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, motor coaches, and commercial trucks during her sailing season. Originally designed primarily to transport railroad cars, this grand ship and the people who serve her have successfully adapted to the changing world since she first entered service in 1953.
Her unique and bold character takes you back to a period of time when things were simpler — offering valuable time to slow down, relax…and reconnect with those you love. She is the continuation of a unique and vital maritime tradition, and we celebrate that heritage on board in fun ways that educate and entertain. Although her mission has changed from the days of carrying railroad cars 365 days a year, the Badger’s role in the hearts of the areas she serves has not.
The Badger’s commitment to a fun experience offers traditional favorites including free Badger Bingo, free movies and satellite television, lounge areas, a toddler play area; free limited Wi-Fi, an onboard gift shop, an arcade, private staterooms, two separate food service areas, two bars, and sprawling outside decks for lounging or walking. Perhaps a romantic night crossing is more fitting for your style with spectacular sunsets and sparkling constellations for stargazers — making the Badger experience extra special.
A trip aboard the S.S. Badger offers passengers fun and treasured memories. Professional travelers have shared their experiences aboard the Badger with the world, and this grand ship has received great praise. The Badger was awarded in 2015 and 2016 a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor and has a five-star rating with Travelocity.
The Badger experience allows a rare opportunity to explore a little history – and a lot of fun by taking a step back into the past on a journey that’s as important as the destination! Slow down, relax and reconnect on the Big Ship, More Fun.
From mid-May to mid-October the Badger sails daily between Manitowoc, Wisc. and Ludington, Mich., Located about an hour from Milwaukee, Wisc. and Muskegon, Mich. For additional information, call 800.841.4243 or visit www.ssbadger.com.
Edye Evans Hyde and the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra will open the annual free GRandJazzFest. (Supplied)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
There will be some new sounds and some familiar sounds dancing around “The Circle” as the GRandJazzFest 2017 returns to Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 19-20.
Jazz will flow from the opening set — the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with the superb Edye Evans Hyde fronting, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday — to the closing set of Grammy nominated keyboardist Nate Harasim & NILS featuring Brandon Willis, at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
The JazzFest, presented by DTE Energy, is free to the public, with a come-and-go, festival seating format.
Richard Elliot (Supplied/Lori Stoll)
Saxophonist Richard Elliot will headline the festival, with a Saturday night closing set at 8 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to have Richard Elliot headline the sixth annual GRandJazzFest,” Audrey Sundstrom, festival founder, said in supplied material. “He’s a huge name in the jazz and R&B world.”
The Scotland-born, Los Angeles-based, Elliot is one of 11 performers and bands who will play throughout the two-day weekend. The eclectic array of jazz performances includes genres from big band to straight-ahead, from contemporary to Latin-Cuban.
“We have music for everyone,” Sundstrom said. “The great thing about jazz is there are so many types.”
Performers such as the Big band sounds of the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra with Evans Hyde of vocals, and the jazz organ trip of “organissimo”, with Jim Alfredson on the Hammond B3, Larry Barrris on guitar and Randy Marsh on drums, will be pleasingly familiar to local audiences, the festival always opens eyes and ears to something new.
Pianist Nate Harasim will likely be one of those pleasing new sounds for most people.
Nate Harasim, from an album cover.
In addition to three contemporary urban jazz recordings – including 2011’s very well reviewed Rush – Harasim’s work as a composer, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist earned a Grammy nomination for his work on Dave Koz’s Billboard No. 1 Jazz Album Hello Tomorrow and a 2014 Soul Train nod for Vandell Andrew’s No. 1 hit “Let’s Ride.” Harasim’s hundreds of stage appearances include performing at President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball with best pal Rahn and playing twice at the Dubai International Jazz Festival, according to his website.
For more information on the GRandJazzFest and a complete line-up, see the event’s Facebook page @GRandJazzFest .
Construction crews work on the front entrance of the Gateway Transformation Project at the consolidated security checkpoint.
By Tara Hernandez, Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Passengers traveling through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) this weekend noticed a change in security screening as one part of its Gateway Transformation Project transitions.
Beginning on Sunday, June 11 at 4:30 am, passengers traveling through Concourse B were screened in the new consolidated security checkpoint. Concourse B passengers include those flying American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
Concourse A passengers that include Delta Air Lines and Allegiant Air, will start to be screened at the new checkpoint on the morning of June 25.
The checkpoint is one part of the Airport’s $45 million Gateway Transformation Project that also includes new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, new restrooms & nursing rooms, family restrooms, pre and post security business centers, new retail and food & beverage space, and much more. Different portions of the construction will open throughout the summer with phase one set to be complete in late August. Construction on the Gateway Transformation Project began in December 2015.
“Safety and security are our first priority and as we unveil one portion of our Gateway Transformation Project, we are working closely with our all of our tenants, contractors, and staff to ensure a smooth transition,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “Once completed, this project will be a beautiful gateway to West Michigan offering more amenities, technology, and other options for both our business and leisure travelers.”
A rendering of the Gateway Transformation Project where Concourse B passengers will be screened beginning on June 11.
Touch of Grand Rapids post-security marketplace is also set to open on Sunday, and renovations are also wrapping up on a pre-security marketplace Destination Michigan which is expected to open on Friday, June 9. Both gift shops will include snacks and beverages as well as Michigan made gifts, souvenirs, and clothing.
Because some of the construction will have an impact on passenger operations throughout the terminal building, there will be updates, maps, photos, and other helpful tips listed on the airport’s website. Signage, maps, and airport ambassadors are also available in the terminal building to assist with any passenger needs or directions. Passengers are encouraged to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before their scheduled flight.
“We cannot continue to rely on infrastructure investments made by our grandparents and great-grandparents.”
By Allison Green
U.S. Senator Gary Peters spoke on the Senate floor about legislation he has introduced with Senator Debbie Stabenow and other Members of the Michigan Congressional delegation to authorize funding for construction of another Poe-sized lock at the Soo Locks.
“Since 1855, locks at the St. Mary’s River have allowed ships to pass between Lake Superior and Lake Huron,” Peters said.
“The Soo Locks are the most important link in a critical supply chain that connects iron ore mines in Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with steel mills and manufacturing facilities all over the country.
“Today, there is only one Soo Lock – the Poe Lock – that is large enough to accommodate modern freighters, especially the one thousand foot-long vessels that move millions of tons of iron ore each year.”
A disruption of the Poe Lock likely will cause an almost complete shutdown of Great Lakes steel production.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Representative Jack Bergman, U.S. Senator Gary Peters, and Representatives Sandy Levin, Fred Upton, Bill Huizenga, Tim Walberg, Dan Kildee, Mike Bishop, Debbie Dingell, Brenda Lawrence, John Moolenaar, Dave Trott, and Paul Mitchell have introduced the bipartisan Soo Locks Modernization Act. The legislation authorizes the necessary level of funding to construct another Poe-sized lock. Introduction of this legislation comes just days after seven Members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation and Governor Snyder toured the Soo Locks, which are critical to both our state’s and our country’s economy and national security.
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow joined a bipartisan group of 25 senators in a letter calling for robust funding for the National Sea Grant College Program, which President Trump proposed to eliminate in his fiscal year 2018 budget. The National Sea Grant College Program provides vital support to local businesses and is a crucial resource for Michigan’s coastal communities.
The Sea Grant program conducts critical research and economic development work that helps support coastal communities in Michigan. The $67.3 federal investment in the program from fiscal year 2015 yielded a $575 million economic benefit to communities across the country—an 854% return on the federal investment. In 2013, Sea Grant was funded at $57 million and delivered $485 million in economic development, created or retained 3,400 businesses, and created or retained 15,000 jobs nationally.
In Michigan, Sea Grant Extension educators live and work in coastal communities around the state to provide scientific expertise and other services to local government and community leaders. In Michigan alone, the estimated economic benefit of Sea Grant activities in 2011 was $1.3 million.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow released a statement following a speech by President Trump today discussing his infrastructure proposal:
“Rather than making a commitment to rebuilding America’s roads, bridges, and waterways, the Administration’s proposals would put special interests in control of our roads and bridges and propose new tolls for Michigan drivers. These are not ideas I can support.”
U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act to improve health outcomes for individuals at risk for diabetes and save long-term costs for Medicare. Under current law, Medicare will only cover medical nutrition therapy services for individuals already diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease. This bipartisan legislation would extend Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services for Americans with pre-diabetes and risk factors for developing type-2 diabetes.
Nearly one in every three Medicare dollars is spent on diabetes, a number that has increased considerably in recent years and will most likely continue to increase without action. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates approximately 30 million Americans or 9.3% of the population have diabetes and approximately 86 million American adults – about 30% of the population – have pre-diabetes.
There is significant evidence to suggest that medical nutrition therapy can prevent the onset of diabetes for at-risk individuals. Medical nutrition therapy includes an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment, review of eating habits, one-on-one nutritional counseling and follow-up visits to check on patients’ progress in managing their diet to prevent or manage their condition.
Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) has issued the following statement after voting in support of the Financial CHOICE Act:
“Dodd-Frank has made it more difficult for hardworking Americans to secure a future for themselves and their children by denying them the economic recovery they deserve. The Financial CHOICE Act enacts commonsense reforms that reduce the federal deficit by $34 billion, stop taxpayer dollars from being used to bailout Wall Street, and provide much needed relief to community banks and credit unions. If we want small businesses to continue to be the engine of economic growth, we must remove the regulatory red tape that is preventing community financial institutions from supporting small business job creation. While the Democrat-led Congress made the wrong choice with the Dodd-Frank Act, the Republican-led House has made the right choice to strengthen capital formation, support job creation, and grow the economy by passing the Financial CHOICE Act.”
Don’t forget that Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18th. This is a day all about celebrating dad. Many West Michigan businesses are hosting special events, discounts, or offers for the dad in all of our lives. No matter their interest, you’ll find something for him here. Give dad the gift of West Michigan this Father’s Day.
Father’s Day in Southern West Michigan
Arcadia Ales in Kalamazoo is hosting a free corn hole tournament on Father’s Day. Come show off your skills, with the winning team receiving bragging rights and beer specials on their next visit.
Father’s Day orders are rolling in at Allen & Sons Woodworking in Linden. Place your order for one of their handcrafted Michigan-shaped chairs, garden planters, or tables. They have plenty of products to choose from, and they even do custom orders if you have something special in mind. Check them out on Facebook, and place your order today to receive it in time for Father’s Day!
Book a stay at the Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph for Father’s Day and add up to four golf rounds with cart per room for only $85. The Harbor Shores Golf Course is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and hosts, on even years between 2012 and 2024, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
Celebrate dad with a dinner at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings. The evening’s program will feature information about the full solar eclipse that will move across the United States this August. Richard Bell of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society will highlight what an eclipse is, where to see the eclipse, and how best to experience it.
Take dad on a fun-filled trip through Coldwater Country. Hop on a historic steam locomotive and make your way from Coldwater to Quincy with an opportunity to get off the train and see the locomotive switch around for your return trip.
The dad in your life will enjoy a Father’s Day weekend in River Country. Kick off the weekend with dinner at one of the area’s many restaurants before you enjoy some time outside canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, hiking, and golfing throughout both Three Rivers and Sturgis.
Visit Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo this Father’s Day for a one-of-a-kind event. The front lawn of the Henderson Castle will be transformed into a Live Chef Action Grill. Chef Moyet will be grilling up all of Dad’s favorites: Ribeye Steak, Foie Gras Burgers, Baby Back Ribs, and Juicy Grilled Chicken. Traditional sides will include Baked Potato, Cole Slaw, Pasta Salad and more! Each table will receive a family style Garden Salad and choice of individual dessert: Apple Pie or Blueberry Pie. Kick off Summer and treat Dad to a very special day!
Take dad out for a golf weekend at Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort in Augusta. They have six courses, making it a prime location for a golf outing. Their newest addition, Stoatin Brae, sports amazing views all around the course and vistas that rival courses across the country.
Father’s Day in Central West Michigan
Art by Avery Seaver, Grade 10, Montague, Mich.
The 39th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival in White Lake is scheduled for Father’s Day weekend, June 17th and 18th. Nearly 75 creative and talented artists come together for the juried art show. Attendees have the opportunity to peruse and purchase an assortment of handmade items including jewelry, paintings, prints, wood furniture, and more. Throughout the weekend, enjoy a lineup of local music artists and food vendors.
The Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park is hosting a Father’s Day special on Sunday, June 18th. Dads climb free with purchase of one regularly priced ticket! This event will book up fast so get your tickets now before it’s too late. Use the code WELOVEDADS for daytime tickets or WELOVEDADSNNIGHT for evening tickets when you book online.
Downtown Market in Grand Rapids wants to help you and your dad have the best neighborhood barbecues this summer. Their Father’s Day Grill Off Class is Sunday, June 18th from 10am to 12:30pm. You’ll be grilling crostini with burrata cheese and grilled flank steak with classic chimichurri and asparagus.
Give dad the gift of live theatre at the Circle Theatre in Grand Rapids! From June 1st to 17th, Neil Simon’s hit Broadway play, Brighton Beach Memoirs, comes to the Circle Theatre! This is a story of a young man with big dreams who always has one eye on the ball and the other on a girl. For music lovers, the Music of Fleetwood Mac comes to the Circle Theatre on Monday, June 5th, followed the next week by Uptown Funk: The Best of the Funkiest on Monday, June 12th.
Pigeon Creek Golf Course in West Olive welcomes all fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and more to a Father’s Day weekend celebration. To give thanks to these men, they’re giving dads a free cart rental all weekend long. To receive this offer, mention this West Michigan Tourist Association promotion when booking your tee time.
Bring dad to Ionia for the Wizard of Oz Festival on June 17th. Main Street is transformed into the Yellow Brick Road before your very eyes! As a tribute to the Wizard of Oz, they have planned a full day of fun for everyone. The movie that started it all will be shown at the historic Ionia Theatre. Tickets are priced as they were seventy-eight years ago at just 25 cents per person.
For the Electric Bike Place in Grand Haven, Father’s Day is a time to celebrate all the dads. To help you celebrate, they’re giving dads a buy one, get one half off special for half day rentals on Father’s Day! This means that you can get a rental for dad and receive half off your rental. Spend the day riding through Grand Haven together on these unique electric bikes, a perfect activity for the entire family.
Get the gift of adventure for dad this Father’s Day from MACkite in Grand Haven! Their kiteboarding lesson are a fun and unique gift for any dad that loves being out on the water. During these lessons, dad will be pulled by a kite as long as 19 meters on a board, right on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. Their two day kite school lesson camps are in Muskegon, and are available for Thursday/Friday or Saturday/Sunday lessons.
Bring dad out to Lewis Farm Marketin New Era for Father’s Day! Dads will enjoy free admission, an apple cinnamon donut and coffee, all on the house! They will be open at 10am until 5pm, giving you plenty of time to stop by.
Kids camp for free over Father’s Day weekend at both MuskegonKOA Campgroundand Covert/South Haven KOA Campground. This national promotion has been growing in popularity the past few years thanks to this special offer and the great experiences had by dads and their families.
Hackley & Hume Historic Site
In addition to 16 beautiful golf courses, 23 charter fishing operations, historic ships and Lake Michigan sugar-sand beaches, Muskegon has some wonderful events for you to enjoy with your dad on his special day! The 26th Annual Antique Tractor and Engine Show is June 8th to 10th with tons of events packed into this three-day event. The Civil War Encampment is June 10th to 11th from 8am to 4pm, with skirmishes each day. Each June, the Promo Tours give classic car owners the chance to show off their rides. This year’s event is June 11th from 4pm to 10pm with over 200 classic and antique cars lining Western Avenue. The Muskegon Powerboat Weekend is June 16th to 18th with more than 80 boats on the 65-mile run. Rounding out the events are free tours for dads at the Hackley & Hume Historic Site on June 18th. Pack the month with celebrations for dad in Muskegon!
Mecosta County is the place to be for any dad that loves to fish or golf. The area is not only home to over 100 lakes and smaller streams, they also have the majestic Muskegon River. With 14 locations to purchase a fishing license and places to rent kayaks, tubes, or canoes, the area truly has everything that you need to enjoy a day on the water! The area also has five golf courses for you to choose from. Each course provides its own beautiful scenery and range in difficulty.
Father’s Day in Northern West Michigan
Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse
Spend time with dad learning about the history of the Mackinac State Historic Parks on Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City. You can visit five living historical sites, including Fort Mackinac, the Mackinac Art Museum, Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park. Dads will love these incredible historic spots, and you can even purchase discounted admission passes on their website.
Grab your clubs and take dad for a round of golf at one of the four championship courses at Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire. Tight fairways, formidable doglegs, and elevation changes are the perfect challenge for any golfer. You can even have dad try out something new with FootGolf at Shanty Creek’s Summit Golf Course. This hybrid of soccer and golf has you kicking a soccer ball into a 21-inch diameter cup.
Located on Walloon Lake, Hotel Walloon is the perfect place to treat dad. Reserve a spot aboard the relaxing “Tommy’s to Barrel-Back” Sunset Cruise for the whole family. These hour and a half long tours run seven days a week, with snacks and beverages included onboard.
The Bay Harbor Village Hotel in Bay Harbor is the perfect place to stay for Bay Harbor’s 15th Annual In-Water Boat Show. Taking place over Father’s Day weekend, check out all the boats as they come to town from June 16th to 18th.
Wings Over Northern Michigan Airshow
Get your jump on Father’s Day with the Wings Over Northern Michigan Airshow in Gaylord on June 14th. The Canadian jet team will perform only Wednesday evening and will not be present at the weekend show. This is a fantastic mid-week surprise for dad, and is truly an entertaining event for the whole family!
Treat dad to a superior Father’s Day weekend in Marquette. Grab the golf clubs and hit the links at one of the area’s many golf courses. Spend the evening with a cold beverage at brewery or take a walk through a national park and enjoy Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in all of its glory.
Father’s Day is about creating special moments, and the Charlevoixarea is a great place to bring dad for a special weekend together. Take dad on a special trip by hiking through their amazing trail system, golfing at any of the five area courses, or kayaking or boating in one of their lakes or rivers. For the adventure seeker, go skydiving, biking the Lake to Lake trail, and explore the Little Traverse Wheelway. There is always an adventure awaiting you in Charlevoix!
Over the past few years, our society’s acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people has changed rapidly, particularly with the Supreme Court decision around marriage. We have openly gay people as neighbors, friends, grandchildren, children, service professionals — over the past 20 years, LGBT people have become steadily more visible in our society. While society has taken great strides toward acceptance of LGBT citizens, what remains invisible are the issues and challenges that LGBT elders face as begin to require services.
There are currently about 1.5 million people age 65+ who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. According to SAGE, an Advocacy and Services Organization for LGBT Elders, poverty rates among LGBT elders is higher than their heterosexual counterparts, mainly due to past employment discrimination, conflict with family over coming out, and a lack of marriage and Social Security survivor benefits.
There are also many aging LGBT people who live alone, without family to help with the aging process. This puts many LGBT seniors in the position of requiring income-based aging services available in their communities. Needing to ask for help though is often a difficult experience for these seniors.
Unlike younger LGBT people, many of our LGBT seniors lived through times in our history when lesbians and gays were put in jail or mental institutions if it was discovered they were gay. Kendrick Heinlein, Contract Administrator with Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan stated, “These experiences of hostility are not always easily removed from LGBT senior’s memories. This lends itself to seniors not seeking medical services available to them which can lead to social isolation, chronic illness and premature death.”
Even today, older adults who are LGBT don’t often find a warm welcome when they begin to participate in aging services. Because many seniors don’t want to “go back into the closet”, they will avoid asking for help, which frequently ends in a health crisis.
“I have heard countless stories of LGBT seniors putting away pictures of their loved ones or hiding things in their homes due to the fear of being discriminated against by their in-home caretakers” Heinlein said. “There are stories of care providers refusing to work with LGBT older adults because they do not feel comfortable. Senior retirement or care facilities have refused services to LGBT seniors because of their religious views or moral beliefs. All of these events are not typical things that heterosexual older adults have to experience.”
This is why organizations like SAGE, the AARP and Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan are working to reach out to LGBT seniors as well as service providers.
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is partaking in a two-year project, funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund; Heinlein is heading up this project for the agency. The goal is to reduce the isolation LGBT seniors experience and improve the care provided to older adults who identify as LGBT.
“AAAWM is in the process building relationships with the local LGBT community,” Heinlein said. “We are also working to identify LGBT-affirming health service providers for older adults. We will be able to direct LGBT seniors to these service providers when they call AAAWM or visit our website.”
‘Gen Silent’ subject Krys Anne Hembrough
Ultimately, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan plans to develop a ‘How-To’ manual to share with other Area Agencies on Aging through the state, so LGBT elders always have a resource to locate services.
Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is not the only agency working to improve the aging climate for LGBT seniors. Agencies throughout Kent County are working to integrate LGBT seniors into the aging community.
Heinlein explained, “The Alzheimer’s Association has a LGBT support group which meets once a month to talk about any questions/issues that they see in the aging community. Samaritas Senior Living is having a viewing of the film Gen Silent, which examines the discrimination and fears LGBT seniors experience. I will host a discussion afterwards for everyone to share their thoughts about the aging LGBT community. Dr. Grace Huizinga, Assistant Professor from Grand Valley State University, will be helping lead the discussion at Samaritas as well.”
The film and discussion will take place on July 11th from 6–8:30 pm and is open to the public.
If you’d like to learn more about this project, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at 888.456.5664 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org. To learn about their services you can visit their website: http://www.aaawm.org.
Editor’s Note: This is week four of our five week series on job search buzzwords.
What are soft skills?
Dictionary definition: personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.
Our definition: desirable qualities that you can’t learn in a classroom.
How do I show an employer I have soft skills?
Soft skills are important to your success as an employee. They’re the qualities you’ve learned through life experiences. Employers value these skills as much, or more, than the specific teachable abilities you need to perform a job like welding or programming (hard skills).
Examples of soft skills include:
Teamwork
Communication
Flexibility
Patience
Time management
During a job interview, employers may ask you situational questions like:
Give an example of a time when you had a conflict with a team member?
Your response is a perfect opportunity to showcase your soft skills:
You spoke rationally with the coworker about the problem (illustrates good communication skills).
You changed a process in your daily routine to help make theirs a little easier (highlights your flexibility).
You value harmony in your team because you know you’ll be more efficient if everyone is getting along (shows you’re a team player).
Employers want to know they’re hiring a person who will do their job well but also has the ability to work with other team members, is reliable and represents the company well.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
People wearing bright red t-shirts are canvasing some of the neighborhoods and festivals in Grand Rapids starting this June – but they’re not stumping for a political candidate: They’re hoping that homes in the city will Get the Lead Out!
Armed with free lead-testing kits and brochures, these team members from the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan are letting people know about federal funds available to make lead abatement possible.
“Lead lurks in the paint of homes built before 1978 – and most houses in the City of Grand Rapids were built before that year. Paint flakes and peels, and when improperly scraped or sanded off, dangerous lead dust can be kicked up,” said Paul Haan, executive director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan and gubernatorial appointee to the State of Michigan’s Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission.
That flaking, peeling lead paint and dust — ingested or breathed in — can be dangerous to anyone. But lead is especially toxic to babies, children and pregnant women. Lead poisoning can cause permanent brain damage and other health issues. (See GTLO 2017 Fact Sheet for more information on the dangers of lead.)
It doesn’t take much lead to create a toxic situation. One gram of lead dust is enough to make 25,000 square feet of flooring hazardous for young children, according to Haan.
“We’re talking an amount as small as the equivalent of a packet of Sweet’N Low — just that small amount is enough to contaminate a dozen homes in Grand Rapids,” said Haan. “The good news is that lead poisoning can be prevented, and there’s funding to help people get the lead out safely with professionals trained in lead abatement.”
The funding is through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City of Grand Rapids administers the grant locally and partners with the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, the Kent County Health Department, LINC, and the Rental Property Owners Association to facilitate the Get the Lead out! program. June has been designated “Healthy Homes Month” by HUD but team members will be encouraging applications as long as funding lasts.
The most common types of work done to remove lead hazards from homes are repairing or replacing windows, and re-painting or replacing siding.
Funding is available for eligible homeowners and landlords. Anyone living in the City of Grand Rapids in a home built before 1978 is encouraged to contact the Healthy Homes Coalition to learn about eligibility. For more information, please call the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at 616.241.3300 or visit www.GetTheLeadOutGR.org. Or, contact the City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department at 616.456.3030 or Doug Stek, Housing Rehabilitation Supervisor, 616.456.3672.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department are together reminding the public to secure their vehicles when left unattended. Both agencies report several larcenies from vehicles in different neighborhoods between May 30 and June 7. The larcenies occurred between the hours of 1 and 6 a.m. In Kentwood the thefts occurred around the area of Princeton Estates and the surrounding neighborhood. In Wyoming, the thefts occurred in the Chateau Hills neighborhood and in the neighborhood along Valleyridge Avenue SW.
Reports indicate that the suspect looked for unlocked cars that were parked on the street, in driveways, and in open garages. The suspect took cash, new or high-end electronics, and medication. Many cars were ransacked with no items taken.
Multiple reports indicate that the suspect is a male of slim build, and an approximate height of 5’10”. In some reports it is mentioned that the suspect may have been carrying a red backpack or riding a bicycle.
Both Departments want to remind the public of these simple safety tips to keep your valuables safe:
First and foremost, lock your vehicle when it is left unattended
Hide or keep valuables out of sight
Remove portable electronic devices such as smart phones and GPS navigation systems Please report suspicious activity when it is occurring
The Departments will continue with their investigations. Anyone with information in regards to these larcenies are asked to contact the either the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300, the Kentwood Police Department at 616.698.6580, or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Visitors from around the world are familiar with the tulip display at Windmill Island Gardenseach May. However, many are not aware that the gardens are reborn each summer. After Tulip Time, staff removes tulips and replaces them with thousands of annuals in themed beds for visitors to enjoy. This summer Windmill Island Gardens is proud to offer ‘The Artful Garden’.
Using garden beds as their canvas, horticulture staff designed the annual beds to mimic famous paintings. From Piet Mondrian’s modern colorful abstract work to Vincent van Gogh’s sunflowers, each bed features a floral nod to a featured painter. Beds contain informational signage about the artist and their work. Artists include Picasso, Degas, Pollock, O’Keefe, Warhol, Monet and more.
Guests will notice the beds change as the season progresses. Many will only appear for a short time as flowers mature, bloom, and recede. In addition, there are a handful of sculptural works by local artists that build on the art theme.
In conjunction with the garden displays, Windmill Island Gardens will be hosting ‘Art on the Island’ — a summer-long plein air painting competition. Artists are invited to bring easel and canvas to the Island to capture the beauty of the windmill, flowers, and natural setting. Prizes will be granted to the winners and announced at an Art Gala and Sale on Thursday, September 7th.
Information on these events and more is available at windmillisland.org. Visitors and artists alike are invited to experience the artistic beauty of Windmill Island Gardens this summer seven days a week through October 1st.
Season 24 Mirrorball Champion and NFL Running Back Rashad Jennings Joins the Cast of Dancing With The Stars: Live! – Hot Summer Nights
By Hilarie Szarowicz
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW
“Dancing with the Stars” Season 24 winner and NFL running back Rashad Jennings will join his partner, Emma Slater, this summer in ‘Dancing with the Stars: Live! — Hot Summer Nights’. Fans of the show have the opportunity to see the best ballroom dancers in the business perform live in their hometowns with newly added Mirrorball champion Rashad Jennings.
Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Hot Summer Nights comes to Grand Rapids on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at 7:30 pm at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids. Tickets are on sale now at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge-by-phone at 1.800.745.3000. Ticket prices are $49.50, $59.50, and $79.50. (Prices are subject to change.)
Captivating audiences across the country, “Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Hot Summer Nights” also features the hottest cast in dance, including Lindsay Arnold, Sharna Burgess, Artem Chigvintsev, Sasha Farber, Keo Motsepe, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater, Alan Bersten, Hayley Erbert and Britt Stewart*. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the professional dancing, exquisite costumes and excitement they see in the ballroom every Monday night live in theaters across America.
“I am super excited to be heading on tour with Dancing with the Stars Live. While the NFL is my #1 priority, I can think of no better way to stay in shape, combined with my intensive football training, until that team calls,” said Jennings.
“Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Hot Summer Nights” is produced by Faculty Productions in association with BBC Worldwide.
Dr. Jen had purposely saved this name for when a cat arrived that came in as a diabetic (c’mon, everyone has seen those commercials, haven’t they?). So she was excited when she finally got the chance to use it when this fine, FIV fella came to the sanctuary through Carol’s Ferals on September 4th, 2012. Well, she wasn’t excited he had diabetes, but you have to admit that it is pretty clever naming.
In any case, this poor pussycat found himself in very dire straits when first taken in to CF, and since he had way more medically wrong with him than they felt they could handle (he hadn’t been diagnosed at that point), Dr. Jen offered to take him in and figure out what was going on.
Born in March of 2010, Brimley sure had seen some rough patches while out of the streets of Grand Rapids. This nub-tailed ragamuffin was a filthy, albeit friendly, fella who was starving for food, affection and blood glucose regulation. In fact, his sugar levels were so out of whack that it took a few weeks on a pretty high insulin dosage to knock his sugar levels down to a dull roar.
Brimley is the sweetest kitty
And then, a pleasant surprise: Brimley went into remission! Diabetics can be fickle, so he may very well require insulin in the future, so we are keeping tabs on his status and fattening him up, which he is more than thrilled about (he was less thrilled with his twice daily shots, but he tolerated them alright as he got treats in return).
Being FIV-positive (read about FIV here) will be less of a drawback than being diabetic; cats with dual issues like this are harder to adopt out, as it takes a special person to commit to a lifetime of meds and follow-ups. But, all of us here at Big Sids feel Brimley is more than worth it, and we know once you meet this cutie pie you will see why we feel he deserves every chance at a life in a home of his own!
More about Brimley:
FIV-positive
House trained
Spayed/Neutered
Current on vaccinations
Want to adopt Brimley? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
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.
In Kent County, more than 47% of K-12 students were eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch in 2015. Nearly 50,000 children in our community rely on school meals to get the nutrition they need. What happens in the summer when school isn’t in session? How do families on very limited budgets provide those meals?
To address this issue, many groups in our community host summer meal programs. These programs provide free meals to children under the age of 18 on weekdays throughout summer break. This helps families stretch their food dollars and ensures kids are getting healthy, nutritious meals when they’re not in school. Many locations offer both breakfast and lunch.
Multiple hosts will be providing free student meals across Kent County this summer. Click the links below to find a location near you.
If your family is struggling to put food on the table, ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) can also help. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides low-income families with nutritious, pantry staples once per quarter. Many distributions are happening this week!
Find TEFAP distribution locations and dates on their website at: http://bit.ly/CAAFood.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.
An attendee showing their wings at a previous Grand Rapids Pride Festival (Photo credit: Matt Oberski)
Grand Rapids Pride Center and Arbor Circle recently introduced the Safe and Supported Program, which offers free therapy and counseling for LGBTQ youth
The Grand Rapids Pride Center, in their partnership with Arbor Circle, is now offering free therapy and counseling services for LGBTQ youth. While the Pride Center has offered support services for several years, the Safe and Supported program, which launched in February, provides one-on-one support for youth ages 13-24. LLMSW Sydney Sturm, whose work at Arbor Circle focuses on homeless youth, works with local youth in the LGBTQ community to help them regarding mental and physical health risks including depression, anxiety, and gender dysphoria, preventing homelessness, and offering a safe and welcome environment to discuss their concerns.
At that age, Sturm said, “you’re not only trying to figure out who you are, but society is telling you who you should be.”
As a young adult struggling with their identity as well as possible problems at home or at school related to it, it can be difficult to find accepting facilities and services that are willing to help. Many LGBTQ youth have been frustrated with the current mental health community; with “deadnaming,” or calling a person by their birth name rather than their chosen name, and staff using the wrong pronouns in relation to their gender identity, these young adults have found seeking mental health services discouraging. It is therefore important to have a professional on the LGBTQ spectrum that kids and young adults can come to for support in an inviting and welcoming environment, Sturm explained.
“I’ve seen them open up tremendously in regard to wanting mental health services, which is a great barrier to break,” she said.
One of the major issues Sturm is concerned with is youth homelessness. According to the LGBT Homeless Youth Provider Survey conducted by the Williams Institute, approximately 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. Sturm estimates that of the clients she has met with in her past work with Arbor Circle and the Pride Center, between 50 percent and 75 percent of youth are worried to come out truthfully for fear of being kicked out of their homes. This often brings a temptation to run away or remove themselves from their homes to find a more accepting community.
With the Safe and Supported program, young people have the opportunity to meet with a therapist on their own terms and receive professional help free of charge. Sturm emphasized that she and staff at the Pride Center are willing to “take any measure possible” to meet with youth and help if their family or living situation is unwelcome or unsafe. This includes meeting at a location of the individual’s choosing, and even helping them navigate the local housing system and shelters.
“What’s the point in working in a community if you’re not going to support that community?” she asked.
For more information on the Safe and Supported program or to schedule an appointment with the Safe and Supported program, go to http://www.grpride.org/support-services/ or call 616-458-3511.
The Board of Education has selected Kevin Polston, principal of Lakeshore Middle School, in Grand Haven Public Schools, as its new superintendent.
The board plans to negotiate a contract with Polston, with his first day on the job expected July 1.
“I’m really excited and grateful,” said Polston, 39. “When I looked at Godfrey-Lee the thing that jumped out was the culture and commitment to supporting families.”
Polston has served as Lakeshore Middle School principal since 2011 and as assistant principal there for two years before that. He received his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies – human resources and secondary social studies education at Michigan State University, and his master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University. He has also worked as a curriculum specialist and social studies teacher in Grand Haven Public Schools.
“Godfrey-Lee schools really serve the community and that’s been a central focus of my philosophy in education,” he said of the small, majority Hispanic district in Wyoming.
Polston will replace nine-year Superintendent David Britten, who will step down June 30.
“Kevin Polston brings a lot of really good experience in the kind of work he’s been doing,” said Board of Education President Eric Mockerman. “He expressed excitement about the initiatives we’ve been doing in the district.”
Polston, whose mother was an immigrant from Palestine, said he has always embraced diversity in education.
“A passion of mine has been working with our staff on climate and diversity and being an advocate for persons of color,” he said.
He is the second educator selected for the position. In March, Carlos Lopez, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment in Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, in Plymouth, declined an offer for the job.
Polston was selected from a second pool including three other finalists:
Scott Riley, superintendent of Camden-Frontier Schools, in Camden;
Coby Fletcher, principal at East Lansing High School;
Michael Pascoe, principal of City High/Middle School and Center for Economicology in Grand Rapids Public Schools. Pascoe was also interviewed as one of two final candidates.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
VoiceGR, Grand Rapids’ community survey, is expanding to become countywide thanks to a new partnership between the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University and the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). As VoiceKent, the survey will gather critical public health information from all areas of Kent County’s more than 600,000 residents.
The larger data collection area means that more valuable information will be available to community partners and nonprofits seeking to learn about the needs of Kent County’s many diverse communities beyond the Grand Rapids area.
“This partnership with the Kent County Health Department allows us to expand the data-collection area of the survey and explore public health with greater depth, as well as increase the usefulness of the survey within our community,” said Jodi Petersen, director of the Johnson Center’s Community Research Institute (CRI) which conducts the survey each year. “This year’s survey results will build upon previous years’ data and provide access to more information for local stakeholders to inform their decision making.”
The survey, which collects responses from June-October, connects demographics with the opinions, attitudes and perceptions of Kent County residents on topics such as employment, education, racism and discrimination, ability to meet basic needs, access to health care and neighborhood safety. The data gathered from the survey will help create a baseline for conversations on these important community issues.
“This is a large, community-wide effort that will involve the participation of many Kent County agencies,” said Chelsey Saari, public health programs supervisor for the Kent County Health Department. “The KCHD and Healthy Kent are excited to partner with the Johnson Center on this project.”
By partnering with the Kent County Health Department and Healthy Kent, the Johnson Center hopes to increase the number of collected responses to more than 6,000.
Survey results will be released in spring 2018 and will help neighborhood associations, schools, nonprofits, funders, local government and businesses better plan their programming.
The survey is available online at www.VoiceKent.org and is open to all residents who live, work, or do business in Kent County.
The survey, originally called the Greater Grand Rapids Community Survey, began in 2001 as a phone survey to the owners of 500 randomly selected landline telephone numbers in the city of Grand Rapids. The methodology was revised in 2013, and the survey, renamed VoiceGR, grew to collect responses from more than 3,000 Grand Rapids area residents through a combination of paper and online surveys.
Healthy Kent is a collaborative effort to identify and address public health issues with the goal of improving community health through community action.
Senior D’Nyszha Brand was accepted into six colleges: Baker College, Ferris State University, Wayne State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College and Western Michigan University.
She’s decided to attend GRCC for her associate degree before transferring to a university, maybe Ferris, to major in business and minor in psychology. “It’s the cheapest way to go and I will save more money,” she said.
D’Nyszha said she probably wouldn’t have applied to so many colleges, or realized how to meet her postsecondary goals, if it weren’t for the Michigan College Access Network representative who helped her. Jeremy Bissett had an office at Godwin Heights for 20 hours a week until mid-spring, helping students apply, submit and complete all the other paperwork to get into college.
“It was very helpful because I would go to my mom and ask her what to do and she would say, ‘I don’t know. I don’t know,'” said D’Nyszha, who will be the first person in her family to go to college.
Bissett reminded her often about deadlines and what was required. “He helped me in so many ways. Not only did he help me with my (college) stuff, he taught me different life skills,” she said. Without him, she added, “I probably would have only applied to GRCC, honestly.”
From left, seniors Josiah Lozada and Maurie Vinson, MCAN adviser Jeremy Bissett, and seniors Mya Jordan and Mamie Hai celebrate college acceptance.
Accepted, Again and Again
At Godwin Heights, students recently gathered in the hallway wearing #accepted T-shirts to celebrate their “yes” notifications. A total of 111 of the 137 seniors, or 81 percent, were accepted at 27 colleges.
That’s a great start for students at Godwin Heights, where more than 80 percent come from financially disadvantaged families and 59 percent of seniors this year could be first-generation college-goers.
Godwin Heights received an Innovative Program Grant from MCAN to fund a dedicated college adviser, Bissett. It’s just one way the network supports Michigan schools in helping students access college.
“We are super proud of Godwin’s results,” said Sarah Anthony, MCAN deputy director for partnerships and advocacy. “We knew being in that community would be serving low-income, first-generation college students and students of color.”
The goal of Lansing-based MCAN is to increase the percentage of Michigan residents with degrees or postsecondary certificates to 60 percent by the year 2025. According to 2014 Census figures, 39.3 percent of Michigan’s 5.2 million working-age adults (ages 25-64) hold a two- or four-year college degree, an increase from the previous year’s rate of 38.4 percent. This is the sixth year in a row that Michigan’s degree attainment rate has increased.
College acceptance letters hang in the hallway of Godwin Heights High School.
But there’s work to be done. According to data from MCAN, out of every 100 ninth-graders in Michigan, 73 graduate from high school on time; 45 enroll into postsecondary education within 12 months of graduation; 32 persist from their first to their second year; and 18 graduate with a degree within six years.
According to Mischooldata.org, within six months of graduation, 55.8 percent of 2016 Godwin Heights grads were enrolled in a two- or four-year college or university.
Building a College-Prep Culture
Bissett spent much of his time meeting with students, ensuring they were on track with the application process and walking them through applications for financial aid.
“The biggest benefit I see with the MCAN partnership has been the one-on-one time,” said counselor Tish Stevenson. “An adult sitting down one-on-one is immensely important.”
Bissett said he was just a piece of the puzzle. At Godwin Heights, there’s a multi-pronged effort to prepare students. It includes college visits; work to improve literacy across all content areas; and preparing students for the workforce or college by developing communication and collaboration skills. Staff provides many opportunities to meet college representatives right at school.
“It’s putting that option in their purview,” said counselor Kristi Bonilla. “We get them in tangible contact with people and places.”
“I think they are establishing a culture there that is college prep, and are getting more students wanting to be engaged in that,” Bissett said. “They are doing great work.”
After being added to the state’s Priority Schools list in 2012, Godwin Heights also put many measures in place to boost achievement. In 2016, the high school received a five-year School Improvement Grant, approved by the Michigan Department of Education, that will include allocations of $750,000 a year for the first three years and $500,000 a year for the final two.
The work is paying off. The school was removed this year from the state’s Priority Schools list, and has climbed from a 0 percentile rank in 2012-2013 to a 27th percentile rank in 2015-2016.
Said high school data coach Kristin Haga, “We are moving in the right direction.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Metro Health – University of Michigan Health has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Award.
“Metro Health-University of Michigan Health is committed to striving for excellence in the acute treatment of stroke patients,” said Metro Health – University of Michigan Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Peter Y. Hahn. “This recognition from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Stroke further reinforces our team’s hard work and commitment. We are proud to have achieved this status.”
Get With The Guidelines® sets specific quality measures to ensure hospital teams follow the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. To receive these awards, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health has provided patient care at or above most achievement indicators for the last 24 consecutive months.
One of these quality measures is to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. This award recognizes that Metro Health – University of Michigan Health has been treating patients with intravenous tPA within 60 minutes in 75 percent or more of acute ischemic stroke patients.
“The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recognizes Metro Health – University of Michigan Health for its commitment to stroke care,” said Paul Heidenreich, M.D., M.S., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Professor of Medicine at Stanford University. “Research has shown there are benefits to patients who are treated at hospitals that have adopted the Get With The Guidelines program.”
Get With The Guidelines® puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping hospital care teams ensure the care provided to patients is aligned with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal to save lives and improve recovery time, Get With The Guidelines® has impacted more than 3 million patients since 2003.
“A stroke patient loses 1.9 million neurons each minute stroke treatment is delayed,” Hahn said. “This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to delivering advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely.”
According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the no. 5 cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of a stroke every 4 minutes, and nearly 800,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.
It may be taste. If you have a sweet tooth, maybe you’d consider a decadent layered chocolate cake with fluffy whipped frosting “good”. Or for the savory side, a bowl of soup that has a harmony of seasonings and flavors singing out. That sounds good.
Or based on presentation. They say we eat with our eyes, so the appearance of a plate could mean everything. Freshness is also key–does it look like it just came from the garden or was it forgotten on a counter at the back of the kitchen somewhere.
At Access of West Michigan, we appreciate a more specific definition than something that just tastes yummy and looks appetizing. And for good reason. In our effort to promote sustainable, wholistic solutions to poverty, the food we work toward is more than just a plate of chocolate chip cookies.
According to the Michigan Good Food Charter in 2010, which presents a vision for improving Michigan’s food system, “good” food has four requirements.
Healthy
First and foremost, food that is good is food that is healthy. Which means those packages of frosted mini donuts probably won’t cut it. The charter states that healthy means the food “provides nourishment and enables people to thrive.” Healthy foods like ripe red strawberries, bushy stalks of deep green kale and whole grain oats provide essential nutrients to give energy and sustainability.
Green
No, in this case green does not refer to money. Rather, the charter defines green as food that “was produced in a manner that is environmentally sustainable.” Biting into a crunchy Granny Smith means that the grower didn’t need to use harmful pesticides that hurt the earth, animals and humans. No obnoxious or harmful fumes were emitted into the air while washing potatoes. Good food is not only based on the food itself but protecting and preserving the environment in which it’s grown.
Fair
This has become a buzzword in today’s culture, referring to justice in the production of food from start to finish. Yet it’s a concept of the food system that is of high importance. The charter describes “fair” as “no one along the production line was exploited during its creation.” This element of criteria for good food ensures that those involved won’t get abused or taken advantage of in supporting both those who eat and those who grow or produce it.
Affordable
Having food that is healthy, green and fair is so important. But what if people can’t even purchase or obtain it? Affordability means that no matter their income level, social status, age or gender, everyone should be able to have access to such food.
So why is this definition of “good food” important?
For our co-executive director Emma Garcia, it provides a path toward improving how food pantries serve their community.
Charitable food organizations, or those that distribute emergency food such as a pantry, don’t often find it easy to follow these guidelines. Garcia said that when the charitable food system began, it was a fairly straightforward concept.
“For the surplus of food, rather than it ending up in a landfill, give it to people who need it,” Garcia said.
Yet a lot of the food that is produced in surplus and is often donated is unfortunately foods that don’t meet these four criteria for “good” food.
Through our Farm to Pantry program, we are working to make good food a reality for all by investing in our local food economy and partnering pantries with small West Michigan farms to better our community and practice good food values.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s (GRPM) annual Independence Day fundraiser, Front Row for the Fireworks, offers visitors an evening of entertainment, discovery and fun. The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, July 1 to coincide with the City of Grand Rapids celebration.
In addition to having front row seats in Grand Rapids underneath the fireworks, the night will include patriotic themed Mighty Wurlitzer Organ concerts in the Meijer Theater, exciting shows in the Chaffee Planetarium, rides on the 1928 Spillman Carousel, as well as a unique Museum-wide scavenger hunt for the family. Please note, the Museum will close at 5 p.m. on July 1 and re-open at 6:30 p.m.
The Museum Café will serve a meal deal for $5.00, featuring various summer menu items sure to please any palette. Ice cream and other treats will also be available for purchase. At dusk, visitors can head outside to the carousel walkway or the enclosed lawn seating area, or stay inside the Museum in air-conditioned comfort to have an amazing view of the fireworks as they burst over the Grand River.
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are $10 for Museum members and $15 for non-members. For more information and to purchase tickets visit grpm.org, call 616.929.1700 or stop by the Museum’s front desk. Proceeds from this event support exhibits and programs of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Support Local Foster Children
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is once again working with Lutheran Social Services, West Michigan Ronald McDonald House and D.A. Blodgett Homes to bring foster children, who might otherwise not be able to attend, downtown to the Museum to enjoy the festivities. Ticket purchasers may sponsor a child with a $15 ticket donation that includes a meal for the child. For details, please visit grpm.org or call 616.929.1700.
Front Row for the Fireworks is sponsored by Varnum, LLP and Macatawa Bank.
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters have announced $45,644 for the Wyoming Fire Department to help purchase equipment. This grant comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants program.
“Our firefighters in Wyoming put their lives on the line to protect our families and homes,” said Senator Stabenow. “It is important that these brave men and women have the equipment they need to help them do their jobs each and every day.”
“Families in Wyoming rely on firefighters to protect their homes, businesses, families and their personal safety from potential hazards,” said Senator Peters. “We must support our firefighters and first responders with the equipment to help them respond to fires and other critical emergencies.”
Eligible fire departments and Emergency Medical Services organizations in Michigan and across the country can apply for Assistance to Firefighters Grants. These competitive grants help first responders purchase the equipment and obtain the training needed to handle fire-related hazards. More information about the grant can be found here.
In his role at GFIA, Johnson has assisted the CEO in managing the day-to-day operations of the airport and directing airport activities. Johnson has also played a key role in assisting the airport in air service needs such as the addition of Southwest Airlines in 2013, and Allegiant Air in 2009, among others.
“Phil has been a valuable asset to our airport for more than two decades and we are thankful for his service,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “He leaves behind a legacy of always working diligently to make our Airport the best it could be. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Johnson has held a number of aviation related positions prior to beginning his airport management career in 1989. Among these are Systems Engineer for Hughes Aircraft Company — designing air defense and air traffic control systems; Air Traffic Control Specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — controlling air traffic at Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center; and Manager, Aircraft Ground Services for National Air Enterprises — managing aircraft line service functions at a Fixed Base Operator (FBO).
In addition, Johnson is an Accredited Airport Executive with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). He also holds professional affiliations with the Great Lakes Chapter of AAAE (GL-AAAE) and the Michigan Association of Airport Executives (MAAE).
“I have so many wonderful memories in my 22 years at the Ford Airport, and I feel blessed to call Grand Rapids home,” said Johnson. “It was a pleasure working with all of my coworkers over the years, and I look forward to seeing the continued growth and development within the Airport Authority.”
Johnson holds a Master of Science degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University, and an Associate of Science degree in Air Traffic Management from Mount San Antonio College.
Josh Wilde of the Detroit Circus. Photo by Donna Macaufey.
A sure sign of summer is Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park which kicks off Tuesday, June 6, with a high-fly affair as the Detroit Circus takes the stage at Wyoming’s Lamar Park.
Set for 7 p.m. every Tuesday from June 6 to Aug. 1, the annual Concerts in the Park has become a popular summer tradition in Wyoming. The event, which is organized by the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission, provides free family-friendly programming with a host of local and regional talent.
Providing family-friendly shows is an important aspect to the Detroit Circus, said Micha Adams, founder and owner of both the Detroit Flyhouse Circus and the Detroit Circus. Started about 10 years ago, the performers include gymnasts, aerialists, and those with a theater background. The 20 members have sought out opportunities to learn from others including Cirque du Soleil. Many now teach at the Detroit Flyhouse Circus while also performing for the Detroit Circus.
The company has performed throughout Michigan and travelled outside the state as well. Detroit Circus is the house entertainment at Cobo Arena and have performed at the MGM Casino in Greektown. Area residents might remember them from ArtPrize, where the troupe recently performed.
Eric Baker of the Detroit Circus. Photo by splitsugar.com.
“We always say ‘bring a chair so you can use the edge of your seat,’” Adams said during a recent interview with the WKTV Journal.
On Tuesday, the Detroit Circus’s Josh Wilde and Eric Baker will be amazing the Concerts in the Park audience with aerobatic feats along with illusion, magic, juggling and object manipulation. The show is very interactive, according to Adams and is non-stop allowing people to come and go.
The rest of the Concerts in the Park series line up includes country band Shelagh Brown Band June 13; Tejano Sounds Band June 20;the WY-Fi program celebrating the country’s birthday featuring two pop rock bands, the Sweet J Band and Brena Band June 27; southern rock Michatucky July 11; sixties music band the 6 Pack July 18;the Beatles tribute band July 25 and the National Night Out Celebration with country group Union Guns Aug. 1.
Lamar Park is located at 2561 Porter St. SW. For more on the Concerts In the Park, visit the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission’s website, www.wyomingcec.org or visit the commission’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/WyomingCEC.
Alexandra Gillett, attorney with Justice for our Neighbors, and Ana Raquel Devereaux, an attorney with Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, explain people’s rights regardless of immigration status
Kent School Services Network coordinator Erika VanDyke wasn’t sure what the turnout would be for a recent “Know Your Rights” event for immigrants at Wyoming’s West Elementary School. Staff had purposely not asked people to register, and they advertised it as a basic community-resource event because they knew families could easily be scared away.
“In the current political climate there’s a lot of fear,” VanDyke said, adding that she’s heard from parents and community members who aren’t sure right now what their protections include. “There’s a lot of fear from our families. As a KSSN school, we want to be a place where families can come with questions and get answers.”
About 15 people attended the districtwide event, aimed at providing members of the Hispanic community with knowledge about responding to immigration officials and preparing for encounters.
Immigration arrests are up 38 percent in the first three months of the Trump administration. Wyoming Public Schools’ Hispanic student population is about 40 percent.
Larry Figuero said he attended as a community member
Supporting the Community
Presenters defined immigrant rights at traffic stops, and what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials come to the house, workplace or stop someone in public. They stressed creating an emergency response plan, keeping all documents in an easily accessible place, speaking to an immigration lawyer to assess individual immigration status, and having a plan to protect one’s family.
They also explained how to grant power of attorney and how to tell whether a search warrant is real. They emphasized not signing anything without speaking with an attorney if arrested.
VanDyke said she’s had families call her to ask whether they should go to immigration check-ins.
“They have called and said ‘I don’t know if I should go or not,'” she said. “It’s not my job to tell them what to do, but it’s my job to say ‘Here are the resources, here are people you can talk to so you can make that decision.’
“We want to make sure families have information, because that’s part of being a community school,” she added. “For me it’s critical that particularly with this population, that they have access to this knowledge.”
Participants asked questions on topics ranging from driving legally in the U.S. to situations involving U.S.-born children in undocumented families.
Rolff said schools are supposed to be protected spaces where ICE can’t enter, like churches. Still, much is uncertain.
“Even though families trust us, there’s fear,” she said. “The schools are here to help them. Our No. 1 priority is the kids, which means the parents as well. … If parents have any questions, they can come to the school. If we don’t have the answers, we will do our best to find the answers for them.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Peters Announces $11.4 Million in Support for Michigan AmeriCorps Programs
By Allison Green
U.S. Senator Gary Peters announced that Michigan has received $11.4 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs.
“Citizen service is an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities and the individuals they serve, and essential to solving problems that face Michigan and the United States,” said Senator Peters.
The investment includes 14 grants totaling $4.6 million, which will support 671 AmeriCorps members.
Below is a partial listing of 2017 AmeriCorps competitive grants in Michigan:
American Red Cross of Grand Rapids: Together We Prepare
AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program
Michigan Campaign To End Homelessness AmeriCorps Program
Michigan Financial Opportunity Corp
Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps Project
MARESA AmeriCorps
B-H-K Child Development Board
AdviseMI
CNCS will also provide Michigan with up to $3.1 million in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans.
This year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive. The 2017 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, governor and mayor initiatives, veterans and military families, disaster services, and initiatives to build safer communities.
Peters, Colleagues Raise Concerns over President Trump’s Cuts to Rural Development
President Trump’s drastic budget cuts, coupled with plans to eliminate the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, would hurt small towns and rural communities
U.S. Senator Gary Peters joined 28 other Senate Democrats in sending a letter to President Trump expressing strong concerns over recent actions that would have negative impacts on families in rural America.
In the letter, the Senators objected to the proposed cuts, and urged President Trump to maintain the position of Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Last week, President Trump issued a budget proposal calling for drastic cuts that would undermine the important rural development mission at the USDA. These damaging cuts come on the heels of recently announced plans to eliminate the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, an important advocate for small towns and rural communities across the country.
The letter was also signed by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and others.
ICYMI: Senator Stabenow Questions OMB Director Mulvaney on Trump’s Budget Cuts to the Great Lakes (VIDEO)
By Ian Wilhite
During a recent hearing in the Senate Budget Committee on the President’s 2018 Budget, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) questioned OMB Director Mick Mulvaney about zeroing out funding for the Great Lakes in Fiscal Year 2018.
Wyoming’s Master Arts Theatre is partnering with its neighbor to the south, Byron Center’s Van Singel Fine Arts Center, to co-produce Roald Dahl’s music comedy “Willy Wonka” for the winter holiday.
The production will include four performances Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. Auditions have been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24, and 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 26, at Van Singel Fine Arts Center, which is part of the Byron Center High School at 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW or the corner of Burlingame Avenue and 84th Street.
“We are pleased to be partnering with the Van Singel Fine Arts Center in providing opportunities to feature local artists and actors in this wonderful venue, and look forward to collaboration with an organization that shares our dedication to serving the Byron Center and South Grand Rapids community with wholesome family entertainment and high standards of artistic excellence,” said Master Arts Theatre Artistic Director Pricilla McDonald.
Plans are underway to give subscribers from both non-profit organizations the ability to purchase advance seating and add the show as part of season packages. The two groups believe that this new alliance will be the beginning of many future community theater productions presented at the Van Singel. In fact, Van Singel Managing Director Sara Bower said she is thrilled to be creating this new partnership.
“We are so excited to partner with Master Arts for ‘Willy Wonka’,” Bower said. “Engaging the community is paramount to both of our organizations, and with a collaboration like this, there is so much opportunity to change lives through the arts – especially through a musical that everyone knows and loves.”
Based on the Gene Wilder film, this classic family musical follows world re-known and mysterious candy man, Willy Wonka, who hosts five young Golden Ticket contest winners at his magical candy empire. While on their tour of the surreal confectionary factory, the young winners and their families journey through the delicious art of candy making, where four of the children plunge into mischievous escapades. However, little do the five children and their families know that their dreamlike adventure is really a test of character and Willy Wonka is actually seeking an heir to his massive chocolate kingdom.
Bower said they are looking forward to “a multi-generation cast, having a lot of fun, working to put on a fantastic show; that that’s our goal for this production and for any potential future collaborations. We want families and neighbors to create memories from these experiences…whether it’s through performance, volunteering n the theatre, or coming to see the show.”
Tickets for “Willy Wonka” are $22 for reserved seating in sections II and III. Reserved seating in all other sections of the theatre are $19 for adults, $17 for students and senior citizens and $8.50 for children 10 and under. The Van Singel Fine Arts Center box office is open weekdays, noon to 5 p.m.
For more information abut auditions or the show, call Master Arts Theatre at 616-455-1001 or visit the company’s website at masterarts.org or call the Van Single Fine Arts Center at 616-878-6800 or visit vsfac.com.
It is estimated that by 2020, 25% of the workforce will be made of workers 55 and older. But is this demographic qualified for the jobs that employers need to fill?
While employers give older workers high marks on characteristics such as judgement, commitment to quality, attendance and punctuality, they can lack the skills necessary for today’s jobs.
The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) was designed to help low-income, unemployed, older adults gain work experience. Participants are placed in community service positions, receive on-the-job training and earn a pay check. This gives them the skills and experience needed to enter the workforce.
Program FAQs
Experiences are provided at a variety of non-profit and public facilities
Participants work an average of 20 hours per week
Participants are paid minimum wage for their service
Individuals must be over 55, unemployed and meet income requirements to qualify
To learn more and find out if you are eligible to participate in SCSEP, contact the local AARP Foundation office at 616-649-0310.
Everyone should have access to jobs and other basic needs like food, shelter and healthcare. ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) is dedicated to helping Kent County residents of all ages meet basic needs. If you or someone you know is having trouble making ends meet, contact ACSET CAA at 616-336-4000.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.
St. Cecilia Music Center’s summer piano camp will be starting in June. (Supplied)
St. Cecilia Music Center
St. Cecilia Music Center will continue is offerings of music training for children this summer with their Stella Royce Piano Camp for students ages 7-15. In addition, it will offer a fun and relaxed adult camp opportunity called Grand Band Camp for older school aged students (age 12 and older) and adults.
The Grand Band Camp will be held Monday though Thursday, June 12-15, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. On Thursday, June 15, a final concert will be performed outdoor at the Gerald R. Ford Museum at approximately 11:30 a.m.
St. Cecilia welcomes musicians from around the community to participate in this casual and fun music experience where site reading can be practiced and a variety of music will be played, including great band favorites. Tuition per person is $45 and the registration deadline is June 8.
St. Cecilia also presents the 10th annual Stella Royce Piano Camp, July 10-14, 2017 from 8:40 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering an engaging and educational experience for young pianists 7-15 years of age. Optional free YMCA playtime is also offered Monday through Thursday from 3-5 p.m. after camp concludes.
Every year during the piano camp, students work with a new-featured composer and perform ensemble pieces written by that composer. This year, nationally renowned composer and master class teacher Mary Leaf from FJH Music Company will join the students to help prepare them for performing. Other talented faculty will also be involved in teaching and supervising all activities of the students throughout the week.
Daily music activities include individual and ensemble lessons, theory and ear training, music composition and music history, supervised practice time and master classes with composer Mary Leaf. In addition, special events are held each day, including solo and ensemble master classes, composition workshops, and time with the featured composer.
The final day of camp, Friday, July 14, a celebratory recital will take place where each student will perform music composed by Leaf, within an ensemble group. An ice cream social will take place after Friday’s recital. Each student will also perform solo, other music compositions, during a recital on Thursday afternoon. Tuition is $375. The registration deadline is June 15.
To register for the Grand Band Camp or the Stella Royce Piano Camp visit SCMC-online.org. For more information call education director Martha Bundra at 616-459-2224 ext. 206.
Active Commute Week returns June 12 – 15 to the Greater Grand Rapids area as many get ready to ride their bikes or take the bus to participate.
The goal of Active Commute Week is to raise awareness about the health, economic and environmental benefits of active travel. The week is a chance for individual participants and teams to earn points for using active transportation, including bicycling, walking, riding The Rapid, carpooling, running, longboarding or inline skating.
Participants fill out a form and are notified through The Rapids when their account is ready. Teams and individuals can track their active transportation online during the week for a chance to win prizes.
Several organizations have signed up to participate such as Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, which will be hosting one of the Bike to Work Day Pit Stops on Fray, June 16. Metro Health will be hosting at the Fred Meijer M-6 trail near Metro Way off of Byron Center Avenue. This is an entrance to Metro Health. For a complete list of Bike to Work Day Pit Stops, click here.
Also Grand Valley State University has joined as a sponsor and will host bike ride with President Thomas J. Haas on Monday, June 12. The ride will be from the center of the Allendale Campus to the Sustainable Agriculture Project on Luce Street.
Participants will meet at the Bill Seidman statue near Mary Idema Pew Library at 4 p.m. Helmets are required, and the Grand Valley Police Department will provide an escort. Refreshments will be served at the SAP and bicyclists can join a guided ride back to campus at 5:30 p.m.
Join the Active Commute Week Committee and the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition for The Handlebar Happy Hour Friday, June 16, at Long Road Distillers, 537 Leonard St. NW. The event takes places from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. The winners of the Active Commute Week Challenge will be announced and prizes awarded. Awards and a raffle will take place at approximately 6:30 p.m. This event is open to everyone.
More information and a list of the week’s events are online at www.acwgr.org. Join social media during the week using #acwgr.
By Victoria Mullen, WKTV
The first Pride Celebration took place in 1988 in downtown Grand Rapids at the Monroe Amphitheater (now Rosa Parks Circle). Watch footage of that event here.
