As part of its continued efforts to ensure the well-being and safety of its family of associates, customers and communities during the coronavirus pandemic, SpartanNash has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along with state programs in all states the company operates in, to offer the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with the nationwide rollout plan.
The vaccine will be administered at no cost to patients and will be available at each of SpartanNash’s 88 company-owned pharmacies, such as Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery, Family Fresh Market, and Forest Hills Foods. SpartanNash operates stores in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Store guests may sign up to be notified when the vaccine is available at their nearest SpartanNash pharmacy atshopfamilyfare.com/covid19vaccine.
“With multiple COVID-19 vaccinations approved and ready for broad distribution in the coming months, SpartanNash and our family of retail pharmacies are here for our store guests, and we are committed to providing them with a safe, clean environment to receive this important vaccine,” EVP and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer Lori Raya said. “Our pharmacists have and will continue to play an important role in the fight against the coronavirus, providing critical care for the communities we serve. You can trust us to provide safe access to the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.”
To ensure the safety of both store guests and pharmacists as well as the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, customers will schedule an appointment and complete a health screening prior to receiving the vaccination. These measures ensure low wait times and appropriate social distancing efforts, as well as allowing customers to receive their second dose in a timely manner.
During the scheduled vaccination appointment, the pharmacist will administer a contact-free temperature reading, and both the pharmacist and the customer will be required to wear a medical grade face mask, provided by SpartanNash as an additional safety measure.
Following the COVID-19 vaccination, customers will be visually monitored by the SpartanNash pharmacist who administered the vaccine for a brief period of time.
To maximize access to COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the U.S. government’s partnerships with large chain pharmacies and networks that represent independent pharmacies and regional chains. Through the partnership with pharmacy chains, this program covers approximately 60 percent of pharmacies throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Wyoming Public Schools Athletic Director Ted Hollern could not give a specific timeframe for replacing Wolves head varsity football coach Irv Sigler Jr. — who resigned his coaching position last week after four seasons — but there is a sense of urgency.
The Wolves need a head coach “as soon as possible,” Hollern said this week to WKTV. “We need him now.”
Sigler, who will continue as Dean of Students at Wyoming High School, spent four seasons coaching the Wolves as part of a 30-year coaching career including work at Cadillac (1993-1997), Grandville (1998-2004), Kell High School in Marietta, Ga., (2005-2007) and Jenison (2008-2012). Prior to coming to Wyoming, he served as the offensive coordinator at Hope College.
“I just decided this is a good time after 30 years of coaching,” Sigler said this week to WKTV. “There are some other things I’d like to do. I’m not completely done coaching but this is more of a pause. I love working at (Wyoming high) and look forward to it every day.”
And his work at Wyoming high is certainly appreciated by the Wolves community.
Wyoming High School AD Ted Hollern. (WKTV)
“Just want to say how grateful Wyoming Public Schools is for everything (Sigler) has done for our kids … and I know people out in the community do also,” Hollern said. “He has done a tremendous job, there is no question about it.”
As far as the process of hiring a new head football coach, Hollern said “right now, we are reaching out to our stakeholders, to get as much input as we possibly can. The kids, the parents, the coaches … to find out what they want in the leadership of our football program.”
Then they will post the job and start the interview and hiring process.
As Sigler steps away for the sidelines, for however long, he does so with appreciation for his four seasons leading the Wolves.
“I want to thank everyone in the Wyoming community, school district, teachers administration and especially the young men who’ve played in our program,” Sigler said in a reported statement last week. “Our coaching staff has served with honor and dignity — our assistant coaches are the finest people.
“It has been my honor to be a Wolf. I spent a lot of time in thought and prayer, and this is a good time to turn the page.”
Wyoming was 1-4 this 2020-21 season, and lost two weeks of games in the middle of the season due to pandemic issues. Earlier in 2020, Sigler was honored as the West Michigan Officials Association Coach of the Year in 2019.
“I feel very honored, but it is truly a reflection of our program, players and assistant coaches,” Sigler said to WKTV about the Coach of the Year honor. “It is more significant than any award I’ve received in coaching. … It means so much to me, because officials have the chance to see coaches at our best and our worst. To know that I’ve earned the respect of this group of men tells me that we are doing things right as a team and program.”
Sigler’s other coaching accomplishments include MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2003 while at Grandville, the MHSFCA Community Service Award in 2009. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Adrian College in 1990 and his Master of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 1992.
The new West Michigan Vaccine Clinic is up and running and within the first day vaccines about 800, according to officials.
The new venture, which is a partnership between Spectrum Health, Kent County Health Department, Mercy Health St. Mary’s, the new clinic is designed to provide a central location to area residents with the goal of vaccinating up to 20,000 people a day.
Currently, clinic is vaccinating to the amount of vaccine that is made available. For the first week, the hope is to vaccinate 8,500 people, according to Spectrum Health Public Relations Corporate Manager Ellen Bristol.
One of the concerns has been parking, which according to Spectrum Health Chief Operating Officer Brian Brasser, who is overseeing the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, said people can park below the facility with the first two hours of parking waived. This will be enough time for a person to go through the line and receive the vaccine, Brasser said.
This week, The Rapid announced it has several bus routes that provide service to or near DeVos Place.
The routes with direct service is Lake Line, Silver Line, Route 11, and DASH North.
Bus routes that have stops near DeVos Place are Route 9 (Alpine), Route 13 (Michigan/Fuller) and DASH West.
Also, GO! Bus riders can call to schedule a ride to DeVos Place at 616-454-6141.
To view bus schedules and plan a trip, visit ridetherapid.org or call 616-776-1100 with questions.
By Office Jenni Eby Wyoming Department of Public Safety
During snowstorms when there are a lot of minor crashes and long police response times, drivers are sometimes “ordered in” to the police department after a crash. That means that if both vehicles are driveable and no one is injured, the drivers are asked to exchange information and come in to the police department to make a crash report on another day. What information do you need to exchange for both drivers?
Only driver names
Only names and phone numbers
Only names, phone numbers, and vehicle information
Names, phone numbers, vehicles information, and insurance information
I’m not sure, I’ll check back on Thursday!
Check back at the wktvjournal.org on Thursday for the answer.
Juliana Ludema, communication specialist for Feeding America West Michigan, with host Ken Norris, on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus in January 2021. (WKTV)
During a recent visit to the studio of WKTV Journal In Focus, Feeding America West Michigan is looking back on 40 years of helping to feed those at risk of hunger after experiencing a 2020 that presented both challenges and opportunities.
Juliana Ludema, communication specialist for Feeding America West Michigan, on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus in January 2021. (WKTV)
The local non-profit will be honoring 40 people who have been part of this journey through its “40 Years 40 Faces” series. With us is Juliana Ludema, communication specialist from the organization, and we will talk with her about what food banks do, the history of Feeding America West Michigan, and find out about its efforts before, during and after the current pandemic time of extraordinary local need.
For more information about Feeding America West Michigan, visit feedwm.org.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced last week that “to help families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic” more than 1.2 million people in Michigan who are eligible for food assistance benefits will receive an additional 15 percent payment to their monthly amount by the end of January.
The temporary increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is for six months, ending in June.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the MDHHS advocated for the increase in the federal benefit and it was recently passed as part of a recent congressional relief bill with the effort led by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), according the MDHHS statement.
“No Michigander should worry about how they’ll put food on the table for themselves and their family, especially during a pandemic,” Gov. Whitmer said in supplied material. “COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our state, and we must continue providing crucial support to families that need it most.”
Michigan food assistance recipients will see the increase added to their Bridge Cards by the end of January that are in addition to benefits they received earlier in the month. Food assistance increases by $102 per month for a household of four, which will now receive $782 per month.
Whitmer and MDHHS also are announcing continuation of an initiative that provides additional food assistance to 350,000 Michigan families as a response to the pandemic.
Through the initiative, anyone receiving food assistance who doesn’t already qualify for the maximum monthly benefits will see their payment raised to the maximum monthly amount for their household size. Eligible clients will see these additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Jan. 30, with payments beginning for some households on Jan. 20.
Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to michigan.gov/MIBridges or by calling a customer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.
Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, at a Jan. 22 news conference. (State of Michigan)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports in the state, has been dutifully working with the state health department and the governor’s office as rules and restrictions have repeatedly changed during the last 10 months.
And they will again work with the latest changes, announced Friday, Jan. 22, but they are expressing their “disappointment” both from their own scheduling and logistical standpoint, and from the expected impact on student-athletes across the state.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), in its latest directive, altered the allowed number of spectators at events such as this weekend’s prep football finals as well as delayed until at least Feb. 21 all contact sport’s full-contact practices and any possible beginning of those sports’ competitions.
Winter contact sports such as basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer currently are only allowed non-contract practice but they had been expecting to begin full-contact practice on Feb. 1 and completion later that week.
Mark Uyl, MHSAA executive director, from a previous Zoom meeting. (MHSAA)
“We found out about this decision at 9:30 a.m. (Jan. 22) like everyone else, and we will address it as quickly as possible after taking the weekend to collect more information,” Mark Uyl, MHSAA executive director, said in supplied material. “We did not anticipate this delay in winter contact practices and competition, and today’s announcement has created many new questions.
“Obviously, this is disappointing to thousands of athletes who have been training with their teams over the last week and watching teams in other states around Michigan play for the last two months.”
The latest state pandemic-related changes in rules and regulations also could have allowed more people to attend this weekend’s football finals — but news came too late for the MHSAA to alter established plans to meet now-altered MDHHS rules and regulations.
Also on Jan. 22, Gov. Whitmer and MDHHS announced that sports arenas with capacities of at least 10,000 spectators may allow up to 500 to attend events. But, the MHSAA later announced, “no additional tickets will be sold for today and Saturday’s 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field” due to the lack of sufficient notice.
“We have been planning these Finals for weeks to include immediate family, and unfortunately this isn’t a process we can adjust midstream,” Uyl said. “Distributing more tickets would put stress on those plans and Ford Field staffing, and force schools to make more hard decisions on who will be able to attend, but at the last second instead of with prior planning.”
“No one wants to stick it to you more than the Kent County Health Department,” said the department’s public relations director Steve Kelso after a Friday afternoon press conference.
And that is fairly obvious as the press conference was to announce a new cooperative between the Health Department, Mercy Health and Spectrum Health to host a central community vaccination site. the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW. Scheduling is now taking place at the new location with it being open on Monday, Jan. 25.
The West Michigan Vaccine Clinic will be by appointment only. Area residents are encouraged to register by visiting wmvaccineclinic.org. For those unable to register online, they may call 833-755-0696. According to Spectrum Health Chief Operating Officer Brian Brasser, who will be overseeing the clinic, when vaccines are available, registered participants will be notified to make an appointment.
Kent County Health Director Dr. Adam London at today’s virtual press conference announcing the new West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place. (WKTV)
Those coming for appointments will be directed to park in the underground parking and will have the first two hours of their parking waved, which according Brasser, will be enough time for the person to go through the vaccine process.
Funded currently by the three organizations, Kent County Health Department Director Adam London said the location was chosen because it is convenient for a large number of area residents, with the organizations hoping to deliver about 20,000 vaccines a day.
Due to “kinks” in the supply chain delivery, the facility will start by administrating around 7,000 doses.
“In reality, it is always better to start out lower than your expectations to help work out the efficiency,” said Spectrum Health President Darryl Elmouchi at the press conference.
London, Elmouchi, and Mercy Health Saint Mary’s President Hyung Kim all acknowledged the frustration over getting appointments due to delivery issues. London said the Health Department will not make appointments for vaccines it does not have.
“The demand is high and we are trying to do our best,” Elmouchi said. The Kent County Health Department will administered and has scheduled 8,000 doses, according to London with plans to administer 3,000 doses about every week. Kim reported that Mercy Health has distributed 14,000 of its 15,000 vaccine doses. Spectrum Health, which is covering the southwest lake area up to Ludington, has administered about 43,000 vaccines with another 30,000 scheduled, according to Elmouchi. The population of Kent County is around 660,000.
Creating a cooperative partnership and providing a centralized location that will allow for thousands to receive the vaccine should help the West Michigan area get an increase in vaccine supply.
“This is what the state is looking for,” Elmouchi said, adding that the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic is what state officials want to help with getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible.
The partnership allows the three organizations to pool resources for staffing and other needs when it comes to getting people vaccinated, Kim said. The clinic also will provide a safe and comfortable environment that is dedicated to the vaccine process, London said.
Representatives for Spectrum Health and Mercy Health St. Mary stated that the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic would be in addition to current vaccine clinics being offered by those organizations. London said the Health Department plans to move its community operation to the DeVos site and focus on targeting specific or underserved areas.
London also noted that the University of Michigan Health – Metro Health will not be partnering in this project. but is focusing on offering more availability to those on the southwest side where its main facility is located.
For more information about the clinic, how to schedule an appointment or if you are eligible for the vaccine, visit wmvaccineclinic.org.
COVID-19’s impact in 2020 have led to things being pretty quiet — really quiet — at Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up and other independent music venues in Michigan. But there is optimism for 2021. (Seven Steps Up)
In the spring of 2020, WKTV visited Spring Lake’s Seven Steps Up, one of more than a dozen West Michigan and more than 3,000 nationwide “independent” music venues, asking them how they could survive the crippling impact of COVID-19 and related government restrictions.
At the time, Michelle Hanks, who with husband Gary Hanks, own and manger Seven Steps Up, was cautiously optimist despite a total stoppage of the nation’s independent venue musical artist tours, not to mention restrictions that either limited venue attendance or shut them down completely.
“Out of crises, good things can sprout up,” she said, referring to a planned national independent venue advocacy group, to possible governmental support, and to fans of small music venues simply stepping and giving what they could give.
So, now more than six months — six hard months — later, with a new State of Michigan funded Michigan Stages Survival Grant Program now taking applications, following up on a successful GOFundMe campaign for Seven Steps Up and other support from various sources, Hanks remains optimistic despite the venue’s currently dark stage.
Michelle and Gary Hanks, owners and mangers of Seven Steps Up. (WKTV)
“As of now, we are still closed with no known opening date. Our employees are permanently furloughed. Our calendar is bare,” Hanks said this week to WKTV. But “we are cautiously optimistic that we will have regular concerts in the fall. We have many dates held and rescheduled, and the conversations are definitely increasing.”
Hanks credits the venue’s survival so far to several sources, both local and national.
“Seven Steps Up received GoFundme support in the second quarter of 2020,” she said. “We are extremely grateful for the support we received when we received it and we hope that every venue in Michigan that is eligible applies for this (Michigan Stages Survival) grant, as well as the federal Save our Stages grants.”
Seven Steps Up also received a grant through Live Music Society (livemusicsociety.org) in November 2020.
“We were one of only 20 venues in the U.S. and the only one in Michigan to receive the first round of grants,” she said. “Between the GoFundMe and this grant, we’ve been able to survive. (But) we really need the federal funding to get us past this and help us as we open our doors.”
Governmental grants and touring acts needed
The Michigan Stages Survival Grant Program will provide a total of $3.5 million in one-time grants of up to $40,000 to eligible entertainment and live music venues throughout Michigan “that have realized a significant financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency declarations.”
The application window open Thursday, Jan. 21, and will close at noon on Thursday, Jan. 28. For more information on the grant, visit michiganbusiness.org/stages/. The Michigan Independent Venue and Promoter Association (MIVPA) will be responsible for accepting, reviewing and approving applications. The state will then distribute the grant funds based on the recommendation of the MIVPA.
The MIVPA is one of those small venue organizations which formed in the aftermath of the early 2020 industry shutdown. On a national level, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) was first formed to advocate for the industry in Washington, D.C.
“The MI Stages Survival Grant Program is the result of a lot of hard work on the part of many venues involved in the Michigan Independent Venue & Promoter Association (MIVPA), a new trade association here in Michigan that came about through relationships developed through NIVA (National Independent Venue Association),” Hanks said. “These grants can be a lifeline to Michigan venues as we await for the Federal relief grant program.”
Seven Steps Up is a member of both NIVA and the MIVPA, and Hanks is one of the co-founders of the MIVPA.
But in addition to simply keeping the bills paid and awaiting the opening of venue doors, Seven Steps Up and other venues still need a regular schedule of touring acts.
A full house at an undated concert at Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake. (Seven Steps Up)
“One of the things that is a challenge for us, and for other small venues like us, is we can’t just bring our employees back for one show,” she said in the initial interview last year. “We have to be able to get up and do a regular number os shows for it to make any kinds of sense for anyone.”
Seven Steps Up usually has 7-to-9 part-time employees for 132-seat sold-out shows.
“I think we may get an opportunity for some sporadic shows earlier in the year, but don’t think we will see regular concerts and tours before (fall),” Hanks said. “So much depends upon what is happening with the roll out of the vaccine, COVID cases, etc. I feel really good about the fall, and am hopeful for anything earlier.
“I think the entire industry is simply waiting to feel safe. If we open our doors and people don’t feel safe to come inside to enjoy the concert or artists don’t feel safe to travel, we won’t see this industry restart. … Hopefully, the vaccine will allow this to happen within the next few months.”
For more information on the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) visit their FaceBook page here. For more information on Michigan Independent Venue & Promoter Association (MIVPA), visit its Facebook page here. For more information on Seven Steps Up, located at 116 S. Jackson., Spring Lake, visit sevenstepsup.com.
There are lots of incredible businesses and restaurants right in our own backyard which is why WKTV has partnered with the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce to bring this series focused on businesses right here in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming.
Starting the series is Tomato Pie. which was recently purchased Chef Joseff VanHorn, owner of YoChef’s Catering Company and YoChef’s Café.
Name: Tomato Pie, 5301 S. Divison Ave.
What is your business?
A restaurant serving wood fired thin Napoli-style pizza, with a wonderful bubbly crust. Combining high quality ingredients with unique flavor combinations. Also serving hot subs and specialty salads.
How long has your business been operating?
I took over the pizza business November 16, 2020 from Sam D’Angelo (open a total of 18 months)
How did your business get started?
Sam D’Angelo had a vision of what pizza should be (hand tossed dough made from scratch and a red sauce that was made from scratch but not too sweet. Sam & I have been friends for years and in the middle of 2020 we both had to make a move. Catering was at an all time low for me and Sam needed someone he could trust to keep his vision alive and take it to the next level! I excepted the challenge and have been using my 30-plus years of operating many kitchens to bring Tomato Pie to the next level.
Chef Joseff VanHorn just put a wood fire pizza into the oven. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Why did you decide to locate your business in the Wyoming/Kentwood area?
Sam owned a car lot on which the new building stands. I have another business in Kentwood – YoChef’s Catering Company & YoChef’s Café so it was a perfect fit to be located right around the corner.
What has been the greatest challenge for your business?
Keeping our business open during 2020. COVID-19 and all the rules and regulations that have affected the hospitality business has made it almost impossible to stay open.
Tomato Pie’s Crazy Greek features fresh spinach, roast artichokes, red onion, roasted red pepper, feta, mozzarella and Kalamata olives. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
What is the most popular product/item at your business/restaurant?
Specialty pizzas that you can’t find anywhere else separate us from the standard pizza place. We slice to order a lot of specialty meats and cheeses to make your pizza just the way you like it. People have told us the Margherita, four cheese, & aged prosciutto pizza are the best in town.
What is a Wyoming/Kentwood business you like to visit during your free time?
I have not had much free time. Mostly my away time is spent shopping for local products, meats and cheeses. I really enjoy Lee’s Market for Asian and the Mediterranean Island Market for the hard to find specialty meats and cheese like Suho Meso and Sudeka (smoked beef products).
Hopes for 2021:
We hope to get Tomato Pie open and profitable where people enjoy dine-in or take out food for lunch or dinner. You can not tell from the street but when you walk inside Tomato Pie it is a GREAT place to dine-in. We have an open kitchen where guests can see us toss the dough by hand in the air and make their lunch/diner right in front of them. It is all about the show!
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Wednesday, Jan. 27, WKTV will be showcasing three documentaries featuring stories of Jewish families who lived in Germany and surrounding countries during the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
The day, established by the United Nations General, is the liberation anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, where between 1.1 to 1.5 million people, most of them Jewish, died. On the annual day of commemoration, the UN encourages people to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.
“The Locket” will air at 1 p.m. on Jan. 27.
At noon, WKTV will be airing “Scattered Seeds.” This film tells the story of two Holocaust survivors who were hidden in Nazi-ruled Europe for several years until they migrated to the United States. Family and friends of these hidden children sacrificed their own fates in hope that one day they would get to live fruitful lives.
Following at 1 p.m., will be the documentary “The Locket.” Director Margaret Bilinsky relates the experiences of her family in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. A locket that belonged to an aunt who was killed in the Holocaust serves as a physical reminder of those who did not survive.
At 1:30 p.m., WKTV will air “Hidden Treasures,” a documentary that tells the story of five families and their efforts to smuggle family heirlooms and hidden treasures out of Germany and Poland during World War II.
All three documentaries may be seen on WKTV Channel 25 or can be live streamed at WKTV.org.
By Officer Jenni Eby Wyoming’s Department of Public Safety
Rhis week’s Traffic Tuesday question was about snow plows. Do you know what year the first snowplow designed to be used with motor equipment built?
A flyer from the Good Roads Machinery Company which is unofficially credited with creating the first snowplow.
A. 1898
B. 1905
C. 1913
D. 1920
The answer is 1913. in New York City. The Good Roads Machinery Company is unofficially credited with creating the first snowplow for the very specific standards of the New York City Cleaning Bureau.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University announced today that the annual Roger That! conference and event is returning on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20. Roger That! celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day virtual experience, hosted by both organizations.
“The Museum is thrilled to partner with GVSU for the fifth year to celebrate the life of Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration through a series of free public events,” said Rob Schuitema, the GRPM’s Director of Public Programs. “Although the celebration is virtual this year, attendees are going to be fully engaged and intrigued by the incredible lineup of guest speakers and presentations that address space, science, art and more.”
GVSU will host a virtual academic conference consisting of a diverse lineup of panelists including meteor scientists, engineers, artists, experts on virtual reality, physicists, space collection curators and astronauts. Registration required. For more information on GVSU’s guest lecture lineup, schedule and to register, visit gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Roger Chaffee died with his fellow astronauts in a training exercise. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)
“Going virtual has allowed us to include speakers from around the country and around the world (Australia and Vatican City) and will also allow conference participants to tune in from everywhere,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology. “For instance, we have a visual effects panel composed of Hugo, Emmy and Oscar awardees. Since this year’s event is virtual, we felt it was important to include discussion from members of an industry that helps take us where we can’t be.”
Public events hosted as part of Roger That! include a livestream of a 1925 sci-fi silent film “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the acoustics of the GRPM’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ; a webinar led by Dr. Brent Bos, who is a West Michigan native and NASA scientist; and a science fiction panel discussion featuring Hollywood special effects artists. To learn more about public presentations taking place as part of Roger That! visit grpm.org/RogerThat.
Public Virtual Events
The GRPM will kick off its public celebration on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. with a special virtual presentation of the 1925 sci-fi German silent film, “Our Heavenly Bodies,” accompanied by the dynamic sounds of the 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Organ. This performance will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.
On Saturday, Feb. 20, at noon Dr. Brent Bos, West Michigan native, senior research physicist at NASA Goddard Flight Center, and camera operator of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid mission, will host a webinar titled Bombshells at Bennu: Revelations from NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission. This webinar will be live streamed from the GRPM’s Meijer Theater and will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Tickets are available by visiting grpm.org/RogerThat.
The celebration will conclude with a panel discussion, Art and Special Effects in Science Fiction, on February 20, starting at 3 p.m. The panel will be led by four Hollywood special effects artists: Vincent Di Fate, Ron Miller, Robert Skotak and Rick Sternbach. This group of artists have produced Oscar, Emmy and Hugo winning achievements, and will discuss the role of art in science fiction, while focusing on the introduction of special effects in silent films. The panelists will reflect on Friday’s silent film of “Our Heavenly Bodies” as well as share their own stories, experiences and artwork. Q and A will follow. The panel discussion will be available to watch via a Zoom link. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance due to limited spots. Register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Visitors are encouraged to continue celebrating space exploration by visiting the GRPM’s Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium, which features a new show Incoming! that explores asteroids, comets and meteors. A live show, created by the GRPM, will accompany the movie portion of Incoming! in partnership with NASA scientist Brent Bos. In addition to the show, the GRPM also partnered with Brent Bos and created a set of new interactive experiences outside of the Chaffee Planetarium. These include a lunar crater station, meteors under a microscope and a meteor pinball machine.
The Planetarium lobby also features an exhibit with Roger B. Chaffee related artifacts that tell a detailed story of his life.
The GRPM is open during regular business hours with capacity limits. Advance tickets are required for entry. Planetarium lobby interactives and displays are included with general admission. Planetarium shows are an additional cost and can be purchased at grpm.org/planetarium.
Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy
On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.
Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, MI, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.
With winter weather, snowplow trucks are very visible this time of year. (WKTV)
By Officer Jenni Eby Wyoming Department of Public Safety
After a holiday break, the Traffic Tuesday is back and this week, in honor of the winter weather, it features a piece of snowplow trivia. Many of us have come to depend on our snowplow trucks to clear on streets. These trucks are operated by the city’s Department of Public Works.
For this week’s Traffic Tuesday question, do you know what year the first snowplow designed to be used with motor equipment built?
Wyoming and Kentwood small businesses unpacked by COCID-19 — like Kentwood’s Daniele’s Pizzeria, show here in December 2020 — have the opportunity to apply for a new state emergency funding program. (City of Kentwood)
From the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, to the regional business advocate The Right Place, to the Governor, small businesses severely impacted by COVID-19 and related governmental restrictions are being urged — strongly urged — to waste no time in applying for the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program.
The $55 million grant program, signed into law late last year but approved for funding by the Michigan Strategic Fund last week, is open for businesses to apply starting today, Jan. 19, but closing at noon Friday. Jan. 22.
According to a statement from the local chamber of commerce, “the $55 million Michigan Small Business Survival Grant program (is designed) to meet the urgent need of Michigan small businesses that have experienced a significant financial hardship” due to the recent COVID-19 emergency “gatherings and face mask orders” and those orders either forcing the closing a small business or the significant reduction in revenue.
“Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to businesses that are fully closed, with grants of up to $15,000 awarded to businesses that have been partially closed, or otherwise are open and can demonstrate an impact,” Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Chamber, said in the statement. “All applications received during this period will be reviewed and scored according to predetermined criteria. Funding is not first come, first serve.”
The Grand Rapids based economic development organization (EDO) The Right Place, Inc., is assisting the state’s Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in facilitating grants to businesses in 11 West Michigan counties affected by COVID-19.
According to a statement from The Right Place, it will be coordinating the distribution of $5.25 million to business applicants from Kent, Barry, Ionia, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana and Osceola counties.
“West Michigan’s small businesses continue to be critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Birgit Klohs, president and CEO of The Right Place, Inc., said in supplied material. “As we approach nearly a year of navigating this pandemic the demand for assistance remains high, and the Survival Grants will offer a needed financial lifeline to small business throughout our region.”
According to The Right Place statement, businesses must meet eligibility requirements including having had 1 to 100 employees (including full-time, part-time and owner/employees) on a worldwide basis on Nov. 17, 2020; be in an industry that demonstrates it is affected by the DHHS epidemic orders; needs working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses, or other similar expenses; and can demonstrate an income loss as a result of the state health orders “as determined by the EDO in which an eligible business is located” — for local businesses, The Right Place.
Local small businesses, to qualify, also must not be a live music and entertainment venue that is eligible for the separate Michigan Stage Survival Grant Program.
(The $3.5 million Michigan Stages Survival Grant Program will provide up to $40,000 in one-time grants to eligible Michigan live music and entertainment venues that have experienced a significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information visit michiganbusiness.org/stages/.)
“The Michigan Small Business Survival Grants Program will help small businesses throughout Michigan hardest hit by the impact of COVID-19, especially as they continue to experience additional strain in the winter months,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in supplied material. “This program provides a significant opportunity to address the immediate needs of these businesses, and I strongly encourage all eligible businesses to apply for assistance.”
The state also advises applicants that an electronic queue system will also be in effect with businesses entering the queue prior to entry into the application. Businesses will be able to sign up to receive an alert when they have reached the front of the queue with 15 minutes to start the application once they have been notified that they have reached the front of the queue.
If there was a word for 2020 it would be collaboration, said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll as he presented his 12th State of the City address at the City Council’s Jan. 18 meeting.
Through the annual address, Poll reflects on the past year while taking a look at the future.
“We did not see 2020 coming,” Poll said. “No one did.”
But despite the challenges faced by many, the residents of the City of Wyoming came together to help each other.
“Our community stepped up together,” he said. “I could spend an entire evening highlighting the ways in which we worked collaboratively to overcome challenges and create a brighter future for all who live, work and play here in Wyoming.”
As the state went into lockdown, businesses were forced to close their doors — some permanently — and employees who could worked remotely did. But cities like Wyoming, Poll noted, are not able to shutdown and the Wyoming City staff “without missing a beat” developed a response plan to ensure the safety of residents, business, and visitors.
Due to social distancing, many activities did not take place and others were moved to virtual. More than 2,400 people participated in virtual programs, Poll said, adding that the Wyoming Senior Center staff has worked with Senior Meals on Wheels to prove more than 6,800 senior meals and in a drive-thru format for personal care items.
Poll noted a number of other successes:
More than 78 percent of the residents self-responded to the U.S. Census, which was nearly a six percent increase over the 2010 U.S. Census. Through in-person follow-up, the city had a 100 percent participation once the 2020 U.S. Census was completed.
At the November presidential election, 65 percent of the registered voters in Wyoming cast ballots with more than half of these ballots being absentee. That is a 420 percent increase in absentee voting over the last presidential election.
The city’s Department of Public Works added more than a mile of new waterman in two separate projects and repaired more than 40 waterman breaks including repairng a major water transmission line in just nine days so that more than 230,000 West Michigan residents could receive clean water.
One of the highlights for 2020 was the grand re-opening of Ideal Park. (WKTV)
In 2020, the city issued more than 580 building permits at a value of more than $105 million in construction.
The Wyoming Planning Commission reviewed more than 40 projects such as the new residential development with multiple buildings to businesses near Burlingame and 60th Street and another new resident developments that included the addition of single family, multi-family and dedicated senior living homes.
Restoration of the Burlingame water tanks
More than 14 miles of streets were resurfaced.
The city celebrated the grand re-opening of Ideal Park and began construction work to improve Jackson Park.
The city invested more than $663,000 in Community Block Grant funding with more than $140,000 spent on housing rehabilitation programs and support services and $79,000 spent on additional public services to prevent homelessness.
The Wyoming Housing Commission participated in a venture with developers to help complete applications to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority which lead to the Housing Commission passing eight resolutions to help increase affordable housing options in Wyoming.
The Department of Public Safety assisted the City of Grand Rapids during several protests. The police responded to 28,500 calls for service and fire responded to about 6,500 calls for service in 2020. Public Safety also responded to 900 calls for confirmed or suspected cases of COVID.
As the city looks toward the future, Poll said the city will have to consider how to maintain its current financial stability.
“Today, our city is in a solid financial place, but we cannot rest on those laurels nor rely on this to continue to grow,” Poll said. “We have to anticipate our future growth and the corresponding future needs of our community.”
Wyoming must continue to address its community needs, such as the staffing of the Department of Public Safety which is understaffed compared to other similar sized communities, Poll said.
“The council and I will be working with city staff to evaluate financial options we hope to bring to residents for review in the coming months,” Poll said.
The city expects to see more development of 28 West in 2021. (WKTV)
Poll said there are many exciting events set to take place in 2021:
The hiring of the city’s next deputy city manager
Working with local developers and continuing to identify the right tenant for the Site 36 property.
Additional retail development along 28 West as the city welcomes nearly 400 new residential units on the site for the former Studio 28
Approving the city’s new master plan
Continuing to work with the cities of Kentwood and Grand Rapids and The Rapid in the Division United study to help the growth of the Division Avenue corridor.
Poll encouraged residents to get involved and mentioned that there were openings on several of the city’s boards and commissions such as development, community enrichment and others.
“Let’s make 2021 a year where we ll are commit to be involved and be informed,” Poll said.
Local high school basketball is a huge step closer to hitting the floor. (Photo from previous year game televised by WKTV with East Kentwood High School’s boys basketball team at Wyoming.)
When high school sports teams including football and volleyball were allowed to begin competition early this month after following extensive COVID-19 rapid testing protocols, not only were those sports given a chance to finish their season but winter sports including basketball could see a path ahead for their restart of practice and competition.
The antigen rapid test results — which showed more than a 99 percent non-infection rate among the student athletes as of last week — were seen as a success by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).
And last week, both state officials and the MHSAA moved forward with plans to lift all restrictions on non-contact winter sports such as bowling and gymnastics, and began easing of restrictions even on contact sports, many local high school basketball teams began “non-contact” practices this last weekend and they are shooting for a beginning of February start to their seasons.
“We have shown with our remaining fall sports this month that our schools can participate safely, and we’re confident teams will continue to take all the appropriate precautions as we jump back into indoor winter activities,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl said last week in supplied material.
And the success of the rapid testing pilot program with the fall sports was a key factor in the continuing opening of high school athletics.
Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid test. (Abbott)
According to numbers supplied by the MDHHS on Friday, and of Jan. 15, the antigen test results (which included multiple tests of same individuals) there were 25,601 total tests with 25,533 negative (99.73 percent) and only 69 positive (0.27 percent).
“Overall, schools have deemed this testing pilot a success that has allowed close to 7,000 student-athletes and staff to safely compete in high school athletics,” Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the MDHHS, said to WKTV Jan. 15. “More than 99 percent of the tests were negative, however, testing allowed the department to find dozens of positive COVID-19 cases among student-athletes.”
One local school which participated in the testing pilot program was the Grand Rapids South Christian High School football team, which was able to finish their season on the field on Jan. 9 after beginning testing beginning just after New Years Day.
“The MHSAA and the MDHHS have clearly outlined their expectations and have given very sound guidance on the process so we are ready to begin the testing,” South Christian athletic director David Kool said to WKTV at the time testing began.
And that success was good news to local basketball coaches, including Wyoming High School’s head boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay.
“We are so excited to get back in the gym go to work,” Vander Klay said to WKTV. “We could only see them via remote media using zoom meetings. The kids could not use school facilities either so we are a bit behind. … (But) even with masks and non-contact we will make up a lot of time, being to install our fundamentals and schemes.”
Vander Klay also said that at this point he is not sure if his team will need to work within the same rapid testing protocol or not, but “regardless of what the mandates are as long as we can practice and work on our game we will have plenty to do” in preparation for a scheduled Feb. 4 opening against South Christian.
MHSAA acts as state health department eases restrictions
The MDHHS updated its epidemic order last week to allow re-opening of additional activities including indoor group exercise and non-contact sports — with non-contact practice for contact sports such as basketball also allowed. The new order will last until Jan. 31, according to the MDHHS statement.
Currently, basketball, hockey and wrestling are allowed to practice but not allowed to have competition, while other winter sport include girls gymnastics, girls and boys bowling, and girls and boys swimming and diving are allowed to begin competition.
Masks will be required of all participants of the three sports now allowed competition “except when they are actively participating in gymnastics and swimming & diving,” according to the MHSAA statement. Spectators will be limited to 100 persons in school gyms or 250 in stadiums and arenas, “per MDHHS orders” in place.
“We are glad to have three more sports join skiing in returning to full activity, but we understand the disappointment and frustration on the part of our athletes and coaches whose sports are not yet able to restart completely,” MHSAA’s Uyl said. “We will continue to adjust schedules to provide all of our winter teams as substantial an experience this season as possible, as part of our greater plan this school year to play all three seasons to conclusion.”
Additionally, spring sports teams and fall teams not participating in the MDHHS rapid testing pilot program may begin four-player workouts and resume conditioning but only with non-contact activities.
“We are reopening cautiously because caution is working to save lives,” MDHHS director Robert Gordon said in supplied material. “The new order allows group exercise and non-contact sports, always with masks and social distancing, because in the winter it’s not as easy to get out and exercise and physical activity is important for physical and mental health.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced today, Jan. 16, the first confirmed case of the new COVID-19 variant, “B.1.1.7.”, in an adult female living in Washtenaw County and identified by the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories.
According to the MDHHS statement, the person recently traveled to the United Kingdom, where this variant is thought to have originated.
“Close contacts of this individual have been identified and are in quarantine,” according to the statement. “At this time two new cases have been identified from close contacts with the person, but it is not known if they are infected with the variant.”
B.1.1.7. is believed to be more contagious, and a higher rate of transmission could increase the number of people who need to be hospitalized or who lose their lives to COVID-19 should the new variant begin circulating widely in Michigan. To date, the virus has been identified in at least 16 other states and jurisdictions in the U.S.
“The discovery of this variant in Michigan is concerning, but not unexpected,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, said in supplied material. “We all have a personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and end this pandemic as quickly as possible.”
Based on available evidence, current tests and vaccines for COVID-19 also work against this new variant, according to the MDHHS statement. Protective actions that prevent the spread of COVID-19 will also prevent the spread of the new variant, B.1.1.7.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Still Spreading Joy
The City of Holland recently announced that it would keep its holiday lights up through March, extending the cheer through the winter months. The lights are up through downtown Holland so that walkers and runners have the opportunity to enjoy them.
Build It and They Feel Welcomed
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosted a soft opening this week for its new entranceway. Those who visit the Gardens will now enter through the new Welcome Center, which is comprised of two levels, the Main Level and the lower Courtyard Level. The Main Level features the new entryway, Ram’s Garden, ticketing center and expanded coat room, restrooms, and mobility center as well as other features. The library, archives, indoor eating area and the new Mimi’s Garden are located in the Courtyard Level.
Remembering a Leader
On Monday, Jan. 18, the nation will celebrate the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Locally, two organizations, Grand Valley State University and the Muskegon Museum of Art, will be hosting virtual events. At 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18, GVSU will host a Zoom webinar with White House correspondent Yamiche Alcindor who will discuss the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. On Jan. 18, the Muskegon Museum of Art will offer an online art activity, film list for adults and an African-American art highlight as part of its Virtual MLK Day Celebration. As its 2021 MLK Community Service project, the City of Kentwood is collecting food and nonperishable items for its Little Free Pantry. Items can be dropped off at several locations such as Kentwood City Hall, KDL Kentwood Branch, and the Kentwood Activities Center.
Godwin Heights High School’s girls basketball team in action against Wyoming Tri-unity Christian on Jan. 7, 2020. (WKTV)
The Blizzard and Basketball
While we wait for the high school basketball season to start, how about a history lesson? Recently Google honored James Naismith, the man who invented basketball. According to the only surviving recording of Naismith, the idea for the game came about when he was a physical education teacher for what is now Springfield College in Massachusetts. After a blizzard had covered the area eliminating outdoor activities, Naismith said he was looking for a way to help the students burn off some excess energy. One day, after practice, he came up with the idea of nailing two peach baskets to the opposite ends of the gym, dividing the students into two teams of nine, and told them the object was to get the ball into the other team’s basket. This was the start of one of the U.S.’s most popular winter games.
Wyoming City Mayor Jack Poll is set to give his State of the City address at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18.
Mayor Jack Poll is set to present his State of the City address on Monday. (WKTV)
Poll will be presenting his address during the city’s Council Meeting, which can be viewed on WKTV Channel 26 or livestreamed on WKTV.org or the WKTV Community Media Facebook page.
The annual State of the City address will reflect on the past year while taking a look at the future.
As part of its Martin Luther King Jr. Day community service project, the city will be collecting donations for its Little Free Pantry locations. (Supplied)
In 2017, four city residents and staff sat around a table discussing possible ideas they could incorporate for Kentwood’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day’s community service project.
“It was [Kentwood Commissioner] Betsy Artz, [resident] Jessica Ann Tyson, [Kentwood Parks and Recreation] Laura Barbrick and I talking about having this Little Free Pantry,” said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Director Val Romeo. “We thought let’s try it. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”
So the city established its first Free Little Pantry at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.
“I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined it being used as much as it has been,” Romeo said.
Fast forward four years and for its 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. community service project, the city will be collecting food and non-perishable items for its Free Little Pantry at the activities center and its new second location at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Rd. SE.
“When the center was under construction, we moved the pantry to the library,” Romeo said. “We were pleased to see how much the pantry was being used.”
Because of the usage and the fact that it would serve the other side of the city , it was decided to locate a second pantry at the library, she said. An anonymous donation was received to help get the library pantry started.
“Kentwood is a compassionate, giving community that celebrates neighbors helping neighbors, especially in times of need,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “We’re asking the community to come together to help us launch a second Little Free Pantry to increase access to food assistance, which has been a growing issue compounded by the pandemic. If you can, please donate non-perishable items this month and consider becoming a year-round partner so we provide a more sustainable resource for those experiencing food insecurity.”
With the pandemic, the Kent County area has seen an increased need for food and other non-perishable items such as toilet paper. According to Feeding America West Michigan, there are about 300,000 people in need. It would take more than 49 million meals to fill this need. In 2019, agency and its partners were able to supply about 21 million meals in 2019.
Romeo said the Kentwood Parks and Recreation staff also have seen an increased use at its Little Free Pantry.
“There are so many people who are experiencing [food insecurities] for the first time,” she said. “ I think the pantry makes it easier for them because we don’t take down any information or ask anything of them. They can just come in and take what they need.”
Started in Arkansas with the motto “Neighbors serving neighbors,” the Little Free Pantry is similar to the little free library movement. The pantries are designed to be small and fill an immediate and local need. Basically, take an item or items when needed and leave an item or items when you can.
These donation bins are at a number of city locations as well as Railtown Brewing and Saint Mark Lutheran Church. (Supplied)
And just as the need has increased, so has the generosity of residents.
“This pandemic has proven to bring out the best in people,” Romeo said, adding that donations have almost doubled. “We have seen people bring in large donations, large food donations of $300 to $400 dollars worth. We know it is not easy for them but they feel blessed and want to pass it on by helping others.”
Because of residents’ contributions and the anonymous donation, city officials decided to move forward with the second Little Free Pantry location. Romeo said the pantry will be located in the same general area that the temporary one was. It will be on the first floor, in the back corner, near the DVD section.
Romeo said the library Little Free Pantry should be ready to open when KDL reopens all of its library branches which is scheduled for Jan. 19.
For the MLK community service project, residents can donate canned goods and other non-perishable items at the following locations (Reminder masks are required at many of these locations along with social distancing):
Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE: Donations may be dropped off at 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.
Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave SE: Donations may be placed inside the collection bin 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, and 7:30 a.m. to noon Friday.
KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Ave. SE: Donations may be dropped off via curbside from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE: Donations may be placed inside the collection bin 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Drop-off bins are available at Railtown Brewing Company, 3595 68th St. SE, and Saint Mark Lutheran Church, 1934 52nd St. SE.
Portable items that people do not need to heat, such as canned meat, seem to be in demand along with personal care items like toothbrushes, soap, and toilet paper.
“We sometimes think that someone in need does use or need a toothbrush or deodorant,” Romeo said. “But if you are choosing between food and deodorant, chances are you are going to pick food.”
For more information about Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, including a list of suggested donations, visit kentwood.us/littlefreepantry.
After being closed to the public for almost two months, the Kent District Library announced plans today to reopen all of its branches for in-person services starting Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Patrons will be able to enter their local KDL branch to browse the collection and enjoy other library resources inside, in addition to having the option of curbside service. Due to construction, the KDL Cascade branch will reopen on Feb. 1.
“We are so excited to welcome our patrons back to the library once again,” said Regional Manager Anjie Gleisner. “We look forward to seeing and serving people while making our buildings a safe place to visit.”
For health and safety reasons, KDL will have a couple of guidelines in place:
· Properly worn masks are required.
· Private study rooms are not available for use and play spaces will be closed.
· Patrons are asked to limit their visits to two hours. Computer use will be limited to two hours a day.
· KDL encourages high-risk patrons to visit the branches during the first hour of the day, as they are usually less busy.
· The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Epidemic Ordersrequire KDL to limit building capacity to 30 percent.
Curbside pickup service has become extremely popular, enabling patrons to checkout materials online and have them quickly brought to their car during regular hours. Patrons who are more comfortable using the library from home can enjoy a wide range of materials and services online, including livestreamed programs, by visiting www.kdl.org/virtual. Locations, hours and all services are detailed at kdl.org.
After City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley briefly discussed the likelihood of Tesla building and opening a facility in the city, recorded as part of the WKTV Community Media’s coverage of the Jan. 11 Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters meeting, the city today confirmed it has issued a building permit for a Tesla service center and gallery.
According to the Tesla official website, there are only two other Tesla store and galleries in the state of Michigan, one in Clarkston (Detroit) and the other in Troy. The location of the Kentwood facility is unannounced at this time.
“We look forward to welcoming Tesla’s new service center and gallery to Kentwood later this year,” Mayor Kepley said in a Jan. 13 statement to WKTV. “Our city continues to be a destination for retail, drawing some of the nation’s premium brands to our community. It’s particularly gratifying to see investment during the pandemic, which is a testament to optimism in our economy. Kentwood remains open — and eager — for business.”
Tesla, according to its website, was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers “who wanted to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to drive electric – that electric vehicles can be better, quicker and more fun to drive than gasoline cars.” Currently, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also “infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage” products.
According to various media reports, electric-car maker Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) was worth about $700 billion to end 2020. The stock was recently added to the S&P 500 index as its fifth largest constituent. Tesla’s vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2020 were reported to be about 180,600 units.
Elon Musk, head of Tesla and the Space X enterprises, recently was reported to have become the world’s richest person, with a net worth of about $185 billion.
To see the on-demand recording of the recent WKTV Government Matters program, visit WKTVlive.org.
There is no argument, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted how people live their everyday lives.
Limited contact with family and loved ones, working from home, and limited travel have all added to the stress levels people are experiencing during this time period, according to Dr. Afriyie Randle in the latest Medical Moment.
During these times, people have experienced angst, anxiety, depression, and overall mental stress, Randle said. According to the Centers for Disease Control, by late June 2002, 40 percent of adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use. About 11 percent reported they had seriously considered suicide.
“The first thing you should know is that it is OK to not be OK,” Randle said, adding that people should be gentle with themselves during this time.
Other tips are:
Do what you can when you can and be fine with it
Learn your triggers and what sets you off and reduce your exposure to it
Stop the negative feedback loops with positive re-enforcement
Just breathe and take a break
Seek out positivity and uplifting people
Mediate on your own
Seek professional help through organizations like Network 180.
“Step away and do something that is entertaining and fun whether that is spending time with family, watching a movie or reading a book,” Randle said. “Accept that it takes time to change and don’t beat yourself up for the way you feel.”
Feeding America West Michigan, along with its partners and supporters, have been fighting hunger alongside in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula for 40 years. (FeedWM)
Feeding America West Michigan is celebrating its 40th year of fighting hunger alongside its partners and supporters in 2021. And, throughout the year, the local non-profit will be honoring 40 people who have been part of this journey through its “40 Years 40 Faces” series.
While the group announced its first honored person last week — the Rev. Donald Eddy, who in 1980 worked with Grant-area farmers to get unmarketable fresh vegetables into the hands of the needy and hungry — the local Feeding America is looking for the general public to submit stories and persons who have helped “feed America” locally.
“Countless people have played a role in our 40-year history,” Molly Kooi, Feeding America West Michigan’s communication manager, said to WKTV. “We want to honor 40 of them in our 40 Years 40 Faces series … (and the public can) nominate someone to be featured, or to share your own story.
To share a story or nominate someone, go to FeedWM.org/40-years and click on the share your story button, she said.
People, stories of people feeding people
Rev. Don Eddy (FeedWM)
The Rev. Eddy’s story is a prime example that small actions can make a difference. In early 1980, he saw a truckload of perfectly good carrots being composted on a farm in Grant, according to supplied material. As director of United Methodist Metropolitan Ministries, he knew many people who faced hunger, so he asked the farmers to stop dumping them and said he could ensure the carrots got to families who could really use them.
A year later, on April 23, 1981, the food bank that became Feeding America West Michigan (FeedWM) formed. That small beginning has culminated in the food bank’s current network that serves 40 counties across West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.
As the year 2021 goes on, each 40 Years 40 Faces story will be shared on social media (@feedingwestmich) and on the food bank’s website (FeedWM.org/40-years).
The series will feature FeedWM staff — like its longest tenure executive director, John Arnold and current CEO, Kenneth Estelle, as well as board members, volunteers, farmers, donors and others who have been part of the food bank’s ongoing journey toward a hunger-free community. And there are opening for others.
Mobile Food Pantry boxes, undated. (FeedWM)
In addition to the story series, the food bank will release a historical timeline and photo album. The food bank welcomes the public to submit photos here to be included.
“We are excited to share about the food bank’s 40-year journey and honor some of the many people who have been a part of our story,” Estelle said in supplied material. “Our partners and supporters have made and continue to make our work possible.”
Serving local families in need since 1981, Feeding America West Michigan reclaims millions of meals’ worth of safe, surplus food from various sources, according to supplied material. With the help of countless volunteers, the food bank sorts, stores and distributes this food through a network of more than 900 partners to fill hundreds of thousands of neighbors’ plates instead of landfills.
For more information, visit FeedWM.org or call 616-784-3250.
David Hooker, president and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, talked to WKTV at the Welcome Center opening Monday, Jan. 11. (WKTV video)
With the 2017 launch of the Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love $115 million capital campaign, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park was honoring the legacy of Fred and Lena Meijer’s past community vision and well as initial and continuing financial support.
But Meijer Gardens — a bedrock cultural and artistic landmark in West Michigan — was also acknowledging that for it to move boldly into the future, for it to “Welcome the World”, it needed to get buy-in from the West Michigan community, including businesses large and small, and civic-minded individuals.
That buy-in — the fact that the capital campaign had attained it fundraising goal, and thus stayed on-track with its massive and near-complete 4-year facility expansion — was clearly evidenced by a wall of donors in its just-opened expanded Welcome Center.
Also evident was the intent of the leadership of the Meijer Gardens to make sure the community and tourism focal point of the region stayed vital and vigorous for generations to come.
“This is not monument to one person or one family, the community is making this happen and that is critically important,” David Hooker, president and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, said to WKTV at the Welcome Center opening Monday, Jan. 11. “We, as an organization, have no time horizon. Our goal is to be here until the very end of time. For that to happen, everybody has to rally around, to own the place. (To be) stewards of it. This generation, the next, and the next.”
While the opening of the Welcome Center is not the end of construction at Meijer Gardens supported by the capital campaign, it will allow the end of use of a temporary entrance and work to be completed on a new Garden Pavilion and a veranda to expanded Tassell-Wisner-Bottrall English Perennial Garden — one of the final pieces of the multi-year effort.
An August 2020 aerial view of the new Welcome Center at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (at right and lower right, still under construction). The Welcome Center had a “soft” opened this week that will allow the closure the temporary entrance (center) and a final phased of work to be done. (Meijer Gardens Website)
In all, the highlights of the expansion and renovation effort included the 69,000 square foot Welcome Center, the 20,000 square foot Covenant Learning Center, the Peter C. and Emajean Cook Transportation Center, the expanded and upgraded Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater, and the Padnos Families Rooftop Sculpture Garden.
The need for expansion was evidenced by a 2016 economic impact study, conducted by Grand Valley State University, that estimated that Meijer Gardens supports or contributes more than $75 million to the Kent County economy each year. More than 12 million people from around the world have visited since it opened in 1995, according to supplied material.
The project also addresses facility needs that include expanded annual horticulture exhibitions, more galleries for sculpture exhibitions, additional parking capacity and improved vehicle flow.
The Welcome Center’s architect is Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects/Partners, with local partners Progressive AE and Owen-Ames-Kimball, Co.
One area of the Welcome Center not yet complete is the Garden Pavilion, a central room where Jaume Plensa’s “Utopia” will be located. For the four walls of the Garden Pavilion, Plensa created a sculpture using one female face on each wall representing different ethnic backgrounds, according to supplied material. The faces “represent universal symbols of the beauty inherent in humanity,” and was specifically commissioned for the Garden Pavilion and is scheduled to open later this year.
Host Wayne Thomas with William J. Konkolesky on the Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Paranormal podcast. (WKTV)
By Wayne Thomas Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters
William J. Konkolesky joined the Michigan Chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) more than 25 years ago and has served as director since 2004. MUFON is the world’s oldest and largest civilian UFO investigation and research organization with volunteers in 43 countries and all 50 states. This non-profit, charitable corporation defines its mission as “the scientific study of UFOs for the benefit of humanity.”
Konkolesky lectures at conferences and libraries, virtual presentations, and other events associated with the UFO phenomenon. Our first contact was in the summer of 2019 at Plainwell’s Ransom District Library during his UFOs Over Michigan presentation. Konkolesky worked out a long mathematical equation resulting in a sum of 100 sextillion possible habitable places in the universe suitable to support life. The presentation covered the 1966 sighting over southeast Michigan and 1994 sighting over Grand Rapids, both with hundreds of eyewitnesses, including police and radar confirmation. Other presentations feature New UFO Cases, UFO Abductions, and High Strangeness UFO Cases.
Not limited to those events and venues, Konkolesky has either consulted for or appeared on The History Channel, Discovery, Syfy, and Science channels, ABC, and National Geographic. Author of two books and writing for magazines and websites, Konkolesky was one of the most fascinating guests interviewed on our WKTV Podcast. We featured his books, “Experiencer: Raised in Two Worlds” and “Experiencer 2: Two Worlds Collide” on Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Paranormal Podcast episodes #10 and #35. These books are true story autobiographies of personal abduction experiences starting at age two in the first book and picking it up at age 19 in the second book.
William J. Konkolesky
We had intuitive Astrologist Laura Briggs guest host on our last podcast with Konkolesky, where she offered insights suggesting that in the next couple years there will be indisputable evidence of alien existence. On Konkolesky’s Facebook, he quotes The Washington Post: “UFOs exist and everyone needs to adjust to that fact.” Scientists have concluded life on other planets is statistically inevitable and imminent.
In other words, if aliens are not already here, they soon will be. If you ask Konkolesky, they have been visiting Earth and interacting with us for several years.
The Kent County Health Department announced Friday that local health departments and health systems have received authorization from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to begin COVID-19 vaccination of some people in priority phases beyond 1A starting today, Monday, Jan. 11.
“Those registering should expect that appointments may not be available for several weeks as vaccine supplies are limited and Phase 1A is still in progress,” according to the KCHD announcement. “We encourage everyone to be patient as we prepare for the upcoming vaccination phases. Vaccinations are occurring as quickly as possible and information is being shared as it becomes available.”
The new phase of vaccination priority includes all people 65 years of age or older “not covered in Phase 1A. This includes those in a congregate setting who were not reached in Phase 1A.”
For the COVID-19 vaccine to be effective, individuals must receive a second dose 21-28 days after their initial vaccination, and it must be from the same manufacturer. So, according to the announcement, it is important to schedule an appointment at the same location for both doses. There are no out-of-pocket costs for consumers to receive the vaccine; however, those with health insurance will be asked to provide that information.
The state has also opened vaccinations for “prioritized frontline workers” including pre-kindergarten through high school teachers, support staff and childcare workers who usually have direct contact with children; first responders not covered in Phase 1A (firefighters, police, conservation officers, inspectors); corrections workers (staff in prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities); and workers in homeless shelters, congregate childcare institutions, and adult and child protective services.
Individuals in Phase 1A who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine are strongly encouraged to register immediately to ensure smooth transition to subsequent phases. Additional criteria for Phase 1A can be found at vaccinatewestmi.com/vaccine-distribution.
Also, the announcement states that individuals should not receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they are in isolation or quarantine for COVID-19; pregnant or lactating, without first consulting with your healthcare provider to weigh the risks and benefits; have received any other vaccine in the last 14 days; have received monoclonal antibody therapy for COVID-19 disease in the last 90 days.
“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.”
Sam Ewing
MLK Day is coming and local service goes online
Yamiche Alcindor, award-winning journalist and White House correspondent for PBS Newshour, will give the keynote address during West Michigan’s Jan. 18 commemoration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Go here for the story.
Jonathan Thunder, “Quarantine at Gramma’s House”. (Supplied)
Muskegon Art Museum offers Native American art exhibits
The MMA’ is currently offering three exhibits with more than a dozen Native American artists — and as many artistic styles — including “The Art of the People: Contemporary Anishinaabe Artists”,“Jim Denomie: Challenging the Narrative” and “Levi Rickert: Standing Rock — Photographs of an Indigenous Movement”. Go here for the story.
President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, shake hands as they meet for the first time, June 12, 2018, at the Capella Hotel in Singapore. (state.gov)
World Affairs Council of West Michigan begins Great Decisions series
The World Affairs Council of West Michigan (WACWM) will begin its “Great Decisions Global Discussions” in February, but a prelude to the series will be presented Thursday, Jan. 14, with a free special mid-day event, “The Korean-U.S. Alliance”. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
12 percent and 24 weeks
That post-festive period when you start out full of good intentions often never last. In fact, around 12 per cent of gym members sign up in January, and according to the Fitness Industry Association, most people have quit or stop going after 24 weeks. Source.
Starting January 18, area residents may notice The Rapid buses on Gezon Parkway.
The Byron Township’s recent decision to reduce its level of contracted services opened up an opportunity for The Rapid to add a new route from Division Avenue down Gezon Parkway to Metro Health, said Bill Kirk, business affairs specialist for The Rapid.
“Under Our Mobility for All plan, one of the routes we were looking at adding was one on Gezon,” Kirk said. Mobility for All is a planning process exploring practical ways to improve the productivity and reliability of The Rapid system.
According to Byron Township Supervisor Don Tillema, the township board decided to reduce the township’s contracted services due to cost and low usage.
“There was a push to eliminate it completely but there are people in our community who do need it and we did not want take the service away from them completely,” Tillema said.
The route into Byron Township starts at 60th Street and Division, heads to 68th Street and turns west going toward Clyde Park. The route continues on to Clyde Park north to the 54th Street Meijer. That route will remain with buses stopping at 68th Street about every hour instead of every third minutes.
The routes for 1M to Metro Health and 1B through Byron Township to 68th Street. (Supplied)
“This actually cuts our cost from $70,000 to about $35,000,” Tillema said.
With the reduction in service, Kirk said The Rapid had some open operational time. The staff decided to add a second route from Division Avenue down Gezon Parkway to Metro Health. The bus lines will alternate. The route 1B will follow the traditional Byron Township route, stopping at 68th Division and route 1M will turn down 54th Street and continue down Gezon Parkway to Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. Only the 68th Street stop and the Metro Health stop will be every hour. All other stops on route 1, whether 1M or 1B, will be every half hour including the stop at the 54th Street Meijer.
Kirk said The Rapid will monitor the new Metro Health route for usage, adding that the contract for the route runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.
The 1M route will be the second bus route The Rapid offers from downtown Grand Rapids to Metro Health. Route 16 moves through the southwest side, starting at the Central station and traveling down Clyde Park with stops on Michael Avenue, 36th Street and Byron Center Avenue, and at Metro Health.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced this week that it is distributing 3.5 million free masks as part of the state’s Mask Up, Mask Right campaign.
The free KN95 masks provided by MDHHS will be distributed by community organizations, including local MDHSS offices, the Kent County Health Department, Kent County Community Action and Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan.
Even before the expected shipments of the state-provided masks are available locally, several local groups such as the county health department already have masks available.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that it is distributing 3.5 million free KN95 masks as part of the state’s Mask Up, Mask Right campaign. (MDHHS)
“We have a limited supply of free surgical type masks available at our main clinic at 700 Fuller NE,” Steve Kelso, spokesperson for the Kent County Health Department, said to WKTV. “If people want those they can simply come to the lobby and they will see a box labeled ‘Mask Up, Mask Right’ and they can remove a box of masks for their household. We expect to receive additional supplies of masks within the next 30 days.”
Kelso also advised people to call 211 to find all Kent County locations where the masks are available, but also stressed that “These are not for businesses to offset their PPE (personal protective equipment) needs. These are for individuals only.”
Some areas of the state will start getting the state masks as early as next week.
“The KN95 masks likely won’t be available until next week,” Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the MDHHS, said to WKTV. “They are being shipped this week.”
The planned infusion of free masks to the public is part of a continuing effort by the state health department.
“We are urging Michiganders to Mask Up and Mask Right to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities from COVID-19,” MDHHS director Robert Gordon said in supplied material. “Wearing the right kind of mask is important. Today’s distribution of effective masks will help more Michiganders limit the spread of COVID to save lives and get back to normal sooner.”
Masking right includes wearing one of three options of masks that provide stronger protection: three-layered washable cloth face coverings, three-layered disposable masks or KN95 masks. It also includes wearing the mask correctly: having it secured over the nose and mouth and snugly fitting without gaps.
The MDHHS announcement noted that KN95 masks are similar to but should not be confused with N95 masks that are intended for health care workers who are engaged as part of their work in higher-risk settings.
To find additional state distribution sites for masks, visit at Michigan.gov/MaskUpMichigan or call the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136.
With the winter weather comes the snowplows, which already have been traveling down the streets of the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
With the snow, city officials from both Wyoming and Kentwood have been working to remind residents of winter snowplowing guidelines and street parking rules.
For both cities, There is an order to when the streets are plowed. Usually major streets, such as 44th Street, 28th Street, 54th Street, are plowed first. Collector streets such as Stauffer Avenue in Kentwood, are plowed next. Streets in the subdivision and cul-de-sacs and stub streets are last.
To help with plowing, both the cities have parking rules for the winter.
A car in the 900 block of north 4th saw buried after snow plows cleared the road Tuesday and Wednesday. (H-W Photo/Michael Kipley)
City of Wyoming Winter Parking
The City of Wyoming’s odd/even parking rule went into effect on Dec. 1 and runs until March 31. Residents parking on the street are asked to park on the side with odd number ending addresses (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) on odd number days and on even days (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), the side with addresses ending in even numbers. Those living in cul-de-sacs may park on the street on even days.
Cars must be parked on the correct side from midnight to 7 p.m. with residents encouraged to move their cars to the correct side between 7 p.m. and midnight.
The odd/even parking rule is enforced by the city. The Wyoming Department of Public Service responded to around 11,000 calls on odd/even parking, writing more than 1,000 tickets in 2019. First time offenders are warned or given a ticket.
City of Kentwood Winter Parking
The City of Kentwood’s winter parking went into effect Nov. 15. Cars may not be parked on the streets from 1 – 8 a.m. until March 31. Additionally, parking is not allowed on the streets when it could make it difficult for the snow plows to get through.
Clear those fire hydrants
Both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood are asking residents to help keep fire hydrants near their homes or businesses clear of snow. It is recommended keeping snow and ice at least three get away from hydrants on all sides.
According to local fire department officials, having hydrants clear of snow and ice saves firefighters time when dealing with a fire.
Keeping the Sidewalks Cleared
The City of Wyoming does have a contractor who clears the sidewalks when there is two or more inches. This is done at night. Wyoming property owners are asked to help keep the sidewalks clean of any obstructions.
In Kentwood, the city does clear it is the property owners responsibilities to clear the sidewalk when there is two or more inches of snow.
Kent County Community Action is one of the many groups are working to help feed local families in need, including Feeding America West (shown here from a 2020 event). (Supplied/Feeding America WM)
Kent County Community Action (KCCA) announced this week that it will conduct a food distribution event on Thursday, Jan. 7, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to support qualified low-income households experiencing food insecurity.
The distribution will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., near the KCCA offices, at 121 Franklin SE, in Grand Rapids. All Kent County residents are welcome.
“This distribution is our way to respond to this crisis as it is our mission to alleviate the causes of poverty,” Susan Cervantes, KCCA Director, said in supplied material. “This distribution is one of our scheduled quarterly distributions and we are pleased we can provide relief to families who are in need during this difficult time.”
Customers who are driving must enter on Jefferson Street with their trunks ready to accept more than 50 pounds of food and must remain in their vehicle. This will enable the distribution to go smoothly and ensure the safety of staff and customers by practicing social distancing, according to supplied material.
The distribution will assist more than 900 households that are struggling to meet their food needs, “especially considering the situations caused by COVID-19.” There will be 20 food items in the packet including but not limited to canned vegetables, soups, pasta, juice, vegetable oil, tortillas, cheese, butter, and pork.
There will not be walk-up service due to the requirement to socially distance. Persons without transportation can be assisted by calling 616-632-7950.
At Government Matters meeting sponsored by the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce and broadcast by WKTV, then State Sen. Peter MacGregor (right) talks with other legislators. (WKTV)
It was a holiday season of change and challenges for new Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor.
The two-term State Senator representing Wyoming and Kentwood won a countywide election in November 2020 with the shadow of term limits set to end his time in Lansing in two years. He was sworn in to the Kent County office in mid-December and officially resigned his 28th District seat on Dec. 31 — but not before helping to push through state government a series of “essential” COVID-19 related bills.
Kent County Treasurer Peter MacGregor (Supplied)
Last week, as he prepared to take over the county position this week, he talked with WKTV about his plans for his new public service duties and what he will miss about serving in state government. He also expressed concerns about how and when the constituents of his old senate district will again have representation — a process which he hopes will not be driven by partisan politics.
“I am gong to miss the friendships, the working relationships that I have with the people there,” MacGregor said. “I am going to miss my staff — I had five staff members. I am going to miss my colleagues. … (and) the policy people who are dedicated to making our state the best place to live and play and work. … That is what I am going to miss. I am not going to miss the politics.”
Replacement for senate seat driven by Governor
The currently Republican-held senate seats vacated by MacGregor and one-time Macomb County Sen. Pete Lucido, who won the Macomb County’s prosector position in November, leave the current balance of political power in the state senate at 20 Republicans and 16 Democrats.
State senators are all elected in the same years as the governor, with the last election one being in 2018. So for the two now open senate seats to be filled, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would need to call for a special election — which MacGregor hopes will occur.
At this point, the local senate seat “will be unfilled by an elected official, (but) there is still staff there that will help out the people of the 28th District, in fact it is my former staff,”MacGregor said. “But the sooner it is that the Governor calls for an election, the better it is for the people to have representation in the 28th District. … My hope is that the seat stays vacant for as little time as possible.”
The new Senate leadership will have Sen. Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) serving a second term as majority leader while Sen. Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway) will replace MacGregor as majority floor leader. MacGregor was also chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.
According to a spokesperson for the Kent County Clerk’s office, which controls county elections, filing the local seat is “completely at the mercy of when the Governor calls for the special election.”
When WKTV this week asked Gov. Whitmer’s office for its plans for calling a special election, a spokesperson in the office said the Governor was “reviewing possibilities.”
But the Kent County Clerk’s spokesperson noted that there could be a ripple effect no matter what she does.
“In both (open) seats you’ll likely see House members running for the special senate elections, so if she called the special for the August/November 2021 election dates, then that has the potential to leave a House seat vacant. It’s likely that she leave the Senate seat vacant for the final two years and not deal with the potential of the domino effect in the House.”
MacGregor wraps up work in Lansing
As Michigan’s 2020 Legislative session wrapped up in December, a spate of bills signed by the Governor (and a few vetoed) had Sen. MacGregor’s name attached. Some of them were sponsored by him and some had his name attached due to his role in Senate leadership.
“As the floor leader (as the session came to an end), I can control what moves, and towards the end, when we were running out of time, it made more sense to the leadership team to put some of these bills in the name of leadership because we just have a better way of moving the bills,” MacGregor said.
Many of the bills were COVID-19 related and, he said, “Timing was essential . … We needed to get those done before the session ended.”
One of those bills was SB 1258, which was signed by the Governor, dealt with “good employment practices both for employers and employees,” MacGregor said. “If the employees are doing every thing they were told to do, following the guidelines the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has issued, they can’t be fired.”
The law also includes protections for the employer in these times of COVID-19, when it comes to work environments.
“It protects workers from being discharged if they are sick and it also mandates that, if the employers follows all the rules the they are supposed to, especially for essential workers, the the essential workers can’t retaliate,” MacGregor said. “Everybody needed this bill to protect (the state) moving forward” in the pandemic.
Skill-set and goals for new new county position
MacGregor, in comparing his change in duties from state senator to county treasurer, says they are very different in most ways but that the common ground fits in with his skill-set and his personal outlook when it comes to taxpayers and use of their taxes.
Peter MacGregor, in the WKTV studios in 2019. (WKTV)
“The financial aspect is probably where the similarities are,” he said. “I am going from a policy position to more of an administrative position, but working with the people’s tax dollars, making sure that you are a good steward of those tax dollars, I’ve done that since I was a supervisor in Cannon Township.”
In between serving as a township supervisor and a state senator, MacGregor served two terms as a state representative.
And as in the past, he sees a priority of his new position “is that you have got to put faces to those tax dollars.”
Pointing out that one of the duties of the treasurer is dealing with property foreclosures, he said he wants to work to help people who are threatened with foreclosure.
“You got to work with those people. They are not just addresses … you have to help those people as soon as possible,” he said.
MacGregor, who lives in Rockford, is a lifelong Michigan resident and was a small business owner before serving in Lansing. He is a graduate of Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business. He and his wife, Christie, have three sons.
