Category Archives: 3-bottom

Tri-Unity Christian falters in the fourth at the Breslin Center

March 25, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys quarterfinal, Boys semifinal, High School Basketball, March Madness, MHSAA, Mike DeWitt, State Semifinal, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

Tri-Unity Christian entered the Breslin Center for the 10th time under Coach Mark Keeler looking for another state championship. When the clock hit zero, the dream ended.

Boys Recap

Class D – State Semifinals

Waterford Our Lady – 64
Tri-Unity Christian – 53

Tri-Unity Christian was looking for its first state championship since 2011, but ended up falling in the semifinals due to an uncharacteristic fourth quarter that saw the game end on a 17-3 run.

The first three-quarters went back and forth with neither team holding more than a six-point lead. The Defenders were being badly outrebounded – final tally ended 37-17 in favor of Waterford Our Lady – but held things together with strong outside shooting and a tenacious defense that forced 15 turnovers on the night.

The well would eventually run dry.

With Tri-Unity up 50-47 in the final stanza, the Lakers of Waterford responded with a big three-pointer to tie things up. Another three just a few possessions later put the Lakers up 55-53 and put a final nail in the coffin.

Collin Rosendall led the Defenders with 17 points and senior Javi Cuevas added another 12. In all, the Defenders hit 7 three-pointers.

Tri-Unity only graduates two seniors, Cuevas and Willie Otol, and is poised to make another deep run in 2017.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Final Results

Girls

Class A

East Kentwood
February 29
District First Round – W (58-39) Middleville Thornapple Kellogg
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-51) East Grand Rapids
March 4
District Final – L (39-54) Grand Rapids Christian

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

South Christian
February 29
District First Round – W (60-38) Godwin Heights
March 2
District Semifinal – W (79-7) Kelloggsville
March 4
District Final – W (63-42) Wayland Union
March 8
Regional Semifinal – W (59-53) Williamston
March 10
Regional Final – W (62-49) Portland
March 15
State Quarterfinals – W (67-51) Dearborn Heights Robichaud
March 18
State Semifinals – W (57-46) Detroit Country Day
March 19
State Finals – L (42-51) Marshall

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

Tri-Unity Christian
February 29
District First Round – W (50-40) Zion Christian
March 2
District Semifinal – W (72-36) Holland Calvary
March 4
District Final – W (54-38) Potter’s House
March 8
Regional Semifinal – W (46-44) Athens
March 10
Regional Final – W (58-46) Climax-Scotts
March 15
State Quarterfinals – L (30-71) Pittsford

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-52) Wayland Union
March 9
District Semifinal – W (64-43) South Christian
March 11
District Final – W (88-46) Kelloggsville
March 14
Regional Semifinal – L (55-57 OT) Williamston

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – L (46-88) Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

Tri-Unity Christian – District 110
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Potter’s House
March 11
District Final – W (61-47) Holland Calvary
March 14
Regional Semifinal – W (52-38) Marcellus Howardsville
March 16
Regional Final – W (73-52) Benton Harbor Countryside
March 22
State Quarterfinals – W (54-43) Adrian Lenawee Christian
March 24
State Semifinals – L (53 – 64) Waterford Our Lady

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

Update: Second suspect charged as an adult in Wyoming teen’s death

March 25, 20163-bottom, City of Wyominghomicide, Michael White, Prairie Park, teen, WyomingJoanne

As the family and friends of Michael White gather for his memorial service today, a second teen has been charged as an adult in connection to White’s death.

Quentin Schafer, 15, of Wyoming, was arraigned this morning in Wyoming District Court on charges of open murder as an adult. Carlos Delgado, 15, of Kentwood, was charged on Wednesday as an adult with open murder. Both teens have criminal records.

White’s body was found Saturday at Wyoming’s Lions Park by a resident who was walking his dog. White, 16, of Wyoming, had suffered head trauma. Delgado was arrested the next day and Schafer was arrested on Monday, March 21, during a traffic stop in Grand Rapids.

According to earlier reports and court records, Delgado has confessed to beating and stabbing White. Delgado allegedly made incriminating comments on Facebook according to a probable-cause affidavit filed in court. Also according to reports and court records, Shafer was last seen with White and allegedly has made incriminating comments to others.

No motive was revealed nor have police commented on one.

There has been an outpouring of support from the community with a vigil held at the skateboard park at Prairie Park earlier this week. Friends have taken to Facebook talking about what a big heart White had and how sadden they are about his passing. School officials have stated they have made social workers available for students and staff.

Chicago’s Young Lord founder helps document the history of Grand Rapids southeast, southwest areas

March 24, 20163-bottom, Local History, Our Cities, Upcoming EventsBlack Action Movement, Cha Cha Jimenez, Chicago, Jose Jimenez, United Methodist Community House, Young LordsJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

When Anita Christopher, the director of senior programs at the United Methodist Community House, met Jose “Cha Cha” Jiménez, she had no idea he was the man behind Chicago’s legendary Young Lords of Lincoln Park.

And Jiménez did not know any of Christopher’s past which included being a member of Western Michigan University’s Black Action Movement, which shutdown WMU’s Student Center in the late sixties, shortly after Martin Luther King Jr. had died.

However, the two quickly learned they had a lot in common. Both lived in Kentwood. Both had been active with civil rights movements and both shared a passion of preserving their culture’s past.

That passion lead to Jiménez extending his current project of documenting the Young Lords in Lincoln Park through oral histories to residents living on the southeast and southwest sides of Grand Rapids.

In celebration of the two projects is “A Neighborhood Affair to Preserve Community” Tuesday, March 29, from 4 – 8:30 p.m. at Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof Center, Pere Marquette Room 2204, on the Allendale Campus at 1 Campus Drive. The event features the Young Lords of Lincoln Park oral history project, including a clip from the upcoming documentary, and the release of 46 oral histories from residents living on Grand Rapids southeast and southwest side. The Grand Rapids oral histories will be available through Kent District Library and the Young Lords of Lincoln Park are available at gvsu.edu/younglords.

In 1980, Jiménez had moved to Grand Rapids to take a break from the pressures of the Young Lords, a gang based in Chicago’s Lincoln Park that he helped transform into a civil rights group for the Puerto Rican community. Jiménez eventually enrolled at Grand Valley State University where he decided, as an undergraduate project, to document the Young Lords in Lincoln Park.

When Jiménez began helping at the United Methodist Community House, he saw the same thing that had happened in the Lincoln Park area was happening to those on the southwest and southeast sides of Grand Rapids. The residents – especially the older ones – were being displaced by urban renewal.

“We talk about walkable communities,” Jiménez said. “How can residents walk to the stores or the businesses if they are being pushed further and further to the outer fringes where they have to take a bus to get anywhere?”

In an effort to develop a conversation on how to best accomplish renewal while meeting the needs of those who live in the neighborhood, Jiménez began to record the oral histories of area residents.

The histories provide a view into a portion of history that does not always make it to the school textbooks, Christopher said. To provide a connection to the youth with their elders and to give students of various backgrounds a sense of who they are and where they came from. Both Jiménez and Christopher agreed that having that connection, builds a sense of pride.

“It is like a tree with no roots,” Christopher said of youth without a sense of history. “It is not very stable and with a strong wind, could blow down.”

The oral histories also provide something else – that no matter your background, everyone has faced struggles and challenges that connect cultures and people together. Jiménez and Christopher discovered that as Christopher, who was interviewed for the project, told her story of BAM’s occupation of the Student Center.

The interviews are as diverse as the people. Christopher said she learned from a woman who had been coming to the Community House for the past 10 to 15 years that she had been involved in the march at Montgomery and helped stage a boycott with Rosa Parks. Jiménez admitted he learned some new things as well. “I interviewed one woman who is Anglo-Saxon and she talked about how she was a sharecropper. To be honest, I always thought sharecroppers were mostly Latino families.”

Jiménez added the interviewee said “she had always wanted to write book about her life and I told her that now she had through telling her story here.”

“A Neighborhood Affair to Preserve Community” is free and open to the public. Reservations are requested by Friday, March 25. To reserve a spot, email, younglordsmail@yahoo.com.

OnPoint Tutorials, Tips & Tours – the show about all things creative

March 24, 20163-bottom, Citizen Journalism, WKTV Projectscraft, OnPoint Tutorials, quilting, WKTVJoanne

The crew prepares for an upcoming taping of OnPoint Tutorials.

By Thomas Hegewald

A story begins with an idea; a television series with a concept.

Last spring, four of my coworkers and I met to discuss the possibility of producing a television series. Our previous endeavor, a nine-part series (Quilt Show Tutorials), was attracting thousands of views on YouTube. We could build on this success and produce a regular series to air on WKTV. Initially, we’d focus on quilt-related topics, adding other craft segments later. When a fellow quilt and craft enthusiast joined our ranks, our six-member production team was complete and Frayed Productions was born.

Nancy Roelsema, the host of OnPoint Tutorials — Nancy Roelfsema, the host of OnPoint Tutorials

We began recording our show, OnPoint Tutorials, Tips, & Tours in July 2015. Each month we record a number of segments for a half-hour program. In addition to providing our viewers with step-by-step tutorials on a particular technique, we also feature helpful tips and an insider’s view of local trade shows, quilt stores and guilds, and artist’s studios.

Utilizing the HD studio and field cameras, studios and edit suites available at WKTV Community Media allows us to focus on the content of our shows without the added stress of equipment costs. Four of our team members have degrees in broadcasting or a related field, so working in this environment helps us to develop our skills in television production. In addition to assisting us with our recordings, the WKTV staff created a new set which we personalize for each show.

OnPoint Tutorials, Tips & Tours – the show that focuses on all things creative. We’ll cover everything from A to Z – appliqué to zentangles. Airing Mondays at 6 p.m. and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. on WKTV Community Media.

Easter Egg hunts, events offer weekend fun for families

March 24, 20163-bottom, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, RecreationBunny, Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Kentwood, WyomingJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Here comes Peter Cottontail and he’ll be making several appearances in and around Kentwood and Wyoming this weekend and next as Easter marches in.

One of his favorite stops is the Kentwood Activities Center for the annual “Breakfast with the Bunny” Saturday, March 26.

A pancake breakfast will be served from 9 – 11 a.m. at the center, located at 355 48th St. SE. Pictures with the famous Easter Bunny will be from 10 – 11 a.m. There will be other activities including face painting.

Tickets for the event are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. Contact the Kentwood Parks and Recreation for more information. Click here.

Another popular Easter Egg Hunt is the one that takes place in Byron Township. This year’s event starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 26, and is for children ages 2-10. The Byron Easter Egg Hunt takes place at Whistlestop Park, 2170 76th St. SW, Byron Center. For more information, click here.

Also in Kentwood, East Paris Christian Reformed Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 2 – 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, There will be a puppet show on the true meaning of Easter followed by the egg hunt. East Paris Christian Reformed Church is located at 3065 East Paris Ave. SE.

On March 27, the Wyoming, Relevant Church will be hosting its 2016 Easter Experience and Carnival from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The event includes an Easter service followed by the carnival. The event takes place at the Wyoming Junior High School, 2125 Wrenwood St. SW. Registration is required for this event. Click here.

There are a number of other Easter Hunts and activities in and around the Kentwood and Wyoming areas. Below are a few more that are either located either close to the area or have an unusual theme. Whatever one you choose, make sure to bring your own basket and double check for weather and changes in the schedule.

March 26

Grandville’s Ivanrest Church will be hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on the church’s front lawn from 10 – 11 a.m. The event is for children 10 and under. Ivanrest Church is located at 3777 Ivanrest SW, Granville.

Jenison’s Rosewood Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 10 a.m. – noon. There will be three separate areas for ages 1-3, 4-6, and 7-10. The Easter Bunny is scheduled to make an appearance along with coloring activities, balloons, face painting and a drawing for prizes. Donuts and coffee will kick off the event at 10 a.m. with the hunt starting at 10:30 a.m. Rosewood Church is located at 2795 Rosewood Ave., Jenison.

Hudsonville’s Hillcrest Christian Reformed Church will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt from 10 – noon. The free event is open to kids of all ages and includes family time with balloon animals, face painting, prizes, popcorn, candy, snacks and videos. Hillcrest CRC is located at 3617 Hillcrest Road, Hudsonville.

The Gymco at 2306 Camelot Ridge Court will be hosting an afternoon Bunny Hop that includes egg hung, snacks, open gym, crafts, face painting, stories, songs and more. Children under 5 must be accompanied by an adult. Children 6 and older can be dropped off. Cost is $12 per child or $25 per family.

The popular Bunny Train is currently running from Coopersville & Marne Railway, located at 311 E. Danforth St., Coopersville. The Easter Bunny and her cast of wacky, musical characters perform in each of the antique passenger coaches. Departures are 11 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 19 and 26 and 1 and 3 p.m. Sundays, March 13 and 20. Tickets are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors 60 and older, $15 for children ages 2-12 and free for children under 2. Call 616-997-7000, ext. 3 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday.

For an unusual Easter Egg Hunt adventure, checkout the Holland Community Aquatic Center which will host its Underwater Egg hunt from 1 to 5 p.m. The Holland Community Aquatic Center is located at 550 Maple Ave., Holland.

Wyoming police continues investigation into 16-year-old’s death, community works to recover

March 23, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Hard Newshomicide, Lions Park, Michael White, Wyoming, Wyoming High SchoolJoanne

An image of Lions Park, where Michael White's body was found. — An image of Lions Park, where Michael White’s body was found.

Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety continues its investigation into the homicide of a 16-year-old Wyoming student as the community works on recovering from its second teen homicide in 2016.

Two 15-year-old suspects were arrested in the connection to the homicide of Michael White. White’s body was found on the west side of Wyoming’s Lions Park Saturday, March 19, by a resident walking his dog. According to reports, White had suffered head trauma. An autopsy was conducted on Monday to determine the exact cause of White’s death, but police are not releasing the results.

Today, Carlos Delgado, 15, of Kentwood, was arraigned in Wyoming District Court and was waived over as an adult to 17th Circuit Court Family Division. Delgado is scheduled to be back in court on April 13.

The other suspect, a 15-year-old from Wyoming is being held on an open murder charge as the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office determines if he will be charged as an adult or as a juvenile. Prosecutors have until Monday to make that decision. Both suspects have criminal records.

In a statement released yesterday, Wyoming Public Safety officials said “…detectives continue with their investigation into this homicide.” Anyone with information is being asked to contact the department at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.

Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reeder said the district does have a plan in place to help students and staff deal with tragic situations such as the sudden loss of a student or staff member.

“White was not attending Wyoming High School, so we had small groups available and social workers were on hand to talk to students at anytime,” Reeder said. “On Monday morning, we made students aware of this and we have had students come down and talk and they have had a lot to talk about.”

Reeder said he didn’t know the names of the suspects and they were not attending the Wyoming High School. “If they were with us, they weren’t with us now,” he said, adding that there have been no reports of students missing from the school’s roster.

There has been an outpouring on Facebook for White, with most comments talking about the Wyoming teenager’s big heart. A vigil was held Monday evening at a skateboard park at Wyoming’s Prairie Park where White used to skateboard. Nearly 100 friends and family members attended. A memorial service for White is scheduled at Abundant Life Church, 4041 Byron Center Ave. SW, Friday, March 25.

The incident at Lions Park happened two months after 17-year-old Kelloggsville High School student Isaiah Blue was fatally shot Jan. 27 in a robbery attempt in the area of S. Division Avenue and 44th Street in Wyoming. Sixteen-year-old Daniel Benavides and 18-year-old Mitchell Savickas are both facing murder and armed robbery charges as adults. A preliminary hearing for both was earlier in March and a status conference between the judge and attorneys is set for April.

A vigil was held for Blue in February with more than 600 people coming to the Kelloggsville High School.

It has been about a year and half since the city of Wyoming has had to deal with a teen homicide. In August 2014, 17-year-old Godwin Heights student Ta’Carhri Richardson was killed after Marquis Kilgore was handling a gun in the back seat of a car that Richardson was driving when the gun went off. Kilgore was sentenced in February 2015 to two years for a felony firearm charge and two and half to 15 years for manslaughter.

62A District Court closed for the day

March 23, 20163-bottom, City of Wyoming, Hard News62A District Court, City of Wyoming, Closed, Water system repairsJoanne

The 62A District Court in Wyoming will be closed for the remainder of the day in order to address emergency water system repairs.

According to Court Administrator Chris Kirrmann, “A pipe burst. There is no water damage to the building. The 62A District Court building will open tomorrow as usual.”

Because of the closure, payments due to the court today on March 23 may be postponed until tomorrow, Thursday, March 24. All afternoon court appointments including preliminary hearings, probation appointments and other meetings will be rescheduled.

Court users with questions are encouraged to call 257-9823 and leave a message including their name, issue, and a phone number to return a call. A court representative will return the call by 5 p.m. today.

For further information, visit the City website at wyomingmi.gov.

WKTV program showcases the women who helped build ‘a league of their own’

March 22, 20163-bottom, Local Entertainment, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, WKTV ProjectsA League of Their Own, A Team of Their Own, AAGPBL, Baseball, Marilyn Jenkins, Veterans History ProjectJoanne

Former player Marie Legman, who once played for the Rockford and Fort Wayne clubs. — Former player Marie Wegman, who once played for the Rockford and Fort Wayne clubs, discusses a call with an umpire. (From “A Team of Their Own)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

For a young pre-teen girl whose family was struggling to survive the Great Depression, baseball – specifically the teams that made up the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association – brought a little bit of hope to Marilyn Jenkins.

Jenkins was living on the south side of Grand Rapids in the 1940s, near the corner of Cass and Hall Street “which was about a long block and a railroad track from South Field where the ‘Chicks’ played,” she said during a 2008 interview for the documentary “A Team of Their Own: The First Professional Baseball League for Women.” There is a screening of the documentary set for Wednesday, March 23, at noon at Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Dr., Allendale. Also on Wednesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. and again Saturday, March 26, at 1 p.m., WKTV will be airing “Women in Baseball, a Veterans Oral History Special,” featuring a panel of women who played on the Grand Rapids Chicks during World War II.

For Jenkins, baseball was the one thing she had to do. “I knew there was no money to go to college. There weren’t scholarships and all that business, and in what? I wasn’t qualified,” she said. “I was a good student in hight school [Jenkins attend South High School], but anyway, I had to play ball.”

The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was started by Philip Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, during World War II to fill the void left by the departure of most of the male baseball players for military service. Female players were recruited from across the country, and the league was successful enough to be able to continue on after the war. The league had teams based in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and operated between 1943 and 1954. The 1954 season ended with only the Fort Wayne, South Bend, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Rockford teams remaining. The League gave more than 600 women athletes the opportunity to play professional baseball. Many of the players went on to successful careers, and the league itself provided an important precedent for later efforts to promote women’s sports.

For Jenkins, who developed her love of the game through her father, the experience was profound. She went from helping with the grounds at age 11 to batgirl at age 13 to playing for the team right out of high school. She would be one of the last players when the league ended in 1954. Jenkins would stay in Grand Rapids, earning an associate degree to become a radiologist and later working in an attorney’s office.

Jenkins said she enjoyed her time as a “Chick” and has continued as a member of the AAGPBL, but knew at some point it would end.

“…there were good ball players, but there are today too, but the skirts, the uniform, the time, it’s in a little pocket of history, where it fit in perfectly and I don’t know where you’re going to find another pocket like that…,” she said.

For more on the documentary “A Team of Their Own: The first Professional Baseball League for Women” visit gvsu.edu/wibdoc. For the full interviews with the AAGPBL players, visit www.gvsu.edu/vethistory. For WKTV programming, visit wktk.org.

South Christian comes up just short, Tri-Unity Christian preparing for quarterfinals

March 22, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys quarterfinal, Boys Regional, Girls Quarterfinal, High School Basketball, March Madness, Mike DeWitt, Regional, Regional Final, South Christian, State Semifinal, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

South Christian upended number one ranked, and defending state champion, Detroit Country Day in the semifinals but couldn’t seal the deal the next day. For the second time in three years, the Sailors lost in the state finals.

Tri-Unity Christian took home a regional crown and is three wins away from hoisting another trophy. The Defenders will play in the state quarterfinals tonight.

Girls Recap

Class B – State Finals

Marshall – 51
South Christian – 42

It came down to the final game of the season, the state championship at the Breslin Center in Lansing, Michigan. The Sailors had already toppled Detroit Country Day and looked poised to bring home a championship that eluded them two years ago, and something the program hasn’t won since 1988.

South Christian couldn’t handle Marshall’s press in the first half as the Redhawks forced nine first half turnovers and extended their lead to 10 heading into halftime. That pivotal second quarter ended up being the difference as the Sailors weren’t able to weather the storm.

The Sailors led a valiant comeback behind 13 points, 9 rebound and 9 assists from senior Jennifer DeBoer and 16 points from senior Markayla Vander, but ultimately came up short as the Redhawks made their free throws down the stretch.

It was a tough end to an otherwise extremely successful season.

Boys Preview

Class D – State Quarterfinals

Tri-Unity Christian (19-5) vs. Adrian Lenawee Christian (17-7) – 7:00pm at Coldwater

Tri-Unity Christian enters the state quarterfinals coming off of a 21-point victory over Benton Harbor Countryside. The game was close at halftime but adjustments were made and the Defenders dominated the third quarter 27-6. By the time the clock hit double-zero, all five starters found themselves in double figures.

Adrian Lenawee Christian toppled Morenci by 14 in the regional final and is looking to take that all important next step to the Breslin Center.

Winner will play either Waterford Our Lady or Marine City Cardinal Mooney in the state semifinals at the Breslin Center.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Results

Girls

Class A

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – L (46-88) Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

10 Cloverfield Lane: A twisted and claustrophobic paranoia thrill ride

March 22, 20163-bottom, Entertainment, Movie ReviewBrett Wiesenauer, In Theaters Now, JJ AbramsJoanne

There is a point a little over halfway into the second entry in the Cloverfield saga where a character is attempting to pass time putting a jigsaw puzzle together and he comments on how the puzzle is missing pieces. Earlier in the accompanying montage, he is shown attempting to jam a puzzle piece into place that obviously doesn’t fit.

This is a rather perfect analogy for describing the impression left after viewing 10 Cloverfield Lane.

The film conveys a lot in its stay, mostly considering the repercussions of ultra-conservative paranoia and the personal sacrifices required to transcend meager humanity to attain apocalyptic warrior status, Mad Max style. But before we get to that, we must discuss the actual content of the film, pre-analysis.

So, what does the film concern itself with, aside from what I stated above? Well, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is recovering from a toxic relationship with Bradley Cooper’s voice and is run off the road after she flees her apartment somewhere in a cityscape. She is rescued by a paranoid bunker dweller named Howard (John Goodman). He claims there was an “attack” and he has assembled a modest amount of supplies to survive in the aftermath of whatever happened above. Believing the air to be contaminated, he has allowed only two others into his bunker, Michelle and down-to-earth redneck, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.).

At first, Howard takes some steps to chain up Michelle so she apparently won’t leave the bunker, but it also may have been to prevent her from exacerbating her leg injury she received in the accompanying car crash. She eventually is let on a looser leash, proverbially, but the doubt in her and our minds never quite alleviates until the film’s questionable conclusion.

The film has a lot of slowly unspooling tension from the moment we and Michelle arrive in Howard’s bunker. Howard is not a completely benevolent host, as he showcases several antisocial tics and nervous anxieties that bring his handle on his issues into question. He slams his hands on the dinner table in impotent frustration at how easily Michelle and Emmett get along while Howard is left to himself and his hordes of videocassettes and DVDs.

Eventually, Michelle comes to understand that Howard may not be entirely crazy but that doesn’t help that she is still trapped in a bunker with a man whose grip on his emotions is tenuous at best. There’s a magnificent game of Taboo played in the latter half of the film that turns the simple game of charades into a terrifying marathon of second-guessing suspense, which I won’t spoil here.

To come completely clean without spoilers, the movie does satisfy on many levels. It is thrilling, it has compelling and relatable characters, the film looks and feels pent-up like the characters and setting, and there aren’t any overblown, ridiculous elements that remove audiences from the viewing experience, outside of the questionable choices made in the last 15 minutes. But if one does wish to discuss the implications and revelations in the later stages of the film, they are free to strike up a conversation with me on social media or just see the movie and make decisions for yourself.

Executive producer J.J. Abrams’ never-sated lust for movies that spring themselves on unsuspecting audiences only to land with a dull thud and leaving audiences bewildered for the wrong reasons is a terrible habit of his that he should really get to moving past. Star Trek – Into Darkness suffered from the same unsurprising ‘Mystery Box’ marketing that succeeded so well with the likes of LOST came back to bite after fans of Star Trek came out in vehement opposition to what they saw as a lack of understanding of what made Original Series Trek interesting and entertaining. In that case, Abrams has come out and admitted that he is not a ‘trekkie’ per se, but that doesn’t excuse the lack of research on his part.

10cl_poster As for Cloverfield, the first film came and went with some impact on audiences, but it should be noted that a sequel was never fast-tracked until production on a little film code-named Valencia was acquired by Abrams’ Bad Robot productions. As soon as that happened, J.J. Abrams assigned a new writer to polish some connections to the 2008 movie and dropped a trailer on the unsuspecting public just after the New Year. The results did prove that people were very curious about the contents. And the box office returns did reflect that curiosity, as 10 Cloverfield Lane took in over $50 million in its first two weekends at the multiplex.

10 Cloverfield Lane is a curious little experiment of sorts for short-term marketing and release planning. The film is quite excellent as a thriller and worth seeing in the theater before Batman v Superman comes in and wrecks its staying power. It could be a lot worse. But once the last 15 minutes happens, then Abrams’ intent becomes obvious and audiences scratch their heads in regards to how the ill-fitting pieces actually resemble the puzzle they feel they should have solved by now.

Finding and Sharing the Beat

March 21, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Education, RecreationDrummunity, Drums, Erin Albanese, Godfrey-Lee, Music, School News NetworkJoanne

“Drummunity” Encourages Cooperation Through Music

By: Erin Albanese – School News Network

The beat of Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center students’ drums mixed with jangling tambourines, clanging blocks and sounds made by hitting sticks on household items recycled as instruments.

“Let’s all start a beat. … Here we go. … Let’s all start a beat,” said Lori Fithian, whose program Drummunity gets people pounding, tapping and grinning everywhere she goes.

Second-grader Jalyhia Reid bangs on the drum

As part of music class, students at the preschool-through-second-grade school gathered in a circle with Fithian in the middle, to use bongo and hand drums and other percussion instruments and to play simple drum-circle games.

Together, they made music, playing in unison. Later that evening, parents participated in a community drumming event.

Fithian, an Ann Arbor resident and artist who has studied different drumming traditions, said her concept is simple. “I help people make music together,” she said. “We basically just learn how to cooperate and come together. … It’s not really a musical thing. It’s more of a community-cooperation exercise, though we are using music to learn about all of that.”

First-grader Latrese McFerrin said she learned how to “make echoes” using instruments. “We got to switch instruments like drums and a plastic block,” she said.

Everyone Can Drum

Drummunity brings drumming to schools, libraries, community centers and other locations. Fithian’s visit was paid for through a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council.

Isabel Deleon-Magana smiles as she plays

Every culture has its own drum tradition and all ages can participate, she said. Getting students to drum with her is different from teaching other instruments.

“Everybody knows how to play drums; even babies can play drums. It’s a really natural thing that people can do together,” she said.

Students learn to keep a steady beat, and a whole lot more.

“They get a little bit of everything,” Fithian said. “They get to pound on something, play something, just explore the different sounds or learn what a drum is and how we can make music together.”

With older kids, Fithian teaches the concept of improvisation, creating new beats as they play. “We are not reading any music here; we are able to make something up with our own creativity.”

Tami Nelson, ECC music teacher, said she planned the event for her students to have the chance to make music with other people.

“This is a very good way for them to interact and see what they can do,” Nelson said. “One of the things about percussion instruments is various ability levels can easily access them. … They get to freely experience their music-making.”

Students said it was an experience they enjoyed. “I liked playing the drum,” said first-grader Taclara O’Bryant. “I like the music.”

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

Robot animals make a ‘zoo’ out of the Grand Rapids Public Museum

March 18, 20163-bottom, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Eventsgiraffe, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Kate Moore, Robot ZooJoanne

[huge_it_slider id=”32″]

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Ever wonder why a giraffe does not pass out when it lifts its head up and down? Curious how a giant squid breathes?

These and other animal questions are explored in the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s newest exhibit “The Robot Zoo,” opening this weekend.

“There has been a lot of comments and interest on social media about the show,” said Kate Moore, the museum’s vice president of marketing and public relations, who added that the 1,700 tickets for the grand opening event on Saturday, March 19, are sold out.

“Part of the appeal comes from the fact that it is a little more hands on then our last exhibit [‘The Discovery of King Tut’] and it is a shift from the historic subject matter to more a science focus.”

Moore added that the staff purposely works to vary the different exhibitions at the Museum so as to attract different audiences. While the Museum’s last exhibits, “Tut” and “American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” were for more of an older crowd, “The Robot Zoo” is geared more toward kindergarten through eighth grade. The Museum has developed a pre-kindergarten curriculum to go with the exhibit as well.

“The Robot Zoo,” which is based on a book of the same name that is now out-of-print, exhibits machinery in the robot animals that simulate the body parts of the machine’s real-life counterparts. Muscles become pistons, intestines become filtering pipes and the brain becomes a computer. For example, in the giraffe, a cooper pipe outlines the main vein in the giraffe’s neck with several gages showing where the vents are located. These vents are what help control the giraffe’s blood flow so the animal does not pass out from too much or too little blood flowing to its head.

Because of the design of this exhibit, it has an appeal to those interested in biology as well as those interested in technology and engineering, Moore said.

Eight robot animals and more than a dozen hands-on activities illustrate real-life characteristics, such as how a chameleon changes colors, a giant squid propels itself and a fly walks on the ceiling.

Popular among the staff is the chameleon, which rocks back and forth as it turns its head, looks around and fires its tongue at its insect pray. “It also has three interactive elements,” Moore said. Those include being able to see what happens when the chameleon is angry, scared, and looking to attract a mate.

Other larger-than-life-size animated robots, besides the chameleon and the giraffe, are a rhinoceros, a giant squid with 18-foot tentacles, and a platypus. Joining the animals are a house fly with a 10-foot wingspread, a grasshopper and the monster-of-the-night bug eater, the bat.

Admission to the exhibit is free for Museum members and for non-members, $11 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for children with the price including general admission to the entire Museum. Staff does recommend purchasing tickets early since lines can get long on Saturdays and during Spring Break. A membership is $65 for a family and includes parking and planetarium shows, which staff said a new planetarium show for “The Robot Zoo” will be opening soon.

Several activities are planned around the exhibit including special Spring Break programs and a summer camp dedicated to robotics. Also, in May, the museum will be opening the National Geographic exhibit “Earth Explorers,” which Moore said has a connection to the “The Robot Zoo” since it looks at animals living in various environments around the globe.

“The Robot Zoo” will be open through Sept. 18. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is located at 272 Pearl St. NW. For more on programs and upcoming exhibits, click here.

Community fills local church for annual Cesar Chavez March and Community Gathering

March 18, 20163-bottom, Local Faces, Our Cities, WKTV Projectscesar chavez, Grand Rapids, Kathleen Straus, Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Rosalynn BlissJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Pastor Troy “PE” Evans probably best described the Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice March and Community Gathering the best.

“I was about to apologize about there not being enough room, but this is pretty sweet,” said Evans from the podium at the Edge Urban Fellowship where he serves as pastor and where the community gathering took place.

The event – in honor of civil rights leader César E. Chávez – started with the march from Potters House School on the corner of Van Rattle and Granville Avenue, known as César Chávez Boulevard. The parade, which was lead by Mayor Grand Rapids Rosalynn Bliss and Committee to Honor César Chávez Chairperson Lupe Ramos-Montigny, ended at Edge Urban Fellowship, located at 735 Ritzema SW, right next to the César Chávez Elementary.

The little over an hour-long program – will be broadcasted on WXTV (channel 25 on Comcast, channel 26 on AT&T, and channel 99 on U-verse) – started about 15 minutes late as organizers worked to seat attendees with the audience spilling into the foyer and balcony area.

The annual event is organized by The Committee to Honor César E. Chávez in partnership with the César E. Chávez Unity Committee, a community and collegiate collaborative that includes Ferris State University, Aquinas College, Central Michigan University, Davenport University, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Valley State University.

The legendary Latino leader, who died in 1993, co-founded the United Farm Workers Union. The event, which falls on his birthday every year, is designed to commemorate the vision of Chávez “to engage all, particularly youth, to carry on his values and timeless vision for a better world.” During his life, Chávez made several visits to Grand Rapids in support of improving working conditions for migrant workers who worked in the fields.

“I can hardly speak,” said Ramos-Montigny as she spoke to those who had crowded into the church. “And I know, coming from me, it’s hard to believe,” gathering a chuckle from those in attendance.

“I am truly moved by the students,” Ramos-Montigny said, adding that she has made it her life’s work to educate the students about Chávez, his life, his work and the importance of all people coming together for a common goal.

This year’s event was in, in fact, dedicated to education. “Education is the pathway to social justice,” said Ramos-Montigny, who had the audience repeat it several times. As part of the education focus, this year’s honoree was Kathleen N. Straus, who served on the State Board of Education from 1992 – 2016. She served six terms as president of the board along with filling various other positions. Straus was presented a portrait of her by Grand Rapids artist Erick Picardo.

Ramos-Montigny noted that this year’s brought together Straus, who was ending her education career with students who were just starting there. On hand at Thursday’s program were students from a number of local colleges and universities, including Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University. Also, students from Northview High School’s Varsity Voices performed as well as students from the César Chávez Elementary School, who performed the closing song, the traditional folk-song and considered to be the anthem for the United Farm Workers Union, which Chávez helped found, “De Colores.”

“So you will see me with my peacock tail with my feathers all ruffled as I am very proud of what we the committee has done every year for all the students,” Ramos-Montigny said.

WKTV will be broadcasting the César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering. Check the WKTV listings at wktk.org for dates and times.

Evening of Science, Slime and Snacks

March 17, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Education, Kids ActivitiesErin Albanese, Kelloggsville, Kelloggsville Middle School, Rocket Family Night, School News NetworkJoanne

By: Erin Albanese – School News Network

Colorful slime gelled and circuits connected recently during Rocket Family Night at Kelloggsville Middle School.

Five classrooms were set up with hands-on science experiments for students of all ages to experience. Each allowed youngsters to create something to bring home, such as paper airplanes and slime. Rocket Family Night is a district initiative to offer the community a free meal and an evening tied to academics.

“We want parents to get into the buildings and the district. We also want our students to know how fun some of the subjects can be if you give them a chance,” said Middle School Principal Jim Alston.

Along with going through lots of science supplies, staff served more than 250 plates of food.

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

March is Nutrition Month so learn how to read those nutrition labels

March 16, 20163-bottom, Food, HealthMetroHealth, Nutrition, nutrition labelsJoanne

Nothing can be more confusing then the nutrition labels on the cereal box. Is it really healthy or not.

In celebration of the fact that March is Nutrition Month, we gathered a few tips on how to read those nutrition labels from our friends at MetroHealth and the hospital’s Healthy Living Blog.

Understanding what’s in your food can help you maintain a healthy, balanced diet. All of the information on nutrition labels can be overwhelming, so here are five things to look for.

Serving size and servings per container. These are the first things listed on the label. Be aware of how many servings are in a package because an item that seems like a single serving could actually contain two or three, causing you to consume double or triple the amount of calories listed.

Percent Daily Value. This is the percent listed on the right side of the label. Everyone should eat a certain amount of each nutrient daily to stay healthy. This number tells you the fraction of the daily amount that is in one serving. A serving with 5 percent or less is considered low, and 20 percent or more is considered high. You will also notice a footnote at the bottom of the label that states “daily values are based off a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet”, so depending on how many calories you consume daily you may need to adjust these amounts.

Total, saturated, and trans fat. Try to limit the amount of saturated and trans fat in your diet because it can increase your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. The average individual should eat less than 20 grams of saturated fat per day and zero grams of trans fat. Be aware that companies are allowed to list the amount of trans fat as zero grams if it contains less than half a gram per serving. Check the ingredients list for items that contain trans fat, like partially hydrogenated oils.

Cholesterol. The average person should eat less than 300 milligrams per day.

Fiber and Nutrients. Nutrients like fiber, Vitamin A and C, Calcium, and Iron can improve your health, but most people do not consume enough of them daily. Try to eat foods with high amounts of these nutrients to maintain a balanced diet.

If you have any questions or concerns about the amount of nutrients you are eating daily, contact your primary care physician to talk through your diet and daily nutrition goals.

18-year-old pianist wows crowd performing Rachmaninoff at Grand Rapids Youth Symphony concert

March 16, 20163-bottom, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, WKTV ProjectsDeVos Performance Hall, Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, John Varineau, Sami Ahmad, WKTVJoanne

Sami Ahmad is this year’s Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s Piano Concerto Winner

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Most would admit – whether musicians or just lovers of classical music – that Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 is one of the more difficult pieces for a pianist to master.

So it was bit of a surprise when 18-year-old Sami Ahmad performed it at the 2016 Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s Piano Concerto Competition held this past January.

“It was amazing,” said Kin M. Ma, who heard Ahmad perform the concerto during the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s March 6 concert where Ahmad was the featured soloist.

“I chose the Rachmaninoff because two years ago I was looking for a concerto to play,” said Ahamd, who attends both Portage Northern High School and Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center. “So I printed the score and found that my hands could reach the big opening chords so I played through the first few pages and listened to a bunch of recordings and found I really loved the piece.

“I have asked my teacher [Susan Wiersma Uchimura] to play it ever since then and this year, she finally said yes. So I have been playing it for about a year now. “

Ahmad certainly showed he had mastered the piece as he went on to win the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s Piano Concerto where he earned a $300 cash prize along with the honor of being the featured soloist at the March concert. That concert will be broadcasted on WKTV (channel 25 on Comcast, channel 26 on AT&T, and channel 99 on U-verse) Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 22, at 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 26, at 10 p.m.

Besides featuring Ahmad, the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s second concert of the season also included Mozart’s Sinfonie in A KV 201 featuring the Grand Rapids Classical Orchestra. Franck’s “Le Chasseur Maudit” also was on the concert program and the performance finished with Berlioz’s “Symponie Fantastique,” a popular piece that has been featured in the films “The Shining” and “Sleeping with the Enemy.”

As Ahmad, who has performed with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony, and at the Grand Rapids Bach Festival, finishes up his high school career, he said his plans to pursue a major in the history of science and medicine with at least a minor in music. He has not yet selected a college.

The Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, under the leadership of John Varineau who is also the Grand Rapids Symphony’s associate conductor, was formed in 1959 with the goal of bring together West Michigan’s most talented young musicians to rehearse and perform together under professional standards. In 2000, the Classical Orchestra was founded and focuses on musical literature from the Classical period.

The Grand Rapids Youth Symphony’s last performance of the season is May 1 at 3 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave. SW. Tickets will be available at the door.

For more information on the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, click here. For more on upcoming programs at WKTV, click here.

South Christian moves on to State Semifinals, Tri-Unity Christian bows out after historic season

March 16, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys Regional, Girls Quarterfinal, Godwin Heights, High School Basketball, March Madness, Mike DeWitt, Regional, Regional Final, South Christian, State Semifinal, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

The historic season for Tri-Unity Christian is officially in the books after losing in the state quarterfinals. South Christian will make a trip to the Breslin Center this weekend to play for a state championship.

On the boy’s side, Tri-Unity Christian prepares for a regional final game against Benton Harbor Countryside.

Girls Recap

Class B – State Quarterfinals

South Christian – 67
Dearborn Heights Robichaud – 51

South Christian found themselves in a one point game with four minutes to play. It was an uncanny night with top-scorers Markayla Vander and Jennifer DeBoer only registering seven first half points, combined!

Then those final four minutes happened and the Sailors finished on a 16-1 run to put an end to any title hopes the Bulldogs’ might have had. It was part of a huge second half where South Christian scored 21 and 25 points in the third and fourth quarters.

Vander finished with 20 points and DeBoer added 17 of her own. For Vander and DeBoer, it’s their second trip to the state semifinal in three years. South Christian lost in the championship back in 2014.

With the win, South Christian will head to the Breslin Center on Friday night to play defending state champion, and number one ranked, Detroit Country Day.

Class D – State Quarterfinals

Pittsford – 71
Tri-Unity Christian – 30

Tri-Unity Christian ran into a buzzsaw in the quarterfinals. Pittsford used their full court press to hassle Tri-Unity and proved why they are the top-ranked team in the state.

For the Defenders, it was the program’s first taste of the big lights. After winning regionals for the first time in history, Tri-Unity saw what it’s going to take to reach the next level. The team was outrebounded 35-15 and gave away too many second-chance opportunities.

It was a great season for the program and helped pave the path for next year’s team to take the next step.

Boys Preview

Class D – Regional Final

Tri-Unity Christian (18-5) vs. Benton Harbor Countryside (12-3) – 6:30pm at Benton Harbor Countryside

Tri-Unity Christian looks to keep their season alive tonight against Benton Harbor Countryside.

The Cougars of Benton Harbor come in having played only 15 games but carry a 12-3 record. They had a very close call – a 57-55 win – in the regional semifinal against Kalamazoo Pheonix.

The Defenders have held strong all season and look to add a regional title to their successful 2016 campaign.

The winner will face either Morenci or Adrian Lenawee Christian in the State Quarterfinals.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Results

Girls

Class A

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – L (46-88) Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

Looking for work? Both Wyoming and Kentwood are hiring for the summer

March 15, 20163-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Our Cities, RecreationKentwood, maintenance, Parks and Recreation, seasonal help, summer help, Team 21, WyomingJoanne

Both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood are looking for seasonal help for a number of summer programs.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

The summer months are quickly approaching which means both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood are looking for seasonal workers for programs run through the individual muncipalties’ parks and recreation departments as well as additional maintenance help.

Both cities are currently accepting applications for seasonal work with positions ranging from umpiring to maintenance in various departments at wages between $9 to $15 an hour.

In the City of Wyoming, there are several positions. The city’s Water Department is looking for seasonal maintenance for a variety of tasks. The Department of Public Works is looking for a seasonal yard waste attendant and maintenance and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department is in need of seasonal maintenance workers along with umpires for softball and kickball.

The Parks and Recreation Department is also looking for T.E.A.M 21 group leaders for its summer program. T.E.A.M. 21 is a cooperative effort between the Parks and Recreation Department, Wyoming Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools. The program is designed to foster academic, social and emotional growth among students in kindergarten through ninth grade. Last year, the program served nearly 1,600 students in the four school districts. T.E.A.M. 21 group leaders would be responsible for supervising students, planning and implementing educational and recreational activities and mentoring.

Most of the City of Wyoming seasonal positions are part-time. Hours for the different positions vary and some do require weekends. For more information or to apply, visit the City of Wyoming’s website by clicking here.

The City of Kentwood is looking for maintenance workers, which is 40 hours per week and pays around $10 an hour.

Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department has several seasonal positions open as well including a farmers market manager and park attendant. The Kentwood Farmer’s Market usually runs Saturday mornings from about June to October.

The Parks and Recreation Department is also looking for Recreation Leaders and REACH staff. The REACH program is a drop-in program in three Kentwood Parks that provides recreational opportunities such as games, sports, and crafts, during the summer months. These positions pay around $10 to $15 per hour.

For more information or an employment application, visit the City of Kentwood’s website by clicking here.

Young Entrepreneurs Create Learning Marketplace

March 15, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Education, Kids ActivitiesEntrepreneurs, Erin Albanese, Godwin Heights, School News Network, T21 Marketplace, Team 21, West Godwin ElementaryJoanne

By: Erin Albanese – School News Network

West Godwin Elementary first- through fourth-grade students spent an evening working as mini-entrepreneurs at the T21 Marketplace, selling candy and other goodies, masks and chances to shoot hoops and bowl.

The event, hosted by the after-school program Team 21, introduced students to real-life concepts of buying and selling goods or services, said Betsy Berry, West Godwin Team 21 coordinator. While Berry purchased materials, students cooked, created their products, advertised and cashed out at the end of the evening. Each good or service cost one Berry Buck, fake money students had earned for good behavior.

“The purpose of learning about being a consumer as well as a producer was beyond achieved,” Berry said.

Connect

Team 21

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

Tri-Unity Christian moves on as Godwin Heights is sent packing; Girls prepare for State Quarterfinals

March 15, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys Regional, Girls Quarterfinal, Godwin Heights, High School Basketball, March Madness, Mike DeWitt, Regional, Regional Final, South Christian, State Semifinal, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

And then there was one. After a heartbreaking overtime loss, Godwin Heights was eliminated from the playoffs in the Regional Semifinal. The loss leaves one area boys team, Tri-Unity Christian, left in the tournament.

South Christian and Tri-Unity Christian are in action for the girls tonight in the State Quarterfinals.

Boys Recap

Class B – Regional Semifinals

Williamston – 57 (OT)
Godwin Heights – 55

The defending Class B State Champions weren’t going to go down easy. In fact, it took an extra stanza to outlast the Wolverines, but Williamston pushed through thanks to a 37 point performance from Riley Lewis.

Trailing by five entering the fourth quarter, Williamston was able to stifle Godwin Height’s potent offense and allow for the overtime period. Leon Redd notched 23 points for the Wolverines, but it wasn’t enough down the stretch.

With the loss, Godwin Heights’ season is in the the books. Over the past three years, the Wolverines have a stunning 71-6 record.

Class D – Regional Semifinals

Tri-Unity Christian – 52
Marcellus Howardsville – 38

After a high-scoring first quarter, Tri-Unity Christian put the clamps down on defense and propelled themselves to the Regional Final. The Defenders found themselves down 19-18 after the first eight minutes due to uncharacteristic defense.

Marcellus Howardsville could only muster 19 points the rest of the way.

Tri-Unity Christian evened out the scoring load with 12 points coming from Willie Otole and 10 each from Javi Cuevas and Braydon Sherrod.

The Defenders will play Benton Harbor Countryside for the Regional Final on Wednesday.

Girls Preview

Class B – State Quarterfinals

South Christian (23-2) vs Dearborn Heights Robichaud (18-6) – 7:oopm at Fowlerville

The Sailors sit three wins away from a State Championship, but they must get through Dearborn Heights Robichaud first.

The Bulldogs enter the quarterfinals having won Districts and Regionals for the first time in program history. They have also won 11 of their last 12. In those 11 victories, their average margin of victory is 21.5 points.

South Christian has only lost two games all season and knows how to close out games. Seniors Jennifer DeBoer and Markayla Vander lead a unit with their eyes on the ultimate prize.

Winner will play either Detroit Mumford or Detroit Country Day in the State Semifinal.

Class D – State Quarterfinals

Tri-Unity Christian (21-4) vs Pittsford (24-0) – 7:00pm at Springport

After capturing their first-ever Regional Title, Tri-Unity Christian prepares for their biggest task yet against No. 1 ranked Pittsford. The Wildcats have beaten their opponents this season by an average margin of almost 45 points.

The Defenders defense has been one of their calling cards all season, the team only gives up 37 points per game. The defense will need to be on point tonight for Tri-Unity to pull the upset.

Winner will face either Waterford Our Lady or Kingston on Thursday in the State Semifinal.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Results

Girls

Class A

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – L (46-88) Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

Terence Reuben: Running Inspired

March 14, 20163-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, WKTV ProjectsAlan Headbloom, Feel Like You Belong, Terence Reuben, WKTVJoanne

By: Alan Headbloom – Feel Like You Belong

Terence Reuben discusses discrimination and racial segregation growing up in Durban, South Africa. Rising above his Apartheid roots, he earned a physical therapy degree and landed a career an ocean away. At Metro Health Hospital, therapist Reuben helps patients recover from injuries. On weekends, triathlete Reuben pushes wheelchair “captains” over marathon courses and across finish lines.

Alan Headbloom hosts Feel Like You Belong, a show filmed at WKTV that is focused on sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States.

Godwin Heights and Tri-Unity Christian move on to Regionals

March 14, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys Regional, Girls Regional, Godwin Heights, High School Basketball, March Madness, Mike DeWitt, Regional, Regional Final, South Christian, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

Godwin Heights and Tri-Unity Christian added a District Championship to their already successful season on Friday night. Tonight, they both look to make a claim for a regional title.

Boys Recap (& Preview)

Class B – Regional Semifinals

Godwin Heights – 88

Kelloggsville – 46

The first two meeting between these two squads ended with Godwin Heights winning in dominating fashion. The third game was much of the same. The Wolverines were led by 20 points from Lamar Norman. By the end of the game, every single Wolverines scored.

Kelloggsville found themselves down 51-27 at halftime and never found a way to get the game any closer.

Godwin Heights will play Williamston in the Regional Semifinal tonight at 6:00pm. The game will be played at Eaton Rapids.

Class D – Regional Semifinals

Tri-Unity Christian – 61
Holland Calvary- 47

Tri-Unity Christian defended their District Title and also topped Holland Calvary for the third time this season.

The Defenders have a tough game tonight against Marcellus Howardsville (19-3) in the Regional Semifinal. The game will be played at 6:00pm at Portage Northern.

Girls Preview

Both South Christian and Tri-Unity Christian play in the State Quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Results

Girls

Class A

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – L (46-88) Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

South Christian and Tri-Unity Christian crowned as Regional Champions, Boys ready for District Finals

March 11, 20163-bottom, Sports, Upcoming EventsBoys Districts, district, District Semi Final, Girls Regional, Godwin Heights, High School Basketball, March Madness, Mike DeWitt, Regional, Regional Final, South Christian, Tri-Unity ChristianJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

South Christian and Tri-Unity Christian kept their seasons alive with Regional Championship victories. For Tri-Unity Christian, it’s the first time in program history.

On the boy’s side, three area teams have an opportunity at a District Championship.

Girls Recap

Class B

South Christian – 62
Portland – 49

Last season, South Christian found themselves in a precarious position. The team struggled relative to program expectations when they struggled to even make it out of districts. Fast forward a year later and things are back to normal as the Sailors wrapped up another Regional Championship with a win over Portland.

Markayla Vander scored 18 points and Jennifer DeBoer added another 17 in the win.

South Christian will play Dearborn Heights Robichaud in the State Quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Class D

Tri-Unity Christian – 58
Climax-Scotts – 46

For the first time in school history, Tri-Unity Christian can call themselves Regional Champions! The Defenders were led all season by Sarah Buffum, and this game was no different. Buffum scored 29 points, with most of her damage coming from the free throw line where she went 15 for 23, in the biggest win in program history.

After falling short last season, Tri-Unity Christian came in to 2016 with eyes dead-set on the next round. They now have that chance. The Defenders will play Pittsford on Tuesday.

Boys Preview

Class B

Godwin Heights (19-3) vs Kelloggsville (6-14) – 7:00pm at South Christian

Godwin Heights is looking for their 5th straight district championship. In two games this season, the Wolverines have outscored Kelloggsville by a score of 189-105.

Winner will face either Lansing Catholic or Williamston in the Regional Semifinal on Monday.

Class D

Tri-Unity Christian (16-5) vs. Holland Calvary (11-10) – 7:00pm at Holland Calvary

The Defenders are looking to repeat as district champions. Tri-Unity Christian and Holland Calvary have played twice this season, with Tri-Unity coming out on top in both contests. The combined score of those two games? 133-73.

Winner will face either Mendon or Marcellus Howardsville in the Regional Semifinal on Monday.

Wyoming-Kentwood Area Teams and Results

Girls

Class A

Wyoming
March 2
District Semifinal – W (53-47) Jenison
March 4
District Final – L (28-50) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights
February 29
District First Round – L (38-60) South Christian

Grand River Prep
March 2
District Semifinal – L (15-67) Wayland Union

Kelloggsville
March 2
District Semifinal – L (7-79) South Christian

Class D

Potter’s House
March 2
District Semifinal – W (62-55) West Michigan Lutheran
March 4
District Final – L (38-54) Tri-Unity Christian

West Michigan Lutheran
March 2
District Semifinal – L (55-62) Potter’s House

Boys

Class A

East Kentwood – District 5
March 7
District First Round – L (56-58) Ottawa Hills

Wyoming – District 6
March 7
District First Round – W (60-58) West Ottawa
March 9
District Semifinal – L (52-55 OT) Hudsonville

Class B

Godwin Heights – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-52) Wayland Union
March 9
District Semifinal – W (64-43) South Christian
March 11
District Final – Kelloggsville

Grand River Prep – District 48
March 7
District First Round – W (65-44) West Michigan Aviation Academy
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Kelloggsville

Kelloggsville – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Grand River Prep
March 11
District Final – Godwin Heights

South Christian – District 48
March 9
District Semifinal – L (43-64) Godwin Heights

West Michigan Aviation Academy – District 48
March 7
District First Round – L (44-65) Grand River Prep

Wyoming Lee – District 51
March 9
District Semifinal – L (24-70) Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Class D

Potter’s House – District 110
March 7
District First Round – W (81-6) West Michigan Lutheran
March 9
District Semifinal – L (60-65) Tri-Unity Christian

Tri-Unity Christian – District 110
March 9
District Semifinal – W (65-60) Potter’s House
March 11
District Final – Holland Calvary

West Michigan Lutheran – District 110
March 7
District First Round – L (6-81) Potter’s House

A boy and his book: Michigan author William Anderson shares his love for Laura Ingalls Wilder

March 11, 20163-bottom, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Upcoming EventsLaura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie, Schuler Books, William AndersonJoanne

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Like many students, William Anderson first was exposed to the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder through school.

“For me, like many American kids, it started in elementary school,” said Anderson who will be discussing his latest book “The Select Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder” at Schuler Books & Music March 15. “In those schools, especially the upper elementaries, it wasn’t uncommon for a teacher to read a book to the class. Wilder’s books were popular because she offered a very good window into frontier life.”

Born Feb. 7, 1867, as Laura Ingalls – she later married Almanzo Wilder – Wilder is known as the author of the classic “Little House on the Prairie” series which are based on her childhood memories as a settler family from 1932 to 1943. In the 1970s, a televisions series “Little House on the Prairie,” was loosely based on the books starring Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls and Michael Landon as her father, Charles Ingalls.

With a shift of school goals over the years, the practice of teachers reading to their classes has somewhat disappeared, but the books have remained popular having never gone out of print since first being released in 1932. There have been numerous authors, including Anderson, who have written on Wilder’s life and times. Anderson has done a travel book on Wilder’s homes as well as picture books on her life. Earlier this year, it was announced that a “Little House on the Prairie” movie was being discussed.

“She certainly has staying power,” Anderson said. “It is a topic that people like and enjoy.”

Wilder was, and still remains an American icon, with communities naming facilities after her and in fact the first to do so was Detroit. The Detroit Public Library Wilder Branch, which was dedicated in 1949, still exists today.

In fact, in his new book “The Selected Letters,” Anderson said he selected many letters that had strong Michigan ties. Some came from the cities of Kalamazoo, East Jordan, and Mt. Pleasant. Michigan schools were one of the school systems that had adopted Wilder’s books and used them heavily in its curriculum, Anderson said.

“Wilder often credited the librarians for the popularity of her books,” Anderson said. “When the books were released in the thirties and forties, they were immediately adopted by teachers and librarians.”

Wilder also was dedicated to responding to every letter she received which means there is a lot of correspondence from Wilder – much of it is housed at the Hoover Public Library – available to pull from. “There are still letters being found,” Anderson said, adding that this is happening as people clean out old family homes.

While it might seem like a Herculean task to decide which of the 500 to 600 letters to include in a book, Anderson said he spent his time focused on what would tell the story of Wilder.

The book, “The Selected Letters,” is Anderson’s swan song, said the author, who has written about Mark Twain, Mt. Rushmore and the VonTrapp family and is currently working on other projects. He said while the author helped launch his career into writing about unique American icons, he feels he has pretty much covered the gamut of Wilder’s life and travels.

“It’s time to let other people find different spins on her story and life, if there are any left,” Anderson said.

Anderson is set to present his book “The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder” March 15 at 7 p.m. at Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE. For more information, visit www.SchulerBooks.com or call 616-942-2561.

History! Unity! Camaraderie! César E. Chávez Social Justice Activities planned for March 17

March 10, 20163-bottom, Beer, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Politics, Upcoming Eventscesar chavez, cesar chavez day, civil rights, Community Awareness, edge urban fellowship, festivities, march, march 17, march 31, unity luncheonJoanne

By Victoria Mullen
victoria@wktv.org

When César Chávez was 11 years old, his family’s home was lost after his father made a deal to clear 80 acres of land in exchange for the deed to the house. The agreement was broken, and when Chavez’s father tried to buy the house, he could not pay the interest on the loan and the house was sold back to its original owner. It was the Great Depression, and Chávez and his family were forced to became migrant farm workers. The family would pick peas and lettuce in the winter, cherries and beans in the spring, corn and grapes in the summer, and cotton in the fall.

Chávez worked in the fields until 1952, when he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization (CSO), a Latino civil rights group. Chávez urged Mexican Americans to register and vote, and he traveled throughout California and made speeches in support of workers’ rights. In 1958, he became CSO’s national director.

Dedicating his life to workers’ rights, empowerment of the poor and disenfranchised, civil rights, economic justice,
environmental justice and peace, Chávez always used non-violent methods to further his causes. He organized strikes and boycotts, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers union, UFW) along with Dolores Huerta, and undertook a number of fasts.

After his death, Chávez became a major historical icon for the Latino community. Many streets, schools and parks are named after him. He has since become an icon for organized labor and leftist politics, symbolizing support for Hispanic empowerment and for workers based on grassroots organizing. Barack Obama adopted Chávez’s slogan, “Sí, se puede” (Spanish for “Yes, one can” or, roughly, “Yes, it can be done”), as his 2008 presidential campaign slogan.

Each year across the country, César Chávez Day brings together hundreds of thousands who participate in celebrations, service and learning projects, and other activities that further Chávez’s many causes. Michigan is among the eight states that observe the holiday.

César Chávez National Holiday was established by Los Angeles volunteers who organized and led the effort in California. The legal holiday bill was signed into law on August 18, 2000. The holiday is celebrated in California on César E. Chávez’s birthday March 31st. This marked the first time that a labor leader or Latino has been honored with a public legal holiday.

In Grand Rapids, the Committee to Honor César Chávez plans several events throughout the year to honor the best-known Latino American hero, and the festivities begin March 17 when, at 11 am, the César E. Chávez Social Justice March begins at The Potters House School, corner of Grandville Ave. SW and Van Raalte Dr. SW. Participants will march north on Grandville to The Edge Urban Fellowship.

A Community Gathering follows at 11:30 am at The Edge Urban Fellowship, 735 Ritzema Ct. SW in Grand Rapids. Lead Pastor “PT” Troy Evans will officiate.

The festivities culminate in a luncheon at 1 pm at the Maya Mexican Grill, 1020 28^th St. SW, Wyo
ming. The 2016 César E. Chávez Unity Luncheon will congratulate and welcome new Grand Rapids mayor, Rosalynn Bliss; and students from elementary to university level will showcase their musical talent and leadership abilities with special music, poetry and presentations. There will be a special tribute to Kathleen Straus, member of the State Board of Education, who has fought discrimination and worked to build bridges between races, religious and ethnic groups, and to promote social justice and education. A $25 donation per person is requested.

For more info about the march, community gathering and luncheon, go here. For a list of upcoming events, go here.

Deadpool Review: Hard-R Superhero Romance for the win!

March 10, 20163-bottom, Editorial, Movie ReviewBrett Wiesenauer, Deadpool, In Theaters Now, marvel comics, SuperherosJoanne

Superhero movies have been in a bit of a creative slump. Marvel Studios has created the new standard in the post-Chris Nolan years of superhero adventures, for better or worse. But with a record five Marvel properties receiving a theatrical outing in 2014, it has been postulated that the formula Marvel has imprinted on each of the entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is growing stale in the over-saturation of such films released each year.

Thank goodness for Ryan Reynolds and company convincing Fox to up the ante by making the first R-rated Marvel movie. This is a unique step for a company that has been making the X-MEN movies, the most consistently challenging and socially conscious series based on Marvel properties.

With Deadpool, the socially conscious moralizing is tossed out as soon as the opening credits roll. Set to Juice Newton’s “Angel of the Morning,” the opening showcases the carnage Mr. Pool is most ready to indulge in, including torturing bad guys with cigarette lighters and atomic wedgies. This opening really conveys all the gleefully subversive brutality one will find in the feature to follow. But the whole of the movie is not just decapitated heads and one-liners, oh no. This flick is also a romance movie, the posters were not lying.

That’s right, a key plot of this movie revolves around the smart-mouthed mercenary attempting to reconnect with his fiancée, while also hunting down his nemesis, Francis. The romance is introduced after the initial opening action scene in a flashback to Wade Wilson’s life pre-red costume. Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a low-rent mercenary who meets an equally acerbic escort, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), at his favorite dive and strikes up a romantic interlude, complete with things I cannot mention in this review due to decency standards, but all things aside, it is hilarious, provided you like joy.

Unfortunately, the twosome’s romance was cut short by that mood-killer of a diagnosis, cancer. At his wits’ end, Wilson leaves his girl in the teary rain and signs up for an experimental program that will give him superpowers while curing his cancer. But there is a cost – his personal freedom. Driven bonkers by his treatment at the hands of the vicious Francis (Ed Skrein) and his cool-as-ice assistant, Angel Dust (Gina Carano), Wilson adopts the persona of Deadpool to track down his nemesis with the aid of his bartender pal Weasel and a couple of X-Men who show up to critique Deadpool’s violent, anarchic methods. Along the way, he works himself into getting enough courage to visit his old flame and hopefully rekindle their kinky escapades.

The flick revels in tapping into childish exploitations of brutality and smugness that could easily backfire, as some disappointed audiences noted in reviews on various social medias, including Letterboxd, the social media for film lovers. To be fair, most of those critics likely had no idea what they were in for.

Deadpool has a history of subversive cultural savviness that frequently pokes fun at anything and everything – think South Park style. While the film does consider itself a superhero movie, it really is a fascinating hybrid of all sorts of genres: romantic comedy, action thriller, gross-out comedy, and superhero movie. The tone is still playfully anarchic, with star Reynolds as the titular anti-hero pointedly breaking the rules of movies constantly, looking to the audience, making smart comments, and cuttingly criticizing the studio that unwittingly gave Reynolds and the writers free rein to make the movie that Deadpool fans deserve, for better or worse.

The character of Deadpool originated as a straight-laced satire of 1980s and 90s action movie stereotypes, continuing this way until around 2004, when Marvel Comics executives chose to heavily exaggerate the already over-the-top cultural references and invincible self-awareness. While his escapades have attracted an audience of devoted followers, his character has not always received proper mainstream treatment. The 2009 film X-MEN Origins:Wolverine did include Ryan Reynolds as the pre-weaponized Wade Wilson, but in the third act decided it would be best to sew Deadpool’s mouth shut and turn him into the strange love-child of Frankenstein’s monster and the Abomination from Incredible Hulk comics. To put it mildly, fans were very displeased with the film, especially its treatment of the beloved ‘Merc with a Mouth’.

What should be taken away from this review is that Deadpool is a breath of fresh immaturity that comic book movies have been lacking. The pace is frenetic, the romance is cute and pleasing, the action is over-the-top and fun, and Ryan Reynolds has finally found a property to showcase his talents. It is a good time to be a fan of comic books and their adaptations…for now.

Denise Kolesar: Wife, Mother, Fire Baton Twirler

March 10, 20163-bottom, Local Entertainment, Local FacesDenise Kolesar, Sabo PR, Tom Rademacher, Women's ExpoJoanne

Denise Kohler-Kolesar

By Tom Rademacher

For nearly 20 years, Denise Kohler-Kolesar of Kohler Expos has been following a magic formula of connecting with people on a personal level. This mantra endears her to legions of businesses and individuals eager to showcase their products and services at any one of eight expos Denise and husband, Brian, stage in Lansing and Grand Rapids.

And constantly seeking signs from above doesn’t hurt, either.

“Every big decision I make, I pray about it,” says Denise, “and if I don’t get an answer, I don’t do it.”

Such faith was instilled in her as a child, growing up the fifth of eight children raised by Bernard and Mary Kohler in the Eastern Michigan town of North Branch.

“My dad was in the insurance business, and later served as mayor, then owned other businesses with his brothers – a grocery store, car wash, movie theaters. And there was an intentional concept – to employ their children so they always had a job.”

In fact, Denise remembers being responsible for her own expenses as far back as the fourth grade, when she started pitching in to earn her way. “There was work if you wanted it, and if you didn’t work, you didn’t get anything.”

That work ethic stuck. So, too, did a penchant for serving others. And it began close to home, and at an early age.

“My father had a heart attack at 37, and later a stroke, so I became his right-hand person. I was expected to open the insurance office, and I’d visit him bedside in the evening to find out what to do the next day.”

Bernard continued to serve his community as county commissioner, even while partially paralyzed. Denise’s challenges were compounded when her mother contracted cancer. For five years, she and her siblings – now grown and scattered throughout four states – rotated to spend time at the homestead, caring for their parents. They died 12 weeks apart.

To this day, they serve as her greatest role models and mentors, because they handed down to her the value not only of hard work, but the rewarding ripple effects that emanate from investing in people.

“Contributing to community has always been a part of my life,” Denise says, “helping to make things happen for others.”

In high school, she was the over-achiever who scored reasonable grades and also served as cheerleader and drum major, mastering the art of twirling batons while they were on fire. “One of these days, I have to haul those batons out,” she says. “I think I’ve still got ‘em.”

Denise admits she was a goody two-shoes during her schooldays, and that meant standing up to bullies. “I would have never stood on the sidelines if someone was being teased,” she says. “I’m not a big person – I stand but 5 foot – but I didn’t care. I stood up to people.”

She stands up for her country as well. “I used to make our kids say the Pledge of Allegiance before school, and because the neighbor kids gathered on our porch in the morning, they said it, too.”

After graduating North Branch High School in 1979, Denise freelanced as a court reporter for two years. At one point, her work ethic nearly did her in. “I worked on my wedding day,” she says. “A firm needed me, and I couldn’t say no. I worked in my wedding dress. And for those two years, I worked 90 hours a week.”

Mercifully, she left that job and signed on with John Loeks, serving as his personal assistant, learning the movie theater and trade show business.

It was prayer that convinced her to start her own business in 1998 – Kohler Expos – involving her husband, Brian Kolesar, as partner. Their first venture together was a Women’s Expo in Lansing. Over time, they’ve extended their reach through a total of eight annual shows – two Women’s Expos, three Bridal Shows, a Kids & Family Expo, and a pair of West Michigan Mom’s Sales that debut in Grand Rapids each spring and fall.

Preparing for those eight dates is a year-long task that requires complicated networking and precision planning. And being consumed by a quest for perfection, Denise is constantly seeking ways to improve the shows and its offerings.

In what little spare time she has, Denise enjoys spending time with family at the home in North Branch, now owned by a sister who keeps a bedroom intact for everyone who ventures back for visits.

She and Brian also own an 80-acre farm just outside the town where she grew up, and it boasts a barn refurbished by Amish craftsmen that now serves them as a country getaway. She calls it their “Babin,” because it’s “part barn, part cabin.”

These days, though, she’s attending to the upcoming Women’s Expo in Grand Rapids, set for March 11-13 at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. The Spring Bridal Show runs concurrently at the same location March 12-13.

For a full slate of offerings at both – and a closer look at the other shows featured throughout the year – visit KohlerExpo.com.

And keep your eyes peeled for a diminutive woman throwing flames. “I was really something in the dark,” she says with a laugh – “twirling that baton on fire, marching with folks who had flashlights taped to their ankles.”

This story is reprinted with permission from SaboPR.

After 31 years, Thom Vander Klay and the Wyoming Wolves are still making history

March 7, 20163-bottom, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, SportsBob Henning, Brendan Berg, Edwin Martinez, Mike DeWitt, Thom Vander Klay, Wolves, Wyoming Basketball, Wyoming Park, Wyoming Rogers, Wyoming Wolves, Zach MannJoanne

WyomingBBall4 — Coach Vander Klay giving his team direction

By: Mike DeWitt
Mike.DeWitt@wktv.org

Ten minutes before practice starts and not a voice is heard. The only sounds coming from the Wyoming High School gym are the hard dribbles of basketballs and the sweet sound of the ball touching nylon. Eventually, a word is spoken to put an end to the verbal silence, “Ball!”

It’s all about efficiency. Not a second is wasted.

When you close your eyes and focus solely on the sounds coming from a team’s practice, an accurate picture on the team’s identity begins to take form. After 31 years, Wyoming Head Coach Thom Vander Klay has a keen sense on how his team operates.

“This team is quiet and constantly thinking,” described Vander Klay. “While they may be quiet, they’re extremely aggressive and confident. It’s a quiet confidence, but it’s definitely there. It’s a healthy confidence that doesn’t spill over into being cocky.”

That quiet confidence is taken directly from their head coach. Throughout practice, Vander Klay takes a backseat as players organize themselves into drills for the day. He trusts his system and his players to waste no time getting as many reps in as possible. When a teaching moment is available, the coach steps in with the knowledge and passion that easily commands a room.

“He instilled a very good work ethic, not only in basketball, but in life,” said former player Bob Henning, who played JV ball for Vander Klay at Wyoming Park in 1992. “He never took it easy, not even during the off-season. He taught you that you have to work to get the things you want in life.”

There’s a reason Vander Klay was voted the best basketball coach in Grand Rapids.

Coach Vander Klay has pretty much seen it all in his time roaming the sidelines. He remembers a time when the three-point shot was considered a wasted possession. He coached the JV basketball team at Wyoming Park for 10 years before taking over as the Varsity coach. When Wyoming Park and Rogers merged into what is now Wyoming High School, Vander Klay took the reins of the basketball program and the new challenge of merging red and blue.

“When we merged, we had to rid of everything red and blue. It had to be purple everything,” remembered Vander Klay. The merge has been successful and the student section even hosts “throwback” games where students wear the old uniforms from Park and Rogers. “There’s no more animosity. We’re all wolves.”

For the seniors, the first four-year class to go through Wyoming High School, being a “wolf” is all they know and it’s not something they take lightly.

“It has been pretty special to see how the sports evolved from when everyone was a rival,” explained senior Edwin Martinez looking back on his four years. “It feels great to be a part of the history of the school.”

“We became more of a family,” added senior Brendan Berg.

While the class of 2016 has a lot of history to their name just for entering Wyoming High School at the right time, they have also earned some special history on the court as well. Wyoming has had some extremely talented teams in the past – twice finishing second in the conference – but this season the Wolves were finally able to bring home the O-K Bronze Conference crown.

“Winning that first conference championship for Wyoming [boys basketball] is something we’ve talked about,” Coach Vander Klay said. “It was unfinished business after taking home two second-place finishes [2015 and 2014] and one third-place finish [2013].”

The importance of adding a historical first to a coach with such a prestigious record isn’t lost on the players either. After winning seven conference championships at Wyoming Park, Coach Vander Klay has kept the winning tradition alive at Wyoming.

“It’s very cool to be the first team at Wyoming to win a championship under Coach Vander Klay,” exclaimed senior Zach Mann.

While some coaches may experience burnout after 31 years, Vander Klay, a graduate and former player at Wyoming Park, continues to live his dream, “I just love it. It’s my hobby and something that I personally like to do. I enjoy the kids.”

Update – In the District Semi-Final on Wednesday night, Wyoming fell to Hudsonville 55-52 in overtime. The Wolves came back from down 15-points in the final quarter to force OT.