Category Archives: 3-bottom

Power to rival a laptop? The iPad Pro leads the way

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Tech Trends, , , ,

iPad Pro

By: Deidre Doezema-Burkholder

 

Apple debuted the iPad Pro last September. A full size tablet with a 12.9-inch screen made it nearly the size of the laptop that I use on a daily basis. However, the iPad Pro came with a more beautiful Retina display for a crisper and cleaner viewing experience.

 

After it was introduced, my business partner – and husband – and I took the time to look into the tech specs and read hands-on reviews from other tech experts. When we completed our research, we looked at each other and thought: Is this the iPad we’ve been waiting for? The iPad Pro seemed powerful enough, and the drawing features kicked it up a notch from finger painting to a much more detail oriented Apple Pencil.

 

You see, it isn’t that we haven’t had an iPad before. We had bought the original iPad the year it was released, and we (me) liked it, but a full-sized laptop was still a better option to suit our needs. Fast forward to 2016, and we are again talking again about an iPad. While the both of us are heavy computer users, we started to find it almost necessary to have something just as powerful but more compact. We have our phones, but even on the largest phone screen it can be frustrating at time for our needs.

 

iPad ProEnter the iPad Pro… but smaller?

 

A few months ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the iPad Pro….again…this time with a smaller, more manageable, 9.7-inch screen. The size was certainly attractive, but Apple doesn’t just take the same product and shrink it down. Along with a smaller size, the smaller iPad Pro also added better features including a 12-megapixle camera in the back and a 5-megapixle camera on the front. With the better cameras came the ability to shoot 4K video and still work with the Apple Pencil.

 

So, we caved and bought a space grey 9.7 inch 128GB iPad Pro from $750, and it fits right in with our Apple family. Setup was easy and it seamlessly  integrated into our daily lives. Now I don’t have to pack up my laptop when going to clients. My purse is big enough to slide in and carry it around.

 

After purchasing our new work tool, the next logical step involved purchasing the Apple Pencil to take advantage of one of our favorite features – writing and drawing on the tablet. The pencil, costing $99, has some girth and feels like holding a nice, heavy pen. The touch sensitivity allows me to quickly change the pressure with how I write. I can change from a nice fine tip ball point pen with just a light touch to the screen to a much thicker line much like a sharpie when I press harder. Both the pencil and the iPad share by a lightning cable and charge quite quickly. The pencil requires bluetooth to function properly but I find that it lasts several days between charges.

 

Apple PencilOf course, once we purchased and had the device in our hands, it was natural to set out to find apps that were designed specifically for the iPad Pro. Drawing/Design and writing apps dominated the types of apps we searched for. When looking for a drawing/design app, we went to Adobe for our first choice.

 

Adobe Photoshop Sketch creates expressive drawing and painting without opening sketchbook. The artwork can be sent to Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator via the Creative Cloud.  So, if you are already a member of the Creative Cloud family, it’s a pretty handy app to have.

 

Adult Coloring books have become a recent trend and of course there’s an app for that. My favorite is Pigment. Pigment is a free app comes with several coloring “books.” Each book allows 3 free coloring pages, additional pages can be purchased with either a monthly or yearly membership. I’m currently making my way through the 135 free coloring pages.

 

When it comes to writing, searching for a note taking app wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Several of the free apps felt clunky and unrealistic to writing on a sheet of paper. While part of the challenge comes from writing on the smooth glass surface of the iPad Pro, the other difficulty is completely unrelated to the writing surface and deals with finding an app with the right type of features. A few of the apps gave me the option of just writing on a piece of plain white boring scratch paper. It took me about four different apps before I settled on one designed by Evernote called Penultimate.

 

Penultimate states that it “combines distraction-free, natural handwriting and sketching with the power of Evernote’s sync and search.” While an Evernote account is needed to utilize their ‘sync and search’ feature, you don’t need to have an account to use the basic program. Penultimates gives many options for writing like note taking, daily planners, graphing paper, music scoring, and even classic games like tic-tac-toe and hangman.

 

In the weeks since we brought the iPad Pro home, it has become integrated into our daily lives. By day, the iPad Pro is a tool of the trade for an executive assistant (me) to help clients near and far. When the sun sets, it’s becomes a release for my creative side!

 

Deidre owns and operates Organisum: Technology Services, a business serving the West Michigan area. In her free time she likes to hike & bike local trails with friends and family when she isn’t pinning, instagram’ing or Netflix’ing.

Grand Rapids Public Museum explores the science of beer

3-bottom, Entertainment, , , ,
Brewery Vivant teams up with the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a series of classes on the science of beer.
Brewery Vivant teams up with the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a series of classes on the science of beer.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM), in partnership with Brewery Vivant, will offer a series of three Beer Explorers classes inspired by the new exhibit Earth Explorers, and in conjunction with ongoing Science Tuesdays programs. Each class will offer a different scientific approach to the brewing and tasting of beer.

 

The three classes will be held June 21, July 19 and Aug. 16. Classes begin at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Barrel Factory on the 1st floor of the GRPM. Admission to each class includes general admission to the Museum as well as three beer samples. A cash bar will also be available. Tickets for the June and July classes are $5 for members and $15 for non-members; tickets for Aug. 16 are $8 for members and $18 for non-members.

 

Classes will be led by Ryan Engemann, Wandering Monk Sales Representative at Brewery Vivant. Ryan has a vast knowledge of all things beer, first having worked for Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City and then Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire. While working for Right Brain, Ryan became the first Certified Cicerone® in Northern Michigan.

 

June 21 – Science of Beer

 

Beer has been there from the beginning of the scientific revolution. From providing sanitary nourishment to the development of modern medicine, beer has been an integral influence on the development of science. Join the GRPM and Brewery Vivant to explore this fascinating topic, over a beer of course. This class will cover the history of science and beer, as well as examining how science is used in a modern brewery.

 

July 19 – Science of Flavor with a guided tasting

 

Explore the science of flavor to learn how taste and aroma combine for the delicious flavor you love, all in the context of and while sampling some wonderful craft beers. The event will conclude with a guided beer tasting in the style of a traditional beer judging contest.

 

Aug. 16 – Yeast Science/Wild Fermentations

 

Explore the microbiome of beer with a full-time beer brewer. This class will explain how microorganisms in the natural world are able to make the beer you love. This event will feature rare sour and wild fermentation ales from Brewery Vivant’s new Plein De Vie series.

 

Science Tuesdays

 

Science Tuesdays is an ongoing educational experience, offering science programming based on changing themes each month. Every Tuesday in June visitors engage with activities with the theme of Exploration! Science Tuesdays take place throughout the day every Tuesday at the Museum and include a variety of activities and interactive displays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities are free with general admission to the Museum.

 

In June, science stations including using telescopes, learning how astronauts work in Space, learn about underwater explorations utilizing scuba gear, learn about terrestrial navigation through hands on compass activities and explore how airplanes fly. Kids can try out their hand at flight by making their own paper airplanes and competing in flight contests against other Museum visitors.

 

Future Science Tuesdays programming will be themed around activities happening at the Museum. For upcoming months’ themes and activities please visit grpm.org.

 

Participants will come face-to-face with a Great White Shark in "Earth Explorers" exhibit at the Grand Rapids Publc Museum. (Christopher Gannon/Gannon Visuals) -- shot by Christopher Gannon on 9/25/13 in Des Moines, IA Shot for GES
Participants will come face-to-face with a Great White Shark in “Earth Explorers” exhibit at the Grand Rapids Publc Museum. (Christopher Gannon/Gannon Visuals) — shot by Christopher Gannon on 9/25/13 in Des Moines, IA Shot for GES

Earth Explorers

 

Organized around Earth’s eco-zones, Earth Explorers brings the unparalleled adventures of National Geographic to life. Earth Explorers allows visitors to let their imaginations run wild as they become explorers and embark on an adventure to discover new species, study animal behavior and learn about the important roles technology, innovation and ingenuity play in making and documenting these discoveries. The exhibit is free with Museum admission and will be on display through Sept. 4..

Hands-On Film and Acting Summer Camps at Compass College of Cinematic Arts

3-bottom, Education, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

Compass College of Cinematic ArtsBy: Jessie Kooyers

 

This June, Compass College of Cinematic Arts will open its campus for an action-packed week of filmmaking and acting summer camps. These fast-paced, hands-on camps give high school students a glimpse into the real world of multimedia production.

 

Both camps run June 20-24, and registration is open to teens ages 13-18.  In the film camp, students work with industry professionals and state-of-the art film equipment to write, direct, and edit their own short films. Meanwhile, students in the acting camp are cast in these films, and spend the week refining their on-camera acting skills. At the end of the week, the films are screened for friends and family in the theatre at Compass College.

 

“Film camp was a great first look at the industry,” said John LeFan, former film camper and 2013 Compass College alumnus. “It’s a great starter program to get your feet wet. I was immediately hooked.”

 

The camps are designed for students with little to no film and acting experience. The instructors at Compass College work to make the process fun and as similar to a real-life production set as possible.

 

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Joshua Courtade, film camp instructor and award-winning screenwriter, “The film students get to collaborate with the acting students and the results are some very fun short films.”

 

Over the years, campers have had the opportunity to Skype with Hollywood actors and producers like Beau Wirick, Mark Clayman, and Ralph Winter who have worked on the sets of shows like NCIS, The Office, and Arrested Development, and produced feature films like, Pursuit of Happyness, X-Men, and X-Men Origins.

 

Space in the camps is limited so early registration is recommended.  For more information, call Compass College at 616-988-1000, or visit online at www.compass.edu.

Four LUCAS Life Saving devices are now in Kentwood

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Health, Our Cities, , , , , ,

By: Barri Tiggle

A $115,000 grant may have given the Kentwood Fire Department an edge in saving a life.

 

lucas cpr
The LUCAS Chest Compression System

The Kentwood Fire Department recently received a big hand with the help of LUCAS.

 

The 2014 FEMA Assistance to Firefighter grant – which totaled $114,949 – was used to purchase four LUCAS chest compression devices. These devices are designed to allow CPR to be done without human help, outside the first initial 15 – 20 seconds it take to set up the device

 

“The LUCAS devices will be a great asset to the Kentwood Fire Department and the community,” said Kentwood Fire Department Deputy Chief Greg Ginebaugh. “Having the LUCAS CPR device allows more time for airways to be made on the patient, as well as starting IV’s and completing all other needs on the patient.”

 

The idea for the CPR assisted mechanical device derived back in 1991 by Norwegian paramedic Willy Vistung. Years later, the  first LUCAS was created and has since progressed throughout the years.

 

The LUCAS device is used during pre-hospital treatments, in-hospital treatments, and even percutaneous coronary intervention (also known as a PCI, a non-surgical procedure used to open narrow or blocked coronary arteries). LUCAS is equipped with 10 accessories that allow it to work to its full function.

 

It takes a maximum of 20 seconds to set up and adjust LUCAS correctly on a patient. LUCAS is intended to save time for first responders to help in other areas the patient may need, or lack assistance, during manual CPR.

 

Manual (human to human) CPR requires first responders to rotate performing CPR on the patient every two minutes. Since CPR can sometimes last up to 30 minutes, the availability of a LUCAS can save precious time for help in other areas.

 

As of right now the Kentwood Fire Department has four LUCAS devices. There are three fire stations with four primary vehicles and one LUCAS device is placed in each vehicle. There are currently no future plans to receive additional LUCAS devices.

Music, movies, food — Kentwood has it all for its Summer Entertainment Series

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Entertainment, , , , , ,
The Crane Wives opens the Kentwood Summer Concert Series tonight.
The Crane Wives opens the Kentwood Summer Concert Series tonight.

This summer, Kentwood has got it all the bases covers – music, movies, food – with its Summer Entertainment Series set to kick off tonight with the wildly popular Grand Rapids-based The Crane Wives. The concert is set to start at 7 p.m. behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE

 

“I think we did pretty well this year,” said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Marketing/Events Coordinator Laura Barbrick, as she looked over the 2016 line up. “We really targeted toward a younger crowd, kind of varying it with what is popular right now.”

 

Locally, no group could be as popular with the younger crowd as The Crane Wives. The local indie-folk band, which includes founders Kate Pillsbury ad Emilee Petersmark along with Dan Rickabus and Ben Zito, had a huge 2015 with the release of its album “Coyote Stories,” which earned the group another Jammie, and the opportunity to open for the Avett Brothers at ArtPrize. The group recently released “Foxlore,” it’s sister record to the “Coyote Stories.”

 

Rockabilly/honky tonk band Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys is June 14.
Rockabilly/honky tonk band Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys perform July 14.

According to John Sinkevics from localspins.com “Foxlore” certainly represents another bold step forward for this ultra-likable and increasingly popular Michigan act. “Down the River” even features a drum solo of sorts, buoyed by a throbbing, jam-band vibe. That’s followed closely by the airy and atmospheric “Ribs,” with an almost-jazzy milieu, morphing into the slow-cooking, uber-psychedelic, banjo-and-strings balladry of “Can’t Go Back” and the old-timey, clarinet-fueled swing of “Curses.”

 

The rest of Kentwood Summer Entertainment Series musical line up includes Tailshaker, June 16; Vox Vidorra, June 30; Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys, July 14; Big foot Buffalo, July 28, and The Accidentals, Aug. 11.

 

But the Kentwood Summer Entertaiment Series isn’t just about music. The city has combined it with its Movie in the Park programs starting with “Back to the Future” June 23; followed by “Frozen” July 21 and wrapping up Aug. 4 with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

 

“In the past, the Movies in the Park have been at Pinewood but it seemed a little bit separated from the other pubic events,” Barbrick said. “So we decided to bring it out to the same venue as the concert series.

 

Because of the music line-up and movie selections, it was decided the series needed more space so it was moved to the lawn area behind city hall. This also provided another opportunity in bringing in local food trucks to the event.

 

“We really wanted the food truck operators to know that they are welcomed at our events and it provides an easy way for guests to grab dinner, dessert, or coffee to enjoy during a concert or later for a movie,” Barbrick said.

 

Food trucks will vary but the ones lined up for this year’s event include Gettin’ Fresh, A Moveable Feast, Daddy Pete’s BBQ, What the Truck and River City Cup and Cake.

 

“With the new venue, several headlining acts, fun family movies, and food trucks, we anticipate this year’s crowds to be the largest to date,” said Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo. Guests are invited to bring a blanket or chair, kick back and relax with a favorite snack, local craft beer or wine and enjoy the show.

 

For more information, visit the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page or their website at www.yourkprd.org.

Kentwood adds a couple new ‘Neighhhh’bors at the old Tassell Ranch

3-bottom, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Pets/Animals, , , , , , ,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

By: Mike DeWitt

Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

 

From a new roof to a brand new smile, 3 two Ranch and Equine Assisted Development are creating new beginnings.

 

As Karen Strayer stood on the property and evaluated the future site of 3 two Ranch, she recognized the staggering need for immediate renovation. The old Tassell Ranch in Kentwood, once filled with exotic animals such as zebras and cheetahs, had been abandoned for 25 years and the neglect was evident in the damaged and dilapidated state of the barns.

 

The exteriors of the barns were wasted and worn away, the roofs worked better as sieves, and an unseemly pink and turquoise color scheme from the previous regime insulted the walls.

 

In only four short months, the improvements to the old property have been moving forward steadily. Along with much-needed manual upkeep, a new roof on the stall barn was installed to keep the water out, and the pink and turquoise came off the walls to bare the beautiful wood hidden underneath. As renovations continue, 3 two Ranch will bring in more organizations to help aid in its mission.

 

“The organizations we want involved here at 3 two Ranch will have a mission focused on helping people,” said Strayer, director of 3 two Ranch.

 

In addition to the physical renovations, 3 two Ranch acquired its first partner organization — Equine Assisted Development of the Great Lakes (EAD). EAD was founded in 2009 with a focus on using non-riding horses to help people, especially children, grow and heal from damaged and warped views of themselves — the organization works with alternative high schools, human trafficking victims and other troubled youth. EAD also works with a number of other organizations and groups.

 

Equine Assisted Development 8Deb VanderBand, co-founder of EAD and an equine specialist, noticed that kids could get lost amongst the shuffle of everyday life. They needed help and a purpose. She can relate. “I was a misfit and an outcast as a child. I was always struggling to find a way to fit in. I knew in life that I needed to find a way to help kids who feel that everyday.”

 

While it may seem unconventional to use horses for therapy, horses have the same emotion base that humans do. When it comes to connecting with kids, these animals can break down walls and make strides where adults can’t. A horse’s memory only lasts six seconds, which allows the animal to see a child for who he or she is in that particular moment, whether positive or negative.

 

Deb gave me a personal therapy session so I could better understand.

 

 

Kade in "The Office"
Kade in “The Office”

As I walked into the 140-foot barn better known as “The Office,” Deb brought in three horses — Coe, Cora and Smartie — behind me.

 

Coe owned the place and he knew it. His laid-back demeanor wasn’t going to be affected by the new face in the room, and his control over the situation and the other horses didn’t waiver.

 

Cora was a follower and stayed close to Coe, finding comfort in being a friend to the leader. Smartie was the smallest of the three and easily the most spastic. He never seemed comfortable.

 

The therapy began with an outward analysis of the horses.

 

“Which one is your least favorite?” asked Deb.

 

Smartie, him being uncomfortable made me uncomfortable.

 

Deb followed up quickly, “Which one is your favorite?”

 

Coe, obviously.

 

Coe, Cora and Smartie all lined up
Smartie, Cora and Coe all lined up

Deb dug deeper, “Is Coe your favorite because you see yourself in him or because you wish you were more like him?”

 

Three questions in and I’m already in deep thought… I don’t know, maybe a little bit of both?

 

As I stood there answering followup questions, the horses accepted the vibe I was putting off and started to make their way from one end of the barn to the other.

 

“I’ve never seen them do this before, you give off a very calming presence,” said Deb. “They feel comfortable.”

 

I could feel the confidence rise and I started to puff out my chest. The horses weren’t a fan of the ego as they quickly removed themselves from the situation. That six-second memory wiped clear any positive vibes I was giving off earlier.

 

After the self-evaluation, it was time to jump into action. Along with Karen and Deb’s son Kade, we were to build an obstacle course for the horses to walk through. Sounds easy enough. However, the horses had to walk through the obstacle course with us and we weren’t allowed to touch them.

 

Teamwork and communication would be paramount.

 

The obstacle course of imagination and teamwork
The obstacle course of imagination and teamwork

Armed with our creativity, imagination, lawn chairs, trash bins, and pool noodles, we set forth on building an obstacle course. Initially, as the course was being artfully crafted, the horses kept their distance. The tide began to turn once the horses felt like they were missing out on the positive environment we were creating by working together and enjoying the task at hand.

 

In fact, all three horses lined up unprompted at the beginning of the course, and I now had some new skills to bring back to the station here at WKTV.

 

 

One of Deb’s favorite moments involves one student in particular from Kentwood’s Crossroads Alternative High School.

 

“The young man bonded with one of the horses and was having a blast,” recounts Deb as if the event happened just an hour ago. “One of the teachers walked up to me and said, ‘We have never seen his teeth before. We have never seen a face other than anger.’ That’s the power these horses can have on a child.”

Happy birthday! GR Children’s Museum celebrates its 19th year

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

grcmMy, how time flies — in a blink of an eye, The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is all grown up.

 

The self-styled ‘advocate for the value of play’ celebrates its 19th year with a Birthday Party Celebration on July 31st. Festivities will include carnival games, bubbles, face painting and more as GRCM shows its appreciation to hundreds of faithful supporters.

 

The event dovetails with GRCM’s newest exhibit, BOXES, which opened May 24.

 

Paying tribute to the first traveling exhibit the GRCM ever hosted, BOXES lets kids and their adults build anything they can think of out of cardboard. There are boxes of all shapes and sizes — some that can be stuffed and weighted to use as a base for a bigger structure, some that can be cut and ripped, and some remnant cardboard pieces that can be colored, cut, torn and added on to any special creation.

 

cardboard dragon
It’s a dragon!

“BOXES embodies the infinite open-ended play style that The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum Mission advocates,” said Jack Woller, Associate Director of the GRCM.

 

“Guests can build cardboard armor, cities, games and anything that their imagination can come up with.”

 

As with all exhibits and programs at the museum, this new exhibit is designed to let kids (and their adults) learn through play and stretch their creative muscles.

 

mosaic on grcm

“Creativity is important to child development, and kids need to be empowered to explore and develop their creativity,” said Woller. “The exploration and experimentation in exhibits like BOXES supports a foundation for learning, invention and scientific discovery throughout life.”

 

BOXES runs through August, kicking off a year of special events celebrating the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum’s 20th anniversary.

 

For more information, contact Adrienne Brown at 616.235.4726 ext 204 or visit the website here.

In love with Croatia: From A to Zagreb

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Travel, ,

By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

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Croatia is one of my new favorite countries. Its capital, Zagreb is a gateway into a country 26full of beautiful scenery, interesting history and kind people. It’s a great mix of old and new, including old peeling walls, beautiful churches and a bustling square.

Art appears everywhere, spilling out into the streets, and great graffiti graces the walls. It’s also a city full of museums. If you’re looking for something a little different, check out the Museum of Broken Relationships, sad, funny and heartening all at once, a glimpse of the human condition that most can relate to.

 

 

[huge_it_slider id=”45″]

 

 

 

Great restaurants abound in Zagreb. So do places to grab a snack, and there are plenty of shopping opportunities as well as lots of green space. It’s easy to get around on the local blue trams and other forms of transportation.

 

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My friend Beth from Michigan flew into Zagreb to join me for a week of travel in Croatia, and we spent two lovely days here. She said her time in Croatia was one of her best trips ever!

 

So if you’re looking for a destination that’s full of history, charm, art, architecture, good food and good people, with an affordable price tag, consider Croatia. Come on along for the ride, and then book your own ticket.

 

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman 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.

 

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“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!”

 

 

 

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

Local ministry makes a ‘ripple’ in the Flint Water crisis

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Recently, The Ripple Effect ministry worked to make a difference in the Flint Water Crisis by delivering hundreds of cases of bottled water.

 

The group, which operates out of Hudsonville’s Chapel Pointe, collected more than 400 cases and a 100 gallon jugs of water which were donated to the South Baptist Church in Flint. To transport the water, the Ripple Effect was able to utilize the WKTV trailer.

 

There is still a need for bottled water for Flint. Recently, the city switched from area fire stations to neighborhood community centers for distribution.

 

The state has set up a website, helpforflint.com that under the “Take Action” button offers information on how people can help the residents of Flint. The Community Foundation of Greater Flint, the Genesee County United Way, and the American Red Cross are accepting monetary donations.

 

The site also contains guidelines for water and filter donations. Catholic Charities Center for Hope, 810-232-9950, ext. 325, is accepting donations of a 100 cases of water or less. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, 810-239-4410, is accepting donations of a 100 cases of water or more.

 

Commercially packed water, no loose bottles, and commercially sealed gallons (or larger) bottles of water will be accepted. All donations must have an expiration date of six months or more.

 

Volunteer opportunities also exist. For more information, visit helpforflint.com.

 

Brandon Patterson is a volunteer producer at WKTV. If you have a story to share or would like to write for WKTV, email mike.dewitt@wktv.org.

Sniffing Out the News is Elementary

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Education, Kids Activities, , , , ,
Students work on stories (credit: Lysa Stockwell)
Students work on stories (credit: Lysa Stockwell)

By: Erin Albanese — School News Network

 

Gladiola Elementary School students sat around a table and discussed what lead — that’s journalistic jargon for introduction — would be best for this School News Network article about their new student newspaper, Gladiola Wolf Tracks.

 

“Meet all the students that made the first Gladiola Wolf Tracks newspaper,” said third-grader Megan Sivins.

 

“This is four out of 16 of the kids that came up with the Wyoming newspaper called Gladiola Wolf Tracks,” suggested fourth-grader Quinton Gebben.

 

And, “Meet the Gladiola Elementary students who came out on top and made the first Gladiola newspaper in the whole Gladiola school history,” said fourth-grader Brady Flint.

 

Fourth-grader Maddy Lee considered the best possible lead. She decided Brady had already nailed it.

 

Sixteen students in the after-school enrichment program at the Wyoming Public Schools building recently launched the newspaper after learning the basics of journalism from fourth-grade teacher Lysa Stockwell and by interviewing teachers, peers, staff members and even community officials, such as Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll.

 

They’ve covered events and school programs, with cameras and notepads in hand, learning to get details centered around the who, what, when, where and why questions for their stories. They use technology, including Google Docs, and keep current on what’s going on in the building

 

“They’ve interviewed all the staff members in the building, from teachers to custodians to parent volunteers. It’s been really, really exciting because the more they do the more excited they get,” said Principal David Lyon.

 

Elile Silvestre and Madeline Pauline interview Wyoming Police Officer Rory Allen (credit: Lysa Stockwell)
Elile Silvestre and Madeline Pauline interview Wyoming Police Officer Rory Allen (credit: Lysa Stockwell)

Wolves or News Hounds?

 

The ace cub reporters recently completed the second edition of their newspaper, with plans for another and monthly publications next school year. Lyon said the almost entirely student-written newspaper will incorporate the school’s newsletter.

 

Parents can donate $5 to have a message to their child published in the newspaper, supporting the costs of publication.

 

In class, students studied examples of journalism, heard from a local reporter who shared tips and experiences, and learned about interviewing skills, bias and plagiarism.

 

They also learned the fun they can have with journalism, Stockwell said.

 

“Generally, kids don’t have the chance to have their writing published and for them to have that opportunity has really been exciting for them,” Stockwell said.

 

“Writing has become really authentic for them,” Lyon added. “Plus, they are far more alert now to things going on in the building.”

 

When a story presents itself, Wolf Tracks reporters have jumped at the chance to grab a notepad. For example, they took the initiative to cover a sneak-peek performance of the Wyoming High School musical.

 

Brady said he enjoyed writing a story about teacher Kimberly Swiger called “Mrs. Swiger: The Inside Story.” In it she talks about her favorite books, and that she’s spent 25 years teaching, has 10 nieces and nephews and attended Gladiola herself.

 

“Mrs. Swiger told the best stories,” Brady said. “I really liked being an interviewer and reporter and writing the articles. I am a social butterfly.”

 

Pinky Nguyen and Dion Idizi are busy with the news (credit: Lysa Stockwell)
Pinky Nguyen and Dion Idizi are busy with the news (credit: Lysa Stockwell)

Back to the Headlines

 

Discussion around the table continued after the students had found their lede. They talked about their favorite interviews with the art and music teacher and other staff members.
“I like when I interviewed Mr. Lyon. He can ride a unicycle,” Quinton said.

 

Further conversation led to the fact that Lyon can also juggle, prompting a follow-up question from Brady: “Can he juggle while riding a unicycle?”

 

Now, there’s a nose for news.

 

Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!

War zone: Local re-enactors bring the history of the Civil War to life

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Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry Co. F will be at Heritage Landing June 4 & 5.
Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry Co. F will be at Heritage Landing June 4 & 5.

The Third Michigan Volunteer Infantry Co. F, a group of civilian reenactors, will spend June 4 and 5 at Michigan’s Heritage Park in Whitehall.  The men and women of the Michigan Third are as authentic as possible in their dress and manner as they portray what life was like during the American Civil War.

 

The park will open at 10 am both days.  From 10 am to 2 pm, there will be Children’s Activities at the mastodon site with drills on the top and bottom of the hour. At 10:30 am, there will be a drill by the reenactors in Activity Field in the center of the park. At 1:30 pm, there will be a Fashion Show of Civilian and Military Apparel at the pavilion. A skirmish will take place in Activity Field at 2:30 pm.   Members of the Michigan Third will set up camp at the park for the weekend and visitors will have an opportunity to tour the camp, meet the reenactors, and learn about military and civilian life during the Civil War.

 

Michigan’s Heritage Park, a site of the Lakeshore Museum Center, is a 19-acre living history park which explores 10,000 years of Michigan history in a natural woodland setting in Whitehall.  A gentle half-mile paved trail winds through the park with interactive encounters along the way.

 

The park is located in Whitehall at 8637 North Durham Road with easy access from US 31 at exit 128.  The park is just north of the Whitehall Comfort Inn.  Beginning June 2, the park will be open Thursday through Monday from 10 am to 4 pm.  On Sundays, the park will be open from 1 to 4 pm; however, on June 5, the park will open at 10 am for the special Civil War event.  Admission for the Civil War Weekend is $12 for adults and teens, seniors (65 and older) $10, and youth (2 – 12) $6. For more information, visit www.lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-894-0342.

Grand Rapids Civic closes with a soul crusher that plants a seed for change

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Lisa Butler, who plays Caroline Thibodeaux, and Jessica Dole, who plays Rose Gellman, talk about the upcoming production of "Caroline, or Change."
Lisa Butler, who plays Caroline Thibodeaux, and Jessica Dole, who plays Rose Gellman, talk about the upcoming production of “Caroline, or Change.”

Lisa Butler understands the trials of being a single parent. She’s been there, working two to three jobs to make ends meet. And she understands the frustration of not even having the time to figure a way out of the situation.

 

So Butler can relate to the difficult choice facing Caroline Thibodeaux, the character she portrays in the upcoming production of “Caroline, or Change” opening Friday, June 3, at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. She feels Caroline’s delight of being able to provide her children with meat versus stuffing it so full of bread that it becomes “meat-flavored bread” even if it means getting treated “less than a person” to get the money to buy that meat.

 

“There is a song that Caroline sings, one of the longer ones that runs several pages in the script,” said Butler. “It goes through about every level of pain, anger and confusion she is feeling and a few days ago, it suddenly just hit me, and I just started to cry.”

 

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Artistic Director Bruce Tinker said while he realizes not everyone may be moved the way Butler was, he does hope the powerful musical will have an impact on those who see it, creating a dialog for change.

 

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Artistic Director Bruce Tinker and Grand Rapids Urban League CEO and President Joe Jones talk about the production "Caroline, or Change."
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Artistic Director Bruce Tinker and Grand Rapids Urban League CEO and President Joe Jones talk about the production “Caroline, or Change.”

The production, which is almost entirely relayed through music, combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music and Jewish klezmer and folk music with each character represented by a certain type of music. Written by Tony Kushner with music by Jeanine Tesori (“Shrek the Musical”), the story is set in 1963 and centers around Caroline, a black maid, who works for a Jewish family, the Gellmans, in their basement doing the laundry for $30 a week. Unable to afford to give her a raise, the stepmother Rose tells Caroline that she can have the money she finds in the pockets mostly to teach her stepson Noah a lesson about money.

 

“We have this concept that if something is no good to us or has no value that we just give it to someone who is less fortunate,” Tinker said. “How does that make the person receiving it feel?”

 

When the lesson goes awry and the ownership of a $20 bill comes into question, the relationship between Caroline and Noah is forever changed.

 

“Change is hard for everyone,” said Joe Jones, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Urban League, which is an artistic sponsor for the “Caroline” production. Coincidentally, Butler happens to serve as the Grand Rapids Urban League Director for Center for Health and Wellness.

 

“It is hard in that it upsets what you know is,” Jones said, adding that everything is changing around Caroline as president John F. Kennedy is assassinated and the non-violent protests organized by Martin Luther King. “The younger generation does not throughly understand that at that time there were repercussions of speaking out or speaking out loud.”

 

For Caroline, standing by her words would mean losing the income she needs to support her family so she makes the heart wrenching decision to return to the dehumanizing work as a maid.

 

The musical, Tinker said, was nominated for several 2004 Tony Awards but was somewhat overshadowed by “Wicked” and “Avenue Q.” It did win a Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music. “However that year it showed that Broadway could succeed on a grand scale with ‘Wicked,’ on a non-human comedic scale with ‘Avenue Q’ and on a very dramatic scale with ‘Caroline,’” Tinker said.

 

“Caroline, or Change” runs June 3 – 19 at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. Tickets are $18 – $34. For tickets or more information, visit www.GRCT.org or call 616-222-6650.

On the Shelf: Some old favorites to add to your summer reading list

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003717d545cebefe44-0Eleven on Top
By Janet Evanovich

 

Although her novels are classified as mysteries, Janet Evanovich really deserves a category of her own. Her stories fall somewhere between soap opera and a cheesy whodunit by combining over-the-top drama with a healthy dose of humor and a Nancy Drew twist or two. With a series of successful stories based on the character Stephanie Plum, who can dispute Evanovich’s winning combination? The beauty of this series is that readers don’t need to read each book in succession to get a sense of the characters.

 

Plum is a moderately successful bounty hunter with a little too much spunk and not quite enough common sense who can’t seem to commit to a permanent relationship. The difficulties between Stephanie and the men in her life, Joe Morrelli and Ranger, pale in comparison to the difficulties she encounters in her job, all of which brings her to a life changing decision: time for a career move. In “Eleven on Top,” Stephanie convinces herself that life in the law enforcement field is over for her, so she attempts to start a new career. While this is great in concept, she just can’t seem to adapt to the mundane and finds herself doing office work for Ranger instead. The tension escalates as Stephanie walks the line between Ranger and Joe and tries to maintain her balance while seeking the identity of the stalker who is trying to kill her.

 

At the official Janet Evanovich website readers can learn more about Evanovich and all of her novels, www.evanovich.com.

 

– Laura Nawrot, Grand Rapids Main Library

 

414dajcxaIL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality
By Thomas Lynch

 

Funeral home director Thomas Lynch’s essays are as much about poetry as they are about undertaking, as much about life as they are about death.

 

Acclaimed essayist and poet Lynch runs the family funeral home in Milford, Michigan. “Bodies in Motion and at Rest” is a collection of essays that addresses both of Lynch’s professions but, more importantly, links them wholly to one another. Lynch writes about the struggles of each profession and the struggles of mixing them.

 

“Reno,” an essay that touches on marketing strategies for a poet/undertaker, contains moving passages comparing words of a poem to words spoken at a funeral.

 

In essays such as “Bodies in Motion and at Rest” and “Johnny, We Hardly Knew You,” Lynch writes with the knowledge of an undertaker and the wisdom of one who has experienced the death of loved friends and family. He speaks against those who pretend that death may never affect them, and against those who allow the drama of celebrity deaths to overshadow their own losses.

 

Lynch doesn’t shy away from other serious topics. In “The Way We Are,” he describes the alcoholism that runs in his family, writing with honesty about his own collisions with the disease and, more tragically, his son’s. As a victim of and a witness to alcoholism, Lynch writes with sensitivity and honesty about the grief of alcoholism.

 

These essays contrast with the funny, lighthearted tone found in the other essays of this collection.

 

“Notes on ‘A Note on the Rapture to His True Love'” is a step-by-step approach to writing a good poem. With humor and satire, Lynch makes it clear that he is a humble, sincere poet.

 

“Y2Kat” is a hilarious account of Lynch’s despised pet and adored son.

 

Like good poetry and good funerals, Lynch’s essays contain some death and some life, some humor and some sobriety, and plenty of honest wisdom.

 

– Stephanie M. White, Grand Rapids Main Library

 

41709Serpent
By Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos

 

“Serpent,” Clive Cussler’s first “National Water & Marine Agency Files” book, gives readers a new hero for a new age. Kurt Austin has a master’s degree in Systems Management from the University of Washington and much experience in marine recovery. In “Serpent,” Austin and his Special Assignments Team of Joe Zavala and Drs. Paul and Gamay Trout find themselves conquering a mystery of legendary caliber.

 

“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue;” Austin and his team soon find that there were a lot of things left out of the popular children’s rhyme. With the help of Nina Kirov, the team investigates industrialist Don Halcon. Halcon is dedicated to carving a new country out of the southwestern United States.  To do so, Halcon needs a priceless pre-Columbian antiquity buried in the battered remains of the sunken Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria, and he’s prepared to do anything to get it.

 

Admiral James Sandecker, from Dirk Pitt fame, sends Austin and his team all over the world to stop Halcon before he can get his hands on the artifact. Austin and Zavala soon find themselves diving the Andrea Doria itself in order to gain access to a secured vault left behind when the liner sank fifty years before.

 

With a hefty dose of actual historical fact and fictional license, Cussler dishes out a wonderful first episode in the lives of the new heroes of NUMA. The subsequent novels in the series, “Blue Gold,” “Fire Ice,” “White Death,” “Lost City,” and “Polar Shift,” all follow Austin as he pursues a life of intrigue and danger.

 

Fans of Cussler’s Dirk Pitt will find much to love in Kurt Austin.

 

– Megan Andres, Grand Rapids Public Library’s Seymour Branch

 

9780738539508Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards: 1890-1940
By Thomas R. Dilley

 

This volume by local author Tom Dilley is a wonderful contribution to the growing number of books about the history of Grand Rapids. Postcard collectors, historians and researchers continue to find this a useful and interesting book with its black and white reproductions of 228 postcards from Dilley’s personal collection, many of which are quite rare.

 

Dilley begins the volume with a concise overviews of Grand Rapids history and the history of postcards. Short explanations are given for the various types of postcards: postal mailing cards, real photos, white border cards, linen and chrome cards. He points out the importance of postcards as historical documents capturing the social history of a certain time and place.

 

The book is divided into three sections: “The City,” “Life in the City,” and ” The City at Work.”

 

This structure works well in categorizing the wide array of postcards.

 

Dilley starts by showing aerial views of the city. He proceeds with street scenes, individual buildings and bridges. Dilley does an excellent job of identifying buildings, giving the location, interesting details, the architect when known, and the life span of the structure. Dilley often refers to the contemporary counterpart of a historical building, giving readers a real sense of “then and now.”

 

The section “Life in the City” includes the commercial, religious, educational and social activities of the growing city. There are wonderful views of museums, theaters, retail stores, cafes, hotels, hospitals, churches schools and parks. The author spotlights social organizations such as the YMCA, the Ladies Literary Club and the St. Cecilia Music Society. Dilley’s book includes rare interior scenes of the YWCA gymnasium and the clothing department of May and Sons.

 

Section Three, “The City at Work,” shows Grand Rapids as a leader in “wholesale, retail and manufacturing enterprise.”

 

The furniture industry is given prominence, but other industries are also included. The Grand Rapids Brewing Company, Grand Rapids Brass Company, the Cargill Company, and Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company stand out as a few examples.

 

Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards includes many cards that most people have never seen. Included is a rare double card of the Majestic Theatre, a real photo card of the Fanatorium Bowling Alley and a scene of visiting airplanes lined up for the 1919 dedication of the Grand Rapids Airport. Besides the wonderful visual images, a strong point of the book is the accompanying text, which is very helpful in giving a historical perspective on the postcard views. Dilley’s book will serve as a valuable reference work as well as an enjoyable walk down memory lane.

 

– M. Christine Byron, for the Grand Rapids Main Library

Meijer Gardens concerts: The Monkees now open season; nine dates still have tickets

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The Monkees are now the openers to the Frederik Meijer Gardens Summer Concert series. The group performs June 8.
The Monkees are now the openers to the Frederik Meijer Gardens Summer Concert series. The group performs June 8.

With the postponement, and probable cancellation, of Tears for Fears’ June 5 opener of the Meijer Gardens concert season, The Monkees will be the popular outdoor venue’s opening act on Wednesday June 8 – and contrary to Grand Rapids-area urban legend, the show is one of nine concerts that still have at least a few tickets available.

 

While many of the concerts routinely sell out on the first day, several initially listed as sold out are actually not yet so, said John VanderHaagen, public relations manager for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

 

“We had a few shows that were sold out (but) have tickets returned to us by the bands, so many of the shows listed have just a few tickets available,” VanderHaagen said this week.

 

Grace Potter performs Aug. 3 at the Frederik Meijer Gardens.
Grace Potter performs Aug. 3 at the Frederik Meijer Gardens.

The shows with tickets available, according to Meijer Gardens’ website, are the rock/blues powerhouse Tedeschi Trucks Band on June 17, alt rock’s Fitz and the Tantrums on June 26, Afro-pop favorite Femi Kuti & The Positive Force Band and Bombino on July 20, the always-worth-the-money Lyle Lovett – which just sold out today – and His Large Band on July 24, the comedy of Jay Leno on July 28, the indefinable Grace Potter on Aug. 3, the great pairing of War and Los Lonely Boys on Aug. 10, and the sweet sounds of Seal on Aug. 26.

 

The Leno comedy show may be the most surprisingly “not sold out” show, with Lovett’s annual visit is close behind. Maybe the best concert still available is Potter – who put out some great music with the Nocturnals but whose latest release, 2015’s “Midnight” is billed debut solo release.

 

The highlights of the Meijer Garden’s summer season, for me, are divided into new school and old school: Of Monsters and Men coming up on June 13 and The Decemberists on July 11 are favs of the new millennium crowd, while Jackson Browne on June 27 and the aforementioned Lyle Lovett may have – shall we say – a more seasoned audience. And, you know, Seal and his lovely love songs, on a late August night, is going to be hard to resist.

 

By the way, tickets are still available for sold-out shows if you’re willing to pay the price. I won’t tell you where because I hate scalpers, but if you search the web tickets for the Decemberists are available for between $150 and $170 each.

 

Remember, get their early for good general admission seating, you’ll need special low chairs, and don’t forget the cool sunglasses.

 

For more information on the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Summer Concert series, including tickets and up-to-the-last-minute info, visit www.meijergardens.org.

 

— Kady

 

Where can you see The Verve Pipe for free? Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park

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When Brandon Simmons began working with the Wyoming Concerts in the Park series six years ago, he saw a lot of potential for growth.

 

“I was coming from Muskegon’s Summer Celebration and had worked on Milwaukee’s SummerFest, so I knew Wyoming had something that could really be built upon,” Simmons said.

 

This year, the Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission not only booked a record number of bands, 14, but has pulled in several that have toured regionally and nationally. Headlining it all is West Michigan’s The Verve Pipe, kicking off the series May 31.

 

“This is The Verve Pipe’s only free show all year,” Simmons said.

 

The Verve Pipe formed in 1992 and is best known for the song “The Freshman,” which peeked at No. 5 in the Billboard Top 100, along with “Photograph” and “Colorful,” the ballad from the film “Rock Star” starring Mark Walhberg.

 

In addition to their success on radio, TV and film, sold-out concert dates throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, features in Spin and Rolling Stone and videos on MTV and VH1, the band have made numerous television appearances, including “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and “Late Night With David Letterman.”

 

After an eight year hiatus, The Verve Pipe were approached to submit an original song for a compilation album of children’s music. That session inspired “A Family Album,” their critically acclaimed introduction to the world of children’s music, as well as their follow up release, “Are We There Yet?.” Both albums contain music intended for the entire family, with fun and inventive lyrics set to the memorable melodies the band is known for.

 

In 2014, The Verve Pipe released their first rock album in more than 13 years with “Overboard,” a collection of ten new songs including “Crash Landing,” “Hit and Run,” and the haunting title track “Overboard.”

 

The May 31 show will be a mixture of the band’s hit tunes and family friendly music since the concert is on “Kids First Day.” The concert is set for 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW.

 

The Wyoming Concerts in the Park run every Tuesday through Aug. 2 and then wraps up with the Saturday event the Music & More Fest. Running from 4 – 11 p.m., the free event will feature a kid’s Home Run Derby, local food options, and a beer/wine/cider tent. Three bands will perform, headlined by the country-rock group Gunnar & The Grizzley Boys. The Grand Rapids Film Festival will show a movie at dusk on a giant inflatable screen to close out the event.

 

Simmons said another popular concert is June 28, which will be the 4th annual “WY-FI,” the official Wyoming fireworks event. “We are expecting about 10,000 people in attendance,” Simmons said. The concert features two bands, Trilogy and Grand Rapids high-energy rock band The Outer Vibe.

 

The rest of the concert line-up includes: rock and blues group Big Boss Blues June 7; rockabilly/honky tonk Delilah DeWylde and the Lost Boys June 14; country group Kari Lynch Band June 21; Kentwood Community Church’s Gospel Band July 5; indie rock and folk show The Legal Immigrants July 12; country rock group Jared Knox July 19; folk band The Crane Wives July 26; and Grupo Viento Aug. 2 for National Night Out.

 

Simmons said the local food truck Goodwill Blue Spoon will be on hand at the concerts. “This truck is a little different in that being part of Goodwill, it provides training and jobs to those in need,” he said, adding the series is excited to have the truck at this year’s event.

 

All concerts, unless noted, start at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park. All the concerts will air on WKTV 25 Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and again Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. For all details and up-to-date information, visit www.wyomingcec.org or www.facebook.com/wyomingcec.

‘USS Silversides’ hosts Lost Boat Ceremony during Memorial Day weekend

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The USS Silversides will be the site of the Lost Boat Ceremony on May 29.
The USS Silversides will be the site of the Lost Boat Ceremony on May 29.

As Memorial Day comes upon us, many area communities prepare to host numerous programs honoring those who died while serving in the various branches of the U.S. military.

 

One of the most moving events is the Lost Boat Ceremony hosted by Muskegon’s U.S.S. Silversides Submarine Museum. The event is set for Sunday, May 29, at 11 a.m. at the museum, located at 1346 Bluff St., Muskegon.

 

“We remember these gentlemen because the men on the submarine are some of the most forgotten veterans,” said Siversides Curator Peggy Maniates. “What they did was quiet and unknown.”

 

In fact, when Pearl Harbor happened, many of the submarines were not in the harbor when the Japanese attacked, Maniates said. So while the United States needed to rebuild its fleet, the submarines were able to carry on, she said.

 

“Often time when a battle happens, you might lose one person or a few,” Maniates said. “When a submarine hits a mine, you lost 79 young men in a blink of an eye.

 

“We recognize these men because we have a submarine here, in Muskegon, and it is something very close to our heart.”

 

The ceremony usually starts with a fly-by featuring planes from World War II. For the ceremony, there is a special guest speaker, this year being former NASA astronaut James Francis Reilly, II. Reilly, who earned three degrees from the University of Texas at Dallas including a doctorate in geosciences, was selected by NASA in 1994 and completed training at Johnson Space Center in 1995. His first spaceflight was the STS-89 when he was part of the Space Shuttle Endeavour crew in 1998. In 2001, he was part of the Space Shuttle Atlantis team that went to the International Space Station. His last mission was part of the STS-117 mission with the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2007. That flight marked the 250th orbital human spaceflight.

 

The ceremony also includes the laying of a memorial wreath on the water and the Tolling of the Boats, where the names of the each of the 52 submarines lost in World War II along with the number of men lost with them are read. It is estimated more than 3,500 men died while serving on submarines during World War II. At the same time, the wives and family members of submarine veterans toss flowers on the water for each boat.

 

The service will conclude with a 21-gun salute and the starting up of the engine of the U.S.S. Silversides.

 

WKTV will broadcast the 29th Annual Lost Boat Ceremony on Memorial Day at 10:15 a.m., 6 and 9:30 p.m. The program will be one of several military specials aired that day. Also scheduled is the documentaries “Lest We Forget” and “Vietnam Moving Wall.”

 

For more on WKTV programming, visit wktv.org.

Michigan’s largest amusement park celebrates its diamond jubliee

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Michigan's Adventure officially opens tomorrow.
Michigan’s Adventure officially opens tomorrow.

This year, Michigan’s Adventure will celebrate 60 years of family fun.  Beginning as Deer Park in 1956, the original petting zoo has evolved into Michigan’s largest amusement park and waterpark featuring more than 60 rides and attractions.

 

Michigan’s Adventure and Funland Farm open on May 27.  WildWater Adventure opens on May 28.

 

The 60th season will offer guests the opportunity to interact with chickens, geese, goats, a miniature horse, alpaca, llamas, a miniature donkey and various other farm animals.  The highlight of Funland Farm will be the return of deer to the park.  Michigan’s Adventure will also host an Instagram sweepstakes allowing guests to share memories from past seasons.  Prizes will consist of daily admission tickets and a parking pass.

 

Opening weekend will also include Tribute to the Armed Forces on May 29 & 30.  Michigan’s Adventure will offer free admission to active and retired United States military personnel on Sunday and Monday.  This will be the twelfth year that Michigan’s Adventure has extended the offer of free admission to men and women of the Armed Forces during this special event.

 

As a part of its Tribute to the Armed Forces program, active and retired members of the U.S military will be able to purchase discounted admission tickets for members of their immediate family (maximum of six) at a special military discount price of $25 each.  The free ticket offer will be available on Sunday and Monday, May 29 & 30, and a valid military ID must be presented.  Each year members of the Michigan’s Adventure management team look forward to the opportunity to host the distribution table and meet the brave men and women that give so much to our country.

 

Home to Thunderhawk and Shivering Timbers, Michigan’s Adventure offers a variety of thrill rides, family rides, and kiddie rides.  Thunderhawk is Michigan’s only suspended looping roller coaster, and Shivering Timbers has been consistently ranked as one of the finest wooden roller coasters in the world since it was introduced.

 

Michigan’s Adventure Season Passes are now on sale at a discounted rate though May 30.  Season pass holders are offered a variety of perks, including early water park entry on select days, bring-a-friend days and park discounts.  For more information about Michigan’s Adventure, call 231-766-3377, or visit miadventure.com.

Grand Rapids Public Museum goes blue…as in the Blue Star Museums program

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bluestarmuseumToday the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2016.

 

The program provides families an opportunity to enjoy the nation’s cultural heritage and learn more about their new communities after a military move.

 

“The Grand Rapids Public Museum is proud to participate in Blue Star Museums this summer,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the GRPM. “Programs like this make the GRPM more accessible to all.”

 

“The Blue Star Museums program is a fun, free activity for military families to enjoy during the summer months,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “The program is also a great way for service member families to connect to their new communities, and it can provide a meaningful way for families to reconnect after deployment. The Blue Star Museums program is also a perfect way for the arts community to say ‘thank you’ to our service members and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf, every day.”

 

“Blue Star Museums has grown into a nationally recognized program that service members and their families look forward to each year,” said Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet. “It helps bring our local military and civilian communities together, and offers families fun and enriching activities in their home towns. We are thrilled with the continued growth of the program and the unparalleled opportunities it offers.”

 

The free admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find participating museums and plan your trip, visit arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

 

All summer long, Blue Star Museums will share stories through social media. Follow Blue Star Museums on Twitter @NEAarts and @BlueStarFamily, #bluestarmuseums, on Facebook, and read the NEA Art Works blog for weekly stories on participating museums and exhibits.

 

This is the latest NEA program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families. Other NEA programs for the military have included the NEA Military Healing Arts Partnership; Great American Voices Military Base Tour; and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.

 

This year, more than 2,000 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved partnerships with the American Alliance of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and dozens of children’s museums. Among this year’s new participants are the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, New Hampshire, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in Pacific Grove, California, the Rochester Museum & Science Center in Rochester, New York, and El Rancho de las Golondrinas, a living history museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

 

Leadership support for Blue Star Families programming and promotional materials has been provided by MetLife Foundation. The complete list of participating museums is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

 

What to bring when you travel: The eternal dilemma

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By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

17This week, Lynn interrupts her parade of places to bring you a comprehensive packing post (at least from a woman’s perspective—guys, you’ll have to adjust accordingly).

This packing list is for long-term travel on a budget, mostly following summer. It’s not for a short-term trip to a big city where you’ll be dining out every night in fancy restaurants, or on a cruise with formal dinner parties, although I think even with what I have, I could make do. This list can take you from hiking in the mountains to lounging on beaches, to perusing museums, to wine tasting, to dining out at a fish shack or a 4-star restaurant.

 

Note: This kind of travel isn’t about making a fashion statement, although it’s nice to look presentable. It’s about being comfortable, warm and dry (except maybe when snorkeling or diving), and having a great time exploring our beautiful world.

14

 

Try to leave a little empty space in your bag for acquisitions, as you’re bound to see something you like, and it would be nice to have room to carry it. The hardest part of my trip is that moment each time I move (which is frequent) when I try to zip my backpack closed, because as light as I’ve packed, I still have too much stuff.

 

And if you’re traveling to Southeast Asia, you can go with just what you have on and an empty backpack and buy a complete wardrobe for about the price of one quick-dry name brand outfit back home.

 

Just remember, those elephant pants that look so cool out on the street in Thailand might look a little out of place back in the mid-west, but if you’re a bit of a bohemian, who cares?

 

 

[huge_it_slider id=”51″]

 

 

Ready? Here we go!

 

Packing List:

  • Kindle (1,000 books for the size and weight of one)
  • 1 pair jeans (I brought one pair, and despite how long they take to dry, I’m glad I did)
  • 1 pair gray quick-dry hiking pants
  • 1 pair quick-dry black pants (can be used for dress or casual or pajamas)
  • 1 pair quick-dry green capris
  • 1 pair black tights (can wear with a dress or layer under pants for warmth)
  • 1 pair quick-dry tan shorts
  • 1 black quick-dry dress
  • 1 brown quick-dry skort (skirt with shorts built in)
  • 1 quick-dry white blouse (I’d have picked a different color, given a good choice—white might look nice, but not for long)
  • 1 gray t-shirt—long-sleeved, quick-dry
  • 1 black long-sleeved, lightweight cotton shirt (alternates as a pajama top)
  • 1 brown patterned, quick-dry top with long sleeves (patterns are good as they hide the dirt)
  • 1 patterned quick-dry green t-shirt
  • 1 green quick-dry, short-sleeved t-shirt
  • 1 striped quick-dry, short-sleeved shirt
  • 2 cotton tank tops
  • 1 striped sleeveless top, brown and black
  • 1 black quick-dry, sleeveless hiking top
  • 1 taupe cotton long-sleeved top with black tank (layers for warmth and tank can be used for pajama top in hot weather)
  • 3 pair hiking socks
  • 2 pair short black socks
  • Hiking boots
  • 1 pair cushy flip flops
  • 1 pair Tom’s shoes (couldn’t find summer walking shoes, so I took my old Tom’s as a temp solution. They ended up lasting me five months and I was sorry when they bit the dust)
  • Gloves (lightweight)
  • Bathing suit
  • Sarong (multiple uses—skirt, dress, beach cover-up, nightgown, towel, blanket, tablecloth)
  • 1 pair short pajama bottoms
  • 2 thin decorative scarves
  • 7 pair quick-dry bikini underwear (you can get away with 3 pair if they’re quick-dry, but my 7 rolled up only take up the room of a pair of socks or 2, and I like not having to do laundry every day)
  • 2 bras
  • A few pair of inexpensive earrings, rings, necklaces (leave your good jewelry at home, you’re likely to lose it, and flashy stuff makes you more of a target for thieves)
  • Rain jacket and rain pants
  • Fleece jacket and thin cardigan
  • Pashmina (can be used as a blanket or a shawl)
  • Packing cubes
  • Silk sleep sack (you might not need this often, but when you do it’s nice to have and takes up the room of 2 pairs of socks)
  • Money belt (not the most comfortable, but important to have)
  • Pack towel (a bit pricey up front, but well worth it—they’re quick-dry, antimicrobial, and pack up small)
  • Door stop (cheap, small, with a big security factor)
  • Drain plug (can’t tell you how many times I’ve used this!)
  • Converter kit (I only use the adaptor plugs, as my phone and computer have their own, and many appliances like hair dryers now come with a way to switch the current)
  • Tiny keychain flashlight
  • Small packets of laundry soap (you can always buy more where you go)
  • Mini-sewing kit
  • Wet Wipes
  • Snacks (just a few for on the plane, you can always buy more wherever you go. Keep in mind many countries don’t allow fruit or nuts in, so eat them before you arrive)
  • Reading glasses
  • Regular glasses and sunglass clips
  • Sunglasses
  • Zip-lock plastic bags, quart and gallon size (bring more than you think you’ll need—you’ll use them all and wish you had more)
  • TSA-approved locks for backpack and daypack
  • Travel document pouch with passport, driver’s license, credit cards, debit cards, plane ticket (always bring at least 2 credit cards—if one is compromised, you’ll have another one for back up)
  • Small amount of cash in US dollars (bring some ones, and make sure they’re new, not creased or torn—some places will only take new bills.)
  • Immunization certificate
  • 10 extra passport pictures (for visas—you can get them abroad but it’s a hassle)
  • iPhone (I use this as my camera, but otherwise add camera to your list)
  • iPod for music
  • Small notebook
  • Lightweight 11″ Macbook Air Laptop
  • Cords and plugs for computer, phone, spare battery, Kindle
  • Spare battery charger (I use this almost every day)
  • Earbuds for iPod
  • Backpack (up to you if you want a roller bag or backpack, both have advantages and disadvantages)
  • Small zip-off daypack
  • Small purse
  • Dop kit
  • Pocket-sized plastic poncho
  • Water bottle
  • Whistle
  • Length of nylon rope (can be used for a clothesline, among other things)
  • Spork (small plastic spoon/fork/knife all in one)
  • Prescriptions (bring what you think you’ll need as you may not be able to get the same thing abroad, however I was able to get my migraine rx for a fraction of the cost in both New Zealand and Thailand – $5 vs the $40 a pill I have to pay in the States!)
  • Antibiotic—general rx for potential intestinal problems
  • Epipen for allergy
  • Ibuprofin
  • Aspirin
  • Benadryl
  • Pepto Bismol
  • Bonine for motion sickness
  • Health and beauty aids—remember, airlines have rules about small quantities in a clear plastic quart bag. You can always pick up shampoo, toothpaste, etc. where you’re going.
  • Shampoo and cream rinse
  • Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
  • Razor and extra blades
  • Mascara, liner and remover
  • Lipstick
  • Chapstick
  • Brush/comb
  • Hair ties
  • Headband
  • Eye and face cream
  • Body lotion
  • Soap
  • Facewash
  • Sunscreen
  • Deodorant
  • Tweezers (make sure you put tweezers, nail clippers and nail files in checked bags; some airports really will take them)
  • Nail file
  • Nail clippers
  • Contacts and solution (bring extra contacts)
  • Eye drops
  • Hair dryer/flatiron (you can really leave these at home)
  • Swabs
  • Shower cap
  • Band aids
  • Tissues
  • Earplugs
  • Neosporin

 

Art supplies (something most of you probably won’t need):

  • Travel watercolor kit
  • Travel-size brushes
  • Paper
  • Refill paints
  • Spray bottle
  • Pencils and sharpener
  • Eraser
  • Pens – drawing and calligraphy
  • Small watercolor paintings as gifts for some of my longer-term hosts

 

Things you can get ahead, but I planned to get at my first destination:

  • Good walking shoes
  • Hat (more fun to buy on the road, unless you already have a favorite—make sure it’s crush-proof, as no matter how careful you are, somebody will sit on it or put their bag on top of it)
  • Bug spray (too many liquids are hard to carry. Almost any place you travel that you need these, they will be readily available)
  • Travel Umbrella

 

11That’s the list! Modify to suit your needs. This is pretty much all I needed in the first six months. You can figure that whatever you need for a week should just about cover you for a year, with a few exceptions. I did end up buying a base layer in Australia, as I’d planned to hike in the glaciers in New Zealand and had already been caught in rain and hail hiking in summer in Tasmania. These I don’t need often, but when I do, I’m glad I have them, and have used them for pajamas in chilly places as well. I also bought a wool beanie cap, and have worn that to bed, and used it out on the fjords in New Zealand. I left the gloves in a hostel for someone else in the give-away bin. I might need some down the road, but something had to go as I couldn’t zip my bag.

 

What have I brought that I haven’t used? I’m happy to say I’ve used almost everything I brought, except for things I’m glad I didn’t have to use, like motion sickness pills, and my Epi-pen (thankfully, no allergy-inducing mushrooms have crossed my lips), and my emergency whistle. I’ve used only one band aid when I cut my finger on a metal door hinge, and did have to use Benedryl for a couple of colds I picked up in a hostel and on the Tokyo trains (they wear those face masks for a reason).

 

3I’ve used my hairdryer only twice, even though I have long hair now, but if I’d been traveling in cold weather places instead of mostly following summer, I might have used it more. I brought a mini hair straightener and only used it once, so that was a waste of space. On the road, you need very little makeup, jewelry, or fancy clothes, unless you’re doing a very different kind of traveling. Really, it’s a nice break to not worry all the time what your hair looks like.

 

What did I wish I’d brought? More zip-lock baggies. You use them way more than you’d think, and even though you can purchase them most anywhere, I don’t really need a box of 50. Pretty much anything else you need you can find most places—toothpaste and shampoo, clothes, tissues, you name it, other countries have it too. I highly recommend quick-dry clothes, which you can’t always find in all countries, or in some, they’re very expensive, unless you want to be waiting for days for your heavy clothes to dry on the line. Most of the countries I’ve visited don’t use clothes dryers, which are so prevalent in the US. They use good old-fashioned clotheslines and pins. Which reminds me, throw a few clothespins in as well!

 

10What have I acquired? Very little. A pair of loose cotton “elephant” pants and a top in Thailand for my meditation retreat. Some clothes were loaned or given to me, and some clothes I gave away. I did buy a bikini in Australia—they have great bathing suits there. And women in their 80’s don’t hesitate to flaunt their stuff in two-piece bathing suits, so I got over my “I’m-too-old-for-a-bikini” mindset.

 

I replaced my years-old cardigan, and I’ve bought a few gifts for people who have provided me with accommodations or made the effort to come meet me, however with my minimal budget and lack of backpack space, plus no home of my own to ship things to, I haven’t bought much. It’s hard when you see so many cool things in other countries that you know you can’t get at home, and I’ve thought more than once I might like to be an importer and shop for a living

 

But back to packing—remember, whatever you do take along or pick up, you have to lug around, so think seriously about if it’s worth it.

 

25Also, remember when you pack your bag full and head off from a winter location, wearing your jeans and long-sleeved shirt and fleece jacket and hiking boots, and head to a summer place where the temperature is 99F, you aren’t going to want to keep wearing all of that heavy gear. So then where do you put it? In a kangaroo bag! And now you have three bags to tote around. Pack light, pack light, pack light. And bring twice as much money. That old adage, for better or worse, is true.

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman 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.1

 

“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!”

 

 

 

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

Honoring those who served: Kentwood, Wyoming host Memorial Day activities

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Upcoming Events, Veterans, WKTV Projects, , ,
Joe Rossi with his fellow Marines. Rossi is Wyoming's Memorial Day guest speaker.
Joe Rossi with his fellow Marines. Rossi is Wyoming’s Memorial Day guest speaker.

“Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.” General Douglas MacArthur’s Thayer Award Speech, 1962.

 

Those words, “duty, honor, country” have become synonymous with a soldier. The motto of the United States Military Academy West Point, those words now adorn three arches at Wyoming’s Veterans Memorial Garden, located in front of the Wyoming Public Safety Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW. The final arch, “Country” will be dedicated at the city’s annual Memorial Day Services, set for Monday, May 30, at 7 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Garden.

 

“Our Memorial Day Ceremony is a tribute to that service and protection,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, the city’s directory of community services. “We are grateful to have the Veterans Memorial Garden in Wyoming. It is a place where we can hold these ceremonies and where people can honor and reflect, at any time, on those who have protected and those who continue to protect our freedoms.”

 

The new memorial arch, "Country" will be dedicated at Wyoming's Memorial Day Services set for Monday, May 30.
The new memorial arch, “Country” will be dedicated at Wyoming’s Memorial Day Services set for Monday, May 30.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was officially observed when in 1968, General John A. Logan, leader of the Northern Civil War veterans the Grand Army of the Republic, call for a nationwide day of remembrance. The date selected was May 30 since no major Civil War battles had ever been fought on that day. A 100 years later in 1968, the U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, changing Memorial Day to the last Monday in May with most communities like Wyoming and Kentwood observing it on that day. (Note: The City of Grand Rapids traditionally observes Memorial Day on May 30 no matter when that date falls in the week.)

 

Guest speaker for the Wyoming Memorial Day Services is Retired Lt. Joe Rossi, who is a candidate for judge in the 17th Circuit Court race. Rossi served 22 years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, including serving in Operation Desert Storm where he commended a rifle platoon of 41 Marines and one sailor. He led a hostage rescue unit and had two presidential recalls to active duty to command the Marine Corps Reserve Center in Grand Rapids, where he mobilized more than 400 Marines for service in East Africa and Iraq.

 

The rest of the program will include the Lee High School Band performing “As Heavens Were a Bell,” the Department of Public Safety Honor Guard firing a rifle salute, and Lee High School graduate and Navy veteran Bronson Sawn performing taps.

 

The city of Kentwood’s annual Memorial Day parade and ceremony also will be Monday, May 30. A parade will begin at 10 a.m. at 48th Street and Eastern Avenue, with the route proceeding west on 48th Street and finishing at the memorial at Veterans Park, 353 48th St. The American Legion Post 208 will host a ceremony at the park following the parade at around 10:45 a.m.

 

Both the Memorial Day programs from Kentwood and Wyoming will be aired on WKTV. The Kentwood Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony are set for 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, May 30, with the Wyoming Memorial Day Service set for around 8:35 p.m.

 

For more on WKTV programming, visit www.wktv.org.

More than 1,500 local students take their graduation walk

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Upcoming Events, , , , , , , , , , , ,
2016 graduation ceremonies kick off tomorrow and run through next week.
2016 graduation ceremonies kick off tomorrow and run through next week.

It’s May. The weather is finally warm. The flowers are blooming and it’s time for more than 1,500 students to take their final walk down the aisle to receive their high school diplomas.

 

In the Kentwood and Wyoming areas, there are 11 schools hosting graduation ceremonies within the next two weeks. Here is a rundown of dates and the top students for each school.

 

Starting out of the graduation ceremonies will be South Christian High, which will graduate 154 students Thursday, May 25. Graduation is set for 7 p.m. at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The school has three valedictorians: Joshua Boers, Colin Hartgerink and Nicolas Kuperus.  The remaining students in the top ten are: Peyton DeRuiter, Lucy Dykhouse, Cassidy Huizinga, Hannah Koning, A.J. Samdal, Bradley Scholten and Alex VanKooten.

 

On Friday, May 26, both East Kentwood High School and Godfrey’s Lee High School will be hosting their 2016 graduation ceremonies. Lee High School has around 90 students walking down the aisle at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville. Making up the 2016 Lee High School top ten are Leonardo Vallejo, Emily Fishman, Selena Knutson, Dino Rodas, Allison Fisher, Giselle Perez, Ivan Diaz, Alonso Lopez-Carrera, Alejandro Vargas and Oliver Lorenzo.

 

East Kentwood High School’s graduation is at 7 p.m. May 26 at the school’s stadium, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. The rain date is May 27.  Making up the top ten are Andy Ly, Megan Callaghan, Makaela Dalley, Nolan Meister, Sara Anstey, Marilyn Padua, Tran Vo, Hao Nguyen, Venesa Haska, and Matthew Richer.

 

Tri-Unity High School and Wyoming High School will have graduation ceremonies on Tuesday, May 31.

 

Wyoming High School will have 265 students graduate at 7 p.m. May 31 at Grand Rapids First Church, 2100 44th St. SW. The top ten are Montana Earegood, Kayla Kornoelje, Stella Achiyan, Naomi Nguyen, Nhu Quynh, Christopher Hanson, Jada Haines, Rachel Bolt, Lazaro Cruz, and Kelly Gonzalez Diaz.

 

Tri-Unity Christian School will be graduating 17 students at 7 p.m. May 31 at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville. The top two students for the class are Lisa McKelvey and Alissa VanderVeen.

 

Godwin High School has 126 students graduating on Wednesday, June 1. Graduation ceremonies are at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium, 50 35th St. SW. The valedictorian is Esteban Romero Herrera. The salutatorian is Taylor Jarrett. The rest of the top top are Ashley Soto, Sandra Rivera, Chloe Fritz, Amel Causevic, China Nguyen, Karen Barrose, Hector Zoleta and Alex Mosley.

 

Several area schools will be hosting graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 2.

 

Kelloggsville High School’s 2016 graduation ceremonies are at 7 p.m. June 2 at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The class has 140 students this year. The top ten are: Lan-Phuong Ton, Lucynda Pham, Kim-Ngan Nguyen, April M. Savickas, Shayla Huong Huynh, Ashley Duong, Chantal Lopez, Loc Tran, Michael Truong, and Sang Tran.

 

The Potters House will be graduating 44 students at 7 p.m. June 2 at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church, 1800 Plymouth Ave. SE., Grand Rapids. The valedictorian is Ashley VerBeek and the salutatorian is Emily Stout.

 

West Michigan Aviation Academy has 94 students in its 2016 graduating class. Graduation is at 7 p.m. June 2 at the school, 5363 44th St. SE. Making up the top ten are Abigail Kathleen Austin, Cindy Ngoc Ha, Connor Hendrik Hogan, Jonathan David Ketcham, Jason Thomas Kilgore, Hayley Elizabeth Latham, Jaxyn Bennett Ryks, Emily Ann Seykora, Samantha Rae Stuart, and Joshua Zane Vogeli.

 

West Michigan Lutheran High School is proud that its eight graduates will graduate with over a 3.0 GPA. The graduation baccalaureate service begins at 7 p.m. at the school, 601 36th St. SW, Wyoming. Valedictorian is Allison Klooster and salutatorian is Joshua Andree.

 

On Friday, June 3, Grand River Prep High School has 113 graduates for 2016. This year’s graduation is at 6:30 p.m. Calvin College’s Van Noord Arena, 3195 Knight Way SE. Class valedictorian is Christa Fernando. Salutatorians are Ajilan Potter and Megan Lawrence. The rest of the top ten include Victor Rojas Garcia, Samrawit Kahsay, Taitum Male, Julia Lammy, Antony Nguyen, Giselle Uwera, Mckenzie Male, Hai Truong and Kendall Garland.

 

Sisters Follow Identical Career Paths

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Local Faces, , , , , ,
Teacher Sarah David helps a student hang up a piece of writing
Teacher Sarah David meets with a group of students in her classroom

By: Erin Albanese — School News Network

 

West Godwin Elementary School Principal Steve Minard remembers interviewing teachers for a third-grade position. One candidate had an ideal background: an elementary education degree from Hope College and teaching experience in Honduras.

 

Later that afternoon, another teacher interviewed with the same story. She had the same degree and former teaching job in Honduras. Minard told her about the coincidence.

 

“We’re sisters,” Libby Klooster explained.

 

Sisters Sarah David and Libby Klooster were vying for the same job, but rooting each other on at the same time. Both were seeking the next step in a similar journey. They grew up in Grand Rapids, attended Grand Rapids Christian Schools, earned their teaching degrees at Hope College and taught together at American School of Tegucigalpa, located in the capital of Honduras.

 

Two Spanish-speaking teachers with a background in Central America were too good to pass up, administrators decided. So they hired them both: David to the third-grade post and Klooster as a first grade teacher. “It was like back in Honduras,” Klooster said, noting they had taught the same grades there.

 

Now, both in their third year teaching at West Godwin, their passion for children and bilingual language skills serve well.  Forty-percent of students are English-language learners, and 36 percent are native Spanish speakers. David now teaches fourth grade and Klooster, younger by three years, still teaches first grade.

 

“It’s pretty cool that they’re sisters because they can talk and interact with their students and help each other out,” said Diamond Jean, a fourth-grade student in David’s class.

 

School News Network: Sister Teachers
Sisters Sarah David and Libby Klooster took similar paths from teaching in Honduras to West Godwin Elementary School

Language, Culture and Bridge-Building

 

The American School of Tegucigalpa is prestigious, and families pay high tuition. West Godwin, by contrast, is a high-poverty district. David and Klooster said they love helping students who are learning English, talking with parents whose culture and language they understand, and embracing the community.

 

“I just got a new student from the Dominican Republic and she speaks no English,” Klooster said. “So I’m so happy I can tell her what to do in Spanish, and my students are also such a help.”

 

David has a student from Cuba who started the school year speaking no English. “Now I have her reading huge books in English because I was able to communicate with her.”

 

The sisters’ ability to connect with the students in invaluable, said West Godwin instruction specialist Karen Baum.

 

“They both have a passion for the kids in this building and this community,” Baum said. “They have really high expectations for kids… Learning can be really challenging for some of our kids, and both Libby and Sarah work harder to make sure the kids get what they need and meet the high expectations the State of Michigan and Godwin has for first- and forth-graders.”

 

Sisterly Bonds

 

David and Klooster, who grew up in a household with four children, both decided they wanted to be teachers during a high school mission trip in Trinidad and Tobego where they visited orphanages and taught vacation Bible school. Their father is a retired Ottawa Hills High School teacher.

 

School News Network: Sister Teachers
Teacher Libby Klooster works with a reading group

While attending Hope, David was recruited to teach at the International School of Tegucigalpa. She taught there one year before moving to the American School of Tegucigalpa, where she taught for seven years. The school was English-immersion for students hoping to eventually attend college in the United States. David wanted to learn Spanish.

 

“Because I loved it so much I decided to stay for eight years and got my sister to come down,” David said. She married a Honduran man and they now have two children.
Klooster joined David after a brief time teaching on the island of Roatan. She taught in Honduras for five years, staying one year after David returned with her husband to raise their children in Michigan.

 

What led them to Godwin Heights ties back to their love for Honduras.

 

“I loved the culture in Honduras and the people were so welcoming, loving and caring and would do anything for you,” Klooster said. “The culture is something I really miss. I’m so glad we work here because half my class is ELL, and I get to talk to parents in the morning in Spanish and still feel that culture.”

 

David taught in Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, which is also largely Hispanic, for one year after returning from Honduras. “I knew I wanted a job where I can use my Spanish and be a part of that culture still.”

 

While the sisters have different teaching styles, Minard said they look out for every child.

 

“They both have really unique and wonderful qualities they bring to the building and are both extremely positive people who have incredible work ethic,” he said.

 

Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!

Flint pediatrician sees ripples of hope in water crisis

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Education, Entertainment, Hard News, Non-Profits, , , , ,
Dr Mona and Kari Moss
Kary Moss, Executive Director, ACLU of West Michigan with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha

By Victoria Mullen

victoria@wktv.org

 

“When I first heard there was lead in the water, it was a call to action,” said Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of Hurley Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Residency Program.

 

The 39-year-old mother of two daughters shared her perspective on the Flint water crisis with a crowd of 400 at the ACLU’s third annual luncheon, ‘Standing Together For Justice’ on Wednesday, May 18, at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

 

“Pediatricians–we know about lead, it’s a no-brainer,” said Dr. Mona. “We know what lead can do to our children, especially our most vulnerable children. It impacts cognition, it impacts behavior, it impacts the entire life-course trajectory.”

 

The Flint-based pediatrician sees many of the city’s poorest families, and it was Dr. Mona who raised the alarm about the harmful lead levels seen in Flint-area children after the emergency manager ordered a switch from treated Lake Huron water to untreated Flint River water in April 2014. The idea was to save $5 million in less than two years.

crowd

 

The extent of the problem came to light after a Virginia Tech researcher had discovered Flint River water to be 19 times more corrosive than water from Lake Huron. Dr. Mona compared Flint children’s blood tests with results from kids in adjacent Genesee County. What she found disturbed her: A shocking rise in lead levels between January and September 2015. She saw lead levels that were twice what they were a year before, and sometimes even three times higher, depending on the child’s location within Flint.

 

“We can’t take this away,” said Dr. Mona. “There’s no antidote, there’s no pill.”

 

When state officials refused to acknowledge the problem, Dr. Mona felt the urgency to share these findings with the public.

 

“We normally don’t release medical findings at a press conference,” said Dr. Mona. “But we had this ethical, moral and professional obligation to share this information with the public as quickly as possible, because it was so dangerous.”

 

The state still refused to acknowledge the issue.

maddow
Curt Guyette on the ‘Rachel Maddow Show’

 

ACLU investigative reporter Curt Guyette was one of the first reporters to uncover the story and try to get the state government to pay attention to the issue.

 

“I was hired to investigate and write about issues involving emergency management in Michigan, and I started going up to Flint because they were under the control of an emergency manager,” Guyette said. “It was the emergency manager who unilaterally made the decision to begin using the Flint River as the city’s water source.

 

“People were complaining about the qualify of the water, the way it looked, the way it tasted, the way it smelled. And so we did a short documentary about the problems people were experiencing.”

 

Said ACLU attorney, Jay Kaplan, “Nothing like this should ever happen in any civilized place, especially where the government is not being responsive. We’re concerned about communities and we’re concerned about people. We work to ensure that everyone is afforded their rights and their civil liberties, regardless of one’s economic status or where they live or what their race might be.

 

“Everyone is afforded those protections, and I think sometimes it can be selective in terms of the way the government will work.”

 

consititution and postcard

The irony of this tragedy occurring in a state that is surrounded by the largest source of fresh water in the world is not lost on Dr. Mona. Two years on, the water is still not safe to drink. But she wants people to know that something positive has come out of this tragedy.

 

“There are Flints everywhere,” she said. “There are injustices everywhere and there have been so many bright stories that have happened because of Flint. People across the nation are talking about lead, they’re talking about infrastructure, about democracy, about environmental injustice, about poverty, about forgotten people in forgotten places.”

 

Dr. Mona is working to actively flip the story. She directs the Michigan State University and Hurley Children’s Hospital Public Health Initiative, an innovative and model public health program to research, monitor and mitigate the impact of lead in Flint’s drinking water.

 

“We want the word ‘Flint’ to not mean disaster,” she said. “We want it to mean hope. So, we are working everyday to wrap these children around with interventions to promote their development.

 

“Flint kids are smart and they’re strong and they’re beautiful. We’re going to make sure they don’t slip through the cracks and that they get everything that they deserve.”

 

 

 

The ‘Imperial March’ storms through Grand Rapids

3-bottom, Entertainment, Recreation, Reviews, , , ,

Imperial March storms to GR By: Katelyn Kohane

 

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend a performance of music of the great John Williams by the Grand Rapids Symphony and the Grand Rapids Choir. As one of my favorite composers, it was magical to hear his work.

 

The performance centered around his great songs over the years from many different films. In between songs, the conductor mentioned some interesting facts about John Williams. Did you know that John Williams has received the Olympic Order? The Olympic Order is the highest award at the Olympics. Or another one, did you know that John Williams will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award this year and that it will be the first time a composer has won the award?

 

While the newfound knowledge about my favorite composer added to his legacy, it was the performance of his music that solidified why he’s my favorite.

 

The first act included “March” from Superman, “Anakin’s Theme” from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, “Theme from Schindler’s List”, and “Flight to Neverland” from Hook. Towards the end of “Anakin’s Theme”, Darth Vadar and the Stormtroopers came out and interrupted the show. The conductor followed suit and played the “Imperial March” at the request of the ruler of the galaxy.

 

Then came the first intermission.

 

After the break, the Grand Rapids Choir joined in on the fun and performed “Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – one of my favorites! I could just picture Obi-Want, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul engaged in a life-or-death lightsaber battle on Naboo.

 

Following “Fuel of the Fates” came “Somewhere in My Memory” from Home Alone, “Dry Your Tears Afrika” from Amistad (one I did not know but loved it.), “Hymn to the Fallen” from Saving Private Ryan, and the main theme from the Olympics, “Call of the Champions.”

 

After a second intermission, the performances kept on coming! “Harry’s Wondrous World” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, “Sayuri’s Theme” from Memoirs of a Geisha, Selections from Fiddler on the Roof, and for the first time since Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters, “Rey’s Theme” and “March of the Resistance.”

 

While listening to all the works of music was special, I was personally hoping to hear Indiana Jones. However, the last song was played and I was left wanting more! Fortunately, the conductor came back out for an encore and satisfied my appetite with a playing of Indiana Jones.

 

It was an epic performance by the Grand Rapids Symphony and Grand Rapids Choir.

 

Katie works in the film industry as a camera operator and has worked on films like ‘All You Can Dream’, ‘Set Up’ and a TV show called ‘American Fallen Soldier.’ She loves helping WKTV with the Citizen Journalism team and working as a tech at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Katie loves working in the film industry and loves watching movies just as much!

Kentwood Police seeking suspect identification

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Kentwood Robbery suspectThe Kentwood Police Department is looking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a robbery that occurred in the Woodland Mall parking lot on May 12, 2016.

If you have any information regarding the person in the photos above, or regarding the incident, please contact Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or the Kentwood Police Department Detective Bureau at 616-656-6600.

Mr. Sid’s Wednesday Morning 2016 Travel Series at Marge’s Donut Den

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Exterior Marge'sBy: Tom Sibley

 

Take time on Wednesday mornings to travel with Sid Lenger at Marge’s Donut Den to places where Sid and his wife Beulah traveled to and documented on video.

Mr. Sid’s Travel Series begins May 25,  the Wednesday before Memorial Day, with a 24 minute video that will take you with Sid on a Tour Of LST (Landing Ship Tank) 393 anchored at the Mart Dock in Muskegon. Sid has long been a volunteer tour guide on the ship. Sid served on a similar ship, LST 651, in the South Pacific during World War II.

 

The programs begin with Gospel and Patriotic Song from 9:30AM to 9:45AM with the video to follow.

 

The videos will be shown at Marge’s Donut Den every other Wednesday with coffee provided by Marge.

 

After the videos, Mr. Sid (Sid Lenger) will be available for questions. (Average length of videos  40 minutes.) The full schedule is as follows:

 

May 25 – Video Tour of LST 393 with Mr. Sid

June 8 – Austria

June 22 – Nepal

July 6 – Netherlands

July 20 – India

August 3 – Italy

August  17 – Mission India – Amazing Story of John Raj & 5 Days in India

August 31 – Canada

September 14 – New Zeeland

September 28 – Alaska

October 12 – The Challenge of India – Mission India

October 26 – Switzerland

November 9 – Mr. Sid Goes to War – Sid’s Documentary of his wartime experience

November 23 – The Presidents of Mt. Rushmore – America Then

December 7 – Germany

Young musician shines on the marimba at Grand Rapids Youth Symphony performance

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Noah Mallett was one of the featured performers at the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony May concert. The concert will be broadcast on WKTV Saturday.
Noah Mallett was one of the featured performers at the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony May concert. The concert will be broadcast on WKTV Saturday.

Most toddlers, at some point, will bang on pots and pans, but Adriana and Ed Mallett couldn’t help but notice that their son, Noah, seemed to have more of an interest beyond just making noise.

 

“He would strike the sources with a few wooden spoons,” said Adriana Mallett. “It seemed liked he was really listening as he struck a pan, a lid, then the handle of the lid.

 

“As he got a little older, he would find different objects around the house that would give him different sounds. By the time he was four, he was setting up cocktail drum kits out of a few stools and cardboard boxes, trying to mimic the shapes that he saw in music magazines, but he knew the sound was not right.”

 

Finally, at the age of six, Mallett received his own drum set and debuted alongside jazz drummer Bernie Dresel at Tuba Bach Chamber Music Festival. And since then, his star keeps rising. The freshman at Big Rapids’ Crossroads Charter Academy was recently selected as the 2016 Grand Rapids Youth Symphony Skip Gates Concerto Competition winner. With that honor, he was a featured performer at the Youth Symphony’s May concert which will air at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21, on Comcast Live Wire Channel 24 in Wyoming, Kentwood and the entire Grand Rapids Metro Area and again on Tuesday, May 24, at 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 28, at 10 p.m. on WKTV Comcast 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 in Wyoming and Kentwood.

 

It won’t be the drums though that you’ll see Mallett perform, rather the marimba, an instrument he became intrigued with a few year ago for its melodic range and versatility. His family was able to borrow a marimba from Ferris State University and this year, a person who believed in his talents purchased a marimba for him as a loan.

 

Noah Mallett was named the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony's Skip Gates Concerto Competition winner.
Noah Mallett was named the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s Skip Gates Concerto Competition winner.

At the May concert, he performed one of the most popular marimba concertos of all time, according to “Percussive Notes,” Ney Rosaura’s Concerto for Marimba, the piece he performed in the Skips Gates Concerto Competition.

 

“It was suggested to me by one of teachers,” Mallett said for his reason in selecting the piece. Mallett is currently studying with Grand Rapids Symphony percussionist David Hall and Gwendolyn Dease, head of percussion studies at Michigan State University.

 

“It has a lot of rhythmic drive is very exciting and athletic,” Mallett said, adding that the piece has some memorable themes and melodies that some might recognize. In fact the piece is so athletic that Mallett has been told by some “to watch myself perform it,” he said with a laugh.

 

The Skips Concerto Competition honor is not the the first for the young musician, who also enjoys composing and arranging music. In fact, one of his compositions was selected to be performed at the Michigan Music Educators Association 2015 Honors Composition Concert.

 

Mallett is a member of the Con Brio Voce Brass & Percussion Ensemble and the Ferris State University Summer Band, which he has performed several times as a feature soloist. This summer, he continues his studies at North Carolina’s Brevard Music Center Institute.

 

For more about the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, including its upcoming audition notices and its European summer tour, visit www.grys.org.

Kentwood Senior Chorale celebrates a year of change in Spring concert

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Music Director Craig Swatt with the Kentwood Senior Chorale.
Kentwood Senior Chorale performs its spring concert Thursday, May 26.

Craig Swatt wasn’t looking to become the music director of the Kentwood Senior Chorale. He simply was going to fill in as the accompanist for the group during its fall season.

 

“It was an emergency situation,” Swatt said of becoming the accompanist. “It was through a chance encounter with the former director (Bob Azkoul) that I determined I could fill in for the group.”

 

Swatt quickly discovered what a fun group the Kentwood Senior Chorale is. “They are extremely welcoming and very stress-free,” he said.

 

So when the group looked to select a successor for Azkoul, who had been leading the Kentwood Senior Chorale for 22 years, they turned to Swatt.

 

“When they began looking for for Bob’s successor, it wasn’t something I was thinking about,” Swatt said. “But I liked the people so much that when they turned to me, I decided I was willing to take the position.”

 

Swatt, who is the music director at St. Michael Church in Grand Ledge, will lead the group through its spring concert set for Thursday, May 26 at 7 pm at Heritage Baptist Church, 1570 60th St. SE.

 

The Kentwood Senior Chorale is part of the Kentwood Parks and Recreation programs for older adults. Currently there are about 40 members in the group. Swatt said the bulk of the group’s performances are at local nursing homes, senior centers and schools. The group usually performs September through May, taking a break during the summer. Rehearsals are two hours on Tuesdays next year. Performances are scheduled so that the choir can rehearse for an hour and then give an hour concert. All performances, except the spring concert, are during the day, Swatt said.

 

“First and foremost, the goal is to be fun for its members,” Swatt said, adding that the group easily accomplishes that. The next goal is providing good music that is challenging and inspiring. “The real meat of this group is going out into the community and performing,” he said. “We really provide a community service going into nursing homes and assisted living facilities and seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces. It is such a welcoming atmosphere.”

 

Since the performance is a wrap-up concert for the year, Swatt said he wanted to keep it simple with a fairly diverse repertoire. He opted to break the program down into four parts: patriotic, oldies and goodies, inspiration (which includes both music with a moral message and religious pieces) and Broadway.

 

The performance is also a celebration of the transition that took place in leadership. “I’m so proud of how we handled the transition,” Swatt said. “Many of them just stuck with it. They were really positive and very loyal to the organization.”

 

The Kentwood Senior Chorale welcomes new members. There is a registration fee to participate. For more information on the group, go here or call Kentwood Parks and Recreation at 616.656.5270.

 

 

Yudanaka: Ryokans and Onsens

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By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

26This is the seventh installment chronicling the adventures of Lynn Strough, a local artist and writer who’s been traveling the world since November 2014. Lynn’s travels have (so far) taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, England, France, Italy… and I’m sure we’re forgetting a few destinations. To learn more about her journey, go here.

 

I’m in love…with the ryokan and onsen experience! It’s like stepping back in time to old Japan.

 

A ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn that usually features tatami-matted rooms, communal baths that are separate for men and women, with onsen (or hot springs), if you’re lucky.

 

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When you walk into Yudanaka Seifuso, the first thing you do is take off your shoes and don a pair of their generic one-size-fits-all blue slippers, which are lined up on the inner doorstep. There are very specific rules about what foot attire to wear – no shoes allowed, only slippers in the building, except for on the tatami mats in the rooms (there you go stocking-footed) – while in the bathrooms, you wear special toilet slippers.

 

The very kind owners only spoke Japanese, which made for some interesting but fun communication challenges. They showed me to my charming room, with its low table and chairs and futon bed on the floor.

 

There’s a hot pot on the table so you can drink fragrant green tea at any time, and a yukata, a lightweight kimono, hanging in the closet, with sash and jacket so you can dress the part.

 

The doors slide silently from side to side, the inner doors painted with Japanese scenes, the outer with opaque panes divided by wooden slats.

 

21

The bathroom is shared with other guests, (separated by male or female), with 2 stalls – in one, a Japanese style floor toilet (whose icon reminds me of a slipper), and in the other, a modern Western-style toilet, whose lid lifts automatically when you open the stall door.

 

There are detailed instructions for all of the buttons – the best part is the heated seat! (If I could import the heated seats to Michigan, I’d make a fortune!) Surprisingly, these fancy toilets are not rare – you find them in airports, budget hotels, malls and restaurants, as well as in many homes, and for sale in the duty free shops in airports.

 

There’s a Japanese feast for dinner, each dish a work of art. I hadn’t known that many ryokan include breakfast and dinner. With my booking through a discount site, they were not included, however on this day of the week the restaurants were all closed, so my plan to go get a cheap bowl of noodles was foiled. Tough as it was, I ate at the ryokan instead.

 

 

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After dinner, time for the onsen (hot springs pools)! There is a small indoor pool and a bigger outdoor pool. They switch times between the men and the women, so you have a chance to try both.

 

11I’d thankfully read about onsen etiquette on line, or I would’ve been clueless – first you put your kimono into a wicker basket, then you wrap your towel around your head, turban style, to keep it dry. You shower off with the outdoor nozzle while sitting naked for all to see (women anyway) on a small plastic stool, then you slip into the heavenly hot pool.

 

Steam swirls up, and if you’re in the outdoor pool at night, you can see the moon up above with its twin reflected on the inky-black surface, while listening to water stream from a long bamboo pipe. When you get out, you don’t shower again, as the minerals in the onsen water are good for your skin. This pool is about 14 ft x 14 ft square, made of stones, and surrounded on two sides by stone wall. The ryokan provides the other two walls for a fully enclosed courtyard. You sit on cement or stone benches submerged around the perimeter and soak your cares away.

 

I watched shadows dance across the stone walls, between the green of trees and plants, and once again thought of how lucky I am. I may currently lack a home (wherever I lay my head is home), a partner (I’m learning to be my own best friend), a job (unless you count this blog and research for the book I’ll write) or much money (that part is for real), but I’m happy.

 

17

The next morning, a ryokan breakfast. The breakfast cost – $10, a splurge for me, as I usually just have a glass of juice and toast, but it was a deal when you consider it was enough for lunch as well.

 

Yudanaka is not a very big city. The main tourist street has a few restaurants, and a handful of shops, all a little worn and shabby, but charming. I was surprised to see that the spring blossoms were mostly the same flowers I grew up with in Michigan – yellow daffodils, forsythia and dandelions, red and pink tulips, purple hyacinths, and a rainbow of pansies.

 

And then there are the cherry blossoms…

 

4

I’d been told that cherry blossom season was over, and in Tokyo and Kyoto this was true. However, Yudanaka is up in the mountains where it’s cooler, and cherry blossom season was at its peak — huge billowing masses of white-pink blossoms everywhere, floating down from the trees like sweet-smelling snow.

 

Springtime in Yudanaka is magical, especially at a ryokan and onsen.

 

*Tip: Book on weeknights rather than weekends as the price is much lower. This experience was a big splurge for me on my shoe-string budget, however the $87 I spent per night for two nights was well worth it, when you consider that it included the hot springs and transportation to the Monkey Park, and that standard western-style Japanese hotels in the big cities often run $200-600 a night and up.

 

By using the booking sites and shopping for deals, I’ve managed to keep my accommodation expenses really low overall. Using Air B&B, which I did for seven out of 14 nights in Japan, you can find rooms for around $50 if you’re willing to stay in more out-of-the-way places. Keep in mind that Japan is one of the most expensive countries to travel in, compared to the $12 a night rooms available in Thailand, but worth it! I don’t post much about accommodations, as most of the places I stay are pretty unremarkable and spartan, but I love to share the periodic unique experiences.

 

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About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50-something-year-old woman 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

Reprinted with permission

travelynnlogo

New York Times bestseller John Hart redeems himself with latest novel

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John Hart comes to Schuler Books Friday, May 20.
John Hart comes to Schuler Books Friday, May 20.

John Hart’s intention was only to take a short break from writing to help his family get acclimated to their new home in Virginia. However, six months turned into five years for the New York Times bestselling author who comes to visit Schuler Books Friday, May 20.

 

“What happened was we moved and I was in the midst of a book tour for my fourth book (‘Iron Horse’). I was in Austria and touring,” Hart said during a phone interview. “I came back with the intention of being more available to them so I decided to take six months off.”

 

He also began writing what he thought would be his fifth book, calling his publisher a year into the project and telling them that he was going to scrap it.

 

“I wrote the first 50 pages and it wasn’t working and then I got to 150 pages and it still wasn’t working,” Hart said. “By then I had months and months of work into this so I pressed on and well a year into it, I knew it wasn’t going to work.”

 

Describing himself as a “hope and grope” author since he prefers to come up with the story as he goes versus outlining the entire book, Hart said the reason the novel didn’t work is because “the fundamental flaw I found was that I wasn’t writing about the right person.” He expanded by saying that in his past novels, he always knew who he was writing about. With his fifth novel, he wanted to write a modern version of “The Count of Monte Cristo” but the main character was too familiar in that he was strong and capable, but not very interesting – “you know, sort of a stock character.”

 

Redemption-RoadBut there was a minor character, Elizabeth Black, who did have a story tell, one that Hart tells in the well-written prose of Redemption Road.

 

“This is one of the most complicated plots I have ever done, but it works very well at the end,” Hart said of his fifth New York Times bestseller thriller. “There is that click of satisfaction.”

 

Redemption Road centers around North Carolina police detective Elizabeth Black who holds a firm belief that her mentor in law enforcement, Adam, was wrongfully convicted of a brutal murder. Hart carefully weaves a tale of vengeance, betrayal and a town that is literally on the brink.

 

The book has received high praise from critics and readers, some calling it his best work. New York Times author David Baldacci noted that Hart could “flat-out write….Read this novel. And then go back and read all of his others. He’s that good.”

 

Not bad for a guy who calls himself a recovering attorney who had a passion for writing. About ten years ago, he rolled the dice on his chances of becoming an established writer. “If I had known then what I know now of the odds stacked against me on getting published and how hard it is to become a bestselling author and raise your children on writing, I would have been discouraged.

 

“I truly didn’t understand the odds against me.”

 

Hart came out on top with four New York Times bestsellers in a row, selling more than two million copies, and the first author to win back-to-back Edgar Awards along with numerous other awards. He also is considering movie options on two of his books Down River and The Last Child.

 

Currently on a coast-to-coast tour for Redemption Road, Hart said he has no plans to have another five-year hiatus and is already thinking about book number six.

 

“I definitely want to get it done in a more timely matter,” Hart said, adding he wants to be more dependable not only for his publisher but for his fans. He admitted its a risk to take a long time between books and he was fortunate it all worked out for “Redemption Road.”

 

Hart will be at Schuler Books, 2660 28th St. SE, for a book talk and signing at 7 p.m. Friday, May 20. For more information, visit www.schulerbooks.com

Lineup announced for 4th annual ‘Movies in the Park’

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movies in parkThe cat’s out of the bag! Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) has announced the lineup for this summer’s free movie series, Movies in the Park.

 

Catch the flicks on a 50-foot screen starting at dusk at Ah-Nab-Awen Park in downtown Grand Rapids on six Friday nights starting in June. Here’s the lineup:

  • June 3: The Wizard of Oz
  • June 17: Men in Black
  • July 8: A League of Their Own
  • July 22: The Mask of Zorro
  • August 5: Edward Scissorhands
  • August 19 double feature: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and a TBD Voter’s Choice film

Public voting to select the Voter’s Choice film will open June 3.

This summer, DRGI will experiment with three new event innovations to continue growing a more inclusive, welcoming and sustainable event. These innovations include:

  • Including subtitles for Spanish-speaking attendees and people with hearing impairments. Spanish subtitles will accompany the films played on June 3, July 8 and August 5. English subtitles will accompany films played on June 17, July 22 and August 19.
  • Partnering with the High Five Program to increase recycling rates, divert waste from the landfill and work towards achieving a zero waste event.
  • Partnering with a Coalition for Tobacco Free Parks to promote the importance of fresh air, raise awareness of tobacco use prevention and support clean parks.

Movie Night Tips

To help movie goers enjoy the night out under the stars, here are a few quick tips:
  • The park fills up fast, so get there early for the best spots.
  • If you choose to drive, plan ahead for parking to avoid wasting time looking for a space.
  • Free bike parking is available at the park.
  • Costumes are encouraged.
  • Nothing beats an ice cold one on a warm summer night. If you’d like to partake, be sure to bring your own drinks and picture ID.
  • While packing up, you might as well make it a picnic in the park. If you forget food at home, vendors will have snacks for purchase.
  • You’ll be outside for a few hours, so get comfy. We suggest bringing a blanket or chairs to sit on. Blankets up front. Chairs in the back.
  • Those under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • You may love your ringtone, but that doesn’t mean everyone else does. Please silence your phones.
  • If you need to talk during the movie, please keep your voices low.
  • In the event of rain, we’ll have to cancel the show. Follow Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. on Facebook to stay up-to-date.

Butterflies, borrowing books part of new life

3-bottom, Area Education, Our Cities, , ,
School News Network - Butterflies
What to see next? Erik and Isaac Alfaro study butterfly species.

By: Erin Albanese — School News Network

 

Parkview Elementary first- and second-graders Erik and Isaac Alfaro spotted monarch caterpillars on milkweed plants at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, in Grand Rapids Township.

 

“How many are there?” asked Lisa DeMaagd, Wyoming Public Schools English Language-Learner coordinator. “Cuatro!” shouted Erik, counting to four in Spanish. Then he saw another, adding up to “cinco” caterpillars.

 

The brothers and their mother, Erika Garcia, soon entered the Butterflies are Blooming exhibit, where hundreds of colorful butterflies fluttered by in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. It was a highlight of their visit to the 158-acre botanical garden and outdoor sculpture park.

 

Eric, Isaac and their 4-year-old brother, Israel, spotted butterflies amid the leaves and flowers. Their smiles spread wide as they chatted excitedly in Spanish, spying butterflies landing on fresh fruit.

 

School News Network - ButterfliesThe family is taking part in the district’s annual community resource workshops, during which immigrant district students and their families are invited on community outings.

 

As of fall, 858 students at Wyoming Public Schools — just below 20 percent of the district’s population — are ELL students from countries including Puerto Rico, Mexico, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nepal, Guatemala and Rwanda. Sixty-one students, including 11 exchange students, qualified for the workshops this year as students not born in the U.S. and living here for fewer than three years.

 

Welcome to Grand Rapids

 

The community resources program, which the district has hosted for more than 10 years, is funded by a sub-grant of Title III federal funding for immigrant education allocated by Kent ISD to meet the needs of new families and help them get accustomed to U.S. culture.

 

“We focus very much on community and opportunities for experience,” DeMaagd said.

 

The group, which varies each year from 10 to 40 participants, focuses on things they need to know for life in the U.S., from information about public safety to leaving tips at a restaurant. Wyoming Intermediate School counselor Christine Karas, who helps lead the program, said families find joy in new experiences and learn things Americans take for granted or don’t often think to explain.

 

School News Network - Butterflies“We teach them what a fire hydrant is, how to walk across the street, why Americans throw pennies in water, how to call 911,” Karas said. “It’s a lot of  basic things.”

 

They tour the Wyoming Branch of Kent District Library and learn how to find books and check them out, as well as about free resources and programs for card holders. They visit to the Wyoming Police Department and head downtown to the Grand Valley State University campus, the Downtown Market, Rosa Parks Circle and Van Andel Arena.

 

In past years, depending on funding, the program has included a summer session as well, allowing more opportunities like kite-flying, Lake Michigan trips, cookouts, dune rides, zoos and dairy farm tours.

 

The memories created spill over into the school day, DeMaagd said.

 

“Teachers have shared with me that tons of the students’ writing pieces have included elements from our program,” she said. “They are asked to write about an experience and all of the sudden they have something more fun to write about than ‘I sat on my couch and played video games.’”

 

Mom Erika Garcia said she values the opportunities the program provides. The family moved from Mexico six months ago.

 

“It’s great for the kids to learn new things in the community and to learn about the things we have in the United States,” she said in Spanish, translated by DeMaagd.

 

Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!

Astronomer and space science enthusiast makes a stop at Schuler Books

3-bottom, Entertainment, , , , ,
Nebil Y. Misconi
Nebil Y. Misconi

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) in partnership with the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA) will host a presentation by the Iraq born astronomer and space science enthusiast, Dr. Nebil Y. Misconi, at Schuler Books & Music on Thursday, May 19.

 

Misconi is an accomplished astronomer and solar system researcher. In his book “An Immigrant’s Journey into the Cosmos – a Personal Memoir,” Misconi tells the journey of an immigrant astronomer from youth in Iraq to the United States. His presentation of the same name will highlight the political history of the Middle East and the struggles of living there during religious and political unrest through to his life and accomplishments in astronomy in the United States.

 

Misconi fell in love with astronomy when he read a book about stars as a high school student in the 1960s. He could not further his pursuit in his homeland and was able to study in Turkey and later immigrated to the United States, where he went on to a career in Florida.

 

“I decided to write about my life to inspire young students on what they can do when they put their minds to it, using what our country has to offer,” Misconi said.

 

41UcMIxlUAL._UY250_Working first for the Space Institute Center at Florida Tech, and then for 16 years at the University of Central University in Orlando,  Misconi has not only inspired students and  the public with his instructional skills, but also contributed technical expertise to a number of high profile NASA space efforts, including SkyLab and the space shuttle programs. He has worked closely with notable space science personalities, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

 

The presentation “An Immigrant’s Journey into the Cosmos – A Personal Memoir” will take place at 7 p.m. on May 19 at Schuler Books, located at 2660 28th Street SE. The event is free. Marconi’s book of the same title will be available for purchase and a book signing by the author will take place following the talk.