A recent discussion on whether to sign a pack on its comment to reduce greenhouse emissions has lead officials of the City of Wyoming to the discovery that the city does quite a lot in helping to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainability.
“It is part of our DNA,” said Mayor Jack Poll at a recent council meeting on June 19. “We are very conscious of everything we do in the City of Wyoming that we are as green as possible and save funds in different areas as best as possible.”
One of the items the city does not have is an inventory of all its efforts, which staff and officials are currently working to put together.
Many municipalities — locally and across the nation — have been having the discussion on greenhouse gases and carbon footprint on the environment as an outcome of President Donald Trump’s recent decision to pull the United States out of The Paris Agreement or Paris Climate Accord. This is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance starting in the year 2020.
A reaction to this decision has been local residents asking their city and state representatives what those governments are doing to reduce emissions. Poll said several individuals have reached out to the City of Wyoming, asking where the city stands on this issue and have suggested agreements or packs the city could sign.
Wyoming residents and students help to make their community better.
“There are agreements out there now that they are asking the City of Wyoming to sign on to and some of those agreements if you go in and sign on, the City of Wyoming could be held financially responsible for not doing some things,” Poll said, adding city officials did not want to lock the city into something that it would not have a lot of control over.
However, by looking over such agreements as the Compact of Mayors, which was established in 2014 a year before the Paris Climate Accord was signed, city leaders found that within many of its own projects and various ones in the city, the city has been environmentally aware.
“The City of Wyoming has a long history of being environmentally conscious and it starts with things like our bio-solids land application program, our yard waste program that we have for disposal of yard waste and reuse of yard waste rather than disposing of it,” said City Manager Curtis Holt during the June 19 council meeting. “We recently have done things related to LED traffic lights. As many of you know we do a four-day week in the city of Wyoming and part of that was to close our buildings for one day a week and we have estimated in the past that has been a savings of roughly $50,000 a year in energy costs for the city.”
The city also has a formal sustainability policy that was developed a couple of years ago that the council takes into consideration on every resolution it adopts, using it as guidance related to the economic, social and environmental impacts of that particular issue that they are dealing with, Holt said. City officials also have seen a lot of LEED certification of buildings within the City of Wyoming.
“I am really very proud to live in a city that we do a lot of those things without out a formal agreement in place telling us to,” said Second Ward Council Member Marissa Postler. Postler said she would proposed the city make a compact with itself to keep track of what the city is doing, which is what she liked most about the Compact of Mayors was keeping track and being accountable.
The Compact of Mayors has four components to it, a city would have to register its commitment; take inventory on its current impact on climate change; create a reduction, targets and establish a system of measures; and establish an action plan within the city planning for how the city will make a commitment to reduce its greenhouse emissions and adapt to climate change.
Holt said he believes the City of Wyoming would do very well achieving the goals of something like the Compact of Mayors, however; there would be some costs involved in doing so.
None of the council members were in full support of spending dollars and some raised concerns about spending too much staff time on building the report, however; Poll said he believed it would not take that much time and would mostly those involve those who are handling various projects to put together an inventory of what the city is currently working on and what it has accomplished.
The Wyoming City Council July 3 meeting has been cancelled and the next city council meeting is July 17 at 7 p.m. at Southlawn Park, 4125 Jefferson Ave. SE.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force, will join community members at the Grand Haven State Park on MONDAY, July 3 for the ‘All Hands on Deck’ Great Lakes event. This event is one of 64 local events happening in communities and at public beaches in six different states to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our Great Lakes and funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Whether on a beach, a boardwalk, a marine channel, or any other location, all locations for All Hands On Deck represent common ground that extends beyond political and geographical boundaries. In every area, the Great Lakes are essential to the environment, economy, and everyone’s way of life. The event is a way to come together in a unique, unified expression of concern on behalf of a precious resource that needs continuing attention and support — funding, regulations, and research — to sustain long-term vitality.
All Hands on Deck was started by Kimberly Simon of Charlevoix in March, 2017 to raise awareness and bring people together in a nonpartisan way to advocate for our Great Lakes. For more information, visit https://allhandsondeckgreatlakes.org/.
When: Monday, July 3rd at 10:00 AM
Where: Grand Haven State Park, 1001 S. Harbor Dr., Grand Haven
Personal references bring your resume to life through stories. Most hiring managers call references after the interview, so make sure to prepare your references during your job search. Use these 4 P’s as a guide to choosing strong references:
Prepare
Double-check the contact information for your references your interview. You wouldn’t want the hiring manager to call a disconnected phone number. Outdated contact information also shows the employer you haven’t kept in touch with that person.
Professional
Keep your references professional. Don’t use friends or family members (even if your dad is your boss). Choose references who know details about projects you worked on or how you deal with conflict. If you’re part of a company with multiple locations, don’t use the CEO as a reference. Choose an assistant manager or team leader who can give examples of your day-to-day work ethic.
Permission
Before you give a name and number to a hiring manager, contact that person and ask for their permission. At that time, you can give them details of the jobs you’re applying for. Let them know what experiences you would like them to highlight.
Progress
Once you land an interview, be sure to contact your references. Let them know they can expect a call within a certain time frame. This allows them to plan ahead or let you know if they’re unable to take the call.
Give them as much information as you can: who may call, what job it’s for and what organization.
Lastly, be thankful
Every time you use your references, it’s important to thank them for their time. It’s also a good time to provide a follow-up to your interview: Did you get the job? Or are you pursuing other prospects? Either way, they’ll be happy to hear from you!
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
Huizenga-led Subcommittee Examines State of U.S. Equity Markets
The Capital Markets, Securities and Investment Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the current state of the U.S. equity markets—specifically what is working well in today’s markets, as well as areas that need improvement or are impacting the optimal functioning of the markets. Watch Rep. Bill Huizenga’s remarks, below.
Key Takeaways from the Hearing:
Despite significant technological advancements and constantly evolving industry practices in today’s market, the statutory framework that governs equity market structure remains largely unchanged
In order to determine what is the appropriate statutory framework to represent today’s markets and – more importantly – to build in sufficient flexibility that will allow our markets to continue to evolve and allow innovation, we must first analyze how the equity markets have evolved, what is working, and what needs to be improved.
Huizenga Supports Kate’s Law, Votes to Hold Sanctuary Cities Accountable
Congressman Bill Huizenga released the following statement after voting in favor of Kate’s Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, legislation that will strengthen immigration enforcement, protect Americans, and hold sanctuary cities accountable.
“The safety of our citizens should be a priority that is shared by government at the local, state, and federal level. If a state or municipality chooses to ignore federal law and harbor dangerous criminals, they should be ineligible to received federal grants funded by hardworking taxpayers.”
The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act prohibits state and local government entities from mandating noncompliance with properly issued immigration detainers and includes the detainer mandates of Grant’s Law and Sarah’s Law.
Senators Peters and Stabenow introduce legislation, make statements on Silver Carp discovery near Lake Michigan
By Zade Alsawah, Allison Green and Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow (MI) helped introduce the Stop Asian Carp Now Act this week. The Act will require the Trump Administration to release the Brandon Road Study within seven days of the bill’s enactment. The Brandon Road control point was identified in the GLMRIS (Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study) analyses as the only single location that can address upstream transfer of Mississippi River species through all CAWS pathways. The study has already been delayed by the Trump Administration from its expected release in February of this year.
The Senators also released the following statements regarding an announcement from the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee that a silver carp has been discovered in Illinois, within nine miles from Lake Michigan and beyond an electric barrier designed to prevent invasive species from entering the Great Lakes basin. This is the first live Silver Carp discovered above the electric barrier in the Illinois River
Said Peters, “We know how serious of a threat invasive species like Asian carp are to the Great Lakes ecosystem and economy. This discovery reaffirms that we must do everything we can to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes basin — starting with the swift release of the Brandon Road Study to evaluate the next steps needed to protect our waterways from this harmful invasive species.”
Senator Stabenow said, “Today’s news is a wakeup call. It is deeply alarming that a live Silver carp was found only nine miles from Lake Michigan — the fact remains that we need a permanent solution at Brandon Road. We need to know how the Silver carp came so close to Lake Michigan and whether there are any additional carp in the area.”
The eight-pound Silver carp was found by a commercial fishing vessel whose activities to combat Asian carp are funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). GLRI funding is also providing resources for emergency monitoring and response actions that will be taken over the next two weeks by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and the State of Illinois to detect and stop any additional Silver carp in these waters near Lake Michigan.
Ah, wildlife. Who doesn’t enjoy watching birds eat from a feeder or squirrels chasing each other around the backyard trees?
Yes, wildlife can be just ducky — until some poor, little critter gets into your garbage or finds his or her way into your house. It’s amazing how destructive these little beasties can be. To be fair, it’s not their fault.
Here are some measures you can take to make sure the wild stays wild — outside:
For porches or spaces under buildings like garages and sheds, bury chicken wire a foot down in the dirt and affix it to the bottom side of the structure to prevent animals from living under there.
Cover laundry vents with mesh or chicken wire to prevent birds and other animals from getting in or nesting there.
Cap chimneys to prevent wildlife from coming in the chimney. Many types of wildlife, including bats, owls and raccoons think it’s a cozy place to stay or investigate. Don’t worry — Santa can still get through.
Secure all garbage, recycling and compost containers or bins. You may not be feeding wildlife directly, however, if the lids of your waste containers aren’t firmly shut, wildlife could be encouraged to return to an easy-to-access food source.
Don’t feed animals (bird feeders, etc.) if you don’t want to encourage them to be around or possibly inside your home.
So far, so good, right?
But what if you happen across an injured or baby animal that can’t survive on its own? Try calling a wildlife rehabilitator.
Gray squirrel
The following are the main rehabbers in the Grand Rapids area:
Peg & Roger Markle of Wildlife Rehab Center LTD 616-361-6109
Sjana Gordon of Michigan Wildlife Center 616-885-4223
Sue Stamy of Braveheart Raptor Rehab Center 231-821-9125
Buck DeRiuscher for lost banded pigeons 616-897-8206 (Can call to figure out where the bird came from, also look online at www.pigeon.org. The owners often don’t want the banded pigeons back, as they see them as defective. These pigeons can be kept as pets or you can see if the animal shelter will take them in.)
It is illegal to rehab skunks, bats, and raccoons in Michigan, so there are no wildlife rehabilitators that can take them in.
The following pest removal services will charge a removal fee:
Advantage Wildlife Management 616.460.3966
Mike’s Wild Animal Control 616.340.4263
Mike Roberts 616.738.8565 (Will relocate animals, euthanize if injured only)
Critter Control 616.245.4680
Chimney Sweeps 616.774.0027
Grand Rapids Pest (Insects) Control 616.784.2288
Bee Movers G&S 616.364.7736
Organization for Bat Conservation 1.800.276.7074 (Located in Bloomfield Hills, they can answer questions about bats [removal, housing, etc.])
You need to figure out where you will relocate it. To decrease the possible spread of diseases, mammals cannot be relocated outside of their original county. You need to have the permission of the property owner whose land you’re releasing the animals on, as they may not want your nuisance animal to become theirs. Blandford doesn’t allow animal dumping on the property because we already have established animals and adding outside animals can put stress on our flora and fauna populations. It also increases people vs animal incidents on the property.
Once you remove an animal from your property, you need to find out how to exclude that animal or another animal from coming right back to that area, such as under your porch, inside your attic, etc. Otherwise, you can be dealing with the problem again.
It is recommended to cover the live trap with a towel or tarp, because if you trap a skunk, on purpose or not, if it’s covered it will not spray you.
Don’t use rat poison!
Many rodent poisons do not kill the rodent right away; they cause the animal to slowly bleed out. This slow death allows other animals to eat that rodent, causing you to poison that animal as well. Pets and children can get into those poisons too, so it’s not worth the risk of losing a love one. Using a snap trap is the better way to go.
If you are still having problems with pest wildlife, please contact one of the wildlife management services listed in the contacts above.
Get out your cameras and start making pictures — it’s time for the 2017 West Michigan Photo Contest! The West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) is looking for traveler photo submissions from all around West Michigan, which includes the entire west side of Michigan from the Indiana border to Mackinac Island and into the Upper Peninsula.
All photo entries must be received by July 31, 2017, for public voting by WMTA’s Facebook audience. All winning photos will be featured in WMTA’s upcoming West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide, printed in January of 2018. The first-place photo will also be featured on the cover of the Guide.
Additional prizes awarded to the top three photos include items from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (Grand Rapids), Indigo Bluffs Resort RV Site (Empire), Lewis Farms (New Era), Electric Bike Place (Grand Haven) and Michigan’s Adventure (Muskegon).
The accepted photo formats are high-resolution (300 dpi+) jpeg or tiff. CMYK is preferred. Email your submissions to PhotoContest@WMTA.org and include your full name, the city that the photograph was taken, and a short description of the photo. Submit one photo per email; multiple entries per person are allowed.
When playing Minecraft: Education Edition in class, Southeast Kelloggsville students know what they’re building: math skills.
The worlds they join and build, connected via computers, require design, collaboration and awareness of dimensions.
“We are using geometry because geometry involves shapes and angles,” said Andrea Ronzon-Contreras. “In my opinion, I love it because you get to connect with people and build your own world.”
Teacher Tina Brown’s students have used the program, an educational version of the popular Minecraft video game, since January, after Brown’s $135 grant request to pay for the program was approved by the Kelloggsville Education Foundation.
Since 2005, the foundation has added $80,000 in hard-to-come-by supplemental dollars to fund projects and educational items for teachers and create a scholarship for high school students. It recently awarded three scholarships to graduating seniors: Kiara Glekle, Jaime Tiesma and Joshua Hotelling, who received $2,000, $1,000 and $500, respectively.
By hosting an annual golf outing, a Texas Hold ‘Em event and other fundraisers, as well as collecting voluntary payroll deductions from staff members, the foundation funds a wide array of projects. They include author visits, ukuleles, art display cases, technology, document cameras, video projectors and items for a classroom store.
From left, Eduardo Villagrana, Dax VandeBunte, Aaron Chaparro and Juan Ramirez build worlds together
Brown said the foundation makes possible “extras” that enhance education, such as the Minecraft program, which she wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Next school year, she plans to use the program for assignments that also connect with the fourth-grade science and history curriculum, like building a three-tiered government and designing windmills with a limited budget.
“The whole idea is to build a foundation to give back to our students,” said Lori Martin, who is in charge of marketing for the district and serves on the foundation. They eventually hope to create an endowment.
A board of directors, consisting of Martin, a business services staff member, teacher, principal, board of education member, secretary and parent, chooses to fund mini-grant requests from teachers each fall, for implementation second semester.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
“As market managers for the past seven years, Our Kitchen Table has well established the market at MLK Jr. Park,” says Lisa Oliver-King, executive director of Our Kitchen Table. “Neighborhood residents have enjoyed having access to fresh, local produce and cottage foods within walking distance.”
The Southeast Area Farmers’ Market warmly welcomes patrons using Bridge cards (SNAP), WIC Project Fresh, Cash Value Benefits, Summer EBT, Double Up Food Bucks and debit cards. When using the Double Up Food Bucks program, patrons purchasing Michigan produce at select farmers’ markets with Bridge cards receive $1 for each $1 dollar spent, up to $20 each market visit.
The Market has an exciting line-up of market activities on its 2017 calendar. In addition, community organizations will be on hand with information, activities and services. The following events will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Friday market and 12 to 2 p.m. at the Saturday market:
July 8 Urban Foraging Workshop
July 30 Fried Green Tomato Festival
Aug. 5 DIY Personal Care Items Workshop
Sept. 15 Art at the Market
Oct. 1 Greens Cook-off
Oct. 7 Greens Cook-0ff
Nov. 4 Fall Celebration
Cooking Demos: July 22, Aug. 19, Sept. 23, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4.
Arts Market Tent: July 15, Aug. 12, Sept. 16 and Oct. 21
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). TEFAP supplements the diets of low-income Americans by distributing nutritious food at no cost to the recipients. In Kent County, ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) organizes regular distributions across the county.
The USDA purchases a variety of fresh and shelf-stable foods from domestic producers and distributes to states based on their low-income/unemployed population. The items vary depending on the season, availability and state preferences but always include a mix of fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein products. Food items have reduced levels of fat, sodium and sugar and can include canned and fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, pasta and cereal.
The cost of healthy foods and the accessibility of grocery stores make good food choices a challenge for families with limited incomes. For example, you can purchase a package of hot dogs for under $3, while fresh pork or beef costs several dollars per pound. TEFAP ensures that more families have well-rounded, nutritious meals to eat. And because the food is purchased domestically, it also supports American agriculture markets.
Residents of Kent County who have a household income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines can qualify for emergency food assistance. To receive food, individuals need to supply a photo ID with current address at the distribution site. The next TEFAP distributions will happen on Thursday, July 13 at the following locations:
ACSET CAA – Kent County Human Services Complex
121 Franklin St SE, Suite 110, Grand Rapids
Distribution hours: 1-7pm*
Flat River Outreach Ministries
11535 E Fulton St, Lowell
Distribution hours: 9-11am & 2-4:30pm*
North Kent Connection
1075 Northland Dr NE, Rockford
Distribution Hours: 9am-3pm*
*Or while supplies last
To learn more about TEFAP and find a full distribution schedule with locations, visit: http://bit.ly/CAAFood.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.
City of Grand Rapids is one of the 292 U.S. cities signed onto the “Mayors National Climate Action Agenda.” The Agenda exists to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions that cities create, and reduce the rise of temperatures on our planet.
“I see it as a human and community issue. We need to think of the next generation.” Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss stated.
GR has been on the fast track for reducing the city’s carbon footprint. Current plans are for GR to run on 100% on renewable energy by the year 2025.
“We are in the process of building a bio digester,” Bliss said.
A bio digester is a large mechanical stomach that turns food waste into usable energy. The current plan is to build the machine in the Water Resource Recovery Factory on Market Avenue. The machine is estimated to cost 21 million dollars, and would be the first bio digester built in GR since the 1960s.
“We have partnerships with several local businesses to dispose their waste in the machine.” said Bliss. “To me it’s a matter that we know there is air pollution. We know the temperatures are rising. We want a great community. We don’t want pollution in our water. I do believe we can work together.”
GR has an onslaught of other plans to combat the rise in temperatures, and make for a more green community. Such as green infrastructure, LED street lights, and solar power alternatives.
For more information on GR’s plans for a green future take a look at their web page.
Passengers are screened at the new consolidated security checkpoint as a part of the Gateway Transformation Project. (Photo supplied.)
By Tara Hernandez, Gerald R. Ford International Airport
All passengers traveling through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) are now being processed in one consolidated security checkpoint, the focal point of GFIA’s Gateway Transformation Project. Construction on the checkpoint was completed Saturday evening, and opened for passengers on Sunday, June 25. Concourse B passengers were processed through the area starting on Sunday, June 4th, but now both Concourse A & B passengers are being screened at the new checkpoint.
The checkpoint is one part of the Airport’s $45 million Gateway Transformation Project that also includes new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, new restrooms & nursing rooms, family restrooms, pre- and post-security business centers, new retail and food & beverage space, and much more. Different portions of the construction will open throughout the summer with phase one set to be complete in late August. Construction on the Gateway Transformation Project began in December 2015.
Passengers are screened at the new consolidated security checkpoint at GFIA. (Photo supplied.)
“We could not have asked for a smoother transition bringing all of our passengers together in our new consolidated checkpoint,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “We have to thank our engineering staff for their tireless efforts, and our partners at the TSA for assisting in this transition. It really is a collaborative effort to pull off projects like this, and we’re already hearing from our passengers about how much they appreciate the new space.”
The new consolidated security checkpoint allocates TSA screening in one central location to fully utilize staffing, and make screening lines faster and more efficient.
A post-security Starbucks is set to open Friday, June 30, along with a redesigned Kids Play Area in the pre-security area.
Because some of the construction will have an impact on passenger operations throughout the terminal building, there will be updates, maps, photos, and other helpful tips listed on GFIA’s website: www.grr.org/construction. Signs and airport ambassadors are also available in the terminal building to assist with any passenger needs or directions.
Passengers are still encouraged to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before their scheduled flight due to high volumes of traffic with the busy summer and holiday weekend ahead.
In July 2017, Adejoke Ayoola will collaborate with faculty at Bowen University in addressing issues of reproductive health in Iwo, Nigeria. (Photo courtesy Calvin College.)
“The world is a global village. When the Lord equips you with skills or knowledge, you can easily transfer those gifts to bless other people around the world,” said Adejoke Ayoola, professor of nursing.
This year, Ayoola was selected for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program. In July she will travel to Iwo, Nigeria, and begin a project in collaboration with faculty at Bowen University.
Equipping women, promoting health
Over a period of 33 days, Ayoola will address issues of reproductive health in the community. She will visit both the homes of local women as well as Bowen classrooms in order to equip women with reproductive knowledge and pregnancy planning skills. In addition, Ayoola will act as an adviser in the design of a women’s health center.
She also plans to work with Bowen faculty and staff in community research efforts and in the development of nursing curriculum. “I am passionate about the next generation of nurses, here at Calvin and across the world,” said Ayoola. Since Bowen’s nursing program is less than four years old, she looks forward to seeing it grow and expand in future years.
Ayoola is excited about the work she will be doing in her home country, Nigeria. “I see it as my vocation, as my God calling. This will be an opportunity to use what I’ve learned to care for women and share my knowledge with another institution,” said Ayoola.
Ayoola believes the previous experience she gained at Calvin College facilitating both the Preconception Reproductive Knowledge Promotion Program and the H.E.A.L.T.H Camp (Health, Education, and Leadership Training for a Hopeful future) equipped her with the tools needed to design reproductive health programs at Bowen University.
Collaboration with community
After sharing how she has been promoting women’s health in her own community, Ayoola inquired about the needs of Bowen University and the local community. She hopes to be able to utilize her own skillset in the creation of an entirely unique program for the women of Iwo, Nigeria.
“We will not be truly addressing the issue if we go in with our own preconceived ideas,” said Ayoola.
Ayoola is going to great lengths to understand the needs of the community she will be serving before initiating a project, and she says it is vital that the people who will be using the center are involved in its establishment. “The community has to own it, design it and implement it for the project to be relevant, effective and sustained,” said Ayoola.
Ayoola and her team will be using a variety of community-based research methods in order to ensure the project will be as effective as possible. One way they hope to gain insight is through surveys. “We need to use those as a way of listening to the communities needs and involving them in the process,” said Ayoola.
Opportunity for growth
Ayoola says at the heart of this project is the promotion of scholarship, research, community collaboration and cultural exchange. She believes this project will expand into a long-term partnership and sees the possibility of collaborations with another faith-based institution in the future.
Although she is not working with Calvin students on this project, Ayoola predicts in the coming years there will be opportunities for students to visit the center. “This is the beginning of so many great things that fit with what we are called to here, at Calvin.”
Copyright Calvin College, reprinted by permission.
There definitely are certain times when a fist pump is appropriate like when you just won your first Emmy.
“I was siting there, literally on the edge of my seat, and all I heard was ‘Saug’ and I immediately jumped up and went ‘yes!’” said Saugatuck Center for the Arts Marketing Manager Angela Peavey while demonstrating the jump with a fist pump. “It definitely was an exciting night for the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.”
It was a commercial for the SCA, designed to promote the theatrical programming the arts center does year-round, that won the top award for the “Best Commercial – Single Spot” at the 39th annual Emmy Awards, Michigan Chapter, earlier this month. The category had some stiff competition with the highest number of nominees – five total – for any specific category at this year’s Emmy Awards, Michigan Chapter, event which was at the MotorCity Sound Board Theater in Detroit.
“Of course, when it was nominated, I immediately stalked the other nominees and I was blown away by the talent and creativity. I am truly humbled to have won among such amazing entries.”
It was such award shows as the Emmys and the Oscars that inspired Peavey to pursue film. That and the support of her parents, who were the first people she called right after the win.
“Everything was such a whirlwind after the announcement,” Peavey said. “My mom had been watching it on a live feed at home along with other friends and as soon as the announcement was made, my phone started blowing up.
“That call though to my parents was a call full of joy, of parents who were incredibly proud of their daughter for all of the years of hard work.”
Peavey credits a number of stakeholders for the creation of the commercial including SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong, SCA Artistic Director Kurt Stamm, and Jeff Zika of Z-Drones. “I have to thank the staff and the board of directors at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts for all their support.”
Another organization Peavey thanked was WKTV, which with Peavey’s nomination and win, marks three WKTV supported projects that have been nominated for an Emmy and two wins. The entire commercial, which took three weeks from start to completion, was edited at WKTV because Peavey said she knew the facility would have everything she needed to compete the task in a timely matter.
Peavey has served as the marketing manager for SCA for three and half years. She works with about 10 interns a year, striving to giving them the “internship I wished I would have had.” With the aid of WKTV, she educates her interns on film production and the students, with the assistance of SCA staff, produce a number of videos for the center throughout the year.
As for SCA, Peavey said it is an amazing facility offering a number of programs such as education, film, exhibits and theater. “We don’t compete with any local organization, but rather compliment each other,” she said.
Lola Audu is used to creating firsts in her adopted U.S. home. As an international student in college, she had to teach white administrators about unintended racism. As a real estate professional, she became the first black president in the 117-year history of the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors. As a graduate of the Cultural Intelligence Center, she is now bringing cultural intelligence (CQ) to the real estate industry. Join Alan as he interviews the Nigerian native who has become a West Michigan force to be reckoned with.
Peters Statement on Senate Republican Health Care Bill
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement on the recently released Senate Republican draft health care bill:
“Senate Republicans wrote this bill in secret and without any input from their Democratic colleagues or the public, and now they are rushing to pass it next week without any hearings or sufficient opportunities for input from the American people and health care experts. While I’m still reviewing the details of the bill, it appears similar to the House Republicans’ bill that strips millions of hardworking families of their health care coverage, increases costs for seniors and makes health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions largely unaffordable. We need time to thoroughly debate this bill that will impact millions of families, and I urge my Republican colleagues to come to the table and start a truly bipartisan process with public hearings and public input that will help all Americans afford quality health care in their communities.”
Stabenow, Peters, Huizenga Introduce Bipartisan Legislation Demanding Administration Release Report on Asian Carp
Rep. Bill Huizenga discusses Asian Carp bill
By Miranda Margowsky and Allison Green
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, introduced the Stop Asian Carp Now Act, which will require the Trump Administration to release the Brandon Road Study within seven days of the bill’s enactment. The Brandon Road Lock and Dam study will provide important guidance on how best to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes and is an important hurdle before further action can be taken.
The Stop Asian Carp Now Act is cosponsored and supported by 31 members of the House and seven Senators. The entire Michigan congressional delegation is in support of this measure.
Asian carp represent a serious economic and environmental threat to the Great Lakes and this report is a critical next step in finding and implementing a solution. The report has already been delayed by the Trump Administration from its expected release in February of this year. Once the report is released a public comment period can begin, and further action can be decided in an open and transparent way.
ICYMI: Senator Stabenow Joins Senate Democrats to Hold the Floor, Calls on Republicans to Make Health Care Bill Public (VIDEO)
By Nirmeen Fahmy
This past week, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) joined other Senate Democrats to hold the Senate floor and call on Republicans to make the text of their health care bill public.
“Republicans are hiding their bill because they know it is a bad deal for American families,” said Senator Stabenow. “Costs go up, care goes down, all to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires. It’s time for Republicans to show us the bill so we can move beyond partisanship to get something done for the American people.”
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet 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 Petrovich, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Montcalm County contacted us in January of 2017 for help with this rough-n-tumble tom cat that had a nasty herpes infection in his eyes causing him quite a bit of trouble. Born in early 2013, the mighty and muscular stud came in sporting tom cat toughness, a bit of an attitude and eyelids that were rolling inward, causing corneal irritation and ultimately requiring two surgeries to completely repair.
Over time, Chesterfield’s orneriness has resolved wonderfully, to the point that he has become an extremely social and outgoing guy who gets along famously well with most of the other kitties. On occasion a bigger male may bully him, but Chesterfield doesn’t let it bother him, preferring to hang out with the mellower population of feline kind at his current foster home.
We asked Chesterfield’s foster mom to speak a few words on his behalf, in the hopes of finding him a permanent home:
Listen — you can almost hear him purr!
“He LOVES being around people and typically comes out to find you wherever you are; he is definitely not shy, though he is both laid-back and fearless at the same time. He is also very opinionated about when he is finished being petted, but as long as you listen to him there is no issue. He settled right in and made himself at home immediately, but sadly can’t stay home long-term due to the brattiness of Martin [one of the foster mom’s other cats], who doesn’t think he was as cool as the humans and the other four feline residents in the household do. We will miss him!”
So how about helping a handsome hunk out and take a chance on this charming black-and-white boy with the slightly askew ears and a gaze that will peer into your soul sweetly? We promise you, you won’t be sorry!
The summer months in Michigan offer plenty of locally grown, fresh and healthy food choices. But what if you rely on food assistance dollars for your grocery budget? Can you use them at the farmers market or a roadside stand? The answer is yes! There are programs specially designed to help everyone access local produce.
Double Up Food Bucks
This program will match the money you spend on SNAP-eligible foods at the farmers market using your Bridge card. You can receive up to $20 in Double Up Food Bucks per market day. Just take your SNAP Bridge card to the market’s office or info booth before you shop. Learn more here.
WIC Project FRESH
WIC (Women Infant and Children) clients qualify for this program. Clients can receive five coupons worth $5 each to spend on fresh, local produce. Coupons can be used any time between June 1 and October 31. Vendors and/or farmers markets must have a contract to accept the coupons and will have a sign posted reading “Project FRESH Coupons Accepted Here.” Learn more about Project FRESH here.
Senior Market FRESH
Similar to the WIC program, Market FRESH provides eligible seniors with ten coupons worth $2 each to use with vendors/farmers markets contracted to accept them. Coupons are accepted June 1 through October 31, and participating vendors/farmers will have a sign posted reading “Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH Welcome Here.” Learn more about the program and eligibility here.
The following farmers markets in Kent County participate in the Double Up Food Bucks, Project FRESH and Market FRESH programs.
Byron Center: Byron Farmers Market
Grand Rapids: Fulton Street Farmers Market, Southeast Area Farmers’ Market
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.
The Wyoming City Council granted the requested tax exemptions for the new owner of the former Klingman’s/Rogers Department Store building and a future tenant of that building at its Monday night council meeting at Lamar Park.
Earlier this month, the council approved a commercial redevelopment act district which included the former Klingman’s building located on 28th Street. At last night’s meeting, the council received no comment at a public hearing for the commercial facilities tax exemption which was for GR 1001, LLC, owned by The Hinman Company, the owner of the former Klingman’s building. The exemption is for the redevelopment of the facility, located at 1001 28th St., SW and is for a period of 12 years. City staff noted that The Hinman Company would spend between $3 – $5 million in renovations on the site.
“The new roof is going up as we speak,” said Elizabeth Slane, regional property manager at The Hinman Company, during public comments at the meeting. Slane said they are excited about being a part of the City of Wyoming adding that her son currently lives in the city and that that her husband is a 1977 Wyoming Park graduate.
The Wyoming City Council also approved a personal property tax exemption for seven years for Advantage Sales & Marketing, a future tenant for the building. The exemption is for an estimated $845,000 in personal property for a duration of seven years with an option for an additional five years. Advantage Sales & Marketing plans to consolidate its two current offices, one in downtown Grand Rapids and the other in Cascade Township, which will bring an estimated 300 jobs along with adding another 100 new jobs.
Advantage Sales & Marketing is a sales and marketing company that was founded in 1987 in Southern California and now has 120 offices in the United States and Canada. Its only Michigan offices are in the Greater Grand Rapids area, according to its website.
An official from the company indicated that they too were excited to be a part of the City of Wyoming. According to reports from the city, renovations to the building are to be completed in January 2018 and Advantage Sales & Marketing has indicated it would move in at that time.
Opened by Hyman “Hy” Berkowitz in 1955, Rogers Department Store was touted as one of the largest department stores in Michigan. However changes in shopping and the opening of RiverTown Mall impacted the store, with it closing in 2005. In 2008, Klingman’s, a furniture store, moved into the site, only to close two years later with the building being empty every since.
News broke of The Hinman Company’s interest in redeveloping the site when the company sent a letter to the city in May.
The esteemed Great Race, the highly competitive cross-country road rally made up of all vintage automobiles, will be traveling through Michigan and make a mid-day public stop at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, on June 29.
More than 120 pre-1972 autos will be traveling more than 2,400 miles from Jacksonville, Florida, to Traverse City, Michigan—much of it along the historic Dixie Highway—in a nine-day vintage car endurance rally competition. Unlike the name implies, it’s not about high speed racing but an endurance rally where following precise instructions and arriving on time each day are key. The 2-17 Great Race takes place June 24 – July 2. The cars are scheduled to stop at the Gilmore Care Museum for a lunch break around 12:15 p.m. June 29 before continuing on to Ypsilanti. The group continues on June 30 to Chesterfield, then Frankenmuth . July 1, they travel to Alpena with an overnight at Sault Ste. Marie arriving on July 2 at Traverse City.
The entire competition takes place without the use of any cell phones, GPS or maps.
More than 100 teams come from allacrossthe United States and foreign countries tocompete for nearly $250,000 in prize money, with about six teams from high school and college programs running in a special class. The X-Cup Division doesn’t compete for cash but for possible student scholarship funds and “an experience of a life time,” according to Fred Colgren, Education Director of the Gilmore Car Museum.
Colgren recently announced that a team of high school students from the Museum’s Gilmore Garage Works, an after-school program that provides hands-on involvement with maintaining and restoring vintage cars, will run in the 2017 Great Race. The six qualifying teens making up the only such youth team from the Midwest are from West Michigan Counties: Allegan, Barry, and Kalamazoo.
The Museum began Garage Works in 2008 to help fill the void left after several local schools eliminated autoshop classes. The Gilmore utilized its facility and staff members, along with volunteer mentors made up of area hobbyists. On Tuesday andThursday evenings each semester about two dozen area students team up with a nearly equal number of mentors. Together they have completely restored the chassis of a 1931 Willys and 1909 Buick, a handful of vintage motorcycles, and are currently working on a Model A pickup and a 1948 Lincoln V-12 Sedan.
This June three of the adult mentors (race rules require drivers be 21 or older) and the six students will make up the Garage Works team for the Great Race and run a 1935 Packard, assembled for the race by museum staff.
The students become the navigators, guiding the driver’s way and making all the calculations during the trip. Mechanical repairs are also the sole duty of the team. Following only precise turn-by-turn written instructions that include such directions as how many seconds to sit at stop signs or the exact speed and distance to accelerate to, the navigators must assist the driver without using maps, GPS or calculators, though stop watches and pencils are allowed.
Last year’s overall winner concluded the race in just 1 minute and 20.3 seconds off the perfect race time (a designated time they learn of only after the race).
The Gilmore car selected to run the Great Race is a 1935 Packard that was donated to Garage Works by Bea Dinger of Zeeland, as it was a restoration project left unfinished by her late husband Bud. While much had been done over the years by various groups of Garage Works students, the sedan still required more work than the program had hours available to complete. To meet the race and training deadlines a group of Museum staff and volunteers took on the project in order to give the students a jump start on finishing it in time for the event.
Overall, Colgren believes it is the life lessons that students take away from Garage Works that are most valuable to them.
“You never know the impact you’re going to have on a student,” he explained. “We are thrilled to give our students the remarkable opportunity to run in the Great Race— the world’s premiere vintage car endurance rally.”
The Gilmore Car Museum is a public, 501(c)3 non-profit institution, dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the American automobile. For more information, visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org.
David Castro understands hard work. Arriving in the United States, the Mexican native spoke little English but knew he had to work. Luckily, the manager of the Sears men’s department was kind and gave him a job stocking clothing. And helped him learn English. Moving from retail to the catering business, David maintained that same work ethic, moving from Server to Supervisor to Manager. Today, he is the President and Partner of Applause Catering, the largest catering company in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Experience the remarkable textures, range of color, and immediacy of 49 pastel works at The Great Lakes Pastel Society Juried Member Exhibition currently on display at the South Haven Center for the Arts. The exhibition, co-chaired by GLPS member artists Mary Ann Pals and Jim Henke, opened on May 26 and runs through July 8, 2017.
Award-winning master pastel artist William Schneider juried the exhibition and prizes were awarded at the opening reception on May 26. Edward Kennedy of Saline, MI won the Gold Award for Western Pastures; the Silver Award went to Susan Perrish of Livonia, MI, for The Mentor; and Barbara Wise of Ann Arbor won the Bronze Award for her piece, Sleeping with Nutmeg.
Gold award winner Edward Kennedy is a self-taught artist and has exhibited his artwork at the Butler Institute of American Art. His piece, Winter’s First, was featured in the February 2017 issue of the Pastel Journal. Inspired by pastel artist Albert Handell, Kennedy sketches daily and continues to expand his understanding of color, values and edges to create his works of art.
Silver award winner Susan Perrish has been working in pastels since 2014, using small sticks of vibrant color to capture the unique story of each of her subjects. “I’ve found jewels in every painting, every drawing I’ve done. It is all joy.” Susan has exhibited in numerous shows and is the recipient of many awards for her work.
Upon retirement, Bronze award winner Barbara Wise began to seriously put her artistic talent to work and has won numerous awards. Of her work Barbara said, “I have always been particularly fascinated by the uniqueness of individual people, and the nuances of form and expression that enable that to be captured in a work of art. With very little exception, my art is portraiture.”
Melody Allen of Kalamazoo, MI, Laurel Kuehl of Portage, MI, and Louise Pond of Kewadin, MI received Merit Awards for their pieces Golden Pears, Take Wing, and The Faithful, respectively. And Mary Ann Pals of Chesterton, IN received the Terry Ludwig Pastels Award for her piece, Dancers from the Deep.
SHCA Executive Director Thea Grigsby commented that, “These are exceptionally professional and beautiful works of art. We’re amazed at the affordability of the artwork created by the Great Lakes Pastel Society and hope people will consider purchasing one of these wonderful pastel paintings.”
Juror William Schneider will present a live pastel portrait demonstration at the exhibit’s closing reception, Saturday, July 8 from 1-4 pm. William trained at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, is a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies’ Master Circle, and has won numerous awards for his artwork. The event is $5 at the door and SHCA members are free.
Next Stop the President’s Desk: Huizenga Supports Bill to Put Veterans First, Restore Accountability at the VA
Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) issued the following statement after voting in support of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act:
Rep. Bill Huizenga
“For too long, a culture that protects bad employees, punishes whistleblowers, and fails to put veterans first, has been allowed to fester within the VA,” said Congressman Huizenga. “The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act provides Secretary Shulkin with the tools necessary to fire bad employees, strengthens whistleblower protections, and restores accountability to the VA. This legislation is a major step forward in the effort to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve at VA facilities and I look forward to seeing President Trump sign this bipartisan measure into law.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act has already passed the Senate and will now head to President Trump’s desk. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation into law.
Peters Highlights Michigan Innovation & Leadership on Self-Driving Vehicles at Senate Hearing
Peters Introduces American Center for Mobility’s John Maddox to Share Expertise at Senate Commerce Committee Hearing
Sen. Gary Peters
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and co-founder of the bipartisan Smart Transportation Caucus, today introduced John Maddox, President and CEO of the American Center for Mobility (ACM) in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at a Commerce Committee hearing on self-driving vehicle technology. Earlier this year, Peters announced a joint, bipartisan effort with Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune to craft legislation to advance the development and deployment of lifesaving advanced vehicle technologies. ACM will play a critical role in testing and validating connected and self-driving vehicle technology, and was designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation as an Automated Vehicle Proving Ground in January.
“As the heart of the American auto industry, Michigan’s automakers, suppliers and engineers will solidify our nation’s position as the global leader in transportation innovation,” said Senator Peters.
Senator Stabenow Praises New Investments to Connect Michigan Schools with Locally Grown Food
By Jess McCarron
Sen. Debbie Stabenow
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement to award new funds to support two innovative initiatives that will bring locally grown food to Michigan school cafeterias. The grant funding was made available through USDA’s Farm to School Program, which helps schools source fresh and healthy local foods. The Farm to School Program also educates students about how food grows through school garden programs and farm visits.
“Farm to School projects provide our children with fresh, nutritious food, while also teaching them healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime,” said Stabenow. “Connecting Michigan farms with our classrooms and cafeterias also provides new economic opportunities for local farmers, helping to create jobs and grow our state’s diverse agricultural sector.”
USDA’s Farm to School Grants help schools respond to the growing demand for locally sourced foods and increase market opportunities for producers and food businesses, including food processors, manufacturers, and distributors. These grants will also be used to support agriculture and nutrition education efforts such as school gardens, field trips to local farms, and cooking classes across the country.
Stabenow, Peters, Upton Announce that President Will Award Medal of Honor to Vietnam War Veteran James C. McCloughan
By Miranda Margowsky and Allison Green
Vietnam War Veteran James C. McCloughan
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Congressman Fred Upton announced that President Trump will award the Medal of Honor to Vietnam War Veteran James C. McCloughan on July 31, 2017. This follows legislation passed by Senators Stabenow and Peters and Congressman Upton to make then-Private First Class McCloughan eligible for our nation’s highest military honor. Their legislation passed the Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act and was signed into law by President Obama in December of 2016.
Then-Private First Class McCloughan, a native and current resident of South Haven, served as a medic and saved the lives of 10 members of his platoon who were wounded during the Battle of Nui Yon Hill on May 13-15, 1969. McCloughan was discharged with the rank of Specialist (SP5).
Medal of Honor recipients must be honored within five years of the act of heroism justifying the award. The legislation passed by Senators Stabenow and Peters and Congressman Upton waived the five-year requirement and made it possible for the President to award the Medal of Honor to him.
Stabenow, Peters Introduce Legislation to Protect and Restore Recreational Fisheries
By Allison Green
As Free Fishing Weekend kicks off across Michigan, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters introduced two bills to protect and restore fisheries across the state. Fishing is critical to tourism and our Michigan way of life. Millions of anglers visit the State of Michigan every year, contributing more than $4 billion to our economy. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) also introduced both bills today.
The Great Lakes Aquatic Connectivity and Infrastructure Program Act (S. 1332) will improve Great Lakes fisheries and encourage habitat restoration by repairing and replacing aging dams, culverts, and roads. There are thousands of these structures across the Great Lakes Basin that currently inhibit the movement of fish populations. Great Lakes states and tribal governments will be able to recommend grant projects to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to either expand fish access to waterways or prevent the spread of invasive species.
The Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act (S. 1331) will make scientific technology available to track and monitor the health of fisheries in the Great Lakes. The will be used to make decisions to support and rehabilitate sport fish populations in the basin. This program was initiated in the Great Lakes on a limited scale in 2010, and will be fully established in statute under this legislation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is week four of our five-week series on job search buzzwords.
What is LinkedIn?
Dictionary definition: a business and employment-oriented social networking service that operates via websites.
Our definition: a networking tool that acts as part resume, portfolio, letters of reference and social media. The social media aspect allows you to highlight your personality as well as your professional experience.
How do I make LinkedIn work for me?
Your LinkedIn profile should represent how you want to be seen by your network and potential employers. All of the topics discussed in our job search buzzwords series can help you build your profile:
Use the site to network with trusted contacts.
Strengthen your brand by including personal information you wouldn’t include on a resume.
Use your elevator speech as your headline or in the summary section.
With this knowledge and the five tips below, you will be on your way to creating a strong presence on LinkedIn.
Stay up to date. Be sure to include your most recent positions, responsibilities and accomplishments.
Get personal. You should always be professional. However, LinkedIn is a great way to let your network and potential employers understand you better. Include volunteer experience, interests and causes you are passionate about.
Give. LinkedIn allows you to write recommendations for others in your network as well as endorse them for skills. Start endorsing, and they may endorse you back.
Engage. The site allows you to follow posts about business-related topics or posts from different industries and companies. Read, share and comment on posts that interest you.
Make sure your profile is error free. In addition to proofing for typos, spelling or grammatical mistakes, make sure your information is correct and accurately portrays your accomplishments. Do not exaggerate.
Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.
This is an installment in Local First’s Measure What Matters series where Local First Members who have taken the Quick Impact Assessment are interviewed and asked how the assessment has helped them use their business as a force for good and be Good for Grand Rapids.
Started by a group of Calvin College alumni back in the 1993, River City Improv has been making Grand Rapids residents laugh for over 20 years. Since its inception, River City Improv has evolved into a comedy group that’s passionate about making a positive difference in West Michigan through fun and witty humor.
“We love making people laugh – it’s how we give back to the community,” said Rick Treur, co-founder and business manager for River City Improv. “Many of our performers also make a positive difference by donating their time and talents to various nonprofits around Grand Rapids.”
River City Improv entertains audiences using comedic improvisation. Many of their shows weave together skits, games, and songs with audience suggestions to create a unique show every time. Hosting approximately 20 public shows and up to 40 private shows per year, River City Improv still makes time for volunteering. Some of the ways they give back are by performing volunteer shows or donating free passes to nonprofits for auctions. If a performer is involved with a nonprofit, they can also donate a performance to the organization of their choice.
River City Improv joined Local First in 2010 and Treur recently took Local First’s Quick Impact Assessment to identify more opportunities for River City Improv to make a positive impact.
“Getting involved with Local First seemed like a natural fit for River City Improv because of our commitment to giving back to the community,” said Treur. “We took the Quick Impact Assessment because we like supporting B Corp values and believe it’s important to be mindful of what we’re doing as a business.”
When taking the Quick Impact Assessment, Treur realized there were many practices that he could be tracking and measuring for River City Improv. One of Treur’s major takeaways from the assessment was learning about the significance of buying local and using sustainable products for their shows.
“Even though we are a small business, the Quick Impact Assessment made me realize that there are things we can do better,” said Treur. “You can make a positive impact in the community no matter the size of your business, field, industry or level of community involvement.”
Treur added that getting involved with Good for Grand Rapids has been a great way to strengthen the community by showing support for local businesses.
“Look around at our local businesses in Grand Rapids and you’ll notice that many of them have a global reach and can have a positive impact on the world,” said Treur. “By using our resources for good and being thoughtful about how we run our business, we can make a difference in our local community, West Michigan and beyond.”
Interested in learning how your business performs against best practices on employee, community and environmental impact? Take the Quick Impact Assessment today to learn how much good your business is doing for the local economy and community at localfirst.com/sustainability/measure-what-matters. Meet these and other values-aligned businesses at the Measure What Matters Workshop on June 21!
Celebrate 15 years of theatre with Mason Street Warehouse at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver St., Saugatuck). The Tony Award-winning Memphis: the Musical opens the season and runs June 23–July 9. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at sc4a.org, by calling 269.857.2399, or at the box office.
Memphis: the Musical bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs, and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is set in the places where rock and roll was born — underground nightclubs, radio stations, and recording studios of the 1950s. Romance sparks between a white radio DJ who wants to change the world, and a black club singer who is ready for her big break.
“We’re very excited to celebrate our 15th Anniversary season with the largest production in Mason Street’s history,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “Memphis has a cast of nineteen, and we’ve brought incredible professional talent from New York City, Chicago, and across the country home to West Michigan for the production.”
Lindsay Roberts plays the lead role of Felicia for Memphis: the Musical. She made her Broadway National Tour debut starring as Felicia, and reprises the role for Mason Street Warehouse. Roberts’ Broadway credits include the role of Creole Love Call in After Midnight.
David R. Gordon plays the other lead: Huey Calhoun. The actor, who hails from Los Angeles, played the role of Roger in Flashdance the Musical during its first national tour.
Mason Street Artistic Director Kurt Stamm says that while the show is set in the 1950s, the story’s themes are fresh and relevant. The lead character Huey Calhoun is loosely based on the late Memphis DJ “Daddy-O” Dewey Phillips — who gained a devoted multi-racial following by boldly spinning a mix of country, rhythm and blues, and the new rock ‘n’ roll on his Red, Hot & Blue radio show through most of the 1950s. And the message of Memphis, The Musical is the power music has to unite people across seemingly unbridgeable divisions.”
Mason Street Warehouse’s 15th anniversary season continues with:
Fully Committed (July 21 – August 6). You think you’re having a bad day? Meet Sam. He works the red‐hot reservation line at one of New York’s trendiest restaurants, where the best food inspires the worst behavior. Coercion, petty threats, bribes, histrionics—a cast of desperate callers will stop at nothing to land a prime reservation, or the right table. Amid the barrage, Sam has his own problems to deal with. While juggling scheming socialites, name‐dropping wannabes, fickle celebrities and egomaniacal bosses, can he still manage to look out for himself? Fully Committed serves up a delicious helping of juicy schemes and hilarious characters that will have you laughing out loud.
It Shoulda Been You (Aug 18– Sept 3). It Shoulda Been You invites you to a wedding day you’ll never forget, where anything that can go wrong does, and love pops up in mysterious places. The bride is Jewish. The groom is Catholic. Her mother is a force of nature, his mother is a tempest in a cocktail shaker. And when the bride’s ex-boyfriend shows up, the perfect wedding starts to unravel faster than you can whistle Here Comes the Bride. Plots are hatched, pacts are made, secrets exposed – and the sister of the bride is left to turn a tangled mess into happily ever after. Get ready to make a toast to the funniest wedding you’ve ever attended!
By Brooke Hotchkiss, Humane Society of West Michigan
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 a new forever home. 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.
Meet Bentley!
Bentley – Male Pit Bull Terrier mix
I’m a playful, 2½-year-old pup looking for my forever home! I am friendly, social, and love to play. Sometimes I’m picky with other dogs, so it’d be best to bring your current dog in to meet me before taking me home. I would prefer a home without cats. Tug-o-war and chase are my favorite games to play. If you’re interested in meeting me, please visit Humane Society of West Michigan!
I’m a 1½-year-old cat looking for my forever home! I love attention, but I can be a bit shy at first. I would prefer to be the only pet in the home, and I would do best with older, respectful children. I would love a quieter home. Adult cats five months and older currently have their adoption fees waived. If I sound like the right fit for you, please visit me at Humane Society of West Michigan!
A test for heartworm disease (if six months or older)
A first series of vaccines including DHLPP (distemper combo), Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine, and rabies (if older than 14 weeks of age)
Spay/Neuter Surgery
Treatment for internal parasites
One dose of flea preventative
One dose of heartworm preventative
The organization 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.
One of the resources that allows ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) to address the most urgent needs of Kent County residents is its diverse board. CAA boards are made up of representatives from the private and public sectors as well as consumers of their services.
Public and private sector representatives bring a wealth of experience, resources and community connections to the board. They represent government, business, religious organizations, welfare, education, law enforcement or other groups and interests in the community served.
Consumers provide meaningful input and insights that are essential to fighting the causes and symptoms of poverty.
By bringing together this diverse group of individuals, the CAA board can:
Help ACSET CAA better understand the needs of the community
Ensure ACSET CAA focuses on the greatest needs of low-income families in Kent County
Make a difference for everyone who seeks the services of ACSET CAA
ACSET Community Action is currently seeking new consumer sector members. Consumer representatives must be low-income and qualify for a CAA service at the time of their appointment.
This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard, gain leadership experience and help others.
Questions? To learn more or find out if you qualify, contact Sarah at 616.336.2228.
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, go here.
During the summer months, special “Pirate Chaser Adventure Sails” are scheduled on the tall ship Friends Good Willwhich are geared towards children, Wednesday through Saturday at 11 am*. The crew briefs the young recruits on operations and procedures that will insure not only the sighting of pirates, but also the capturing of the scoundrels and, in the tradition of the buccaneers, sharing in their loot. Never has so much adventure been packed into one 90-minute sail. For details and reservations call 269.637.8078 or purchase tickets online. *Pirate Chaser Sails also available on Tuesdays during the month of July.
How to Catch a Pirate
Book passage on a Friends Good Will Pirate Chaser Sail.
Get a dockside sword lesson from our crew to fight off pirates.
Board the tall ship Friends Good Will with your fellow recruits, cast off the dock, and follow the Black River into Lake Michigan…then hoist the sails high.
Look for pirates.
Upon sighting, fire a warning shot over their bow, overtake their ship… if the pirates attack, repel them with gusto.
Capture the scoundrels, recover our treasure, and sail for home to divide the spoils.
Specifics:
Sails open to children 4 years and up. No exceptions.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Tariff: $37 per person.
90-minute Pirate Chaser Sails will take place on Lake Michigan.
Go/No Go weather decisions at sole discretion of the Captain.
In the event of inclement weather, fares will be refunded or credited to a future sail.
David Britten remembers standing in the lunchroom at Lee Middle/High School. He was the new middle school principal after leaving an elementary-principal post at Wayland-Union Schools Schools in 2002. He looked around at the group of rowdy teenagers and thought, “What did I do? Why did I leave Wayland, where I enjoyed the job and the school and the kids?
“I didn’t understand the culture these kids come from,” he recalled. “I felt a little panicky about it.”
But Britten didn’t run away. He attached himself to the class of 2008, seventh-graders at the time, whom he called a group of funny “pain in the rears.” Among them was the first undocumented immigrant student Britten had ever been aware of in his school — a bright, high-achieving girl who already worried she wouldn’t be able to attend college.
“That group helped me understand better what was going on,” he said.
At a Halloween bash, David Britten poses sans makeup with a student.
Bonds began to grow between the retired Army officer-turned-principal and students who at first expected his style of discipline to include pushups and laps.
“Within no time I was like, ‘I wouldn’t change these kids for the world.'”
Instead, Britten has spent the past 15 years working to change the world for them — and to help them, one day, change the world.
Britten, 62, is a paradox. One moment he says he doesn’t like people, yet he’s thrown himself full-throttle into a career of helping improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable children in Kent County. He loves technology, saying he prefers to do things in anonymity on a computer, and he plans to spend a lot of time with a new robot he’s ordered. But he looks giddy at the idea of bringing his robot in to show students.
He’s admittedly cynical, but has paved the way in reforming education in his district from the ground up while shedding light on the positives in the community.
David Britten joins students during Girls on the Run
He’s a military man whose own life was shaped by the regimen and discipline of serving his country, but he is a true Lee Rebel at heart.
Where He Was Supposed to Be
Britten is stepping down June 30 after nine years as superintendent and a total of 15 years working in the district. The Board of Education recently hired Kevin Polston, principal of Lakeshore Middle School in Grand Haven Public Schools, as new superintendent, beginning July 1.
Britten has spent many days, from dawn to dusk, leading teachers in a way that builds community, and battling state and national policy he believes is increasing inequity in education. He is present in the school buildings and athletic fields attending student programs and events on days, nights and weekends.
The demands have taken a toll on his energy and fitness, but he said he never wanted to give less for the students. Until his last day on the job, he wants to be there.
Britten takes time for a selfie on the bus.
“I feel like that’s where I’m supposed to be. If I’m not there to do that, why did I choose this career?”
Lee High School civics teacher Brian Cahoon said Britten’s involvement has even extended to cooking for students at band camp and helping to chaperone 30-plus seniors on their senior trip to Florida.
“I believe Dave has touched the district by his dedication to, not only his job, but the Lee community as a whole,” Cahoon said. “I think one would be hard-pressed to find a superintendent who is as visible, and often an active participant in a wide range of student activities.”
Lee High School science teacher Steve Rierson provided a short list of Britten’s typical activities: “On any given day, Mr. Britten can be observed eating with kids, walking through hallways, subbing in classrooms, attending sporting events, interacting with parents and faculty throughout the district, even traveling to Lansing in hopes of changing policy at the state level.”
For David Britten, being superintendent was about being present with staff and students.
A Hometown Boy
Britten, who lives in Cutlerville, spent several childhood years in the Godfrey-Lee community, frequenting neighborhood stores and playing in the woodsy area near the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center (where he and his staff have recently opened an outdoor learning lab.) He knows the area’s nooks and crannies, the stories of each building and street, the background of the schools and the people who have impacted them over the decades.
“I’m a homeboy who likes local history,” he said.
With more time on his hands, he plans to immerse himself in that history by writing a book about the Godfrey-Lee community. An outspoken advocate for social justice, he also plans to study and speak out against issues affecting the country and areas like Godfrey-Lee: the growing economic gap, segregation and political gerrymandering.
He plans to visit relatives he hasn’t seen in decades and, if all else fails, simply enjoy time with his wife, Penny, whose hobbies include photography and horseback riding.
David Britten is stepping down June 30 after nine years as superintendent
“If I just carry her camera and saddle around for the rest of my life, that’s fine. I owe her.”
Britten has played a big role in the district during a pivotal era in its history. During his time as superintendent, Godfrey-Lee has grown from 1,600 to nearly 2,000 students, with its Hispanic population increasing from 32 to 78 percent. In the once solid blue-collar neighborhood where many residents worked at General Motors, more than 90 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches.
Britten offers some historical reference: The district dipped to around 850 students in the ’90s as the community aged. After 2000, many immigrant families began moving in with large families and establishing roots.
For them, Britten and his staff work hard to make the schools the center of the community.
“One of the things I like about this community, and which seems to have increased since I’ve been here, is there seems to be a growing interest in the community from the community members,” he said, noting the draw of affordable housing, new neighborhood groups and a decrease in transiency. “This is Wyoming’s only true walkable community.
“We are interested in the community being a part of us,” he added. “If we are strong the community is strong.”
Pushing for Education Reform
His tenure has also been a time of school funding challenges, increased high-stakes testing, and other threats to public education. For these things and many more, Britten has been an outspoken advocate for improving education by getting to the root of problems. He never holds back in calling out bad policy or politicians who seem to have interests other than children in mind.
“If we are only focused on the test scores,” he asserted, “we have already lost the war.”
To improve his district, Britten embarked on a huge human-centered design project, sealing a $250,000 Steelcase grant, to study the true — as opposed to perceived — needs of families in the district. The end goal is education reform, getting students away from the 20th-century education model, truly engaged in their learning and preparing them for jobs of the future with the necessary skills. The work will continue under Polston.
“Dave has never strayed far from the needs of the community,” said Lee Middle High School science teacher Vlad Borza. “Despite the educational woes and rigors of the state requirements, he has remained an advocate for the needs of our community and bringing equity to a district in need of extra support.
“He is unapologetic in fighting for the needs of students and families, whether it is by pursuing a competitive technology program or advocating for the legal protection of those in our district. It is evident that his focus has always remained on their needs.”
From Factory Worker to U.S. Army Officer to Educator
Britten was born in Grand Rapids, the second of seven siblings. At age 4, he moved to a new Wyoming subdivision at 36th Street and Burlingame Avenue SW. In kindergarten, he attended East Newhall Elementary (later East Elementary School, in Wyoming Public Schools) before going to Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School in first grade, when his family moved to the Godfrey-Lee area.
He attended Godfrey-Lee schools through his freshman year when he moved back to the Wyoming Public Schools neighborhood, where he attended Rogers High School until he graduated in 1973.
He enrolled in Grand Valley State University and worked at Keebler Company, eventually dropping out of college until he was laid off from the factory job. One day in 1974 he and a friend, on a whim, decided to enlist in the National Guard. His friend wasn’t accepted, but Britten was.
He was called back to Keebler and worked there while also serving as a reservist. By 1977 he noticed a lot of his Rogers High School classmates were graduating college. Britten was dissatisfied.
“I thought, ‘I’m not going to do this factory stuff the rest of my life. … Standing there watching Pop-Tarts come out of a cutter all night long was just not what I want to do.”
He re-enrolled at GVSU, and recognized Penny, who had attended Godfrey-Lee, during his first day of class. He “stalked her for two days” before she asked him what he wanted. He wanted a date, and the rest is history. They married in 1980 and have one son, David.
After earning an education degree, Britten began teaching at Muskegon Catholic Central High School, but he began an active duty tour two years later. That was the beginning of a military career, from which he retired in 1996. While in the service, he earned a degree in educational leadership.
Lured Back by Schools
Soon after retiring, he was asked to apply for the elementary principal position in Wayland and got the job. Six years later he was asked to apply for the Lee Middle School principal position. He was tapped for the superintendent position in 2008, a time of turmoil in the district, when there was poor morale between the administration and staff. Britten didn’t want the job, but feared no one else would step up that could rebuild trust.
Britten has spent the last days of the school year with students, watching them play during field day; checking out high school seniors’ capstone projects on careers they are interested in; riding the Millennium Force roller coaster at Cedar Point amusement park with band students; attending a community event led by Blandford Nature Center focused on increasing the owl population. As always, where students and staff gather, he’s there.
He’s a voice, a presence, a fighter for what Godfrey-Lee students need to be successful in the country he served.
Just a hometown boy who likes history.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
About 45 high school students from 21 schools across the West Michigan area will spend a week at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), immersed in the world of entrepreneurship to learn about creating a startup company.
The 11th annualTeen Entrepreneur Summer Academy (TESA) is hosted by the Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship (CEI) in the Seidman College of Business and sponsored by Amway. Amway employees help mentor and coach the student teams throughout the week.
The teen academy, designed for students grades 9-12, includes interactive lectures, team-building activities, hands-on research, field trips, networking with local entrepreneurs and strategic planning for personal aspirations.
On the final day of camp, students will pitch their idea to a panel of local business professionals for a chance to win cash prizes totaling $5,000.
What: Teen Entrepreneur Summer Academy
When: June 19-23, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: L. William Seidman Center, 50 Front Ave., Pew Grand Rapids Campus
* Idea presentations and awards will take place June 23, 2-5 p.m.
“Exposure to entrepreneurship education, especially starting early in K-12, can have a lasting impact on students’ lifelong learning and career paths,” said Shorouq Almallah, CEI director. “While TESA is focused on recognizing business opportunity and starting a new business, in a broader sense, TESA helps high school students to develop entrepreneurial attitudes and experiences that meet the needs of the growing knowledge economy.”
For more information, contact the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Grand Valley at cei@gvsu.edu or 616.331.7582.
Grab a beer and join the equity and inclusion conversation! The next Measure What Matters workshop will explore the importance of viewing our local economy through an inclusive lens. This workshop will host a discussion focusing on the resources available to build your business, implement access forward principles, and strengthen positive communication between staff. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge to craft an inclusion and equity statement and turn it into a company-wide policy.
Measure What Matters is part of Local First’s ‘Good for Grand Rapids’ initiative that brings together and celebrates companies using business as a force for good. These companies have a demonstrated commitment to positive environmental and social change in Grand Rapids and beyond by creating high-quality jobs, stronger communities and a healthier Great Lakes region. The initiative offers resources and best practices for sustainability and social good.
Companies — of all sizes and all industries — are encouraged to see how they stack up against other businesses in the nation and determine how much good they do for the local economy by using an online Quick Impact Assessment tool here. It takes 30-60 minutes to complete.
Measure What Matters Workshop
When: Wednesday, June 21 — 3-5 pm
Where: LINC UP, 1167 Madison Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI
Hack the QIA! Local First will also be available to help attendees through the QIA — bring your laptop or mobile device!
Introduction
Paul Doyle, Inclusive Performance Strategies
Resources
Jill Vyn and Chris Smit, DisArt
Topic: Creating access forward principles in small business
Dawn Helou, HR Director, Gordon Food Service
Topic: Written policies, how to enforce and encourage conversation amongst staff
Paul Doyle, Inclusive Performance Strategies
Topic: Creating an Inclusion and Equity statement for your business
Breannah Alexander, Partners for a Racism Free Community
Topic: Taking it steps beyond an equity and inclusion statement — creating company-wide policy.
“I can’t say that the documentary will do this for everyone, but it changed my life,” said Eefsting, who was inspired by the stories shared by the interviewees. “It changed my consciousness.
“The first question we asked each person was, ‘How did you come to terms with your sexuality?’ Eefsting said. “And it occurred to me that I never had to ask myself that question.”
The Grand Rapids People’s History Project was inspired by radical historian and author of A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn, who passed away in 2010. It uses the insurgent and radical people’s history approach that Zinn developed and is being continued through the Zinn Education Project.
The first Pride Celebration took place in 1988 in downtown Grand Rapids at the Monroe Amphitheater (now Rosa Parks Circle). Watch footage of that event here.
“I make documentaries to remind people that we have the power to make social change,” said Eesting. “This is evident throughout history.”
The Grand Rapids People’s History Project’s goal is to research and create media that gives voice to the people and movements in Grand Rapids that are often marginalized or ignored by “official” history. It also seeks to provide a context for the struggles against systems of oppression that have denied people basic rights and the opportunity for collective liberation.
I borrowed a library copy of Words Fail Me by Patricia T. O’Connor to fortify myself with the confidence I’ll need to write a book next year. I chose this book over others for its brief chapters, breezy, humorous style and perfect sprinkle of examples. Thirty chapters make for a perfect chapter a day reading plan, but I ran out of chapters in two weeks. Yes, a book on writing was that good!
The book is divided into three sections: ‘Pull Yourself Together’, ‘The Fundamental Things Apply’, and ‘Getting Better All the Time’. All three sections are necessary but can be read out of order.
I found ‘Pull Yourself Together’ the most inspiring because I was hoping to glean inspiration and courage to write again. Shortly into ‘The Fundamental Things Apply’ I knew I had to purchase the book because of the desire to highlight for future reference. I’m so glad I did because ‘Getting Better All the Time’ has great chapters on writer’s block and revisions. O’Connor’s pithy lines may give you just the push you need to begin or resume writing.
On having good organization:
“An idea in your head is merely an idle notion. But an idea written down, that’s the beginning of something … A writer with good material is one who never lets a useful nugget slip away … A tidbit doesn’t have to be earth-shaking to be worth saving. It only has to be useful.”
On having verbs that zing:
“So when you go shopping for a verb, don’t be cheap. Splurge.” Instead of saying, “experience that magic,” say “bask in that magic”.
On improving writing:
“You can’t maintain a clear point of view without a consistent tone.” “When you write indirectly — with passive verbs, pompous words, or corkscrew sentences — you turn away from the reader.”
While reading this book I learned and was reminded of rules, tips and pitfalls; yet I was curious to know if seasoned writers would similarly profit. A search of Amazon reviews confirmed they did. So in concert with their recommendations, Words Fail Me will be my go-to book.
The new summer exhibition, Stories of Us: Transforming Communities Through Art, comes to the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver St.). Stories of Us will run from June 10 to September 3, Mondays through Fridays from 9 am-7 pm, and weekends from 10 am-7 pm, with free admission.
Stories of Us features works from four Chicago-based urban artists that create “street art” as well as works for galleries and exhibitions. In the exhibition, artists Rubén Aguirre, Andy Bellomo, Miguel A. Del Real, and Sam Kirk will share their own works, along with a collaborative 3-D installation piece made for the Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ gallery.
“We’re thrilled to welcome this group of incredibly talented young artists to West Michigan,” said SCA Executive Director Kristin Armstrong. “They are all connected by place (Chicago), their roots in graffiti art, and their passion for using art as a means of deep story telling. The four have never done a collaborative show before – we’re very excited to debut their work at the SCA!”
The artists’ exhibition at the SCA features work that encourages unity, and their pieces reveal stories interwoven with optimism and a better understanding of people; their culture, their identity, and their circumstances.
Ruben Aguirre, the Artist in Residence for summer 2017 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, transitioned from graffiti artist to abstract painter/contemporary muralist. His mural can be seen on buildings and neighborhoods in Chicago as well as Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands.
Andy Bellomo is a mixed media artist, using her perspective to transform acrylic, stained glass, repurposed objects, and spray paint into works of art. Bellomo’s pieces have been featured in galleries across the country.
Miguel A. Del Real’s art illustrates mostly black line works contrasted with colorful accents and original designs influenced by pre-Columbian and indigenous patterns, as well as calligraphy and urban art. Del Real has created large-scale public mural installations that can be recognized in Chicago neighborhoods, as well as in Brooklyn, New York and Oaxaca City, Mexico.
Sam Kirk creates paintings and murals using art to provoke people to feel, see or understand things differently. Recognized for her public art and solo shows in Chicago, Kirk has exhibited in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis. Kirk is an award-winning artist, and has been commissioned by Guinness, Smirnoff, Ciroc, Rolling Stone Magazine and Proctor & Gamble.
Rubén, Andy, Miguel, and Sam believe art is a transformative tool, each using their art as a means of creating community. Their work encourages unity, and understanding of others’ culture, identity, and circumstances. The art featured in this exhibition serves as a platform for discussion, learning, and human connection in the Saugatuck community in the spirit of creativity and openness to all people.
For information on other SCA programs featuring these artists throughout the summer visit sc4a.org.
Stories of Us is sponsored by Bud Baty & Max Matteson, Debra Minton & Terri Osborne, Lori & Keith Hayward, Marlo & Tom Byrne/Barbara Bradley Bakagaar Foundation.
Metro Health–University of Michigan Health has signed physician‐led Foundation Radiology Group to provide all patient imaging services. The 208‐bed acute care teaching hospital serving Kent County and the surrounding Grand Rapids area will make the transition to Foundation Radiology for medical imaging services beginning July 1.
Foundation Radiology provides onsite imaging leaders supported by a team of radiologists with expertise across subspecialties and imaging modalities available at all hours.
“In order to continue to provide the high quality of care our patients expect and deserve, we are pleased to forge this relationship with Foundation Radiology Group,” said Mike Faas, Metro Health–University of Michigan Health president and CEO. “In our partnership, we are pleased to provide 24/7, 365-day interventional and neurointerventional coverage, as well as on‐site radiologists for our patients. As Metro continues to grow, we will be ready to support that growth.”
“Foundation Radiology and Metro Health share a common mission of putting patient well‐ being at the center of all we do,” said Foundation CEO Richard Vance, MD. “We’re looking forward to working closely with all the physicians, hospital staff and the communities that Metro Health serves.”
Foundation pioneered its “hybrid” radiology model in 2007 and has implemented it in dozens of health systems and integrated delivery networks.
“We call it an academy at your fingertips. Having boots‐on‐the‐ground radiologists offering onsite leadership along with on‐demand, subspecialist care available every minute of the day is radically different,” said Chief Medical Officer, James Backstrom, MD. “When you have 100% of critical findings delivered in under 20 minutes with more accurate diagnoses — you’re not only supporting the growth of hospital centers of excellence, you are saving lives.”
Its focus on value‐based care and improving quality has fueled the significant growth of Foundation as one of the nation’s largest radiology organizations. Vance reported this week the physician‐founded company has doubled revenue in the past three years.
