Wyoming-Kentwood Community Media’s VOICES: a community history projectpowered by WKTV has one time slot left, at 2 pm, for its Second Saturdays at Marge’s appearance at Marge’s Donut Den (1751 28th St SW, Wyoming, MI) Feb. 10. Second Saturdays at Marge’s offers a great opportunity for folks to grab a cup of joe, enjoy a donut and share their favorite stories and memories.
The project’s mission is “to collect, share and preserve the narratives of people in our community”—of our lives; of people from all walks of life. VOICES travels throughout the West Michigan area—with a focus on Wyoming and Kentwood—to gather the narratives that make us human—our experiences, sorrows, triumphs and tragedies. We believe that we all benefit from knowing each other’s background; the shared bond that helps us build community. It’s a free public service, offering a comfortable video recording studio with a relaxed atmosphere.
High-tech video and audio equipment records the conversations and memories of our neighbors, friends and family— any story from anyone—that make up the fabric of our lives and our community. Participants share their hardships and successes, of what shaped them and their families into the kind of people they are today.
Conversations usually take place between two people who know and care about each other. They can be friends, family or mere acquaintances. At the end of each 40-minute recording session, participants are provided with a link to their conversation on Facebook, to share or do with as they like.
Conversations can be “life reviews,” conducted with people at the end of their careers. Or they can focus on a specific period or a specific event in people’s lives, as with war veterans or survivors of an earthquake, flood or hurricane.
All VOICES conversations are audio- and video-recorded to provide participants with a link to their conversation and for possible airing on Channel 25 in Wyoming, Kentwood and Gaines Township (U-Verse Channel 99).
The project launched at ArtPrize Nine in September 2017, welcoming scores of visitors to tour our renovated 1958 Airstream® mobile studio and learn more about the oral history project.
It was a desire to get her daughter more involved in the community, and for the opportunity for herself to give back, that had Becky Richard signing up to volunteer at Festival of the Arts’ face painting booth.
That was 13 years ago and Richard has gone on to co-chair face painting, serve as the 2016 Festival co-chair with Tim Jacobson, and is now the chair of volunteer recruitment for the organization.
Festival of the Arts Volunteer Recruitment Chair Becky Richards talks to Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
“I brought [my daughter] down and we talked to one of the the chairs of face painting and signed up to volunteer,” Richard said. “I’m so glad I did because its really like being a part of a big family.”
It takes a small village to put on the annual Festival of the Arts which marks its 49th year in 2018. The dates for the event which always happens the first weekend in June are June 1, 2, and 3 in downtown Grand Rapids.
“It takes over 500 slots just to fill our kids activities for the weekend,” Richard said, adding that kids activities includes face painting, kids paint-in, Mad Hatter, and Chalk the Walk. There also are many other volunteer opportunities beyond just kids activities such as stages, the Festival store, Festival Regional Arts, headquarters, production, and clean-up. Those operating the individual food booths are responsible for their own volunteers so the Festival organization does not handle volunteers for specific food booths, however; there is a food booth committee that does work with the various booths.
People are able to volunteer for what fits in their schedule, whether it be a couple of hours or all weekend. Volunteers have the opportunity just to help out or do what Richard did, and expand their role by co-chairing an activity. It really all depends on what the person wants to do, she said, adding it is just about getting involved and just having some fun.
Richard also noted that volunteering can look good on college applications and resumes since it teaches life skills such as cashiering, merchandising, organizing, and working with the public.
All ages are welcomed. Students under 18, should have parents’ permission. Groups are welcomed from service organizations to companies that encourage employees to do community outreach.
“The great thing about Festival is you don’t need any experience at all,” Richard said. “If you’ve never volunteered for a Festival before; if you’re not artsy; if you’ve never painted a face — it doesn’t matter. Just come down and have some fun. Really there is something for everyone.”
For more about Festival of the Arts or how to volunteer, visit festivalgr.org.
In this newscast , we join the City of Kentwood as officials and residents observe Martin Luther King Day with a special ceremony at the KDL Kentwood Branch and a food drive for its Little Free Pantry. Mayor Stephen Kepley talks about the city possibly expanding the pantry program.
The celebrations continued at Lee High School as the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools inducts three new members to its Hall of Fame.
Also, we head over to the Kent County Emergency Dispatch Center, where Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser talks to us about the Smart 911 program that was launched last year.
In studio, Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Bob O’Callaghan stops by to talk about the Chamber’s 2017 accomplishments, what’s up for 2018, and this year’s Chamber Award Winners.
Also Festival of the Arts Volunteer Chair Becky Richard comes to our studio to talk about the various volunteer opportunities available at the event which this year takes place June 1, 2, and 3 in Downtown Grand Rapids.
The WKTV Journal airs on WKTV Channel 25 Mondays at 9 p.m., Tuesdays at 7 p.m., and Fridays at 10 a.m.
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Tala – Female American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
I am a lovable 4-year-old girl looking for her forever home! I am cautious in new situations and around new people so I would do best in a relaxed home that would give me the time and space I need to adjust. I enjoy going for walks, playing around, and getting pets from my human friends! I am dog-selective and would do best as the only dog in the home. If I sound like a good fit for you, please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Tala:
Animal ID: 37318176
Breed: Terrier, American Staffordshire/ Mix
Age: 4 years
Gender: Female
Size: Medium
Color: Tan/White
Spayed
Heeere’s Samantha!
Samantha – Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a sweet, 2-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I can be cautious at first and would do well in a home that would allow me the time and space to adjust to my new surroundings. I would also do best in a home with older/respectful children, as I like attention and affection, but on my own terms. I am playful and wand toys are my favorite! Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Samantha:
Animal ID: 34272874
Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Age: 2 years
Gender: Female
Size: Medium
Color: Brown
Spayed
Declawed
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tuesday-Friday 12pm-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 11am-4pm.
The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
It was a tranquil, cafe-like setting: a darkened media center illuminated by an image of a fireplace on a projector screen. Soft jazz music played and artificial candlelight glowed atop tables covered with red-and-white checkered cloths. Students enjoyed the ambiance while busily discovering a buffet of books.
Wyoming Junior High English teachers Shantel VanderGalien and Katie Sluiter, dressed as wait staff, offered Book Tasting to all eighth-graders. The tasting included a sample of 10 books, all with multicultural flavors, for their in-class book clubs. From table to table, students munched chocolate chip cookies and considered menu options – book summaries – to please their reading palates. Entrees included “The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom, a verse novel set in Cuba,” by Margarita Engle and “One Crazy Summer,” by Rita Williams-Garcia.
“I feel it’s different. It’s engaging the students more in reading the books,” said eighth-grader Ashley Lopez, a fan of dystopian fiction. “I’m excited to have a whole list of books to choose from.”
For teachers, the Pinterest-inspired event was a way to offer diverse literary ingredients to inspire students.
“We are big fans of giving kids choice for what they read,” VanderGalien said. “We wanted all of our students to be represented in the literature, so the books we chose have an African American female protagonist, a girl from India as a protagonist, a Latina protagonist. We wanted our students to experience other cultures as well so they can see themselves in literature.” Assigned books last semester had male protagonists.
Malikye Anderson looks over his book list.
Thought-Provoking Reads
Having multicultural books available in the classroom at the diverse school has helped students blossom as readers, VanderGalien said. “It’s brought powerful conversations to the classroom, a deeper understanding for each other and various cultures.
“It’s powerful when students who read about a person who has a similar story to them because maybe they felt alone or isolated, experienced poverty, homelessness or leaving a war-torn country.”
English teacher Katie Sluiter said book tasting is a fun way to expose students to different works, create a community of readers and have them expand their reading repertoire. “They might have never read a book about their own culture, or they might choose a book that’s a window to something they’ve never heard of before.”
Added VanderGalien: “They are able to say, ‘me too, I’ve had that shared experience. Here’s my experience.’ In sharing their voice, students who have been marginalized or quieted find a place in the classroom.”
Eighth-grader Aubray Palma called the book tasting “cool.”
“Usually you get books offered to you that are one genre or culture, and it’s nice to get books from multiple cultures to learn about different things,” she said.
Eighth-grader Trista Werkema jotted “Never Fall Down,” by Patricia McCormick, and “Homeless Bird,” by Gloria Whelan, on her list of books choices. She liked the idea of choosing from multicultural options.
“When our teachers give us hands-on experiences we get more out of our learning,” she said. “It gives us a chance to learn more about what other people around the world are going through. It gives us an outside look because we tend to think only about our own lives and culture, and not consider what other cultures go through.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
From left, Michael Ross, Logan Boukma and Brian Juarez-Diaz participate in book-tasting. (All photos courtesy of School News Network)
Astrology argues that the positions of the planets, from the time we’re born, influence our personalities and destinies. English composer Gustav Holst, though he didn’t believe in astrology, was intrigued enough to compose a symphonic suite, The Planets.
Whether the alignment of the stars on the day we’re born influences our destiny is open to debate. That Holst’s suite has influenced composers for the past 100 years is not. In movies such as Star Wars, if you’ve heard the menacing musical theme of the Imperial Forces, you’ve heard the same sinister, martial rhythm found at the beginning of Holst’s seven-movement suite.
In fact, Star Wars producer George Lucas encouraged composer John Williams to take inspiration from “Mars, the Bringer of War.”
“Gustav Holst can be seen as unintentionally being one of the greatest movie composers of all time, inspiring many film scores of the last 50 years,” according to blogger Nathan Spendelow on the website Inside Film.
Grand Rapids Symphony Musical Director Marcelo Lehninger
Come to DeVos Performance Hall on Friday and Saturday, February 2-3, and you’ll hear even more music that has inspired film composers. Grand Rapids Symphony presents The Planets the fifth concerts of the 2017-18 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, February 2-3, in DeVos Performance Hall.
Music Director Marcelo Lehninger will lead the concerts that also feature Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, nicknamed “Jupiter,” and Haydn’s Overture to Il mondo della luna (The World on the Moon).
Vibration Research is the Concert Sponsor. The Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund is the guest artist sponsor. Bell’s Brewery is the Beverage Partner for The Planets.
The Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, directed by Pearl Shangkuan, will be featured on The Planets. Mary Tuuk is the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus Sponsor.
Concerts in DeVos Performance Hall feature video provided by the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Film from spacecraft that have visited the planets and their moons plus animations and simulations of galaxies, nebulae and other deep-space objects add to the musical experience.
Composed between 1914 and 1916, prior to the discovery of Pluto, The Planets still sounds fresh today.
In fact, three movements, “Mars, the Bringer of War,” “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” and “Neptune, the Mystic,” are among the most frequently quoted compositions of all time.
Musical scores for such well-known films as Aliens, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and The Terminator all suggest inspiration from The Planets. In the original 1977 Star Wars film, in the concluding act that sees Luke Skywalker firing his proton torpedo into the exhaust port of The Death Star, the dramatic film score by John Williams, which becomes louder and louder, building tension, follows the same format as “Mars” from The Planets.
Other TV shows and movies use portions directly. The 2010 TV series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, features music from “Jupiter.” The 2008 film Hellboy II: The Golden Army with Ron Perlman and Selma Blair, uses passages from “Mars.”
The 1983 film The Right Stuff, the story of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, starring Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn and Ed Harris, uses excerpts from “Jupiter,” “Mars” and “Neptune.”
Holst’s starting point for the music was the astrological character of each planet. The composer himself pointed out there was no connection with the deities of classical mythology or the planetary bodies themselves. Holst’s daughter wrote that once her father had determined the format, “he let the music have its way with him.”
Haydn’s Il mondo della luna, a romantic comedy about a bogus astronomer, opens with an overture that sets the stage for the antics yet to come.
Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C Major has nothing to do with astrology or astronomy. Its nickname did not come from Mozart. Likely it came from the impresario Johann Peter Salomon who dubbed it “Jupiter” to promote it as a grand and glorious piece of music. With a duration of 30 minutes, it was the longest symphony Mozart ever composed. As fate would have it, it also would be his final symphony before his death at age 35. Today, it remains one of the most popular works Mozart ever composed.
Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall.
The complete The Planets program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 15, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.
Tickets
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the GRS box office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm, at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)
Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.
Full-time students of any age are able to purchase tickets for only $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Ticketsprogram. This is a MySymphony360 eligible concert.
For the past several years, Wyoming resident Harriet Sturim, through the American Legion Post 459, has helped to organize the Four Chaplains service at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. This Saturday, as the nation marks the 75th anniversary of these heroic men, Sturim will host her last program.
“It is time for someone to take the program to the next level,” Sturim said, adding that she has enjoyed the opportunity to remember the acts of the Four Chaplains.
One Feb. 3, 1943, Reformed Church Rev. Clark V. Poling, Rabbi Alexander D Goode and Methodist Rev. George L. Fox sacrificed themselves to save hundreds of soldiers on the U.S. Army transport Dorchester. A German U2 submarine fired onto ship, causing it to sink. The men kept everyone calm, handing our life preservers, including their own.
“Those who survived remember seeing them on the ship, arm-in-arm, singing as the ship went down,” Sturim said.
For many years, the National American Legion has encouraged posts across the nation to host a Four Chaplains Day event, something that Grand Rapids’ American Legion Post 459 has been doing for the past 14 years.
This year, the event is set for Saturday, Jan. 27, from noon-2 p.m.. It will focus on the story of the four chaplains, their friendship and sacrifice. Taking place at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, the event will include a special memorial to Ret. U.S. Army Chaplain Herman Keizer, who died last year. Keizer would tell the story of the chaplains at the service and rightfully so, as the retired chaplain had dedicated his life to researching and educating people about the moral injury and recovery for military veterans.
“It will be a recognition of his service to us all these years,” Sturim said. “One of the greatest mentors I ever had. He was an incredible man in what he accomplished in his lifetime.”
Sturim noted that the United States is marking several anniversaries this year.
“This is a very big commemorative year as this is the 75th anniversary for the chaplains and World War II along with being the 50th anniversary of the Korean War,” Struim said.
Attendees for the event will include many veterans from those conflicts along with a special guest who is a relative of one of those who was on the Dorchester.
Refreshments will be served following the service. Sturim also noted the Ford Museum will be free to program attendees.
Employees at Alliance Home Health Care Services don’t just get a paycheck – they change peoples’ lives. Individuals who work here become part of clients’ lives, often assisting them through physically or emotionally tough times.
Home Health Aides visit clients to help with personal care, meals and light housework. The job requires individuals who are empathetic and dependable. A Home Health Aide’s schedule is very flexible. This is the perfect job for someone who can only work certain days and times.
To hear what it’s like to work at Alliance Home Health Services, meet their corporate talent manager, Tina Rozelle.
What kind of person makes a great Home Health Aide?
Caring, reliable, dependable, willingness to work 1-on-1 with a client.
Why should job seekers consider a job at Alliance?
We treat our staff with the utmost respect. We value them as individuals. We offer a more competitive compensation package than most private duty home care agencies.
When a job seeker meets you at a hiring event, what questions do you want them to ask?
Ask me about our:
flexible schedules
insurance benefits
perks of being an employee with Alliance Home Health
Can you share a story of a time when a caregivers’ work really impacted the life of their client?
Our caregivers are truly superheroes. They go above and beyond to deliver the highest level of care and respect to our clients.
We have a client who had to move out of her home. Our caregiver not only helped pack, clean and organize, he advocated for her as she had nowhere to go.
Fast forward: Our client has a new home. She recently called our office to tell us how she wouldn’t have survived the move without her caregiver. She said he was a “true companion during that uncertain time.” She was grateful for everything he did: helping bathe and dress, preparing meals and cleaning. He also taught her how to use a computer!
She was hesitant to have a home health aide but, “accepting help from (us) was the best decision she’s made because living at home without assistance wasn’t an option anymore.”
Meet Tina at Alliance Home Health Care’s upcoming hiring event!
Mark Robertson, of Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio, talks to residents about what they would like to see at Gezon Park.
Through a survey and a recent meeting with residents, Wyoming City officials said it appears that the new master plan for Gezon Park will need to have a balance between what is at the park now and the amenities some would like to see added.
Last week, the City of Wyoming’s Department of Parks and Recreation hosted its first public meeting on the new master plan for Gezon Park at the KDL Wyoming Branch. With about 70 residents in attendance, representatives from Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio revealed the results of an online survey the city conducted earlier. Mark Robertson, of Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio, noted the survey received more than 1,200 responses, which was pretty impressive.
Community Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt said the city was pleased with the responses and the turnout at the Jan. 18 meeting. She stated at the meeting, that three proposed plans will be presented at the second public meeting set for Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St., located in the hospital. The master plan proposal will then be sent to the Wyoming Planning Commission and finally to the Wyoming City Council for final approval.
Gezon Park is located between Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street with entrances along both roads. The 94-acre park, which according to Rynbrandt was a former well field, has only about 52 acres available for development due to the existing water tower and other natural land features.
Area residents listen as representatives from Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio discuss recent survey results for Gezon Park.
Many at the Jan. 18 public meeting who spoke indicated that they lived near the park and were happy the way the park is now, with the center area mostly left natural and a variety of animals living in the park.
The survey results indicated a mix of desired uses with the top ones being nature/natural trails, walking, playgrounds and splash pads. Gezon Park does have a playground at the 52nd Street entrance with unpaved walking trails. At the Gezon Parkway entrance, there are ballfields.
The survey also showed that the largest respondents were in the ages of 38-55 and lived more than a mile away from the park.
A large number of respondents indicated they had children or visited parks with children. For those with children, the top organized programs were nature education along with baseball and soccer. Non-organized activities included playgrounds, splash pads, walking/hiking paths and biking paths/trails.
As for personal non-organized activities respondents visited a park for, walking, relaxation and trails ranked high with baseball being the number one organized activity. Also it was indicated that facilities should be provided for large gatherings.
Most of those who spoke at the meeting said they enjoy the quiet of the park and want to preserve the wooded area with the trails. Several indicated some parking issues that have developed due to park usage. A couple of residents said they would not mind more development on either end of the park, but wanted to keep the center mostly natural. One person did mention the possibility of a dog park but several residents raised concerns about property values.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In October of 2017, volunteer and one-woman-rescue-machine Sandi D. came out to the clinic with her latest charge, although it was literally two years in the making—so the trip was quite the momentous occasion! Born in the spring of 2014, Butters was hard-pressed to become domesticated and really didn’t care for the company of other cats whatsoever, which made Sandi’s job of rehabbing and rehoming him all the more difficult. In fact, she wasn’t able to gain his trust enough to have him neutered until this fall, so by the time we were able to take him into our program in November, he was sporting some pretty chubby cheeks.
It took several weeks for Butters to be, well, buttered up into fully immersing himself in the Crash’s experience, however, once he figured out that indoor life was pretty darn awesome, he simply melted into the warm and comforting arms of the volunteers—and we discovered how much this big boy likes being carried around like a baby. He morphed from a shy guy to an attention-grabbing, affection-hogging hunk o’cat! When people aren’t around he is more than content to just chill on the windowsill and watch the birds, but his real passion is anything and everything HUMAN!
He would do very well in a home with others of the feline kind, but honestly, as long as there is at least one person to offer him a lap to lay on and a shoulder to rest his head on whilst being cradled in enveloping arms, he will think he is in heaven! Really, his wish list is pretty basic and minimal, so it shouldn’t be difficult to grant him what he desires.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Stealing Buddha’s Dinner is a vivid, funny, charming memoir of growing up in the 1980s and assimilating into a new culture. Bich Minh Nguyen was eight months old in 1975 when her family fled Vietnam. She resettled in Grand Rapids, Mich. with her father, sister, grandmother, and two uncles. Under Jerry Ford’s encouragement, Grand Rapids was one of cities across the country that participated in the resettlement program of finding community sponsors to help the new immigrants.
Growing up, young Bich (pronounced “bit”) was torn between the old ways of her family and the new experiences of America. She writes about what is what like to grow up in a Vietnamese household in an “All-American” city.
Nguyen’s childhood resonates with the experience of two cultures’ clashing religions, habits, clothes, and, especially, foods. She wrestled with the conflicting desires for her grandmother’s native cooking and the junk food that “real” Americans ate. The allure of Pringles, Toll House Cookies and Popsicles become a metaphor for her struggle to fit in. Her father remarried a Latina woman and more cultural conflicts presented themselves. She wonders what happened to her real mother. Nguyen’s immigrant story is America’s story, retold this time in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Along the way, local readers will recognize descriptions of Wyoming and Grand Rapids, of Meijer and Gas City, of Christian Reformed churches and public libraries. Stealing Buddha’s Dinner was selected by the Michigan Humanities Council as the 2009/10 “Great Michigan Read” and was chosen by the Library of Michigan as a Michigan Notable Book.
By Amy Cochran, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
As the weather turns colder, I like to curl up with favorite reads of years past, especially books with settings that make me glad to be inside with a hot cup of tea. This year I turned yet again to The Shipping News and found myself as always completely immersed in the language and setting.
After losing his good-for-nothing wife to a car accident, Quoyle returns to his ancestral home in Newfoundland with his beloved daughters and an aunt finally ready to face her brutal upbringing.
This is the story of three generations of Quoyles working to climb out of past tragedy. Proulx targets the bad choices people make in life as well as the choices that are forced upon them. Her prose style echoes the cold, tight-knit community that Quoyle settles into as she distills each sentence to its most essential message, as if relating a tale straight from the mouths of the village elders.
I enjoy watching Quoyle grow as a father and a man as he becomes a decent writer for the local paper, learns to love squidburgers and various types of bologna dinners and gradually surpasses his grief in order to look ahead to the future. I especially like the dark humor infused in every page, the horrifying stories melded with the amused resignation and jokes of the residents.
Quirky characters, a setting that sticks in the mind, and stark yet descriptive language make this a book I will continue to reread, probably during the winter, for years to come.
If you ask the average person what Lyndon B. Johnson accomplished during his presidency, few would be able to give you an answer. Ask those same people, about the Civil Rights Act and many would state it was a big accomplishment for the 35th President John F. Kennedy.
Truth is, it was a very big accomplishment for Johnson.
“I was born after the passage,” said Kentwood resident Marissa Baty. “My experience was through history. You heard about JFK and his death and then the vice president [Johnson] became president.
Kentwood resident Marissa Baty portrays Coretta Scott King in Civic Theatre’s production of “All the Way.”
Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Johnson was sworn in as president and spent the next eight months working toward making the Civil Rights Act into law. The current Grand Rapids Civic Theatre production, “All The Way,” explores the trials and tribulations Johnson, commonly referred to as LBJ, experienced as he hurls himself into getting the act passed along with seeking re-election and the recognition he so desperately wants.
“LBJ really made a sacrifice,” said Baty who portrays Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife Coretta Scott King in the production. “The production explores what it took him emotionally and personally to get the Civil Rights Act passed.”
It wasn’t just Johnson who made compromises, but Martin Luther King Jr. who was forced to contend with conservative and militant leaders as Johnson used every trick in the book — cajolery, arm-twisting, and even blackmail — to get his way. The play, written by Robert Schenkkan, raises questions about the morality of power and politics and how far one can go for good intentions.
Baty, who has appeared in other Civic Theatre productions such as “Good People” and “Ragtime,” said she became more familiar with the story of Johnson’s work after seeing the television film “All the Way” — the title taken from Johnson’s 1964 re-election bid — starring Bryan Cranston, who reprised his Broadway role as Johnson and Anthony Mackie as King.
“I think now with everything that is going on, it is really important to understand how the political process works,” Baty said, adding that people need to understand how laws are created and the importance of putting people in office who are able and component to create those laws.
“LBJ and Martin Luther King were not perfect people,” she said. “They came together perfectly for America.”
The story of them coming together for a common good is one worth telling, Baty said, adding that she is thrilled to be part of telling that story and that Civic Theatre was willing to present it.
“All the Way” runs through Jan. 28 at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $16-$28. For more information, visit www.grct.org.
Each year, West Michigan Works! looks at local job posting data and works with local employers to create the Hot Jobs! List. This list provides a snapshot of West Michigan’s hiring needs.
What is a hot job?
A hot job is in high demand. This means employers have open positions they need to fill now.
A hot job is fast-growing. This means the outlook for a career in this occupation is good; the number of openings is expected to grow at a faster rate than other jobs.
How will this list help me?
If you are looking for a new job or career, this list can help guide you to occupations for which employers in West Michigan have a current and growing need.
What industries have hot jobs?
The industries with the highest need for talent and the greatest expected growth in West Michigan are: construction/energy, health sciences, information technology, manufacturing and professional/administrative services.
Additionally, a large portion of the region’s jobs and labor income are in the agricultural industry. Many of the high-demand jobs in agriculture, including farming and food production, overlap with other industries.
What if I’m not qualified for a hot job?
With unemployment rates at historical lows, it is necessary to arm job seekers with skills that meet the needs of employers and can put them on the path to successful careers. The list identifies which occupations meet the criteria for Michigan Works! training scholarships.
The 2018 Hot Jobs List is available on the West Michigan Works! website at http://jobs.westmiworks.org/hot-jobs-2/ . The online list is sortable and features links to more career information for each job.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN, THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT BE AIRING.
Part of the NASA TV broadcasting this month, which is featured on WKTV 26 Government Channel, will include the airing of two spacewalks –the first for 2018 for International Space Station.
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, we will be showcasing the first of two scheduled spacewalks. Coverage of the ISS U.S Spacewalk 47 will begin at 5:30 a.m., with the spacewalk starting at approximately 7:10 a.m. The spacewalk is expected to last about six and half hours.
Expedition 54 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei of NASA will lead both excursions, joined by Flight Engineer Scott Tingle for the Jan. 23 spacewalk. The objective of the Jan. 23 spacewalk will be to replace one of two redundant latching end effectors (LEE) on Canadarm2, the station’s robotic arm, which has experienced some degradation of its snaring cables. A spare LEE will replace the current LEE B.
Then on Monday, Jan. 29, we will be featuring the ISS U.S. Spacewalk 48. Coverage begins at 5:30 a.m., with the spacewalk starting at approximately 7:10 a.m. This spacewalk is also expected to last about six and half hours.
Vande Hei will be joined by Flight Engineer Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the Jan. 29 spacewalk. This spacewalk will be devoted to securing the degraded LEE B on the station’s Mobile Base System rail car as a spare. Similar work was conducted on the robotic arm’s LEE A during a series of spacewalks last October.
These excursions, U.S. spacewalks 47 and 48, will be the third and fourth in Vande Hei’s career and the first for both Tingle and Kanai. These spacewalks are the first for 2018. There have been 2015 spacewalks at the ISS since 1998. 2007 was the year with the most space walks, which was 20. Last year, 2017, there was a total of nine.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and on AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99
Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.
Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them new, forever homes. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.
Sunny — Female Domestic Medium Hair
I am a 6-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I am shy and will need time to adjust to a new home. I need an environment where I can approach people on my own terms, and have a space to hide when I need to be alone. Once I get to know someone, I come out of my shell. I also do well with other cats. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Sunny:
Animal ID: 37170090
Breed: Domestic Medium Hair/Mix
Age: 6 years
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: Orange
Spayed
Not declawed
Adorable Abby
Abby — Female American Staffordshire Terrier Mix
I am a sweet and gentle 8-year-old dog looking for my forever home! I love soft beds, squeaky toys, belly rubs, and car rides. I have a calm and affectionate personality and so much love to give. My adoption fee is waived as part of HSWM’s Silver Paws Society program. If I sound like a good fit for you, please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Abby:
Animal ID: 37530720
Breed: Terrier/Mix
Age: 8 years
Gender: Female
Size: Medium
Color: Brown/White
Spayed
Lucy — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a 7-year-old cat looking for my forever home!I would do best in a relaxed home that would give me time to slowly adjust to my new surroundings. I am affectionate, but on my own terms. I am currently an office foster at Humane Society of West Michigan and enjoy lounging on desks, having my ears scratched, and climbing up to high place to oversee the office! Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
Heeere’s Lucy!
More about Lucy:
Animal ID: 36496973
Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Age: 7 years
Gender: Female
Size: Medium
Color: Black/White
Spayed
Not declawed
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tuesday-Friday 12pm-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 11am-4pm.
The Humane Society of West Michigan automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).
Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.
With such accomplishments as resurfacing more than 40 miles of roads, the approval of four new hotels, the opening of 28 West Place and the passage to open the library millage for park improvements, Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll said “How can I walk away from that?”
So in his State of the City address last night, Poll, the longest-serving mayor in the City of Wyoming’s history, officially announced that he would seek his fourth term as mayor.
“So therefore, if the residents desire that I continue as their mayor, I will be placing my name on the ballot in this year’s election year, to serve four additional years,” Poll said during the Monday night meeting.
Poll has served as the Wyoming mayor since 2009. Before that, he served on the Wyoming City Council from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009.
After the Jan. 15 meeting when Poll presented his State of the City Address, he said that he is considering retirement from his full-time job. Poll is pharmacist for Family Fare.
Mayor Jack Poll
“So basically, during the next term, of the four years, I will be retired for about three of them, allowing me to be more of a full-time mayor attending more events for the city,” Poll said.
Also after the meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem and Council Member at Large Sam Bolt said he would be seeking his third term on the council.
“I still enjoy it,” Bolt said. Council Member at Large Kent Vanderwood, whose seat is also up for election this fall, was on vacation and did not attend the Jan. 15 meeting.
To a packed house of city officials and residents, which included Poll’s wife, Mary, and family members, Poll said he hoped to provide a “snapshot” of what has taken place in the city with his State of the City address, noting it has been “a very busy year.”
“This is a long list of accomplishments but it hardly scratches the surface when we consider all that city leaders and staff have done over the last year, primarily in collaboration with one another,” Poll said.
Highlights included:
• For infrastructure, the city completed two water main projects that total almost two miles of water main, resurfaced about 43 lane miles and added two miles of non motorized trails.
• For the water plant, which, according to Poll, continues to provide the highest quality water in the state, is looking to add a second Lake Michigan intake and a third transmission pipeline, expanding the plant’s capacity which will help the community to grow, Poll said.
• Parks and Recreation has focused on storm clean up and replacement of trees along with improvements at Palmer, Kelloggsvile, Lemery, and Pinery parks.
• The library milage allowed for new technology and LED lighting in the library and was opened by voter approval to allowed for park improvements for Ideal, Ferrand, Gezon and Jackson parks.
• The Planning Department has approved in 2017 four hotels, annexed 60 acres of industrial development, worked on the 28 West Place project and a number of other developments including The Havens. Inspections also approved permits for about $70 million new and renovated construction projects.
• The city also was able to implement a new medicare advantage prescription drug plan for retirees that will allow the city to reduce its longterm liability by $42 million.
Public Safety continues to make community outreach its main focus. Police officers logged 6,000 visits to local schools, 8,500 business contacts and 7,000 physical business checks. The police department also has instituted a cadet program to recruit students. On the fire side, staffing at station 3 and 4 has allowed response times to be cut in half along with there being training on speciality skills for water, ice and trench rescues. Also a partnership with Metro Health – University of Michigan Health has allowed for a helipad to be placed at Station 3.
“We are blessed with employees who are so highly respected in West Michigan, across the state and even at the federal level,” Poll said. “I have watched the skillful handling of tragedies both natural and produced, deep thinking and solving of situations that seemed impossible. I can stand here today and say, we made it through them all. Our city is better today because these trials have become victories that make Wyoming a beacon of bright light shining in West Michigan.”
For 2018, Poll said the city will continue to work on those areas with a number of opportunities and challenges on the horizon.
“Above all these things, financial sustainability remains our top priority and biggest challenge we face,” Poll said. “The city council and I will continue to look for ways to insure that we can provide services at the highest level to our residents and businesses.”
Poll said while many things have been discussed, such as a millage increase and an income tax, city leaders “don’t know yet what the best solution is. However through all the ideas we proposed, we ask that you, our friends and neighbors, and the partners that come along beside us, give thoughtful consideration and examine all sides of the issues…
“The only way we will continue to be a city of vision and progress is if we work through these challenging times together.”
The author of the 2001 bestseller Seabiscuit returns with the remarkable story of Louie Zamperini. Laura Hillenbrand proves she is a gifted writer who once again strikes a perfect balance of solid research and wonderful storytelling. Unbroken examines the life of Louie from his wild days as a neighborhood prankster and petty thief to his transformation into an Olympic runner in the 1936 games.
In 1942, Louie became a crewman aboard a B-24 that eventually crashed into the Pacific Ocean. After surviving a record 47 days in a life raft, he was picked up by the Japanese and sent to a series of POW camps. Portions of this story are very difficult to read as Hillenbrand describes how thirst, starvation and fear of shark attacks plagued the men.
During the two years that Louie spent in the POW camps, he and the other prisoners were starved, brutalized and dehumanized by their Japanese captors. When Louie finally returns home he continues to face battles as he is tormented in his thoughts and dreams by memories from his war time experiences. With the help of his wife and a young Billy Graham, he eventually discovers the path which leads him from despair and eventually enables him to forgive.
As the subtitle suggests, Unbroken is a true tale of “survival, resilience and redemption” that will appeal to a wide range of readers.
WKTV’s sports crew will be on the road early this week with an OK Red conference boys basketball showdown as West Ottawa visits East Kentwood on Tuesday, Jan. 16. West Ottawa will enter with a conference-leading 3-0 record (6-1 overall) while East Kentwood enters 1-1 (3-6 overall).
The remainder of the tentative January Featured Game broadcast schedule is:
Tuesday, Jan. 23 — Boys Basketball: NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Thursday, Jan. 25 — Boys Swimming: Grandville at East Kentwood
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktv.viebit.com.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
The Grand Rapids Public Museum begins 2018 Concerts Under the Stars on Jan. 18 hosting local band hi-ker for a fully immersive audio and visual experience in the Chaffee Planetarium.
hi-ker will feature experimental synth and post new wave bizarro pop. Visitors can sit back and experience the wonder of the cosmos and the wonder of music. Live concerts will be held through April with five concerts total featuring pop, jazz, folk and rock sounds.
hi-ker is composed of Spencer Gordon, Chris Ryan and Kohl Sprader, and their newest album titled “Lippe” was self-released on Dec. 1. In the new album, the band explores a more sample and synth-based sound compared to their previous works. With influences ranging from Talking Heads and Animal Collective to Aphex Twin, hi-ker is trying out new sounds that will be sure to keep your attention.
The January concert will also feature visuals by Nate Eizenga. Nate is a Grand Rapids native who moonlights as video artist, focusing on accompaniment for live musical performances. By using controllers intended for digital music production to create, mix and manipulate video in real time he crafts a visual experience that toes the line between artistic spontaneity and musical synchronicity. Since his first public show in 2015 Nate has performed for numerous events, including Concerts Under the Stars 2017.
Concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments, beer and other beverages will be available for purchase.
Tickets are $10 for GRPM members, $12 for non-members if purchased in advance, and $15 for non-members on the day of the concert. Tickets are currently on sale at grpm.org, by calling 616.929.1700 or at the Museum’s front desk.
The 2018 Concerts Under the Stars Series will continue on Feb. 8 with jazz from Edye Evans Hyde, March 1, with one-woman-band Jes Kramer, March 22, with alternative folk by Dan Rickabus, and will close on April 12 with the alternative rock sounds of Major Murphy.
Meet Karla and Bob. They both came to a West Michigan Works! service center after losing their jobs. They both started their job search with fear they wouldn’t get rehired because they’re older workers. After help from their career coaches, they both found jobs similar to their previous ones and with similar wages.
Karla: Future came into focus
Karla was a successful optical office manager for 23 years before her employer retired and closed his practice. She came to Michigan Works! unsure of finding employment because of her age. Karla attended workshops to brush up on computer skills and improve her resume. She met with a career coach who gave her the tools needed to confidently apply for jobs. Less than two months later, she was offered a job at another optical office in a similar role and wage.
Bob: A lateral move
Bob was laid off from his commodity buyer job because his employer was downsizing. He feared his age would limit the positions available to him. A career coach helped Bob update his resume and improve his interviewing skills. After six months of applications and interviews, Bob was offered a similar position with an identical salary as his old job.
He said, “West Michigan Works! never gave up on me. They continued to check in on a regular basis, offered services and often gave recommendations for open positions.”
Do either of their stories sound similar to yours? Visit one of our service centers to start your journey to a new career. Learn about training options, update your resume, practice interviewing and gain confidence.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
WKTV Government 26 will be featuring two special programming events from NASA TV.
On Saturday, Jan. 13, WKTV will be showcasing the departure of the SpaceX/Dragon CRS-13 Cargo Craft from the International Space Station. Coverage will begin at approximately 4:30 a.m., with the release scheduled at 5 a.m.
Dragon will return to Earth with about 3,600 pounds of cargo after an approximately one-month stay at the orbiting laboratory. About five hours after Dragon leaves the space station, it will conduct its de-orbit burn, which lasts up to 10 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes for Dragon to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California.
Tuesday, Jan. 16, WKTV will be featuring the RS-25 Engine Fire Test from the Stennis Space Center, a NASA rocket test facility. The test will begin at 4 p.m.
For more information on NASA TV or the International Space Station, log on to www.nasa.gov.
NASA TV can be seen on the WKTV 26 Government Channel on Comcast and on AT&T U-verse 99 Government Channel 99.
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Branch
How would you experience the world if you were N’Lili, with multiple personalities — all of whom are young girls, though N’Lili herself is a physically large, tattooed male? What kind of teenager would plan very carefully to kill a young boy in a bizarre way, while making almost no attempt to disguise his guilt? How does someone go from being a suicidal heroin addict, labeled a hopeless schizophrenic at one point, to being a good wife, a gentle mom and a successful university professor?
These are the types of questions Antonetta raises in A Mind Apart, an extremely readable book which draws on a number of disciplines and sources to delve into the conundrum of human consciousness, especially the minds that seem alien to us. A great book for anyone who loves poetry and philosophy with their neuroscience.
With her kind voice and seemingly ever-present smile, it’s easy to see how Kentwood Public School’s Challenger Elementary social worker Pam Buschle has impacted the lives of children over the past 26 years, offering support and a helping hand to many.
Now, with the help of East Kentwood High School engineering students, she’s made it possible to literally give a hand –- a 3-D-printed prosthetic one — to a child in need.
Students recently printed and assembled a hand prototype and will soon create a final version for a child, thanks to an online community of designers and a challenge from Buschle. They will be able to choose the child who will receive the hand, and they are especially interested in supporting someone from a war-torn country.
Social worker Pam Buschle uses an iPad with her prosthetic hand.
This gift was made possible by the No Limbits (pronounced “no limits”) Foundation, created by Buschle and her husband, Marty, a year ago. Its mission is to provide children with prosthetic limbs and to help people who have faced physical challenges have the highest quality of life possible in other ways. Challenger Student Council members raised about $500 for the foundation.
Buschle had both legs and both arms amputated while batting septic shock following routine surgery in early 2014. She now wears prosthetics to replace all four limbs, and is still able to work, walk, use her iPad, open doors and much more.
“I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to give back,” Buschle said. “When I lost my limbs, the Kentwood community, students and teachers all gave back to me. This project is allowing me to give back to someone who might not have hope. I was the recipient of so much love and assistance, and now we are going to be able to offer that to someone.”
Because of cost, prosthetics are out of reach for many people. Buschle’s electric prosthetics cost $125,000 each, mostly paid for through insurance and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Fittings alone cost thousands of dollars. While the 3-D-printed hand is much more basic than Buschle’s, a professionally made, muscle-actuated hand can cost around $6,000 to $10,000, so cost is a huge barrier around the world.
A 3D-printed prosthetic will give new opportunities to a child who is missing a hand
Making Prosthetics Accessible
E-NABLE, a community of individuals from all over the world, offers free, downloadable designs for people to use their 3-D printers to create prosthetic hands and arms. Design kits are open source and available through the site.
At Buschle’s request, East Kentwood engineering teacher Randy Smith challenged seniors Gabe LaComte and Jason Gray-Moore, and juniors Joshua Cancler and Cole Culp, to 3-D-print the hand using files from e-NABLE. They spent about 20 hours using two printers in Smith’s classroom to finish a prototype by following a step-by-step process. They will next upload a video of the hand to e-NABLE, which will verify it and send specific measurements from a child for the final hand.
Money raised by Challenger students was used to purchase materials, including filament for the 3-D hand.
“I enjoyed doing 3-D printing of the hand,” Jason said. “You can help somebody who is not as fortunate as us and we can give them a hand because we have the resources to do it.”
Added Cole, “It’s a good opportunity to make a change for someone who doesn’t have something as basic as a hand. Some people go their whole lives without being able to pick up something. It’s nice to know you helped them with something like that.”
Social worker Pam Buschle lost her arms and legs while battling septic shock
No Limbits has also brought a child to Grand Rapids for a prosthetic hand, Zoey Krause from the Dominican Republic, whose father, Tim Krause, is an East Kentwood High School graduate. They sponsored a 5K run called Medaling Monkeys for special education students; provided scholarships for teenagers who need adaptive equipment to participate in a sport; sent care packages to people around the country who have lost their limbs; and they plan to build more 3-D hands.
Buschle said her career has given her perspective on life. For many years she worked with students on the autism spectrum.
“Seeing the resilience and hard work students would put into living their happiest, fullest life gave me a lot of inspiration when I went through this experience,” she said. “I was able to look at the students and families I had known for years, and think about how they put one foot in front of the other when things seemed very impossible and difficult, and draw a lot of strength from that.”
Buschle returned to work seven months after losing her arms and legs.
“It was really beautiful, being back in school, how much the students encouraged me and accepted me, and have shown me how to be compassionate and accepting and loving. Children are naturals at that. There are a lot of lessons we can learn from our students.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
These students helped raise money for school social worker Pam Buschle’s foundation: from left, Challenger students Whitney Dixon, Aaron Cobb, Emma Belden, Leena Karaein and Cheyanne Meyers
Learn the essentials of skiing and snowboarding with the professional snowsports instructors at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, all while saving during National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in January, take advantage of special offers on lift tickets, rentals, and lessons.
All Seasons Hotel and Resort is conveniently located on your way to everything in northwest Michigan. Situated in the village of Kalkaska on US-131 at the junction of M-72, guests can ride their snowmobiles from the large parking lot directly to the trailheads for hundreds of miles of trail access. This great location is 30 miles north of Cadillac, 30 miles south of Boyne City, and 23 miles west of 1-75, making All Seasons the ideal location for snow skiing.
You’re invited to experience Black Star Farms Suttons Bay in its winter splendor. Explore their easy to moderate trails, then warm up with a glass of mulled wine and a hearty bowl of chili on their terrace patio. Round out your excursion with a tasting featuring award-winning wines, ciders, and spirits. This is your chance to take in the woods, orchards, and vineyards on their iconic estate while it’s beautifully blanketed in snow.
Evergreen Resort in Cadillac is the perfect locale for your ultimate Northern Michigan winter adventure. Located along a Lake Michigan snow belt, Evergreen Resort has everything you need for a fun-filled winter escape. You’ll have access to more than 200 miles of snowmobile trails, 100 miles of cross country ski trails, and trails for snowshoeing and downhill skiing.
Coyote Cup Youth Race at Coyote Crossing Resort
The 7th Annual Coyote Cup Youth Race at Coyote Crossing Resort in Cadillac is Saturday, Jan. 13. The event is open to racers 12 & under. These young snowmobile racers will enjoy an oval style track, as they race in five age groups across three categories.
Do you like to snowshoe in serene natural areas but enjoy a bit of friendly competition? Strap on your snowshoes and run through the beautiful snow-covered Grass River Natural Area in Bellaire on Saturday, Jan.13, as part of a fundraiser for their programs. This snowshoe race in northern Michigan is only a short distance from Traverse City. A prize is awarded to overall male and female 5K and 10K winners.
Conveniently located in Bellaire, just 31 miles northeast of Traverse City, the 4,500-acre Shanty Creek Resorts offers a variety of winter experiences for the entire family. The three distinct villages within the resort, Summit, Schuss, and Cedar River, offer everything from downhill to cross country skiing, multiple terrain parks, a multi-lane alpine tubing park, dog sledding, and more. With more than 180 inches of snowfall annually, snow-lovers can’t get enough of Shanty Creek. This winter, Shanty Creek Resorts’ Schuss Mountain will celebrate its golden anniversary. Opened on December 22nd, 1967, Schuss Mountain will celebrate its 50th anniversary with specials and events throughout the snowy season.
The barrel bar at Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery
This year, enjoy winter fun with the Old Mission Snowshoe Wine & Brew, Michigan’s only organized wine and snowshoe outing. Spend Sunday afternoons from Jan. 7 to March 11 with family and friends, taking in the sights and sounds of Old Mission Peninsula coated with shimmering snow. Board a tour bus, and visit Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery. This family-owned boutique winery, situated on 91 acres with breathtaking views of East Grand Traverse Bay, produces small batch wines including some of the most sought after red wines on the peninsula. Tickets are $28 per person, and include parking and shuttle service along with five samples at each stop, and various discounts for additional purchases.
Located in downtown Charlevoix, Pointes North Inn is a condo-hotel that is the perfect home base for your next up north excursion. Nearby, you can take a cross country ski trip, go on a dog sled adventure, take ski and snowboard lessons, and ride on a horse drawn sleigh. There are many more winter activities that await you, so carve your own path and plan your trip up north!
The Charlevoix area is a winter paradise. With lots of fresh snow falling weekly, there are lots of great outdoor recreation opportunities for everyone. Spend a day snowshoeing or cross-country skiing at one of the many nature preserves, then head over to Boyne Mountain, in Boyne Falls, for a variety of family friendly activities and challenging ski slopes. Winter is a great time to get outside and explore Michigan’s natural beauty.
Snow sports are a specialty in Sault Ste. Marie. Ice skate in one of the four rinks, or go downhill skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and sledding. There are miles of snowmobile and non-motorized trails around Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding areas. You can even take your snowmobile downtown by following a designated trail. If you’re into cross-country skiing, there are trails throughout the area.
More Snow Sports & Activities in Northern West Michigan
Timber Ridge Ski Area in Gobles has been giving families an opportunity to have some fun and make wonderful memories together since 1961. With over 40 acres of skiable terrain, Timber Ridge offers the easy runs for beginners and more difficult ones for experts. They offer lessons for any skill level, from ages 5 to 95! If you’re not into skiing or snowboarding, hit the tubing hill or relax in their lodge. Come on out and experience the family fun to be had at Timber Ridge!
Candlelit trails at Piece Cedar Creek.
Stop by the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings on Saturday, Jan. 27, and enjoy an evening on candlelit trails while taking in the enchantment of a rare blue moon, a term for the second full moon of the month. Stargazing and storytelling also may be available if the weather is clear. After hiking the trails, warm up in the visitor center with a crackling fire, coffee, and hot chocolate.
The Wings West in Kalamazoo is hosting wintery-fun events. Open skate and hockey is available daily, with times scheduled throughout the week. If you’d rather watch hockey than play it, they’re hosting the Pucks & Pints: Hockey Game & Tap Takeover on Saturday, Jan. 13. Enjoy a 24-tap takeover, and watch as teams from two Michigan breweries duke it out on the ice. Be part of the action, or watch it from the stands at Wings Event Center!
The Marshall area is perfect for cross country skiing. There are two nature areas that are excellent for hiking, bird watching, cross country skiing, dog walking, and biking. Both are located in lovely wooded areas where wetland wildlife is just waiting to be explored. Acres of prairie and ancient trees will be a highlight to your experience.
With more than 100 lakes, including two chains of lakes, Coldwater Country offers countless opportunities for anglers. The frozen-over lakes offer an opportunity to get outside and breathe in the cold, clean air. Spend an afternoon outdoors with friends and family in the quest to catch fish, or join in the festivities and contests at the Quincy Tip-Up Festival. Need an incentive to drop a line this winter? Try it as part of the Free Fishing Weekend on February 17th and 18th. This annual weekend provides two days where no fishing license is required for residents or non-residents, although all fishing regulations still apply.
River Country is home to a family-oriented ski resort with a snow sports learning center, kids learn-to-ski program, and cafe for grab-and-go meals. Ski and snowboard lessons are available with trained instructors anytime the resort is open. They can teach skiing and snowboarding, or help advance a person’s skills with one-on-one lessons.
More Snow Sports & Activities in Southern West Michigan
It’s love on the run — literally — as Kentwood hosts its first-ever Valentine’s Dash Feb. 10.
“We decided to add an additional race to our list of events due to the cancellation of our Ugly Sweater Run in November because of inclement weather,” said Spencer McKellar, a recreation program coordinator for the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, who is overseeing the Valentine’s Dash event.
“As a department we also realize there are limited outdoor recreation opportunities in the winter. By offering this new race during February, we hope to encourage members of our community to get out and enjoy our beautiful trails and parks throughout the entire year.”
The 3.1-mile course, which McKellar note is great for any skill level, will have participants start and end at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, traveling along an east/west trail and into the Old Farm Park and adjoining neighborhood. Along the way, there will be Valentine’s candy stations.
McKellar said the library provides a warm place for both registration and the after party/awards program. Each participant will receive a knit cap and a goodie bag. There also will be a race raffle with a number of items raffled off including a night stay for two at the DoubleTree hotel, golf packages and other items.
Awards will be given for fastest time as well as best dressed with other runners helping to judge those in Valentine-themed costumes. Also at the after party will be music, Valentine-themed snacks, and a photo booth.
“We want to make this a fun Valentine-themed race with candy, prizes and lots of fun,” McKellar said.
The Muskegon Winter Sports Complex is a beautiful facility inside of Muskegon State Park, and is the center of Muskegon’s winter activities. This huge complex offers exciting events and outdoor sports facilities to the public, including one of only four publicly accessible luge tracks in the United States. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and sledding are available on five miles of groomed track, day or night. Skis, snowshoes, ice skates, and sleds are available for rent.
Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus in Grand Rapids is hosting a female-focused event for intermediate and advanced level skiers on Friday, Feb. 23. The goal of the event is to improve your skiing, have a lot of fun, and make some new friends along the way.
Celebrate January in the crisp country air of Double JJ Resort in Rothbury. Have the time of your life as you race down the resort’s 660-foot tubing hill, or climb aboard one of the resort’s horse-drawn sleighs for a magical glide through the snowy woods. They have overnight stay packages through the winter, so that you will have a place nearby to warm up by the fire or in your jacuzzi. Double JJ Resort is an all-seasons destination.
Snow sports and activities are endless in Mecosta County. Soon, the City of Big Rapids will be opening a new ice rink for all to enjoy. A local farm offers sleigh rides, where you’ll enjoy a frosty ride through the woods before reaching a roaring bonfire. If you enjoy snowmobiling, the White Pine Trail is great for you, with many miles of trails for your convenience. Cran-Hill Ranch also offers a variety of winter activities, including ice climbing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, tubing hills, broomball, and ice skating.
Lantern-lit Skiing and Snowshoeing in Ludington Skate Park
The Ludington area is hosting two series of events to help you enjoy some of the season’s favorite activities. Go on the Lantern-lit Skiing and Snowshoeing in Ludington Skate Park on Jan. 20 and Feb. 3 and 17. Bring cross-country skis or snowshoes and trek the one-mile groomed trail lit by oil lanterns. Park staff can help novice trekkers get started. The state park will also host Guided Snowshoe Hikes on Jan. 20 and 27 and Feb. 3, 10, and 17. Join an hour-and-a-half-long guided snowshoe hike highlighting the park’s nature and history through the park’s snow-covered sand dunes. The park has 40 pairs of snowshoes to loan for free on a first-come, first-served basis for visitors aged 10-years-old to adult.
The Mt. Pleasant area has everything you need for a winter experiencing the great outdoors. Their indoor ice arena provides public skating, hockey, figure skating, and more, with a pro shop for any and all gear you may need. On the northwest side of Mt. Pleasant, there is a 60-acre park, featuring a giant sledding hill! Grab your sled and have a blast.
More Snow Sports & Activities in Central West Michigan
The Little Free Pantry, usually located at the Kentwood Activities Center, has been well received since first being introduced last year.
In fact, according to Kentwood Parks and Recreation Coordinator Laura Barbrick, it has been so popular that at times it has been a little tough keeping it stocked.
So as part of this year’s Kentwood Martin Luther King Jr. event, the city will be hosting a food drive to help stock the Little Free Pantry. The food drive is set to run from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, at Family Fare, 6127 Kalamazoo Ave. SE and from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Celebration Cinema South, 1506 Eastport Dr. SE.
The Little Food Pantry is located in the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.
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.
Kentwood introduced the Little Free Pantry at the 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. event. It’s official home is at the Kentwood Activities Center, however; while the center is being remodeled, the pantry has been moved to the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.
“We have a number of families that utilize the pantry on a regular basis,” Barbrick said. “We are definitely getting more donations now that it is at the library, but we anticipate the need will continue once it moves back to the Activities Center.”
Donations are accepted at the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, during normal business hours, and once the center reopens in March, donations will be accepted there as well.
The city will end Jan. 15 with a program honoring Dr. King. That program will be at 4:30 p.m. at the library. There will be a proclamation from Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, a presentation by Kyle Ray, pastor of Kentwood Community Church, music by Craig Tyson, and refreshments provided by The Candied Yam.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King’s birthday, January 15. Campaigns for the day honoring King, who was assassinated in 1968, began soon after his death. Former President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.
The community is invited to attend Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll’s annual State of the City Address on Monday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. The Address will be delivered at the beginning of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting in the Council Chambers of Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Individuals who are unable to attend in person are invited to watch the Address on WKTV or stream it live at wktv.org.
Mayor Poll will give an overview of the City’s activities from 2017 and a preview of its initiatives for 2018. He is also expected to announce his future political plans, as his current term expires in November of this year. Prior to being elected mayor, Poll served on the Wyoming City Council from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009.
For more information, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or follow the City on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofWyoming. You can watch the the Wyoming City Council meeting live on WKTV Channel 26 and it is rebroadcast again at 7 p.m. on Fridays.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet — or few — from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Here are the Cliff notes version of Beverly Leslie’s tale of woe and wonder. The frail but fabulous four-year-old (born in late 2013) was found hanging around the Wyoming condo of two of our volunteers in late October, but they weren’t able to wrangle her until two weeks later. Beverly Leslie’s initial laundry list of issues included being bloated due to a presumed pregnancy, a flea infestation, severe gingivitis and a rip-roaring bilateral ear infection secondary to untreated ear mites that ended up rupturing both eardrums.
A week later she was healthy enough to take to surgery to spay her where Dr. Jen discovered that the kitty was suffering from a uterine infection (no babies thankfully). At that time Dr. Jen also flushed out Beverly Leslie’s infected ear canals which unfortunately led to a complicated upper respiratory infection involving her nasal passages; this caused excessive post-nasal drip and literally weeks of batting fevers, drainage and a helluva roller-coaster ride of recuperation.
When Dr. Jen took her back to surgery on Nov. 27 to again address kitty’s aural issues, yet another problem presented itself: Beverly Leslie had developed nasopharyngeal polyps in both middle ears, further complicating her recovery; removal was a success but her white blood cell count was astronomically high due to the chronic nature of her conditions.
Thankfully with Christmas came the return of her health, and Dr. Jen was able to allow Beverly Leslie to take her hard-won spot on our adoption list!
In spite of everything, this darling little lady never squawked or complained, taking her nose wiping and temperature taking like the fierce warrior princess she is! Small yet feisty, she got her name from that quirky yet beloved character on the TV show Will & Grace, and let me tell you, she is a force to be reckoned with, as nothing keeps her down for long! She loves, loves, LOVES people and simply cannot get enough of their attention! It took her quite some time to adjust and accept the other kitties as her roomies, but once she did, she made a few furry friends.
Beverly Leslie will absolutely thrive in a place where cuddles and snuggles are plentiful and would most definitely do great with kids. We can tell you that she will receive a marvelous send off, once it is finally time for her to pack her bags and go home; if anyone deserves it, it is our magnificent marmalade Bev Les!
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
By Megan Adres, Grand Rapids Public Library, Seymour Branch
“I learned a lot that night,” Delia Hopkins remembers of a magic show her father held when she was young. “That people don’t vanish into thin air.”
Delia, a 32-year-old making her way in the world, uses her skills to find missing people with the help of her search-and-rescue bloodhound, Greta. One day, however, Delia has a flash of memory that she hardly understands. When the arrest of her father on kidnapping charges follows, Delia quickly finds herself overwhelmed.
With the help of a childhood friend turned reporter, Delia puts her life on hold, including her wedding, in order to prove her father’s innocence. Slowly Delia finds her father, Andrew, may not be as innocent as she believes. For 28 years Delia has lived one life. Yet her first four years add to the doubts surrounding her father.
Delia’s fiance, Eric, is a lawyer who agrees to take Andrew’s case. As the search for the truth begins, Delia and Eric battle through years of lies and deceit to find the truth that just may destroy the close relationship between father and daughter.
Jodi Picoult’s thirteenth book is sometimes heavy with drama but quickly engages readers. She focuses on the emotional impact of the case and lets readers wonder until the last moment who is guilty when both parents believe they were in the right. Vanishing Acts delivers all the drama, emotion, and plot twists of this year’s One Book, One County novel, My Sister’s Keeper and should hold readers in its grip long after the books ends.
By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University
Pianist Mika Sasaki has established herself as a sought-after soloist, chamber musician and emerging educator. Since her concerto debut with the Sinfonia of Cambridge in the United Kingdom at the age of 7, she has appeared twice with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and more recently with the 92Y Orchestra in New York City. She has performed at venues including the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Peter J. Sharp Theater, Palazzo Chigi Saracini (Italy), Minato Mirai Hall (Japan) and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (Japan). Her solo debut album “Obsidian: Mika Sasaki plays Clara Schumann” was released on Yarlung Records in 2016.
What: Mika Sasaki, piano
When: Jan. 19, at 7:30 pm
Where: Sherman Van Solkema Hall (room 1325), Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus
Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library
Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library, has been named the top librarian in the nation by Library Journal.
The 2018 Librarian of the Year award honors a professional librarian among nominees from across the country for outstanding achievement and accomplishments reflecting the loftiest service goals of the library profession. Werner was recognized for his strong leadership, effective legislative advocacy and championing access for his more than 200,000 patrons in Kent County.
Werner is the first – and only – Michigan librarian to win the Librarian of the Year award.
“My version of leadership is to get the best people I can, give them what they need and then get out of their way,” Werner said. “I’m one gear in a big machine where everyone is important.” Werner credits this philosophy as a cornerstone to building strong advocacy among his team, municipalities, strategic partners and patrons.
Under Werner’s leadership, Kent District Library:
Championed access for all by becoming the first public library in the state to offer e-magazines, e-movies, e-comics and streaming video games free of charge.
Extended the reach of technology by circulating iPads and wireless hotspots community-wide.
Installed a collection of Little Free Libraries around Kent County. There are currently 14, which are housed in community centers, senior centers, parks and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Opened a branch in Kelloggsville High School, which will be a community library outside of school hours.
Began offering healthcare for part-time employees.
Partnered with other West Michigan libraries to collect 50,000 library materials for the Port Arthur Public Library, a Texas library devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
Launched a statewide short story contest called Write Michigan, now in its 6th year, which most recently drew more than 900 submissions from children, teens, adults and Spanish-language writers.
Provided books for military troops stationed in the Middle East.
Trained all staff members in first aid and CPR.
Launched adult program series highlighting beer (KDaLe), wine (KDL Uncorked) and coffee (KDL Caffeinated).
Partnered with The Geek Group and other local organizations to offer innovative programming, including STEM initiatives.
“Working with Lance is exciting,” said Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, KDL’s director of innovation and user experience. “I admire that he has respect for all of our staff and genuinely wants to do the best for our patrons and communities. This shows in the relationships he has grown over the years and our efforts to grow our KDL family to include more and more community groups.”
Werner builds his life around three pillars: kindness, empathy and love.
“I don’t feel like I have a job, it’s more of a calling,” Werner explained. “I’m so blessed to do work that I love, with those that I love, for those that I love. I consider myself a public servant and want to add to the greater good and touch the lives of future generations.”
Werner has been director of Kent District Library since May 2011. He previously served as director of the Capital Area District Library in Lansing and as a library law specialist at the Library of Michigan. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado, a law degree from Michigan State University and a master’s of library information systems from Wayne State University.
“As the 30th recipient of the LJ Librarian of the Year award, Lance exemplifies the dynamism and keen intelligence we expect in a winner,” said Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of Library Journal and School Library Journal. “His deep understanding of the importance of building and nurturing strong relationships at all levels has resulted in improved service for his community, enhanced benefits for the Kent District Library staff, and improved the outlook for libraries across Michigan. We are very excited to name him LJ’s 2018 Librarian of the Year.”
Werner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and is featured in Library Journal’s January 2018 issue, available in print and online. Werner was previously a 2016 LJ Mover & Shaker and 2017 Michigan Library Association Librarian of the Year.
By Victoria Mullen, WKTV
The project launched at ArtPrize Nine in September 2017, welcoming scores of visitors to tour our renovated 1958 Airstream® mobile studio and learn more about the oral history project.
