The Tri-Unity Defenders forced multiple turnovers and stood stout on a late fourth quarter drive to give Lee their first loss of the season in a 28-24 nail-biter on Friday night.
The Legends got off to an early 18-0 lead before the Defenders put up their first score shortly before halftime.
Lee controlled the Defender’s defense with the run game as Clarence Lewis rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Lewis also caught two balls for 80 yards.
A week after throwing a school-record seven touchdown passes, Legends quarterback Anthony Blok threw for 143 yards and one touchdown and added 77 and a score on the ground.
The key turning points in the game were two costly interceptions by Blok. The first one was caught by Tri-unity’s Zach Tuinstra as he dragged a host of Legends for a couple of yards afterward. Trey Rillema would add the second interception later on.
Tri-unity Coach Tim Heath noted though they came in with an 0-2 record, he has a good football team.
“We believe that we are a good football team,” Heath said. “We played a great Marcellus team and a NorthPointe Christian team that is almost four times our size. We just needed to keep the faith and execute. It was shaky at first, but a great night for our team.”
Quarterback Vergel Heath led the Defenders.
“It really starts with our QB Vergel Heath,” Coach Heath said. “He came out determined towards the end of the second quarter and started to run physically. This sparked us.”
The Defenders also used a fourth-quarter fumble to score what would be the game-winning touchdown. The touchdown drive was led by Defenders backup quarterback Clayton Rowlader as he relieved starter Heath after an injury.
Game ends with Defenders stopping Lee near goal line
The game’s final drive started at the Lee 27-yard line with over six minutes left. The Legends controlled the clock and got to the Defenders 8-yard line with less than a minute remaining to set up the game’s final play. On fourth-and-4, the Legends came up a yard short to end the game.
“Mistakes killed us tonight,” said Lee Coach Lamar Marshall. “Penalties, two interceptions, mental mistakes. Ball security and execution. We had a bad week of practice; a few guys were dinged up. We lost our starting safety Jaden Potts to a concussion.”
Coach Heath: “Hats off to Lee”
“They are greatly improved and played tough,” added Heath, who also coached at Lee from 2008-09. “They were great. We just made plays down the stretch.”
Tri-unity (1-2) hosts St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic next week, while the Legends (2-1) host Grand Rapids Sacred Heart in the WKTV Game of the Week.
What’s Your Story: Write Michigan’s annual short story contest provides a chance for all ages to be published and win money (Courtesy, Kent District Library)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Michigan writers of all ages are invited to enter the 12th annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest.
Kent District Library is pleased to present this annual contest that drew 1,250 entries in 2022. The Write Michigan contest offers separate categories for youth, teens and adults. Winning entries will be published, and the top writers will receive cash prizes.
“This contest gives writers the opportunity to reach their goal of getting published,” said Katie Zuidema, Marketing Communications Specialist at KDL. “Not only do writers have the chance to win $500, but their story could also be available to the masses on bookstore and library shelves across the state.”
Winners of the Write Michigan contest will be published and earn cash prizes (Courtesy, Kent District Library)
Stories can be submitted at writemichigan.org through Thursday, Nov. 30. Details include a 3,000-word maximum length; $10 entry fee for ages 18 and above, free for 17 and under; current Michigan residents only; all entries must be submitted online.
Three cash prizes will be given in each of the three categories ― Judges’ Choice ($500), Readers’ Choice ($250) and Judges’ Choice Runner-up ($250). The top ten stories in each category will be reviewed by a panel of judges comprised of published authors, editors, professors and literary agents. A public vote will determine the winners of Readers’ Choice.
Gary Schmidt, multiple award-winning author and Michigan resident, will be the keynote speaker at the 2024 Write Michigan awards ceremony in March. Schmidt will also be writing the foreword to the anthology, which is published by Chapbook Press.
“Write Michigan is truly a statewide effort,” says Josh Mosey, one of the organizers of the contest. “Kent District Library couldn’t put on the short story contest without our partners, including Schuler Books, Michigan Learning Channel, Capital Area District Library and Canton Public Library.”
Those who enjoy reading stories are encouraged to sign up to be a volunteer story reviewer at writemichigan.org/volunteer.
Those interested can join an online community of writers through Facebook (facebook.com/WriteMichigan) and Instagram (@write.michigan). Get encouragement, writing tips, challenges and more while you plot out your award-winning short story.
Kent District Library is offering a programming series geared towards writers and aspiring writers, covering topics like getting published, freelance writing, self-editing and creating compelling characters. For more details, including dates, times and locations, visit writemichigan.org/writers-conference.
In August 2020, WKTV Community Media converted to solar power with 252 solar panels generating enough electricity to power 17 homes. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor
Individual homeowners seeing the advantages of solar energy, both financially and socially, is not new. Often, big industry, and big electric suppliers such as Michigan’s Consumer Energy, are “all in” on solar power and have the large-scale fields to prove it.
But for small to medium businesses looking at their bottomline, and non-profits looking to have their financial resources better spent, turning to solar has to make dollars and sense.
And more and more it is a viable option — financially and socially — for medium sized businesses such as Southwest Michigan’s Lakeshore Die Cast, Inc., Grand Rapids non-profit Hope Network and even WKTV Journal’s Wyoming home at WKTV Community Media.
“Sunrise Over Solar” at Lakeshore Die Cast, Inc.. (Courtesy, Lakeshore Die Cast, Inc.)
Adam Schaller, vice president and day-to-day manager of the Schaller family-owned Lakeshore Die Cast of Baroda, told WKTV that the financial opportunities presented by his business going significantly solar was first and foremost a business decision.
But he and the business — employing 20-30 employees, and producing aluminum and zinc die castings — also are looking to the future as well as the bottomline.
“Sustainability and resilience are important to our company and us,” Schaller said. “As a generational business we think in larger term time scales and if there is some chance we are affecting the climate for future generations we should err on the side of caution and do what we can to leave the world a better place for future generations.”
Lakeshore Die Cast began its effort to go solar in 2019 and now has two solar installations, a 150 Kilowatt (kW) electric power producing array completed in 2020 and a 1.25 megawatt (MW) array completed in 2022.
“The installations take almost zero maintenance, aside from cutting the grass around them which I was doing anyway,” Schaller said. “They work when it’s cloudy and all year long.”
Lakeshore Die Cast’s solar field in Baroda, Mich., from summer 2022. (Courtesy, Lakeshore Die Cast, Inc.)
The amount of energy arrays such as Lakeshore Die Cast’s will generate is “well known,” Schaller said, and the NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) has a calculator (https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/) where businesses can figure out how much a proposed array will generate.
The installer on both of Lakeshore Die Cast’s projects was Harvest Solar in Jackson, Mich.
“They did a great job on both projects with helping me understand and connect with people to figure out how to get projects of the size that I have installed,” Schaller said.
Non-profit organizations seeing solar advantages, too
Hope Network, through its own vision and a $3,655,547 grant from the State of Michigan, also is planning a solar future through its Solar PV and Battery Storage project.
The locally-based charitable non-profit “strives to provide educational, spiritual and healthcare assistance to high-need individuals and communities throughout Michigan,” according to its Jan. 5, 2023 grant application
“Unfortunately, Hope Network doesn’t always have the infrastructure to support their charitable operations,” according to the grant application.
Hope Network’s Lowell location is an approximately 100,000 square-foot campus home to 50 individuals, and the administration is “burdened” with high energy costs and power outages “largely due to their antiquated equipment.” Currently, the campus utilizes 248,800 kWh of energy annually, and all of it is purchased through Consumers Energy.
“This contributes to exorbitant energy costs,” according to the grant application, but the project is expected to “reduce energy costs, uphold energy security, and nearly eliminate carbon emissions.”
In 2022, Hope Network hired Johnson Controls to provide a preliminary study about the financial and environmental impacts of installing solar PV and battery storage. The study reported the potential cost savings to be nearly $790,000 in electric bill savings over 25 years. It would also decrease carbon emissions by 284,057 pounds annually, roughly a 99 percent reduction.
“We will use operational savings to expand community-based programming to serve our area,” according to the grant application. “A dollar that we save through this solar project is a dollar that we will reinvest back into our community through increasing supportive services, continuously improving our infrastructure, and expanding our educational offerings.”
Solar boxes at WKTV at 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW Wyoming. (WKTV)
WKTV becomes a solar powered facility
WKTV Community Media, its office as well as its broadcast operation, is now a literal solar powered facility with the majority of its energy being supplied by solar. The non-profit has 252 panels on its roof and with the advancement in solar technology, panels are now able to even generate power in full moonlight.
Since its solar installation in September, 2020, WKTV has saved 463,641.59 lbs. in emissions, equivalent to planting 3,503 trees. WKTV is expected to see a return on investment in 10 years.
Solar panels atop the WKTV roof at 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW Wyoming.(WKTV)
“Since 1974, WKTV has been a leader in our community,” said Tom Norton, WKTV General Manager. “The technological availability of renewable energy is a perfect fit for our organization, and is a great example of our commitment to our community.”
Solar a big part of energy providers’ future
The move to expanded solar power generation and use, on a statewide scale, is led by the state’s largest energy supplier, Consumers Energy, which currently has three large-scale “solar gardens,” one at Western Michigan University, one at Grand Valley State University, and one in Cadillac.
“Consumers Energy is all-in on solar,” Josh Paciorek, Consumers Energy spokesperson, said to WKTV. “We’re adding more clean, renewable, solar-generated electricity for Michigan as part of our Clean Energy Plan. In addition to its environmental benefits, solar is increasingly cost competitive with other fuel sources.”
Consumers Energy currently generates about 4 percent of its energy from solar, Paciorek said. But “as part of our clean energy plan, you’re going to see an aggressive increase of solar generation between now and 2040 … we’re also seeing more and more of an interest in solar from customers.”
The City of Grand Rapids is one customer. The city installed solar at their Water Filtration Plant, and according to Paciorek the reasons were twofold: it made financial sense and it’s part of an effort to power the city with clean energy.
Finding solar financing; finding grants
While Hope Network is starting its solar energy journey through a state grant, Lakeshore Die Cast needed a business partner to go solar. Enter Michigan Saves, which states it is “the nation’s first nonprofit green bank.”
Michigan Saves, based out of Lansing, “is dedicated to making clean energy improvements easier for all Michigan consumers,” Lateshia Parker, Michigan Saves director of marketing and communications, said to WKTV. “Through affordable financing and other incentives, Michigan Saves connects borrowers to a network of skilled contractors for energy efficiency, geothermal and solar installation projects.”
From 2010 through June 2023, Michigan Saves has financed 1,714 solar projects, with 1,681 being residential and 33 commercial, according to Parker.
“Michigan Saves believes an equitable transition to a carbon-free Michigan where everyone has access to the benefits of clean energy and climate-resilient solutions is possible,” Parker said.
The Hope Network’s state grant was part of a $50 million series of low-carbon energy infrastructure enhancement and development grants approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission and announced in June of this year.
Another Grand Rapids area organization receiving a grant was $5 million to Kent County for its Kent County Bioenergy Facility at the Kent County Sustainable Business Park in south Kent County.
(Courtesy, pxhere.com)
Buy-back rules, battery issues and more
There are two ways individuals, and small businesses and non-profits, can partner with Consumer Energy to turn to solar: the Solar Gardens enrollment program and the Distributed Generation program.
According to Consumer Energy’s Paciorek, customers who enroll in Solar Gardens pay about $10 a month to support solar projects and receive bill credits based on electricity generated by the gardens.
Many residential and business customers, however, use their solar power investments to “sell back” unused energy to Consumers Energy through its Distributed Generation program.
“When customers become part of the Distributed Generation (DG) program, the energy they generate will decrease their need to buy electricity from us, and we will also credit them for any extra energy they produce,” Paciorek said. “It’s good for the planet, and their energy budget, too. I’d note that we recently voluntarily doubled the size of our DG program.”
At Lakeshore Die Cast, which uses Indiana Michigan Power as its electric supplier, Schaller is comfortable with the current buy-and-sell power contract with his power company. But he wished there were better technology to allow him to store generated power as well.
“We operate on a standard tariff agreement with them where we buy inflow power we need and sell back extra power we make at wholesale market pricing,” Schaller said. But “we do not have any battery storage capability at this time. While there have been some large utility batteries installed in other places in the county, there isn’t much in the way of commercial sized battery installations in the market yet.”
Last week, Clarence Lewis led the Legends with a big five touchdown game. This week, quarterback Anthony Blok took it to the next level with a school record seven TD passes in a 58-34 win over Calvin Christian in Grandville High School’s stadium.
Lee quarterback Anthony Blok. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Blok completed 15-of-25 passes for 419 yards in the win.
“He is a strong thrower, and has gotten a lot better this year,” said Lee Coach Lamar Marshall of his second-year captain. “With his throwing ability and his leadership, he has been our vocal leader on the offensive end. He has taken that and run with it.”
After going winless in 2022, the Legends are now on a different path at 2-0.
“They are locked in, they’re excited,” Marshall said. “They have bought into what me and my coaches have been preaching this year. It’s been beautiful.”
Marshall said his team was working on execution all week in practice leading up to the game.
“We were hammering executing all week and we executed great today,” Marshall said. “Offensively, it was one of the best games we’ve had since I’ve been here.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the guys today. They executed flawlessly.”
The teams traded scores in the first half and Lee took a 30-28 lead into halftime.
“In the first half we were back and forth, trading touchdowns, but we took control in the second half.”
Merriweather, Lewis and Davis
Wide receiver Aidan Merriweather scored four touchdowns (8 catches for 196 yards), while Lewis added two rushing and one receiving. Charles Davis had two receiving TDs as well (three catches for 160 yards).
Marshall said Lewis was his “glue guy.”
“He makes us stick together and is always encouraging the guys to be better the next play and forget about the last play. He doesn’t let them dwell on the last play. His senior leadership has been a bright spot.”
“The leadership from the players has been one of the brightest spots that we’ve had this year … keeping the spirits up and not yelling at each other and arguing when someone messes up. It’s a great thing to see the way they are all stepping up.”
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back Sept. 8!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
Check out our WKTV highlights from Godwin Heights game against Orchard View Thursday night.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back on Sept. 8!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
The Rockets quick start on Thursday night was extinguished by Laingsburg as the visiting Wolfpack left with a 35-7 victory.
Kelloggsville senior QB Jeremie Tsoumou broke several tackles on an electrifying 50-yard TD run on the game’s opening drive.
Senior QB Jeremie Tsoumou scored on a 50-yard TD run. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“Couldn’t have asked for a better start,” Kelloggsville Coach Brandon Branch said. “Our guys fought hard throughout the game.”
The Rockets were 1-8 a season ago and are off to an 0-2 start this season. Despite the tough start to the season, Branch sees improvement in both the effort and overall depth of their program.
“Last year, I feel like during a game like this we might have packed it in,” Branch said. “But our guys refused to back down and kept fighting.
“We had our opportunities tonight and I don’t believe the final score was indicative of how we played.”
Kelloggsville kicks off the OK Silver portion of its schedule as they head to Comstock Park next Friday to face the Panthers.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back on Sept. 8!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
An iconic Radio Flyer car made an appearance at the 28th Street Metro Cruise (Courtesy, Becci Schumaker)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
An iconic name made an appearance at Woodland Mall during the 28th Street Metro Cruise event Aug. 25-26, 2023.
A legacy that stretches over 100 years, Radio Flyer is one of the most recognized names in the toy industry.
Founded in 1917 by young Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin, Radio Flyer began as a hobby – a coaster wagon that he created and sold to local hardware stores. That first line of wagons sold as fast as he could make them.
Pasin christened the wagon the Liberty Coaster, later renaming his invention Radio Flyer – the Original Little Red Wagon®. The combination of “radio” and “flyer” was born from Pasin’s fascination with airplanes and radios.
Today, Radio Flyer continues to be a Chicago-based, family-owned company committed to creating high-quality products.
“Our mission is to create smiles and warm memories that last a lifetime,” Radio Flyer’s website says.
Over the years, Radio Flyer has transformed how they thought about their brand, reimagining their product line to help serve the entire family. Through it all, they have stayed true to their legacy.
Antonio Pasin was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2003.
To learn more about Radio Flyer’s history and products, visit here.
Utility companies work to restore power to over 374K customers after severe storms sweep through Michigan (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
Widespread damage extends over Michigan after severe storms and suspected tornados tear across the state on Aug. 25.
75-mph winds left 374,000 Michigan utility customers without power on Friday, Aug. 25, from Grand Rapids to the southeast side of the state.
The storm damaged structures, took down trees and power lines, and resulted in closed roads for several hours.
The Grand Rapids National Weather Service reported that officials will be in the field Friday to conduct damage surveys on tornadoes suspected in central Kent County and northeast Ingham County.
Storms took down trees, power lines, and damaged structures (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
Power outages can cause food spoilage, water contamination, disrupt communication and transportation, and prevent use of medical devices. Loss of power can also restrict consumer access to ATMs, banks, grocery stores, and other services.
Here are some safety tips provided by ready.gov in case of power outage:
Check with local officials about heating and cooling locations open near you, and go to a community location with power if heat or cold is extreme.
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed to prevent food spoilage.
Donot use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges – power may return with momentary surges or spikes that can cause damage.
Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
Use a generator, but ONLY outdoors and away from windows.
Generators can be helpful when the power goes out, but it is important to know how to use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and other hazards.
Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages.
Install working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets.
Keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding. Touching a wet generator or devices connected to one can cause electrical shock.
Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
Let the generator cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on hot engine parts can ignite.
After going winless in 2022, the Lee Legends turned their hard luck experience into immediate results as they exploded in the season opener with a 50-0 win over host Baldwin Thursday.
And they did so on the shoulders of basketball star turned running back Clarence Lewis, who rushed for 110 yards and five touchdowns on 12 carries in his first career start for the Legends.
“I’m excited for my guys,” said Coach Lamar Marshall, who explained it was the first football win for most of his players. “I told them it’s because of the hard work they put in during the off-season.
“We executed extremely well. Still have a few things to clean up, but overall happy with the way we played.”
Lee quarterback Anthony Blok. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Junior quarterback Anthony Blok went 6 for 6 passing for 140 yards and two touchdown passes.
Blok connected with sophomore Aiden Merriweather on both of those touchdowns, as Merriweather collected three catches for 70 yards along with the two scores. Charles Davis contributed with three grabs for 70 yards on the night.
“Our experience showed tonight,” said Marshall, whose team finished 0-9 last season. “Our leaders corrected the mistakes. We muffed a punt towards the end of the first quarter that kind of was a momentum killer, but the leadership and experience made up for it.”
The Legends brought back a wealth of experience from last season, losing only one player while adding two from the basketball court.
Jaden Potts used his skills from the hardwood to impact the Legends’ defense from the hybrid “Rebel” position. Potts collected 10 tackles on the night, helping Lee secure their first shutout since September 1, 2017. Henry Kennedy added 10 tackles.
Marshall said he’ll let his team enjoy this victory, but come Monday’s practice he will refocus his team.
“The goal for the week is to be 1-0. Prepare well, know your job, do your job and have fun.”
The Legends look to start 2-0 as they travel to Calvin Christian next Thursday for a 7 p.m. kick-off.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back next week!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
15,000+ collector/sports/antique cars, two days, 17 hours, five cities, 13 miles, and hundreds of public and private events will descend upon 28th Street and the surrounding areas on Aug. 25 and 26.
An estimated 200,000 people participate in Metro Cruise related events during this annual two day event.
Since its inception in 2005, Metro Cruise has been a consistent celebration of cars, local business, great food, and family and friends while also continuing the car culture known in the Grand Rapids area.
A new era
Previously owned by the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, Metro Cruise has recently come under new ownership through a privately owned entity.
Despite the change in proprietorship, Wyoming Police Lt. Andrew Koeller said, “The Wyoming Police and the City of Wyoming are providing the same services we have traditionally provided.”
Rogers Plaza mall parking lot in Wyoming is always a focal point for the 28th Street Metro Cruise. (WKACC)
Wyoming Police Department is staffing Metro Cruise with assistance from the Michigan State Police, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Grandville Police, Walker Police, Kentwood Police, and Wyoming Fire Department.
Eventgoers can expect to see WYPD in marked police vehicles, police motorcycles, on bicycles, and on foot.
“The Wyoming Police Department is committed to providing a safe environment during the event for all to enjoy,” said Koeller.
Take a quick Pit Stop
“We are very excited to announce a feature of Metro Cruise we know you’ll love,” the Metro Cruise website states. “There are now more ways than ever to enjoy your favorite auto event.”
Three Pit Stop sites have been added to Metro Cruise. These sites will be smaller, more specialized, and offer easier access than the Main Event sites at Woodland Mall and Rogers Plaza.
Hosting a minimum of four key features – collector car club(s), food vendor(s), official Metro Cruise merchandise, and an entertainment feature – each Pit Stop site will be open to the public with space for free parking.
Popular events
The Metro Cruise Dust Off kicks off the event series each year (WKTV)
Official event times are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26. The Official Cruise time down 28th Street at 4 p.m. on Saturday. However, it is not unusual to see classic cars cruising along 28th Street all weekend long.
The Woodland Mall Main Event location will offer several family-friendly activities such as live music, Car Smash, RC Car building and racing, a climbing wall, a scavenger hunt, and much more.
Also featured at the Woodland Mall will be the annual DreamWheels Red Carpet Classic Car Show on Saturday from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This premiere event allows audience members to gather along a 135 foot red carpet as beautiful classic cars are revealed and roll by.
Rogers Plaza is the second Main Event location and will also provide live music, various family-friendly activities, the DYNO area, Miss Metro Cruise Finale competition, and the Wyoming High School Color Guard and Drumline.
Plan your visit
Metro Cruise Information Tents at the Main Event sites will have free, full color, printed programs. A full list of events and times can also be found here.
Gene Billings and daughter Cathe DeLaney, Metro Cruise 2022 (WKTV)
We want see how much fun you had at Metro Cruise!
Submit your photos from wherever you are at Metro Cruise to general@wktv.org by Monday, Aug. 28 for a chance to have them included in WKTV Journal’s photo gallery.
Counting on results from a great summer session plus depth at the linemen position, Kelloggsville Coach Brandon Branch is planning on moving the program forward this season.
“I expect our program to take some steps forward this season,” said Branch, whose Rockets finished 1-5 in the OK Silver and 1-8 overall last year. “We have had excellent summer participation and will see the results of that effort.
“We have a large group of linemen, the largest by number we have ever had. Depth at a position creates competition which will lead to a tough O-Line and D-Line.”
Kelloggsville Season Opener: At home against Grant on Thursday, Aug. 24 (7 p.m.)
“I am expecting a hard-fought game against Grant,” Branch said. “We have been preparing for them all summer so I don’t think our guys will be surprised by anything Grant will throw at us.
“My guys will be tough and fight to the end. It’s going to be a great start to our season.”
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back next week!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
The program gives West Michigan patients greater choice and access to top-rated care close to home while also reducing costs. The Grand Rapids market was previously the largest in the state with a single open-heart program.
The UMHW cardiovascular operating room has state-of-the-art equipment (Courtesy, UMHW)
UM Health-West CEO Dr. Peter Hahn said the milestone is a testament to the collaboration and meticulous preparation that led to the program launch last October.
“Before we saw a single patient, we built and equipped a state-of-the-art operating room. We assembled a team of leading heart surgeons and cardiovascular experts, and we designed protocols to ensure our first patient could have the same expectation of excellence as our 100th patient,” Hahn said. “We intend to continue building on that success.”
Dr. Alphonse DeLucia III, who leads the UM Health-West cardiac surgery team, said the program’s success shows the genius of the model established by the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan. The joint operating agreement leverages the expertise of Trinity Health Muskegon, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, UM Health-West, and more than 125 years of cardiovascular leadership from University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor.
“Patients no longer have to wonder if they are getting the best option for care,” DeLucia said. “Patients go through their own cardiologist. If advanced cardiovascular care becomes necessary, the Network provides the collective expertise from all four programs to evaluate each case and ensure the best possible treatment.”
Trinity Health provides access to some of the most accomplished surgeons in the state (Courtesy, UMHW)
Whether surgery takes place at Trinity Health Muskegon or at UM Health-West in Wyoming, the Network provides access to some of the most accomplished surgeons in the state. These surgeons have decades of experience and have performed thousands of operations.
Another aspect that sets the program apart, said Dr. Theodore Boeve, a cardiothoracic surgeon based at Trinity Health Muskegon, is that it draws on the renowned cardiovascular expertise of University of Michigan.
“Some of the greatest advances in cardiovascular medicine and surgery got their start in Ann Arbor, and Michigan Medicine continues to be a leader in improving outcomes for patients with heart disease,” Boeve said, noting patients benefit from the latest research and clinical trials. “This opens an entirely new scope of treatment options.”
UM Health-West Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ronald Grifka said the early success confirms that the cardiac surgery program and the Network are addressing a critical necessity for the fastest-growing region of the state.
The overwhelming success of the cardiovascular program has encouraged plans for further expansion (Courtesy, UMHW)
“The fact that we expect to perform close to 125 surgeries in our first 12 months – and possibly 200 in our second year – shows West Michigan needed more options in the fight against heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death,” Grifka said. “We are making a direct impact on the quality of life for our patients across the region.”
Dr. Himanshu Patel, Executive Director of the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan says the overwhelming success of the program has encouraged plans for further expansion and advancements.
“Expansion in the next decade is not a matter of if, but when,” Patel said. “We are confident of this, just as we fully expect to continue delivering more breakthroughs and sophisticated treatments for our patients.”
Godwin Heights Coach Brandon Kimble said he felt last year could have been a six – or seven-win season for the football team if they executed down the stretch.
“We are focused on execution and finishing all four quarters,” said Kimble, whose team finished 3-3 in the OK Silver last season, 4-5 overall. “We lost a couple close games last year.
Keion Beasley. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Jace Reid-Anderson. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“We were really banged up during the Calvin game finishing the year, so we are excited to be back healthy.”
Keion Beasley is tapped to fill the shoes of standout quarterback Jamarion Collins, who graduated last year.
“We are really excited to have Keion take over and lead us at the QB position,” Kimble said.
Jace Reid-Anderson returns and “will be a key piece at WR/DB.”
Other Key Players
“Miguel Ocampo will be top of the list of players we are expecting to have a great year at DB and WR,” Kimble said. “Jeff Zelaya is a returning All-Conference RB that will lead the way for us on the ground. Tellios Moore is another skill position we expect to have a great year.”
Jeff Zelaya. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“Up front, Patrick Knight, Diego Revolorio, Johlahn Thomas and Antione Jones are the guys that will lead us offensively and defensively.”
Godwin Heights Season Opener: At Mason County Central on Thursday, Aug. 24 (7 p.m.)
“We are excited to travel to Mason County and battle a tough-run, heavy team,” Kimble said. “This will be a game that will be won in the trenches. The team that is able to establish the line of scrimmage will win the game.”
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back next week!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
Video courtesy of Staff Sgt. Drake Chandler, 126th Theater Public Affairs Support Element, DVIDS
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
Soldiers disembark at The Capital Region International Airport (LAN) in Lansing (Courtesy, Pfc. Erich Holbrook)
U.S. Army Soldiers of the 125th Infantry Regiment and Delta Company (MICO), Michigan National Guard were reunited with family and friends in Lansing and Grand Rapids on Aug. 16.
Soldiers of the Michigan Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (125IN), including C Company of Wyoming, spent approximately one year deployed to Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) “advises, assists and enables partnered forces until they can independently defeat Daesh in designated areas of Iraq and Syria, in order to set conditions for long-term security cooperation frameworks,” according to the CJTF-OIR website.
Soldiers were reunited with family and friends Aug. 16 after a year-long deployment (Courtesy, Pfc. Erich Holbrook)
Though the territory occupied by Daesh has been liberated, Daesh continues to be a “persistent terrorist threat.” CJTF-OIR works continually with partnered forces to ensure defeat of any Daesh remnants.
“I’m very proud of the commitment, service and sacrifice of the Soldiers of the 125 Infantry,” said Col. Matthew M. LeaTrea. “The Soldiers of the 125 Infantry served honorably and with the highest traditions of military service, and their service reflect great credit and pride upon their unit and the Michigan Army National Guard.”
Returning Soldiers also hail from A Company located in Detroit; B and HHC Companies located in Saginaw; D Company located in Big Rapids; D Company, 83rd Brigade Engineering Battalion (MICO) located in Lansing; and H Company, 237th Forward Support Company located in Bay City.
About the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment
Family and friends were waiting to welcome the soldiers home (Courtesy, Sgt. Patrick Mayabb)
Headquartered in Saginaw and with companies located throughout Michigan, the 125IN is commanded by Lt. Col. Justin Bierens, and is a subordinate unit of the 63rd Troop Command located in Belmont and commanded by Col. Matthew LeaTrea.
The 125IN traces its lineage to the 1850s and, among other conflicts, elements have seen service in the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Since the Global War on Terror, Soldiers of the 125IN have been activated and/or deployed in support of several missions, with the most recent being Syria.
The Wyoming football team is entering year three under Coach Carlton Brewster, and with plenty of experience on hand, the Wolves are primed to take the next step in the growth process.
When Brewster took over the team three years ago one of his goals was to build around the freshman class. Those freshmen are now juniors and primed to make an impact on the field.
Wyoming Football Coach Carlton Brewster. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“One of the first things I tried to do when I got here was to grab a hold of the freshman class and try and mold it,” said Brewster, whose Wolves finished 0-9 last season.
“They say when you are trying to change the culture of a team it usually takes five to seven years.
“Our goal was to do it in three or four years. Now, those freshmen are juniors and they are a very mature group of juniors as most of them played on the varsity last year.”
Brewster also is more comfortable with the team heading into his third year.
“Last year was a learning experience for everybody,” Brewster said. “Some things that I thought would work for us didn’t. We had to figure things out along the journey. We had some success, but overall, it was a learning experience and we learned a lot of things.”
Jay Johnson (pictured) and Antwan Brown Jr. are promising quarterbacks for the Wolves. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
On offense this season the Wolves have a pair of promising quarterbacks leading the way. Junior Jay Johnson is a strong runner while sophomore Antwan Brown Jr. brings a strong arm to the position.
“Both guys are young, first-time varsity quarterbacks and that is a process in itself,” Brewster said. “They are both looking pretty good, but it will definitely take some time for them to get used to varsity football.”
While the quarterbacks gain experience the Wolves can rely on a deep cast of running backs to shoulder the load. Senior Nasir Purnell and juniors Adrian Moore, Kason Merchant and Sharrod Mitchell will all contribute and give the team good depth at running back.
Wyoming RB/CB Adrian Moore. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Wyoming also has a solid group of pass catchers. Senior Donavyn Edwards is a talented veteran receiver that leads the way.
Adrian Moore will see time at the slot back position while juniors Julian Toscano and Jack Terveen are a pair off promising tight ends that can catch the ball.
The Wolves run a spread offense that will rely on the running game to set up the passing game.
Paving the way for the backs is an experienced offensive line. Senior Zhari Horton anchors the line at center flanked by junior guards Charles Anderson (6-0, 270 pounds) and Joseph Awator. The Wolves have a pair of big, talented tackles in juniors Jackson Lamrouex (6-3, 280) and Jharimiah Harris (6-0, 275).
Wyoming OL/DL Jackson Lamrouex. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
“We have some experience on offense and we know who we are now,” Brewster said. “We want to run the ball on the edge and out-physical teams on the edge and then open up the inside.”
On the defensive side of the ball the Wolves have plenty of experience and depth, especially along the defensive line. Darius Scott (5-9, 230), Terveen (6-1, 235) and Lamrouex anchor the defensive front.
At linebacker, the Wolves have Merchant and Mitchell at inside linebacker with sophomore Tae White and Johnson at outside linebacker.
The secondary looks solid with senior Mauricio Hernandez and Moore at cornerback along with Pernell and Edwards at the safety positions.
“Our defensive line should be pretty good,” Brewster said. “Our secondary also looks like a strong point. We had six sophomores start on defense last year so we were pretty young.”
Senior RB/S Nasir Purnell. (WKTV/Hayden Passig)
Wyoming also has decent depth with around 30 players on the team this season.
“Our numbers are decent,” Brewster said. “It’s one of those things where we have to keep chopping wood. We have to keep moving forward.”
Wyoming opens the season Thursday, Aug. 24 when it hosts Forest Hills Northern.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is back next week!
Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
The dining room at Holiday Aurora Pond senior living community received extensive renovations (Courtesy, Holiday by Atria)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
Upgrades in design and amenities help residents enjoy a vibrant lifestyle (Courtesy, Holiday by Atria)
Aurora Pond, a Holiday by Atria independent living community, has completed their $1.5 million renovation project for capital upgrades in design and amenities.
The public was invited to come see the enhancements during a grand opening celebration on Thursday, Aug. 17. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at 3 p.m. with refreshments, live entertainment and community tours following.
Helping residents thrive
A main focus of the renovation was to create an expanded fitness room to meet the needs of seniors working to maintain a more active lifestyle as they age. The game lounge, living room with library, atrium, and dining room also received extensive renovations.
Other improvements included added A/V capabilities in all common areas, exterior enhancements, and energy-efficient lighting.
Updated and energy-efficient lighting create a cozy atmosphere at Aurora Pond (Courtesy, Holiday by Atria)
“We are always delighted to welcome guests to Holiday Aurora Pond, but we [were] especially excited to show our surrounding community these recent improvements to our communal spaces,” said Matt Kruchowski, General Manager.
“Improving our dining room, fitness room, and multi-purpose rooms helps our residents thrive and continue to enjoy a vibrant lifestyle,” Kruchowski continued. “Social engagement – whether that’s sharing a meal with friends, group fitness classes, or movie nights – is a critical component to our residents’ physical, cognitive, and emotional wellbeing.”
For more information or to schedule a community tour, call 616-530-2511 or visit www.HolidayAuroraPond.com.
About Holiday by Atria
Holiday by Atria operates senior living communities with friendly neighbors and services designed to simplify life for older adults. Holiday by Atria is one of six distinct brands operated by Atria Senior Living.
An expanded fitness room will help seniors maintain an active lifestyle (Courtesy, Holiday by Atria)
Atria Senior Living, a leading operator of independent living, assisted living, supportive living and memory care communities, is the residence of choice for more than 38,000 older adults and the workplace of choice for more than 13,000 employees.
Atria creates vibrant communities where older adults can thrive and participate, know that their contributions are valued, and enjoy access to opportunities and support that help them keep making a positive difference in our world.
For more information about Holiday by Atria, visit HolidaySeniorLiving.com or follow them on Facebook or LinkedIn. For career opportunities, visit AtriaCareers.com.
Sam Bolt was a dedicated servant of the City of Wyoming for several years (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
The City of Wyoming mourns the loss of dedicated public servant and community gem, Sam Bolt, who passed away Aug. 10 at the age of 75 after a 15-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer.
A 1966 graduate of Grand Rapids Central Christian High School, Sam enlisted in the Air Force after graduation and was stationed at McQuire AFB in New Jersey until 1971. He then spent 23 years at Chicago Dr. Schwinn (now West Michigan Cyclery and Fitness), and then as a financial planner with Gunn, Kol, and Bolt until his retirement in 2015.
Harboring a passion for service, Sam served on the Wyoming City Council as a councilmember-at-large and Mayor Pro Tem from 2005-2022, and was a Wyoming paid-on-call firefighter from 1981-1998.
Sam generously served on various boards and commissions including the Retirement Board, Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, West Michigan Regional Planning Commission, Kent County Waste to Energy Advisory Committee and Family Network of Wyoming.
Sam dedicated many years of service to the residents of Wyoming, worked daily toward the betterment of the community, and always put Wyoming residents and staff first when making decisions.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Christian Reformed Conference Grounds, 11253 Lakeshore Dr., Grand Haven MI 49417.
Wyoming Police Department (Courtesy, Deborah Reed, WKTV Staff)
By WKTV Staff
Contents provided by Wyoming Police Department
Wyoming Police arrested three individuals for carrying a concealed weapon in 12 hours resulting in the seizure of four handguns and narcotics.
At approximately 12 p.m. on Aug. 15, officers from the Wyoming Police Department responded to the 5500 block of Byron Center Avenue on the report of a retail fraud at a local business. The suspect in the retail fraud had fled the scene and was located by officers a short time later.
The 18-year-old male resident of Wyoming was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The male was arrested and brought to Kent County Jail for carrying a concealed weapon.
Seven hours after the first weapons arrest, officers from the Wyoming Police Department conducted a traffic stop near 44th Street and Clyde Park Avenue to arrest a subject wanted for a felony warrant.
The individual, a 50-year-old male Kentwood resident, was arrested without incident for an outstanding warrant. The suspect was found to be in possession of two loaded handguns at the time of his arrest. The male was taken to Kent County Jail on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of cocaine, and a felon in possession of a firearm.
(Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)
Just after 12 a.m. on Aug. 16, Wyoming officers responded to the 2600 block of Spring Hill Street on the report of a suspicious vehicle. The occupied vehicle was located shortly after officers arrived in the area.
The occupant of the vehicle, a 22-year-old male Benton Harbor resident, was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun. The suspect was taken to Kent County Jail for carrying a concealed weapon.
These incidents are just a small example of the exemplary work that Wyoming officers engage in daily. Wyoming Police Department’s commitment to safety in the community is unwavering and will continue to be the utmost priority.
The Wyoming Police Department has seized 63 firearms in 2023.
The Business Diversity Council is part of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
With a combined 130K residents, Wyoming and Kentwood are the two largest neighboring communities to Grand Rapids, and represent one of the most diverse areas of West Michigan.
Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber’s Business Diversity Council continually works to uncover issues and concerns for those in the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities of Wyoming, Kentwood, and surrounding south Kent County areas.
The Business Diversity Council met Aug. 9 to discuss how to prepare for an international workforce and new American neighbors (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
The Council recently met to discuss how local companies can best receive and support international employees and new American neighbors.
The meeting included presentations of cross-cultural training by Laura Cronin, Director of West Michigan Friendship Center, and Natasha Mueller, Community Engagement Director, that worked to give businesses ideas and tools that would help them navigate language barriers, religious considerations, transportation, cultural differences, and much more.
Also touched on during the meeting was the importance of continuous efforts to understand and learn about those in our communities.
In a supplied statement, Mueller said that she believes “curiosity is key to cultural understanding.”
Mueller has put that belief into action over the years as she worked with leadership from various Latin American countries, the Cuban and Haitian refugee communities at Bethany Christian Services, and now as part of a multicultural team that represents each continent and more than 5 countries.
Cronin’s time teaching in under-resourced neighborhoods and directing international mission work has taught her that “valuing the individual is good for cross-cultural relationships and good for business.”
The Kent County Welcome Plan website states that “Grand Rapids and Kent County are home to everyone who lives here, and it should feel like it too.”
The site went on to say that creating a “welcoming and inclusive environment for new Americans, immigrants, and refugees in Kent County is not only the right thing to do, it also contributes economically to the area’s well-being.”
The WKTV Friday Night Highlights show is coming soon, along with our in-depth Journal coverage of the Wyoming and Kentwood area football teams. Our FNH host will walk you through highlights from most of the local games every single Friday night throughout the season and into the playoffs.
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
greer@wktv.org
With the first week of high school football practice in the books, games under the lights are just about here. This means our in-depth coverage of WKTV Games of the Week, Journal web stories and our exciting Friday Night Highlights show will all be here shortly as well.
We plan to bring you another great season of local high school football, covering your favorite teams from Wyoming and Kentwood, including East Kentwood, Wyoming, Godwin Heights, Lee, Kelloggsville, South Christian and Tri-unity.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Game of the Week truck films one game each week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, a field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. See GOW sked below.
WKTV Journal Website
Don’t miss our large footprint of local high school football on the WKTV Journal website.
Continuing from last season, we’ll have a huge presence with local high school football. Beyond our fantastic Game of the Week truck coverage, every week our sports staff will post football game stories, features, roundups and final scores and stats on most teams in the Kentwood/Wyoming area on our Journal website.
We plan to give you the stats and highlights in our game stories … explaining the details of how your team marched to victory.
WKTV Friday Night Highlights show coming soon!
Friday Night Highlights will be back soon. Just like we did during basketball season, every Friday we’ll bring you many great high school football clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood area teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute program.
As a bonus, we’ll have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and occasionally have them come into our studio for a live interview as well.
You won’t want to miss all our great local coverage. Thanks for tuning in!
WKTV Game of the Week Truck Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 31 (7 p.m.) Byron Center at East Kentwood
Friday, Sept. 8 (7 p.m.) Kenowa Hills at South Christian (EK Falcon Stadium)
Friday, Sept. 15 (7 p.m.) Grand Rapids Sacred Heart at Lee
Friday, Sept. 22 (7 p.m.) Union at Wyoming
Friday, Sept. 29 (7 p.m.) Kelloggsville at Godwin Heights
Friday, Oct. 6 (7 p.m.) TK at South Christian (EK Falcon Stadium)
Friday, Oct. 13 (7 p.m.) Holland at Wyoming
Friday, Oct. 20 (7 p.m.) West Ottawa at East Kentwood
A drama that deals with pain, passion, racism, art and pent-up rage is on stage through August 26 at Circle Theatre. It is a powerful story about reclaiming power, black music and culture. A definite must-see production.
It’s 1927, and Ma Rainey, the Mother of the Blues, is recording new sides of old favorites in a run-down Chicago recording studio. She fights to retain control over her music. She knows that she is a valuable commodity in selling records, but feels that the white men only see her as the cash she generates.
CaSaundra Ce’Moune plays Ma Rainey at the Circle Theatre through Aug. 26. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)
“White folks don’t understand about the blues,” says Ma. “They hear it come out, but they don’t know how it got there. They don’t understand that that’s life’s way of talking.”
Before Ma Rainey (CaSaundra Ce’Moune) enters, her band members: Cutler (Michael P. Travis), Toledo (Deb Perry,) Levee (Noah King-Bates) and Slow Drag (Keon Atkins) tell stories surrounding black culture, music, conflicts and their personal stories. Trumpet player Levee dreams of making his own name in the business hence making the conflict measurable and the tensions apparent throughout.
The recording session is filled with conflict and strife as Ma Rainey wants things done her way. She is an independent African American woman with immense talent. Often referred to as the “Mother of the Blues,” she was a trailblazing African American blues singer and songwriter.
The cast of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” from left: CaSaundra Ce’Moune (Ma Rainey), drummer Michael P. Travis (Cutler), cellist Keon Atkins (Slow Drag), trumpet player Noah King-Bates (Levee) and not shown is piano player Debra Perry (Toledo). (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)
CaSaundra Ce’Moune, or CC as she is known by, plays the role of Ma Rainey brilliantly and with great splendor. She is an explosive, powerful force on stage. Her singing voice makes the audience long for more. I would pay big bucks just to hear her in concert. What an immense talent.
The direction of Will Gearring is majorly responsible for the effectiveness of this drama. He takes the actors through lengthy monologues that reach different levels of intensity. All of the actors are completely at home in their roles and extremely believable thanks to his competent direction and blocking of scenes.
Debra Perry is Toledo the piano player. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)
Of special note is Debra L. Perry, who takes on the role of piano man Toledo with such talent that I did not know she was a female.
She and Co-Music Director Vanessa Allen also were responsible for training three of the four actors how to play the trumpet, drums and bass. A job very well done.
The 1920’s also are made even more believable thanks to the talents of costume designer Jess Luiz, hair and makeup designer Christina Barrera and properties designer Meaghan Gietzen.
Each character on stage has their special moment. The moments that stood out for me the most were the monologues delivered by Noah King-Bates with his pent-up rage and tragic life stories. His self-destruction at the end of the play was extremely dramatic. Other moments include all of the actors’ believable interactions in their character portrayals.
Attending the play’s pre-opening night was interesting to hear the Intermission discussions.
“These actors cannot possibly be local talent, can they?” one woman questioned. “There is so much talent in West Michigan,” another audience member commented.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is at Circle Theatre through August 26. You can get your tickets online at circletheatre.org or by calling the box office at 616-456-6656.
The Reverend Jesse Ray sings with soul at Ramshackle Brewing in Jonesville (Courtesy, Paul Jensen)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
The Reverend Jesse Ray will wrap up the Concerts in the Park summer series with an Americana Rock N Roots experience at Lamar Park in Wyoming on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 6 p.m.
Patty Matters – Food Truck will have gourmet burgers available to purchase during the concert, and attendees are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the summer evening and live music.
The beginning of it all
The Reverend Jesse Ray has always enjoyed music, singing with his mom and grandparents as a child and learning to play the ukulele under the tutelage of his paternal grandfather (who Ray called “Gumpy”) at 8 years old.
“It’s the ultimate form of self-expression,” said Ray about music.
Ray moved on to guitar at age 12, when “Gumpy” showed him that guitar chords were quite similar to ukulele chords.
The Reverend Jesse Ray performs in Grand Haven (Courtesy, Jeff Brinn)
Ray went on to say that his mother accompanied him to bars in the evenings that same year so he could participate in open mic nights.
His music repertoire moved on to include playing trumpet in high school jazz band, marching band, and concert band. For his senior year of high school, however, Ray decided to join choir and play guitar in the jazz band instead.
“That was a riot,” said Ray. “I really liked trumpet, but I really wanted to keep singing.”
“I would do open mics as a senior three or four days a week, and then go sleep in my car during lunch period,” said Ray.
College brought experiences in street performance and an interest in rockabilly blues and roots music, leading Ray to start the high-energy band, Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, in 2013.
A life pivot
When asked if he pursued a degree in music, Jesse responded, “I was a music major for one whole day. The next day I skipped all of my classes, went to the counselor, and said no, we’re going to focus on history.”
Ray said that he felt unable to focus on what he wanted to do musically while being a music major. With a love of history as well, Ray pursued that interest during his college tenure instead.
“I really like American History,” said Ray. “I’ve been fascinated by it since I was a kid, how things got to be the way that they are. You can understand a lot if you look into the past.”
However, “I kept music as my love, my passion,” said Ray.
Lyrics and secrets
Ray said that a lot of his music stems from personal experiences, and that he tends to hide things in his song lyrics, some of them personal.
The Reverend Jesse Ray performs at outdoor venue in Grand Haven (Courtesy, Jeff Brinn)
“Some people get it, some people don’t,” said Ray. “Sometimes it’s a joke, and sometimes it’s something really deep and personal.”
Ray went on to say that music helped him process events and experiences in his life when he was younger.
“I write a song and put it out there, and then I feel a lot better when I walk away,” said Ray.
The Reverend: master of his own destiny
Always looking for new and creative musical opportunities, Jesse Ray brought forth The Reverend Jesse Ray, an Americana Rock N Roots experience.
But the moniker did not feel natural at first.
Coined “The Reverend” by a studio producer and then by band drummer Dingo, Ray said he didn’t care for the nickname. However, the nickname stuck as a way to set his music apart from other musicians bearing the name Jesse Ray.
“There were lots of Jesse Rays, but no Reverend Jesse Ray,” said Ray.
The Reverend Jesse Ray was born, and performs at venues all across Michigan.
Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish are also going strong with plans to release a new album Sept. 29th, and with at least 30 tour dates already in place across the United States.
The City of Wyoming Marquette Park playground. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
With 700 acres of park property distributed among 21 parks within the City of Wyoming, developing and maintaining facilities and programs has always been a high priority for the Parks and Recreation Department.
As they look to update their five-year master plan, the Parks and Recreation Department is inviting residents, business owners and community members to provide input on the vision of its future.
Sunshine peeks through the trees at a City of Wyoming park
The master plan, which will be used to guide growth and development in the park system will be shaped by community input. The feedback received will help the department prioritize where and how to make investments in parks, facilities and programs.
Residents and business owners are being encouraged to share their thoughts through an online survey, in English and Spanish, designed to allow users to share areas where they feel there are opportunities for growth, improvement or areas that they enjoy within the City.
“We are excited to hear from the community as they help us shape the future of our parks and programs,” Director of Parks & Recreation Krashawn Martin said. “The plan will consider long-range goals for our community as well as recommended actions to guide updates and land use for the future.”
Residents interested in participating in the survey may do so online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WyomingParks or in person at Wyoming City Hall and the Wyoming Branch of Kent District Library. The survey closes on Aug. 31.
Wyoming Parks & Recreation will soon announce community meetings as part of the process of updating its master plan. Visit www.wyomingmi.gov for more information.
Ford International Airport broke ground Aug. 9 on its new $14.5 million aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) facility. Construction is expected to be completed by February 2025. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
Gerald R. Ford International Airport broke ground Aug. 9 on its new aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) facility. This $14.5 million project will further enhance passenger safety and aircraft operations.
The 25,000 square foot facility will include larger bays for advanced firefighting vehicles, specialized equipment and expanded training spaces for ARFF personnel. Construction is expected to be completed by February 2025.
“We are grateful to celebrate this momentous occasion as we break ground on this new innovative facility,” said Tory Richardson, President and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “This investment is a testament to the Airport’s commitment to providing world-class safety and security measures to our passengers, partners and community members.”
An artist’s rendering of the Ford International Airport aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) facility. (Courtesy, Ford International Airport)
This facility will support the Airport Authority’s 19 member ARFF team. Staffed 24/7, the team is specially trained to respond to aviation accidents and incidents, which includes rescuing passengers and crew members, minimizing property damage and salvage operations.
This new center also will be used for training and supporting the Ford International Airport’s mutual aid partners.
“Our team does an excellent job maintaining the highest level of safety, and they look forward to a new building that supports enhanced functionality and efficiency,” said Lisa Carr, Public Safety and Operations Director for the Ford International Airport Authority. “By investing in cutting-edge infrastructure and advanced training for our firefighting teams, we can further prepare for any potential emergencies or incidents that happen at the Airport or surrounding areas.”
No local taxpayer dollars will be used to finance any of the Airport’s projects; the construction of the new facility is funded by a combination of federal and state grants, municipal bonds issued by the Airport and user fees.
The FAA has committed two-thirds of the project funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, specifically from the Airport Improvement Grant program. The involvement of the FAA and Michigan Department of Transportation signifies a strategic investment in the community and further supports the expansion of Airport operational activities.
“The unprecedented funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allows airports like Gerald R. Ford International Airport to make key investments to improve safety and operations,” said Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., FAA Associate Administrator for Airports. “This new facility will enhance the emergency response capabilities of the firefighting teams to better support travelers of Grand Rapids.”
This facility will be an addition to the recently completed Airport operations center, which consolidated key teams such as operations and communications; and included a new emergency operations center (EOC). By strategically positioning the ARFF facility and operations center together the Airport can increase response times, reduce potential hazards and mitigate risks effectively.
Adult and nymphal spotted lanternfly on tree-of-heaven in Pennsylvania. (Courtesy, Heather Leach/Michigan State University)
By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor
The list of invasive species disrupting West Michigan’s land and water is eerily long, and seemingly a battle ordinary people can only stand by and watch. Whether it’s the garlic mustard weed choking out forest floors and backyards or the spotted lanternfly attacking grape vines and apple crops, the feeling could be: “What can I do?”
Turns out there is a lot that people can do, starting with keeping an eye out for the much-in-the-news spotted lanternfly, reporting sightings to the proper authorities, and doing a bit of back-yard eradication if you find one and are not squeamish about squishing them.
WKTV went to Michigan’s own “invasive” pest experts, Michigan State University’s renown Agriculture Department, for information on the “SLF” and two other invasions impacting local residents and homeowners: the cancerous spread of the garlic mustard plant and the tree-killing appetite of the emerald ash borer.
And in all the cases, the public can play a role in the battle against the invasives.
The City of Kentwood, the Kent County Conservation District, and other local groups are harnessing community action and volunteers to battle garlic mustard though education and sweat equity.
And while MSU and other institutional “best minds” are studying ways to battle the ash borer, local land management companies now have the ability to “inoculate” ash trees to give them a fighting chance against the pest.
Aiding local agriculture by being aware, vengeful
The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive first found in Pennsylvania in 2014 before spreading to New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, as detailed in an MSU article. In 2022, a small breeding population was found in Oakland County, Michigan.
The spotted lanternfly are most often seen in tree-of-heaven (an invasive, fast-growing tree found sporadically throughout Michigan), wild and cultivated grapevines, as well as silver and red maple, black walnut, butternut, birch, willow and sumac. But there is concern about long-term impact on orchard crops such as apples.
“SLF is also considered a significant nuisance pest in residential landscapes in regions where high populations exist,” authors Heather Leach and Julianna Wilson state in the above mentioned March 2023 MSU article. But the presence of the spotted lanternfly in Michigan “poses a significant threat to the Michigan grape industry and we are asking all growers to be on the lookout for this important new pest.”
Help stop the spread
But the MSU article also lays out how the general public can get involved.
The MSU article details how to spot and report SLF sightings, including reporting findings to Eyes in the Field, a website monitored by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, or through Kent County’s local MSU Extension Office.
And if a member of the public is not squeamish, there is another possible action.
“If you see only a few SLF, they are easy to kill by squishing adults or immature stages and scraping to remove egg masses,” the article by Leach and Wilson states.
Likewise, according to the Michigan Invasive Species section of Michigan.gov, in order to help stop the spread of the spotted lanternfly, you must:
Take a picture
Squish it
Report it
Garlic mustard: see ‘em, pull ‘em! Eat ‘em?
The first step in battling garlic mustard is recognizing it, and recognizing when and how to attack it — and knowing where to go to for help and support.
Garlic mustard growing along roadways can be spread by mowing crews. (Rebecca Finneran/Michigan State University)
“A native to Europe, garlic mustard was originally introduced in North America by settlers for its ‘proclaimed’ medicinal properties and use in cooking,” Rebecca Finneran, Michigan State University Extension, writes in the article. “Unfortunately, because of its invasive habit, garlic mustard is rapidly dominating the forest floor, changing woodland habitat for plants and animals alike. Given the chance, it will also invade the home landscape and even take over patches of existing groundcover.”
“It’s a continuing battle and we encourage our park stewards and residents who are confident they can identify the plant to remove it early in the spring before it has a chance to drop its seeds,” said Spencer McKellar, Kentwood Deputy Parks and Recreation Director/Project Manager. “We know it’s a problem at a few locations but this spring we spent time at both the Kentwood Community Garden property (next to Veterans Memorial Park/Kentwood Activities Center) and at Stanaback Park.”
But, he pointed out, this is not a one time fix “but an ongoing and yearly effort that will be needed to keep this particular invasive specie at bay.”
The city, and its effort partner the Kent Conservation District, has held educational workshops and hands-on work parties to help battle not only garlic mustard but the bittersweet vine as well — “This is another one of those troublesome plants that we will have to watch for and note where it’s found for further treatment,” McKellar said.
Mowing not effective
One of the problems with garlic mustard in public places is that mowing often simply cuts them, leaves the roots in place, and can even spread seeds if mowing occurs at the wrong time of the year.
People, though, can battle garlic mustard on their own land and in their own backyard as well, but there are some dos and don’ts.
“Smaller garlic mustard infestations can be controlled with a watchful eye and rigorous hand pulling during spring before other vegetation greens up, with early spring before flowering being ideal,” MSU Extension’s Finneran writes in her article. “The plants are relatively easy to pull, but they are brittle, so be sure you are lifting the entire plant out of the ground and not just breaking off the top.”
Bagging and disposing of pulled plants with municipal waste headed to a landfill or incinerator is allowed in Michigan.
And what is killing my Ash tree?
American ash, or white ash, are local versions of a tree species that have a long cultural history in Europe after likely originating in Africa and Asia Minor, and have been a staple in American woodlands, according to another article published by Michigan State University.
But the invasive emerald ash borer — native to Russia and North eastern Asia, and first discovered in the United States and Michigan in 2002, likely through the import of wood and wooden shipping pallets from those regions — has been spreading and killing local Ash trees in droves for two decades.
The emerald ash borer. (Courtesy, Michigan State University)
There is work being done on ways to help nature control the insects, as happens in its native habitats and as detailed in the MSU article. But the infestation is so new that extensive studies must come before effective remedies are deployed.
The emerald ash borer is “considered the most destructive and costly forest insect to ever invade North America.”
The emerald ash borer (EAB) “is now in 35 states, five Canadian provinces and is considered the most destructive and costly forest insect to ever invade North America,” Deborah McCullough, MSU forest entomology professor, states in the article.
“In the case of EAB, there was very little known about this insect when it was discovered, and in many ways, we started from scratch,” McCullough said. “We needed to learn the life cycle of the insect and develop methods to survey it, control it, and to tell people confidently what they could expect about impacts.”
What is known, however, is that there is a usually effective treatment available from local arborists and landcare companies to inoculate trees with minor infections.
Pressurized trunk infusion to the rescue
“TREE-äge (Emamectin Benzoate) came to the rescue in our fight to save ash trees from the emerald ash borer,” Nick Clement, an arborist with All Season Lawn Care, said to WKTV. “The chemical is delivered via a pressurized trunk infusion. Holes are drilled into the base of the trunk of the tree and self-sealing injection ports are installed. The injection needles are then inserted into the ports and the chemical is pushed into the cambium of the tree.”
Once the tree has been treated, the chemical provides two seasons of residual control in the tree, he added.
For more information
For general information about Michigan’s invasive species, visit michigan.gov/invasives.
For more information on local invasive species and how to get involved with the Kent Conservation District’s efforts, visit here.
Today through September 30, drivers can visit a local Shell station and fill up at the designated fueling pump to support Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank-Kids’ Backpack Program.
Marshall-based Johnny’s Markets, owned by Walters-Dimmick Petroleum, is joining with Shell USA (Shell) on The Giving Pump as part of its Force For Good initiative to drive positive change in local communities by giving back.
A portion of the purchases made by consumers who use the designated pump at 70 Shell stations across Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo will support the charities Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank, along with local schools and hospitals.
The Giving Pump will be specially marked with colorful signage at participating Shell gas stations to inspire consumers to fuel up and support two local food organizations: South Michigan Food Bank and Kids’ Food Basket. It’s easy to participate in the program, and it costs customers nothing extra.
South Michigan Food Bank — currently serving 33,000 meals a day across eight counties — works to eliminate hunger by providing healthy and nutritious food to those in need. This year’s donations from Giving Pump will go toward the nonprofit’s BackPack Program, which sends non-perishable meal packages home with students in low-income households, giving children access to food over the weekends and during school breaks. Each package contains enough food for seven meals.
“Many may not realize it, but folks and food banks alike are under a lot of pressure right now,” said Peter Vogel, CEO of South Michigan Food Bank. “During the pandemic, there were plenty of funds flowing to organizations tackling food insecurity. In the past year, though, many of those resources have dried up while demand — the need for affordable food — in our communities remains elevated. The Giving Pump is coming at the perfect time to help these people, and we are blessed to have Johnny’s Markets’ support.”
Kids’ Food Basket’s mission is to nourish kids to reach their full potential. They work with the community to serve 10,000 nutritious evening meals to kids in four West Michigan counties every weekday. KFB is also home to two farms that not only serve as a classroom for STEM education, but also provide fresh produce directly back to the community.
(Kids’ Food Basket)
“Right now, the reality is that most food banks, like so many of the good people we serve, are trying to do a lot more with way less,” said Ashley Diersch, Vice President of Development at Kids’ Food Basket. “By teaming up with The Giving Pump, it gives everybody an opportunity to make an impact and really shows that everything — whether it’s one penny or a million — makes a difference.”
Johnny’s Markets brand, owned by Walters-Dimmick Petroleum, is home to more than 60 convenience stores and fuel stations across Michigan and Indiana. With the purpose of being a reliable source of goodness in the community, the company supports programs and events that help pave the path for young people to be successful.
(Courtesy, Johnny’s Markets)
“As an established member of the Western Michigan community, we believe we can do more by supporting local children’s organizations so that kids may receive what is needed to help them develop and succeed,” said J.P. Walters, President and CEO of Walters-Dimmick Petroleum. “We chose these charities for The Giving Pump because we want to continue growing our relationships with great organizations who support our communities, and there are no better examples of that than Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank.”
In addition to The Giving Pump, Walters-Dimmick has hosted an annual charity event called the Northern Classic for over 30 years, where 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to improve the lives of many in Western Michigan. In the past decade, the Northern Classic charity event has raised more than $1 million for multiple charities including Kids’ Food Basket, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.
This year, more than 7,500 Shell stations across the US are participating in this two-month Giving Pump initiative to support 532 local charities. Those looking to find a participating station can visit shell.us/givingpump. Since 2021, Shell wholesalers and retailers donated over $4.6M and supported over 400 children’s charities through The Giving Pump.
To learn more about how you can join South Michigan Food Bank in taking a stand against hunger, visit smfoodbank.org. Visit kidsfoodbasket.org for more on Kids’ Food Basket programs, services and how you can make a difference. Visit shell.us/givingpump to find additional program details, participating sites and content about local charities.
Volunteers with trash pulled from Buck Creek 2021 (Courtesy, Martha Stout Vermeulen)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
Volunteers of all ages are welcome to meet at Lemery Park in Wyoming at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 to help remove trash from Buck Creek during the family-friendly 10th Annual Buck Creek Clean Up event.
Event team leaders will assist in finding sites that meet volunteer needs and will provide necessary information.
“It has been said that an individual’s effort is a single drop, but when a community gives effort, it is a tsunami,” said Martha Stout Vermeulen, Founder and former President of Friends of Buck Creek-Michigan (FOBC).
Trash lines a portion of Buck Creek near an EJ manufacturing facility (Courtesy, Martha Stout Vermeulen)
FOBC began as a grassroots group of concerned citizens that has evolved into a nonprofit watershed organization with hundreds of followers on Facebook and Instagram. FOBC’s focus is to inspire, initiate, promote, and engage in activities that improve and enhance both the environmental quality and the beauty of Buck Creek.
Over the past decade, Friends of Buck Creek-Michigan (FOBC) and Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited (SWMTU) have partnered to remove trash from the Buck Creek watershed in Grandville by organizing the annual Buck Creek Clean Up. On Aug. 19, current FOBC President Becky Dykhuis will extend the clean up into Kentwood and Byron Township.
Volunteer numbers have grown steadily since the event’s inception, with several tons of trash removed from the rare urban trout stream’s waters. Tires, shopping carts, microwaves, 55 gallon drums, and scary-looking dolls are only a few items removed from the creek.
The most frequent, and toxic, trash recovered is plastic and styrofoam.
A portion of Buck Creek after clean up near an EJ manufacturing facility (Courtesy, Martha Stout Vermeulen)
Vermeulen says she has observed several benefits resulting from the annual clean up, and a definite reduction in trash in areas that have been frequently cleaned.
“Getting citizens up close and personal with Buck Creek reveals problems that a disposable society creates, and increases awareness to reduce and reuse,” said Vermeulen. “Indeed, it takes a community to love a creek!”
Annual Summer Market hosted by Magnus Capital Partners (Courtesy, Magnus Capital Partners)
by Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
Magnus Capital Partners (MCP) will host its third annual, free-to-attend Summer Market featuring more than 25 vendors at HōM Flats at 28 West Saturday, Aug. 12.
Open to the public and HōM Flats residents, the event will take place from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at 1401 Prairie Parkway SW in the City of Wyoming. Community members are invited to enjoy live music and browse items for sale from local food trucks, artisans and other vendors.
“This is the perfect fit of bringing people out of their apartments, gathering, and building those bonds with each other and with the community,” said Jason Chronowski, Magnus Marketing Manager.
In addition to bringing community members together, the Summer Market also works to support local artists.
“Our Summer Market at HōM Flats creates an opportunity for people to strengthen their community by supporting local small businesses, gain an appreciation for the depth and breadth of emerging local artists, and engage in a positive atmosphere that recognizes our most basic need to create connections with others,” said Magnus CEO Vishal Arora.
(Courtesy, Robert Couse-Baker at pxhere.com)
Chronowski said that feedback on the Summer Market has been positive, with residents saying they enjoy the event and meeting their neighbors.
“It’s nice that this has both elements to it where it’s not only for our residents, it’s for the public too,” said Chronowski.
Attendees are encouraged to park at the south end of the 28 West Place Mall parking lot, located just east of HōM Flats at 28 West off of Prairie Parkway. Overflow parking will be available at Wyoming High School.
More than just a summer market
The event will serve as the main annual fundraiser for the Magnus Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating art, culture and community-building in the areas where Magnus Capital Partners operates.
Focused on building connections with artists and local communities, the Magnus Foundation often utilizes funds to pay local artists to give HōM residents free art classes. The Foundation also commissions artwork from West Michigan artists to be used at various MCP locations.
Though the Magnus Foundation is a recent addition to MCP, Chronowski says it is off to a “really good start,” and that events like the Summer Market help “develop that momentum” in keeping the Foundation moving forward.
To learn more about the Magnus Foundation or to make a contribution to the Foundation, email info@magnuscapitalpartners.com.
Event sponsors
The sole platinum sponsor for this year’s Summer Market is Hooker DeJong, Inc. Other key sponsors include Coldbrook Insurance, Merchants Capital, Rohde Construction and Highpoint Community Bank.
Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps: Patty, guitarist Lucas Powell, and original drummer Alec Klinefelter. (Courtesy of the band)
By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor
Listening to Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps’ latest EP release, it is clear why they called it Perpetual Motion Machine. The five-song release is all about power pop, with a fair amount of rockin’ blues blasting through, and continues the band’s drive to its own sound and popularity.
“Not slowing down in 2023, Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps are stepping hard on the gas pedal and touring more cities and music festivals than years prior,” the band states on its website. “The trio have plans to record their next full-length album within the year.”
So expect a fast ride on a summer night when the band hits the stage Tuesday, Aug. 8.
The Tuesday evening Concerts in the Park are free of charge and open to the public at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Performances start at 6 p.m. and conclude around 8 p.m.
A wild ride for Patty and her music
Michigan native Patty PerShayla hit the scene as a singer, songwriter, and multi- instrumentalist after winning the 2019 WYCE Jammie Award for Best Rock/Pop Album for her solo EP, Oracle Bones, according to a bio on her website.
But later in 2019, she joined forces with guitarist Lucas Powell and drummer Alec Klinefelter to form Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps. After road-testing their music, they released their “blues-infused, riff-driven debut album,” Cheap Diction, in 2021. (Current band drummer is Chris Thomas.)
A music video from that album went on to win Best Music Video at the 2022 Grand Rapids Film Festival, and another was featured at the 2023 Michigan Music Video Awards.
When Patty is not touring with the Mayhaps, she plays solo gigs and even toured with the equally great local band of multi-instrumentalists, The Accidentals, in 2021. For more information on Patty’s musical journey, visit: Patty PerShayla at home in Nashville.
For more information about Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps and a video of the song “Spill” from the new EP, visit pattypershayla.com.
About the concert and venue
The Tuesday evening concerts feature a food truck with food and beverages available for purchase. Concertgoers are welcome to bring their own food, however alcohol is not permitted in the park.
“Concerts in the park are a highlight of summertime in Wyoming. We hope you will grab your blankets, chairs and friends and join us for some fun in the parks!” Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation director, said earlier in introducing the concert series.
Wyoming Police Department (Courtesy, Deborah Reed, WKTV Staff)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
One person is dead after a crash in the 2500 block of South Division Avenue.
At approximately 12:55 a.m. on August 4, 2023, officers from the Wyoming Police Department responded to the 2500 block of South Division Avenue SW on a report of a crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist.
The bicyclist, a 39-year-old female resident of Grand Rapids, was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The female later died at the hospital.
Initial investigation indicates the bicyclist was struck by a southbound vehicle. The driver remained at the scene to speak with investigators. Speed and alcohol are not believed to be a factor in this incident.
The Wyoming Police Accident Investigation and Forensic Science Units are continuing to investigate this crash. Wyoming Police were assisted by officers from the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530- 7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345; or https://www.silentobserver.org.
Kentwood and Wyoming celebrated National Night Out on Aug. 1 as police officers, firefighters and leaders joined residents at multiple gatherings throughout the two cities.
An annual event celebrated across the country since 1984, National Night Out seeks to promote community-police partnerships and encourage residents to connect with their neighbors, community leaders and local police and fire personnel.
Many community-based events were hosted throughout the evening and featured a variety of free activities, including food, games and appearances from McGruff the Crime Dog.
Wyoming and Kentwood residents had the opportunity to explore police and fire equipment and learn about a variety of safety topics at several local locations in both cities.
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley
“National Night Out is an opportunity for us to continue to build and foster relationships between our residents and City leaders and police and fire personnel,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said.
Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin
Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin said the Department works hard every day to build strong community relationships.
“National Night Out gives us a chance to engage with community members in a more relaxed, casual setting so we can focus on that,” Litwin explained. “This event is a favorite for our department, and we look forward to spending time connecting with the residents we serve.”
Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem Rob Postema
“National Night Out is something staff and our community look forward to each year,” Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem Rob Postema said.
Wyoming Director of Public Safety Kimberly Koster
“Spending time and having fun with residents is important for all of our officers and firefighters as we work to build and strengthen relationships in our community,” said Wyoming Director of Public Safety Kimberly Koster. “National Night Out allows us to connect with residents in a positive and meaningful way.”
Tina Austin (left) and Jennifer VanderMeer. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor
In 2011, Jennifer VanderMeer was working on a project in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. During a walk along the James River on her day off she noticed a man with two young girls. The girls were crying because their dad was going to pitch two ducklings into the water.
VanderMeer intervened.
“That was my first rescue,” she said. For six weeks, the ducklings lived with VanderMeer in an apartment. When the job ended she brought them home to Michigan where they lived long, spoiled lives.
VanderMeer is an ornithologist. “I love birds. It’s a passion and has been a profession for over 20 years,” she said.
For years she volunteered for Michigan Duck Rescue. In October 2020, with the encouragement of her late husband Lenny Rockwell, she opened Wanderlust Acres Animal Sanctuary. The Rockford-based rescue specializes in ducks.
“Ducks and other domestics get overlooked,” VanderMeer said. “They need someone to be their voice. They’re sweet souls.”
Home to 130 ducks, 10 breeds
Close to 130 ducks are housed at Wanderlust with 10 breeds represented. Each duck has a name and VanderMeer can tell the story about how each one came to be a resident of the sanctuary. Most are from Michigan: Millennium Park, the Flat River in Lowell, the Muskegon Causeway, a busy intersection in Jenison, a Sand Lake park, a pond behind Home Depot in Grandville and several other recognizable locations. A few came from Indiana and Illinois.
“They were dumped — in ponds, lakes, streams, wherever there is water,” VanderMeer said. “Don’t dump ducks. It’s illegal to abandon animals.”
Domestic ducks can’t fly, so they can’t escape predators. They also don’t know how to forage for food. “They either fall prey to a predator or they starve to death,” VanderMeer said.
Most of the dumped ducks are drakes; male ducks. She explained that people get ducks for their eggs. When they discover their ducks are drakes, they get rid of them. People also buy ducklings as Easter presents. When they grow up and the novelty wears off, the ducks are dumped. Ducks also come from classroom projects; eggs hatch into fluffy cute ducklings, and then what?
Ducks can live 10-20 years
Jennifer VanderMeer with Gertrude, who has a deformed leg. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)
The rescue of one duck, Gertrude, almost didn’t happen.
“Lenny said no more ducks,” VanderMeer recalled. But he agreed to go along to see the Khaki. Someone had put a zip tie on Gertrude’s leg when she was young. As the duckling grew the hard plastic didn’t budge causing deformity and infection.
Lenny’s no more ducks turned into we’re taking her after he witnessed the abuse done to the young duck. He even held her while the veterinarian examined her.
“He had the biggest heart,” VanderMeer said. Lenny died Sept.14, 2022, three months after being diagnosed with cancer. The couple had 21-1/2 years together.
While Lenny was sick VanderMeer devoted all her time to him and relied on volunteers, especially Tina Austin, to care for the ducks.
“She’s a godsend,” VanderMeer said.
Years ago, the two women met while working as waitresses. They reconnected through Facebook after the sanctuary was started. Tina, a vet-assistant and owner of a pet care business, has 17 chickens and seven ducks.
VanderMeer’s dad, a biologist and a lover of animals, also volunteers. He has five flocks at his Ada home that will soon be moved to the sanctuary.
Gertrude survived and is part of the Disabled Flock; all have leg issues. They live in a fenced area in the garage where they get extra care and aren’t stressed by abled ducks.
“Her leg is permanently disabled, but that doesn’t stop her. She’s very tenacious,” VanderMeer said.
Duck Village
The majority of the ducks live in Duck Village, a maze of dog kennels that provide homes to small flocks such as the Dirty Girls Flock, Eaters Flock and the 19-member Dutch Village Flock that came from the Dutch Village in Holland.
Each flock has a coop where they spend nights. The coops are latched, chained, and for extra security a cement brick is placed in front of its door. It takes close to an hour each evening to tuck all the flocks in for the night.
Numerous predators
Domestic ducks have numerous predators including raccoons, possums, fox, hawks, coyotes and snapping turtles.
“The words ‘sitting duck’ is quite applicable,” VanderMeer said.
Duck Village is predator-proof. The 20 enclosures have woven wire tops, chicken wire skirting, and dig guards. In addition, there is a camera surveillance system so Duck Village can be monitored at all times.
In the summer there is a pond where the ducks get supervised swim time.
Funded by donations
The sanctuary is funded through donations. It costs $300 to $500 per month for food and the wood shavings used for bedding. They go through a 40-pound bag of duck pellets every day. Ducks also eat corn, greens and mealy worms. They love fresh vegetables and fruit, but the food has to be cut into small pieces because ducks don’t have teeth. It takes close to four 5-gallon buckets of cut-up eatables to ensure enough for everyone.
Frozen peas are a favorite treat.
Last fall people from the Rockford area donated enough uncarved pumpkins to fill the garage.
VanderMeer sells duck eggs to help pay the bills. When egg sales and donations don’t cover expenses, VanderMeer pays the difference.
But the expense is worth it. While the ducks aren’t cuddly like a dog or cat, they can be sweet and sassy. They wiggle their tail feathers when they recognize their names and they’re trainable.
“They all have different personalities,” VanderMeer said.
When she told the usually chatty, loud flocks that Lenny had died there was silence across the sanctuary. Some ducks lowered their heads, others turned their backs to her, some went into their houses or into corners.
“Ducks understand more than people give them credit for. They’re feeling emotional creatures. They form strong bonds, not just with other ducks, but with people. A lot of people don’t see that.”
Since Lenny passed, VanderMeer has struggled with the workload of running and caring for the animals at the sanctuary. She also has three cats and four dogs.
Officer Willshire of Kentwood PD (left), Officer Klaassen of Wyoming PD (center), and Officer Quintard of Wyoming PD (right) talk with families at Celebration Cinema (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
By Deborah Reed
deborah@wktv.org
City of Wyoming’s first responders and leaders teamed up with several departments across Kent County as they joined residents at multiple gatherings to celebrate National Night Out on Aug. 1.
Wyoming National Night Out 2023 (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
“National Night Out is something staff and our community look forward to each year,” Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem Rob Postema said.
An annual event celebrated across the country, National Night Out began in 1984 to promote safety in communities and build relationships under positive circumstances. Participating cities encourage residents to turn on their porch lights and gather with their neighbors, community leaders, and police and fire personnel.
Deputy Melissa Gokey with the Kent County Sheriff’s Department said a personal highlight of National Night Out is photographing all the events. “I get to go to every single location,” said Gokey. “I get to see a little piece of everything.”
Wyoming National Night Out 2023 (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Residents were also able to see a variety of first responder vehicles, including fire trucks, ambulances, motorcycles, marine units, mobile command centers, and even horses.
Kent County encouraged participating local businesses to set up a booth with children’s activities.
“The whole point is to educate kids on safety and to build that partnership with them and other businesses within the community,” said Gokey. “It just helps them to feel safe and comfortable around us.”
Wyoming National Night Out 2023 (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
Gokey went on to say that all first responders join in during National Night Out, including the Road Commission and Army National Guard, in order to make the event a memorable experience for the kids.
“Setting up an event like this is going to be a much different way for children to feel comfortable approaching us, talking to us, and asking questions,” said Gokey.
Wyoming Director of Public Safety Kimberly Koster said, “Spending time and having fun with residents is important for all of our officers and firefighters as we work to build and strengthen relationships in our community. National Night Out allows us to connect with residents in a positive and meaningful way.”
Wyoming resident Megan Washburn agreed. “It’s nice to see them out, having fun, eating hot dogs, and being regular people,” said Washburn.
The Soul Syndicate is coming to the City of Wyoming Concerts in the Park (Supplied)
By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor
The on-stage lineup of local Funk/R&B+ powerhouse Soul Syndicate may change each year it makes its annual visit to Wyoming/Kentwood community concert stages, this time as part of the City of Wyoming Concerts in the Park on Aug. 1, but one thing that doesn’t change is the “heart and soul” they bring to the stage.
The Tuesday evening Concerts in the Park are free of charge and open to the public at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Performances start at 6 p.m. and conclude around 8 p.m. Running since June 13, the remaining concert is Aug. 8 with Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps.
A cool look and masterful musicianship
On stage for Soul Syndicate are 10 or more musicians. Regulars include Colin Tobin and Katie Sarb on lead vocals, Mike Coon on guitar and vocals, Matt Fouts on bass, John Neil on keyboards, Tom Taylor on drums, Tim DenBesten on trumpet and vocals, Nate Hansen on baritone and alto saxophone, Jeff Carroll on the “bone” (trombone), and Danny Giacobassi on tenor saxophone.
The Soul Syndicate has some pretty cool swag too (Supplied)
The Soul Syndicate, according to its website, pays tribute to the most influential Funk, Soul, and R&B artists “with a sophisticated look, masterful musicianship, and a crowd-pleasing act…The group delivers an experience that will keep the audience dancing all night long, with a dedicated horn section and male/female vocalists, the group masterfully combines the best, classic dance music into multi—song medleys.”
Members of The Soul Syndicate have performed with such diverse artists as Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers, Hootie and the Blowfish, The Cars, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, The Spinners, Kansas, The Guess Who, Edgar Winter, Natalie Cole, and Rosemarie Clooney.
Each Tuesday evening concert features a food truck with food and beverages available for purchase. Concertgoers are welcome to bring their own food, but alcohol is not permitted in the park.
“Concerts in the park are a highlight of summertime in Wyoming. We hope you will grab your blankets, chairs and friends and join us for some fun in the parks!” Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Parks and Recreation director, said earlier while introducing the concert series.
