By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Emergency medical staff from Trinity Health Michigan photographed removing masks following an announcement that many local hospitals would be relaxing their mask requirements for employees, patients and visitors. (Courtesy, Trinity Health Michigan)
Starting today, many area health organizations are taking the masks off.
University of Michigan Health-West and Corewell Health have announced masks will be optional in most areas starting today with Trinity Health Michigan starting optional mask wearing on Monday, April 17.
For the facilities, the decision was made after reviewing recent COVID-19 medical data, and much considerations and conversations with leaders at other health systems. The move comes as the number of COVID-19 infections in West Michigan continues to decrease, and many community members have some level of immunity from immunization or prior infection.
University of Michigan Health-West
Patients and visitors will not be required to wear masks in UMH-West facilities except when they are seeking medical care for respiratory symptoms of COVID-19, visiting patients in precautions for COVID-19, or if a household contact has COVID-19. The discontinuation of the mask mandate applies to both inpatient areas and ambulatory centers.
There are several situations in which healthcare team members will be required to continue masking, including interacting with patients who have an immunodeficiency, who have received a transplant, residing in long-term care facilities, have an acute respiratory illness, or who request the healthcare team to wear a mask.
“After more than three years since the pandemic changed our lives in many ways, we want to thank all of our patients, their families, and our staff members for their commitment to keeping each other safe by masking every day. The decision to discontinue the mask mandate is in recognition of the low number of COVID-19 patients and the immunity level of many community members,” said Dr. Ronald Grifka, Chief Medical Officer at UMH-West.
The UMH-West leadership team encourages everyone to continue to practice good hygiene habits, including covering coughs and sneezes and handwashing. Additionally, the hospital system continues to monitor COVID-19 cases closely and will take appropriate measures as needed to protect the health and safety of its patients, visitors, and staff members.
Trinity Health Michigan
Starting on April 17, there will be optional masking for patients, visitors and colleagues at hospitals, outpatient facilities, home health, and physical offices, except for senior living communities.
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
As of Thursday, April 13, employees and visitors are no longer required to wear a mask except in 24/7 patient care settings and specialty care units. Patients will continue to be screened/tested for COVID-19 at admission and are not required to mask unless endorsing symptoms f illness or diagnosed with COVID-19 infection.
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation
Starting today, masking is recommended but optional for patients, visitor and clinical teams at the Grand Rapids hospital campus, West Michigan outpatient locations, and Mary Free Bed Orthotics and Prosthetic+Bionics locations. The Mary Free Bed Sub-Acute Rehabilitation program will continue to require masks for patients, visitors and staff.
Trinity Health Michigan does have a list of what health organizations are doing. To see that list, click here.
What do former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer and current Kent County Health Department’s Administrative Health Officer Dr. Adam London have in common?
Both have seen first-hand the dangers of political polarization in today’s society. Both will be offering West Michigan Perspectives on Political Violence as speakers at the Progressive/Conservative Summit 2023 presented by Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University.
The Hauenstein Center event, presented as part of its Common Ground Initiative, will take place Wednesday, April 19, from 2-8 p.m. at GVSU’s Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public but reservations are required and available here.
Meijer and London will talk on their experiences as leaders working in our current divisive sociopolitical world, and likely the costs they paid for their actions on political flashpoint issues. Meijer, who was one of a few Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump, lost his his re-election bid for the Michigan 3rd Congressional District, which was won by Democrat Hillary Scholten. London received repeated verbal attacks and even personal threats for his department’s handling of COVID-19 restrictions.
Kent County Health Department’s Administrative Health Officer Dr. Adam London
“We believe that all elected, appointed, and professional government officials at all levels of government should be able to carry out their duties without threat of violence against themselves or their friends, families, and colleagues,” said Kahler Sweeney, Common Ground Initiative program manager. “While we all have public servants who we disagree with, we must advocate against violence as a means of political action.
“By sharing the stories of these elected officials, we hope to showcase the harm that political violence has on our political system and learn what can be done to promote a politics of nonviolence.”
In addition to Meijer and London, other speakers at the event include Professor Javed Ali, former Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent and former Michigan State Rep. David LaGrand.
“Of course, there is the political divide we are all familiar with, that between Democrats and Republicans, progressivism and conservatism, but we also recognize the diversity of ideologies that our speakers and audience represent,” Sweeney said. “This event will offer insight on the topic of political polarization and political violence from various viewpoints, including practitioners and scholars, Democrats and Republicans, and a diversity of lived experiences.”
Schedule of speakers/topics/events
2-3 p.m. — Contemporary Political Violence & New Policy Approaches with Professor Javed Ali
3:30-4:30 p.m. — Public Service in Polarized Times with former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) (virtual) and former State Rep. David LaGrand (D-MI)
4:30-6 p.m.— Reception with hors d’oeuvres and beverages
6-7:30 p.m. — West Michigan Perspectives on Political Violence with former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) and Dr. Adam London
7:30-8:15 p.m. — Community conversations and dessert
Virtual attendance available
To attend a digital alternative for the summit visit gvsu.edu/hc for the livestream that starts about 30 minutes before the event or join via a zoom link, which is provided in the confirmation email after registering.
The Common Ground Initiative, according to its website, reinforces the Hauenstein Center’s mission to “raise up a new generation of men and women committed to the ethical, effective leadership and public service that Ralph W. Hauenstein exemplified throughout his life.”
The 62-B District Court is inviting community members to celebrate Law Day 2023 with a free community event May 1.
The Law Day event will take place 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE. It will kick off with a meet and greet, followed by a panel discussion, Q&A session and closing remarks. Refreshments will be provided.
Panelists will include:
62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg
City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley
City of Kentwood City Commissioner Ron Draayer
Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Kourtney Stone
Kent County Office of the Defender Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy
The panel will be moderated by 62-B District Court Administrator/Magistrate Michele White. Panelists will take questions from event attendees and discuss rebuilding trust in legal institutions and how the public, their elected officials and the branches of government can collaborate to address various challenges faced by the nation, such as a lack of affordable housing, the recent increase in assaultive offenses and racial disparities in the justice system.
This year’s Law Day event theme is Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration. Students wishing to participate are encouraged to create a short video, poem, art piece or written question relating to the event theme that may be selected for panel discussion.
Student entries are due by April 17 and will be displayed in the courthouse during the Law Day celebration. Submissions can be attached to the registration form or dropped off in person at the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Pre-registration is required for the event. A registration form and additional event details can be found at kentwood.us/LawDay.
Law Day, established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is a national observance celebrated each year on May 1. The holiday celebrates the role of the law in our society and cultivates a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
The City of Kentwood and local orthotic and prosthetic care provider Hanger Clinic are again partnering to host the fifth annual Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K on Saturday, April 29 in honor of Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.
The all-ages, all-abilities event will begin with packet pickup at 9 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE, followed by a Show Your Mettle photo at 9:45 a.m. The race, which begins at 10 a.m., will include a new route this year that will take runners through Veteran’s Memorial Park and part of the East West Trail.
The race seeks to increase awareness of limb loss and limb difference, build community and raise funds for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs. These programs provide quality recreation and enrichment programs for people of all abilities and offer opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in athletic activities in an adapted way to allow for a safe, fun experience.
“Our Limb Loss Awareness 5K is focused on inclusivity, awareness, relationships and making a difference in our local community,” said Katelyn Bush, Kentwood recreation program coordinator. “We’re honored to host this event alongside Hanger Clinic and are thrilled about its growing popularity since the first one in 2018.”
Register today
Online registration is available at RunSignUp.com. Registration is $35 through April 28 and $45 on race day. Participants will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt and swag bag as part of their registration. To guarantee a shirt, please be sure to register by April 14. Packet pickup will be available at the event and in advance at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, during business hours beginning Thursday, April 27.
Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Four first-place awards will be given to the first adult men and women amputees and nonamputees who cross the finish line. The event is set to conclude at 1 p.m.
The kid-friendly event will also include a fun run for ages 12 and younger at 11 a.m. in the park. The kids race costs $10 per child and includes a T-shirt and finisher ribbon. There also is a Family Fun area with yard games, chalk and more for all ages to enjoy.
Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
This year’s event will feature two speakers: Kelly Allen and RJ Myler.
Allen was born missing a femur, tibia and patella and with a hip that is not fully developed on her left side due to a limb difference called proximal femoral focal deficiency. She was fit for her first prosthetic at just 3 months old.
She was born into a family of athletes, but there was not an adaptive sports community near her home. So, she competed in able-bodied sports, working hard to keep up with her peers on the field and court. In 2006, her prosthetist introduced her to the Extremity Games, an extreme sport competition for athletes with disabilities. This was her first introduction to adaptive sports, and it had a big impact on her view of her disability.
“In a flash, I went from being the only person I knew with a prosthetic leg to being surrounded by people who shared similar life experiences to me,” Allen said. “I walked away from this event with a second-place medal in rock climbing and with a new sense of belonging and pride in my disability.”
Allen’s love of sports and participation in adaptive recreation took her many places. She trained and competed in adaptive skiing in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. While recovering from a ski injury, she was introduced to paracanoe and became a paralympic kayaker, representing the U.S. on the world stage for 10 years in Hungary, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Brazil.
Myler experienced a workplace accident that led to his left leg being amputated from the hip down in June 2022. Due to the accident, he suffered a broken left femur and humerus, a broken pelvis, two broken hips, a fractured right femur, tibia and fibula, a fractured heel and a severely dislocated right knee that tore all four major ligaments. Upon waking up on a ventilator and finding his left leg amputated, Myler knew he had a long road to recovery ahead.
He spent three months at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital rebuilding strength in his right leg and preparing to use a prosthetic limb. During this time, he said it was hard to focus on the bright side of his new life when he was often faced with thoughts of activities he would no longer be able to do.
A supportive community made all the difference for Myler.
“Fortunately, I have an amazing wife, family, friends and neighbors who rallied behind me and gave me something to fight for,” Myler said. “I knew I wasn’t alone in this.”
“I hope others read this and know help is always available to those who ask.”
Myler returned home from the hospital in October, was fit with his first prosthetic leg at Hanger Clinic in December, and recently returned to work as a dispatcher, where he enjoys encouraging others to approach life with a positive mindset.
Radio personality Phil Tower will DJ the event
Phil Tower, a West Michigan radio personality, amputee and advocate for people with disabilities, will serve as the event’s DJ. Tower has more than 40 years of broadcasting experience and a background in higher education and talent coaching.
Along with the race, there will be activities and educational opportunities to raise awareness about limb loss and limb difference. These resources will help participants and attendees learn more about amputation, prosthetics and orthotics as well as connect individuals who have experienced limb loss or limb difference and to build relationships. Several informational booths from various sponsors also will be at the event.
Last year’s Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Sponsors include Corewell Health, Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics, Buist Electric, Green Shield Deck Builders, Life Beyond Barriers Rehabilitation Group, College Park, Metronet, Muskegon Surgical Associates, Summit Labs LLC, Amazon, Foot and Ankle Specialists and Willow Wood.
“We have a vibrant, supportive community for people experiencing limb loss and limb difference in West Michigan as well as many local resources,” said Nikki Stoner, Hanger Clinic care coordinator and a lower limb amputee herself. “This event gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and let individuals know they aren’t in this alone – we’re here to help.”
Volunteers are needed for the event. Those interested may sign up at RunSignUp.com.
More information on the Hanger Limb Loss Awareness 5K is available at kentwood.us/LimbLoss5K.
All profits from the event will go toward improving and expanding the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all. The programs – offered in collaboration with community partners – enable participants to enjoy the benefits that come with any athletic or recreational activity, such as a sense of camaraderie, improved confidence and new skills. For more on the City of Kentwood’s adaptive recreation programs, visit kentwood.us/adaptive.
The City of Kentwood will once again honor Arbor Day with a tree planting and celebration, which will include a free tree seedling giveaway.
Residents of all ages are invited to join Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration at noon Friday, April 28 at Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE. The event will begin at noon with an Arbor Day proclamation, followed by a tree planting and guided tree identification walk in the park. Complimentary refreshments also will be provided.
Arbor Day is an annual observance held each spring to recognize the impact of trees in the community and encourage tree planting.
“Healthy tree populations provide not just beauty to our city, but create a cleaner environment for us all,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “Our Arbor Day Celebration allows us to connect with community members and work together to improve and maintain our city’s tree canopy for the enjoyment and benefit now and for future generations.”
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley at last year’s Arbor Day event. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Residents can pick up free red maple, red cedar or white pine tree seedlings at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE ahead of the celebration. The seedlings will be available during business hours Tuesday, April 25 through Friday, April 28 while supplies last.
Community members can check on tree seedling availability by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270. The Kentwood Activities Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
Residents are invited to share a photo of their planted seedling on social media using the hashtag #GreeningKentwood. More information about Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration can be found at kentwood.us/ArborDay.
Last year’s Arbor Day community event in Kentwood. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Railtown Brewing Company, 3595 68th St. SE, held a fundraiser through March where a portion of the proceeds from every Bike Ride Blonde ale purchased went towards supporting the planting of trees in Kentwood for Arbor Day.
For community members who are looking for more ways to get involved beyond Arbor Day are invited to join the Kentwood Park Stewards, an environmentally focused program that helps preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces. More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.
This Thursday and Saturday, Wyoming City officials will be interviewing four candidates for the city manager position.
About 48 municipal leaders from around the country applied for the position following the retirement of former City Manager Curtis Holt in February after 27 years of service. The City Council narrowed the number down to four for interviews.
The City Council will host those candidate interviews Thursday, April 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, in the Council Chambers.
Candidates for the position include:
Jen DeHaan
Jen DeHaan, who currently serves as the assistant township manager/superintendent of Plainfield Charter Township and as the executive director of the Kent County Dispatch Authority both since 2018. DeHaan also has prior experience in Michigan serving as deputy county administrator for Grand Traverse County and as a management analyst for Kent County. DeHaan started her career as an intern for the City of Wyoming.
John McCarter
John McCarter, who currently serves as interim city manager for the City of Wyoming. McCarter has served as Wyoming’s deputy city manager since March 2021. Prior to that, he served in several roles as interim finance director, assistant finance director and budget and procurement manager for the City of Pearland, Texas. Prior Michigan experience also includes serving as a management analyst for the City of Novi.
Mark Meyers
Mark Meyers, who currently serves as the city administrator for the City of Norton Shores since May 2004. Prior to that, he served as the director of administrative services/assistant to the city administrator since beginning work in Norton Shores in 1995. Meyers also worked in Michigan as an assistant city manager for the City of Grand Haven from March 1992 to May 1995.
John Shay
John Shay, who most recently served as county administrator for Ottawa County from August 2021 to January 2023. Shay also served as deputy county administrator from July 2018 to August 2021. Additional Michigan experience includes serving the City of Ludington as city manager from February 2003 to July 2018, and prior to that was the village manager of Almont from August 1998 to January 2003.
Baker Tilly, an executive recruitment firm, is overseeing the search process. Baker Tilly has provided candidate application materials to the city manager search subcommittee comprised of Mayor Kent Vanderwood, Mayor Pro-Tem Rob Postema and 2nd Ward Councilmember Marissa Postler.
The Council hopes to fill the position based on the interviews held on April 13 and 15. Candidates’ resumes are available upon request. Interviews are open to the public.
The City Council hopes to have a new city manager selected and an employment agreement approved by the end of May 2023.
Michigan’s state flag is based on the state’s 1835 coat of arms. Credit: State of Michigan
LANSING – Step out onto your front porch and count how many state flags you see flying in the wind.
For many Michigan residents, the answer is likely zero, even at homes that proudly display the U.S. flag or a flag affiliated with their favorite college sports team.
That’s a problem, according to state Rep. Phil Skaggs, D-East Grand Rapids – and one that he hopes can be addressed with a new design.
“Michigan is a unique and special state, and we need to have a flag that itself is unique and special so that we can rally behind it,” said Skaggs, whose district includes the City of Kentwood. “A good flag with strong symbolism that’s meaningful to people creates a common sense of purpose. That’s something that we need in Michigan right now.”
Flag is Just a ‘Seal-on-a-bedsheet’
State Rep. Phil Skaggs
The heart of the issue is that there is nothing that makes the current flag – which consists of the state coat of arms set against a plain blue background – stand out, Skaggs said.
“The current flag harkens back to 150 years ago when most state flags were simply what are called SOB flags: seal-on-a-bedsheet,” Skaggs said. “The seal on our flag makes sense as a seal, when it’s on a piece of paper or a podium, but it doesn’t make sense as a flag that’s flying at a distance.”
Michigan’s coat of arms dates back to 1835, according to the Michigan Department of State, and features a shield held by an elk and a moose. It includes the Latin phrases “Tuebor,” meaning “I will defend,” and “Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice,” meaning “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” It also includes the national motto “e pluribus unum” which means “out of many, one.”
Key to a Good Flag: Simplicity
Skaggs intends to introduce a bill at the end of April to coincide with the current flag’s anniversary.
It would create a commission to create a design for the Legislature to vote on after taking public input and working with design experts.
There are five characteristics of a good flag, according to a 16-page guide: “Good” Flag, “Bad” Flag. The guide pulls from the expertise of 20 vexillologists (people who study flags) and vexillographers (people who design flags).
Those five elements are: simplicity, with the flag being simple enough for an elementary school child to draw it from memory; using only a few colors, preferably two or three that contrast with each other; including meaningful symbolism through images, colors and patterns; not using lettering or seals; and being distinctive enough to stand out from other state flags.
The flags of the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Togo and South Africa follow these rules, Skagg said.
Creating a Sense of Connection
People often don’t feel a sense of connection to the flag or view it as something they identify with, as evidenced by the lack of residents embracing the current design, Skaggs said.
“One of the ways that you can tell the flag lacks meaningfulness for Michigan citizens is that you rarely see it flown at a house, or on someone’s backpack, or their water bottle,” he said. “If you go to Chicago, you see that Chicago city flag everywhere, and it creates an incredible sense of civic pride. We just don’t see that in Michigan with our current flag.”
Skaggs said other states with ineffective flags are also beginning to change. Illinois, Massachusetts and Minnesota all have active or planned legislation to change the design of their state flags.
And Utah recently approved a new flag design, which Skaggs said “changes it from a very basic seal-on-a-bedsheet flag to one that really has meaningful symbolism for that state.”
It features a jagged white ribbon in the middle, representing snowy mountains, cutting into red rocks at the bottom and a blue sky at the top. In the center, there is a beehive (Utah is known as the beehive state) inside a hexagon, and it also includes a guiding star to represent Utah’s tribal nations.
Utah traditional state flag was redesigned. Credit: State of Utah.Utah’s new state flag is inspiring other states to take another look. Credit: State of Utah.
Both the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department will be hosting a Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, April 22.
The event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back initiative, which seeks to offer a safe, convenient way for community members to dispose of prescription drugs and provides education about medication abuse. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.
Kentwood
Residents can drop off any unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Liquids, needles and sharp objects cannot be accepted.
“Drug Take Back Day gives the community an opportunity to work together to prevent medication abuse and save lives,” Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin said. “When medication is properly disposed, it helps protect the environment and prevent identity theft, accidental poisonings, drug addiction and overdose deaths. We encourage community members to gather unneeded medications from their home and join us April 22 as we work together to keep our community safe.”
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
Prescription and over-the-counter medications can be safely disposed of year-round in the Kentwood Police Department’s lobby from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visit kentwood.us/DrugTakeBack to learn more about Kentwood’s year-round Drug Take Back program.
Wyoming
Wyoming residents may drop off any unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wyoming Police Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. or U of M Health West’s Campus, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. Liquids, needles and sharp objects cannot be accepted.
“Taking advantage of this free and anonymous Drug Take Back Day can help save lives in our community,” said Wyoming Public Safety Chief Kim Koster. “Proper medication disposal prevents accidental poisons, drug addiction and overdose deaths. It can also help preserve the environment by reducing the number of medications in landfills and sewer systems.”
Community members can also safely dispose of unused and/or expired prescription medications year-round at the Wyoming Police Department’s lobby from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To learn more about Wyoming’s year-round Drug Take Back Program, visit wyomingmi.gov/safemeds.
Sharps and other items
The Kent County Department of Public Works does provide a list of places that medications can be taken year around at www.reimaginetrash.org/safehomes/. The site includes information on the SafeMeds, SafeSharps, and SafeChem program where residents can dispose of medications and hazardous materials. Note, most of the Kent County sites take only non-controlled medications. Controlled medications need to be turned into a police department.
Twice a year, law enforcement agencies throughout the United States partner with the DEA to host a Drug Take Back Day as part of ongoing efforts to combat prescription drug misuse and overdose deaths. The events take place in April and October. The events give residents an opportunity to dispose of unneeded medications safely and securely to help address this public safety and public health issue. Studies have shown most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from a home medicine cabinet.
Tips on disposing of medication from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
An activity area in one of the day centers operated by Care Resources. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“There is nothing like coming home, putting your key in the door, and opening it and smelling your smells and understanding where you are…and feeling comfortable. We all want that. We can help make that dream come true longer,” said Veronica Horsley-Pettigrew, Community Outreach and Marketing Supervisor at Care Resources.
A 2021 AARP Home and Community Preferences Survey showed that 77 percent of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term, a number that AARP noted has been consistent for more than a decade.
As noted by the National Library of Medicine, culture plays a role in shaping individuals’ attitudes toward elder care. Asian cultures have emphasized family elder care at home and as a result, 50 years ago the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly or PACE was created.
In 1994, Michigan became one of the first pilot programs and today, the state has 14 PACE programs at 21 centers and nationwide, there are 273 sites in 32 states.
“We are committed to our participants,” Horsley-Pettigrew said. “We are an aging society, and we need to take care of each other.”
Growing Interest Creates a Growing Demand
The second PACE program to launch in the state of Michigan was Care Resources, which has been helping to keep West Michigan seniors out of nursing homes since 2006.
The “Four Seasons” art was created by staff and participants. It took almost two years and was made entirely of crayons. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
A community-based program for people 55 years or older, Care Resources provides comprehensive care to the senior citizens of Kent County, as well as portions of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, and Ottawa counties, while promoting healthy, independent living and helping prevent nursing home placement.
Care Resources has grown over the years. In 2018, to meet expansion needs, the organization renovated the former John Knox Presbyterian Church, 4150 Kalamazoo Ave. SW, with the express purpose of caring for the aging community of West Michigan.
“We are the glue,” said Tom Muszynski, chief operating officer of Care Resources. “Overall, we are their case managers. We always look to family first, because family generally wants to know what is going on and be a part of it, but if there is no family available, then we take that piece of it too.”
Since opening its Kalamazoo Avenue headquarters in 2019, Care Resources is looking to expand yet again, having almost doubled its service area in November 2021 due to an ever-increasing need for care of local senior citizens.
In 2022, Care Resources served 374 participants, provided 3,048 meals, distributed 702 activity bags, traveled 349,569 miles transporting participants, and totaled 36,554 home care hours for an average 46 months of participant care.
Interest in PACE programs continues to grow with some discussion of adding more programs in Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula and expanding into the Upper Peninsula, where there currently are no programs.
Locally, interest in Care Programs has increased with Muszynski stating there are plans to open a second location in Grand Rapids with Care Resources planning to seek federal and state approval at the end of June.
‘Bingo’ and More
Care Resources provides transportation with a fleet of 20 vehicles; an on-site physician, medical clinic, and 2,200 square-foot pharmacy; vision, dental, audiology, and foot care services; laundry and shower facilities; an extensive therapy gym; and grocery shopping services.
Also at its Kalamazoo Avenue location is a fully-staffed day center, which currently serves about 100 participants at various levels. There are various activities, such as stretching programs, classic car shows, and visiting animals along with two outdoor courtyards, a meditation room, and a walking trail.
“Our goal is to really treat people with dignity, but to also get them up and moving,” said Muszynski. “The building is specifically designed to be spread out, so they have to get up and move a little bit.”
The highlight, however, is Bingo.
“They can purchase items at our Bingo store,” Muszynski said as he opened a room lined with shelves and stacked to the brim with an assortment of items. “Fun items, as well as items they can’t get with their Michigan Bridge Card.”
Eligibility
Care Resources PACE eligibility requirements include being 55 or older, meeting the nursing facility level of care, being able to be safe in their home with PACE services at the time of enrollment, and qualifying for Medicaid according to PACE Medicaid requirements.
The Care Resources therapy room. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“When they first enroll in the program, they have to be deemed safe in the community with PACE services,” said Muszynski, adding he encourages people to think about when they might need PACE services and strive toward early identification. “PACE is not crisis intervention—there is a process to get into the program. With Medicaid, it could be 30 days or so because we can only enroll on the first of the month. Without Medicaid, it could potentially be a couple of months.”
Muszynski also said to remember that there are several factors that qualify people for skilled nursing, and that it is not always an extreme of going from a hospital to a bed-ridden state. It could include a myriad of things from forgetfulness to treatment such as feeding tubes or dialysis.
Horsley-Pettigrew agreed that having a medical assessment completed is vital before making long-term decisions on care. “It could simply be coordination of care and medication that is needed, and that person may not need to be put in a nursing home,” said Horsley-Pettigrew. “The coordination of care and the proper medication really keep away some of the seriousness of (issues) escalating.”
Continuing to Build Awareness
One of the benefits Muszynski said he has seen in Care Resource participants is a sense of belonging.
“They get involved in our program, and people who weren’t even getting dressed are now getting dressed and doing their hair because they are coming to see their friends,” he said. “It really allows them to get involved in the community and get out of the house.”
One of the the Care Resources’ vehicles. (WKTV./D.A. Reed)
Muszynski and Horsley-Pettigrew are continually meeting and working with state legislators to keep them educated on the benefits of PACE programs. In May of 2022, the PACE Association of Michigan (PAM) hosted its Day at the Capitol in Lansing, allowing PACE staff and participants to share their personal stories about how the program is impacting their lives.
“We’ve got some real champions in Lansing,” said Muszynski. “That’s part of (our) success in Michigan, is the support of the state. It’s phenomenal.”
To find out more about the Care Resources PACE program, visit Care Resources PACE. Volunteer opportunity inquiries at Care Resources can be directed to Karen Altom at 616-913-2036 or karen.altom@careresources.org.
Left, Rachel Baxter, a registered nurse with Emmanuel Hospice, focuses her attention on the needs of patient June Winstanley. Working in hospice care, Baxter treats every patient like they’re her only one – making the most of every precious moment. (Couresty, Emmanuel Hospice)
A “typical day” in the life of a hospice nurse?
Well, that’s a tough one. Because arguably, it doesn’t exist.
Just ask Rachel Baxter, a registered nurse with Emmanuel Hospice, who is greeted every workday by a schedule that is anything but typical.
What every day does guarantee, however, is that as an ambassador for hospice, she will be challenged to provide top-notch care and treat every patient like they’re her only one.
“You learn to expect the unexpected,” says Baxter, a healthcare provider the better part of a decade. “Often, I make a plan first thing in the morning that looks great on paper, but with a single text or phone call, everything can change, which requires me to be flexible.
“It’s what you do when you’re trying to make every moment count for every patient to whom you’re providing care.”
Serving as a hospice nurse demands you remain nimble during the workday, looking for opportunities to tap into an array of services a hospice care provider like Emmanuel offers. When caring for patients, Emmanuel Hospice draws on a holistic approach that focuses on mind, body and spirit.
“I rely on a very talented team of providers,” Baxter says, taking her cues from other Emmanuel Hospice practitioners and therapists who specialize in areas from pain management to playing music to providing medical massages.
“We differentiate ourselves in that way,” she says. “It’s what sets us apart, and makes us especially capable of helping our clients along on their journey.”
The interdisciplinary team is all about collaboration and communication, sharing resources, skills and expertise to deliver care with compassion and ensure all needs are met.
“I put my absolute trust in judgment and knowledge of my co-workers,” she says. “We all see different things, and it’s vital we share that information because it’s in the best interest of the patient and that patient’s family.”
Working in hospice care, Rachel Baxter treats every patient like they’re her only one – making the most of every precious moment. (Couresty, Emmanuel Hospice)
This extends in varied ways especially when serving a patient in the privacy of their home, which can contrast markedly from treating someone in a facility.
“When you’re in someone’s home, it can begin to feel like your own,” Baxter says. “You might be there often with a spouse or other members of the family. You begin to see rhythms and patterns, and you adapt and adjust to those. You become acutely aware of the sights, sounds and other elements important to your patient.”
Baxter might see three patients in a workday or as many as six or seven. While she might serve anyone within Emmanuel Hospice’s service area, she primarily sees patients near the lakeshore before returning to her own home in Zeeland. She appreciates the flexibility of her schedule, which allows her to enjoy her surroundings and read or crochet during breaks.
While the care she provides can change from patient to patient, there is always one constant: “I’m focusing on every precious moment my patient has left. I want to be calm and confident, warm and reassuring. How do you feel? What can I do? How do you want to live?
“Living life to the fullest – no matter the time left – is what we’re all about.”
LANSING – Long associated with calm music, soothing landscapes and the soft tones of Tim Allen’s voice, Michigan’s campaign to promote tourism will get an update to appeal to younger audiences.
David Lorenz, vice president of Travel Michigan, said the updated campaign marks the first time Pure Michigan has targeted young individuals.
“They’re more interested in experience than stuff,” he said. “Mostly Baby Boomers and Gen Z are looking for experience rather than the bigger TV set or the nicer car. That provides a great opportunity for the travel industry.”
The new ads will be more vibrant, Lorenz said. “You’ll see more people and more activity in the ads. The music is more uptempo.”
“For 17 years, we’ve always used the music from Cider House Rules, we’ve used Tim Allen’s voice, we’ve had this very calm, subtle approach,” Lorenz said. “That reaches the older folks, but we really felt by lifting up the spirit and showing the diversity in this way, we’re going to be more appealing to younger people as well.”
Grand Rapids Included In New Spots
The campaign, billed as “Keep it Fresh,” will include spots focusing on Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Traverse City, “using the sights, sounds and artistry that reflect the range of unique experiences and stories to be found in Michigan,” according to a news release from the office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“We know that people, when they come to Michigan, expect to see beautiful nature. They’re going to find that,” Lorenz said. “But now they’re also starting to realize they can find vibrant, interesting cities.”
“It’s unbelievably cool. I never thought Detroit would come back the way it is in my lifetime,” he said.
The new campaign will mark Pure Michigan’s return to national airwaves, with spots airing on Discovery, Food Network, HGTV and Magnolia Network, and in local regions throughout the Midwest.
Digital portions of the “Keep it Fresh” campaign launched in late February, with TV ads beginning in March.
The New Pure Opportunity campaign. (State of Michigan)
New Business Marketing Campaign
The council also launched Pure Opportunity, a business marketing campaign touting the state’s skilled labor pool, freshwater resources and top ranking in climate change preparedness.
That campaign will feature images of Michigan companies like Pfizer in Portage, Orbion Space Technology in Houghton, Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, Daddy Dough Cookies in Grand Rapids and Detroit Denim.
“Michigan is a place that will drive the world forward through grit, our world-class workforce, and stunning natural resources,” Whitmer said in a news release.
Modernized music
One of the first changes people may notice in the new campaign is more upbeat music.
“We were limited because of the slow, soft, beautiful, emotionally evocative music style of Cider House Rules,” Lorenz said. “It’s kind of hard to say, ‘Hey, let’s go snowmobiling!’”
Nicole Churchill, a co-founder of Assemble Sound, the Detroit company that developed the new score, said they wanted to refresh the music without completely deviating from what people have grown to know and love.
“That Cider House Rules score that’s been used for so long has become such a connection with the brand, I think the biggest challenge was how you maintain the integrity and pay homage to that while still bringing a little bit of newness and youth, and how you get people who are across different generations to like the same thing,” Churchill said.
Julian Wettlin, director of creative licensing for Assemble Sound, said “It was kind of a tightrope to walk between this modern, kind of poppy, electronic, indie-rock world that they wanted to play in with keeping the sincerity that Cider House Rules has.”
It’s All Michigan
The company used all Michigan talent for the demos, and the score that was selected was composed by Ann Arbor native Ben Collins.
Detroit Poet jessica Care moore joins Tim Allen as the voice in the new Pure Michigan campaign.
Wettlin said he didn’t allow the project to overwhelm him while working on it.
After seeing rough cuts of the spots, he thought to himself “Oh, right, this will live for a very long time.”
While the state only contracted for one song, Wettlin said it was designed to be adaptable enough to fit multiple spots.
“We basically gave them a toolbox of sounds,” Wettlin said. “When they get into mix, they can take down some of the bass and let the synths live a little higher in the mix on the more nature ones, and the nightlife ones maybe pull some of that sentimental quality and bring up more of the fun quality.”
A new voice
Another auditory change people are likely to quickly latch onto: the introduction of a new voice, Detroit poet jessica Care moore.
Moore, whose first and last name are not capitalized, came to national prominence after winning “It’s Showtime at the Apollo” a record-breaking five times in a row.
Oprah shared in 2022 one of moore’s poems, “Her Crown Shines,” which was written for then-Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson following her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lorenz said the Michigan Economic Development Council had looked at introducing a second voice for years, but “they just didn’t seem right until we found jessica.”
“We’re using her in a different way. We’re using her writing talents as well as her voice,” Lorenz said. “I love her kind of grainy, granular, earthy voice. It’s going to blend really well with Tim.”
Focus on diversity
Highlighting diversity is one way the new campaign will appeal to younger audiences, Lorenz said.
“We have a lot to be proud of with our diversity, and we think that’s very appealing to a lot of people right now,” Lorenz said. “With our TV and radio ads, you’re going to hear an additional voice with Tim Allen this year – you’ll hear a woman. That, in itself, demonstrates in a subtle way that we’re not the same old state you think we were. We’re so much more.”
But he acknowledged that some audiences may feel that capitalizing on diversity may seem superficial or opportunistic. It’s a concern that they considered.
“That’s one of the reasons why it’s taken us a while to really take this approach, because we felt that it had to be genuine. It had to be authentic. It had to be real,” Lorenz said.
“We tell the truth about things that are important to people, and things that we know are gaining importance in the future,” he added. “The state has changed in the last 17 years, and we’re trying to represent that change.”
Everyone Is Welcomed
Moore joins Allen in the campaign, who has faced backlash in recent years. After attending the inauguration of former President Donald Trump, Allen told Jimmy Kimmel that, “You get beat up if you don’t believe what everybody else believes. This is like ‘30s Germany.”
Asked whether that factored into the decision to introduce a new voice, Lorenz emphasized that “Tim is not our spokesperson, he’s our voice,” and that he is not being replaced, but rather joined, by moore.
Marketers have to be careful with political debates, he said. “It’s really important that we stay out of that, because we’re in a very divided time politically.”
But it’s tricky.
”Everything seems to be perceived as being political these days,” Lorenz said. But he isn’t concerned about backlash to a more diverse campaign.
“As long as we’re doing the right thing and we’re trying to do our best to articulate that we’re trying to make sure that all persons of goodwill know that they are welcome here, that’s what counts.” Lorenz said. “If there are others out there who take that as some kind of a political statement, they just don’t understand.”
The City of Kentwood and Georgetown Seniors once again will be hosting the Spotlight on Seniors Expo, Tuesday, April 18.
The Spotlight on Seniors Expo returns to the Kentwood Activities Center April 18. (WKTV)
The 24th annual event, which will take place at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, is designed to connect the community with senior-focused resources. The free indoor event features more than 50 vendors from a variety of community businesses, free health screenings, door prizes, free lunch and more.
“We’re fortunate to have many community resources focused on healthy living for all ages in and around Kentwood,” said Kentwood Recreation Program Coordinator Shelby Henshaw. “The Spotlight on Seniors Expo gives older adults and other community members an opportunity to come together to celebrate successful aging and learn more about available services.
“We’re grateful for our continued partnership with Georgetown Seniors on this community-favorite event, as well as our sponsors.”
Vendors represent a wide variety of industries, with professionals knowledgeable in everything from physical therapy and hearing services to recreational opportunities and retirement planning.
“Active, connected lifestyles are key for our seniors to lead happy, healthy lives,” said Pam Haverdink, director of the Georgetown Senior Center. “We are pleased to partner with Kentwood Seniors once again to host this successful event and are grateful to the vendors who help make it happen.”
The gold sponsors of the 24th annual Spotlight on Seniors Expo are HAP, Humana, Tim Hortons, The Oaks at Byron Center and We Care 4 U, LLC. United Healthcare is a silver sponsor.
Left, Jonathan Grunert as Professor Henry Higgins, Madeline Powell as Eliza Doolittle and John Adkison as Colonel Pickering in The National Tour of MY FAIR LADY. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
By John D. Gonzalez WKTV Contributor
Madeline Powell remembers the first time she saw the film version of “My Fair Lady,” the acclaimed Broadway show from the golden era of musicals.
She was nine-years-old and saw it with her grandparents.
“I remember very vividly watching it, and where we were sitting,” the Texas native said in a recent WKTV Journal interview.
“I remember the parts of the movie that caught my eye, and that I was most fascinated by.”
Now she is reliving those memories every night, playing the lead character of Eliza Doolitte in the national tour of the Broadway musical. It’s her first major role after graduating in 2021 from Oklahoma City University.
She is thrilled to be playing the iconic role in an iconic play, adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture “Pygmalion,” which later became “My Fair Lady,” with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.
A Star from the Golden Age of Theatre
It premiered on Broadway on March 15, 1956 and won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The classic songs include “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “On the Street Where You Live.”
The current tour is Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Lerner & Loewe’s “My Fair Lady,” and winner of five Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards. The production premiered in the spring of 2018 at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater.
It has impacted generations, Powell said.
“I have always held (‘My Fair Lady’) in such high esteem because of that experience with my grandparents,” she said, “and knowing how much they loved it, and what it meant to so many of their friends and so many people in the generations between us.
“It has been at the forefront of my mind, too, when I have been revisiting it in this context of being in the show.”
“My Fair Lady,” as most musical enthusiasts know, is a rags-to-riches story about a Cockney flower girl – flippantly referred to as a “guttersnipe,” in the production – who meets linguist Henry Higgins. He vows to turn her into a “lady” in just six months by teaching her the proper way to speak, as well as dress and act.
Mastering that Cockney Accent
It’s a show with a lot of dialects and accents, which Powell knows a little bit about.
“I had my own little Eliza Doolittle experience when I went to college and learned to neutralize the accent I didn’t realize I had,” said Powell, who is originally from Lubbock, Texas, where she began singing at age four.
Michael Hegarty as Alfred P. Doolittle (center) and The Company of The National Tour of MY FAIR LADY. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Before the tour opened last fall, the cast worked with a dialect coach because of accents that range from Scottish to various ones in central London. It’s all “very specific because of the importance of the plot,” she said.
The excitement for language has made for a lively cast and crew.
“We have so much fun,” she said. “We can honestly never shut up talking in the accents when we’re not performing, too.”
That excitement comes across on stage where local audiences will get an opportunity to see it over eight performances, April 11-16 at DeVos Performance Hall.
Tickets are available for all shows, including special educator/student rush tickets for only $30, available only one hour before each show. More details at broadwaygrandrapids.com.
Keep an Eye on the Ensemble Cast
Along with the beautiful costumes, Powell said local audiences may want to pay special attention to the ensemble cast, which is “super fun to watch” in big scenes such as the opening number and “Get Me to the Church on Time.”
“It’s all kinds of chaos,” she said. “…They’ve got some interesting relationships they created, and they’re really setting up the world and dynamic for the principal characters. They’re doing all kinds of intentional things. I would keep an eye out for them.”
Overall, she said audiences should be prepared to be really entertained and inspired by the story of Eliza Doolitte.
“It’s a long show, but it doesn’t feel like a long show,” she said. “It’s super packed with interesting and intentional moments. Hopefully that will be impactful for new audience members, and for returning audience members, too.”
That impact, she said, is the transformation of a young woman.
“I can’t think of another character who has such a broad arc,” Powell said. “She is always shown to be really gritty and really smart and she knows exactly what she wants and what she needs to get those things.
“But we really watch her blossom emotionally and become comfortable with feeling her emotions…which is really powerful. We often don’t see women written to be that sure of themselves in musical theater or entertainment at all. It is an honor to do that every night.”
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Disability Advocates of Kent County will host a Kent County Transportation Forum on Monday. (WKTV)
Disability Advocates of Kent County will host the Kent County Transportation Forum on Monday, April 10 in the Special Olympics Michigan Unified Sports & Inclusion Center, 160 68th St. SW. This event will bring together stakeholders to discuss options for countywide mobility.
“There is so much planning going on for the future of mobility in our community,” said David Bulkowski, executive director of Disability Advocates of Kent County. “We need to make sure people are informed about plans being considered and organized to deliver the best outcomes.”
In Michigan, 19% of people with disabilities live within the federal poverty rate and 48% of people with disabilities struggle to afford basic costs of living. Unemployment remains a driving factor behind this high level of economic instability; only 34% of adults with disabilities in Michigan have a job. Those who have a position often work part-time without a living wage.
Expanding Transportation Options
One way to address financial hardship among people with disabilities is to expand accessible public transportation options. Many individuals rely on public transit for their work commute and other common destinations.
Public transportation access remains scarce outside of the six cities in The Rapid service area: Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Walker, Grandville, and Kentwood. Those who live in places like Cedar Springs, Rockford, and Lowell often struggle to find a bus route and must rely on specialized services like Hope Network, but usually options are limited to expensive rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, assuming these services can even be found in these areas.
Community Organizer Michael Williams, who leads the Concerned Citizens for Improved Transportation (CCIT) advocacy work group, believes the community could deliver better results for people with disabilities. He calls for greater connectivity between transportation systems in cities instead of having a series of distinct, fixed bus routes.
“There is not one perfect solution to this challenge,” Williams said. “However, solutions start at aligning current efforts to better compliment each other, rather than repeating each other.”
Building on the past work of Faith In Motion and CCIT and a strategy session conducted during Disability Advocates’ Disability Awareness Day, Williams will host the Kent County Transportation Forum. State and local elected officials, municipal organizations such as Mobile GR, and transportation providers such as Hope Network will have a presence at the forum.
Everyone Welcome to Join the Discussion
The Kent County Transportation Forum seeks to coordinate local, state, and federal approaches toward achieving countywide mobility. Representatives from the City of Grand Rapids, the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, The Rapid, and Kent County Mobility Task Force will discuss their transportation plans and seek ways to find agreement between plans. Kent County recently appointed its County Wide Mobility Task Force. Connecting current efforts will better help identify the needs for Kent County’s new team.
“We’re bringing riders, transportation providers, and planners to one place,” Williams said. “How can we work together and connect people in Kent County and beyond? This forum is a fantastic opportunity to align current planning processes into a coordinated regional effort.”
Those interested in learning more about accessible transportation or getting involved with CCIT can contact Michael Williams at michael.w@dakc.us.
A competition at the FIRST Robotics event at East Kentwood. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
By D.A. Reed WKTV Contributor
GRP Titans Nikolai Nigersoll demonstrates how the team’s robot works. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Battery issues were the challenge that Grand Rapids Prep Titans FIRST robotics team faced on Saturday, but they did not have to go far to find support.
“We are a team here,” GRP Titans mentor Matt Stewart said of all the 39 participating robotics teams at Kentwood’s FIRST Robotics competition. “All of robotics is a community-oriented thing. We’ve learned so much from all of the other teams.”
Multiple teams reaching out to give GRP Titans tools to help them test their battery, offering their team’s batteries, and offering to let the Titans charge in their pits.
“Everyone is so graceful and helpful,” said Stewart. “In the pits, it’s a community. Once you’re on the field, then you (have to) compete.”
“The Hardest Fun You’ll Ever Have”
The East Kentwood Red Storm Robotics Team (3875) hosted the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) qualifying tournament March 31-April 1, 2023. The competition was sponsored by Dematic, a supplier of materials handling systems, software and services based in Grand Rapids. It gave the teams an opportunity to qualify for the state competition, which is April 6-8 at Saginaw Valley State University.
FIRST Robotics Competition is designed to combine the excitement of sport with the precisions of science and technology. FIRST Robotics’ website calls their competitions “the ultimate Sport for the Mind,” while high school participants have labeled it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.”
Michigan Robotics teams strive to teach students a multitude of skills, including mechanical engineering, computer-aided design, electrical engineering, programming, systems integration, website building, animation, and fabrication/machining skills.
“You see the kids mature, and one of the big things is all the technical skills,” said event coordinator Wendy Ljungren, adding that the program has opened the college door for many students. “It’s been great to see our kids going into the STEM fields. We’ve had people become doctors, and lawyers, and professionals in engineering and STEM fields, and really see them transition.”
Teaching Life Skills
Sara Robarge, mother of EK teammate Kailey Robarge, said she has seen strong leadership skills taking hold in her daughter over the last year.
Red Storm Robotics teammates Mo Otajagic and Kailey Robarge carry the team’s robot Terence off the field. (WLTV/D.A. Reed)
“I have seen her take on leadership that I hoped I had instilled in her, but I have seen her put it into practice this year,” Robarge said. “As a freshman, she stepped out and tried out for the Drive Team. She also stepped up and said, ‘I’ll lead a robot build.’”
EK robotics mentor Mark VanderVoord said he has seen growth in many students, this year being current team captain Sarah Shapin.
Since Shapin joined the team in sixth grade, “she has learned a lot of technical skills. She’s going to U of M (University of Michigan) next year to do computer programming. Outside of that, she has a high-level view of how it all fits together and how everybody should be working together.
“All of the kids look up to her at this point,” said VanderVoord. “And she was the goofy one when she started!”
VanderVoord emphasized that robotics students are learning far more than how to build a robot.
“It’s about all the life skills,” VanderVoord said. “The teamwork and the technology stuff, but there are kids on our team who are learning marketing and there are kids who are learning all sorts of disciplines. We’re teaching kids to learn (everything).”
Growing the team is a large part of Red Storm Coach Trista VanderVoord’s focus.
“This year we focused a lot on recruitment,” Trista VanerVood said. :We wanted to grow our numbers, but mostly grow our numbers of girls, of females in the program.”
The Building Blocks
That recruitment doubled the size of the Red Storm team overall, with now over 40% of the team consisting of females—quadrupling its female percentage from last year.
East Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics team stand next to their robot, Terence. The team competes at the state championship this weekend. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“It’s been awesome to see the growth, and it’s been awesome to see the sub-teams that have developed there and really come together and take on their part of the team,” Trista VanderVoord said.
EK’s Red Storm finished the tournament 20 out of 39 with a ranking score of 1.66, 5-7-0, 20 ranking points, and earned the Team Sustainability Award. The team already had earned a spot at the state competition by winning the highest award, the Impact Award, at the Lakeshore competition in March.
Other teams at this weekend’s state competition are Hopkns’ Tech Vikes (2054), West Catholic’s Enigma Robotics (2075), Forest Hills’ Comets (3357) and Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs (2771), which is a community team based out of Byron Center High School.
Abby Strait, high school senior and part of Wyoming High School’s Demons Robotics (858) team, has no trouble taking ownership of her role on the team.
“I’ve always been one of the people who has their hands all over the robot,” Strait said. “By the time we get to the competition, I know the robot inside and out. The more you put into the program, the more you get out of it.”
Demons Robotics finished the tournament 15 out of 39 with a ranking score of 1.83, 7-5-0 (wins-losses-ties), and 22 ranking points.
GRP Titans
Grand River Preparatory High School participated in the EK tournament with its first robotics team in ten years, the GRP Titans (9206), due to grants received from FIRST Robotics.
Stewart said that all students participating have been very invested in the program.
“Some of them had no prior experience, some of them only had building, yet every student has been all hands on deck with everything, and it’s been really cool to see,” Stewart said. “They all know what they do best, what they need to work on, so it’s been really fun to see them all working together.”
Though the Titans currently have approximately 15 team members, Stewart sees that number growing and sustaining since the team is composed mostly of underclassmen.
The GRP Titans finished the tournament 28 out of 39 with a ranking score of 1.50, 4-8-0, and 18 ranking points.
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
At approximately 3 a.m. on Wednesday, April 5, officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the area of Abbie Street SE and S. Division Avenue on the report of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they located a victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim, a 41-year-old male Wyoming resident, was treated by medical personnel and transported to an area hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, a 34-year-old male Wyoming resident, was taken into custody at the scene. The victim and suspect are known to each other.
The circumstances surrounding this incident are still being investigated by the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Investigative Division. Other individuals involved in this incident have been identified and interviewed by detectives, and there is no ongoing threat to the public at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345.
Due to the rain and snow, rivers such as the Grand River, are expected to rise and cause flooding in some areas. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Sustained rainfall in the region has resulted in more runoff and higher water levels on local rivers than originally anticipated. The National Weather Service is expecting several rivers to be at, or near flood stage, by the end of the day on Friday (April 7), particularly the Grand River in Comstock Park which will experience moderate flooding. Additionally, increased flows on local waterways are likely to erode riverbanks resulting in water encroaching further onto some properties than normal, which could result in property damage.
Residents in these areas should pay special attention to water levels:
GRAND RIVER IN COMSTOCK PARK – Currently at 12.7 feet – Will gradually increase until Friday evening when it crests at or near 15 feet. This crest represents MODERATE flooding which we have not seen since May of 2020.
GRAND RIVER IN ADA – Currently at 17.13 feet (Action Stage) – Will somewhat rapidly increase until Thursday night when it levels off around 19.7 feet. This crest is still within “Action” stage, but very close to “Minor Flooding”.
GRAND RIVER IN LOWELL – Currently at 12.79 feet (Action Stage)– Will quickly rise and then level off around 14.9 feet (just under “Minor Stage” on Friday evening before receding.
BUCK CREEK IN GRANDVILLE – Currently at 7.24 feet – Will quickly rise to 8 feet (Action Stage) on Thursday morning and then recede.
The Kent County Emergency Operations Center is currently under a level 1, limited activation to assess the situation. “Emergency Management and our partner organizations have been actively monitoring the severe weather and flooding concerns in Kent County,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Matt Groesser. “While we were fortunate to have been spared from some of the severe weather threats today, we expect to be dealing with localized flooding, especially in the Comstock Park area, through the weekend.”
If flooding occurs in your area, Kent County Emergency Management recommends the following actions to protect you and your family:
During floods
Stay out of flood waters. Flood water moves faster than it appears and can carry debris, which might injure you. Additionally, there is a danger of electrical shock from downed and exposed power lines. Children should never play around high water, storm drains, or viaducts.
Avoid driving in flood water as vehicles can easily be swept away. If you are stranded and surrounded by flood waters, call or text 911 immediately.
Flood water can be dangerous to your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flood water can contain dangerous bacteria and other pollutants, including raw sewage.
If flooding does occur in your area, avoid contact with flooded areas and wash up if contact does occur. Listen to public announcements or contact your local health department to find out if your tap water is safe to use.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) encourages Michiganders who get their drinking water from wells to get their well water tested following a flood event. More information is available by calling the MDHHS Drinking Water Hotline at 844-934-1315.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety were called to two homicides this weekend and an accident that resulted in its fire engine being hit.
Homicide, Suicide on March 31
On March 31, officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to a 911 call from a residence in the 3000 block of Buchanan Avenue shortly after 7:30 a.m. When officers arrived, they discovered two deceased males who both had gunshot wounds in the driveway of the residence.
Andrew Gil, 25, was located inside a vehicle parked in the driveway, and Louis Gonzales, 30, was found in the driveway near the car. A handgun was recovered from the scene.
According to a report released today, based on evidence collected at the scene and autopsy findings from the Kent County Medical Examiner’s Office, investigating officers have concluded that this incident was a tragic homicide followed by a suicide. It has been determined that Gonzalez shot and killed Gil before turning the gun on himself and taking this own life.
Gonzalez and Gil are related and evidence of a dispute between the two has come to light during the course of the investigation.
Shooting on 44th Street
On April 2, police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to a shooting in the 200 block of 44th Street SW at approximately 2 a.m.
When officers arrived, they located Isaia Mojica, 24, who had been shot. Mojica was given aid by first responders and transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Officers were then notified that another male suffering from gunshot wounds was dropped off at a local hospital. It is believed that this person was injured during the shooting on 44th Street. His injuries are non-life-threatening. The other occupants of the vehicle that dropped him off left immediately.
According to initial witness statements this incident began as a physical altercation involving several individuals. The shooting began during this altercation and multiple people fired shots. A handgun was recovered from the scene.
Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident and would like to speak to anyone who has any information.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345.
Fire Engine Damaged in US-131 Accident
On April 2 at around 2:45 a.m., police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was assisting the Michigan State Police Department on a rollover crash on US-131 south of 44th Street.
While at the scene, the Wyoming fire engine and a Michigan State Police car were struck by two separate vehicles. No one was hurt.
The accidents are being investigated by the Michigan State Police.
Officials from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety stated they are still assessing the extent of the damage to the engine. The department may not know anything for about month, but the preliminary damage does appear to be significant, according to the department officials.
Firefighter Matt Young, Fire Lt. Brad Deppe, residents Lauren and Andy Gohlke with their son Emerson, Police Sgt. Blair Shellenbarger and Police Officer Lee Aktinson at the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Employee Recognition Ceremony on March 23. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I just remember thinking that I was watching my child die on the floor right now,” Lauren Gohlke said of Jan. 10, 2022, the day her son Emerson stopped breathing.
Through the quick actions of her husband, Andy Gohlke, and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, Emerson’s life would be saved.
“I am so very, very thankful to our first responder and everyone at the hospital,” Gohlke said, adding she especially appreciated Officer Chad Lynn for assisting her. “How fast that they got there and that they truly cared about Emerson, even though they didn’t know who he is, which means a lot.”
Gohlke and her husband, Andy, were taking Emerson to his one-month check up on Jan. 10, 2022.
“I had been siting in the back with him and I noticed he was purplish-red in color,” Gohlke said. “We hadn’t even left the driveway yet and I said something to my husband, Andy, who got out of the car and immediately came around to the back.”
Andy Gohlke brought his son out of the car into the cold as the couple thought it might help to wake Emerson up. Realizing there was a problem. Andy Gohlke took Emerson inside and immediately began performing CPR. The couple had taken a class in infant CPR at Corewell Health a few months.
“He told me to call 911 and as I was on the phone with dispatch, I could him go “one, two, three…,” Gohlke said.
The Call No One Wants to Hear
“[It is] the call that no one wants to hear, an infant is not breathing” said Captain Timothy Pols, of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, during the department’s annual employee recognition ceremony on March 23.
Sgt. Blair Shellenbarger and Officer Lee Atkinson were first to arrive and observed Andy Gohlke performing CPR on his son, who was not breathing and did not have a pulse, Pols said. Shellenbarger and Atkinson worked together to resuscitate Emerson. Shellenbarger took over CPR and Atkinson prepared the AED (automated external defibrillator) machine.
Equipment Officer Steve Boetsma, Firefighter Matt Young, resident Andy Gohlke, with his son Emerson, Police Officer Lee Aktinson and Sgt. Blair Shellenbarger were recognized for their life saving efforts. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“The whole thing is still a blur,” said Gohlke, who by this time had been moved to the living room with Officer Chad Lynn. “[Lynn] told me that the reason there was so many people there is that they are all dads and parents and they understood what we were feeling.”
Gohlke heard the AED advise not to shock. Shellenbarger continued to perform CPR and heard Emerson make a slight noise and take a shallow breath, Pols reported. It was then that Equipment Operators Steve Boetsma and Tom Marsman and Firefighters Matt Young and Dan Rettig arrived and took over resuscitation efforts by administrating oxygen and continuing CPR.
“With the application of this treatment, Emerson’s color improved,” Pols said. “He regained a pulse and was breathing on his own.”
Gohlke said Officer Lynn let her know that Emerson had cried a little, saying “That is good. That is good.” Gohlke added that it did make her feel better.
Appreciative to all the First Responders
Emerson was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where after a series of tests, it was determined that he had silent reflux. After doing some research, Gohlke learned silent reflux does not usually go to the extreme of a life-or-death situation.
Looking back, Gohlke said if she hadn’t been siting in the backseat, she might of just thought Emerson was sleeping and he probably would not have survived the trip to the doctor’s office. She is also grateful that her and her husband took the infant CPR class, something she now recommends to all young couples. Pols noted that the quick action of Andy Gohlke to perform CPR on his infant son helped “avoid losing precious seconds while waiting for first responders.”
Sgt. Blair Shellenbarger, Officer Lee Atkinson, Fire Lt. Brad Deppe, Equipment Operators Steve Boetsma and Tom Marsman, and Firefighters Dan Rettig and Matt Young all received the Life Saving Award at the March Employee Recognition Ceremony. Andy Gohlke received a citizen citation for his quick actions in performing CPR. Pols noted they were all just happy that Emerson and his family were able to join them for the event.
“You know its more than a year later and we are are still dealing with the trauma of the event,” said Gohlke, who described it as the worst week in the couple’s lives. “These guys just went back to work.
“It means a lot to know we have people in our community such as those on the Wyoming police and fire who are there for our children and our love ones.”
The juvenile pedestrian who was struck on the morning of March 14 by a vehicles, has died, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety reported.
The juvenile died March 28 from injuries that resulted from the crash. On March 14, Wyoming police and fire personal responded at 6:55 a.m. to the area 44th Street SW and Byron Center Avenue on a report that a juvenile pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.
Investigators continue to look into the circumstances surrounding this accident. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash are ask to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Investigative Division at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-866-774-2345.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
Construction on the intersection of 54th Street and Clyde Park will start next week. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Drive along 54th Street near Clyde Park and you can’t help but notice the orange barrels that are out along the street.
Road construction officially starts in the City of Wyoming on April 3 as contractors have been staging to prepare the reconfiguration of the corner of 54th Street and Clyde Park Avenue.
In the planning stages for the past several years, the city finally received approval from the federal government to allow construction of an entrance/exit from southbound U.S. 131 to the Meijer, said Russ Henckel, assistant director for the city’s Department of Public Works.
“The federal government has a policy on a freeway egress being used for a private business,” Henckel said, adding it took time for the U.S. Department of Transportation to approve the placement of the pylons placement needed to reconfigure the ramps on and off I.S. 131.
The layout of the street. (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
Goal is to Improve Traffic Flow
The design features an egress that allows traffic from U.S. 131 to turn right or left on 54th Street or head straight into Meijer. Those exiting Meijer would have the option of going right on 54th Street or straight on to southbound U.S. 131. Those wishing to go left out of Meijer will have to exit on to Clyde Park and then turn left at the intersection light. There will be a traffic light at the southbound U.S. 131 and 54th Street intersection as there is now.
The current entrance and exit from Meijer to 54th Street will be eliminated. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The northbound U.S, 131 on and off ramps will not be changed.
The current turn-in to Meijer from the westbound lane of 54th Street will be eliminated. The left turn lane on westbound 54th Street to southbound Clyde Park will be extended to help reduce the traffic from backing up into the westbound lane of 54th Street, Henckel said.
Also part of the project will be the resurfacing of Gezon Parkway from Byron Center to Clyde Park and 54th Street from Clyde Park to Division Avenue.
Other Projects
Also starting on April 3 is the resurfacing of Eastern Avenue from 28th Street to 44th Street.
On Jordan, Calhoun, Opal and Loraine, a waterman replacement project will be started the first week of April.
From Left: Ann Przybysz, recreation program coordinator with City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation; Clay Summers, executive director of mParks; Katelyn Bush, recreation program coordinator with City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation. Bush is holding the Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award. (Courtesy, mParks).
By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation Department has received two awards from the Michigan Recreation & Park Association.
The department was honored with the Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award for its adaptive programs and the Integrated Marketing Campaign Award for its 2022 parks millage campaign. Department representatives accepted the awards during the Michigan Recreation & Park Association’s annual conference and trade show earlier this month in Lansing.
“We’re proud to have our innovative programs and initiatives recognized by mParks,” Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo said. “Michigan is home to many impressive recreation departments, so we’re delighted to have our hard work and dedication to the community celebrated at a statewide level.”
The Excellence in Therapeutic Recreation Programming Award is given to an organization for innovation and breadth of service in therapeutic recreation program development and recognizes accomplishments and consistently high standards in clinical and community settings. The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department provides the most comprehensive adaptive recreation programming in Michigan. Kentwood’s adaptive recreation offerings are designed to encourage health and wellness, socialization and excellent quality of life for all and include adaptive programs such as archery, bowling, water skiing and more.
The Integrated Marketing Campaign Award recognizes an individual or organization that has developed an outstanding campaign using a variety of coordinated mediums to effectively deliver a message to key audiences. In January 2022, the City of Kentwood launched a seven-month campaign to educate residents on the park millage proposal set to appear on the August ballot. The campaign included web pages, social media, digital media, printed materials, direct mailings and more to show voters all the benefits of a permanent parks millage. The millage passed with 63 percent of voters in favor.
From left: Clay Summers, executive director of mParks; Laura Barbrick, marketing and events coordinator for City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation. Barbrick is holding the Outstanding Integrated Marketing Campaign Award. (Photo Courtesy, mParks)
“The City of Kentwood has an exceptional recreation presence in Michigan, and it’s truly an honor to have that work recognized at the state level,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We’re eager to keep serving our residents and the West Michigan community and to continue improving our parks, trails and programming so these amenities can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
More information about the Michigan Recreation & Park Association can be found at mparks.org. To learn more about Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation department, visit kentwood.us/parks.
On March 28, East Kentwood’s Red Storm Robotics won Impact Award, which secures the team a spot at the state competition. (Courtesy, Red Storm Robotics)
Terence and the Red Storm Robotics Team qualified for the state tournament on Monday, March 28, at the Battle Creek Lakeview #2 tournament after winning the judge’s Impact Award.
The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Impact Award is the most prestigious award in a FIRST Robotics Competition. The award recognizes a team that reflects sustained excellence and impact within the FIRST community, in its own community and beyond.
Terence and the team had another fine performance on the field as well. The team finished 12th in the qualifying rounds and was selected for the #6 Team Alliance before being knocked out in the first two rounds of the finals with their alliance partners. Winning the Impact Award sends the Red Storm Robotics team to the First in Michigan FRC State Competition at Saginaw Valley State University on April 6-8, but before they go to state Red Storm hosts its own qualifying tournament this weekend in Kentwood.
Robots from all over the state will be rolling into Kentwood’s home tournament on March 31 and April 1 to take on 37 other FIRST Teams’ robots for a chance to advance to the state tournament. In this Charged UpSM competition, the Red Storm Robotics team reimagines the future of sustainable energy and powers its ideas forward to victory.
The Kentwood Tournament is a free event for everyone starting at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 31. The public is encouraged to attend. WKTV Community television crews will be at East Kentwood both days providing television coverage of the FIRST Robotics competition. WKTV’s coverage will be available for broadcast on WKTV and streamed via WKTV’s on demand service in the month of April.
Please come cheer our Red Storm Robotics team as they demonstrate “gracious professionalism” through their application of mechanical engineering, computer-aided design, electrical engineering, programming, systems integration, website building, animation, and fabrication/machining skills.
Red Storm Robotics’ Terence utilizes autonomous and driver-assisted modes, optical sensors to help guide it to targets, an elevator arm with a mechanical cone-grabbing claw, and gyroscope-assisted balancing to help it perform in this year’s 2022-2023 competition. The KPS FRC Team #3875 is made up of approximately 40 high school students, four coaches, and four mentors from the Kentwood Public Schools and nearby communities.
The Red Storm Robotics with Terence robot. (Courtesy, Red Storm Robotics)The Red Storm Robotics team cheers on its teammates. (Courtesy, Red Storm Robotics)
The Norton Indian Mounds is a prehistoric Goodall mounds located in Wyoming and protected by the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Used during religious rituals and ceremonies, Native American burial grounds were typically located on elevated bluffs near major bodies of water. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Native American tribes known as the Hopewell must have been attracted to the Grand Rapids topography. They constructed forty-six sacred burial mounds along the west side of the Grand River just south of what is now Bridge Street. The shape of these burial mounds may have varied some but often they were rounded, dome-shaped, ranging from 3-18 feet tall and 50-100 feet wide. These early mounds were regularly built to bury important members of local tribes along with artifacts such as stone knives, copper axes, carved pipes, pottery, and ornamental utensils with carved animals made of copper and shell.
Early missionaries and fur traders reported that the Native Americans of the time had no knowledge of the origin of the burial mounds and that they held them in great reverence. Due to residential and commercial expansion, settlers in the 1850s unfortunately held less veneration for the burial grounds and completely leveled them to provide dirt for roads in the Grand Rapids area. Flint arrowheads and other items were unearthed in nearly every mound and many artifacts were sold to museums and can be seen by visiting those museums today.
On the grounds of Ah-Nab-Awen Park outside of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, three symbolic Indian burial mounds have been constructed in honor of Michigan’s three major tribes, the Ottawa, Potowatomi, and Chippewa. Elders of the Three Fires Council proposed the name Ah-Nab-Awen which means “Resting Place.” The dedication of this park is a nice gesture in the right direction. Does it appease those ancient souls of those who had their graves grossly desecrated? Given all the burial grounds that were plowed under or plundered by treasure hunters, all the times Native American’s were displaced by land grabbers and forcibly relocated, all the broken treaties, and “The Trail of Tears,” unrest in the afterlife might be expected, even vengeance. So it’s no surprise some of the most frightening monsters of myth come from Native American legends, curses, and spells.
Ah-Nab-Awen Park features three symbolic Indian burial mounds.(grandrapidsmi.gov)
The Navajo skinwalkers used spells, charms, and curses to promote fear and practice evil to harm humans whenever possible with supernatural ability to shape-shift into any creature, even werewolves and vampires.
The Alaska Kushtaka or “land otter man” comes from the Tlingit people folklore and is believed to be shape-shifters capable of taking on human form, the form of an otter, and any other form it chooses, known to be cruel, evil, and a trickster.
The Wendigo, flesh-eater of the forests of the Great Lakes region and central Canada are historically known for murder, insatiable greed, and a voracious appetite for human flesh. Wendigo is known by several names that translate, “The evil spirit that devours mankind.” The Ojibwe’s description is that of a malevolent supernatural cannibalistic giant associated with winter, the North, coldness, famine, and starvation.
The Algonquin Legend of the Wendigo has the scariest artistic depictions, more than 15 feet tall with glowing eyes, long yellow fangs and claws, with an overly long tongue. It’s said the ash gray beast carries a strange odor of decay, decomposition, and death and can mimic human voices. The Wendigo will hunt you down with blinding speed and eat you or possess you and turn you into Wendigo.
Never disrespect the dead! If you should unearth human remains, immediately contact your county coroner and if the remains appear Native American, the Native American Heritage Commission should be notified. Leave Native American artifacts where you find them, it’s illegal and unethical to collect artifacts on public lands. Native Americans consider death a natural part of life and customs include preparing the soul for the spiritual journey, preparing the spirit to “walk on.” Interfering with the long walk is not recommended. Tread lightly, please!
The Omicron variant has a different, milder, biological makeup. It tends to cause mild disease and when an acute illness happens, Omicron is much less likely to land patients in the hospital. (Pexels.com)
If you’re familiar with the term COVID, you may have also heard of “Long COVID.”
Long COVID is another way of referring to Post-COVID Conditions. The CDC states that “Post-COVID Conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19”. Symptoms can include brain fog, headaches, cough, and joint pain. Although most cases are all different and there is no true set of symptoms. The CDC also states that there is no test to determine if the symptoms presented are caused by COVID-19.
Recent findings show that people who catch Omicron are less likely to get Long Covid. Since the spread of Omicron, which began in late 2021, COVID-19 deaths became a rarity and the Omicron variant carries a lower threat of lingering complications.
John Willan, a hematologist who works at the University of Oxford and Wexham Park Hospital, reported that Long COVID symptoms after three months of infection were down to 14% with Omicron. To put in perspective, the original coronavirus strain was a 46% risk of Long COVID complications and symptoms.
This decreasing trend was found across both healthy people and vulnerable populations. A study from the Lancet found the risk of Long COVID in cancer patients fell from 17% in 2021 to a mere 6% once cases shifted to the Omicron variant.
So what is different with Omicron?
The Omicron variant has a different, milder, biological makeup. It tends to cause mild disease and when an acute illness happens, Omicron is much less likely to land patients in the hospital. Just being in the hospital with COVID-19 is a major risk factor for Long COVID.
Omicron also does not seem to be spreading to vital organs like previous strains were. Without the spread, someone who is infected may not produce acute illness symptoms and is now less likely to end up with Long COVID as well. There is also evidence from Yale Medicine to support that vaccination provides a protective barrier against Long Covid.
To learn more about the Omicron virus and stay up to date with COVID-related news visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html .
Sketch released by the Wyoming Department of Public Safety.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety has released a composite of a person-of-interest in a Nov. 1 2022 shooting in the 2200 block of Indian Mounds Drive that resulted in the death of a 19-year-old.
The Department is again requesting assistance from the public with any information related to the homicide of Kane Coronado, who shot and killed Nov. 1, 2022, while riding his bicycle in the 2200 block of Indian Mounds Drive.
Investigators are interested in speaking to anyone who may have information about the suspect who was last seen driving an older gray model four-door car with normal wear and tear and minor body damage. Investigators believe the suspect may have abandoned or sold the gray sedan after the incident in November and may be driving a different vehicle at this time.
The suspect was described by a witness as a white male approximately 30 years of age. He had a thin, light or gray colored beard and was wearing some sort of hat like a beany or a stocking cap. The male was described as having a thin build and wearing “scruffy” clothing.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Wyoming Police, 616-530-7300, or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or 1-888-774-2345.
John James Audubon (Courtesy, Library of Congress)
LANSING – A National Audubon Society decision to keep its name is bitterly dividing members, some of whom are pressing to distance the organization from namesake John James Audubon, who was an enslaver.
Many Audubon chapters across Michigan are still wrestling with what to do about the name on local levels.
There are more than 30 chapters across the state.
Well established brand
The organization was founded in 1905 and named after America’s most famous naturalist and bird artist, John James Audubon, who died in 1851.
Kirk Waterstripe, a board member of the Grand Traverse Audubon Club in Traverse City, said he learned about the national decision from another member.
He said the local discussion was limited.
“We all agreed that’s how things were done in the 1800s, and we can’t really judge that world by our moral and ethical standards,” he said.
“We’ve learned from that history. We wouldn’t do it now, but the brand is established,” Waterstripe said.
He said that the Aububon name has become synonymous with birding.
“People see (Audubon) and they associate it with birds,” he said.
Waterstripe said the Traverse City chapter board will discuss releasing a statement in its newsletter.
Some National Audubon Society chapters, including ones in Chicago and Seattle, have already put out statements opposed to keeping the ‘Audubon’ name.
In a press release, the Chicago Audubon Society said it will call on the National Audubon Society to change its name and, if that doesn’t happen, the chapter will select a new name.
“The Grand Rapids Audubon Club has been monitoring and carefully considering these important conversations that are happening at the local, state and national levels. At this time we will maintain our club name,” the statement said.
Some chapter members say they need more time to think about what to do.
Don Burlett, the president of the Oakland Audubon Society, said it is going to take some time to decide at a local level whether to change its name.
“We are in discussions, Burlett said. “There is a lot to be considered in the whole decision, but those issues are all being discussed and it may take some time before we make a decision.”
He said the chapter may survey its members to get their opinions and thoughts.
Name change does not impact affiliation
“For many people, it’s a personal decision as to whether they would want to keep the name or change the name,“ said Burlett.
If a chapter decides to change its name, it can easily do so.
“Any organization affiliated with National Audubon is completely free to change their name and it won’t affect the affiliation, ” he said.
At a national level, the process of determining whether to keep or drop the Audubon name took over a year and included consulting with local chapters and staff.
Three members of the national board resigned in mid-March to protest the majority decision to retain the name.
Sam Blatchford was born and raised in Orange County, California. He is working on his bachelor’s degree in journalism. He has a passion for both tennis and music. He aspires to be either a tennis reporter or a music journalist. His favorite tennis player is Nick Kyrgios, and his favorite genre of music is rock. Sam’s hobbies include playing tennis, recording music and watching as many sporting events as possible. He has written articles for 89 FM, the Impact.
Firefighters Sam and Mike Jones check the vehicle over. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Lt. Jesse May, center, directs the clean-up at the intersection of 36th and Clyde Park. With him are firefighters Mike Jones (left) and Sam Jones (right). (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
From the left, Firefighters Cullen Dodge and Mike Jones help with clean-up at the intersection of 36th and Clyde Park. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The Wyoming Fire Department uses its vehicles to block traffic so the team can clean-up the intersection. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Firefighter Sam Jones makes sure the engine is not on fire before loading the car on to the tow truck. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The Wyoming Fire Department crew help to load one of the vehicles on to the tow truck. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Firefighter Cullen Dodge (center) pours a kitty litter-like material on to the street to absorb the oil and gas from the damaged vehicles. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Part of the duties of the Wyoming Fire Department is to clean-up after an accident. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Lt. Jesse May keeps an eye on traffic as his crew works on cleaning up the intersection of 36th and Clyde Park. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
NOTE: This is a two-part series on a ride-along with the Wyoming Fire Department. The first part is a glimpse of the daily activities of one of the department’s teams based out of the Central Station, located at 1250 36th St. SW.
“Did you see Steve almost get hit three times?” said Wyoming firefighter Mike Jones as he hops back into the department’s ladder truck.
It was not hard to miss the first incident. Equipment operator Steve Boetsma stood with a blower in hand clearing the debris from the intersection of Clyde Park and 36th Street while the driver of a large black SUV decided to go through the accident versus following the traffic cones to go around it.
Jones said the driver made a crude gesture with Lt. Jesse May noting, “Well, we are station 1.”
“People don’t like us,” Jones said. “They don’t like the police more, but they especially don’t like us when we are blocking an intersection.”
It is 11:15 a.m. on March 22 and this is the fourth run, the second to the same location, the Wyoming Fire Department’s red team has made since the start of its shift at 7 a.m. Within this 24-hour shift, which ended at 7 a.m. March 23, the Wyoming Fire Department would answer 21 calls in total.
The Start of the Day
Equipment operator Steve Boetsma puts the ladder truck through its paces in a check of the equipment. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The start of the shift was busy with the five-member team of May, Boetsma, Jones, Sam Jones (Jones’ brother), and Cullen Dodge responding first to a medical call, followed by the team’s first visit to the intersection of 36th Street and Clyde Park Avenue, which also was a car accident.
Rolling in after 9 a.m., the team is able to focus on its daily routine of pre-checks, maintenance and starting breakfast.
Boetsma takes the ladder truck outside for a routine check, something that is done at the beginning of each shift.
“It is actually the only working ladder truck in the department’s fleet,” May said during a tour of the station. Smaller engines that pump water are both located at the Burton Street and Gezon stations, but are not at the capacity of the ladder truck. If a May 2 millage proposal passes, the department would be able to purchase a second aerial truck that would include a bucket. The second aerial truck would not only provide more water pump capabilities, but the department would be able to switch between vehicles, reducing wear and tear.
Mutual Aid
Lt. Jesse May shows the equipment on one of the medical response vehicles. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
An alarm signals. It’s for Grandville, near the Wyoming/Grandville border.
Even though close, “We can’t answer that call,” May said. You can tell it bothers him not to respond. “If we go, then there is no one to cover the city.”
There are mutual aid agreements between many of the West Michigan communities. In 2020, the City of Wyoming had to rely on assistance from neighboring communities 140 times because the department’s staff was on other calls. Most recently, during the March 18 snowstorm, the Grandville Fire Department responded to a call in Wyoming on Chicago Drive. While on the call, Grandville’s fire engine and a tow truck were struck by oncoming vehicles.
In a Kentwood Fire Department’s 2022 Fire Report, under the mutual aid section, Kentwood responded to mutual aid calls in Wyoming 50 times, while Wyoming responded to mutual aid calls in Kentwood twice. Of the 50 calls Kentwood responded to in Wyoming, 23 were for EMS.
The Increase in Medical Calls
Firefighter Mike Jones prepares a medical call. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The alarm goes off. It’s 10 a.m.
“They made breakfast,” Jones said as he climbed into the truck.”There is enough for everyone. We try to eat together as a family at every meal; breakfast, lunch and dinner. It doesn’t always work out that way.”
For Wyoming, medical emergencies, such as heart attacks and overdoses have doubled in the past five years from 633 to 1,310. Nursing homes can sometimes have multiple calls in a day, May said. This call is to a doctor’s office.
The average response time for the Wyoming fire department is 5.16 minutes, which falls behind the national recommended average of four minutes. The team makes it to the scene within five minutes. To the team’s surprise, an ambulance service has gotten to the scene before them. May and Jones hop out of the truck to assist. For the three-man team to go out, assist and come back to the station, it takes about 30 minutes.
“Many times we are first on the scene,” May said. “Because we don’t transport, we can take vitals and evaluate, but we have to wait for an ambulance, which depending on the calls that day, could be 30 to 40 minutes.”
No. 1 Priority: Staff
As soon as they get back, Jones is corralling everyone for breakfast. It is about 10:30 a.m. when the group sits down at a large wooden table with the Wyoming Fire Department logo embedded.
As they eat, the group openly discusses the need for more staff. Boetsma noted that for a structural fire, the minimum staffing requirement is 14. A fully staffed day, with no one on vacation or sick, the Wyoming Fire Department has 11, but usually staffing levels are at nine. May noted that with nine on a shift, it allows for the department to staff three of its four stations. The only unmanned station is Division Avenue, which is the busiest area for calls, May said.
If there is eight or less on staff, then only Gezon and the Central Station are staffed. The city is divided into two with Central Station taking everything north of 44th Street and Gezon everything south of 44th Street.
Helping to ‘Soften the Load’
Having more staff is on top of the department’s wish list. A May 2 millage proposal would maintain that current staffing of 36 and add three more firefighting positions.
Chart from the City of Wyoming
Even with the additional staffing, the Wyoming Fire Department would still be at the bottom of area departments with 39 firefighters covering a population of around 77,000, which is one firefighter serving 2,000 residents. In the City of Grand Rapids, there are 195 firefighters covering a population of about 201,000, which is about one firefighter serving around 1,000 residents.
The additional staff would “soften” the load, May said, adding it would allow firefighters time for other tasks such as testing to make sure its self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are in working order. The department does this in-house to help keep costs down and for faster turnaround time, he said. It also would allow staff to work on certifications and other maintenance needs that are currently low priority.
Clean up on 36th and Clyde Park
Breakfast is over and the team splits up to take care of various tasks.
Equipment operator Steve Boetsma cleans the intersection of Clyde Park and 36th Street. Firefighter Cullen Dodge walks behind him. This was just before a black SUV almost hit Boetsma. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I think people believe we sleep all day or just sit around,” Jones said. “We don’t. We have equipment checks and stuff around the station that needs to be done.”
It’s 11 a.m. and the alarm goes off for the second accident at 36th and Clyde Park. This time, all five members head out, three on the ladder truck and two in a medical response vehicle.
No one is injured. The team puts out an engine fire and starts the process of clean up which includes a kitty litter-like compound on the oil and gas, sweeping up the debris, and assisting the tow truck drivers in removing the vehicles. To protect the scene, the firefighters, police officers, and others, the large ladder truck is used to block a portion of the intersection. The department has a vehicle to block traffic, but not enough staff to drive it to the scene.
“Since there were no injuries, if there had been a medical call, I could have sent two of the guys there,” May said. “I probably would not have though because of the need for traffic control.”
It only took 40 minutes for the clean-up and even with the engine blocking the intersection, there were several close calls, the three with Boetsma and a couple others, with vehicles trying to get around including one person using the wrong lane of traffic to try and make a left, which May had to stand in front of the car to get the driver to turnaround.
It’s back in the truck, but before heading back to the station, the team has one more stop they would like to make.
Next: Part 2, A visit to the Division Avenue station.
There is a well-known financial planner, and you may have seen him appear on television and in print advertising, who has built his reputation by making this bold and controversial statement. “I hate annuities…”. The intent of this paper is not to bring attention to or to discredit this professional pitchman.
He has already done that by making irresponsible statements, such as this, in public while privately buying stocks in companies that sell them. My purpose is to state, “I love annuities…but annuities may not be for everyone or used for all purposes…especially if the purpose of your moneyis to leave part or all of your estate to your beneficiaries.” In cases like this, I recommend life insurance.
Following is a brief listing of reasons why I love annuities if the purpose of your money is to spend it while you are alive:
• Your money is safe in an annuity because your principal is protected. • Your money is secure in an annuity because it is protected by the strength of the insurance company that sells it. • Because annuities are tax-deferred, interest earned on your account is not taxed until you withdraw funds from your annuity. • The proceeds received from your annuity go directly to your beneficiary after your death and will avoid probate. • An indexed annuity earns interest on the income growth of the index but is not subject to market losses. • You may choose an income rider on your annuity that will guarantee lifetime income for you and spouse.
Following is a brief listing of reasons why I love life insurance if the purpose of your money is to provide for your beneficiaries after your death:
• Life insurance may be used to replace the policy owner’s lost wages after death. • Life insurance proceeds may be used to help pay for your children or grandchildren’s education. • Life insurance proceeds may be used to help pay off debts, and to protect your spouse’s financial independence. • Life insurance may be used to pay off a home mortgage, allowing your spouse to live in the family home without debt. • Life insurance may be used to support your favorite charities. • Life insurance may be used to pay funeral expenses. • Life insurance provides tax advantages to the owner and beneficiaries like no other product can. • Some life insurance policies may provide benefits to pay for nursing and home health care expenses.
In conclusion, I love annuities and you should too if the purpose of your income is to provide for you while you are alive. I love life insurance and recommend it to my clients if the purpose of your money is to leave it to your beneficiaries after your death.
What is the purpose of your money? What do you want it to accomplish?
I recommend you consult your trusted advisor to help answer this critical question for you and your family.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.
Terence, the Red Storm Robotics FRC Robot, is rolling into Kentwood’s home tournament on March 31 and April 1 to take on 37 other FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Teams’ robots for a chance to advance to the state tournament. In this Charged UpSM competition, the Red Storm Robotics team reimagines the future of sustainable energy and powers its ideas forward to victory.
Terence, the Red Storm Robotics’ robot. (Courtesy, Red Storm Robotics)
This is a free event for everyone starting at 10:30 am on Friday, March 31. WKTV Community television crews will be at East Kentwood both days providing television coverage of the FIRST Robotics competition. WKTV’s coverage will be available for broadcast on WKTV and streamed via WKTV’s on demand service in the month of April.
The public is encouraged to attend and cheer our Red Storm Robotics team, or their favorite local team, as they demonstrate “gracious professionalism” through their application of mechanical engineering, computer-aided design, electrical engineering, programming, systems integration, website building, animation, and fabrication/machining skills. Red Storm Robotics’ Terence utilizes autonomous and driver-assisted modes, optical sensors to help guide it to targets, an elevator arm with a mechanical cone-grabbing claw, and gyroscope-assisted balancing to help it perform in this year’s 2022-2023 competition. The KPS FRC Team #3875 is made up of approximately 40 high school students, four coaches, and four mentors from the Kentwood Public Schools and nearby communities.
Project-based, hands-on FIRST® programs introduce students to engineering and coding in an engaging, inclusive, and creative after-school environment where students work collaboratively to solve an annual robotics challenge centered around a yearly theme. Boosted by a million-strong global community of students, mentors, educators, volunteers, sponsors, and alumni in over 100 countries.
JCI South Kent will host its annual Easter Egg Scramble April 8 at the soccer fields of Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Registration for the event opens at 10 a.m. and the event begins as 11 a.m.
The family-friendly event is free and open to children ages two through11. The Easter Bunny will be in attendances and ready for pictures. To ensure each child comes away with a full Easter basket, about 10,000 plastic eggs and pieces of candy have been readied for the event. Children will need to bring a basket or bag to hold their treats.
JCI South Kent is part of the United States Junior Chamber or Jaycees. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to personal and leadership development through community service for people ages 18 to 40. The organization provides residents of Kentwood, Wyoming and the surrounding areas opportunities to grow personally and professionally through volunteer community service.
To find out more information about members, mostly meetings, projects, and volunteer opportunities, visit jcisouthkent.com.
The annual event will take place at Lamar Park’s soccer fields. (Courtesy, JCI South Kent)The Easter bunny will be available for pictures. (Courtesy, JCI South Kent)
As we approach spring break travel, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is expecting a busy week and is reminding guests to pack their patience.
With the upcoming spring break travel season happening between March 30 and April 11, Ford International Airport is gearing up to ensure the more than 150,000 passengers visiting the terminal that week are ready for a safe and smooth travel experience. As a reminder, the terminal building never closes; however, the security screening checkpoint opens at 4 a.m. or 60 minutes before the earliest departure.
“We are once again prepared to ensure safe and happy travels for spring break passengers,” Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Chief Operating Officer Alex Peric said. “We look forward to another busy travel season and are grateful to the many teams and partners who make it possible.”
Important Travel Tips and Numbers
Some of the top prohibited, voluntarily abandoned items for spring break travelers include:
•Sunscreen lotion and tanning lotion
•Water bottles with water in them
•Gel and spray deodorants
•Liquid makeup and perfumes
Be sure to keep all liquids, gels, creams under 3.4 oz.
Arrive at least two hours prior to your scheduled departure to begin the check-in procedure. Parking will be busy, so please give yourself extra time to find a space.
Passenger Traffic: Guest traffic is currently surpassing 2019 levels, which was a record-breaking year for the Airport. “We expect to be at or above our 2019 spring break travel levels and 8 percent above our 2022 spring break traffic.”
Peak Holiday Travel Dates: March 30 through April 11. Peak departure dates are March 30 and April 2. Expected peak return dates for passengers are April 8 and 9.
Expected Spring Break Travel: 150,000-plus total passengers from March 30 through April 11. This includes both departing and arriving passengers. As many as 13,000-plus passengers on peak days.
Top Destinations: Punta Gorda, Orlando, Clearwater, Tampa, Sarasotaand Washington D.C.
In addition, to kick off one of the most anticipated weeks of vacation, the Airport will host a Passenger Appreciation Day on March 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Passengers will be greeted with a live band, special costumed characters, a puppy parade and more.
Airline Contacts
Individual airlines are responsible for the check-in process, all matters related to gates (including departures and deplanings), the handling of passenger luggage, their plane de-icing process, cancellation or delay of flights, passenger ticketing and rebooking options.
If you have questions related to any of the items listed above, please contact your airline.
In my line of work, I have the unfortunate job to deal with the passing of someone’s spouse, parent, or sibling. I see in these moments of grief I know how, if the details aren’t thought of ahead of time, the pain can be compounded with the frustration of trying to navigate through the messiness of financial matters not thought of ahead of time.
Recently, a friend died, her husband not only has to deal with the grief of losing his spouse, but also with all the details of their financial life.
It soon became evident that he did not know the details of their finances (he didn’t even know the password to the checking account). And because of this, I thought that I would take the time to share what I advise my clients to do regarding the preparation of what is inevitable.
I advise my clients to keep a list of all their accounts (checking, savings, CD, annuities, life, mutual funds, etc.) in their Safe Documents folder. In it along with names and phone numbers of their advisors for each of those accounts. For the checking, savings, CD’s, etc., those accounts should have a POD (Payable On Death), as well as having their passwords for those accounts given to someone they trust.
The reason I say giving the password to someone they trust you ask? What happens if the mortgage needs to be paid and yet the death certificate is not available yet? Even though the account may have the POD, until the death certificate is produced, only those on the account has authority to access the accounts to take care of any necessities.
When it comes to a spouse having to deal with the financial decisions; the grief can cloud their choices, and that is why having a plan written out and discussed with the family and the advisor can take away one less decision to make, since it has already been made. This is especially true when it comes to planning the funeral.
All the proper planning in the world will not be beneficial if the information cannot be found during the crucial days and weeks following the loss of a loved one, or not having a written-out plan and discussed with an unbiased advisor and attorney to help carry out those wishes. While the topic is maybe challenging to discuss, it is essential.
Here are some tips of things to have in your Safe Documents Folder.
Will: If the deceased had a will, it outlines how their assets will be distributed and who will be in charge of carrying out their wishes.
Trust documents: If the deceased had a trust, the trust document outlines how assets will be distributed and who will manage the trust.
Life insurance policy: The policy outlines the benefits and who the beneficiaries are.
Marriage certificate: If the deceased was married, the marriage certificate may be needed to prove their relationship with their spouse.
Social Security card: The Social Security Administration will need to be notified of the death, and the deceased’s Social Security number will need to be included on certain forms.
Military discharge papers: If the deceased served in the military, their discharge papers may
Being prepared is smart planning.
Dave Stanley is the host of Safe Money Radio WOOD1300 AM, 106.9 FM and a Financial Advisor and Writer at Integrity Financial Service, LLC, Grandville, MI 49418, Telephone 616-719-1979 or Register for Dave’s FREE Newsletter at 888-998-3463 or click this link: Dave Stanley Newsletter – Annuity.comDave is a member of Syndicated Columnists, a national organization committed to a fully transparent approach to money management.
After three years of limited offerings during the COVID pandemic, family–friendly activity options are once again available at The Salvation Army Kroc Center during Spring Break 2023 from April 3–7.
Open swim, climbing wall, and gymnasium hours are extended to help parents make sure they never hear, “I’m bored!” New this year, guests can use the Kroc’s online registration system to reserve an open swim session and pay in advance to cut down on wait times when they arrive.
Day passes are only $12 per person for all ages during Spring Break week, and as always, Kroc Center members get unlimited free access to all activities. All children age 11 and under must be supervised by an adult while visiting the Kroc Center. There is also a “family room” where parents and kids looking for a break can have snacks, play games, and more.
Those who may be looking for a place to celebrate Easter can also visit Kroc Church for special events on Easter Sunday, April 9. Activities include a breakfast, Easter egg hunt, and a 10 AM worship service. There will also be a Good Friday observance on April 7. Please see the Grand Rapids Kroc Church page on Facebook for more information.
“Spring Break has always been one of the most popular times of year at the Kroc,” said Major Carol Huffman, Senior Kroc Officer. “Our entire Kroc Krew is excited for the opportunity to welcome in families again for a week of fun close to home.”
Once Spring Break wraps up, the Kroc Center will be excited to also launch some new building renovations in April to better serve members, including the addition of new second-floor locker rooms, plus changes to the lobby to improve safety, traffic flows, and energy efficiency.
Visit GrKrocCenter.org or call 616-588-7200 for more information on open recreation hours and other details.
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma WKTV Managing Editor joanne@wktv.org
The Kent County Recycling and Education Center is temporarily closed due to structural damage. (Courtesy, Kent County)
UPDATE: The Kent County Recycling and Education Center will reopen on Friday, March 24.
TheKent County Recycling and Education Center (REC), located at 977 Wealthy St. SW, is temporarily closed after an incident caused structural damage to the building on Monday afternoon. The damage occurred when bales of cardboard recycling built up and pushed through the building’s sidewall, damaging the exterior wall and a roof support beam. No one was injured and the incident is under administrative review to further understand the cause.
According to Steve Faber, public relations for the Kent County Department of Public Works, there have been structural engineers out looking at the facility last night and today. The engineers are assessing the extent of the damage and putting a plan in place for repairs.
“They will give us the plan on how things can be shored up and hopefully we will be back in operation soon,” Faber said, adding the ultimate goal is to have the facility up and running again as soon as possible..
For today, items coming to the recycling facility will be sent to the county’s Waste-to-Energy Facility, which serves as a back-up when the recycling has to close, Faber said. All tours and education programming at the REC are postponed indefinitely.
Residents wishing to make sure their recyclables head to the recycling facility are encouraged to hang on to items until next week, Faber said.
“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our number one priority,” said Dar Baas, director of the Kent County Department of Public Works. “We’re gathering a full assessment of the damage and will only reopen once repairs are made, and we know it’s safe for workers and visitors to enter.”
Kent County’s REC serves as the primary materials recovery facility for residential recyclables generated throughout West Michigan.
