Category Archives: Citizen Journalism

The actions of four World War II heroes remembered at Ford Museum event

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , ,
The Four Chaplains: Alexander D. Goode, George L. Fox, Clark V. Poling, and John P. Washington

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

The story of four chaplains who went down with their ship has served as an inspiration for Wyoming resident Harriet Sturim, so much so that for the past several years she has been part of the Grand Rapids’ American Legion Post 459’s annual memorial of the World War II heroes.

 

“We do it because we want to keep the story of these four chaplains alive, because each time you here their story, you learn something from it,” Sturim said.

 

It is the story of Father John P. Washington, Reformed Church Rev. Clark V. Poling, Rabbi Alexander D Goode and Methodist Rev. George L. Fox and their actions on a on cold Feb. 3 day in 1943. These actions have been so revered that a 3-cent postage stamp in their likenesses was issued, Congress set aside Feb. 3 as Four Chaplains Day, and honored the four posthumous with a Special Medal for Heroism, The Four Chaplains’ Medal, which has never been given since.

 

The story, according to survivors and those who knew the four men, is that Washington, Poling, Goode, and Fox were all drafted as chaplains to serve during World War II. The four met and became friends at Harvard Divinity School where they were sent for training before entering the war.

 

The friendship was unusual, according to Struim, because in the 1940s people tended to stay within their own social group. “If you were Catholic you stood within your enclave of Catholics and if you were Jewish, it was the same,” Sturim said. “There was very little crossover.”

 

They were assigned to the U.S. Army transport Dorchester and on Feb. 3, it was in transit to an American base in Greenland when a German U2 submarine fired on the ship, causing it sink.

 

“The four calmed those on board and personally handed out the life preservers, giving out every one, including their own,” Strum said. “Those who survived remember seeing them on the ship, arm-in-arm, singing as the ship went down.”

 

For many years, the National American Legion has encouraged posts across the nation to host a Four Chaplains Day event, something that Grand Rapids’ American Legion Post 459 has been doing for the past 14 years.

 

This year’s event, set for Saturday, Jan. 28, from noon – 2 p.m., will focus on the story of the four chaplains, their friendship and sacrifice. Taking place at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, the event includes the Grand Rapids & District Pipe Band, the Freedom Voices, and guest speaker retired Capt. Paul Ryan, who is the state chair emeritus/military outreach director for the Michigan Committee for Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve.

 

Refreshments will be served following the service. Struim also noted the Ford Museum will be free to program attendees.

‘Fashion and Tea’ vintage fashion returns to Grand Rapids Public Museum

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,

 

By Kate Moore

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) kicks off its 2017 Fashion and Tea programming on Saturday, Feb. 11. Learn about fashion, customs and culture from the Civil War Era into the 20th Century and explore the Museum’s Education Collection of vintage clothing, down to the tiniest detail.

 

3-piece champagne silk dress

The programs will begin in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibition which transports guests back in time to the Victorian era. The program will continue in a classroom at the Museum where guests can indulge in sweet treats and tea, while enjoying a visual feast.

 

Fashion and Tea programs will be held from 2-4 pm. Additional Fashion and Tea program dates are March 4, April 22 and May 13. Tickets are $15 for non-members and $13 for members. Tickets are limited, purchase early online at www.grpm.org, by phone at 616.456.3977 or at the Museum’s front desk.

 

On the shelf: ‘American Salvage’ by Bonnie Jo Campbell

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , ,
By Tim Gleisner, GRPL Main

Imagine a world of broken down cars, underemployed people, dreams deferred, and you will get an idea of the National Book Award finalist American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell — a collection of short stories of various characters and settings strewn across Southwestern Michigan. Within these stories and characters are the forgotten people, the people consumed with just getting by, with finding enough work to put food on the table, finding enough love to get through another day.

American Salvage shares its title with one of these stories. Within this story one is taken to a junkyard on the outskirts of Kalamazoo. Here the reader is introduced to the Junkman King and his nephew Johnny. They take in only American cars to be scrapped and sell the pieces off for a profit.

Each car is broken down. Little love or attention has been given to these machines in a long time. Yet, within each vehicle are parts that are still like new, that still have value in the eyes of the Junkman and his nephew. Much like the cars, the people throughout this book are flawed, beaten down, and beat up by the many valleys of life. And, much like the vehicles they strip each person still has a redeeming part of them that is virtually left untouched by the struggles of life. It is these parts that the author, Bonnie Jo Campbell, skillfully unveils and reveals to the attentive reader.

Celebrating Tết: The Vietnamese Áo Dài

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , ,

By Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh

 

Áo Dài is the name of a dress that is not only traditional in the Vietnamese culture; it has been deemed the Vietnamese National Dress. Although the design is not unisex; it does offer a female and a male version. The female Áo Dài is more form fitting and the men wear their version of  Áo Dài in a loose fashion.

 

There is no reliable record of exactly when the design and introduction of Áo Dài to the populace occurred. It is believed that Áo Dài came into existence in the 1920s. It bears vague resemblance to the Chinese Xường Xám. However, it is neither a copy of the Xường Xám dress, nor is it a derivative of this dress in any way. The Áo Dài is as ethnically Vietnamese as it can be.

 

The design of the lady’s Áo Dài hugs the body with delicate fabrics. People use thin, flowing fabrics to make every day Áo Dài. For formal events and occasions, the employment of fabrics would lean toward fancier varieties such as silk or velour. Áo Dài is best described as a tunic with a full coverage from the neck down to the waist. Then it splits on both sides at the waist revealing a tiny bit of bare skin, and it gives way to a front and back flap or tab. The original Áo Dài had an old-fashioned tall and formal looking collar. Later on, designers introduced other neck arrangements such as square, low cut oval necks, etc. The sleeves were straight and slim in the beginning. Now we see flared sleeves, puffy sleeves at the top of the arms, tapered sleeves, and other designs. The front and rear tabs also change back and forth in lengths. Many people still stick to the classic design of Áo Dài because it is pretty and timeless.  Áo Dài were mostly plain in single color in the olden days. Nowadays, Áo Dài are more colorful with embroidery, prints, hand-painted artwork on them. They now come in many more colors as compared to the past. Originally, women wore Áo Dài with black or white pants made of satin or silk. In modern days, colorful Áo Dài may be worn with pants in matching or contrasting colors. The pants, in any case, must not overpower the dress with their colors or designs. The entire outfit also looks good with high heels. There are also headgears to compliment different styles of Áo Dài. The simplest one is the cone-shaped hat made of woven dried leaves. The fancier headwear to go with Áo Dài would be like a queen’s crown. The hair wraps in velvet of different colors are also pretty and popular, especially in North Vietnam. There is also a variety of other headwear more associated with an occupation such as a wide-brim hat that used to be worn by performing artists.

 

 

The Áo Dài has been the Vietnamese National Dress for a century; therefore, many public all-girls high schools mandate that students wear Áo Dài as the school uniform. The Áo Dài uniform is usually white with the small school’s insignia sewn on near the neck. There are also schools that adopt blue or purple-colored Áo Dài as their uniforms.

 

 

The men’s Áo Dài comes generally in two styles: the fancy style and the diplomatic style. The fancy style is tailored using rich fabrics such as thicker silks. The men’s Áo Dài also looks like a tunic with front and back flaps or tabs. These garments are tailored to be worn more loosely over the body. This style would be a touch colorful, but not quite as colorful as the lady’s Áo Dài can be. The common colors are blue, gold, burgundy, and sometimes purple. They usually have embroidered or printed round gold or silver seals on them. The diplomats and government officials prefer the diplomatic style. This style is always black in color. The thinner, veil or mesh-like fabrics are employed here. The see-though diplomatic men’s Áo Dài is worn over a white underlying suit. Men would wear the diplomatic-style Áo Dài to work in governmental offices, to  go to formal meetings, or to visit higher-ranking officers. Even scholars and teachers like to wear this style at any given time. The fancy-style Áo Dài is worn during big fancy events like New Year, weddings, parties, holidays, etc. In the modern day, Vietnamese men do not wear Áo Dài as readily on a normal day as women would. They save their Áo Dài for special occasions. To be properly dressed, a men’s Áo Dài would not be complete without the matching headwear to accompany it. The men’s headwear would resemble the women’s formal headgear that comes with their Áo Dài. However, playful men wear Áo Dài without the hat to show a little bit of a carefree attitude.

 

 

To the eyes of the non-Vietnamese observers, Áo Dài may appear to be pretty, interesting, or even weird. Much of it really depends on who tailored the outfit, and who is wearing it. Just like any kind of attire from any part of the world, fashion’s positive or negative is owed very much to the designer and who wears it, and how it is presented to the judging public. The best traits of the design have to be properly exhibited. We have very good looking Áo Dài-clad people, and a few not so impressive Áo Dài wearers. To be fair, please attend a sizeable Vietnamese gathering where one has the opportunity to see many Áo Dài floating around and arrive at your own judgments. Nevertheless, we know now when we see Áo Dài out there in public. It is a Vietnamese design, and the Vietnamese folks are downright proud of it for a century to this date! If you like what you see, perhaps you should have one made for yourself. You might be pleasantly surprised!

Celebrating Tết: The history of Bánh Dầy & Bánh Chưng

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , ,

 

 

By Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh

 

Bánh dầy and bánh chưng are the two kinds of cakes prepared by the Vietnamese folks predominantly during the time of the Lunar New Year that they call Tết. These offerings date back to the ancient times of the eighth generation of the first royal dynasty in the Vietnamese history. These two dishes are delicious; therefore they are popular and are still being made and offered to this date. Besides being palatable, bánh dầy and bánh chưng have historical values, and they have become a part of the Vietnamese tradition.

 

The Legend:

 

The Hùng Vương Dynasty was the first to start building the foundation for the country of Vietnam, nearly five thousand years ago.  There were 18 generations or kingdoms in this dynasty. Each generation or kingdom would carry the common name of Hùng Vương, differentiated only by the sequential number, for example: The 5th Hùng Vương Kingdom. The king of each kingdom would pass it down to his heirs, usually the most talented or deserving prince in order to maintain the royal family name. It was a common belief that kings were godsends from heaven. Sometimes people addressed to their king as the Son of God. Therefore, the king’s family was very much like the “holy family” descended from heaven to help the people.

 

Toward the end of the 6th Hùng Vương Kingdom, it was time for the ruler to carefully select and assign a successor among his princes to rule over the country. All the princes were talented, so the king must come up with a way to decide who would be the next king to inherit the throne.

 

One day, the king called all of his princes into a solemn meeting so he could give them a common challenge or a “test” to fulfill, and the ultimate prize would be the throne to begin the next kingdom. All princes would have an equal chance in the competition. The king gave them a prescribed amount of time to present to him the most meaningful and delicious dish of prepared food.

 

The princes set off in quest of the most delicious and meaningful food in hope to win over the throne. The older princes traveled to far places to hunt down what they thought would satisfy the king’s challenge. The youngest prince, unlike his brothers, would stay in his own country to seek what the local areas would provide. Time was running out. The older brothers already had returned with fancy provisions acquired from all over the world. All of the items consisted of precious, difficult to find, expensive ingredients. There were only a few days left; the youngest prince was still empty-handed. One night, in his dream, the youngest prince saw a genie who came to him and gave him advice of how to make his entry with his own two hands. He showed the prince how to use rice, an item that was abundant and grown by the people in the kingdom to make two kinds of cakes. The first cake will be called Bánh Chưng.  It shall be made in a square-shaped block to represent the Earth. The outside was cooked rice; the stuffing was also prepared using locally raised ingredients such as beans and pork; the entire cake was then wrapped in green banana leaves which also grew in abundance locally.

 

Bánh Dầy

The other kind of cake was more like a dumpling, a base food such as bread to be used with other food. This was to be named Bánh Dầy. This dumpling shall take on a circular shape that was flattened. The whole circular dumpling would average about three inches in diameter and flattened to about three-quaters-inch thick. The dumplings were also wrapped in banana leaves, and they were typically wrapped in pairs. Each serving would have two Bánh Dầy wrapped together so the consumer could put any suitable stuffing in the middle, the like of a hamburger. Bánh Dầy was plain and simple, but the beauty lay in the way the rice powder was processed to give this dumpling an amazing sticky texture, a delicious taste, and such an alluring aroma. The round shape was meant to represent the blue dome over our heads, the sky or “the heavens.” The duo of Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng are, to this day, referred to as the “Heaven and Earth” cakes. They honor and praise God, the creator of all things.

 

On the day King Hùng Vương the Sixth must judge the entrees, he was not impressed by the delicacies that the older princes brought. They were merely expensive, extravagant items that carried with them no meanings, and they were simply bought from other people around the world. There were no originality to them. King Hùng Vương the Sixth was delighted when he was presented with and tasted the Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng, the Heaven and Earth cakes. They were delicious; they were meaningful, they were lovingly prepared by the youngest prince. And also, the ingredients were readily available locally, and the people could easily learn to make and enjoy Bánh dầy and Bánh Chưng. The king deemed that his youngest prince had his heart, his mind, and his spirit in the proper places in order to lead the people of the kingdom for the next generation.

 

The decription:

 

Bánh Chưng is about eight inches square on top as well as bottom. It is about three inches thick. Unopened, it is wrapped in green banana leaves with two strands of strings going around the cake in each direction from side to side to keep the whole package tightly wrapped. The cake feels solid and weighs approximately two pounds. When unwrapped, the outer layer looks green from being wrapped in banana leaves. It serves as a natural and healthy food coloring, and it does add to the flavor of the cake. The outer layer is sticky rice, about an inch thick, and it provides an aromatic flavor of sticky rice and banana leaves. The original stuffing is usually yellow beans and pork. This layer is normally an inch-to-inch and a half thick. It complements the outer layer that wraps around the cake. Those who can afford to will sometimes eat side items with Bánh Chưng such as shredded pork, meat loaf, leeks, or other items. But Bánh Chưng is plenty delicious by itself.

 

There is a derivative of  Bánh Chưng in South Vietnam called Bánh Tét. It is, in essence, Bánh Chưng in cylindrical shape. People also make quite a few of these cakes for Tết

 

Bánh Dầy is much simpler as compared to Bánh Chưng.  Typically, the consumer will find a pair of Bánh Dầy in each wrapped unit. It is like the two halves of a hamburger bun. The package is loosely contained by two squares of banana leaves, one on the bottom, and one over the top. These round-shaped dumplings are about three inches in diameter. The consumer peels off the banana leaves wrapper and uses the dumpling much like the halves of the hamburger buns. People eat Bánh Dầy mostly with meat loaf in the center. Sometimes good quality Bánh Dầy are eaten plain to enjoy the natural flavor that they offer. As mentioned above, the beauty of Bánh Dầy lies in the way the rice powder is processed to give it the proper texture, the natural aroma of sticky rice, and the amazing taste of fresh rice powder. Nothing fancy, but Bánh Dầy is amazingly delicious. The danger here is the over-consumption of Bánh dầy!

 

Try some Bánh Dầy and Bánh Chưng this Tết if you have not already done so!

 

Jane Austen’s Bath and a look at Lacock

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

Historic Bath, England was only a short bus ride away from my house sit in Corsham, so I took a day after my house hosts returned to explore. The main attraction, ancient Roman baths, are accessible via self-tour with an informative audio guide, and definitely worth a visit.

 

Wandering through the Roman Temple, Bath House and Sacred Spring — surrounded by the smell of sulphur — hot water bubbled up in green pools, as it did in ancient times, from rain falling on nearby hills. It filters down through layers of limestone to be heated by geothermal energy, then pressure pushes it to the surface.

 

The first shrine on the site was Celtic, dedicated to the goddess Sulis (Minerva to the Romans), and signs tell of the later history of the Roman occupation of Britain. Glass cases house artifacts that were thrown into the pools as offerings to the Goddess, including colorful gemstones and over 12,000 coins.

 

Also thrown into the pools were curse tablets — messages written to the Goddess on pewter or lead, some related to thefts of clothing while the owner was occupied in the baths. The temple pediment and Gorgon’s head, originally supported by four large columns, now hang on a wall, part of this impressive collection of antiquities, including scores of sculptures, mosaics and friezes.

 

Uphill from the Baths, the Royal Crescent sweeps the scene in a great curve of Georgian architecture. Built in the 1700s, the golden facade connects thirty terraced houses. Some are still townhouses, some are split into flats, part forms a museum and in the center is the elegant Royal Crescent Hotel.

 

If you’re a Jane Austen fan, you can check out a museum dedicated to her and her work — she lived in Bath from her father’s retirement in 1801 until his death five years later. Bath is mentioned in all of her novels. You can even dress up in costume for a virtual trip back in time.

 

Bath is a lovely town in and of itself, just to wander around. Stone streets lead to bookstores, cafes, and galleries and scenic spots on the river to linger.

 

Also near Corsham is the village of Lacock, another step back in time. Lacock Abbey was a home for nuns, until somebody bought it for private use. The cloisters remain untouched, a square of vaulted hallways surrounding a grassy courtyard, with several rooms off to the sides where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed. You can stand where Severus Snape held his potions classes.

 

Nuns were privileged at the time as they were literate and expected to study the Bible along with other religious texts. Not many people in medieval times could read, and books were very expensive as they were all handwritten. One book could be as costly as a farm.

 

Winding my way upstairs, I toured elaborately decorated rooms full of fancy furnishings, where the family lived after the nuns were forced to leave. Henry Talbot, the private owner, was one of the fathers of modern photography, along with Louis Daguerre.

 

Out back stands the old brewery, where beer was brewed because it was safer to drink than water.

 

The village itself is a medieval town, full of peaked-roof houses with criss-crossing beams and several small shops, and I was pulled — not unwillingly — into the chocolatier by the scent of rich, sweet cocoa. I’ve avoided much shopping on my travels, but the dark-chocolate butter honeycomb got me.

 

Fall was in the air, crisp and cool, calling colors to flame the trees. Both Bath and Lacock are worth a look, if you’re ever in merry old England.

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

Design thinking in health care will be explored during GVSU event

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, , , ,
Ryan Armbruster

By Matthew Makowski

 

Health care providers continuously strive to meet the needs of those they serve, and the problem-solving process of design thinking is becoming an integral part of developing those solutions.

 

This idea will be explored during “Design Thinking in Health Care Services” at Grand Valley State University, presented by Ryan Armbruster, vice president of innovation, research and development at Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company.

 

“Design Thinking in Health Care Services” will take place Jan. 23, from 6-7 pm, in Loosemore Auditorium located in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

 

In his role at Optum, Armbruster leads a design group that is focused on designing health services that provide better value and experiences for people.

 

Prior to his position at Optum, Armbruster co-founded and served as chief experience officer of Harken Health, a health care organization designed to provide a caring environment to health care services and experiences. He also created enterprise-wide programs to improve innovation while serving as vice president of innovation at UnitedHealth Group, including creating and leading its Design Studio. In addition, he created and directed the SPARC Design Lab at Mayo Clinic, a center for innovation in health care services.

 

For the past decade, Armbruster has taught health care service design and innovation at the University of Minnesota, where he earned a master’s degree in health care administration.

 

For more information about this event, contact John Berry, director of Grand Valley’s Design Thinking Initiative, at berryjr@gvsu.edu.

Cat of the week: Maury Pawvich

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, Volunteers, , , , , , ,

By Sharon Wylie

Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable cat from Crash’s Landing or Big Sid’s Sanctuary. Both cat rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Petrovich, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

 

Here’s what Dr. Jen had to say about Maury Pawvich:

 

Sometimes you cross paths with a cat so flipping adorable and outgoing that you cannot fathom why on earth he was wandering around town, aimless and abandoned. Seriously, this guy right here? Totally AWESOME! You all know my affinity for the fat-heads, but it just isn’t my penchant for pinchable cheeks that drew me in, but rather magnificent Maury’s alluring aura and his gentlemanly nature. Born in late 2010, the marvelous specimen of all things feline somehow ended up homeless and in search of a place to call his own, when a Wyoming resident took it upon herself to take him in temporarily until we were able to.

 

Although upsetting, it was really no big surprise when this studmuffin tested a very strong FIV+, considering he was ‘all boy’ and had been roaming the mean streets for who knows how long. I don’t think Maury was the aggressor in any skirmishes he was involved in, but he did suffer a nasty injury to his left rear foot that tore one of his claws completely off, leaving him with a nasty, smelly infection that needed immediate treatment, lest he lose that toe. After antibiotics, neutering, flea treatment, vaccines and deworming, my handsome tuxedo (former) tomcat was ready, willing and able to head on down to our sanctuary and become an official Big Sid’s Kid.

 

Again, not astonishing that he made fast friends with anyone he came into contact with, charming the other cats and the volunteers alike with his come hither gaze, affability and eagerness to be best buds — forever! Of all of the newbies we had taken in in December of 2014, Maury adapted the easiest, settling in like a champ and quickly learning and engaging in the daily routines and rituals with great enthusiasm.

 

He is SUCH a gracious, gorgeous guy that you can’t help but fall for him, hook, line and sinker, within mere minutes of making his acquaintance. Maury is absolutely delightful and I speak for all of us when I say how thrilled we are to have him as one of our own, that is until we to find him the kind of purr-fect home he deserves!

MORE ABOUT MAURY PAWVICH

  • FIV+
  • House trained
  • Spayed/Neutered
  • Current on vaccinations

Want to adopt Maury Pawvich? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Get info about Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Business Matters: WOOD TV’s Eva Aguirre Cooper joins Metro Health Hospital Foundation Board

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming
Eva Aguirre Cooper

The Metro Health Hospital Foundation announced the appointments of Eva Aguirre Cooper and Meg Goebel to its Board of Directors.  The three-year terms began January 1, 2017.

 

“Both Eva and Meg are two of the community’s most regarded leaders and community supporters, and their collective experience, deep connections and involvement will only further enhance our board and vision forward,” said Mike Damstra, chairperson, Metro Health Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors.

 

Meg Goebel

Cooper has been the Community Affairs Director at WOOD TV8/WOTV 4/WXSP since 1998.  Her responsibilities include community outreach efforts, on-air reporting for 24-Hour News 8 and special station projects including the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program and Connecting With Community.

 

Meg Goebel is president of the Paul Goebel Group, an insurance agency providing comprehensive insurance solutions to association members in the legal and accounting professions along with individuals and businesses throughout Michigan.

 

 

In honoring Martin Luther King Jr., Kentwood launches the Little Free Pantry program

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, , , ,
The Little Free Pantry is located in the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

This year, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the city of Kentwood decided to honor the civil rights leader by partnering with The Pantry and opening a “little free pantry” where people can take or leave food and household supplies.

 

“This is the one day of the year I believe represents Kentwood,” said Mayor Stephen Kepley to an audience at the KDL Kentwood Library where the city’s Martin Luther King Jr. program took place on Monday.

 

“Because of what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, who he was, what he said and what he did, his actions helped to make the city what it is today. Kentwood is one of the most diverse and international cities in the state.”

 

With a population of more than 50,000, the city has approximately 60 different cultures speaking more than 70 different languages. According to Kepley, this diversity probably would never have happened without King’s vision of people “…one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.”

 

Kepley said King taught people to “love their neighbors as yourself…Because how can you hate them if you love them?”

 

Noting that King was not a man of just words but actions, Kentwood leaders decided to follow King’s actions by partnering with The Pantry, located at John Knox Presbyterian Church, for the community’s first Little Free Pantry.

 

Staff work to fill the Little Free Pantry

Started in Arkansas with the motto “Neighbors serving neighbors,” the Little Free Pantry is similar to the little free library movement. The pantries are designed to be small and fill an immediate and local need. Basically, take an item or items when needed and leave an item or items when you can.

 

“It’s residents helping residents, neighbors helping neighbors,” said community leader Jessica Ann Tyson, who was the host at Monday’s event. “If you are going to the store and you are picking up some macaroni and cheese, pick up an extra one for the pantry.”

 

Tyson said there is a need within the city as 9.8 percent of the families in Kentwood live below the poverty line. For a family of four, the poverty line is $24,300. For an individual, it is $11,880 or less.  Other figures Tyson had was that 14.6 of the Kentwood population live under the poverty line, including .6.8 percent are under the age of 18 and 7.6 percent are over the age of 65. Tyson also noted that there are about 5,000 food assistance cases in Kentwood.

 

She said the Little Food Pantry is anonymous, with people not required to fill out an application to receive items.

 

Located inside the Kentwood Activities Center, the Free Little Pantry is open year around. Donations of food items such as brown rice, cereals, canned goods, pasta, and peanut butter, and personal care items, such as deodorant, disposable razors, laundry soap, shampoo, toilet paper, can be dropped off at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE, or to The Pantry, 4150 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. Other items accepted are crayons, small toys, games and school supplies.

 

The Free Little Pantry is open during the Kentwood Activities Center regular hours. For more information about the Little Free Pantry, call the Kentwood Activities Center at 616-656-5270.

Grand Rapids Pops performs ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ in concert Jan. 27-28

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,

 

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

 

The Grand Rapids Pops will perform Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert with three performances Jan. 27-28 in DeVos Performance Hall as part of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series. The concert will feature the Grand Rapids Symphony performing, to picture, every note from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Audiences will be able to relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a 40-foot screen while hearing the orchestra perform John Williams’s unforgettable score.

 

CineConcerts and Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, a new global concert tour celebrating the Harry Potter films, in April 2016. The Harry Potter Film Concert that kicked off in June 2016 is another magical experience from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.

 

Justin Freer, President of CineConcerts and Producer/Conductor of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series explains, “The Harry Potter film series is one of those once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomena that continues to delight millions of fans around the world,” It is with great pleasure that we introduce for the first time ever an opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved film is simultaneously projected onto the big screen. It will be an unforgettable event.”

 

Freer has quickly become one of the most sought-after conductors of film music with a long list of full symphonic live to projection projects. He has appeared with some of the world’s leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

 

For more information on the Harry Potter Film Concert Series, please go here.

Tickets

Tickets for Harry Potter in Concert start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9 am-5 pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10 am-6 pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.

The Lunar New Year: Ushering the Monkey Out

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , ,
Students wearing áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese outfit.

By Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh

 

It is about Tết’s time again. This time, the Lunar New Year will fall on January 28 on the western calendar. Being true and loyal to their traditions, Asians who observe the lunar calendar are busy preparing to celebrate their upcoming New Year. Individual ethnic groups from various Asian-American communities are planning celebrations of all sorts and sizes to welcome the new Year of the Rooster. The current Year of the Monkey is ending soon. Each year of the lunar calendar carries the sign of one of the twelve Asian Zodiac animals in proper sequence. The animal-based signs are: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Cat (or Rabbit), the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog, and the Pig. Although there are many similarities, this article will focus more specifically on the Vietnamese way of celebrating the New Year, which they call Tết

 

People set off firecrackers to chase away any old evil spirits leaving the remains in their home. (Photo from author.)

The proper celebration, in general, involves many aspects to be prepared for. People make certain that their homes are cleaned and repaired to their tip top shapes. Many folks repaint their homes from the inside out to welcome the new year. There are many chores in food preparations to offer the best dishes during the celebration of Tết. The food preparation must start several weeks ahead to finish in time for Tết. The prominent offerings would be bánh chưng (sticky-rice cake), bánh dày (white rice dumpling), and many kinds of sweet goods which consist mostly of candied fruits). The rice cake, square and blocky in shape would represent the earth (the world was thought to be square), and the round rice dumpling would represent the sky or the heavens according to Vietnamese legends and tradition. The Vietnamese people offer these two baked items to honor the creator of all things, the divine God. Everybody should acquire new clothes and wear them during the first three days of the new year. This practice shows respect for the new year; it also shows pride and bring good luck. Poorer families try to tailor their own new outfits if they could not afford to buy new.

 

The Vietnamese áo dài is the preferred attire during Tết time. It is as traditionally and nationally “Vietnamese” as one can get. It is a tunic that was designed circa 1920. There is a male and a female version of the traditional áo dài. The men’s áo dài is worn more loosely in more subtle colors while the lady’s áo dài is more form fitting, and it comes in more vibrant colors and derivative options. It neatly enhances and shows off the beautiful shape of the female’s body while it is quietly elegant but not revealing at all. The áo dài has been around for about a century, and it is still popular. Its original design has not really changed much. Now that we have more Vietnamese people residing all over the world, women from many countries are taking to wearing áo dài also. American women from all heritages look really good in Vietnamese áo dài. Between the food and the new clothes alone, Tết may get to be very expensive. It is not uncommon for some families to go into debts after the Tết celebration. People actually borrow money to celebrate Tết “properly.”

 

A more formal styling of áo dài.

In modern time, people keep the festivities down to three days. In the past, it could last as long as three months in some parts of the world. People respectfully usher the current year “out” and joyously welcome the new year “in.” People set off firecrackers to chase away any old evil spirits from the last year that are still lingering around, and firecrackers also keep new bad spirits from attempting to enter. The artful dragon dance also serves a similar purpose: it chases away bad spirits and brings good fortunes.

 

The first day of Tết is the most important day. It is reserved for the closest and highest ranking family members. Lower ranks would go to higher members, usually elders, to show respect and extend to them the best wishes for the new year. In return, the high-ranking family members would wish the visiting members well and hand out “lucky money” in beautiful little envelopes (usually red in color). Folks would visit extended family members and close friends on the second day of Tết. On the third day, they go to other friends and acquaintances.

 

Every year, the Jade Emperor (or the Divine God) would send a different “supervisor” or observer to each household to observe, record, and make a report at the end of the year. Each event that occurs within the household will be reported to God. This character always resides in the kitchen to watch over everything that goes on in the dwelling. On the twenty-third day of the twelth month (12/23), every residence would arrange a ceremony to send off the current year’s “Kitchen God.” By tradition, and according to the ancient legend, this god rides back to heaven on a carp (fish). Therefore each household would provide a nice-size live carp in a water container, the like of a kid’s plastic splashing pool, for the reporting god to use as transportation back to heaven. Upon arriving in heaven, the Kitchen God will report to the Jade Emperor the year’s worth of occurrences within the residence off a long scroll of paper. The Kitchen God kneels down in front of the Jade Emperor and reads the report in a very poetic and rhythmic way. At the turn of the year, the Jade Emperor will send a newly assigned Kitchen God to each household again for the following year. “Clear for taxi to runway 2017 and hold short until 12/23”. “Clear for takeoff at midnight 12/22 and proceed on course”. “Roger that!.” And off he will go, accurate to the split of a second. Have you ever seen a carp taking off flying at more than light speed?

 

The Monkey brought with him many interesting things. The nature of the Monkey was, well…to monkey around. He brought us some good events. He also brought us some questionable events. And true to being a “Curious George,” he has sprung some quite peculiar events on us before he would leave us alone and let the Rooster take over. However, we must be thankful for the Monkey, but it’s time for him to go. Happy New Year of the Rooster. May all be blessed with good health, and may all your wishes come true.

Grand Ole Opry meets American Bandstand in national tour of ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,
Have some pie with that music in “Pump Boys and the Dinettes”

By Kathy Richards

Van Singel Fine Arts Center

 

Set in a gas station and diner, the “Double Cupp Diner,” on Highway 57 somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, NC, “Pump Boys and Dinettes” stars four gas station attendants (L.M., Jackson, Jim, and Eddie) and two waitresses (Prudie and Rhetta Cupp) who perform onstage with guitars, a piano, bass and, yes, even kitchen utensils. The music is a quirky, highly imaginative blend of country, rock-a-billy, swing, rock and roll, and jazz. Best of all, this terrifically fun national tour is set to make a pit stop at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center Jan. 26.

 

On February 4, 1982, “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” boasted as the  “friendliest, happiest show in town,” opened on Broadway at the Princess Theatre. There had been nothing like it before and audiences and critics fell in love with its downhome, earthy celebration of friendship and the simple things in life. With songs that celebrated the gifts of friendship, vacations, hard work, fishing, and color TV, “Pump Boys and Dinettes” garnered three Tony Award nominations and two Drama Desk Award nominations. One of the songs from the show, “The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine,” reached number 67 on the Hot Country Songs charts.

 

“Pump Boys and Dinettes” was created by two friends, Jim Wann and Mark Hardwick, who experimented with the concept while playing five nights a week at a New York steakhouse. The idea took off from there and with the help of contributors and fellow performers; John Foley, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, and John Schimmel, they made their way from Off-Broadway to the bright lights of Broadway and on to London’s West End. Subsequent productions have been seen across the country including long runs in Chicago and Minneapolis, and an award-winning run at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

 

Pumping out the tunes in “Pump Boys and the Dinettes.”

“Pump Boys and Dinettes” will be at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Reserved seats are $42.50 for adults and $22.50 for students (high school and younger). Reserve tickets in person at the Van Singel box office or by calling 616-878-6800, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. or by visiting www.vsfac.com.

 

The Van Singel Fine Arts Center sits at the east end of the Byron Center High School complex, located at 8500 Burlingame SW, at the corner of 84th Street and Burlingame Avenue, in Byron Center, just 1.5 miles west of US-131. The Van Singel features free, easy parking and curbside handicap parking is available.

Wyoming Public School District seeks public input on bond request

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , ,

Would not raise property taxes, officials say

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

In eyeing the needs of the district and planning for the next 30 years, administrators are considering a November bond request that would not raise property taxes.

 

But first, they are seeking input from parents, teachers, students and community members concerning what facility improvements they would support –– and which ones they want most.

 

Parents and staff members were emailed links to fill out by the end of January, and a postcard with information about the online survey is being mailed to residents. The board could vote to approve ballot language in late spring.

 

Voters will be presented with a millage proposal that won’t result in an increase in taxes because existing debt will be expiring. The new millage request will be for the same number of mills or fewer than the mills saved from the expiring debt. A new levy would generate some dollars in 2018, with the balance to come in 2022, to fund upgrades and improvements at its aging facilities.

 

Because voters rejected two attempts to pass major bond requests in August and November 2013, the district is taking a long-term approach to the plan. If voters approved a request in November, the sale of bonds in spring 2018 would generate about $20 million. When existing debt expires in 2021 and 2022, the district could sell the remainder of the bonds to generate approximately another $45 million, said Matt Lewis, assistant superintendent of finance and administrative services.

 

The multi-series arrangement allows flexibility, Lewis said. “We can control the amount of the sale so we don’t raise taxes.”

 

That’s key, said Superintendent Tom Reeder, because “We said we would not return to the public if it would cost them any more in taxes.”

 

Reeder noted that a favorable market has made it possible to move ahead with a new request. “We said, ‘If the money is available without raising taxes next year, could we start the projects that much earlier?’ ”

 

The majority of bond funds generated in 2018 would most likely be invested at Wyoming High School, at 1350 Prairie Parkway. “It is the building with the most needs,” Reeder said. “We want the high school to be the flagship of the community.”

 

Some district needs have changed since the 2013 bond requests failed. The district moved forward with securing school entrances. A 10-year sinking fund levy passed in May — also with no tax increase — generates about $400,000 a year for maintenance such as roof and parking lot repairs.

 

The survey questions gauge community opinions on immediate and future needs in the district, which enrolls about 4,300 students. It asks for input concerning the following:

  • enhancing landscaping and elementary playgrounds
  • improving curb appeal of buildings
  • upgrades to the fine arts center located at the junior high
  • adding a new fine arts center on the high school campus
  • upgrades to outdoor athletic facilities
  • adding artificial turf at the high school stadium
  • upgrading indoor athletic facilities
  • updating labs to support science, engineering, technology and math
  • dedicated music and art space at the elementary schools
  • improvements to parking and traffic flow at schools
  • adding windows to allow for more natural light
  • technology
  • grade configuration at schools

In moving forward, the district will form a planning committee involving parents, staff and community members. Community forums will be scheduled.

 

Give your feedback here.

West Michigan Works! How to answer job interview questions

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , ,

 

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a four-part series about how to answer common interview questions.

 

The Interview: Answers to Common Questions

You did it. You nailed your resume and cover letter. You networked with the right people. You found great references. Now you have to prepare for the interview. Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but with a little practice, you can enter the interview with confidence.

 

Tell us about yourself.

Be professional. This question is not an invitation to tell your life story. Be specific; don’t talk about your career in broad, general terms. Focus on telling a story that demonstrates you are a strong candidate for the job. Have a clear beginning, middle and end. Close with a statement that connects the story to the position for which you are interviewing. For example, “and that is why I am excited about this opportunity.”

 

What is your greatest strength?

Here is your chance to stand out. Give a specific example of how you have used your strength in the past. Finish by explaining how this quality can benefit their company. For example, “I once took a call from an angry customer. Instead of immediately transferring her to the call center, I listened to her frustrations. She was calmer and ready to find a solution by the time I transferred her. Your company is known for excellent customer service. My ability to deal with difficult situations will support that reputation.”

 

What is your greatest weakness?

Answer honestly, but stay positive. Identify something you have struggled with but have worked to improve upon. Give a specific example of what you did to overcome the challenge. For example, “In my last position I was responsible for keeping a spreadsheet with up-to-date sales data. Using spreadsheets is not my strength. So, I requested additional training to increase my skills. I am still not an expert, but I now have the necessary skills to do my job well.”

 

The best way to ace an interview is to prepare and practice. Prepare answers to these common questions ahead of time. Practice answering the questions clearly and concisely. Your answers will feel more natural and you will be more comfortable during the interview.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Film on government and the media kicks off SCA’s Real to Reel Film Series

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,
WASHINGTON – JANUARY 16: US President Barack Obama (L) former President Bill Clinton (C) and former President George W. Bush (R) walk to the Rose Garden to speak about relief for Haiti on Jan. 16, 2010 in Washington DC. President Obama spoke about how the American people can help in the recovery and rebuilding effort going forward in Haiti. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images. Photo supplied by Saugatuck Center for the Arts)

By Angela Peavey

Saugatuck Center for the Arts

 

The Saugatuck Center for the Arts’ Real to Reel Film Series kicks off this winter with a screening of “All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone” by Jeremy Scahill, Glenn Greenwald, and Michael Moore. The screening is Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets are general admission: $5 for members and $7 for future-members. Additional information is at sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

 

The “LA Times” said “All Governments Lie is,” “a damning indictment of mainstream media. Featuring footage from the last six decades, “All Governments Lie” is a timely, convincing documentary that will cause audiences to question what they see and read. It’s remarkably nonpartisan, revealing that the title does indeed refer to every government and politician, even those that we admire and align our ideals with.”

 

Vancouver-based filmmaker and TV news veteran Fred Peabody explores the life and legacy of the maverick American journalist I.F. Stone, whose long one-man crusade against government deception lives on in the work of such contemporary filmmakers and journalists as Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, David Corn, and Matt Taibbi.

 

For decades, Stone took on the powers that be — from Red-baiting fearmonger Joe McCarthy to Lyndon Johnson to Ronald Reagan — in the pages of the tiny publication “I.F. Stone’s Weekly” (and later in the “New York Review of Books” and “The Nation”), most of it typed, two-finger style, by Stone himself. Working without the “access” to those in power so prized by establishment journalists, Stone took on the system regardless of personal risk. In “All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone,” Peabody pays tribute to Stone’s work and looks at those who carry on his legacy today.

 

 

Not surprisingly, those contemporary journalists most influenced by Stone have had to work outside the mainstream. Peabody introduces us to men and women who are keeping Stone’s legacy alive by relentlessly speaking truth to power, despite the obstacles placed in their way: Jeremy Scahill, Glenn Greenwald, and Laura Poitras (who together founded “The Intercept” as a platform for the Snowden NSA leaks), Amy Goodman, David Corn, and Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi.

 

Don’t miss the film “Variety” calls an, “urgent and fascinating documentary.”

 

The Saugatuck Center for the Arts, located at 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck. For more information about the SCA and upcoming events, visit www.sc4a.org or call 269-857-2399.

Banking on Parent Educators, Parents As Educators

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, , ,

PNC Grant Helps Fund More Outreach

Ivan and mom Careni Solis get their library cards
Ivan and mom Careni Solis get their library cards

by Erin Albanese   

School News Network

 

In a room designated for storytelling at the Wyoming branch of the Kent District Library, Ethel Rodriguez spoke in Spanish with Careni and Joel Solis about ways to best help their son, Ivan, 3, and daughter, Melanie, 5 months, stay on schedule developmentally.

 

The meeting involved the whole Solis family. Rodriguez, a Kent ISD Bright Beginnings parent educator, led activities that had Ivan clapping gleefully, Melanie smiling toothlessly, mom and dad beaming with pride, and sisters Paola, a sixth-grader, and Alondra, a fourth-grader, joining the fun.

 

Rodriguez has worked with the family since September. She focuses on helping Hispanic children, from infancy to kindergarten, and their parents. At the library, she taught Careni how to give Melanie a baby massage, beneficial for bonding and emotional development, she explained. She read the family a story, and led a game focused on large-motor skill development for Ivan that had everyone hopping like frogs and galloping like horses.She named colors with Ivan, “verde, green” and counted dinosaurs in a book with him, “uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, seis, siete.”

 

Bright Beginnings Parent Educators are trained and certified in the Parents As Teachers evidence- and research-based curriculum, which they use to help parents learn to teach their children at home. Services include home visits, playgroups, developmental screenings and a network of resources.

 

Reaching Out to Hispanic Families

Serving Spanish-speaking families often requires going the extra mile. Rodriguez, who is from Peru and is fluent in English and Spanish, is working with 19 Hispanic families from Godfrey-Lee and Godwin Heights Public Schools, districts with a high percentage of those students. She makes twice-monthly home visits and hosts special library sessions that end with family members getting their own library cards. Rodriguez’s salary is partially funded through a $10,000 Grow Up Great grant from PNC Bank.

 

Jan Sabin, parent educator coordinator for Bright Beginnings, said Rodriguez and other Spanish-speaking parent educators go above and beyond their job responsibilities. They translate for families, make phone calls and help with paperwork. “There are significant extra hours needed for serving families,” Sabin said.

 

Dad Joel Solis catches the baby’s attention
Dad Joel Solis catches the baby’s attention

There are many immigrant families like the Solises whose children are starting school in the U.S. According to the 2015 report Immigrant and Refugee Workers in the Early Childhood Field, by the Migration Policy Institute, “The growth of the U.S. 0-5 population is becoming increasingly diverse. Homes in the U.S. with children ages 5 and under who have at least one immigrant parent now account for all the net population growth of children in that age group in the U.S.”

 

Overall, Rodriguez’s work is helping the Solises and other Hispanic families have better access to what they need. “I think through programs like Bright Beginnings they can have the opportunity to access and accomplish their goal of why they came here,” she said. “They came here to have better opportunities.”

 

Stories, Questions and Books

Joel, who works at a packing company, and Careni, a stay-at-home mother, are emigrants from Guatemala. They said they see benefits of Bright Beginnings for their children. Melanie shows signs of crawling, Careni said, perhaps from increased time spent on her tummy. Ivan asks lots of questions, makes up stories about dinosaurs, has learned to hold a pencil correctly and loves to do the “homework” Rodriguez assigns, Joel said.

 

Melanie watches “Baby Faces” during her baby massage
Melanie watches “Baby Faces” during her baby massage

Rodriguez also puts books into children’s hands and homes. With their new library cards, the Solises can check out books whenever they want, a practice hoped to become a regular activity.”Since you have been coming to my house, I see Ivan is more interested in preschool. Now he wants to go to school,” Joel said to Rodriguez in Spanish. “He used to scribble; now he is more patient and is drawing more specific things by using his imagination.”

 

See more at: http://www.schoolnewsnetwork.org/index.php/2016-17/banking-better-parenting/#sthash.e7p1o24S.dpuf

On the shelf: ‘The Alzheimer’s Family: Helping Caregivers Cope’ by Robert B. Santulli

Citizen Journalism, , , , ,
alzheimers-familyBy Lisa Boss, Main Library 
Many of us are close to a friend or relative with Alzheimer’s these days, and over the years, as my relative’s spouse has gone from “mild cognitive impairment”, to a more drastic descent through the middle stages of AD, I’ve become more concerned and worried. What exactly is happening, and why?

I liked the tone and the way Dr. Santulli presented the information in this book. It fel like a compassionate, wise friend/expert was there to help chart a course in frightening waters. A geriatric psychiatrist, and Director of the Dartmouth Memory Clinic, he’s distilled over 20 years of specialization in treating Alzheimer’s patients into his guide. He explains how the different symptoms are tied to physical pathology, and thus certain strategies will be more effective in each case.

The Forgetting: Alzheimer’s: Portrait of an Epidemic by David Shenk is another book I found helpful, as was The Last of His Mind: A Year in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s by John Thorndyke. Olivia Hoblitzelle’s memoir, Ten Thousand Joys and Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple’s Journey Tlast-of-his-mindhrough Alzheimer’s is one not to be missed, applying a culturally different understanding of illness, through Tibetan Buddhism. Each loved one, their support system and disease manifestation, will be unique, so it’s natural that some writers will resonate more, and a wide choice of knowledgeable authors is preferable.

ten-thousand-joys-sorrows-book-coverAs I often read, “when you’ve met one person with Alzheimer’s, you’ve met one person with Alzheimer’s”, and that is probably true for most medical and mental health conditions. With Grand Rapids Public Library’s large and in-depth medical and caregiver collections, there will be sure to be ones that speak to you, if or when needed.

Your Community in Action! helps fight hunger in Kent County

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, ,

Recent statistics indicate that 42.2 million Americans live in food-insecure households. Sadly 8.4% of individuals facing food insecurity are over the age of 60 and 31% are children!

 

Hunger is a reality for too many across the country as well as in our own backyard. Feeding America estimates that 12.6% of all Kent County residents are food insecure. ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) is addressing this need by providing supplemental food to low-income households and seniors in our community. We do this is through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).

 

These programs distribute boxes of USDA food to eligible households. The boxes include a variety of pantry staples and vary depending on the food items available from the USDA. ACSET CAA partners with multiple distribution sites across the county to provide easier access to needed assistance. Nutritious food will be available to eligible Kent County residents on 100 different days in 2017.

Food distributions near you

CSFP: Kent County residents over the age of 60 who meet income requirements can receive monthly distributions at United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM), 1131 Chicago Dr. SW, Grand Rapids. The next distribution is Thursday, Jan. 19 from 2 to 8 pm or while supplies last.

 

TEFAP: Kent County households that meet income requirements can receive quarterly distributions at John Knox Presbyterian Church, 4150 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids. The next distribution is Thursday, March 9 from 9 am to 3:30 pm or while supplies last.

 

Eligible residents do not need to register in advance. Visit ACSET CAA’s website to learn more about eligibility requirements, additional locations and dates for TEFAP and CSFP distributions.

 

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

 

Gerald R. Ford Int’l Airport sets passenger record for fourth straight year

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Travel, ,

By Tara Hernandez

 

The Gerald R. Ford International (GFIA) Airport has set a new all-time passenger record for 2016, marking the fourth straight year that the Airport has seen record-setting growth.

 

In 2016, 2,653,630 passengers flew in and out of GFIA, an increase of 4.06% from 2015. December growth helped cap the record-setting year with an increase of 6.53% year-over-year. December 2015 saw 202,769 total passengers, but 2016 surpassed that with 216,017 enplaned and deplaned passengers. Passenger growth was recorded in 9 of the 12 months of 2016 at GFIA.

 

The growth over the last few years started in 2013 with a passenger record of 2,237,979. In 2014, that number jumped to 2,335,105. In 2015, GFIA broke its own record once again with a passenger total record of 2,550,193 — a 9.21% year-over-year increase. Over the past four years, the Airport has recorded its strongest growth in its 53-year history, serving over 9.7 million passengers over the four-year time period.

 

“This is a testament to the growing West Michigan community, and the investment our airline partners have made at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill.

 

“This growth further justifies the need for our Gateway Transformation Project to accommodate the increasing passenger demand, and the need our airlines have in-gate space, amenities, and customer service offerings.”

Number of passengers 2011-2016

 

July 2016 was the single busiest month in Airport history with 238,237 total passengers traveling through GFIA resulting in the busiest July ever, and breaking an all-time monthly record from July 2015.

 

The Gateway Transformation Project began in December 2015 and is slated to continue through summer 2017. The project’s main feature is the consolidated passenger security checkpoint which will centralize and combine security screening to one main checkpoint in the Airport, eliminating separate screening for passengers traveling through either Concourse A or B. Construction also includes new terrazzo flooring, lighting fixtures, restroom & nursing rooms, family restrooms, pre- and post-security business centers, new retail and food & beverage space and much more.

 

“As we continue to grow in traffic it is imperative that our facilities keep up with our passenger demand,” said Gill. “There is a reason our passengers keep coming back, and as they do we will continue to do our part to improve our amenities, technology, customer service and infrastructure. We are excited to see what the future holds, and we only expect more growth in the years to come.”

 

The Airport will be celebrating this historic passenger record with daily surprises and giveaways by ‘paying it forward’ to passengers through next week.

 

GFIA monthly passenger statistics are available on the website.

Custodial Job Perk: Connecting with Students

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, ,

By Erin Albanese  

School News Network

 

In a world where too many people just “talk the talk,” Fred Cox “walks the walk” — a fast stride around the cafeteria, through entryways, down hallways, in classrooms and outside on snowy sidewalks.

 

While keeping his speedy stride, Cox cleans: picking up trash, wiping tables and shoveling foot-deep snow on winter days. The custodian, called Fred by students and teachers alike at Duncan Lake Middle School, spends school days from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. taking care of the large building that enrolls about 500 sixth- through eighth-graders.

 

Cox’s quickness shows during the three lunch periods when students enter the cafeteria en masse, complete with the quirks and antics of middle schoolers. On a recent morning, one student needs Cox to retrieve 50 cents from the trashcan; Cox uses a broom handle to fix a handful of drop ceiling tiles knocked off center by wayward balls; a group of boys starts a dice game to win pencils provided by Cox; and several more ask his help with one thing or another.

All in a Day’s Work

“How was your snow day, Fred?” seventh-grader Jack Simons asks during lunch on a Tuesday following a Monday when schools closed because of snow.

 

“It was fantastic,” Cox answers without a hint of sarcasm. “I spent four hours clearing snow from all around the school exits.”

 

Cox handles the rambunctious crew with ease, moving seamlessly from sixth- to seventh- to eighth-grade lunch periods, passing out high fives and fist bumps, engaging in conversations and sharing laughs. And his way of connecting with them has caught the attention of staff and students.

 

“The kids are great,” said Cox, who started this year as full-time custodian after working part-time at Caledonia High School since 2007. “I’m blessed every day, because if you can’t come here and smile, something is definitely wrong.”

 

Sixth-grader Ethan Dyksterhouse grabs a rag and helps Cox wipe tables after lunch. “Most kids get to know him,” Ethan said. “He’s always positive, giving high fives and having fun.”

 

Cox worked as an assistant manager at Steelcase for 15 years and then at other companies, doing building and grounds and custodial work. His daughter, Samantha Cox, and late stepson, David Marlink, graduated from Caledonia High School.

 

At school he’s known for his ability to do custodial and maintenance work, for which Principal Ryan Graham said he’s very grateful.

Custodian Fred Cox takes time to get to know students while he works

 

“Kids and staff see his hard work ethic. When he sets out to do things, he’s on it,” Graham said. “He works his tail off.”

 

But more than that, it’s the way students gravitate to Cox that people notice. “Kids who aren’t the jocks or ‘all A’ kids, they respond to Fred,” Graham said.

 

Cox fixes what’s broken, helps students open jammed lockers, hangs banners, shovels and cleans. He said he works hard to meet the needs of staff and students with “whatever they need me to do.”

 

His manner is humble. “I try to do everything, jack-of-all-trades master of none…” he said with a laugh.

 

Food service worker Lori Hoholik said she sees how students light up around Cox.

 

“I love watching Fred and the way he interacts with kids,” she said. “He’s so good with them. He talks to them. If he sees a kid sitting alone, he goes up to them. He’s always upbeat.”

 

Little Things

Students note the small ways Cox helps brighten their day. “He gave me M&Ms,” said seventh-grader Kaitlynn Robotham. “I spilled my whole lunch and Fred cleaned it up.”

 

Added seventh-grader Reagan Weiss: “Once I lost my lunchbox and all the food in it. He bought me a lunch, found my lunchbox and washed it out.”

 

“He always waves at us in the hallway,” said seventh-grader Lindy Bujak.

 

Cox treats students with respect and they seem to like that. He calls them “sir” or “young lady.” “He’s very polite,” said seventh-grader Colin Marckwardt. “He talks openly to kids and that’s really cool about him.”

 

Graham said the respect is mutual. Students make sure they don’t take advantage of their beloved custodian who works so hard.

 

“They remind each other, ‘Don’t make a mess for Fred!’ ” Graham said.

 

See more here.

Cat of the week: Heyward

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, , , , ,

By Sharon Wylie

Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable cat from Crash’s Landing or Big Sid’s Sanctuary. Both cat rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Petrovich, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

Dr. Jen happens to think that ALL Crash Cats are good looking, but this guy right here is one hot commodity—and so flipping handsome she could hardly contain herself when she gazed upon his gorgeousness!

Hunky Heyward (born in late 2011) ended up homeless and helpless in mid-October 2016, when a cat-lovin’ rescuer provided him with the safety and comfort of a really awesome outdoor coop she has set up for the strays she often comes across out in her northeast Grand Rapids neighborhood. When Dr. Jen had the extreme pleasure of welcoming him into the program on November 14, he was extremely shy and suffering from severe dental disease; in fact, the neutered male had pockets of pus present in his mouth and was missing many teeth that had literally rotted and fallen out sometime before his rescue.

Heyward was pretty scruffy and matted, probably from not being willing to groom himself scrupulously due to profound oral pain, so Dr. Jen spruced and fluffed him up while he was under anesthesia for his surgery. He looked and smelled SO much better once he woke up and was able to enthusiastically dive headfirst into bowl after bowl of yummy, soft food!

Once at the shelter, Heyward hunkered down in his two-story cat condo and refused any and all human contact for two whole weeks, though he delighted in the endless supply of meals and didn’t mind people speaking softly to him. Then, all of a sudden, at exactly the two-week mark, he waltzed on out of his cage and demanded affection—and he hasn’t stopped since!

He prefers to stay tucked away out of the limelight but will seek out attention when all is quiet in the shelter. He is especially fond of belly rubs and lap snuggles; it could be that once he feels comfy and cozy in his new, mellow home, he will offer his tummy up for major pets and warm the laps of those who have chosen to take a chance on him, take him home and love him up one side and down the other.

Heyward deserves to be doted on and adored, and he will most certainly reciprocate your kindness with unconditional love.

Want to adopt Heyward? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Quaint Corsham – Dropped into Dickens

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Travel,

 

 

By Lynn Strough

Travelynn Tales

 

What could be a more authentic English experience than living in a home on High Street in the quaint village of Corsham?

 

Luck was with me when I landed this housesit for sweet William, a 15-year-old pup. His masters, Mark and Andy were headed off on holiday and entrusted their furry friend to my care, along with their beautiful home. Will even made happy noises when I scratched behind his floppy ears and rubbed his tummy.

 

Corsham is a picturesque little town, like something straight out of Dickens, with old slate-roofed buildings, ancient spired churches and golden sandstone walls that glow in the afternoon light.

 

“If you wouldn’t mind feeding the birds and the fish, that’d be great,” Andy told me. “And we do have one other pet,” Mark added.

 

Uh oh, what’s this, I wondered.

 

“A peacock called Kevin sometimes visits the garden, if you could just give him a few mealworms…”

 

Who would have guessed I’d have my own pet peacock?

 

Their home is light and airy, and I had a lovely room with my own bath, where a fluffy white robe hung waiting. Books and DVDs lined the walls in the solarium.

 

“Help yourself and enjoy,” they told me, and showed me how to set the surround-sound.

 

Will got three walks a day, though due to his age, they were fairly short ones. A huge park sprawls out behind the house, a five-minute walk away, with a lake full of quacking ducks tucked into the corner. Will showed me his favorite spots.

 

We’d go out rain or shine and this being England, there’s more drizzle than not. But the many misty mornings were magical. With sheep now out of the pasture, Will was allowed to go off lead and often met up with his friends.

 

He may be mostly deaf, but there’s nothing wrong with Will’s nose, or his navigation. He’d approach friendly people in the park, who happened to have treats stashed in their pockets, and he invariably led me to the pet shop to meet his best saleslady pal.

 

Living in Corsham is the best of both worlds — a beautiful garden and park, like being out in the country with most everything you need just out the front door. High Street is only a few blocks long but crammed with small shops — hair salons, a health food store, two opticians, cafes and restaurants, a bakery, a co-op for groceries, a butcher, a pharmacy, pubs and banks and a bookstore and best of all, on Tuesdays, the market stalls set up.

 

Will and I each had our favorite booths.

 

At night, Will got his third walk. He’d lead the way, under glowing streetlights and a full October moon. The street was quiet, shop window-shades pulled. Turning down a dark alley towards the park, I’d switch on the torch (what the Brits call a flashlight). I’d glance around at tall, gnarly trees, branches creaking like arthritic arms; a chill wind whispered through the leaves. We didn’t enter the park but turned just before, down a path that led to a church with a headstone-filled graveyard, tall rounded markers like the ones in scary movies. We were both always happy to get home to our soft, warm beds.

 

We varied our walks sometimes. The churches and graveyards were much less spooky in the daytime.

 

One day I decided to take a tour of Corsham Court, the local manor and gardens. “No pictures allowed inside,” I was told as I paid for my ticket, a frustration for any photographer, but I focused on the positive side — I could enjoy just looking for a change, without having to capture every detail with a lens.

 

With a kitchen to cook in, I ate meals at home, another great reason to housesit. It saved a bundle not dining out, and Will and Kevin made nice dinner companions, when they weren’t both staring at me with “Can I have a bite?” eyes.

 

This Dickensian tale in Corsham has a very happy ending, with Mark, Andy and William reunited, and I felt like I made three new friends.

 

About Lynn Strough

Lynn is a 50+ free spirit whose incarnations in this life have included graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, public speaker, teacher, fine art painter, wine educator in the Napa Valley, and world traveler. Through current circumstances, she has found herself single, without a job or a home, and poised for a great adventure.

 

“You could consider me homeless and unemployed, but I prefer nomad and self-employed, as I pack up my skills and head off with my small backpack and even smaller savings to circumnavigate the globe (or at least go until the money runs out). Get ready to tag along for the ride…starting now!”

 

travelynnlogoAll images copyright Lynn Strough and Travelynn Tales

Reprinted with permission

National speakers highlight GVSU’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. week

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , , ,
Kevin Powell, author and president of BK Nation

By Michele Coffill

Grand Valley State University

 

Two nationally known speakers will highlight Grand Valley State University’s commemoration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Kevin Powell is an activist, author and president of BK Nation, a national organization based in New York City centered on grassroots activism, pop culture, technology, and social media to spark projects and campaigns. He has written 12 books, the most recent is “The Education of Kevin Powell: A Boy’s Journey into Manhood.”

 

Powell will be the keynote speaker on Monday, Jan. 16, at 1:30 p.m. in the Fieldhouse Arena on the Allendale Campus.

 

Kimberlé Crenshaw is a professor of law at UCLA and Columbia law schools. She coined two terms — critical race theory and intersectionality — that have proved foundational in many areas of study. She is a leading voice in calling for a gender-inclusive approach to racial justice interventions, having spearheaded the Why We Can’t Wait Campaign and co-authored “Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected,” and “Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women.”

 

Crenshaw will be the keynote speaker on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 4:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room, Allendale Campus. This presentation will be simulcast to an audience in the DeVos Center, Loosemore Auditorium, on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. 

 

Both events are free and open to the public.

 

Many free events are planned on the Allendale Campus for Jan. 16, which marks the fifth year that classes have been canceled on the national King holiday, allowing more students, faculty and staff members to participate in events. Visit www.gvsu.edu/mlk for details.

 

Commemoration events continue Tuesday, Jan. 17, when the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies will host “Race and the American Dream” at 7 p.m. in the Eberhard Center. Nikole Hannah-Jones, staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, will join Jason Riley, columnist and editorial board member at the Wall Street Journal, for a dialogue on the progress that has been made since the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the challenges that continue to exist. It is free and open to the public; RSVP online at www.hauensteincenter.org/RSVP.

 

Grand Valley will close its week of events on Saturday, Jan. 21, when hundreds of students will volunteer their time in the community by working at different locations.

Government Matters: Sen. Peters meets Trump’s transportation nominee Chao

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Election, Hard News, Politics, Tech Trends, ,

WKTV Staff

 

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, on Jan. 9 met with Elaine Chao, President elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

 

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)

“I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Elaine Chao and discuss a number of transportation issues critical to Michigan and the nation,” Sen. Peters said in a supplied statement. “During our meeting, I was able to raise the importance of connected and automated vehicle technologies as an issue the federal government should continue to focus on in the coming years.

 

“Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Transportation has made significant progress to help support the development and deployment of these life-savings technologies, and I will be urging the Trump Administration to continue building on the progress that has already been made through efforts like the recent Federal Automated Vehicle Policy and proposed rule for vehicle-to-vehicle communications.”

 

Sen. Peters also stressed Michigan’s leadership role in the future of transportation technology innovation.

 

“I also shared information about Michigan’s role as a leader in the future of mobility and discussed the good work already underway in Michigan at test facilities like the University of Michigan’s Mcity and the American Center for Mobility,” he said. “I urged Ms. Chao to follow through on DOT’s current competition to designate national proving grounds to help connected and automated vehicle technologies reach their full potential. I look forward to continuing this discussion and hearing more about her plans for DOT during her confirmation hearing.”

 

President Obama signs innovation and competitiveness co-sponsored by Sen. Peters

 

President Barak Obama on Jan 6 signed into law the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, a bipartisan legislative compromise originally introduced by U.S. senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with John Thune (R-SD), and Bill Nelson (D-FL).

 

The first major update to federal research and technology policy to originate in the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in more than a decade, this legislation maximizes basic research opportunities, reduces administrative burdens for researchers, encourages scientific entrepreneurship, and promotes oversight of taxpayer-funded research.

 

“Scientific research and innovation are the foundation of a strong economy,” Sen. Peters said. “The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act will help leverage federal investments in basic research, strengthen STEM education to train a skilled workforce and support small and medium sized manufacturers to keep our country internationally competitive.”

 

The legislation also promotes diversity in STEM fields, incentivizes private-sector innovation, and aims to improve advanced manufacturing and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a public-private partnership to support small and medium-sized manufacturers.

 

On the shelf: ‘Reaching For A New Potential: A Life Guide for Adults with ADD From a Fellow Traveler’ by Oren Mason M.D.

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , , ,
reaching-for-a-new-potentialBy Karen Thoms, Main Library
I was gently spouting off my views about kids with ADD to a patron. It turns out that she was a teacher with an opposing view. She gently challenged me to read Oren Mason’s book Reaching for a New Potential.

Immediately I put the book on hold at the library, and to say my views have completely changed after reading it would be an understatement. Mason is no ordinary medical doctor. He suffered with ADD for years and made a surprising discovery while reseaching ways to help his two sons. Not only did his sons have ADD but he had the very symptoms he was reading about. He started medication and all areas of his life began to improve. He began treating more ADD patients as his passion for the condition and its treatment developed. Within three years he switched his practice over to exclusively treating ADD patients in Grand Rapids, Mich.

It is against this personal and professional back drop that Mason wrote Reaching for a New
Potential. The book is divided into three parts. The first third deals with medications. After years of homeschooling in the 1980s and 1990s and reading about the surge in children being diagnosed with ADD and put on medication, I was certain that doctors were too quick to label kids as having ADD. This was the opinion I was sharing with the library patron a couple of months ago.
Mason refutes that opinion right out of the gate. He states that not only is ADD not over-diagnosed, he believes it is under-diagnosed! And not only that, he believes that medication should be the first line of treatment once a person has been properly diagnosed, not the last resort.
I am not one to quickly change my opinions but Mason’s easy-to-understand arguments made complete sense. Mason unequivocally recommends that medications are the most important step to normalize the life of a person with ADD. He spends two chapters talking about the kinds of medications used in the treatment of ADD, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. After a lengthy explanation, he had me convinced that generic drugs are usually not the way to go when treating ADD.
The middle of the book covers the care team a person with ADD needs to assemble to live the best life possible. He assumes that the patient is now on medication and asking what more they can do to help their brain function optimally. Many who are opposed to treating ADD with drugs start here.

Mason believes all these pieces — diet, exercise, sleep, no smoking and definitely no drinking the first two years of ADD treatment are extremely important. But the main reason that he doesn’t believe in starting here in the treatment of ADD is because he feels an unmedicated person with ADD is going to have a hard time addressing these pieces because most of them require planning — something in a short supply with ADD patients.

His other supports for the ADD patients toolbox are: good physicians, support groups, therapists, coaches, professional organizers and financial planners. The chapters in this middle third of the book will give the patient hope for change. The last chapter in this section, ‘Learning How to Treat Others’, will jumpstart the patient’s social skills, a skill the
loved ones of ADD sufferers will welcome.
The last third of the book delves into how the patient can fit in with other people in their lives especially at home and work. One whole chapter is devoted to the kinds of jobs that a person with ADD may be best suited for. The last two chapters of the book cover topics near and dear to the author’s heart: faith and healing.
At the end of the book Mason cautions against impatience with the healing process timeline. Getting the medicines tweaked correctly, gathering a support team and implementing the many suggestions for living in a world as a person with ADD will take years.

But he says, “The first milestone in the healing of ADD is the appearance of hope… Your hope is the reason I sat down to write this book. Far more important though, I suspect it’s the reason you finished it.”

Chick-fil-A opens in Gaines Twp.; Wyoming store coming

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local Food, , ,
Is was cold in Bloomington, Minn., in 2013 when people lined up outside a soon-to-open Chick-fil-A; it likely will be cold in Gaines Twp. when a new store opens this week. (Supplied)

WKTV Staff

 

A Chick-fil-A restaurant will be coming to Wyoming soon, but those who want their first taste of the menu can sample it this week as the first of several West Michigan franchises opens on Thursday, Jan. 12.

 

This week’s opening is at 1545 Edgeknoll Dr., S.E., off the M-6 and Kalamazoo Avenue exit, just south of Wyoming city line in Gaines Township. The City of Wyoming store, located at 700 54th St., S.W, is currently scheduled for a February opening.

 

As with other store openings nationwide, the Gaines Township store will also provide an opportunity for 100 people to win free meals for a year, as well as the ability for the community to donate books to a local youth organization, according to supplied material.

 

According to supplied material, the “First 100” party is a “family friendly” event where people will line up — even camp out overnight — to earn a meal a week for a year. The event is open to persons residing in specific zip codes surrounding the restaurant. (Eligible zip codes and rules are available at www.chick-fil-a.com/Locations/Openings).

 

The donated books will be place in a “Book House” built from reclaimed wood, and will serve as a free library exchange. Chick-fil-A has collected more than 27,000 children’s books which have been donated to 162 local organizations since 2014, according to supplied material.

 

Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery to host KD aLe tour

3-bottom, Beer, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Food, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, , ,
Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery will host a visit from the Kent District Library’s KD aLe program this week. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The Kent District Library’s continuing KD aLe program will visit Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery on Wednesday, Jan. 11, for a brewery tour — and a little taste of Kitzingen’s speciality: German beers and German food.

 

The event beings at 7 p.m. The brewery is located at 1760 44th St SW.; Suite 8A; in the Chateau Centre strip mall. Attendees receive a discount on beer when you show your library card.

 

The beers produced by Kitzingen brewmaster Rommie Bailey include between 9 and 15 brews on tap, including an IPA, a stout and a seasonal authentic Hefeweizen, according to its website: “We’re inspired by the proud German brewing tradition but we will give it a healthy twist of the innovative American craft brewing spirit,” Bailey said.

 

For more information on Kitzingen Brewery call 616-805-5077 of visit Kitzingen-Brewery.com . For more information on the library’s KD aLe program visit KDL.org

 

Winners for the Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition to air on WKTV

Citizen Journalism, , ,
Seth Yergin was the adult winner for his film “Summer.”

The winners of the Saugatuck Shorts Film Competition will be aired on WKTV Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 9 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 14, at 10 p.m.

 

The theme for the 2016 competition was “Michigan Flavor.” Each filmmaker was to make a film, no longer than five minutes that show their interpretation of Michigan Flavor.

 

There were two different groups for the competition, one for students under the age of 18 and one for adults over the age of 18. Three prizes were awarded at the screening: $500 judges’ award for best student film, $1,000 judges award for best adult film, and $1,000 for “Fan Favorite.” Audience members had the opportunity to vote for their favorite after all the films were screened.

 

Brennan Huizinga took home the student award and Fan Favorite.

The winner for the student category of this year’s competition was Brennan Huizinga for his film A Lake Michigan Sunset. Not only did Huizinga win the student category but his film also won the award for “Fan Favorite.” This is Huizinga’s second time submitting his films for the competition, his second time being in the top ten finalists, and his first time winning both of these awards.

 

The winner for the adult category of this year’s competition was Seth Yergin for his film Summer. This is Yergin’s first time entering the competition and he said he couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

 

Slight changes in Kentwood water, sewer rates for 2017

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Our Cities, ,

By Victoria Mullen

WKTV

 

After conducting an annual rate study and holding a 20-day public comment period, the Grand Rapids City Commission has set the water and sewer rates for 2017.

 

Because a portion of the Kentwood system is owned and maintained by the City of Grand Rapids (generally east of Breton Avenue), Kentwood residential customers will see some very slight changes in their quarterly water/sewer bills.

 

“The average residential customer will actually see a very slight overall decrease of 0.21% in their quarterly water/sewer bill for 2017,” said Tim Bradshaw, Director of Engineering & Inspections with the City of Kentwood.

 

The approximate changes to quarterly billing for the average customer are as follows:

  • Water: $2.15 (2.59 percent increase)
  • Sewer: ($2.46) (3.71 percent decrease)

There were no significant upgrades to the system, and Kentwood experienced minor growth via commercial and residential development.

 

“The main driver for the increase in the water rate is the need for the City of Grand Rapids to maintain a debt service coverage ratio of 1.2 to maintain their AA bonding status,” explained Bradshaw.

 

Metro Health celebrates affiliation with U-M, looks toward the future

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , , ,
Metro Health: University of Michigan Health President and CEO Michael Faas (second from the left) stands with some of the officials who attended the celebration on Jan. 5. They included Metro Health: University of Michigan Health Chief Administrative Officer Floyd Wilson Jr. (far left), University of Michigan Executive Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and President, Clinical Enterprise, David Spahlinger, M.D. (center) and Metro Health: University of Michigan Health Corporate Board Chair Doyle Hayes (far right). (Photo by Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Metro Health’s announcement of its affiliation with the University of Michigan had even Lt. Governor Brian Calley saying “Go blue.”

 

“And those who really know me, know that is a hard thing for me to say,” said the Michigan State University graduate. Calley, along with state and local officials joined hospital staff and officers for a celebration Thursday, Jan. 5, of the new affiliation between Metro Health and U-M. The event took place at the hospital.

 

T-shirts were handed out with the new logo that includes the familiar maze-color M with Metro Health and the words University of Michigan Health underneath. Blue and gold balloons adorned the Professional Building as the Godwin Heights High School cheerleaders welcomed people in through the hospital doors and the Godwin Heights High School Band played the U-M fight song.

 

The purpose of the event was to provide staff and elected officials more detail about the new affiliation, which, according to a press release handed out at the event, is not a partnership. According to Metro Health: University of Michigan Health Corporate Board Chair Doyle Hayes, who spoke at the event, Metro Health employees would remain Metro Health employees and the decisions of what’s important to the community will remain with the physicians and members of West Michigan.

 

Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll congratulates Metro Health University of Michigan President and CEO Michael Faas. (Photo by Abigail Stricker.)

“This affiliation brings together a trusted community resource, this is your resource, and the specialty care of U-M national leadership which also brings medical research and innovation,” Doyle said. “This affliction will provide West Michigan with greater access to high quality health care.”

 

Metro Health: University of Michigan Health President and CEO Michael Faas said Metro Health already has begun recruiting and is starting to look at future plans that include expansion of the Metro Village Health, the first of its kind in the nation, and beyond into other buildings outside of the Wyoming campus. Hospital officials have indicated that future plans could be announced later this year.

 

Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll said it has been wonderful to watch Metro Health grow over the past 10 years since it moved to the city, with changes that no one really could have predicted.

 

“Well this is obviously very exciting for the City of Wyoming to see the merger occuring,” Poll said. “Two wonderful organizations that are very well established that are now teaming together to bring better health care to the City of Wyoming.”

Business Matters: Wyoming chiropractor receives recognition

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, ,
Erik Kowalke, D.C.

Chiropractor Erik Kowalke, D.C., from Higher Health Chiropractic was recently recognized for his exceptional performance by receiving the 2016 10 Best Chiropractors for Client Satisfaction from the American Institute of Chiropractors.

 

The American Institute of Chiropractors is a third-party rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Chiropractors in each state. Practitioners who are selected must pass AIOC’s selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research and AIOC’s independent evaluation.

 

Kowalke, who is from Wisconsin, works out of the Higher Health Chiropractic’s Wyoming office at 1027 Gezon Parkway SW. Higher Health also has an office in Walker. He attended Michigan Technological University to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering but when he experienced relief from chronic allergies through chiropractic care, he became intrigued with how the body works, according to his bio on the Higher Health Chiropractic website. From there he went into chiropractic care.

 

Kowalke tours nationally, speaking and teaching chiropractic students and doctors. He is an adjunct faculty member of Palmer College of Chiropractic and Life University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a doctorate of chiropractic.

Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates winter with Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5

Citizen Journalism, ,
Teddy Abrams (Photo by O’Neil Arnold, courtesy of Grand Rapids Symphony.)

By Jeffrey Kaczamarczyk

Grand Rapids Symphony

 

At the heights of their careers, the world’s great poets, painters, playwrights and performers often become cultural heroes in the native lands.

 

Finnish composer Jean Sibelius just may top them all.

 

In 1915, the government of Finland commissioned its favorite son to compose a new symphony for orchestra. But the commission wasn’t in honor of crowning a new monarch or in remembrance of an important historical event.

 

The new work was commissioned to honor the composer himself, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 was premiered on the very date of the composer’s 50th birthday on Dec. 8.

 

To this day, the Finns remember the birthday of the composer celebrated for portraying the Finnish landscape and expressing the character of its people in his music.

 

Grand Rapids Symphony performs Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 for the fifth concerts of the 2016-17 Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series concerts on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13 and 14, in DeVos Performance Hall. Guest conductor Teddy Abrams, music director of the Louisville Orchestra, will lead the program titled Sibelius Symphony No. 5 with music by four composers all written within a 40-year period from 1915 to 1955.

 

A former assistant conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 2012-2014, Abrams conducts the Grand Rapids Symphony in three important works by composers who each loomed large over their country’s cultural milieu. In addition to Sibelius in Finland, the three include Sergei Prokofiev in the former Soviet Union, and Aaron Copland in the Unites States.

 

Benjamin Beilman (Photo by Christian Steiner, courtesy of Grand Rapids Symphony.)

Guest violinist Benjamin Beilman, who performs this season at the Dvorak Festival in Prague, in London’s Wigmore Hall and goes on a 10-city tour of Australia, joins the Grand Rapids Symphony to play Prokofiev’s youthful Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, written against the backdrop of the looming Russian Revolution.

 

A winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and First Prize in the Young Concert Artists international Auditions in 2010, Beilman has performed with orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Frankfort Radio Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal,

 

Many great composers of the 20th century tried their hand at composing film music. Not all succeeded. Aaron Copland’s score for the 1940 film Our Town, an adaptation of the celebrated play by Thornton Wilder, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Score, and the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture. Copland later adapted the film score for concert use.

 

The concerts open with Samuel Barber’s Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance, a seven-movement concert suite drawn from the American composer’s 1955 ballet, Medea.

 

 

 

On the shelf: ‘No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels’, by Jay Dobyns

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , , ,
no-angelOn the Shelf Book Review
 
By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

When the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms decided to infiltrate the Arizona Hells Angels and clean house they knew it wouldn’t be an easy job. Lengthy, complicated and expensive (think tax dollars), this sting holds one’s attention, as we wait to see what will ultimately be revealed when the nets are pulled up.

The most interesting part for me was the state of mind of the author/agent, as he descends into a violent, criminal culture that he finds increasingly attractive. We follow the transformation of Jay Dobyns, ATF undercover agent, into Bird, aspiring Hells Angel, over a 2-year period.

It raises the questions that police, military and even psychologists face, when they are trying to infiltrate or befriend “the enemy”. How much of our personality and our values are reflections of the culture we are in, rather than uniquely “us”? Where do the criminals stop and we begin… Dobyns invokes the lure of the free, macho brotherhood at first, but as time passes he shows us that it doesn’t really age so well.

Some of it was unintentionally funny. Who knew that there is a very strict, fussy code to get into the Hells Angels, and that their charters are filled with rules and “do’s and don’ts”. One crazy scene involves an impromptu opportunity for ATF, when the Hells Angels stay at a swanky Vegas hotel, supposedly arranged by Bird’s mysterious boss. ATF then needs an out-of-town police operative to play this “Mr Big”, and at the last minute they have to get a substitute, with surprising results.

Things are not as they would seem on the surface, but then, they never are.

Consumers Energy works while Kentwood sleeps

Citizen Journalism, ,
Mapped area is approximate

By Victoria Mullen

WKTV

 

Baby, it’s coooold outside! And while some Kentwood residents will be sleeping all toasty-warm in their beds in the wee hours of the morn this Saturday, Jan. 7, Consumers Energy workers will be busy attending to a 138,000-volt power line at the electrical substation near 68th Street and Kalamazoo Avenue.

 

(Worthy of note, arctic temps are expected to drop to 7 degrees between Friday night and early Saturday morning — but fear not, customers likely will not be inconvenienced.)

 

The planned outage is scheduled so that workers can safely isolate old equipment and update it. About 2,400 Consumers Energy customers in Kentwood and Gaines Township will be without power for about 30 minutes beginning around 2:30 a.m. — but unless you’re a night owl with a late-night craving for microwaved popcorn at 2:45 a.m., you may not  even notice (well, that is, until dawn breaks and your clock radio needs resetting.)

 

The outage will affect an area approximately a mile east and west of Kalamazoo Ave. SE from Christie Ave. SE south to approximately 100th Street SE. Residents in that area received post cards from the utility alerting them to the outage.