Don’t let this happen to you… or your car. Mind the rules.
If you live in the City of Wyoming and park on the street, there are no worries three seasons out of the year.
But during the winter months, it’s a different story — parking on both sides of the street can restrict the width of the street to a point where emergency vehicles are unable to have access.
To provide better access, the City implements Odd/Even Parking restrictions from December 1 until March 31. See the Odd/Even Parking ordinance for specific information.
According to the ordinance, from December 1 through the end of March of each year and during any declared snow emergency, any motor vehicles and other licensed trailers or equipment “shall be parked only on that side of the street having even numbers on even numbered calendar days and on that side of the street having odd numbers on the odd numbered calendar days between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 7 pm of the same day with the following exceptions:
When a residence is on a cul-de-sac, on-street parking shall only be on the even numbered calendar days.
When a residence is on a street already posted “No Parking”, the no parking restrictions shall apply.
Parked cars will not be ticketed from 7 pm to midnight. At any other time, cars must be parked on the correct side of the street according to that day’s date.
So, in a nutshell: On even numbered calendar days, park on the side of the street with even numbers (addresses) between midnight and 7 pm. On odd numbered days, park on the side with odd numbers. OK to park on either side from 7 pm to midnight.
One year ago, MercyMe was riding on a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an experience that guitarist Mike Scheuchzer remembered as “surreal.”
“To ride down the road and see that many people, crammed on the street, it was literally like being in a movie and right in the middle of it,” he recalled. “That was one of the most surreal things I’ve ever done in my life.”
Today, the Grammy-nominated band from Greenville, Texas, is preparing for its 2016 Christmas tour, which opens Tues, Nov. 29, with the Grand Rapids Symphony at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville.
So far, MercyMe has only done about eight to 10 concerts with orchestra. But if Scheuchzer had his way, all of the group’s Christmas shows would be with symphony orchestra.
“It’s a stunning experience,” he said. “To add what an orchestra brings, it makes it feel that much more like Christmas. It’s really beautiful.”
Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau will lead the 7:30 p.m. concert at Resurrection Live Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW. Tickets start at $30.
Grand Rapids is the only Christmas show in the Midwest that MercyMe will perform with symphony orchestra this holiday season, making the concert an extra special experience for them.
“None of us are classically trained musicians,” said Scheuchzer, who co-founded MercyMe with vocalist Bart Millard, in 1994. “We have huge respect for what these men and women do. We stand in awe.”
Consisting of drummer Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarist Barry Graul along with Scheuchzer and Millard, MercyMe will be in Grand Rapids with a Christmas-flavored concert including songs such “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland.”
When his father died in 1991, Millard, took up pen and paper to reflect on the loss.
Alone on a tour bus in the middle of the night, Millard, only 18 years old at the time, drew on his faith and gathered his thoughts about what it would be like to stand before God in heaven.
The lyrics became “I Can Only Imagine,” a song on MercyMe’s 1999 album, “The Worship Project.”
In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorists attacks in 2001, the ballad soon dominated Christian radio, crossing over to mainstream radio in the next two years, spending 16 weeks in total on the Hot 100 Adult Contemporary Chart.
In 2010, “I Can Only Imagine” became the first single in the Christian genre certified platinum with over 1 million digital downloads. Four years later, it was certified double platinum with over 2 million digital downloads.
The Grammy-nominated band from Greenville, Texas, is credited with six of the top 50 Christian songs of the first decade of the 21st century, according to Billboard.
Winner of two American Music Awards, nominated for five in all, MercyMe’s hits include “Here With Me,” “Homesick” and “So Long Self,” The band was in Grand Rapids as part of the Rock and Worship Road Show that appeared in the Van Andel Arena in February 2013.
Letter by letter, fourth-grader David Espinoza read through the alphabet on flash cards. English-learner teacher Nicole Adams timed him with a stopwatch at 40 seconds. Unsatisfied, David wanted to try again.
“Last week you were only able to do it in one minute. Now 40 seconds seems slow,” Adams said.
David, a recent immigrant from Cuba who started at Gladiola Elementary School in September, tried again, hesitating at just one letter. His time: 34 seconds — a personal record. “Wow! Wow!” Adams exclaimed to a gleeful David, who wrote the time down on his data sheet.
First-grader Gustavo Aburto Ambriz shows his story to EL teacher Nicole Adams.
David is learning English letters, sounds and reading. By the end of the school year, he will be much more proficient. Adams spends time with him conversing in Spanish and English, in ways that capture his attention. David knows a lot about dinosaurs and, in Spanish, talked excitedly about a brachiosaurus. In English, he practiced words like “mouth” and “neck” while describing the prehistoric beast.
“He’s really eager to learn and not afraid to practice,” Adams said. “He will be much more fluent by the end of the year.” He has strong Spanish speaking, reading and academic skills, she said, so he’s on the right track.
Gladiola is one of only 35 schools recognized by the Michigan Department of Education for academic efforts for English learners over the past two years, and is eligible to be named a 2016 Title 1 Distinguished School in the category of Serving Special Populations (English learners). Also in the running are West Godwin Elementary in Godwin Heights Public Schools, Explorer Elementary in Kentwood Public Schools, Sibley Elementary in Grand Rapids Public Schools, and Appleview Elementary in Sparta Area Schools.
The top two schools will be announced in late November and recognized at the 2017 National Title 1 Conference in Long Beach, California.
The schools have shown growth in proficiency levels with their EL population.
David Lyon, who was hired as principal last year, credits a strong culture of shared leadership in the building and strong EL instruction including a full-time EL teacher, formerly Laura VanderWerf and now Adams.
Fourth-grader David Espinoza, who is from Cuba, uses beads that correspond to questions to grow his vocabulary.
He said EL students are held to high expectations, and not not limited because of low proficiency in English, Lyon said.
“Sometimes the perception in your struggle with English is your struggle with ability. This really proves you’re a very capable student in spite of your struggles with the language,” he said.
In-depth language instruction challenges EL students in Adams’ class to really think about words. They hold colorful beads resembling a caterpillar. Each bead corresponds with different questions on the classroom wall. When David thinks about a dinosaur, for example, he goes through each bead. What does it do? What does it look like? What is it made of? What are its parts? Where does it live? And what else?
At Godwin Heights, Director of Instruction Michelle Krynicki said staff works hard to build relationships and collaborate. Oftentimes, instruction can be tweaked in classrooms to benefit all students.
“The celebration for us at West Godwin is embracing the idea that all of these learners are our responsibility,” she said.
It was the night before Thanksgiving and not a student was sitting at Wyoming’s Daniel Heintzleman Auditorium as there were costumes to sew, props to prepare, and lines to review.
This weekend, the Wyoming Theater Company presents the musical “The Addams Family.” Created by cartoonist Charles Addams as a satirical version of the ideal 20th Century American family, “The Addams Family,” with its fascination with the macabre, became a cult hit in the mid-1960s with videos, an animated TV series, books, two feature films and a 2010 Broadway musical following. It is the musical that the Wyoming High School students are set to present this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Dec 1 – 3.
“It is very outside the box for us,” said junior Caitlyn Bulthuis who plays Grandma. “It’s a lot bigger show than what we have normally done in the past.”
Ansleigh Hamilton as Morticia and Pablo Marcos as Gomez.
It is also quite the opposite of the children’s productions the company presented last year, said 11th grader Clayton Howell who plays Pugsley Addams. “When I first read the script, I thought it sounded like a lot of fun,” Howell said. “And of course, I could see myself playing Pugsley.”
The characters in “The Addams Family” are very distinct from the crafty, but jolly, schemer and patriarch Gomez to the “electric” personality of Uncle Fester. This means having the right set of actors to pull off such an eccentric group of characters is essential for the show, something Director Jeremy Schnotala said he found when looking at his possible cast.
“I have a pretty good group of leads, about seven, who I felt could handle the parts along with about 10 future leads in the upcoming classes,” Schnotala said. “I applied early for the rights and we actually promoted this musical in the spring to help create some buzz for it.”
“Last year I played a Twit in ‘The Twits,'” said senior Matt Bulthuis, who plays Lucas in “The Addams Family.” “This part is really different for me and I like the change as I have the freedom to act more on my own and to improvise.”
The story centers around Wednesday who, normally a cold-hearted person (her favorite doll is a headless Marie Antoinette), has fallen in love with a normal, everyday guy named Lucas. This comes much to the surprise of her family but before Wednesday will agree to marriage, the two families must meet.
“I like the music,” said senior Cianna Gomez who plays Wednesday. For most of the cast, it is the music that makes the show. Among the most recognizable songs is “When You’re an Addams.”
“The music is so much fun,” said senior Olivia Cool, who is part of the orchestra pit. “When you perform at a concert, you have to play a specific portion. With the musical, there is more variety with you being asked to add or subtract depending on what is needed.”
“I really love the jokes,” said 11th grader Melissa Hadzikic, who plays Lucas’s mother Alice Beineke. “I really like the dynamics of the two families, one that is weird and kooky and the other that is normal and regular — here they are so different and they come together to make it work.”
The cast and crew
Much like the story, it takes all kinds of people to put together the production. More than 70 Wyoming High School students are involved from acting to building costumes, from back stage to the orchestra pit.. Many of the students have worked long days since unlike many high school companies, Wyoming Theatre builds all of its items for each show, Schnotala said.
“It’s my last musical,” said Ansleigh Hamilton who wanted it indicated that she said it with a sniff. Hamilton who plays Morticia, said she has been performing since seventh grade and has loved every moment. “It’s been work but its been fun. There is a little bit of dancing and [the show] has become a great favorite.”
Grand Rapids area beer lovers this fall will again get a chance to belly up the bar and learn more about their favorite libation as the Grand Rapids Public Museum returns its Beer Explorers program starting Thursday, Dec, 15.
A sampling of beers at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Beer Explorers program — yes there is glasses of what you like available for purchase. (Supplied)
The series — which explores the roots of brewing beer with hands-on experiences related to the brewing and tasting of beer — will include programs on Jan. 12 and Feb. 16.
Classes begin at 6 p.m. and will be held on the 1st floor of the museum. Admission to each class includes general admission to the museum as well as three beer samples. A cash bar will also be available.
The December program is titled “History of Beer” and will feature museum curator Alex Forist talking about the history of beer but focused on the brewing history of Grand Rapids, as well as Michael Steil, from Founders Brewing Company, discussing the science of brewing.
The January program, “Beer Pairings”, will feature Founders experts discussion why certain beers and desserts work together. The February program, “Barrel Aging”, will focus on the process of barrel aging and how different factors affect the taste and quality of the beer.
Tickets to Beer Explorers is $8 for museum members and $18 for non-members. Participants must be 21 and older.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is located at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For tickets and more information visit grpm.org.
On Nov. 27 at 12:50 am, the Kent County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a single vehicle accident on 68th St. SW east of Wilson Ave SW, in Byron Township.
Tyler Vanderwest of Wyoming was traveling eastbound on 68th St SW, when he lost control of his 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix and struck a tree. The 18-year-old was not wearing his seatbelt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Speed appears to be a factor and the accident remains under investigation.
For those of you who, like me, are on a mission to fill out your Beer City Brewsader Passport book by visiting all the participating Western Michigan breweries and brew pubs, the constantly growing list of brewers is a pleasant frustration.
But good news: The passport book now has an addendum adding nine additional beer stops to the original 23 locales — including Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery — where stamps and brews are available.
Experience Grand Rapids officially rolled out the second edition of the Beer City Passport last week. Among the new stops are Atwater GR, Bier Distillery, City Built Brewing, Creston Brewery, Elk Brewing’s Comstock Park location, Greyline Brewing Co., Schmohz Brewing Company, New Holland Brewing’s The Knickerbocker, and Fountain Hill Brewery at Grand Rapids Community College.
For those of us with a partially filled out passport already, the addendum sticks on the back of the original. But it is a little bit of a tricky maneuver, so do so before you start tasting at you next beer city stop.
The Beer City Passport, which debuted a little more than a year ago, has had more than 4,200 beer lovers get at least eight stamps and join the Brewsaders club, according to Experience GR.
“The Beer City Passport was a huge success in the first year,” Janet Korn, senior vice president of Experience GR, said in supplied material. “We created the second edition to add new craft beer locations and prepare for future breweries. When a new brewery opens, we will announce on our website if they are going to be a part of the Passport. If they are, visitors can go there and collect a stamp on one of the newly included blank pages.”
To become a Brewsader, the passport must be either take to the Welcome Center in Grand Rapids Art Museum or mailed directly to the Experience GR office. New this year, collect all 32 stamps and earn an Ultimate Brewsader wallet card which offers discounts on the Beer City merchandise at GrandRapidsStore.com and perks at local businesses.
According to Experience GR, Longwoods Intl. found that 1 percent of Western Michigan tourists come specifically for beer compared to the national average of about 5 percent.
For more information visit ExperienceGR.com/Brewsader. and join the social media conversation at #GRBrewsader.
The Creative Arts Repertoire Ensemble continues its holiday tradition with the annual presentation of the “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” ballet Thanksgiving weekend.
The original ballet, based on Clement C. Moore’s familiar poem and set to traditional holiday music, features mischievous mice, dancing stockings, magical toys and Santa with his prancing reindeer, all combining to create a wonderful hour of family entertainment.
Because the show is about an hour long, it is great for any age and a nice way to introduce younger children to the arts. Show times are 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, at East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center, 2211 Lake Drive SE.
Tickets are $15/adults and $10/students. This show does sell out quickly. For tickets, go to careballet.org.
A nativity scene from Italy is part of the Meijer Gardens holiday display. (supplied)
Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World
So you ate a lot of turkey over Thanksgiving and now are looking for a place to walk it off that does not necessarily involve shopping. Head over to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E. Beltline NE, which has opened its annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World.
The exhibit features more than 40 international trees and displays as well as the railway garden that meanders through four indoor garden spaces and features recreated Grand Rapids landmarks. There will be narratives and special displays from Iceland, Ghana, Germany and the countries and other counties and cultures.
The exhibit runs through Jan. 8. For more information, visit meijergardens.org.
Have Another
The popular a cappella group Straight No Chaser returns to DeVos hall Friday, Nov. 25, for its “I’ll Have Another…World Tour.”
The North American leg — which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the cappella group’s foundation in 1996 and the first show at Indiana University — will be at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. NW.
The group became pYouTube sensation with is holiday performances. They have been touring since 2008 and in the past several years and in the past several years have made a departure from holiday music. This year, the group has returned to the holiday classics with its latest recording “I’ll have Another…Christmas Album.” The new album features a number of holiday classics, such as “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Winter Wonderland,” along with such songs as “Run, Run Rudolph” and “To Christmas” (The Drinking Song).
Tickets for the Straight No Chaser concert are $34.50 – $64.50. The concert does sell out quickly. for more information or for tickets, visit devosperformancehall.com.
A walk in the wintry woods
Blandford Nature Center, 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW, is open year around and offers lots of seasonal opportunities.
Complete a self-guided hike using one of the center’s free, themed-trail day packs located at its Visitor Center or rent snowshoes for a different way to explore the nature center’s trails. There are also Blandford’s Heritage Buildings that allows visitors to take a trip back in time along with an opportunity to visit with the songbirds, birds of prey and mammals in the observation area.
Cost is $3 per person. Blandford Nature Center is open 9 a.m. — 5 p.m. Monday — Friday and noon — 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information about upcoming events and activities, visit blandfordnaturecenter.org.
The saying goes that the eyes are the windows to one’s soul. Unmistakably, there is a dancing intensity reflecting from the two shining panes of our coming featured guest. Raúl Alvarez is a high-octane communications strategist during the week. On the weekends, he trades his business suit for basketball shorts and plays some of the most fervent over-40 roundball in the city of Grand Rapids. He joins Alan to talk about personal identity and getting stuff done.
There are books galore in Rebecca English’s high school classroom. New and old and of many genres, they are categorized and in bins along the walls, on shelves and in a closet-turned-library.
There are also bundles of yarn stacked in a container on the floor, wooly materials to be knit into hats and mittens. Several handmade scarves hang from hooks on the wall.
When it comes to connecting with students, English does so purl by purl and page by page. She invites them into her den-like classroom for endless supplies of books and knitting needles, which she said are great mediums to get students to relax, talk and develop a sense of belonging. Their effectiveness is evidenced by teenagers who pop into the classroom to visit her during lunch every day.
They take a seat to read, eat or just start a conversation.
“When you walk into my room, kids always say it’s like walking into a big hug,” said English, who has taught at Godwin Heights High School for 23 years. “I want it to be cozy and nurturing.”
Sophomore Cecilia Montejo said she started writing poetry after being inspired by English. “You can be comfortable here. It’s a warm place inside school.”
“She has this smile on her face and is always happy,” sophomore LLuvia Fuentes said of English. “It’s full of books. It’s like the library in here.”
Three days a week at noon, the classroom becomes Knitting Club, Writing Club or Book Club, all which English advises. Over half-finished scarves, prose or verse, lots of bonding takes place.
“We talk about different situations, laugh and solve all the world’s problems,” English said.
Reaching Out to ‘Invisible’ Students
Teacher Rebecca English has more than 3,000 books.
English teaches special education English and social studies classes, and general education multicultural literature. A native of Grand Rapids, she grew up “with floor-to-ceiling bookcases” in her home. Her parents (her father was an Episcopal priest) stressed giving above everything else.
So as a teacher, English made it part of her job to do more than required. She jokes that a huge chunk of her paycheck goes toward books. Students call her an Amazon fanatic, and the staff at Schuler Books & Music know her by name.
She started the clubs — Knitting Club is in its third year, Book Club in its second, and Writing Club is new this year — to give students another way to be involved with school.
“I basically just saw a big need,” she said. “Our school offers sports, band, choir, art, but sometimes students fall through the cracks. Sometimes certain students do not feel a sense of belonging and feel disconnected from their own high school.”
English herself was once an “invisible student,” she admitted, so said she relates to those who tend to go unnoticed, those at the back of the class, not an athlete or academic superstar.
She also realized another need in Godwin Heights, a diverse district where more than 80 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch rates. “Some of our students come to school and this is their safe haven,” English said. “I think every kid wants to feel special in someone’s eyes, like someone’s caring for them.”
So her room is a sanctuary. During club sessions, students feel safe and free. “Goodbye social media for an hour. Goodbye fast-paced world. Goodbye chaos-filled minds,” English said.
English goes the extra mile in other ways. She brings groups of students to movies that are based on the books they read; she takes them shopping and to lunch. She hunts down the right book for the right student. Senior Zy Scott often spends her lunch hour in English’s classroom with a book in her hand. She didn’t even like reading much before she met English, who introduced her to “drama books,” she said.
Students in Knitting Club have ample material.
“Now I read every day,” Zy said. “She knows what kind of books I like, and we talk about them.”
Principal Chad Conklin said English’s work makes a big difference at Godwin Heights.
“Rebecca has a fantastic heart and passion for our students, and she works hard to ensure all students have an opportunity to connect to a club to build a sense of school pride and self confidence,” he said.
English, who has two daughters, even made sure one teenager had a home. “I had a student who needed a foster placement a few years ago.
Davonte ended up living with English’s parents, and now, at age 20, recently moved out on his own, she said.
“I feel kind of like that’s what I was put on Earth to do, to give back,” she said.
Advocating for Students
She is also her students’ biggest champion. In her ninth- and tenth-grade special education English class, she asks Shakespeare trivia questions. Students rattle off answers on his birthdate, wife, family and theatre. They know a lot about the Bard.
“I’d put them against anyone in the school,” she said. “They are Shakespeare experts.”
English loves to see students accomplish their goals, to see them dare to try new things. When they succeed it impacts others, she insists. In Knitting Club, they learn to make beautiful, handmade gifts and to teach others how to knit.
“The look on student’s faces when they come into the Knitting Club glowing because they were able to make a homemade Christmas gift for their family, is priceless.”
Student Edwin Daniels, also a former non-reader, talks about how he’s already read five books this year because English stocked her shelves with a series he really likes.
But getting to know English is about more than books and knowing Shakespeare, he said.
“We share in here. We share whatever. We’re different shades,” he said, about the ethnically diverse class. “(That students are different) doesn’t matter.”
What matters is the way English makes students know they are always welcome by handing them spools of yarn, a favorite novel or a comfy place to talk.
“I cannot help but smile and feel the joy,” she said. “My students have found their place.”
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
We hear a lot about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but sandwiched in between is probably the one shopping day that has the most impact on a local economy: Small Business Saturday.
Actually launched by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday is designed to encourage people across the country to support small, local businesses. The reason is simple according to Bob O’Callaghan, president and chief executive officer for the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce.
“When you shop at a small business you help feed a local family and their tax dollars stay local,” O’Callaghan said.
According to a recent Forbes magazine article, there are 28 million American small businesses, which account for 54 percent of all U.S. sales.
“The backbone of any economy is the local brick and mortar buildings that belong to the small business,” O’Callaghan said, adding that the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce is made up of 75 percent small and local businesses.
Cheers to the holidays: Cascade Winery
According to Local First of West Michigan, by shifting 10 percent of your spending towards locally owned business helps create up to 1,600 new jobs. The American public appears to be making that shift since according to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, commissioned by American Express and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, more than 95 million people shopped small business in 2015, which is an 8 percent increase from the 2014 Small Business Saturday. The survey also shows that more than 16 billion was spent at small independent businesses on the 2015 Small Business Saturday.
“Small Business Saturday is a great entry point to start learning about and supporting local businesses,” said LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stoub. “We hope that the community continues to support our local economy after the holidays and throughout the year.”
This fabulous Feline Leukemia-Positive boy had been none too healthy when he first arrived at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic on Aug. 29, 2016, as a transfer from Montcalm County. Born in the summer of 2012, it’s a mystery as to how he ended up homeless and in need of help as he is absolutely one of the most laid-back, lovable lugs to saunter on into the sanctuary.
Although he was intact, filthy, flea-ridden, loaded with internal parasites and sporting a nasty bilateral ear infection that caused his eardrums to rupture, he was extremely affectionate, trusting and wanting nothing more than to snuggle.
It didn’t take too much to get him spiffed up and sent on down to Big Sid’s, but after about 10 days there, he developed a rip-roaring temperature of 106.8 degrees and was rushed back out to the clinic. Lab work revealed a profound inflammatory condition but unfortunately, antibiotics were not enough to control the fever; Dr. Jen had to go big and hit him hard with steroids and that worked.
A few days later, she was able to discharge this happy camper and get him back where he belonged, where he coerced all of the volunteers into giving him belly rubs and head pats overtime they turned around. He made his gentle, sweet presence known.
Get ready to fall in love…
Galen made himself right at home, meshing with the resident population as if he had always lived amongst them. He is such an easy-going, easy-on-the-eyes guy that you are immediately drawn to him, and cats and humans alike find themselves enjoying his company immensely.
Galen’s middle ear infection is resolving nicely and he is doing exceptionally well at Big Sid’s. Stress can exacerbate underlying medical conditions so the fact that he acclimated with ease really helped speed up his recovery process. He is handsome, happy and now so much healthier than when he first came on board.
Galen is adoptable! Go here to read about the adoption process and then fill out an application form here. Get info about Feline Leukemia here.
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.
With only two days in Dublin, I set out to make the most of it. I’d tried repeatedly to book an affordable hotel, but there didn’t seem to be such a thing available and I’d not found any couch surfs, so I checked out my Air B&B app and was delighted to find an opening with two great guys in their 1930s home, with a cool old tiled fireplace and beautiful backyard deck. Plus, Brian and Oliver gave me lots of travel info, brochures and maps, and even helped me with ideas of where to go when I left Dublin.
I’ve wanted to go to Ireland and Scotland for years and despite the dismal weather predictions, I looked forward after tons of sun and the Mediterranean cultures of southern France, Spain and Italy — a completely different world from Ireland and the UK. It’s my heritage on both sides — great grandparents from Ireland, Scotland and England (plus the Netherlands and Germany, but those will have to wait for another trip), and a Scottish maiden name, Morrison (which I discovered in Ireland as well). I had heard from a friend’s daughter’s Irish boyfriend back in Australia that we Americans ALL seem to have Irish ancestry, so they poke a bit of fun at us for looking for our Irish roots.
First, I walked Henry Street to Grafton, the famous shopping street, which was lined with stores full of shamrock-studded souvenirs, Celtic jewelry, designer clothing and restaurants, pubs and more pubs. In fact, you’ll see charming pubs all over the city.
Buskers filled the street — lots of musicians as well as a very enterprising man with what looked like a little puppet stand but was actually a small stage with a curtain you stuck your head through, which made you look like a leprechaun. The beard even matched my hair.
I ended up in St Stephens Park, a lovely green space with duck ponds and flower gardens where hundreds of people, including many office workers in suits and ties, sat enjoying lunch in the sun (a rare warm day, from what I’ve heard — both Ireland and the UK have had a horribly cold, wet summer).
Growing hungry, I checked what’s nearby on my Trip Advisor app, a very handy tool for travel, and O’Donoughy’s Pub came up, where tourists and locals alike hang out. It’s a dark, cluttered place, a real authentic pub with messages from people all over the world tacked to the walls and basic fare like toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, and creamy pints of Guinness.
As you may know, Guinness is a staple in Ireland, and I read everywhere how good it is for you… that and Irish whiskey.
I stumbled (I mean walked) to Dublin Castle, enjoying the architecture and people-watching along the way, including lots of bridges (one is as wide as it is long) and colorful buildings. In fact, like many cities, one of the best things to do is put on your walking shoes and just see where your feet take you. You never know what sites you’ll see.
I noticed they seem to have a thing about trash in Dublin, encouraging a clean city.
I had just enough time left to go to the Beatty library before they closed, to see a special exhibit of ancient illuminated manuscripts from many different religions. It was quite interesting and free (but no photos were allowed inside).
Dinner was at Ireland’s oldest pub, Brazen Head, where there’s a lovely courtyard area outside for warm days like today, and dark, memorabilia-cluttered rooms inside for a cozier ambience. I chatted with a couple of nice Aussie girls at the next table — as I’ve mentioned, traveling solo doesn’t necessarily mean you spend much time alone.
That evening, my host Brian took me to the Ruby Sessions. Every Tuesday night at Doyle’s Pub, four different musical groups each play four songs, and sometimes famous people show up to participate. All of the 6-euro cover charges go to help the homeless in Dublin, so it’s a worthy cause as well. It’s a small, intimate venue, showcasing some amazing talent. Brian said not many tourists know about it; it’s mostly locals — another benefit of staying at an Air B&B. The Irish are all about music, as you’ll see in future posts.
The following day, I spent most of the morning arranging a car rental, as I was told by many that it’s the best way to see Ireland — that the trains and buses are fine if you only want to see the cities, but the small villages and coastal scenery are what drew me here. This is a word of advice to plan ahead. Usually, I do for something like this, but I hadn’t known I’d need to rent a car. At first it looked like I wasn’t even going to get one. They were all booked up, and I also saw that an automatic was about double the cost of a stick shift.
So if you’ve never driven a stick or are rusty, practice up a bit before coming to Europe as that’s mostly what you’ll find. I didn’t dare rent a stick as I haven’t driven one in decades, other than a few days in Europe in the countryside years before. It was just too much to contemplate in addition to driving on the left side of very narrow, winding roads, navigating roundabouts, and other traffic differences I wasn’t even aware of. I finally found a car and I was lucky — it was the last automatic.
When I finally got out of the house, I walked to see the Story of the Irish, a show I’d read about in the airline magazine. It’s quite informative, covering 10,000 years of Irish history in an hour or so, including the potato famine, where people were literally thrown out of their homes and left to starve. It takes the bits of Irish history I learned about in school (which wasn’t much) and stitches them together into a bigger picture. Two nice girls working at the front desk gave me lots of travel advice while I waited for the show to start.
I took a walk to Trinity College after the show, but the last tour of the campus, including viewing the famous Book of Kells, was over. Also, I was too late for the art museum, the cemetery tour and the gardens Brian had told me about. Oh well, can’t do it all.
I returned to my B&B to find Oliver’s brother and sister-in-law and their young son visiting, all at the table having tea. They asked me to join them and switched easily from speaking Irish to English to include me. It was nice being in a real Irish home, as opposed to staying in an impersonal hotel. Give Air B&B a try!
And if you can, spend at least three days in Dublin and have triple the fun!
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
The holiday gift season is all about sales, frenzied shopping and maddening crowds — and Cyber Monday sales are projected to hit nearly $3.36 billion this year.
‘Tis the season, all right, and that season unfortunately includes online scams.
It’s a busy time of the year for the City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety (DPS)— they’re working hard to deter shoplifters and prevent retail fraud. The DPS wants you to be safe out there in cyberspace, too.
“These tips on cyber/online shopping safety are based on past scams and overall best practices,” said Lt. Timothy Pols, Wyoming DPS. “They are not necessarily related to specific cases that have been reported to the Wyoming DPS.”
Black Friday Deals
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the busiest online shopping days and the bad guys are out to get rich with your money. Don’t buy anything that seems too good to be true. Don’t trust a site or name you don’t know.
Complimentary Apple Watch
Watch out for the too-good-to-be-true coupons that offer complimentary watches, phones or tablets on sites all over the Internet. Don’t fall for it. Make sure the offers are from a legitimate company.
Postal Deliveries
Watch out for alerts via email or text that you just received a package from FedEx, UPS or the US Mail, and then asks you for some personal information. Don’t enter anything. The scammers are out to steal personal information. Think Before You Click.
Fake Refunds
There is a fake refund scam going on that could come from Amazon, a hotel or a retail chain. It claims there was a “wrong transaction” and wants you to “click for refund” but instead, your device will be infected with malware.
The Grinch E-Card Greetings
Happy Holidays! Your email has an attachment that looks like an e-greeting card, pretty pictures and all. You think that this must be from a friend. Nope. Malicious e-cards are sent by the millions, and especially at the office; never open these things as they might infect your workstation.
The Fake Gift Card Trick
Internet crooks promote a fake gift card through social media but what they really are after is your information, which they then sell to other cyber criminals who use it for identity theft. As an example: A Facebook scam offering a complimentary $1,000 Best Buy gift card to the first 20,000 people who sign up for a Best Buy fan page, which is a malicious copy of the original.
The Charity Tricksters
The holidays are traditionally the time for giving. It’s also the time that cyber criminals try to pry money out of people who mean well. Make donations to the wrong site and you could be funding cybercrime or even terrorism. So, watch out for any communications from charities that ask for your contribution, (phone, email, text and tweets) and make sure they are legit. It’s a good idea to contact the charity to make sure the request did in fact come from them. It is safest to only donate to charities you already know and refuse all the rest.
The DM-Scam
You tweet about a holiday gift you are trying to find, and you get a direct message (DM) from another twitter user offering to sell you one. Stop – Look – Think, because this could very well be a sophisticated scam. If you do not know that person, be very careful before you continue and never pay up front.
The Extra Holiday Money Fraud
People always need some extra money during this season, so cyber fraudsters are offering work-from-home scams. The most innocent of these have you fill out a form where you furnish confidential information like your Social Security number which will get your identity stolen. The worst of them offer you work where you launder money from a cyberheist which can get you into major trouble.
The Evil Wi-Fi Twin
Many people bring their laptop/tablet/smartphone to the mall to scout for gifts and check for cheaper prices online. But the bad guys are there too, shopping for your credit card number. They put out a Wi-Fi signal that looks just like a complimentary one you always use. Choose the wrong Wi-Fi and the hacker now sits in the middle and steals your credit card data while you buy online. When you use a Wi-Fi connection in a public place, it is better not to use your credit card.
The Wyoming Housing Commission, located at 2450 36th Street SW, will open its Public Housingwaiting list on Nov. 28, 2016, to accept applications for its public housing units only. The list will remain open through Feb. 2, 2017.
Applications will be accepted ONLY online. All pre-applications must be received by 5 pm Feb. 2, 2017, at which time the waiting list will be closed and no further pre-applications will be accepted. If you are unable to apply online because of a disability, please contact the office at 616.534.5471.
Note: No other applications are being accepted at this time.
Here’s how the process works:
Application submitted
Random lottery of all eligible applications
Randomly selected applicants notified by mail
Applicant completes and returns Waiver of Liability form and HUD form 92006 (included in the mailing)
Applicant placed on the Wyoming Housing Commission Public Housing Low Rent waiting list
The Wyoming Housing Commission (WHC) owns 195 public housing units. They are located at Westwood Apartments, Waldon Woods and at several other locations throughout Wyoming. Individuals and families pay rent based upon their income directly to the WHC.
The WHC administers approximately 1,100 Housing Choice Vouchers (Section-8) within Kent County and part of Ottawa County. The families and individuals who receive the vouchers pay a portion of their income for rent and the WHC pays the remainder (up to the limits set by HUD (Housing and Urban Development)) directly to the landlords each month.
The Housing Commission board meets every third Tuesday (except April and July) at 1 pm in the Community Room at Westwood Apartments, 2450 36th St. S.W.
The board members consist of Ronald Dressander, Chair; Bruce Robey, Vice-Chair; Patricia Larabel, Donald Dykstra and Paula Thompson.
Fans making their way to Van Andel Arena for the Stevie Nicksconcert on Wednesday night will notice something bright and shiny on the front of the arena.
The holiday season has arrived once again which means Van Andel Arena will have itself wrapped in more than just a busy schedule of events. A giant, red ribbon has been installed on the face of the arena to celebrate the holidays.
This will be the third season the ribbon, decked out in many red lights to shine a bright and stunning display throughout the night, has been installed on the arena. It is eight feet wide and spans across the front of Van Andel Arena, reaching 300 feet all the way across.
As it has the previous three years, the ribbon will remain displayed on the arena throughout the holiday season.
In lieu of a tree, arena staff decided to do something a little different to celebrate the holidays in 2014 by installing the ribbon. Christmas Décor by Lakeshore Lighting built the ribbon for the arena and installs it each year.
The Thanksgiving holiday is almost here, and that means travel, food, family and football. As motorists prepare to hit the highways, the Michigan State Police (MSP) are gearing up for the annual Operation C.A.R.E.(Combined Accident Reduction Effort) traffic safety initiative Nov. 23-27, 2016.
“We want every family to have a safe holiday and to enjoy time together,” said Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. “We urge you to drive safely this Thanksgiving weekend by wearing a seat belt, designating a sober driver and avoiding distractions like texting or talking on your phone while driving.”
Thanksgiving is the second deadliest holiday in Michigan for traffic crashes. In 2015, there were 11 fatalities, five of which were pedestrians, during the holiday period. In 2014 there were six traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the lowest number in more than 30 years.
Beginning Wednesday, troopers across the state will conduct high-visibility enforcement focusing on impaired driving, seat belt use, careless driving and speeding. Extra patrols are paid for with federal traffic safety funds coordinated by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Courtesy MSP website
Enforcement is supported by the Give thanks. Drive safely. public awareness campaign that includes a public service announcement available at www.youtube.com/michstatepolice. With the arrival of winter weather, motorists are also encouraged to take extra precautions when driving in snowy and icy conditions and to place an emergency preparedness kit in their vehicles. To learn more about creating a kit, go here.
Operation C.A.R.E. is a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing traffic crashes and fatalities on highways across the country. It began in 1977 as a collaborative effort between the MSP and the Indiana State Police. Today Operation C.A.R.E. is one of the nation’s longest running traffic safety initiatives and includes state and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, as well as some American territories and Canadian provinces.
Joanne Voorhees has left the Wyoming City Council, having declined to run again for the 3rd Ward seat after nearly a decade of council service and decades of serving the community her and husband Harold call home. But don’t expect her to spend all her time with her grandkids and great-grand kids.
“As the mayor closes every session, he asks the citizens to stay informed and stay involved, so I plan to stay informed and stay involved,” Voorhees said Monday, Nov. 21, as she officially stepped off the council and the city welcomed two new members prior to its regular meeting.
“But I also have three children, 19 grandchildren and I have 14 great-grandchildren,” she said. “So I am going to spend time with family, but I will always be available and will do some volunteer work, hopefully, here in the city of Wyoming.”
At the Monday meeting, the council recognized Voorhees as well as long-time member Richard Pastoor for their service to the council and the city. The city also swore in returning member-at-larg councilman Dan Burrill, who ran unopposed in the Nov. 8 election for his second four-year term, and new council members Marissa Postler, elected to the city’s 2nd Ward seat, and Robert Postema, elected to the 3rd Ward seat vacated by Voorhees.
Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt had nothing but praise for Joanne Voorhees’ service to the city.
“Rich and Joanne have been longtime fixtures in our community,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. “They are known throughout the community for their good works in the community, whether it is working in the school districts, whether it is working as a state representative.
“Rich owned a radio station in our community and has that radio voice we all know. They are people who have dedicated their lives to our community and that dedication followed through to the city council, where they were always very supportive of the city and city projects. They were always dedicated to making our city better.”
Voorhees’ service includes much more than just a city council member, however. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives and joined the Michigan Republican Party leadership committee in 2011, to name just two high-profile positions.
“At one time I served as the chair of the Kent County GOP, before that I served six years as a state legislator, my husband was on there for six years and because of term limits I had the opportunity to run,” she said. “It was a natural fit for me, to not only serve the community as a state representative but then to serve the people here, in the city council room.
“The neat part about Harold and I is that he also served as mayor of the City of Wyoming. At that time, I could be called first lady, and I loved that position. … I have had very unique and very blessed opportunities.”
As you watched her talk to people before the ceremony Monday, at a reception in her’s and Pastoor’s honor, you could there was a sense of pride from Voorhees for being able to serve the city and the 3rd Ward.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve (the Wyoming community), it was a golden opportunity for me to be able to serve in this capacity,” she said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my nine years. We, as a council, have worked together for nine years … We blended. We understood each other. We knew were we were coming from. We did not always agree, but we would disagree very agreeably.
“It has been a tremendous experience, I just can’t say enough about what a blessing it is to have served the residents of Wyoming, particularly the 3rd Ward, who I really represent. I have gone door-to-door, so many times. I know many of them personally. I know their feelings. I truly feel like I’ve been able to represent them to the city more than maybe the city to them.”
Holt may have summed up the feelings of many attending the ceremony, saying:
“The time she has given to our citizens is significant and I am sure at the expense of her own personal priorities in some cases. … You can’t help but admire that dedication and the time she has given to serve the citizens of the City of Wyoming.”
On Jan. 5, the new Kent County Commission Board will be sworn in but because of the time, 8:30 a.m., not many of the general public will have the option of attending.
“When you consider the time of the Kent County Commission board meetings, 8:30 in the morning, you realize they really are not that accessible to most people,” said Betsy Melton, who was elected as the new 13th District Commissioner in the November general election.
While she does not know if the time of the meeting has every been discussed, Melton is interested in exploring it as a way of encouraging residents to participate and take an active role with the Kent County Commission.
“It is not very convenient for those who have to be at work in the morning or at home moms who are taking care of their families,” she said. “Then there are the Grand Rapids Community College students who are making their way to their first class and people trying to get to their businesses which does not make it easy to get to a meeting downtown.”
The board meeting time is one of two items Melton hopes to review with the commission as she steps into her new roll as 13th District Kent County commissioner. Melton defeated Republican candidate Jessica Ann Tyson to by 560 votes for the seat which is being vacated by incumbent Richard VanderMolen.
The 13th District covers most of the City of Kentwood except for the western portion of the city from about west of Kalamazoo, which is part of Distrct 12, the area Harold Mast is the commissioner for.
The other item she would like to review is the county’s fund balance, which has averaged around 47 percent, according to Melton. Having been on the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education, Melton understands the need for having a fund balance but “as many of the dollars as possible were put back into the classrooms.”
Melton said the county has a very high bond rating, AAA, and reducing its fund balance would not impact that rating.
Of course there are other items facing the Kent County Commission including the recent approval of the 911 surcharge and the zoo/museum millage by voters at the November general election.
“It is going to be a little different membership, different tone,” said Mast, who won his bid for reelection this year. Melton is joined by two other Democrats, Robert Womack from District 17 (Grand Rapids) and Phil Skaggs from District 19 (East Grand Rapids) who beat out the Republican incumbent. All the other seats remained the same with there being 13 Republicans and six Democrats on the Kent County Commission.
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness completes a cycle that the author began with Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood, and Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier, spanning a time from the last throes of white-rule Rhodesia, to majority-rule Zimbabwe.
Cocktail Hour comes full circle, and instead of a child’s point of view of the family’s struggles, it’s the author as an adult, looking back on her parent’s long journey. How and why did they come to Africa? Did they really think that there was a place for them there?
“…[T]hose who shed our ancestry the way a snake sheds skin in winter… We white Africans of shrugged-off English, Scottish, Dutch origin…”
There were accidents, assaults, near death and actual death, all against the backdrop of the implacable African landscape, and laced with an extraordinary amount of alcohol.
If you like memoirs like The Glass Castle, Angela’s Ashes or All Over But the Shoutin’, this is another one of those rare tales of family hardship and pain, but also of love and courage, with a generous amount of black humor.
It can be a looooong way from when the first sentences are written to when a completed novel hits the shelves. Publishing is a journey often wrought with rejection and lots of revision, said MarcyKate Connolly, author of fantasy books for middle-grade and young adults.
“If there’s anything I want you to take with you today it’s that writing is rewriting,” Connolly told about 50 Lee Middle-High School students who attended the session because they have an interest in writing.
Connolly talked about the roadmap to publishing, which she learned by writing her books “Monstrous” and “Ravenous,” tales geared toward tweens that have been likened to Frankenstein and the Brothers Grimm.
Connolly, of Boston, made a stop at Lee while visiting Grand Rapids Comic-Con, the popular event where sci-fi, fantasy and comic book fans gather. She explained the quest of a writer, including spending many hours in her “writing cave,” the challenge of finding an agent to represent the book, the experience of rejection and the work that continues after a book is accepted for publishing.
And finally, the thrill of seeing the book at stores and in the hands of others.
MarcyKate Connolly signs a book for the Lee Middle-High School media center
A marketing professional by day, Connolly said her love for writing and storytelling kept her going despite more than 300 rejections from publishers. She wrote several books that were never published and received her first offer for publishing after four years of trying.
“Publishing is not something you get into thinking you are going to get rich quick or going to be a mega bestseller overnight,” she said. “You do it because you love it.”
Connolly had to re-assess her goals, at one point. “Why am I doing this to myself?” she recalled asking after getting rejection after rejection. So she continued writing for herself, making up the stories and characters she loved.
Kelly McGee, Godfrey-Lee district media specialist, said Connolly’s visit helped students think about writing as a career and the process of becoming an author. He said he hopes to start a student writer’s group. “I think we have a lot of writers here.”
He said he also wanted students to leave with the message that perseverance is required for accomplishing your dreams.
Connolly’s books were published through HarperCollins Publishers. Her next book, “Shadow Weaver,” is scheduled for release in winter 2018.
She encouraged students to find their “tribe” — other writers they can use for empathy, feedback and critique. And no matter how many failed attempts, she urged students to look at it as getting somewhere.
“Whatever words you write are not wasted,” she said.
Freshman Olivia Clark, who loves writing, said Connolly’s words resonated. “Don’t give up. You’ve got to be strong. There are harsh people out there.”
Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!
To promote enhanced safety during storm response and other road maintenance efforts, the Kent County Road Commission (KCRC)joins state, county and municipal transportation agencies throughout the state in installing green strobe lights on road maintenance vehicles. When motorists see green strobe lights, they are asked to slow down and be alert – a KCRC snowplow or road maintenance truck is performing work on the right of way.
“Our vehicles generally travel at speeds of 25-35 mph when conducting storm response efforts or other road maintenance activities. The ability for motorists to identify our vehicles quickly improves their own response time in reducing their speed, which provides the necessary space between vehicles and improves safety for both the motorists and our workers,” said Jerry Byrne, KCRC’s Deputy Managing Director of Operations.
Public transportation agencies advocate the use of green lights because they:
Improve the visibility of authorized public agency trucks while working in the right of way
Differentiate a public agency’s vehicles from other private motorists and companies using amber lights
For the past few years, KCRC has been advocating the use of green strobe lights on road maintenance vehicles. On September 7, 2016, an amendment to the Michigan Vehicle Code, Public Act 16 became effective, giving state, county and municipal transportation agencies the right to use green lights on their vehicles.
“Amber lights are used on vehicles performing all sorts of jobs: mail delivery, refuse pick-up, private plowing, even pizza delivery,” said Jerry Byrne, KCRC’s Deputy Managing Director of Operations. “By combining amber and green lights, public road agencies can differentiate themselves and, hopefully, motorists will learn to equate the green lights with storm response efforts or road repair. We think this will keep motorists, and our crews working along the right of way, safer.”
KCRC has been working with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the County Road Association of Michigan and other local road agencies to spread the word about the implementation of green lights on their road maintenance trucks.
“This winter, motorists will see the green strobe lights throughout the state,” said Byrne, “so it’s important we collaborate to get the message out: green strobe means go slow!”
What is Thanksgiving Day without football? Just turkey and mashed potatoes.
Again this year, WKTV will offer a day full of high school football coverage focused on teams from the Wyoming and Kentwood communities.
WKTV’s Channel 25 will run its 16th Annual Turkey Bowl, a 15-hour special starting at 9 a.m. that highlights high school football games from this past season.
Our schedule includes two East Kentwood high games during the team’s 4-5 season and two Wyoming high games, exciting October contests against Rockford and South Christian during the team’s 5-4 season, and the always exciting clash between Wyoming’s Lee and Godwin high schools. The day is capped off with Kelloggsville high capping off an outstanding 8-2 season (5-0 and a conference title in the OK Silver Conference) with its opening round playoff game against Allendale.
Times and teams:
9 a.m. Hudsonville vs. East Kentwood
11:30 a.m. East Grand Rapids vs. Wyoming
1:55 p.m. Wyoming vs. South Christian
4:30 p.m. East Kentwood vs. Rockford
7 p.m. Lee vs. Godwin
9:15p.m. Allendale vs. Kelloggsville
Ya, we know the Lions will be playing on Thursday, but why not blend a little high school action into your football day?
The holidays officially kick off not with Black Friday, or even with Thanksgiving eve, but when Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park unveils its annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World exhibition Tuesday, Nov. 22.
A model of the Chomeiji Temple in Omihachiman Shiga Prefecture of Japan.
The display, open through Jan. 8, presents more than 40 international trees and displays, as well as the railway garden and several special events and activities.
“This year we’re celebrating not only the various holiday traditions observed around the world, but also the folklore that makes these celebrations so unique,” Steve LaWarre, Meijer Gardens director of horticulture, said in supplied material. “Many of these traditions are rooted in horticulture and natural elements. … (including how) legendary folklore such as mistletoe, spider webs, olive trees and rosemary are important parts of holiday customs around the world.”
The exhibition will include narratives and special displays from Iceland, Ghana, Germany and other counties and cultures. The railway garden meanders through four indoor garden spaces, including the newly renovated Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse.
Another highlight will the return of the beautiful Eid ul-Fitr display, which celebrates the end of the Muslim holy period of Ramadan.
Meijer Gardens is open daily but is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. There will be extended holiday hours not just on Tuesdays as usual but also Dec. 19-23 and 26-30. There will also be special events such as The Original Dickens Carolers, Santa visits, Rooftop Reindeer, the Christmas Cabaret Gala, and winter-time walks and classes on select days and times.
A welcome home for West Michigan troops and other festivities are on tap for the Thanksgiving holiday, and one of the busiest days of the year at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA).
On Wednesday, Nov. 23, airport volunteers, including therapy dog teams and the Patriot Guard Riders, will participate in “Operation Handshake,” an event to welcome home returning military members and veterans, and to thank them for their service.
Volunteers will staff both airport concourses from 9 am-7 pm, and airport staff will be passing out treats and trinkets to thank passengers for utilizing the airport during the busy time of year.
“We know that not every member of our military can make it home during the holidays, but for those returning to West Michigan we want to make it special and let them know we are thankful for their service,” said GFIA Acting President & CEO Phil Johnson.
“We appreciate the partnership with the Patriot Guard Riders of West Michigan, and their loyalty to serving our community through events like Operation Handshake.”
The event is free and open to the public.
“This is what Thanksgiving is really all about,” said VanGessel, Captain of the Patriot Guard Riders of West Michigan. “What we see each year is an inspiration. We get a thank-you from the military members, but it’s also heartwarming for the general traveling public around us to see what transpires.”
If you have a family member in the military, notify the Patriot Guard Riders of the returning military member’s arrival time and flight information. Please send the info to michigan@patriotguard.org or Tony VanGessel at 616.862.1984.
Please note: The Airport is currently under construction on its Gateway Transformation Project, and along with the busy holiday traffic, lines could be longer than normal. The Airport encourages passengers to arrive at least 90-120 minutes before their flight. TSA also encourages passengers to stay up-to-date on the latest travel notices and information about what you can or cannot bring on your flight by visiting: www.tsa.gov.
Brass Band of Battle Creek performs Dec. 2 at Van Singel Fine Arts Center.
The opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics. The White House. Carnegie Hall. Royal Albert Hall in England. This is a very short list of the places the internationally renowned musicians who comprise the Brass Band of Battle Creek have appeared. These musicians perform with some of the most prestigious ensembles in the world and are gathering, for one night only, in Byron Center, for a holiday concert set for Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Van Singel Fine Arts Center.
The 31-member Brass Band of Battle Creek has been described as an All-Star band of the brass and percussion world’s elite, attracting great musicians from around the United States and Europe to play two annual concerts in Battle Creek as well as a limited number of other engagements in handpicked locations in the U.S. and abroad. Though rooted in the British brass band tradition characterized by larger ensembles of strictly brass and percussion, (no reed instruments or strings) the BBBC also weaves in American elements such as jazz improvisation, pops and swing, resulting in a hybrid style that makes the BBBC truly unique among brass bands.
Created in 1989 by brothers, Jim and Bill Gray, podiatrists and amateur brass players from Battle Creek, the BBBC has grown to cult status in Battle Creek, where BBBC concerts are regularly sold out and waiting lists are created weeks in advance.
“This band represents the beginnings of a new music movement in America. It’s one of the most accomplished groups I’ve ever worked with in my entire career,” Trumpet legend Doc Severinsen, who has twice appeared with the band, says of the BBBC.
BBBC members come from American and European orchestras, colleges and universities, and U.S. service bands based in Washington, D.C. Most have impressive international solo careers. The band’s rotating roster includes some of the finest musicians in the world: Chris Jaudes, professor of trumpet at The Juilliard School and first call trumpet on Broadway; Richard Kelley, trumpet for the Boston Pops; Rex Richardson, internationally acclaimed soloist and Yamaha artist; Jens Lindemann , former member of the Canadian Brass and faculty member at UCLA; Scott Hartman, trombone, Yale Brass Trio, former Empire Brass member, renowned soloist; and Steven Mead, euphonium, internationally renowned soloist and Boosey & Hawkes touring artist.
In addition to its all-star lineup of world-renowned players, the BBBC has performed at several prestigious venues, including England’s Royal Albert Hall as the first non-British band to ever perform at the National Brass Band festival there. Following this event, the band toured UK, performing concerts in Wales, Birmingham and Manchester. The BBBC has also performed at the International Trumpet Guild’s Brassfest in Bloomington, IN., the International Trombone Association’s annual world meeting in Champagne, IL, as guest artist on the University of Kentucky’s Artist Series, and at the Interlochen Arts Society Series. The band was the first brass band to perform on The University of Michigan’s Musical Society Series. Following the performance in the 4,200-seat Hill Auditorium, the band set a record for CD sales in a Society sponsored event.
Join conductor Michael J. Garasi as he takes the podium for a program full of holiday classics and songs.
The concert will be held at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center on December 2, 2016 and will begin at 7:30 p.m. Get your tickets for this amazing holiday concert today! Tickets can be purchased online at www.bbbc.net or by calling 269-789-2222. Student tickets are only $20! A portion of the evening’s gate receipts will be donated to the Byron Center High School Band Boosters! To learn more about the Brass Band of Battle Creek visit our website: www.bbbc.net or follow us on Facebook and Twitter! You can listen on iTunes or watch the band on YouTube! The Brass Band of Battle Creek, “Where the World’s Top Brass come to play!”
It’s often hard to be the kid at school who’s different from the others. It could mean you’re the short kid, the chubby kid, the kid with an accent… or the kid with a different religion. These days, that feeling of isolation and “otherness” can extend into the adult world, especially for Arab Americans. Joining Alan in studio is Nadia El-Zein Tonova, Director of the National Network for Arab American Communities, to talk about community building and their new Take On Hate initiative.
Alan Headbloom hosts Feel Like You Belong, a show filmed at WKTV focused on sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States.
Steven Johnson is up front on his conservative values platform as he gets ready to go work in the Michigan House of Representatives for the 72nd District – he stated his conservative values before his convincing Nov. 8 election victory and he restated them this week as he is fully immersing himself in his new job.
Rep. Steve Johnson, far right, on an outing with a youth group. (Supplied)
And he does not think Michigan’s Republican surge, led by the state support for President-elect Donald Trump, had very much to with his win either.
“I don’t think so – I live in a pretty conservative area, so I think I was going to win on my values, that I was going to follow the Constitution and our Judeo-Christian heritage,” Johnson, a Republican, said Thursday.
In the general election last week, Johnson defeated Democrat Steve Shoemaker with nearly 60 percent of the vote in a far-flung district that includes includes the City of Kentwood and Gaines Township in Kent County, and Leighton Township, Wayland Township, Dorr Township and the City of Wayland in Allegan County. The seat was held by Ken Yonker, who vacated due to term limits but was elected to the position of Kent County Drain Commissioner.
Johnson, 25, resides in Wayland Township, is unmarried, and served in the Air Force from 2009-2014. He had been working in construction but now considers himself a full-time representative of his district.
“This is my job now,” Johnson said. “I am preparing for office, familiarizing myself with policy and ready to understand the bills I will be voting on.”
Among the bills he hopes to be voting on are right-to-life bills, something he said should and can happen in the current political climate.
“Absolutely,” he said. “One of our most fundamental rights, as taxpayers, is to protect unborn life. I will absolutely be working on legislation to defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers, as well as a life-at-conception act. Life begins at conception.”
Two other issues he will advocate for — or better stated: advocate against — is the federal Common Core education standards and tax breaks to attract business investment. During his campaign, he was critical of tax incentives given to lure Switch to take over the old Steelcase pyramid to create its Supernap data storage center in Gaines Township.
“First of all, Common Core is a federal program, a one size fits all, and it does not work,” Johnson said. “The federal government, the state government, should not be involved in education. That is best handled on the local school district level.
“Teachers and parents should be working together to decide on educational options. Nobody cares more about the job of education than the parents of the students. We need to get the bureaucrats out of the way when it comes to education.”
And as far as government tax breaks, he sees the problem is tax rates as much as breaks.
“Government should not be picking winners and losers, when it comes to businesses,” he said. “We need to have a low tax rate across the board, get the government to get out of the way. … Let the free market work, and whatever business and industry makes sense, locally or for Michigan, they will rise to the top.”
As for his thoughts, now that his election and his new job has sunk in as a reality?
“I’d like to just thank … (the voters) for their support and let them know that I will be leading the fight for following the Constitution and our Judeo-Christian values. That is why I ran.”
So today is the day that many Potter fans have been waiting for — the release of the newest movie in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
It’s been five years since the last Harry Potter film was released and coupled with the fact that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part 1” is not expected to be released until 2018, excitement over “Fantastic Beasts” has been building. For proof of that, we offer up this fact: you can’t even get a ticket to the Kent District Library’s upcoming “Harry Potter Party” set for next week at Celebration! Cinema North.
“I’m excited to see everything in it and if they’ll be any cameos from the original cast members,” said Wyoming High School 10 grader Maria Martinez.
The story actually takes place about 70 years — 1926 to be exact — before Harry and crew were even born. Infact, the new movie does not feature a single character from the original Harry Potter movies, although there are a few name drops such as Albert Dumbledore and that other dark wizard and Dumbledore’s former friend Gellert Grindelwald, who at this point is terrorizing the wizarding world.
“I am so excited to see a new installation of the Harry Potter fandom come to life in an entirely new and magical way,” said Abby D’Addario, who is a youth paraprofessional at the KDL Wyoming branch and will be seeing the movie at the KDL Nov. 21 event. “I always imagined what witchcraft and wizardry looked like outside the walls of Hogwarts – we barely caught a glimpse of that in the ‘Goblet of Fire.’ In this film we get the privileged of seeing the magic underworld of America. It is hard to imagine a magical world without Harry and Voldemort, but I can forgive Ms. Rowling because Eddie Redmayne is magical enough for all of us.”
The film is directed by Potter alum David Yates who reportedly brought with him several former Potter crew members. Also J.K. Rowling did write the screenplay — her first — and adapted it from her 2001 book of the same title.
Of course, “Fantastic Beasts” is set to be a series of movies — recently announced to be five — so there are already predictions that Dumbledore will be making an appearance. Probably not too far off since Johnny Depp recently was tapped to play Grindelwald.
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander.
“I’m excited to just see Eddie Redmayne!” said Wyoming High School 10th grader Alondra Soto. Well who would not be excited to see Redmayne? He won an Oscar for Best Actor for the 2014 film “The Theory of Everything” and was nominated for the 2015 film “The Danish Girl.”
“I can’t wait to see the attitudes of the new characters and how Eddie Redmayne will be!” said Wyoming Middle School seventh grader Harlei Schovey.
Redmayne plays Newt Scamander, who has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. He intends to make a brief stopover in New York, but as we all know, nothing is ever brief when dealing with magical creatures.
Scamander meets up with No-Maj — American for Muggle — Jacob (Dan Fogler). There are lots of other new characters such as Tina Goldstein who is a former Auror and who works for the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA); Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), an Auror with a mean streak; Queenie (Alison Sudol), Tina’s sister and a mindreader: and Credence (Ezra Miller), an introverted orphan whose adopted mother is leading a group of non-magical people in a witch hunt.
“The intense CGI and the new story line,” said Wyoming High School 12th grader Matt Bulthuis. “The old with the new really gets me excited!”
From early reviews its sounds like few will be disappointed with the new film. “The Chicago Tribune” said “Eddie Redmayne and company make magic in Potter prequel” and from “The Guardian,” “The entertainment enchanter J.K. Rowling has come storming back to the world of magic in a shower of supernatural sparks — and created a glorious fantasy — romance adventure, all about the wizards of prohibition-era America and the diffident wizarding Brit who causes chaos in their midst with a bagful of exotic creatures.”
If you want to learn more about world of Harry Potter or “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” to prepare for your movie adventure, visit Rowling’s site Pottermore.com or the Harry Potter Lexicon at hp-lexicon.org.
You can “Jump!” in teacher Jeff Patin’s introduction to video production class, or “Walk like an Egyptian,” or go “Dancing in the Dark.”
As part of the class, ninth- through 12th-grade students harked back to the “I want my MTV” decade by creating music videos as they existed when the craft started out. While practicing camera shots, angles and movements, they also learned a little about totally ’80s hair bands and the corny lyrics teenagers rocked to three decades ago.
Godfrey-Lee High School Senior Aracely Quinones records with senior Miguel Lemus
Patin said the project was a way to practice and showcase their video production skills — and, to some extent, entertain him and other Godfrey-Lee Public Schools staff members who remember the decade well. The students recently presented their finished videos to the Board of Education.
“It’s different,” said senior Humberto Gallarzo, about the music from Patin’s generation. Humberto helped produce the video, “Oh Sherrie” by Steve Perry.
Why the ’80s? “That’s my decade,” Patin joked. “Why do something really cinematic when you can do something really cheesy?”
Students are unfamiliar with the songs, he said, and have to take time learning the lyrics. “I chose the ’80s because verbally they are safe (not explicit) and it puts everybody on the same playing field because they don’t know the songs,” Patin explained.
New Tech for Retro Remakes
Unlike in the ’80s, students in the class make their videos with their smart phones and use the Apple program iMovie for editing. The results are shot-for-shot remakes of some of the most memorable songs from 30 years ago, from jumping like Eddie Van Halen to crooning like Rick Springfield over “Jessie’s Girl.” In editing, the original video appeared in the corner of students’ remakes to show how closely they match. “It was hard to stay serious,” said senior Aracely Quinones, who served as camera operator for the “Oh, Sherrie” video.
“It’s fun and you’re learning at the same time,” said senior Johnny Lopez, who edited the video. “It gets people out of their comfort zone.”
Because of the music video and other projects in the class, students said they now watch TV and movies in a new way, paying attention to the angles, framing, movements and other elements.’
“I can’t watch a simple show without thinking about this class,” said senior Miguel Lemus.
There’s a small family farm in Belding, Mich. where a wide variety of vegetables and an ever-expanding selection of fruit grow. It’s called Full Hollow Farmand it’s an understatement to say that owners Jamie Wibraham and Brad Smith aren’t afraid of hard work. They use only earth-friendly, sustainable growing practices, and biodiversity is encouraged. The farm is working towards Organic Certification.
Over the years, Wibraham and Smith have worked on seven different vegetable and fruit farms. They began their farming career in Michigan, moved through Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and eventually returned to West Michigan. Now in its second year, Full Hollow Farm is well-rooted and thriving. You can see, smell, touch and taste their produce at the Rockford Farmers Market when the market is in season.
Check out Full Hollow Farm’s website for photos, recipes and more. To visit their Facebook page, go here.
Tree Lighting at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Once again the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will get the holiday festivities kicked off with its annual tree lighting ceremony set for Thursday, Nov. 17, at the museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, downtown Grand Rapids.
The event is at 7 p.m. with the outdoor tree being lighted followed by some activities which will include the announcement of the 2016 Community Tree Awards.
The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre opens its production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” with director Allyson Paris promising the show will be full of all the magic one has come to expect with the story.
The show opens Nov. 18 at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave., downtown Grand Rapids, and runs through Dec. 18. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $18 – $34 and are going fast, according to Grand Rapids Civic Theatre officials. Visit www.grct.org for more information and to purchase tickets.
Pretty lights
Get a preview of the Christmas Lite Show at Fifth Third Ballpark, 4500 W. River Dr. NE, by participating in either the bike ride Friday, Nov. 18, or the run/walk Saturday, Nov. 19.
Marking its 20th year, the Christmas Lite Show is one of the largest in Michigan. It has more than 40 animated light displays that cover about two miles.
This family-oriented event was started by Bill Schrader, who a veteran himself having served 28 years in the army, is a supporter of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. A portion of the light show proceeds are donated to the Home.
For more information about the Christmas Lite Show, which opens up to vehicular traffic Nov. 23, visit www.christmasliteshow.com.
Wine, food, fun
The Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival returns to DeVos Hall Thursday, Nov. 17, for its ninth year.
The event, which runs through Saturday, will feature about 1,600 wines, beers, ciders and spirits from various local, regional and national organizations. The event is broken down into three sections. The Vineyard will feature more than 1,200 wines from dry to sweet red, white, rose or sparkling varieties. The Beer City Station feature a variety of brew masters along with craft beers, imported and domestic brews, hard ciders, flavored malt beverages and food that pairs with both. One of the fastest growing craft beverages is hard cider. Cider Row will feature more than a dozen cider producers from Michigan and nationally-known brands.
Individual tickets are $15/Thursday, $20/Saturday and Sunday and $40 for a 3-Day Pass. Sampling tickets are 50 cents per ticket and sold on site. Attendees must be 21 or older to enter the Festival. For more information, visit showspan.com.
I went for the arts in Kilkenny, and instead I found a witch!
It’s an hour and a half drive from Dublin south to Kilkenny, a medieval town, with a castle built in 1195. Picking up my rental car in Dublin, I was a bit nervous, since driving is on the left side of the road here but it was fine. After all, I’d had three weeks of practice in New Zealand, although that was almost seven months ago now. I headed straight to the tourist office and spent about two hours there, as they tried to help me find rooms for the next three nights — it appeared there were none left anywhere near the places I wanted to go.
People had told me not to worry about booking ahead at this time of the year — late August — as the kids are headed back to school, but they were off by a week. They finally found me some rooms although they were definitely over my budget. Just a reminder to double-check the area you’re traveling to for special circumstances. Sometimes it’s beneficial to just arrive at a place, as a lot of the nice, smaller places don’t use booking sites, and are also willing to bargain on price. On the other hand, if it’s a busy time, without booking ahead, you might find yourself sleeping on the proverbial park bench.
The tour office lady asked if I wanted to join the walking tour that was about to start. Sure! It’s a great way to get an overview of a town. We saw Butter Alley, where they used to sell butter in medieval times; the Black Abby, which dates back to the 13th century; and Smithwick’s brewery building, where they no longer brew beer (that’s moved to Dublin) but you can pay a chunk of change to stop in their visitor’s center to shop for merchandise if you choose (I chose not to).
Kilkenny is known as an arts and crafts town, and includes the Medieval Mile, with many shops lining its winding lanes along the River Nore. I just missed the annual arts fair, which was probably just as well, since accommodations were hard enough to come by post-festival.
You can tour the castle for a fee, or just have a wander around the grounds for free. With notoriously gray skies and many buildings made of gray stone, the Irish find other ways to brighten their cities including flowers, graffiti, paint and lights. Kilkenny is not a town that’s too worried about safety — check out the security system on their kegs…
And about that witch…
In the middle of town, there is a restaurant called Kyteler’s, which was once a stone house owned by a woman whose four husbands all died under mysterious circumstances. She was tried and convicted as a witch, but she was rich (from her four husbands), and her wealthy friends helped her escape to England. Her maid was not so fortunate, and the punishment was carried out on her — she was whipped through the streets and burned at the stake, supposedly the first in Europe. Quite a sad tale.
The establishment is supposedly haunted and there are photos someone took hanging on the wall that show a mysterious shadow climbing up the stairs. There is also a curious story of an artist and an author related to the Kyteler’s witch tale (see The Spooky Story below).
Haunted or not, it is a spooky place but in a fun way, and both my tour guide and my B&B host said to go back there for dinner, for good food and free music after 6. I followed their advice and dined on traditional Irish stew — a hearty bowl full of meat, potatoes and carrots and after, enjoyed a lively room full of music and laughter.
My B&B Mena House, was a nice, big old house with lots of rooms, walking distance to town. I ended up talking to Catherine, the proprietress, for quite a while. She was friendly and funny and said she’d love to do what I’m doing — travel the world alone — but wouldn’t dare.
“You’re very brave,” she told me. I keep hearing that and at first didn’t think it was true as I find traveling fun and exhilarating, not scary. But the more people I meet around the world, the more I see how everyone has dreams, and most don’t follow them out of various fears.
I’m not sure doing this makes me brave, but I do feel fortunate, for my many misfortunes, like divorce, losing my job and my home, that led me to make this journey. To me, the brave ones are those who quit their good-paying jobs in order to follow their dreams.
Leaving Kilkenny, I made a brief stop at The Rock of Cashel, which local mythology says originated in a mountain called the Devil’s Bit, when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock landing here. I spent a couple of hours exploring the ruins of the cathedral, which was built between 1235 and 1270, and its graveyard with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
It was especially nice when I bypassed a giant tour group that was listening outside to their guide while I got to slip into the tiny chapel, all dark and damp, completely alone. And also when I headed out, to the strains of Celtic music as three young guys played their hearts out.
Ireland is full of historic sites scattered throughout the country, so a road trip is an ideal way to see it, as you can stop at will wherever you fancy. I was about to spend the next two and a half weeks doing just that, much of it along the famous Wild Atlantic Way.
About Lynn Strough
Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.
“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”
All images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales
Truck believed to be involved with the October theft of a trailer owned by Koleaseco, Inc.
A reward is being offered for information about a 53-foot trailer that was stolen from from MC Sports Warehouse in Kentwood.
Kentwood police suspect the Wabash Reefer Trailer, which belonged to Koleaseco Inc., was stolen on Oct. 22 from the warehouse at 3070 Shaffer Ave. SE. The trailer was labeled with the company name and logo, along with a trailer number of L16030. It also had a Maine registration plate of 201526C.
Authorities have released photos of the vehicle suspected of taking the trailer, which is a blue Freightliner tractor with no visible license plate or decals.
Koleaseco Inc. is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the theft and the return of the trailer.
Anyone with information is requested to contact Silent Observer at 800-774-2345 or the Kentwood Police Detective Bureau at 616-698-6580.
Eligible students cast their ballots for the presidential election and several state positions.
First-Time Voters Reflect on Presidential Election
By Erin Albanese, Charles Honey and Linda Odette
School News Network
For 18-year-old high school students, last Tuesday’s election was their first chance to cast a ballot for president. School News Network asked several students from Kent County-area public schools what their first vote for president meant to them, what they learned from it and whom they voted for. Here we share the views of three of those students, from East Kentwood, Godwin Heights and Byron Center.
Esteban Nunez
Esteban Nunez, Godwin Heights High School
“To me it was something really important, especially in society today and the way things are going. I like to show my opinion along with understanding how it feels to be part of something and knowing something I say matters,” said Estaban Nunez.
He said the electoral process was “kind of confusing at the beginning, but later on I caught on.
“I voted for Gary Johnson. Generally, I encourage the idea of moving forward instead of staying with what the Republicans and Democrats are doing.”
Gregory Perhamus (Facebook photo)
Gregory Perhamus, East Kentwood High School
“For lack of better words it was really kind of cool. My mom always took me voting with her ever since I was little. … So now, for me to add a vote to this election and to be a part in the say and do my duty as a citizen was something I found very interesting. I felt really honored and proud to be part of the population.
“My mom teaches education at Grand Valley State University, so I was always in the know, so I don’t know if I learned anything new.” He said he took time to study the local elections. “I got more education on that perspective.
“I voted for Hillary, not totally in support of Hillary, but I guess against Trump. I think a lot of people did that. It was a rough election to have as a first election. When I look back at it in 20 years and someone asks who I voted for, I won’t be proud to say either one. I don’t know if anyone will, but it is what it is. We have four years. Hopefully next election we will have someone better.”
Maria Cotts, Byron Center High School
“I really liked it because I took a government class last year and I liked how I was able to vote this year. I liked that I could get involved and exercise my right to vote after learning about it for so long.”
Maria said she felt armed with knowledge about how voting works from her Advanced Placement government class. “I know lots about it, why it works, why it was put in place. I learned about the whole voting process and how it works at the polls.”
Still, it was a new experience. “I had never seen the ballot before,” she said.
“I voted for Hillary Clinton. … It should be interesting today,” she said the day after the election.
