Emotional Intelligence, also known as EQ, is a major indicator of success—even more than IQ, which looks at traditional intelligence. Studies have shown that 90% of top performing employees have high EQ. In fact, as EQ increases, so does average annual salary.
So, what is EQ?
EQ consists of two components—personal and social competence.
Personal Competence—your ability to recognize your emotions and use this self-awareness to manage your thoughts and actions.
Social Competence—your ability to recognize emotions in others and use this understanding to successfully manage your relationships and interactions.
Emotional Intelligence is tied to soft skills that employers are looking for, such as customer service, communication, team work, decision making and time management.
Here are five tips to help you improve your EQ:
Decrease negativity. It is easy to jump to negative conclusions when you don’t understand how others behave. For example, if your boss doesn’t greet you with a friendly “hello,” like usual one morning, don’t assume you did something wrong. He or she may be up against a deadline or distracted by other issues. Don’t make it about you; try to understand where they are coming from.
Take responsibility. Everyone makes mistakes and being able to admit it is a sign of emotional intelligence. When you make a mistake, look for ways to make things right instead of placing blame or making excuses.
Stay calm. Next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, take note of how you feel and how you react. If you find yourself lashing out, take a deep breath and count to ten. This can help you calm down and deal with the problem more effectively.’
Learn about you. Pay attention to how you react to different emotions. You can even take an assessment to find your strengths and weaknesses. This information can help you become more aware of your emotions and strengthen your interactions with others.
Be brave. The next time you’re faced with a challenging emotional situation, be willing to have a difficult conversation. It is important to respond respectfully to others and also create healthy boundaries for yourself. Try using the XYZ method to discuss your emotions, “I feel X when you do Y in situation Z.”
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
Legendary comic Denis Leary will visit Grand Rapids this month as part of Schuler Books & Music’s 35th anniversary celebration.
Leary will visit Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at Wealthy Street Theatre, 1130 Wealth St. SE, and will be discussing his newest book “Why We Don’t Suck: And How All of Us Need to Stop Being Such Partisan Little Bitiches.”
In the new book, Leary refutes the current highly partisan Right Wing Nutjob versus Left Wing Snowflake approach to American politics – where you’re either one or the other, with no gray areas in between. Leading a new protest movement called Gray Lives Matter, he takes equal opportunity aim at the screaming heads we see arguing every night on CNN (the Clinton News Network) and Fox’s Fair and Balanced Reublican Report. With a devoted mission to Make American Laugh Again, Leary take the topics we all hold close to our American hearts: Twitter, Instagram, and the seeminelying endless search for fame and diet vodka.
Tickets for the Leary event are available through the Wealthy Theatre box office. Tickets are $46 and include entry to the event and a signed copy of “We We Don’t Suck” to be claimed at the event. Limited VIP, front-row seats with first access to the signing are available for $66.
For more information about the Leary event or for other activities taking place at Schuler Books & Music, visit schulerbooks.com.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is pleased to announce that it will open a brand new original production in the Chaffee Planetarium on Oct. 21. The show, titled Subatomic, will take visitors through the discovery of the Higgs boson, a scientific quest solved in our lifetime.
Subatomic will take viewers on a journey of scientific discovery. In 2012, after a 48-year search and the construction of the world’s largest machine, more than 10,000 physicists celebrated the discovery of the Higgs boson, an elusive subatomic particle crucial to physics and existence itself. Learn more about this important discovery, and how it fits into humanity’s quest for unraveling the secrets of the universe.
Subatomic will include a produced portion, followed by a live and interactive portion with a planetarium staff member, and hands on components just outside the Chaffee Planetarium to demonstrate the concepts highlighted in the show. The entire show will be 30 minutes in length.
Subatomic was developed through collaborations between the GRPM, scientists, and local experts specializing in serving neuro-diverse audiences. It will be part of the daily schedule of shows in the Chaffee Planetarium upon its launch.
For scientific accuracy, the Museum worked with academic advisors Dr. Jacob Bourjaily, theoretical physicist at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, Dr. Brian Winer, Chair and Professor of Physics at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Reinhard Schwienhorst, physics professor at Michigan State University. Numerous interns and staff helped produce the show with assistance from Kendall College of Art and Design for audio and sound editing. Subatomic is narrated by Grand Rapids’ own Adrian Butler.
“It is exciting to be part of a project like this” said Prof. Brian Winer, of The Ohio State University. “I was pleased to be one of the many experts the Museum worked with for the development of this show, which undoubtedly covers one of the important scientific discoveries in our lifetime – the Higgs boson. This show is a great way to bring a complex idea involving physics to the general public.”
The Museum also partnered with Dr. Mira Krishnan and Hope Network at the beginning of the show’s development, discussing the creation of an experience that would resonate for children with autism. Dr. Krishnan made recommendations for how the GRPM could visually enhance the show for these unique learners. As a consequence, a shorter show was developed, with some specialized graphics to emphasize complex scientific concepts in different ways, a live presentation was created to complement and reinforce the show, and hands-on activities were developed for students and Museum visitors to learn more scientific concepts in kinesthetic ways outside of the planetarium.
“I first approached the Museum looking for ways to make our community more accessible to people with differences. I was really overwhelmed with the Museum’s support for this,” said Dr. Mira Krishnan, a clinical neuropsychologist. “The Museum’s focus on universal design gave us a really common language to make Subatomic more autism and learning difference friendly. Beyond that, I did applied physics before I became a psychologist, so being a part of this particular project is an amazing dream come true for me, because it brings together so many of my passions!”
“This project has a great story,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “From the very beginning, we were working with Dr. Krishnan to make this an experience that could be enjoyed by all audiences. We then brought in scientists – two of whom grew up in Grand Rapids – to consult on the content of the project. The group then took a very complex idea, physics and the discovery of a subatomic particle, and made it accessible for all learners. This is all part of our effort to embrace universal design for learning in the Planetarium and throughout the Museum.”
The show begins on Oct. 21 and will be part of the Chaffee Planetarium’s regular schedule. Subatomic can also be reserved for school groups and field trips. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission and $5 for planetarium only. Museum members receive free admission to planetarium shows.
For additional information on the Chaffee Planetarium or to view the full schedule, visit grpm.org/planetarium.
Just a month short of the four-year mark when the City of Wyoming first introduced the concept of 28 West, city officials will gather with city leaders and business representatives to celebrate the the project that lead to the completion of the first half of the road.
This Saturday, Oct. 21, there will be a ribbon-cutting and grand re-opening celebration of the 28 West Place, formerly Wyoming Village Mall, at 1:30 p.m. with additional events to follow. The ribbon cutting ceremony is hosted by the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a hallmark change in the corridor here that we have been hoping for a number of years…” said Mayor Jack Poll.
The 28 West sign located in front of the former Studio 28 property. Construction for the 28 West project will actually start just east on the Wyoming Mall property.
In 2013, the City of Wyoming adopted a plan for the reimagine of the south side of 28th Street between Clyde Park and Burlingame avenues in to a mixed-use town center utilizing form-based code, which provides flexibility to developers. A key element to the 28 West concept was the construction of a curving slip street which would become the center’s new “main street.” The street was designed to run from the south side of 28th Street across from Hook Avenue to Jenkins Avenue, which runs next to the former Klingman/Rogers Department Store building. Because the plan involved demolition of buildings on privately held property, city officials knew it would take some time to get all parties on board with the plan.
Jumping forward to 2016 when Meyer C. Weiner Company, which owns 28 West Place, approached the city about renovation plans for the mall property which was originally developed in 1962 and known as Southland Mall. Those plans included 20,000 square feet of new entry efficient building space and two out-lot buildings of approximately 11,000 square feet, long with significant property improvements to upgrade the existing retail center and its surface parking lot.
Seeing the opportunity to move forward with the 28 West Street plan, the City of Wyoming officials entered into a $1.6 million agreement with Meyer C. Weiner Company so as to move forward with the first phase of the 28 West Street project from Hook Avenue to Michael Avenue. This past week, the City Council finalized some of the details by placing an all-the-way stop sign at the 28 West Place service drive along the west side of the mall.
“We are excited to commemorate this first stage of redevelopment,” said Megan Sall, assistant city manager and Downtown Development Authority director. “There are so many opportunities inherent in this area and we’re pleased to have a partner in Meyer C. Weiner Company as we set the stage for future growth.”
Overview of the new 2 West Place with the 28 West Street.
Matthew McDade, chief operating officer for the Meyer C. Weiner Company, also points to partnerships as being key to this project’s success. “The Meyer C. Weiner Company would like to thank all the staff and officials at the City of Wyoming who worked extremely hard to make this redevelopment possible, along with the stakeholders for the successful completion of this project.”
As the renovation project got underway, Mr. Alan’s, a clothing store, leased a 5,400-square-foot out-lot building and opened in June. Other new tenants include CSL Plasma which opened in April, and Simply 10, a clothing store, is expected to opening late October. The current tenants of 28 West Place also include a Save-A-Lot, DollarTree, Payless Shoes, and the children’s consignment store Once Upon a Child.
28 West Place retailers will be hosting a series of events from 2 – 4 p.m. which include the Grand Rapids Drive’s mascot Buckets, signed Red Wings photos, face-painting for kids, a live remote with 95.7 WLHT and WKTV also will be there as well.
Grand Valley State University’s new Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre is providing students and faculty who are studying and teaching the performing arts with opportunities to tackle new types of productions.
The Grand Valley community celebrated the formal dedication of the Keller Theatre, located in the Thomas J. and Marcia J. Haas Center for Performing Arts, on Oct. 17.
To honor Linn’s memory, the Keller family established the Linn Maxwell Keller Professional Vocalist Experience Endowment at Grand Valley in 2017. The fund provides enrichment opportunities for committed vocal performance students and will aim to encourage them in their professional career development. The Keller Theatre was named in appreciation for their generosity.
“The Linn Maxwell Keller Endowment will facilitate and empower our vocal students to move beyond their academic studies and ascend to distinguished achievement by providing needed resources to build artistic capability through advanced study, professional production and community outreach,” said Danny Phipps, chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department. “These experiences are critical to their success as they launch their professional careers as the next generation of performing artists.”
Fred Keller, Linn’s husband, said that the endowment supports her long-held desire to inspire young, aspiring musicians, especially vocalists.
The dedication included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.
“Linn was an incredible artist, and I’m so proud that we can have this space in her memory, and an endowment that is going to be inspiring students in the future,” he said. “You’ll never remember what somebody did or said, but you’ll remember how they made you feel, and that’s what Linn brought to the stage.”
Linn Maxwell Keller was a dedicated professional singer who performed in 28 countries throughout her career. The only child of two musicians, Linn was a mezzo soprano, performing on many operatic and concert stages, from the Essen Opera House in Germany to Puerto Rico and Carnegie Hall.
She went on to write and develop numerous original shows, including the critically acclaimed “Hildegard of Bingen and the Living Light,” and “St. Hildegard, Trumpet of God,” both of which were made into movies.
The dedication ceremony included an inaugural cabaret in the theater, including six vocal performances by multiple Grand Valley students and alumni of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department.
President Thomas J. Haas said the endowment and the Keller Theatre align with Grand Valley’s mission of encouraging students to reach their full potential.
“No matter what we do in the Linn Maxwell Black Box Theatre, we are going to be driven by sustained attention to excellence and quality,” said Haas.
A black box theater is an indoor performance space with plain black walls and a level floor, typically designed to provide flexibility in stage configuration and audience seating. Black box theaters gained popularity in the 1960s and the unique performance space creates a closer proximity between the audience and performers.
After almost two years of fundraising, planning and obtaining the proper permits, renovations on The Bridge are underway!
The Bridge of Arbor Circle is a safe shelter program for youth who are facing homelessness or considering running away. Serving an average of 250 youth a year and operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, The Bridge is a facility that is constantly in use and constantly in need of maintenance.
Construction begun in August 2017 will provide much-needed upgrades to the facility, improve the functionality of the existing space, and make The Bridge an even more welcoming space for the youth served each year.
Existing bathroom facilities are getting reconstructed to go from two, single-user bathrooms to 3.5 single-user bathrooms. This will double current capacity and streamline bathroom/shower scheduling, especially on busy school days.
The dining room is getting upgraded flooring, lighting, ceiling and furniture to support the family-style approach to meals at The Bridge.
In the program space, furniture is being updated and technology is being built in to support youth in their educational pursuits. A new staff office is being constructed to promote safety and privacy for individual meetings with youth.
In the middle of a crisis, the Bridge provides shelter, counseling, case management, group support, youth activities and connections to other needed services. The Bridge assists youth with meeting their basic needs, setting goals, building new life skills, and establishing connections with peers and mentors who can support them.
Ford Airport Officials & Ford Foundation Officials Celebrate the President Gerald R. Ford Tribute Room Ribbon-Cutting
Two organizations bearing President Gerald R. Ford’s name came together to celebrate a ribbon-cutting and dedication for a tribute room at the airport in the late president’s honor.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
officials joined President Gerald R. Ford’s son, Steve Ford, Joan Secchia representing the
Secchia Family Foundation, and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Airport Tribute
Room Chairman Fred Keller, for the official opening of the President Gerald R. Ford Tribute
Room.
“Dad would be extremely proud to know that the foundation and the airport that bear his
name came together to honor him with this tribute room,” said Steve Ford. “He loved growing up in Grand Rapids, and it is humbling to know that he will always have a place to
be remembered. This tribute room at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a terrific
place for generations that knew my father to spend time reflecting on the past, but also for
future generations to learn about what he meant to our country and to West Michigan.”
The airport worked with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation to incorporate an
exhibit space dedicated to the 38th President, which is located pre-security as a part of the
newly renovated Gateway Transformation Project. The exhibit includes photos, an aircraft
carrier model, displays, and rotating historical pieces.
“Jerry would not have wanted this much attention on him, but I know he would be proud of this tribute room, and honored that so many came to celebrate his legacy,” said Secchia. “It was important for those of us that knew him well to give him full recognition in a space that bears his name. We appreciate this partnership with the airport authority, and we look
forward to opening this space for all visitors to enjoy.”
“When I approached Peter about having this room at the airport, it was a natural fit and he
and many others that knew President Ford personally jumped on board to make this
tribute room a reality,” said GFIA Board Chairman Roger Morgan. “Our Airport Board
appreciates those that helped raise the funds for this space, and we are anxious to show
this off to the millions of visitors that pass through our airport each year.”
The Tribute Room is open 24 hours a day to visitors and airport patrons.
One of the wonders of poetry is the potential for the intricacies of ordinary life to be described in extraordinary ways.
Patricia Clark, Writing Department chair, said this is exactly what audiences can expect to hear during this year’s Fall Arts Celebration poetry night at Grand Valley State University with acclaimed authors Jane Hirshfield and Dan Gerber.
“An Evening of Poetry and Conversation with Jane Hirshfield and Dan Gerber” will take place Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m., on the 2nd floor of the Eberhard Center, located on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The reading will be followed by a reception and book signing.
Jane Hirshfield (Photo by Curt Richter)
“Jane’s vision is informed by her extensive knowledge of international poetry, so her poems take on an incandescence with the ability to layer steady affirmation with, at times, an underlying humor, and compassion for the sorrows, losses and inconsistencies of life,” said Clark.
Hirshfield has penned many collections of poetry and prose, including The Beauty, Come Thief, The Lives of the Heart, The October Palace and Given Sugar, Given Salt. Her book, After, was shortlisted for England’s T.S. Eliot Prize and named a “best book of 2006” by the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and London Financial Times.
In 2012, Hirshfield was elected a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, and in fall 2004, she was awarded the 70th Academy Fellowship for distinguished poetic achievement by the academy, which is an honor formerly held by Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams and Elizabeth Bishop.
Gerber, a native of Fremont, is the author of a dozen books of poetry, fiction and essays. His most recent books of poems include Particles: New & Selected Poemsand Sailing through Cassiopeia. His work has received ForeWord Magazine’s Gold Medal Award, a Mark Twain Award for distinguished contribution to Midwest literature, a Michigan Author Award and a Michigan Notable Book Award. He is also the co-founder of the literary magazine Sumac.
Clark said Gerber’s poems provide a clear vision of the natural world and the “inner life.”
“Dan studies what’s at hand: an old dog, a fox he glimpses on a walk, a starry night, or a cabin in the woods,” she said. “Often, he, like Jane, begins a poem with something near at hand and then uses that object to find a deeper significance, perhaps about the past, family or life.”
For more information about Fall Arts Celebration, visit gvsu.edu/fallarts.
Mel Trotter Ministries partnering with Celebration! Cinema, will host red carpet event to raise awareness, support for rescue mission
Based on the New York Times bestselling book, Paramount Pictures and Pure Flix Entertainment will release the blockbuster film Same Kind of Different as Me in theatres nationwide on October 20, 2017. In addition, Mel Trotter Ministries (MTM) is hosting a Grand Rapids exclusive, pre-release red carpet charity event at Celebration! Cinema on October 18, 2017, in order to raise awareness and support for the rescue mission.
Same Kind of Different as Me (PG-13) is the true story of international art dealer Ron Hall (Greg Kinnear), who befriends a dangerous homeless man (Djimon Hounsou) in hopes of saving his struggling marriage to Debbie (Renée Zellweger), a woman whose dreams will lead all three of them on the most remarkable journey of their lives. Jon Voight plays Hall’s father, with whom he reconciles thanks to the revelations of his new life.
With much of the story taking place at a rescue mission, MTM has joined rescue missions across the country by hosting the pre-release red carpet event. These events were created to help organizations break down the misconceptions of homelessness and increase support. The ultimate goal of these events, as inspired by the powerful messages found in the film, is to inspire people in Grand Rapids to build relationships with people who are not like them.
Event: Same Kind of Different as Me: Grand Rapids Movie Premiere
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).
Sparky is a lovely cat, ready and eager for his forever home
When you take a gander at this gorgeous gray-and-white guy’s photo, you would have no idea that upon arrival back in October of 2015, his cheek and jaw were a swollen, infected mess. A victim of a nasty cat bite—a common occurrence in intact males— this 4-year-old (born in the spring of 2013) was suffering from a huge pocket of pus teeming with bacteria that caused a terribly high fever (105.7 degrees).
If it weren’t for the kindhearted Wyoming woman who cared for him for over six months noticing that something was awry, Uncle Fester (as he was named then) would have become even more ill than he was, risking widespread infection and devastating tissue damage. As luck would have it, Dr. Jen was able to surgically drain and flush the abscess and treat with heavy-duty antibiotics and pain medication; within a few hours his body temperature had normalized and Fester was no longer festering but eagerly filling his face with yummy canned food.
Further exam showed a previous injury that caused avulsion of his right thumb and a mild flea infestation, but both of those paled in comparison to that erupting volcano of goo and gore!
After a few days of rinsing, rest and relaxation, our beautiful boy was ready to make his way down to Crash’s, where he settled in nicely, totally digging his new surroundings and being doted on hand and foot. It didn’t take him long to win over the volunteers and roomies alike, and within a few short weeks of his arrival, he was out and about, meeting everyone who came to visit our shelter and charming them with his quiet sophistication and sultry good looks. He proved to be a very busy boy that involves himself in any activity happening around him—he loves being in the middle of the action!
Given his bubbly, outgoing nature, he wasn’t with us for a lengthy time period, and soon resided in a family home where he had tons of fun with the kids and adults alike. However, in late June of of 2017, Sparky (as he was renamed) ended up back with us due to unfortunate circumstances beyond his control; although his humans were so very sad to have to return him to us, rest assured he readjusted to life in our free-roaming facility, getting reacquainted with old friends—and making many new ones!
Sparky is an all-around good guy—adventurous and energetic yet gentle and sweet , all rolled up into one stunning perfect companion style package; we have no doubts that we will be able to send him into a home of his own again soon—and hopefully this time forever!
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.
Breathtakingly beautiful photos of Alaska, and of a lone black wolf that made his home below the Mendenhall Glacier for almost a decade–John Hyde tracked and recorded the activities of Romeo, a very unusual wolf. Orphaned, but able to live in the wild (the author’s scat analysis showed a diet of mostly deer, lemming and beaver), he was very fond of dogs–as in “playing with dogs”.
An Alaskan Wolf is a very large, powerful creature, with jaws twice the strength of a German Shepherd, yet Romeo became accepted by the townspeople as a winter visitor each year, enamored of their dogs. His canine dominant status is clearly apparent in shots of his romping with the town’s pets, and yet he’s acting as silly as a puppy, getting them to chase him. He towers over the Labs and Boxers he’s shown scamperingwith, and you almost feel like yelling to the unseendog owners “no, no–this won’t end well!”,but of course Hyde wouldn’t have produced “Romeo” if there wasn’t an exceptional story to tell.
Kim Elton, Dir. Of Alaska Affairs, U.S.D.I., says of the book, “If wolves can’t inspire awe, what wild creature can?”, and Farley Mowat adds, “I envy John Hyde as I have never envied another human being.”
Over 80 amazing photos will tempt you to book that cruise to Alaska.
Nice commentary too, with echoes of Aldo Leopold, and other naturalists, who continue to share their vision of the necessity of wilderness for all of us.
Wyoming-Kentwood Community Media’s VOICES: a community history projectpowered by WKTV is taking reservations for its appearance at Wyoming Public Library (3350 Michael Ave SW, Wyoming, MI) Monday-Thursday, Oct. 23-Oct. 26, from 10am-8pm*.
VOICEScollects, preserves, and shares the stories of West Michigan people from all backgrounds and beliefs, with a focus on Wyoming, Kentwood and the greater Grand Rapids area. It’s a free public service, offering a comfortable video recording studio with a relaxed atmosphere.
High-tech video and audio equipment records the stories of our neighbors, friends and family — any story from anyone — that make up the fabric of our lives and our community. Participants tell their stories of hardships and successes, of what shaped them and their families into the kind of people they are today. Our lives, experiences, joys, sorrows, triumphs and tragedies are what make us all human.
Interviews 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 receive a complimentary DVD of their interview. Each recording is also archived with the Library of Congress.
VOICES sign at the Wyoming Public Library
Interviews 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.
The project launched at ArtPrize Nine, welcoming scores of visitors to tour our renovated 1958 Airstream® mobile studio and learn more about the oral history project.
Kentwood Public School’s fifth graduating class came together recently to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The year: 1967, when Aretha Franklin was singing for respect, the first Boeing 737 rolled out, and Paris township became the City of Kentwood.
Steve Barnes with classmate Russ Bullis Russ’s wife Betsy.
“They incorporated all the schools that were connected and became part of Kentwood Public Schools which eventually lead into the City of Kentwood,” said Clare Harrington.
The old classmates were eager to recount stories from their time at Kentwood schools. These memories backtrack to a time before Kentwood was even a city.
“The high school was actually in the Townline building at the same time we were in the middle school before the actual high school was built on 44th Street,” Russ Bullis said.
The Class of 1967 had its 50th Class Reunion at the 84th Street Pub &Grille.
Later, the students would move from the Townline Elementary School to the new high school, today’s Crestwood Middle School located on 44th Street near Walma Avenue. Crestwood, which opened in 1960, housed students in grades 7th – 12th grade. The first Kentwood Public Schools graduating class was in 1963. East Kentwood High School, located on Kalamazoo Avenue, was built in 1969 and even through the Class of 1967 had graduated by the time the high school was built, many of the students could recall special events that took place at East Kentwood High School.
“I remember when the football field went in and the track, and they named it after Patterson,” said Steve Barnes, whose mother is credited in naming the City of Kentwood and whose father, Clifford, was on the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education. Clifford Barnes served as the first board president. “And that was something big because we didn’t even have that.”
“We were a country school, bottom line,” Harrington said. “It was because of the country setting that we had there for Kentwood High School, they used to call us ‘silo high.'”
But nobody would call Kentwood Schools “silo high” now. The population of this city is 50,000 and growing. And much of that growth can be credited to former Kentwood students who chose to stay and build their lives in their home city.
“I’m just glad that I was a part of it because it’s kinda unique to see it happen,” Harrington said. “Now look at Kentwood today, it’s one of the industrial giants that we have around the whole Grand Rapids area.”
Russ Bullis looks over some of the Class of 1967 memorabilia.
Special Operations Soldiers and Airmen join best selling author Doug Stanton at the America’s Response Monument, following the rededication ceremony at Liberty Park in New York City in September 2016. Stanton, author of The Horse Soldiers, attended the rededication ceremony along with more than 500 attendees. The statue sits in over watch of the 9/11 Memorial. Pictured from left to right are Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brad Fowers, Master Sgt. Keith Gamble, Maj. Mark Nutsch, Air Force Lt. Col. Allison Black and Stanton. (U.S. Army photo by Cheryle Rivas, USASOC Public Affairs.) (Photo Credit: Ms. Cheryle Rivas (USASOC))
The author of “Horse Stories” Doug Stanton will be attending Schuler Books & Music’s 35th anniversary celebration Monday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m.
The Traverse City resident recently released his third book “The Odyssey of Echo Company: The 1968 Set offensive and the Epic Battle to Survive the Vietnam War” and has the title implies, is about a small platoon of American soldiers fighting for survival in Vietnam after the Tet Offensive in 1968.
Stanton’s first two books follow a similar theme of soldier life and both have become New York Times bestsellers. The first book, “In Harm’s Way” is about the survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis during World War II, and “Horse Soldiers,” about a band of Special Forces soldiers in Afghanistan who rode horseback in the war against the Taliban after 9/11. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer film based on “Horses Soldiers,” starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon, is scheduled for release in January.
Meanwhile, “The Odyssey of Echo Company” has been receiving a lot of praise since its release in September. Tom Brokaw said of the book that it “is a book for all Americans to read for the enduring lessons of what happens when we commit our precious young to the ravages of combat,” while Lee Child says that Doug Stanton is “a meticulous reporter, a fluent, propulsive storyteller, and this account of tragedy and triumph is an instant go-to text for those who want to know what their fathers and brothers—and America—were doing fifty years ago.”
Stanton’s writing has appeared in “The New York Times,” “The New York Book Review,” “Time,” “The Washington Post,” “Men’s Journal,” “The Day Beast, “Newsweek,” “Esquire,” and “Outside,” where he has been a contributing editor. Stanton also is a founder of the National Writers Series, a year-round book festival.
For more information about Stanton’s visit or other activities at Schuler Books & Music, visit schulerbooks.com.
Nau Kim, Balloon Pop, digital image (photo supplied)
By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University
This exhibition continues the collaboration between Grand Valley State University and Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) that was started in 2008. It features 40 photographs of artwork by SeoulTech art students, while a similar number of photographs by GVSU art and design students were sent to South Korea for a partner exhibition.
Exhibition Dates: September 29-December 8
Location: Red Wall Gallery, Lake Ontario Hall (first floor), Allendale Campus
By Tim Gleisner, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
Every so often, I feel compelled to suggest a book solely not only for the skill of the author’s writing ability, but for its social importance as well. The book, A Stronger Kinship by Anna-Lisa Cox is just such a one.
A true story set in the town of Covert,Michigan during the latter half of the nineteenth century, A Stronger Kinship tells the tale of the town’s unique population. Covert is a small town of roughly 1,000 people in Van Buren County just outside of South Haven — a typical rural community in Southwest Michigan. People settled the area because the land was plentiful and could provide an income. Agriculture, in various forms, has sustained this community from the very beginning — first lumber then fruit farming. Families went to church, school, formed businesses; all in all a community within the norm of American life.
The quality that set this town apart was that the population of Covert was integrated at a time when America was not.
Building on the lives of runaway slaves, freed blacks, and abolitionist New Englanders the reader encounters a group of people who felt that one was equal regardless of color. This attitude was nurtured while the Midwest was experiencing racism in various forms. Families lived on farms side-by-side, as well as within the town. You learn of the first elected African-American official, of the town’s business leaders who came from both sides of the color line, and from families that were integrated and accepted by the populace as a whole.
What is remarkable is that to this day this community has stayed true to the original conviction of the pioneer generation. It conveys the sense that intentional community is not always impossible, and that ones morals can be lived out in ordinary life.
Anna-Lisa Cox is the recipient of numerous awards for her research. She is an active historian, writer, and lecturer on the history of race relations in the nineteenth-century Midwest.
Whether you’re employed and looking for a new job, thinking about a new career or applying for unemployment insurance, use these tips to make the most of your visit to a Michigan Works! service center. (See a list of all ten locations here.)
Bring your resume
After checking in, one of our Career Navigators will ask you to create or update your MiTalentConnect profile on mitalent.org. Employers post jobs and search for candidates on this website, so a detailed profile is essential. Your profile mirrors your resume. Bring your resume to quickly complete your profile.
Employers can see when your profile was last updated. Make sure you update it once a month to let employers know you’re serious about your job search and are actively looking for jobs.
Ask questions
Tap our staff for their knowledge. They receive lots of job search related training and are ready for your toughest questions. If you need more help (resume revisions, interview prep), ask if you are eligible to meet with a Career Coach. They provide one-on-one help.
Go to the workshops
Our workshop instructors keep workshop content fresh and relevant. These free 60-to-90-minute classes cover lots of job search topics — from basic to advanced. If you have questions afterward, they are happy to answer them and to connect you with other resources. See workshop calendars here.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
Families in West Michigan can celebrate the start of the Fall season at Blandford Nature Center’s annual Harvest Festival 2017 on Saturday, October 14th, 2017, from 10am to 4pm, 1715 Hillburn Ave NW in Grand Rapids. The festival will feature fall favorites for all ages to enjoy, and hundreds of visitors are expected to attend.
“Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit Blandford and with the Harvest Festival, we are encouraging families to get outdoors and enjoy what this gorgeous season has to offer,” said Renee Baker, Community Programs Manager.
Some of the activities offered include: candle dipping, scarecrow making, horse-drawn wagon rides and much more. Guests can also tour the historical buildings on site and see what life was like for the early pioneers in the log cabin, blacksmith shop and one-room schoolhouse.
As always, guests can interact with animals in the wildlife center and at the farm, explore the trails, and find out how a Blandford membership is a great opportunity for year-round family fun in nature.
“We are always looking for more fun ways to improve the event. New this year, our concessions stand includes a pig roast and hard cider for adult participants,” Baker said.
The event is open to the public with admission fees of $5 for members and $8 for non-members. Children 2 years and younger will be admitted for free. For registration and more event details, go here.
Blandford Nature Center’s mission is toengage and empower our community through enriching experiences in nature. This is accomplished through: an active outdoor environmental lab, a team of passionate, knowledgeable people and a strong link from past to future promoting sustainability. Blandford offers a wide variety of educational and community programs to support this mission. For more information, please visit www.blandfordnaturecenter.org. Blandford Nature Center is a registered, charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
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.
Ms. Grumble takes pride in her beauty mark and expects her adopter(s) to feel the same. That’s not too much to ask.
Ms. Grumble — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a sweet and sassy 8-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I need to be the only cat in the house and would do best in a home with no children. I have a social personality and seek out attention from people, but on my own terms! I prefer not to be held. I would do well in a relaxed home where I had my own space when I needed it and affection from my people when I needed that too. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Ms. Grumble:
Animal ID: 35837287
Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
Age: 8 years
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: Black/White
Spayed
Declawed
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.
Nathan attends a conversion camp from the film “The Sunday Sessions.” (Courtesy photo)
CFI Michigan and the Grand Rapids Pride Center are hosting a screening and panel discussion of the documentary film “The Sunday Sessions” on Wednesday, Oct. 11, in recognition of National Coming Out Day. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at the Women’s City Club, 254 E. Fulton St.
“The Sunday Sessions” is an intimate portrait of one man’s struggle to reconcile his religious conviction and sexuality. The observational documentary chronicles the turbulent journey of a devout gay man as he attends conversion therapy in hopes of changing his sexual orientation.
“The Humanist Magazine” proclaims “The Sunday Sessions” “succeeds in offering the viewer an intensely harrowing inside look at one of the cruelest forms of homophobia…”
Following the screening there will be a panel discussion focusing on the issues surrounding conversion therapy. Panelists include Larry DeShane Jr., Center Administrator at the Grand Rapids Pride Center, Matthew Clark, Clinical Psychologist at the Clark Institute and the Gay Christian Therapy Center, and Jennifer Beahan, Program Director at Center for Inquiry Michigan.
This event is part of a larger national campaign where select organizations from over 20 cities across the United States have also scheduled screenings of the documentary, in recognition of National Coming Out Day, in order to generate awareness, foster dialogue, and encourage action within each community.
Chris Doyle, a psychotherapist from Virginia who practices conversion therapy, meets with his client Nathan Gniewek. (Courtesy photo)
Controversy Over Conversion Therapy
Conversion therapy is the controversial, non-scientifically based process which aims to convert an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. Although it has been discredited by all major American medical, psychiatric, psychological and professional counseling organizations, it is currently legal in all 50 states for consenting adults; and as of July of 2017, less than 10 US states have banned the therapy from being practiced on minors.
There has been a recent groundswell of support to reconsider the legality of this “therapy.” Many state and local legislatures, as well as the federal government, are considering legislation to ban the therapy from being applied to minors. Additionally, in the past few years, several LGBTQ advocacy groups have been filing consumer fraud claims against therapists that offer conversion therapy services.
About the Film
“The Sunday Sessions” is an unflinching look at the underbelly of the controversial practice of conversion therapy. This is the first time a film crew was allowed ongoing and unencumbered access to shoot these secretive and controversial therapy sessions. The resulting film is a psychological drama that offers the audience a detailed glimpse into the surreptitious world of private sessions, weekend camps, and family therapy sessions.
For more information about “The Sunday Sessions,” including the film trailer and downloadable press kit, please visit thesundaysessionsmovie.com.
Today, there are over 5,000,000 people living with dementia. They are members of our churches, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our communities. They shop in the same stores we do, dine at the same restaurants, attend the same events, and utilize the same public transportation system. Despite living with dementia, they continue to be vital members of our communities and valued for their contributions. This is the ideal, anyway.
The reality is, for people living with dementia, their world tends to become slowly and consistently smaller, and a lot of this has to do with the difficulty they experience interacting with the world around them. We’ve all come into contact with a person who seems lost, is taking an extremely long time to make a decision, or is ‘holding up the line’ because they are confused about a process. We become exasperated; they become upset, and no one leaves the experience feeling good about ourselves.
While we can go about our day, collecting better experiences, a person with dementia will be reluctant to have that experience again, and will begin to avoid doing anything that may recreate it — shopping for groceries, riding a bus, ordering in a restaurant. They gradually become more isolated, less independent and separated from their communities. The isolation and separation people with dementia experience can actually contribute to the acceleration of their dementia. This isolation takes a great toll on care partners as well. Since they spend most of their time in the company of their loved one, they experience the same isolation and detachment from community.
Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids (DFGR) is part of a national movement working to create aware and supportive ‘Dementia Friends’ throughout all sectors of our community so that people living with dementia can comfortably navigate daily life. DFGR strives to move Grand Rapids toward becoming a more aware, accessible and inclusive city. A dementia-friendly city improves the community for everyone and is more livable through implementation of universal design. Dementia-friendly communities are more attractive, competitive and sustainable when they become more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
We’re learning more everyday about the various dementias, like Alzheimer’s, and the ways we can help people with dementia live fuller, more active and engaged lives, and extend independence and participation in their communities. For this to happen though, everyone needs to work together to create communities where any person, including a person with dementia, can live and thrive. This is dementia friendly.
DFGR’s main focus right now is creating awareness. This is done by teaching people about dementia and helping participants develop practical actions they can use to help someone they may encounter in the community who has dementia. Jennifer VanHorssen, DFGR Program Coordinator, says, “Whether it be the checkout at a grocery store, on the bus, serving coffee at a coffee shop, or at an art or music performance, each of us can be supportive and help people living with dementia feel welcome and included.” In the last year alone, volunteers with Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids have provided over 30 trainings enabling more than 400 people to become new Dementia Friends.
Creating a dementia-friendly city requires participation from all sectors of society — business, local government, transportation, financial institutions, neighborhood associations and faith communities, emergency responders, healthcare and the legal sector. DFGR’s focus for 2017-2018 is business. VanHorssen’s hope is to focus on sub-sectors “like restaurants, grocery stores, hair salons/barber shops, local retail, libraries and other public spaces” where business owners and/or employees are interacting with customers who may have dementia.
Often the slightest shift in our approach to working with a customer who seems indecisive, confused, or unsure of themselves can help them feel safe, supported and empowered. “In a dementia friendly community” VanHorssen cites, “people living with dementia have autonomy, a high quality of life, and are engaged with the community.”
Grand Rapids is experiencing an enormous amount of growth and development – we have the opportunity to do things differently so all Grand Rapids residents and visitors can have autonomy while navigating our city. It begins with awareness. If your business/organization would like to learn about becoming a dementia friend, contact Dementia Friendly Grand Rapids by calling (616) 222-7036 or email info@dementiafriendlygr.com. You can also learn more about DFGR and the dementia friendly movement on their website: www.dementiafriendlygr.com
Young or old, wealthy or poor, online or in person … nobody is immune from financial scams and identity theft slams. No matter who you are or how well-informed you may be, the bad guys are out there, daily devising new tricks for every fraud we fix.
Financial fraudsters and identity thieves are after your assets and your personal information.Thieves use any means possible to obtain your most treasured personal information, including social security and driver’s license numbers, financial account and credit card numbers, passwords, birthdates and any other about your life that can help them pull off their scams.
So, how can you protect yourself?Criminal techniques may be new-fangled, but the red flags to look for are not. Whether online, in the mail, on the phone or in person, be on high alert for any of the following experiences.
An offer sounds too good to be true.
A stranger wants to be your real or virtual best friend.
Someone you know is behaving oddly, especially via email or phone. This may mean it’s an identity thief, posing as someone you know.
Someone claiming to represent a government agency, financial or legal firm, police department or other authority contacts you out of the blue, demanding money or information.
You’re feeling pressured or tricked into responding immediately to a threat, a temptation or a curiosity.
You’re prioritizing easy access over solid security with weak or absent locks and passwords.
You’re sharing personal information in a public venue, including social media sites.
Facts or figures aren’t adding up; bank statements, reports or other information is missing entirely.
Your defenses are down: you’re ill, injured, grieving, experiencing dementia or feeling blue.
Your gut is warning you: something seems off.
If you feel you’ve been victimized, or any of the above has occurred, check all online accounts, call your financial institutions and credit card companies, and check in with the government agency responsible for overseeing the breach such as the IRS for tax fraud, or the FTC for anything else.
By Mary Knudstrup, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main
Lynne Cox has spent a lifetime breaking records in the water;at 15, she shattered the men’s and women’s world records swimming the English Channel; at 17, she broke the world record for the Catalina Channel; the next year she became the first woman to swim the Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.She has swum the treacherous Strait of Magellan, the shark-invested waters around the Cape of Good Hope, and the frigid passage across the Bering Strait as a way of opening the borders between the Soviet Union and the United States.
But this book is no mere recitation of accomplished feats.Cox writes with the heart and ease of a true storyteller, taking the reader along on each incredible crossing, whether it’s riding in the slipstream of dolphins or dodging sewage in the Nile River. Her love of the water and the sheer joy she experiences when swimming reveals itself over and over.
“I felt as if I were swimming through a black-and-white photograph of the sea at night.And in the phosphorescent ocean . . . silvery bubbles rolled out of my mouth, and as my arms churned the water, they etched a trail of white iridescent light across the shimmering black sea.”
However, it isn’t just her infectious enthusiasm for swimming that captures the reader.Cox’s story is one of overcoming obstacles with amazing patience, determination and good humor. She admits to fear and exhaustion but doesn’t let it defeat her.She warmly gives credit to the individuals and teams that assist her in accomplishing each goal.
No longer concerned with breaking records, she has turned her attention to using her talent to quietly foster good-will between countries.Whether it’s jumping from a wind-tossed boat, approaching a Soviet diplomat for permission to swim to Russian soil, or navigating her way through icebergs, her perseverance and can-do attitude is ever present.
Swimming to Antarctica is a great adventure story to add to your reading list.
The smoking area during events at Van Andel Arena will be relocated from the plaza in front of the building to outside the southeast corner of the venue for all events, effective immediately. The relocation will allow more efficient access for patrons coming and going from the arena as well as better flow on the front plaza.
The new smoking area will be accessible from the concourse by the stairs located at the southeast end of the arena. Fans with accessibility needs can use the elevator at the southeast corner of the concourse to access the smoking area outside of the employee entrance and will be wrist banded for re-entry.
The smoking area will be available for fans beginning with the opening of doors until 30 minutes prior to the end of a show or midway through the final period of sporting events.
Continuing SMG’s commitment to maintaining a safe and secure facility, security staff will continue to be present in the smoking area at all times.
The Kentwood Farmers Market will close with a bang this Saturday as it hosts a Harvest Celebration.
Located in front of the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE, the event will include yard games and a Halloween craft for children. Also, the first 30 people who come out will be given a farmers goodie bag filled with local produce.
“Some of our vendors, especially those who are seasonal, are not there at this time but it still is a great opportunity to say good-bye to the ones who will be there,” said Denise Dawson, who is the person from the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, who oversees the Kentwood Farmers Market.
This year, the closing Harvest Celebration will include food donations for the city’s Little Free Pantry located at the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. The Little Free Pantry is for neighbors helping neighbors with those who can, stocking the pantry, and those in need, taking from it.
This is the third season of the Kentwood Farmers Market and while final numbers for the program will not be available until later this month, Dawson said the Kentwood Farmers Market has meet with much success.
“Residents are really getting use to having the farmers market every Saturday,” she said.
The Kentwood Farmers Market will reopen in June 2018.
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).
It is typically not an easy task for a pet owner to come to the realization that he or she has to return their beloved Crash Cat to us, especially when the kitty in question has been a family member for years, so when an owner contacts us, we try to get as much information as possible so we can make the transition as smooth as possible for both human and feline alike.
We were contacted in mid-August of 2017 because Jamie (formerly known as Phillie) found himself in this unfortunate situation, and in all honesty, we were a bit concerned as to how he would do back at our free-roaming facility, considering he was adopted out over 5-1/2 years prior, and had been the only cat in a household with two adults. But, with his owner becoming a single pet mom and having to travel more than she was home, we all felt it was best to take him back into our furry fold.
Jovial little Jamie, who was born in January of 2008, came in to see Dr. Jen at the clinic before being transferred on down to Crash’s. Dr. Jen did a complete work up on him, since he is now a senior citizen, though quite the spritely one at that. Unfortunately she discovered that he was suffering from early-stage kidney disease and a kidney stones as well; best-case scenario was that infection was causative, but a less likely underlying issue.
At the writing of this biography (early September), he is in the midst of receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics for a total of 6 weeks, just in case bacterial invasion has seeded his unsuspecting kidneys, and he has been put on unlimited canned food to help increase the water content to his diet, flush toxins from building up and also put weight back on his thin frame.
However, don’t fret too much, as he is one helluva happy camper who mingled, meshed and made himself right at home with the other residents almost immediately, which is utterly amazing! Here is what our cat care director had to say about our terrific tuxedo:
“Jamie adjusted so, so well. It only took him a few hours to start exploring, which is pretty good for a cat that had been in a home for so many years. He is very social now and greets everyone who walks in to the shelter. He doesn’t care about the other cats at all, so he could live with or without them. He also talks — a lot!”
And although we fully realize placing an elderly cat with kidney disease in a home is going to be challenging, Jamie is up for it!
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.
Within a year, the intersection of 56th Street and Ivanrest Avenue will have a traffic light.
At its regular Monday night meeting, the Wyoming City Council moved forward on improvements for 56th Avenue – which includes the new traffic signal – by formally accepting the agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the reconstruction project.
The project, which is scheduled to start in July of 2018, will include the widening of 56th Street for the addition of a third lane along with sidewalk on the south side and the widening of the bike path on the north side, said Wyoming Public Works Director Bill Dooley during the Monday night council meeting.
“Probably the most key to the people out there right now is that we are going to signalize the intersection at 56th and Ivanrest and that was called for in that report for that development over there at Wilson and 56th Street as well,” Dooley said. The intersection is currently a four-way stop. The development Dooley is referring to is the PUD project the Granger Group has been developing and which has met with much opposition from residents. The Wyomig City Council has table that project to November
“We wanted to start this year [on 56th Street] but it took longer to get the right-a-ways for the project which have been acquired now,” Dooley said. “We normally would start first thing next spring but Maple Hill Golf Course has a big 40-year celebration and they asked us if we could wait until that is complete which will take place in June. So we will be starting right around the first of July.”
The construction costs are estimated at about $2.4 million which includes the city’s portion of $630,500. Dooley note that the cost does not include the city’s engineering and other expenses, which will bring the total project to about $3 million. The city will pay for its portion of construction costs out of its Capital Improvement Fund.
Because there are federal monies involved in the project, MDOT will handling the biding process, Dooley said, adding that the project will be put out for bid this fall.
Library Sidewalk
The Wyoming City Council also accepted a bid for the construction of a concrete sidewalk and lighting to replace an existing dirt path that residents have been taking to get to the KDL Wyoming Branch campus at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The project was awarded to Weick Bros., Inc, for $44,209.25, which was higher than the planned budget for the project as safety lighting was added to it.
Currently residents east of the library from the Herman Avenue area have been using a dirt trail to reach the facility. With increase use of the trail, it was determined to improve the pathway and safety of residents with concrete and additional lighting, according to Mayor Jack Poll.
The Wyoming City Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.
By Tim Sage, Grand Rapids Public Library, West Side Branch
It can be a shock when your favorite author dies unexpectedly.So how would you feel if you stumbled upon a new book by the same author a year later?This recently happened to me when an assistant of Michael Crichton discovered a complete manuscript for a book called Pirate Latitudes.
Crichton, author of books such as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, and State of Fear, had died of lymphoma a year earlier.In fact, he was so secretive about his work that not even his publisher knows when he worked on it and if Crichton even planned on publishing it.
Pirate Latitudes is set in the Caribbean during the 17th century.A Spanish ship full of treasure is forced to spend the season at the fort of Matanceros and the English Governor of Jamaica wants it captured.He conspires with Charles Hunter to round up the greatest “privateers” (pirates in other words) in port for a daring raid on the island fort. A classic pirate tale full of high seas battles, adventure and betrayal follows.
All Michael Crichton books are well researched.Adept at weaving the historical information into the story, you hardly realize that it is happening.If you liked the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and are looking for a book with all of the action and a little knowledge thrown in check out Pirate Latitudes. Besides, how often do you get to read a book published from beyond the grave?
With the second weekend of ArtPrize in full swing and people casting last-minute votes for their favorite works of art, Wyoming-Kentwood Community Media’s VOICES: a community history projectpowered by WKTV rolled out the red carpet and welcomed scores of visitors to tour our renovated 1958 Airstream® mobile studio and learn more about the oral history project.
VOICEScollects, preserves, and shares the stories of West Michigan people from all backgrounds and beliefs, with a focus on Wyoming, Kentwood and the greater Grand Rapids area.
VOICES is a free public service, offering a comfortable video recording studio with a relaxed atmosphere. High-tech video and audio equipment records the stories of our neighbors, friends and family — any story from anyone — that make up the fabric of our lives and our community. Participants tell their stories of hardships and successes, of what shaped them and their families into the kind of people they are today. Our lives, experiences, joys, sorrows, triumphs and tragedies are what make us all human.
Interviews 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 receive a complimentary DVD of their interview. Each recording is also archived with the Library of Congress.
Interviews 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.
VOICES is available year-round. Our mobile studio will be at ArtPrize Nine again, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7 from 10am-8pm*. Thereafter, it will travel to other locations.
Monday-Friday, Oct. 16-20 — Wyoming Public Library (3350 Michael Ave SW, Wyoming, MI) from 10am-8pm*, and Monday-Thursday, Oct. 23-Oct. 26, from 10am-8pm*.
Monday-Thursday, Nov. 6-9 and Monday-Thursday, Nov. 13-16 — Kentwood Public Library (4950 Breton Rd SE, Kentwood, MI), from 10am-8pm*.
How well students achieve in school is often connected to the income levels of their families. This set of stories explores some of this data and how schools with lower income families are working to remove barriers to student learning
At Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, the Kent County district with the lowest family income, the correlation between M-STEP scores and poverty is stark. More than 90 percent of students qualify for free or reduced priced lunch in the one-square mile district and 27 percent of third-graders are proficient in English language arts. The statewide average is 44.1 percent.
Poverty is a major factor considered in instruction practices, wrap-around services and ongoing education reform efforts. Superintendent Kevin Polston pointed out where Godfrey-Lee third graders fall on a graph (see above) that illustrates the link between poverty and third-grade reading proficiency. “It shows the impact that poverty has on achievement.”
“Ideally, we want to be one of these outliers,” he said, referring to schools on the graph that are high achievers despite high poverty rates. Those, sadly, are few and far between.
There has to be a big-picture approach when dealing with poverty in schools in order to disrupt the impact on student achievement, he said.
Godfrey-Lee is focused on first meeting basic needs, food, water, warmth and rest, so learning can take place. “The basics of life for some kids are not basic,” said Assistant Superintendent Carol Lautenbach.
To meet those needs – so students are in the classrooms ready to learn – the district has in place Kent School Services Network, which provides dental, health and vision services; Kids Food Basket, which provides sack suppers for children to bring home after school, and universal free breakfast and lunch programs.
Those type of things help build foundations for student learning, Lautenbach said, “Those are really tangible ways we are trying to bridge the gap for kids,” she said.
Recognizing Their Strengths
But there’s another piece in educating students in poverty that often gets overlooked: the strengths they already have. “I don’t like the term disadvantaged,” Polston said.
“Any of our folks intimately involved with this are very good at looking at the hidden strengths that we sometimes ask people to check at the door,” Lautenbach added.
Many people who live in poverty, such as immigrant and refugee students are risk-takers because they have to be. Those experiences can be part of creating the foundation for success that goes way beyond knowing content.
The district is using a strength-based Learner Profile based on the6Cs, skills considered vital for success in future careers. They are collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence along with content-knowledge. It’s a strength-based system, Lautenbach explained.
But despite their strengths, children who live in poverty often have limited experiences compared to more affluent families. Seeing Lake Michigan, for example, is different than looking at a picture of it. The district works to provide opportunities for students to experience and explore.
“Their worlds are very small and focused on family, or survival or a small geographic area. (We ask) ‘How can we create more experiences for them so they have more to draw on?’ Lautenbach said. Barriers to reaching reading proficiency can include minimal exposure to academic vocabulary, a lack of books in the home or access to preschool programs.
Kelloggsville Staff Focusing on Poverty & Learning
Kelloggsville Public Schools, where 79 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, is also digging deep into meeting the learning needs of students by assisting with basic needs and building relationships. Staff members are continuing a district-wide book study on “Teaching with Poverty in Mind,” by Erik Jensen, a former reading teacher who synthesizes brain research and develops practical applications for educators.
Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage said students raised in poverty often live day-to-day and aren’t empowered with information about what they can become in the future. She’s not disparaging their parents, she explained, as many are working so hard to make ends meet, they can’t easily focus beyond the present.
“Parents in poverty are in survival mode rather than in the mode of teaching their children what they can be. It’s a cycle and it’s hard to break,” Savage said.
Still, Kelloggsville is making strides, she said, that are reflected in data. On M-STEP, 31.9 percent of third graders were proficient in ELA, but that’s just one piece. “We can pull out data from the classroom that shows huge gains from the beginning to end of the school year.”
Statewide Reading Scores Tend to Follow Poverty or Wealth
This chart provides a visual depiction –statewide — of the impact of poverty combined with test scores in M-STEP 3rd grade reading. Each dot represents a school building. On the left is the percent of students who scored “proficient,” with zero at the bottom and 100 percent at the top. The data below is the percent of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, a common poverty indicator, with zero per cent of students at the left and 100 percent of students on the right.
Although many high-poverty schools, according to this chart, struggle with reading proficiency, there are also many scoring quite high. These schools, despite issues of poverty, are finding ways to help students read well. Figuring out how they are accomplishing this and duplicating their success is the mission of Reading Now Network. All 20 of the districts within Kent ISD are participants in this network of hundreds of schools.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
“During such scary periods, you should never forget two things: First, widespread fear is your friend as an investor, because it serves up bargain purchases. Second, personal fear is your enemy.”
This is a good time to talk about scary markets, since we haven’t experienced a severe one in a while.
Scanning financial news in our calm market, you’ll find the usual range of attempted interpretation about our current market: “We are worried about …” “Economic indicators suggest that …” “Geopolitical events are likely to …” and so on.
While it’s highly unlikely the market will remain this calm forever, nobody can predict when it might turn, or why or how dramatically it may spike back up when it does. We counsel against shifting your portfolio in reaction to near-term forecasts. Instead, let’s use the relative calm as a perfect time to do a reality check on what scary markets really represent, and how to manage them when they occur.
Contrary to common perception, scary markets can be your friend.Instead of fussing over when the next market downturn may or may not occur, here are some great questions to consider:
Are you taking on enough stock market risk in your portfolio to capture a measure of expected returns when they occur?
Are you fortifying your exposure to market risks and expected returns with enough lower-risk holdings, so you won’t fall prey to your fears the next time markets tumble?
Have you assessed whether your current portfolio mix is optimized to achieve your personal goals and have those goals changed?
Does your current portfolio mix of safer/riskier holdings accurately reflect what you’ve learned from past markets?
Have you carefully considered what a 30% or so market downturn would mean to you in real dollars and cents?
You can prepare for the next down market by having a well-planned portfolio in place today — one you can stick with through thick and thin. Neither too “hot” nor too “cold”, your portfolio should be just right for you. It should reflect your financial goals. It should be structured to capture an appropriate measure of expected returns during good times, and allow you to effectively manage your personal fears throughout.
Did you know: 3.5 million people in the U.S. have HEP C. About half don’t even know they have it. Baby Boomers are five times more likely to have HEP C than any other age group. HEP C is not part of a routine blood test. People may have the disease with no symptoms.
WKTV is joining the Jimmie Van Zant HEP C Awareness Initiative and the “Get Tested, Get Cured” Project. The new music video Your Song which promotes HEP C awareness will premiere on WKTV on Tuesday, October 3 @ 7:25pm.
The Van Zant name is one of the most instantly recognizable and respected in all of rock music — a long line of musicians who have left their mark on popular music for the past several decades, including original Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie, modern day Skynyrd singer Johnny, .38 Special singer/guitarist Donnie, and solo artist Jimmie.
Jimmie built up a large and loyal following during the ’90s and early 21st century on the strength of such albums as The Jimmie Van Zant Band (1996), Southern Comfort (2000), and Feels Like Freedom (2012); he also performed over 200 shows per year. Sadly, the southern rock veteran succumbed to liver cancer in 2016, brought on by Hepatitis C, which Jimmie did not know he had until it was too late. But thanks to his friend/band mate, Gary Dvorkin, Jimmie’s tragic passing will soon make a difference in raising money for the American Cancer Society, and also creating awareness concerning Hepatitis C.
As Dvorkin explained, “It is our hope that by doing this, we honor Jimmie and perhaps do our small part in bringing about a better mode of treatment for those stricken by this horrible illness, so that they might have a better chance of survival than Jimmie did.”
The song is downloadable from iTunes, Google Play or Amazon. One hundred percent of all funds and profits from song sales will flow directly to PreventCancer.org.
An employment gap is an extended period of unemployment on a resume. Employment gaps occur for many reasons: staying home to care for children or an ill family member; a lay off and extended job search; a medical condition.
Whatever the reason, a gap in your employment history can be a red flag to potential employers and can be uncomfortable to discuss. If you have a gap on your resume, you will most likely be asked about it in an interview. Here are a few tips on how to discuss this with a potential employer.
Prepare. Create a compelling answer. Your statement should highlight activities you engaged in during the gap that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Practice answering the question before the interview so you come across as calm and confident.
Don’t hide it. It can be tempting to change your resume format to try to cover up an employment gap. Most hiring managers will see right through that. Instead, explain the gap in your cover letter and offer to answer any questions a potential employer might have.
Be honest. Even if you were serving time in prison, be honest about how you spent your time. It is better to be up front about situations you aren’t proud of than to lie and have an employer learn about it later.
Stay positive. Focus on what you learned and how you grew during that time. How did you spend your time? If you volunteered or participated in training, include that in your resume or cover letter.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
During ArtPrize Nine the Grand Rapids Public Museum will be open with regular Museum hours and half off general admission fees.
This means that a Kent County adult resident who would normally pay $5 would pay $2.50. Kent County seniors and students go from $3 to $1.50 each.
The Museum will be showcasing “Brain: The World Inside Your Head” traveling exhibit, free with paid admission. This exhibit takes visitors through the human head, learning about neurons firing, how the brain works and much more.
The GRPM will once again host an outdoor exhibition in which the artwork will visually lend itself to the setting of the Museum grounds. Each year the GRPM curates a rewarding experience with approachable art that is intriguing, distinctive and engages the viewer’s capacity for awe and curiosity. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids along the busy river walkway, the GRPM is able to offer a 24-hour experience.
The GRPM will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays of ArtPrize. For more information about artists, exhibitions, special programming and tickets visit grpm.org.
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.
Jackson — Male Pit Bull Terrier Mix
I’m a 2-year-old dog looking for my forever home! I’m a sweet guy with a lot of love to give! I would do well in a home with people who have the time to commit to working on training commands and manners with me. The staff at the shelter have been working with me on basic commands and I’ve been a quick learner with a desire to please! Come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan and see if we are the right fit!
More about Jackson:
Animal ID: 36164049
Breed: Terrier, American Pit Bull/Mix
Age: 2 years
Gender: Male
Size: Medium
Color: Black
Neutered
Fluffy Delisa needs a home, too
Delisa — Female Domestic Short Hair
I am a 1-year-old, active cat who LOVES to chase and tackle toys! I’m a very sweet cat who needs a little time to warm up to new people, but once we’ve become friends I love scratches under my chin! I would do best in a quiet home that would let me get used to my new surroundings at my own pace. I currently live in a community cat room at HSWM with other cats and we co-exist well. I love find a high perch to napon or a window sill to sit in and observe.Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
More about Delisa:
Animal ID: 36370559
Breed: Domestic Longhair/Mix
Age: 1 year
Gender: Female
Size: Small
Color: White/Black
Spayed
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.
You’re prioritizing easy access over solid security with weak or absent locks and passwords.
