Category Archives: City of Wyoming

Golden Gloves opening night highlights local talent; “large, enthusiastic” crowd Saturday at 4 Mile Showplace 

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan,

Aneudy “Junior” Rios (blue/red trunks) won by decision against Armand Bridgeforth in the 132-pound elite open division on Saturday. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

It was a new venue and a host of new boxers, but the intense action was familiar to area boxing fans as the opening night of the West Michigan Golden Gloves started with a flurry.

A total of 13 bouts took place at the 4 Mile Showplace (1025 4 Mile Rd. NW) in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd.

Three of the bouts featured elite open division boxers, including five-time state champion Aneudy “Junior” Rios. On a mission to win a national Golden Gloves title this season, Rios began his trek to nationals by winning a decision against Armand Bridgeforth of Anahuac Boxing Club in a crowded 132-pound weight class. In a bout full of action, Rios piled up the body punches and kept busy the entire three rounds while Bridgeforth countered with a steady barrage of punches of his own.

“He was a lot more active than I thought he would be,” Rios said. “I was kind of surprised. He put up a good fight and he made things difficult for me at times, but I felt like I boxed well tonight.”

Rios is putting in plenty of time training for his mission to win a national title and that was evident in his performance against Bridgeforth.

“So far so good,” Rios said. “I’m in good condition and my coach is making sure I stay on track. Now I have more time to train. I have a month off from work and I’m going to take advantage of it and get ready for nationals.”

Rios will be back in the ring Wednesday when he faces Michael Guzman in the semifinals.

“I will be facing a friend of mine in the semifinals in Michael Guzman,” Rios said. “It should be a real good fight and will be a good challenge for me.”

Michael Guzman’s twin brother Mike Guzman followed Rios on Saturday’s card and he provided the crowd with an explosive display of boxing skills. Mike Guzman defeated Jesus Lara of the Westside Boxing Club when the referee stopped the bout in the second round.



Mike Guzman won a novice division title last year and is looking to win in the open division this season. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“I felt things went good,” Guzman said. “I listened to my coaches and stayed behind my jab and kept the pressure up.”

A West Michigan champion last year in the novice division in his first action in the Golden Gloves, Guzman is making a smooth transition into the elite open division.

“I feel like I belong in the open division,” Guzman said. “I feel like this is going to be my year. With my brother, I feel like this year is going to be a Guzman takeover.”

Marcos Saucedo Jr. of Holland Westside Boxing Club

In the third elite open division bout, Marcos Saucedo Jr. of the Holland Westside Boxing Club held off Siderio Mitchell of Michigan Golden Gloves Association (MGGA) to win a decision at 139 pounds. Both Saucedo Jr. and Guzman will be boxing in the Wednesday’s semifinals in a loaded 139-pound weight class that totaled six boxers.

Union’s Hedaytullah Amarkhail of Blues Gym gets a win in first bout of career

Saturday’s action also included six bouts in the elite novice Division. The first of those bouts saw Hedaytullah Amarkhail of Blues Gym in Grand Rapids defeat Brandon Luis of MGGA at 132 pounds in an action-filled bout.



Hedaytullah Amarkhail (blue trunks) won the first bout of his boxing career Saturday with a decision over Brandon Luis. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



A student at Grand Rapids Union High School, Amarkhail is from Afghanistan and his parents and entire family are still in Afghanistan. Amarkhail made his boxing debut a successful one as he displayed plenty of skill despite only training as a boxer since last year.

“It felt amazing,” Amarkhail said. “It was really special. It was my first fight ever. It’s my father’s wish for me to be a boxer and I’m really excited to be here.”

In another bout in the 132-pound elite novice division, Stephen Ramirez from Sturgis won a decision against Anthony Holguin of the Holland Eli J Boxing Club.

The elite novice division also had a pair of bouts at 139 pounds. In the first 139-pound bout DreAun Ellis of the Kalamazoo Boxing Club defeated Dzenan Kovacevic of Blues Gym when the referee stopped the contest in the second round. In the next match at 139 pounds, Tiburcio Hernandez IV of the Eli J Boxing Club won a decision against Dylan Goodwin of the Lansing Crown Boxing Club.

In the elite novice 156-pound division, Gohan Estevez Marte of PK Boxing won a decision against Jordan Sanders.

In the final elite novice bout of the evening at 165 pounds, Isaiah Clay of Crown Boxing won a decision against Marco Walker of Mac Gym. Walker, however, was a big winner outside the ring as he became engaged to be married earlier in the day.

The boxing action kicked off for the evening with four junior novice bouts. At 150 pounds in the junior novice division, Dekent Murray of Kalamazoo Boxing won a decision against Jerymiah Signs of Team Glass Boxing. Also at 150 pounds, John Lopez of Crown Boxing won a decision against Jesus Diaz of Boxing House International of St. Joseph. At 145 pounds, Elijah Faidley of Crown Boxing defeated Keagen Wernette-Beals of Lansing Spartans Youth Organization when the referee stopped the bout in the first round. In the final junior novice bout Teodocio Magana of Crown Boxing won by decision against Noah Bates of Blues Gym.

Boxing resumes with the West Michigan Golden Gloves semifinals on Wednesday. Doors open at 6 p.m with boxing to begin at 7 p.m. at the 4 Mile Showplace.      


As usual, WKTV will televise all five nights of this year’s tournament. Check this WKTV Journal Story to get dates and times. 

Wyoming Police continue investigation of home invasion

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One suspect is in police custody after Wyoming PD responds to home invasion on Woodlake Road SW (Courtesy photo)


By Wyoming Police Department

One person is in police custody after a home invasion that occurred early morning on March 9.

At approximately 4:45 a.m. on March 9, officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the 2600 block of Woodlake Road SW on the report of a home invasion that had just occurred. The resident of the apartment was able to safely exit the residence.

When officers arrived, they located the suspect still inside the victim’s apartment.

The suspect refused the officers’ commands to exit the apartment and barricaded himself inside. The Wyoming Police Tactical Arrest and Confrontation Team and Crisis Negotiators were called in to apprehend the barricaded individual. The suspect was taken into custody several hours later.

Wyoming Police Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.

The suspect was lodged at Kent County Correctional Facility; their name and charges are being withheld pending arraignment.

Anyone with information 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.

Take a look at this Tri-unity Christian Photo Gallery from the Defenders regional championship win Thursday

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, , ,
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)
  • (Photos Courtesy Becky Rillema)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor


Tri-unity Christian beat Kalamazoo Phoenix 73-37 Thursday to win a Division 4 regional title. Jordan VanKlompenberg led with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. The Defenders advance to the state quarterfinals vs. St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 12 at Portage Northern.

Area boxers set to shine as Michigan Golden Gloves action begins; state champ Junior Rios and Lee alum Michael Carbajal return

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, ,
Local boxer Junior Rios (right) and his coach Anbrocio Ledesma. Rios is a five-time state champion. (Courtesy, Junior Rios)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



For area boxing fans it’s the best time of year as the action is set to begin in the Michigan Golden Gloves Association state tournament on Saturday, March 9.

Change is taking place this year as the Golden Gloves has a new venue for the third straight year. After taking place at West Catholic High School last year and previously the DeltaPlex, this year’s Golden Gloves championships will take place at the 4 Mile Showplace located at 1025 4 Mile Rd. NW.

While the exact number of boxers is still unknown as many register as walk-ups on the day of the fights, the numbers are trending up for this year.

“We have 60 fighters signed up so far which is a few more than last year,” said Brian Lentz of PK Boxing and the Golden Gloves. “There will probably be quite a few walk-ups as well.”



As usual, WKTV will be televising all five nights of this year’s tournament. Check this WKTV Journal Story to get dates and times. 

Familiar faces returning to Golden Gloves

Plenty of familiar names will be returning to the Golden Gloves this year including Junior Rios, a returning state champion, along with returning female state champions Sarah Batenburg of Hudsonville and Zoe Hicks of Lansing.


Female state champions Sarah Batenburg of Hudsonville (right) and Zoe Hicks of Lansing (not pictured). (Courtesy Photo)



For Rios, a five-time state champion, the end goal is winning a national championship. Rios lost a controversial decision in his opening bout at last year’s national Golden Gloves tournament and the loss has him focused on making it back to the national tournament and avenging that disappointment.

“I went to nationals last year and I felt I should’ve won my first fight,” Rios said, “but they took it away from me. I’m still holding a grudge from that. I was planning on turning pro last year, but I wanted a national belt. I decided to come back this year and give it one last shot and then turn pro.”

Rios will compete in the 132-pound open division, one of the largest weight divisions with at least six boxers already registered.

Rios enters this year’s tournament even more focused as he recently dropped a tough fight against Chris Young, a fighter from the Roy Jones Jr. boxing team in Florida.

“He was a pretty good opponent,” Rios said. “I lost that one, but that has made me even more hungry. I can’t wait to step into the ring again and fight even harder. I feel more confident this year and ready to go.”

Lee High School alum Carbajal returns

While Rios is an experienced boxer looking to add to his legacy, the West Michigan Golden Gloves is filled with fighters looking to make a name for themselves. One of those boxers is Michael Carbajal, a Lee High School alumnus who made his boxing debut at last year’s tournament.



Wyoming Lee alum Michael Carbajal made his boxing debut at last year’s tournament. (Courtesy Photo)

“I started training in September of 2022 and my first fight was February of 2023,” Carbajal said. “I will never forget that day. It was February 25, two days after my birthday. I won the fight in the third round and after the fight we went to Chicago to celebrate my birthday.”

Less than two months later, Carbajal had his first Golden Gloves match. While Carbajal lost in his first experience in the Golden Gloves, it taught him plenty and has him hungry to make his mark this year in the 139-pound open division.

“It was my first time in a Golden Gloves tournament,” Carbajal said. “It was something different. I was eliminated on the first day in my first match. It was the worst performance of my boxing career. I had a lot of personal issues I was going through at the time.


“Physically I was there, but mentally I wasn’t. Moving forward it was a big lesson learned. Every time I step into the ring I focus on boxing and not having any of those outside issues.”

Carbajal has picked up plenty of experience since last year’s Golden Gloves with nine wins and three losses, including winning five matches by stoppage while all of his losses have been by decision. Carbajal also has won his first two bouts while competing in the open division.

“I feel like I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in, both physically and mentally,” Carbajal said. “I feel like this is going to be my year.”

Win or lose, Carbajal is sure to be a fan favorite with his aggressive and attacking style that should win fans over.

“I come to put on a show”

“I’m an aggressive fighter,” Carbajal said. “I feel like I’m a fearless fighter and I’m always looking to apply pressure. Some people say I have an entertaining style. Three or four times I won the fighter of the night. A lot of fighters want to keep clean records and try to not get hit. I come to put on a show. The fans want action and power shots and that’s what I want to give them.”

Carbajal grew up a boxing fan watching professional fights with his parents Ranulfo and Andrea. 

“My parents loved watching the fights and I would watch with them,” Carbajal said. “We’d get the pay per view and watch Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao. I liked watching all of those fighters.”

These days, his father and brothers, Ranulfo Jr. and Efren, and sister Candi watch his fights in person although his mother would rather wait to hear the results.

“My mother watched my first three fights, but after that she just got really nervous,” Carbajal said. “She just waits for that call or text telling her how I did.”

Carbajal, who played a year of soccer while at Lee High School, got his start in boxing while there.

“Tom DeGennaro and Jim Jenson introduced me to Brian Lentz at PK Boxing,” Carbajal said. “I trained for a year, but never had a fight. I eventually left boxing, but then a couple years ago I took a friend’s son to PK because he wanted to get into karate. I ran into coach Brian and he asked if I wanted to get back into boxing. One thing led to another and I’m back and loving it.”

Carbajal, Rios and all of the other boxers now set their sights on winning West Michigan titles and then going for state titles with the ultimate goal of making it to the national Golden Gloves tournament.

WKTV Golden Gloves Schedule

The opening night of this year’s Golden Gloves takes place Saturday, March 9. Action continues with the West Michigan semifinals on Wednesday, March 13 with the West Michigan finals set for Saturday March 16. The Michigan Golden Gloves state finals also takes place at the 4 Mile Showplace with the state semifinals scheduled for Friday, March 22 and the state finals slated for Saturday, March 23. Bouts begin at 7 p.m. each day of the tournament with the doors opening at 6 p.m.

With the 4 Mile Showplace being a smaller venue, boxing fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible before they sell out.

Victim sustains multiple gunshot wounds in shooting: Suspect in custody

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Wyoming PD responded to reports of a shooting on South Division Avenue (Courtesy, Phil Dolby at pxhere.com)


By Wyoming Police Department

UPDATE: One person is in police custody after a shooting at the Admiral gas station.

Wyoming Police have arrested a male suspect, a 20-year-old Wyoming resident, in connection with this shooting; the suspect’s name and charges are being withheld pending arraignment.

The victim, a 36-year-old male resident of Grand Rapids, is an employee of the business; he sustained severe injuries and is in critical condition.

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Original media release

One person is injured after a shooting near the intersection of 32nd Street and South Division Avenue.

At approximately 5:40 p.m. on March 6, police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the Admiral gas station, 3221 South Division Avenue, on the report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they located a victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.

Suspect information is not being released at this time.

Wyoming Police Detectives and Forensic Services Unit continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police Detectives at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345; or https://www.silentobserver.org.

Tri-unity uses stout defense Tuesday to advance to regional finals

City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan
Junior guard Keaton Blanker (4) led the Defenders with 17 points, three steals and seven rebounds.
(Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor



Tri-unity Christian’s fourth-quarter defense again came up big in the regional semifinals against host Fowler Tuesday night.

The stout Defenders’ defense allowed seven points in the fourth quarter of last week’s district finals win and only six points in the fourth quarter to advance to the regional finals with a 46-39 victory over Fowler.



“We really embrace defense,” said Mark Keeler, whose team is seeking a fifth-straight regional championship.



“The old adage that offense wins games, but defense wins championships, I can tell you, is true. We play great defense and they all buy into it. We play a unique man-to-man setup.”

Fowler jumps ahead first

Fowler started the game hot and held a 13-9 lead after the first quarter.

But then Tri-unity woke up offensively in the second quarter with a 16-point outburst and took a slim 25-24 lead into the half.

The Defenders locked in on defense in the second half, allowing only 15 points in the final 16 minutes of play.

“It was a back-and-forth defensive battle, not much scoring,” Keeler explained. “I’m so proud of my team and how they invested and gave everything in their defense.”

Tri-unity senior guard Lincoln Eerdmans hit a three-point shot late, and senior Owen Rosendall hit a free throw on the next possession to score a quick four points, putting the team up by six with five minutes remaining in the game.

Seniors Jordan VanKlompenberg and Rosendall led the way defensively.



Jordan VanKlompenberg goes up for the layin. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



“Jordan covered their best player and held him to two points; he did an amazing job,” Keeler said. They had one player score 11 of their 24 points in the first half. I put Owen on him in the second half, and he didn’t score another point. He probably thought he was going to have a field day, but he didn’t know I was going to put Big-O on him.


Owen Rosendall skies high for a bucket. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)



“Our whole team played great defense. Akais Giplaye had to guard a guy three inches taller than him and he did a phenomenal job on him. Fowler did a great job crashing the offensive board, so we will have to keep working on that.”

Keaton Blanker led the way for the Defenders

Junior guard Keaton Blanker had team highs with 17 points, three steals and seven rebounds.


“We had the ball in his hands a lot,” Keeler said. “He was huge for us. Last year, he was a sophomore point guard, and he really matured. He handled the pressure, made great choices, and made the extra passes. It’s fun to watch.” 


Keaton Blanker takes one of his many shots in the regional semifinal. (Photo Courtesy Becky Rillema)


VanKlompenberg led the team with five assists and added seven points.

“We had eight players score points; we had good balance,” Keeler said. “Fowler played great defense as well. We didn’t shoot the ball well because of their tough defense.”

Tri-unity is one win from their fifth-straight regional championship and 19th in school history.



“We are excited. I loved how we played defensively, and that will carry us going into Thursday.”

Kalamazoo Phoenix (8-14) defeated Climax-Scotts 80-68 to advance to the regional final against Tri-unity (20-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Fowler High School.

“They have some good talent, so we need to come ready to play,” Keeler explaind. “We would love to win and win another regional championship.”

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (March 1) featuring many cool clips

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 26 through March 1.



Every week, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings. We also have the local boys district results and regional matchups and the girls district brackets inside.



Thanks for watching!

Tri-unity Christian boys one step closer to another state title with fifth straight district championship

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, , ,
(WKTV/Ty Marzean)



By Ty Marzean

WKTV Contributor



The Tri-unity Christian boys basketball team checked off the first box in its quest for a fourth-straight state championship appearance on Friday night by capturing its fifth-straight Division 4 district title against Alliance League foe and host Zion Christian. 


The Defenders used a suffocating defense and overbearing offense in a 78-40 win over the Mountaineers.



Tri-unity used a 15-5 first quarter to set the pace for the remainder of the contest.


“I’m so happy about our defense,” said Coach Mark Keeler, who’s won the state championship five times with the Defenders.”

 

“Zion has improved so much over the years; if we didn’t show up and play hard, it could have been a different story.”



Jordan VanKlompenberg led with 20 points, while Akais Giplaye and Trey Rillema combined for 19 rebounds. (Photo from a previous game courtesy, Becky Rillema)



The Defenders kept the pressure on Zion as the first half ended with a 36-17 lead for Tri-unity.

“If you hold a team to 17 points in the first half, there are not many games you will not win playing that kind of defense,” Keeler said.

Giplaye and Rillema combined for 19 boards

Tri-unity big men Akais Giplaye and Trey Rillema set the defensive tone under the boards as they collected 19 rebounds as a duo.

Rillema finished the game with four points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots, while Giplaye had eight points and 10 rebounds.

“Akais is so amazing; he plays taller than he is.” Keeler explained. “I watch him go against guys 6-8, and he holds his own. He’s such an awesome young man; I think the world of him.

.

“This entire team is special. I love this team and how they act out on the court.”

Zion Christian came out of the half with four quick points as the Defenders struggled to gain footing in the third quarter. 

“I think we came in with the wrong attitude in the second half,” Keeler said. “I told them they had to change their focus. If they want to keep playing, you must start playing defense. We struggled throughout the third quarter because of it. Fortunately, in the fourth quarter, we reset ourselves and played great defense.”

Defenders kept Zion to seven in fourth

Tri-unity clamped down defensively, allowing only seven fourth-quarter points. 

“They played their hearts out and never stopped hustling; I love that about them,” Keeler said. “We just kept after them. I thought we did a great job.”

VanKlompenberg led with 20 points

Tri-unity senior guard Jordan VanKlompenberg led the Defenders with 20 points and added four assists and six rebounds. Lincoln Eerdmans connected on a team-high three buckets from beyond the arc, ending with 13 points. Owen Rosendall added 14 points and four rebounds. 

The Defenders find themselves in familiar territory heading into the regional round.

“I told them we have two more trophies to win, a regional and a state,” Keeler said. “It would be a dream come true.

“Every year is new, and you can’t go on what you did last season. You have to go out with a new group of boys and play the best they can. I enjoy watching them play. I’m proud of my guys, their hard work, and their intensity.”

Tri-unity (19-5) advances to the Regional 29 Semifinals against host Fowler (17-7) on Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.

Scam ads prey on patients seeking mental health treatment through local Pine Rest organization

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Those seeking mental health and/or substance abuse treatment are being targeted with fraudulent scam ads, delaying needed care (Courtesy, U.S. Army)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Pine Rest issues warning about fraudulent online ads (Courtesy photo)

People searching online for Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services on their mobile devices are encountering fraudulent third-party organizations instead of the Pine Rest organization.

“Third-party organizations, using carefully crafted language to present themselves as affiliates of Pine Rest, appear near the top of search results and fraudulently claim they can assist individuals with placement in our services,” states a recent Pine Rest press release.

Attorney General Dana Nessel also issued a warning statement that the phone number found online may not actually connect them to Pine Rest.

“This appears to be a cruel scheme targeting those suffering from substance abuse disorder, striking treatment-seeking victims in a moment of courage, when they’ve finally sought professional help,” said Nessel.

Preying on the vulnerable

It is crucial to ensure those seeking help receive the correct care (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Pine Rest is a mental health care service provider for West Michigan. Located on the south side of Grand Rapids, Pine Rest is known for their variety of mental health services.

Susan Langeland, Vice President of Continuum Development and Chief Information Officer for Pine Rest, said the fraudulent ads are taking advantage of very vulnerable people in a moment of crisis.

“When people think about seeking care, they mull it over, it takes them many times to actually pick up that phone to call for treatment,” said Langeland. “So when they do, we want to make sure that we get them connected to the right treatment, not being sent out of state and potentially delaying care this person desperately needs.”

Legitimacy of ads

The fraudulent ads use carefully crafted words to appear like a legitimate health care organization. When someone searching for care calls the number provided, scammers identify themselves as a Pine Rest clinician or hospital admissions for an affiliate organization.

“None of that is true,” said Langeland. “We have our own admissions department right there at Pine Rest campus on the south side of Grand Rapids. They are all employed by Pine Rest. We don’t use brokerage or placement firms.”

Pine Rest does not use brokerage or placement firms (Courtesy photo)

Many patients have been diverted out of state for potential treatment. While the locations given are actual treatment facilities, that does not mean patients are receiving the care they need.

“What we hear back from some of these patients is that they are actual locations,” said Langeland. “But as to what their treatment is, and what that looks like, and how that quality of care is, I can’t speak to any of that. We don’t know anybody at any of the locations that our patients have brought back to us.”

Fraudulent scam impact

Langeland went on to say that Pine Rest has no way of knowing how many people have been impacted by these scams.

“We’re reliant on people to let us know,” Langeland said. “Some people reach out right away and say, ‘That was really weird interaction with you,’ and file a formal complaint. Others just go about their day-to-day, and we don’t know.”

Fear of judgment can stop people from coming forward with their scam experiences (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

The authorities and Attorney General are working with Pine Rest to gather information regarding the scam ads. However, some patients who issued complaints do not want to be part of the investigation due to fear of judgment.

“Unfortunately, we still have stigma,” said Langeland, adding that it is hard for some people to trust that the system is going to take care of the issue, and that there is no stigma attached.

The patients who have agreed to participate in the investigation do so because they don’t want anyone else to fall victim to the scams.

“Their experience was not one that they enjoyed, and they don’t want this to happen to anyone else in a moment when they are trying to seek help,” said Langeland.

How to avoid scam ads

Go directly to a company’s website instead of clicking on a sponsored ad (Courtesy photo)

When people seek substance use care in a moment of crisis, Langeland said, they are using their phones quickly, getting online and searching Pine Rest. “And these sponsored ads would come up that look like Pine Rest.”

In a moment of crisis, that person does not look for details on a sponsored ad to ensure it is legitimate. They simply click on the link that looks like it will lead them to the resources they need.

Pine Rest stresses the importance of going to an organization’s website, making sure you talk to someone from the organization, and being conscious of what information you are giving out over the phone so you are not taken advantage of.

Pine Rest is working with their legal team and law enforcement to figure out options regarding the scams.

Though Pine Rest has no control over sponsored ads, Langeland hopes authorities will find a way to restrict the scammers from claiming to be Pine Rest or affiliated with Pine Rest.

Pine Rest availability

Pine Rest does have openings for people seeking substance use and mental health services.

“When people say we don’t have any availability, that is not actually the case,” said Langeland.


Pine Rest does have availability and is ready to help those seeking care (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Pine Rest resources/contact information

All contact information for Pine Rest services can be found on their website.

Individuals seeking mental health and/or addiction services may also reach Pine Rest by phone:

 

FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE 24/7: 616-455-5000 or toll-free at 800-678-5500

FOR OUTPATIENT ASSISTANCE (Standard Business Hours): 866-852-4001

Wyoming commercial building fire under investigation

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The Wyoming Fire Department is investigating a recent structure fire in a large commercial building (Courtesy photo)


By Wyoming Fire Department


Firemen from four departments responded to the scene of the fire (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 28, the Wyoming Fire Department responded to a structure fire in a large commercial building in the 5200 block of South Division Ave.

The first arriving fire units observed heavy fire and smoke conditions coming from within the building. There were no reported injuries because of the fire.

The Wyoming Fire Department was notified of this fire from a passerby who stopped to call 911. There were reports of two explosions and flames coming from the building.

Given this information, Wyoming Fire requested assistance from neighboring departments including the Grand Rapids Fire Department, Kentwood Fire Department and Cutlerville Fire Department. With this added response, the 35 firefighters on scene were able to contain and extinguish the fire, preventing it from fully spreading to the remainder of the warehouse and front office area.

Fire safety and preparedness

While the cause of the fire is currently under investigation, the Wyoming Fire Department is taking this opportunity to remind the community about the importance of fire safety and preparedness.

Please ensure that fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and fire alarms are regularly inspected and maintained. Keep all fire exits clear of obstructions to allow quick evacuation of a structure if needed.

Take steps to ensure fire safety and preparedness in your home or business (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

The Wyoming Fire Department is committed to promoting fire safety and prevention within our community. By taking proactive measures, we can work together to reduce the risk of fire related incidents.

Wyoming FD is seeking information

This incident is currently being investigated by the Wyoming Fire Marshal’s Office. Anyone with
additional information regarding this fire is asked to contact the Wyoming Fire Department Fire
Investigator at 616-257-9764.

Lee boys basketball team adds big district victory to league title

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect 8-0 record, the Lee Legends opened play in the state tournament with a thrilling win against West Catholic. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



After winning the Alliance League championship with a perfect league record this season, the Lee basketball team opened the state tournament with a thrilling 49-48 win against West Catholic in the Division 2 district semifinal game Wednesday at the West Catholic district.

In a low-scoring, defensive struggle, the Legends persevered at the end to come away with the win that improved their record to 17-5 for the season. Lee now goes on to Friday’s district title game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central as the Legends go after their first district title since 1995.

“It was a great team win,” said Lee Coach Dominic Shannon. “I’m proud of our effort and proud of our energy. It was a tight game to the end. It was a back-and-forth game from the start to the finish. The biggest lead of the game was eight by us early in the game and at halftime we were up by two at 19-17.”

West Catholic came out playing a zone defense and looked to slow down the pace of the game against the Legends.

“They (West Catholic) tried to slow the game down,” Shannon said. “The opportunities that we did have to run we capitalized on. It was a fun game with great energy and I’m happy we were able to pull it out.”

Lee played a rugged non-conference schedule this season that included games against schools like East Kentwood, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix and Forest Hills Eastern, and that experience proved valuable in the district.

“The reason we played such a tough schedule is for moments like this,” Shannon said. “Our schedule prepared us for a game like this.”



Lee senior Ny’Zhem Marshall led with 17 points and 14 rebounds. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)



Marshall led the Legends with 17 points and 14 boards

Ny’Zhem Marshall led Lee with 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. Nate Johnson added 11 points.

“Nate hit one of the biggest shots of the game for us,” Shannon said. “We were down 45-42 in the fourth quarter. Marc Whitfield drove to the basket and the defense collapsed on him. Nate is one of our best three-point shooters and Marc recognized that and kicked the ball out to him on the wing and Nate knocked the shot down to tie the game.”

 

Conference crown two-straight years

The district win comes after the Legends wrapped up a regular season that saw them win a conference title for the second consecutive year and with a perfect league mark for the second straight season.

“I’m so proud of our boys for capturing back-to-back conference championships for multiple reasons,” Shannon said. “One, the boys made history at Lee with back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1971 and 1972.”

A key to success for the Legends this year is the way the team prepares for each game.

“The key to capturing our conference was trusting our preparation,” Shannon said. “Even though our conference is untraditional with teams only playing each other once, we were able to get film and have a gameplan based on what was shown on film. There were games when we were off, but we also have a strong bench and at times we were able to insert someone from the bench to provide a boost.



Specifically, I can recall the Wellspring game as we were down heading into the fourth quarter. The coaching staff made an adjustment as a starter was having an uncharacteristically off-game and essentially the adjustment aided with the win.”

Lee also did a solid job of handling the adversity it faced during the season.

“We started the season 0-3 and finished 15-5 overall,” Shannon said, “not to mention we dealt with many injuries this year and we are actually full strength in the postseason.”

On the court, the Legends count on strong defense as a major team strong point.

“A strong component of our team is our ability to defend baseline to baseline, regardless of who’s defending,” Shannon said. “We have great versatility in our defense this year and we really pressure the ball which has led to great success. We like to be able to make guards uncomfortable when starting their offense to disrupt rhythm and timing.” 



Lee senior Marc Whitfield leading the Legends this year. (Courtesy, Wyoming Lee)


Marc Whitfield leading the team

Leading the way for the legends this season is Marc Whitfield. The reigning conference player of the year, Whitfield averages 22 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Whitfield has five 30-point games this season with a season-high 35 points in the win against Grand River Prep.

Ny’Zhem Marshall all-around production

Ny’Zhem Marshall provides all-around production averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists per game while shooting 50% from beyond the three-point line. Marshall also recorded five games with seven blocked shots.

Clarence Lewis, who guarded the opposing team’s best player this season, added eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals per game and recorded a season-high of six steals in one game. Nathan Johnson averaged nine points and three rebounds per game while shooting 40% from the three-point line. Johnson also scored a season-high 22 points in two games this season. 

It’s back! Golden Gloves begins airing again on WKTV Saturday, March 9; check it out

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



There’s no more waiting! Golden Gloves is back.



WKTV is bringing you all the excitement of local boxing with our coverage of the Michigan Golden Gloves Boxing Championships.

 

Catch all the action on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 with a live tape delayed airing of each evening’s bouts.

 

West Michigan Preliminaries

Saturday, March 9: Airs Sunday, March 10 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, March 13 at 5 p.m.

 

West Michigan Semifinals

Wednesday, March 13: Airs Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m. and Tuesday, March 19 at 11 p.m.

 

West Michigan Finals

Saturday, March 16: Airs Sunday, March 17 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m.

 

State Semifinals 

Friday, March 22: Airs Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. and Wednesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.

 

State Finals 

Saturday, March 23: Airs Sunday, March 24 at 12 p.m. and Wednesday, April 3 at 5 p.m.

South Christian takes advantage of fast start to take out Godwin Heights in D2 district opener Monday

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South Christian junior standout Carson Vis scored 29 points in the tournament opener against Godwin Heights. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)




By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor


Taking on a red-hot Godwin Heights squad the opening night of the state tournament, the South Christian boys basketball team left nothing to chance as they struck early and often on its way to a 62-43 win in the Division 2 district at Unity Christian.

Godwin Heights, fresh off winning the OK Silver Conference championship, entered the game on an eight-game winning streak. With plenty of momentum and confidence, the Wolverines were on a mission to keep rolling. The Sailors, however, had other plans. South ramped up the defense, kept the ball in junior standout Carson Vis’ hands and shot out to a 12-2 lead midway through the first quarter. By the end of the opening quarter that lead stood at 21-5 and the Sailors had the upper hand for the remainder of the game.

“Although it’s not March yet we consider it March,” Vis said, “because in March we try to be at our best. We wanted to come out and try and set the tone tonight. We wanted to come out and lock things down on defense. Our goal was to hold them under 30 points. Obviously, we didn’t do that, but we came away with the win.”

Carson Vis led South Christian with 29 points

While the Sailors were busy holding Godwin to five points in the first quarter, Vis was also busy filling up the basket on the other side of the floor. Vis totaled 13 points in the first quarter and added eight more of his game-high 29 points in the second quarter.

Sailors up 34-16 at halftime

South continued to play stingy defense in the second quarter as it limited the Wolverines to 11 points in that stanza. The Sailors also built the lead to 18 points at halftime as they entered the break with a 34-16 lead.

South also accomplished the feat without the benefit of standout senior guard Jake Vermaas who missed the game but will be back for Wednesday’s district semifinal showdown with Unity Christian.

“I’m real proud of our guys,” said South Christian Coach Taylor Johnson. “We had to play without Jake Vermaas, but he will be ready to go on Wednesday. Carson did a real nice job of stepping up. He was scoring in a variety of ways for us. He was scoring inside and outside. Guys got him the ball and he made the shots.”

Vis also brought the Sailor crowd to their feet with a highlight-reel dunk during the third quarter that put the Sailors up 46-30.

The Sailors also received a strong scoring effort from senior Sam Weiss who also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.

“I was happy with how Sam stepped up,” Johnson said. “He played the point and played with a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. I was very proud of him.”


South Christian senior Sam Weiss, who scored 10 points, prepares to drive to the basket. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


The Sailors also handled the ball effectively against Godwin’s swarming defensive pressure.

“We prepared for that pressure,” Vis said. “We knew what was coming so we actually started preparing for it last week. A lot of teams consider our ball handling a weakness so we wanted to show people that we can handle the pressure.”

South scored a number of points in transition after navigating the Wolverines’ defensive pressure.

Along with the double-digit offensive efforts of Vis and Weiss, the Sailors received eight points from Caleb Pleune, seven from Davis Kemper.

With the win, the Sailors improved to 18-5 for the season and will face Unity Christian, 18-4, in one semifinal game Wednesday.



Godwin Heights was led by senior Jacari Jones with nine points.  (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


Godwin Heights ended the season with a 16-6 record. The Wolverines were led in scoring by sophomore Isaiah Guyton who finished with 11 points. Senior Jacari Jones added nine points and fellow senior Jace Reid-Anderson added eight.    


Godwin Heights senior Jace Reid-Anderson (11) tries to split a pair of South Christian defenders on his drive to the basket. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


MHSAA Girls Basketball Tournament: Vicksburg defeated South Christian 49-34 in Regional 12 Final

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


South Christian (15-11) lost to Vicksburg 49-34 in the Regional 12 final Wednesday night. Check out the complete story on South Christian’s great tournament run here.


DIVISION 1

DISTRICT 7 at Grandville

First Round: Hudsonville 50, Wyoming 43

Semifinal: East Kentwood 50, Hudsonville 33
DISTRICT FINAL: Byron Center 47, East Kentwood 44

DIVISION 2

DISTRICT 43 at Hudsonville Unity Christian

First Round: Kelloggsville 43, Wyoming Lee 27

Semifinal: Unity Christian 58, Kelloggsville 10

Semifinal: Allendale 46, Godwin Heights 29


DISTRICT 44 at Forest Hills Eastern

First Round: Grand Rapids Christian 55, West Michigan Aviation 11


DISTRICT 45 at South Christian

First Round: Hamilton 64, Grand River Prep 9

Semifinal: South Christian 48, Wayland 38
DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian 78, Holland Christian 67 (2 OT)
REGIONAL 12:
SEMIFINAL: South Christian 47, Otsego 40

Semifinal: South Christian 48, Wayland 38
DISTRICT FINAL: South Christian 78, Holland Christian 67 (2 OT)
REGIONAL 12:
SEMIFINAL: South Christian 47, Otsego 40
FINAL: Vicksburg 49, South Christian 34


DIVISION 3

DISTRICT 75 at Saugatuck

First Round: Potter’s House 39, Calvin Christian 36

Semifinal: Saugatuck 50, Potter’s House Christian 36

DIVISION 4

DISTRICT 114 at Fruitport Calvary Christian

Semifinal: Sacred Heart 40, Tri-unity Christian 33

DISTRICT 115 at Lawrence

Semifinal: Martin 39, Zion Christian 34

MHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament: Tri-unity boys win second state championship in three years

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org

DIVISION 1

REGIONAL 2 SEMIFINAL AT EAST KENTWOOD: Forest Hills Central 54, East Kentwood 42

District 7 at Byron Center
DISTRICT FINAL: East Kentwood 55, Byron Center 45

DIVISION 2

District 43 at West Catholic
SEMIFINALS:
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 75, Allendale 56
Lee 49, West Catholic 48
(LEE: Ny’Zhem Marshall, 17 points, 6 blocks, 14 rebounds; Nathan Johnson, 11 points)
DISTRICT FINAL: Catholic Central 63, Wyoming Lee 56


District 44 at Ionia
First Round: Forest Hills Eastern 56, West Michigan Aviation 36


District 45 at Hudsonville Unity Christian
First Round:
Grand River Prep 78, Kelloggsville 60
South Christian 62, Godwin Heights 43
Semifinals:
Grand Rapids Christian 84, Grand River Prep 49
South Christian 70, Unity Christian 62
DISTRICT FINAL: Grand Rapids Christian 52, South Christian 49

DIVISION 3

District 75 at Calvin Christian
First Round: Calvin Christian 68, Potter’s House Christian 66 (OT)

DIVISION 4

STATE FINAL:
Tri-unity Christian 79, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 59

REGIONAL 29 SEMIFINAL AT FOWLER: Tri-unity Christian 46, Fowler 39
REGIONAL FINAL: Tri-unity Christian 73, Kalamazoo Phoenix 37
District 114 at Zion Christian
DISTRICT FINAL: Tri-unity Christian 78, Zion Christian 40

Upcoming comedy show to celebrate Women’s History Month on March 3

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Celebrate seven funny women at SNF’s special March show! (Courtesy, Brian B. SNF)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


The second annual March Women’s History Month comedy show, presented by The Sunday Night Funnies (SNF), is set for Sunday, March 3.

“The Sunday Night Funnies has always been a diverse show,” says Brian B., MC and Founder of the SNF. “I wanted to celebrate the contribution women comedians have brought to the show through the years.”

Brian B. went on to say that, locally, women performing standup comedy was rare.

“Over the course of the last few years, that number has been steadily growing,” Brian B. says. “We’re featuring seven extremely funny women comics for this show.”

The lineup

The March 3 special performance will feature Grand Rapids comedian Kim Cook, a Second City alumni and semifinalist in the 2022 Kingpin of Comedy competition; Nicole Melnyk, voted Lansing’s Best Comic three times; Lauren Corbett; Cheryl Stoner; Amanda VK; and SNF first-timers Lucky Lee and Cinda DeBolt.


  • Lucky Lee (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Kim Cook (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Cheryl Stoner (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Amanda VK (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Cinda DeBolt (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Lauren Corbett (Courtesy, SNF)
  • Nicole Melnyk (Courtesy, SNF)

Mark your calendars for upcoming SNF events!

The following Sunday, March 10, is SNF’s annual LaughFest show. Comics 50+ will celebrate Older American Month with a show on Sunday, May 5. Soon after will be the start of SNF’s sixth annual Kingpin of Comedy competition.

About SNF

The creation of Grand Rapids stand-up comedian Brian B. (Brian Borbot), the SNF is a weekly live stand-up comedy performance featuring a variety of comics from Michigan and around the country.

The free admission show starts at 7:30 p.m. and is performed at the Spectrum Entertainment Complex in Wyoming, MI.

Godwin Heights boys basketball team captures OK Silver crown; tough district ahead

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,
Godwin Heights Boys Basketball Team. Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, second from right. (Photo Courtesy, Geskus Photography)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

For most first-year coaches, getting their program established is usually a major accomplishment. For Godwin Heights boys basketball Coach Bernard Varnesdeel, not only did he get his style implemented, but he also led the Wolverines to an OK Silver Conference title.

With eight straight conference wins to close out the season, Godwin Heights ended up winning the OK Silver by a full two games over second place Sparta. Godwin Heights ended the regular season with a 13-1 conference record to go along with a 16-5 overall record.

“I’m super-proud of the guys,” Varnesdeel said. “As a first-year coach implementing a whole new program, our team stepped up tremendously. I’m super proud of them. We have a really good group of guys and to win most every night is not easy.”

Winning in the Silver is no easy chore as the conference is full of quality teams from top to bottom. Godwin also had to come up with some key wins down the stretch to secure the title.

“All of our games in the conference were pretty tight,” Varnesdeel said. “The game at Sparta was a big win for us. For five days heading into that game, we weren’t even able to get into the gym due to the weather. To be able to go to Sparta without being able to practice for five days and get a win is pretty big.



“Our win at Belding was also a very big win just because of the style of play. We won 32-28 and to adjust to that style of play and get a win is big. We also beat Sparta at home despite being down by 15 points in the third quarter and that was also a pretty big win.”

A total team effort for Godwin Heights

The key to success for the Wolverines this season was a total-team effort. Having a deep bench proved beneficial time and time again for Godwin.

“The key was our depth,” Varnesdeel said. “We go 10, 11 players deep so we always have fresh players on the floor. Overall, we also have very good athleticism. Our depth and athleticism allows us to keep up the pressure on defense and get out in transition on offense.”

The overall depth is evident by the balanced scoring the Wolverines feature. Four players average in double figures in scoring. Jamaan Hastings averages over 12 points per game, Isaiah Guyton and Jacari Jones average around 10.5 points, while Jace Reid-Anderson averages over 10 points. Guyton and Jones also lead the team in rebounds.

“Another strong point is we shoot very well,” Varnesdeel said. “We have a very good two-point shooting percentage. Several kids are shooting around 60% and several more are shooting in the upper 50s and that’s pretty good.”  

Godwin also made substantial progress as a team since the beginning of the season.

“I think we made a lot of progress in just realizing our identity as a team,” Varnesdeel said. “We made a lot of progress in knowing we have to play hard and defend well. Our rebounding has also come along. Our improvement in rebounding has enabled us to create opportunities on offense in transition. Once that light clicked on, we made a big jump as a team.”

Tough, tough district ahead

With a conference title secured, Godwin is now on to the state tournament where they play in arguably the toughest Division 2 district in the state with what has to be the toughest draw facing any team in the state. Godwin opens up tournament play at the Unity Christian district by playing South Christian, who was a state finalist last year. If the Wolverines win that game they would play Unity Christian, ranked 12th in the state in the semifinals with the winner likely playing Grand Rapids Christian, the No. 1-ranked team in the state in the district finals.

“We are capable of doing some really special things in the state tournament if we play up to our abilities,” Varnesdeel said. “We do have the potential for a state tournament run. That said, we will be tested early and often.”

No matter the outcome in the state tournament, this year’s young squad accomplished plenty in Varnesdeel’s first season at Godwin.

“I’m super proud of all of our kids,” Varnesdeel said. “Everyone of them filled a key role. I couldn’t have been more happy with what all of our kids did for us.”    

Fatal crash under investigation by Wyoming Police Department

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Wyoming PD continues to investigate fatal crash on South Division Avenue (Courtesy photo)


By Wyoming Police Department


One person is dead, and two are injured after a crash in the 3200 block of South Division Avenue.

At approximately 2:15 p.m. on Feb. 23, police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the 3200 block of South Division Avenue on the report of a crash involving two vehicles. Department of Public Safety personnel arrived and found one of the involved vehicles on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished by WYFD personnel.

Wyoming Fire Department (Courtesy, Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Preliminary investigation indicates after the two vehicles collided one then struck a utility pole and caught fire. A 35-year-old female resident of Wyoming, who was a passenger in the car that hit the pole, died at the scene. Additionally, two individuals sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment.

Drivers of both vehicles remained at the scene to speak with investigators. Speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in this incident.

The Wyoming Police Accident Investigation and Forensic Science Units are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this crash.

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.

Wyoming basketball coach Thom Vander Klay reaches milestone 400th win; “Wyoming is an important piece of who I am”

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Wyoming Boys Basketball Coach Thom Vander Klay has won more than 400 games from that position on the sideline. (Photo Courtesy, Curtis Holt)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

While a student at Wyoming Park High School during the early 80s, Wyoming boys basketball coach Thom Vander Klay was influenced by a virtual who’s who of Wyoming Park coaches. It should have been no surprise that some 40 years later Vander Klay reached a coaching milestone when he won the 400th game of his head coaching career.

The only coach the Wolves have ever had for boys basketball and the former coach at Wyoming Park before it merged with Wyoming Rogers to form Wyoming High School, Vander Klay won game No. 400 when the Wolves defeated Holland Christian 51-49 on Jan. 30 this season. He was then recognized for the achievement during Wyoming’s victory against Grand Rapids Union on Feb. 9.

Wyoming Park grad and three-sport athlete

A 1982 graduate of Wyoming Park, Vander Klay was a three-sport athlete for the Vikings playing football, basketball and running track before heading off to Hope College where he played football and basketball.

Vander Klay credits his former coaches at Wyoming Park for getting him started down the path of coaching.

“We just had some fantastic coaches at Park,” Vander Klay said. “We had Jack Verduin for football and Rich Renzema for basketball and Frank Grimm was the track coach. Ron Engels was the baseball coach forever and Dick Locke was another outstanding coach. Those were some really, really good coaches in high school and I knew that I was going to pursue that.”


Coach Vander Klay hoists his team’s 2022 district trophy. (Photo Courtesy, Curtis Holt)


After graduating from Hope College in 1986, Vander Klay returned to Park where he began his coaching and teaching career. His first coaching jobs were with the junior varsity football and basketball teams at Wyoming Park.

“I was really a football guy and I planned to eventually coach the football team,” Vander Klay said, “but coach Verduin kept going and going and then our varsity Coach Kelly McEwen retired so I took over the basketball team in 1995. I worked under Coach Verduin in the fall and Coach McEwen in the winter and I learned tons of knowledge from both of them.”

Vander Klay parlayed that wealth of knowledge into a legacy of success at both Wyoming Park and later at Wyoming when Park and Rogers merged 12 years ago.


Coach Vander Klay talks to his team in 2019. (Photo Courtesy, Andris B. Visokis)


Whether at Park or Wyoming, the style of play has been very consistent.

“We usually have the same type of style,” Vander Klay said. “Our players are usually quite small, but they play quite fast. We have to play fast, shoot well and play hard. We play pressure defense and play up-tempo on offense. We play very fast on both sides of the court.”

During his coaching career Vander Klay has experienced plenty of highlights. A couple, however, stand out after all the years.

1998 team and Mr. Basketball Drew Neitzel stand out

“The run we had in 1998 when we came out of nowhere to win the league is one team that stands out,” Vander Klay said. “Of course, the teams that had Drew Neitzel, who won Mr. Basketball in 2004, stand out. That team was the only team to sell out the Breslin Arena when we played against Detroit Renaissance in the state semifinals.”

Those teams were not alone, however, in making memories that stand out.

“So many teams and players and moments to remember”

“There were so many teams and so many players and moments that you remember,” Vander Klay said. “It’s not only the successful teams either. I remember so many kids and teams. Looking back on all the kids you coach and the success they eventually have as adults. Those memories last with you. The relationships are what make it special. Also, our coaching staff. We have had such a consistent coaching staff throughout the years. The assistant coaches I’ve had have made it so easy for me as a head coach.”


Coach Thom Vander Klay and WKTV Sports Director Cris Greer share a laugh at a recent interview. (Photo Courtesy, Olivia Potter)



The memories flooded back for Vander Klay during the ceremony commemorating his 400th win during the union game.

“It was so nice when they had the little ceremony at the game,” Vander Klay said. “Seeing the former teams and the former players and receiving the plaque. It was surprising and fun. The 400 wins is a longevity thing. I’ve coached a long time so you are going to pick up some wins.

“Wyoming is really important to me. I grew up here and live here, my kids went here, my grandson went here. Wyoming is an important piece of who I am. In so many ways it’s what I was called to do.”

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 23) featuring many cool clips

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, , ,




By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 19-23.



Every Friday, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings. We also have the local boys district brackets inside for next week!



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

43rd Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony Friday marks a milestone for Wyoming Kentwood Chamber as it transitions to South Kent Chamber

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By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



The Wyoming Kentwood Chamber will hold its 43rd Annual Dinner & Awards Ceremony Friday, a celebration that will not only honor outstanding businesses and individuals, but also mark a significant rebranding milestone.


This year, the Chamber is unveiling its new name, South Kent Chamber, a change that better reflects the diverse and thriving business community it represents.


“The annual dinner serves as more than just a celebration; it is a platform for fostering community engagement, networking and collaborations among local businesses. Attendees can anticipate an enjoyable evening filled with dinner, a cash bar, and the highlight of the evening,” said Keith Morgan, CEO of South Kent Chamber.

The awards to be presented at the event include:

  • Distinguished Service Award
  • Volunteer of the Year Award
  • Business of the Year Awards (Manufacturing, Retail, Service)
  • Committee of the Year Award

Attendees will get an exclusive sneak peek into the South Kent Business Journal, a comprehensive business publication designed for the modern professional. It offers exclusive interviews with area leaders, business trends, market insights, and thought-provoking commentary on current business landscapes. This year’s ceremony also will feature the introduction of new incoming board chairs and board members.

New South Kent Chamber of Commerce logo.

WKTV Friday Night Highlights brings you local high school sports every week!

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WKTV features local high school football and basketball games each week (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Greg Yoder, host of WKTV Friday Night Highlights, prepares for the weekly show (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The WKTV Friday Night Highlights show features many area high school teams in action during the basketball and football seasons.

Every Friday, we bring you several high school boys and girls sports clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.


Every Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV Comcast 25 at 11 p.m. The games will repeat Saturday at 11 a.m.

Each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast 25 at 11 p.m. The games will repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.

Highlight clips can be found on our WKTV YouTube channel.

If you are interested in volunteering on WKTV’s sports crew, contact Davin at davin@wktv.org or Cris at greer@wktv.org!

Woodland Mall to host Unity Walk and African American Live Museum to honor Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 24

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Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley (red scarf) participates in a past Woodland Mall Unity Walk during Black History Month. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By Woodland Mall

greer@wktv.org



Woodland Mall will once again recognize Black History Month by hosting community events in partnership with the City of Kentwood and New Hope Baptist Church on Saturday, Feb. 24.

The day will kick off with the third annual Unity Walk with the City of Kentwood at 11 a.m. Community members are invited to gather at the food court inside Woodland Mall, 3195 28th St. SE, for a walk that will end in front of Von Maur at 11:20 a.m.



A ceremony will immediately follow and feature welcoming remarks from Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, live music from Kevin Brewster, an educational session with George Bayard, director and curator of the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, refreshments and more.



Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley gives opening remarks at a previous Woodland Mall Unity Walk. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



“We’re pleased to once again come together with our partners at Woodland Mall and New Hope Baptist Church to put on a day of programming focused on recognizing Black History Month,” Kepley said. “We welcome community members of all ages to join us for these impactful events.”

Following the Unity Walk, New Hope Baptist Church will present its 10th African American Live Museum. Starting at 1 p.m., community members can see a cast of 35 people ages 8 to 66 put on more than 20 live performances featuring remarkable African American figures throughout history and in current culture from politics, sports, science, arts, entertainment and more. Mary McLeod Bethume, The Temptations and Coach Deon Sanders will be among the legends appearing throughout the mall until 5 p.m.



John Davis portraying Carter G. Woodson in 2019 at the Live Museum at Woodland Mall. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)


The Live Museum provides an engaging experience for community members as performers bring their persona to life, adopting mannerisms of the legendary figures they are portraying while sharing facts and stories from their lives. Visitors can watch and listen to the performances to learn about each historic figure.

“Through the African American Live Museum, we share history in an engaging way that allows us to connect with the community and educate them about the historic accomplishments of Black Americans, while also showcasing our talented performers,” Dr. Cathy Large, drama ministry leader of New Hope Baptist Church said. “We’re grateful to Woodland Mall for hosting us for the 10th year.”



Layla Brigham portraying Marsai Martin in 2019 at the Live Museum at Woodland Mall. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Kennedy Vancalbergh, marketing manager for Woodland Mall, says the mall is looking forward to continuing its partnership with each organization for these events.

“We are proud to be part of this collaborative effort to recognize Black History Month and share the stories of historic Black figures,” Vancalbergh said. “Both events offer an interactive, engaging and educational experience for mall visitors.”

For more information, visit ShopWoodlandMall.com/events.

Kent County residents can receive FEMA disaster assistance for damage incurred during Aug 2023 storms

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August tornados and storms caused property damage in several counties – apply for FEMA assistance today (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org


(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Michigan residents in Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland and Wayne counties with property damage from the Aug. 24-26, 2023 tornadoes, severe storms and flooding may now call or go online to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA.

To start the application process, contact FEMA by going online to disasterassistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. When calling the FEMA Helpline, multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).

Federal assistance may include temporary lodging, basic home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.

Have the following information ready when you apply with FEMA:

  • A current phone number where you can be contacted.
  • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
  • Your social security number (or the social security number of a minor child in your household, if you’re applying on their behalf).
  • A general list of damage and losses.
  • Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
  • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

Those who already made repairs or started their recovery should still apply.

FEMA inspectors are trained to recognize damage caused by a disaster even after recovery has started, and they will discuss that damage with you when they come to your home. Be prepared to show repair receipts, photos and any other disaster-related documentation as well.


FEMA offers tips on how to be prepared for the assistance process (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


Important reminders after applying:

Keep important steps in mind when navigating your FEMA assistance process after the August severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

  • Next, comes a call. Typically, after you apply, you will be contacted by a FEMA inspector to schedule an appointment. Be sure to answer the phone. The inspector’s phone number may be from out of state or show up on caller ID as “unavailable.”
     
  • Then, inspection day. The inspection includes looking at disaster-damaged areas of your home and reviewing your records. FEMA inspectors will carry an official photo ID and will never ask for bank information. They will also never ask for money and never require payment in any form.

    The inspector will ask to verify the applicant’s name, address, contact information, occupancy, ownership status, household occupants and insurance coverage. Reasonable accommodations, including translation and ASL interpreters, are available to ensure effective communication with survivors. 
     
  • Don’t forget to fill out and submit your U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application. After applying for disaster assistance, applicants may be referred to the SBA. There’s no obligation to accept a loan, but you may miss out on the largest source of federal disaster recovery funds if you don’t apply. If you don’t qualify for an SBA disaster loan, you may be referred back to FEMA for other types of grant assistance.
     
  • Finally, a decision will be sent to you. You will receive a letter explaining FEMA’s eligibility decision within 10 days after the inspector’s visit. Be sure to read it closely; it may explain additional steps needed to continue with the process. If you are eligible for assistance, you may receive a U.S. Treasury check or direct deposit based on what you selected during your application.

To learn more about the inspection process, visit our website at Home Inspections | FEMA.gov.

FEMA: additional information

Getting help to those who need it most is FEMA’s priority. Recovery teams will be out soon in the neighborhoods affected by the disaster to provide one-on-one support to individuals. Recovery centers will also be opening for individuals to get additional in-person help.

For even more information about the disaster recovery operation in Michigan, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4757.

Noted author and mental health speaker keynotes Wedgwood’s annual State of the Child event

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State of the Child (Courtesy, Wedgwood Christian Services)


By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org

Ross Szabo (Courtesy, WCS)

Noted author and award-winning mental health speaker Ross Szabo will offer the keynote presentation at Wedgwood Christian Services’ (WCS) annual State of the Child (SOTC) event Feb. 23.

Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids will host the SOTC event from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Youth mental health declared national emergency

SOTC will feature conversations with local teens, presentations and panel discussions from community experts, and breakout sessions addressing the most demanding challenges facing kids today.

Learn how to support and empower our youth at this SOTC event (Courtesy, WCS)

The event’s goal is to educate the community on the realities of the challenges kids and families face and empower people to provide support and seek out services.

“The state of youth mental health has been declared a national emergency, so candid conversations around hard topics, with caring, solutions-minded community members, are crucial to the well-being of West Michigan’s children and our community at large,” said Dr. Daniel Gowdy, WCS President and CEO.

Registration and additional information

Tickets are $75 each. Registration is available on the Wedgwood website: www.wedgwood.org/sotc.

WKTV Journal: State of the Child

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 16) featuring many cool clips

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 12-16.



Every Friday, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

Go big or go home: Wyoming High School art students decorate the halls in tape

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Daira (left) and Deborah with their 3D tape art creation (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


3D images created with only tape can be found in the halls of WHS (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Students have painted Wyoming High School’s halls – with tape.

WHS Art 3 students recently studied a contemporary artist who uses tape to create large-scale optical illusions. Inspired by this work, students collaborated to create six unique designs that would give a 2D space a 3D appearance.

Students worked in pairs and used two kinds of tape as a creative medium to explore the idea of space.

“It’s good to have them collaborate, it’s good to have them work in a different space and on a different scale,” WHS art teacher Liz Duffield told WKTV. “We use different things, different materials, so they recognize art is not just drawing and painting, that we have a lot more in the art world.”

Painting…with tape?

Tape art emerged in the 1960s as an alternate urban art form that uses only adhesive tape as a medium. The work of tape artists has garnered a great deal of media interest over the last decade.

That interest is partly due to the advantages of “painting” with tape versus aerosol cans.

The tape art installations cover the walls from the floor to the ceiling (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

No longer needing protective measures, such as masks, to guard against dangerous vapors is a convenience as well as a health benefit to tape artists.

Adhesive tapes can be applied quickly and easily to materials such as stone, wood, glass, aluminum and more. The tape can also be removed without leaving residue.

Strange, interesting, unique…all of the above?

“It was an interesting concept,” said Jordan, WHS junior. “I never would have thought of this for an art project, putting tape on walls. That sounds strange; it was abstract.”

Jovanny, WHS senior and Jordan’s collaborative partner on the project, agreed. “It was really fun. We’re always doing painting or drawing, and I think this was a unique experience, using tape and creating art with it.”

Jovanny (left) and Jordan with their tape art installation (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Though both students agreed the 3D project was not the easiest, both enjoyed the challenge of designing and executing the art.

“We just went with the flow, and this is how it turned out,” said Jovanny, gesturing to an image of their art installation on his computer.

Jovanny also enjoyed the collaborative aspect of the project.

“I liked how we collaborated together because usually we don’t collaborate often in this class,” Jovanny said, adding that creating an art piece with another student – and having it turn out well – produced a sense of accomplishment.

Jordan, who typically creates 2D drawings on a much smaller scale, admitted that while she enjoyed the 3D project, she has no plans to repeat it.

“One time is enough,” Jordan said with a laugh.

An opportunity to share and inspire

Collaborative partners Daira and Deborah, both WHS seniors, enjoyed the opportunity to share their art with the entire school.

Daira (left) and Deborah with their 3D tape art creation (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“I liked it because a lot of students can see [it],” said Deborah. “I had three or four students ask me, What class is this? What are you doing this for? I think it catches students’ attention, and that is good if they want to take art.”

Daira said that, though she typically enjoys painting, she had fun working on the tape art.

“I don’t think it was that difficult because you have just straight lines,” said Daira. “The difficult part was making them look even.

“I would want to do something like this again and experience more than just painting. Art is more than just painting and drawing.”

Deborah would also like to try tape art again, but the WHS senior is thinking…bigger. A bigger canvas and a larger audience.

“Somewhere downtown, somewhere where everybody can see it,” said Deborah.

Art as an outlet

That creative expression is what draws both Daira and Deborah to art in general.

Art teacher Liz Duffield periodically walks by and checks to make sure the tape remains secure (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“I like that you can express your creativity,” said Deborah. “Instead of like every other class where you just write and read, in this class you can actually express it more in colors and lines and shapes.”

“Expressing your feelings too,” Daira added. “Art has a lot of feelings and emotions that you can show. If you are not good in English and writing, you can express it in art.”

Allowing students the opportunity for that expression is important to Duffield – though she admits that she never expected to become a teacher.

“I always knew that I loved art and being creative, design and things like that,” said Duffield. “I never actually thought I wanted to be a teacher, and then I started volunteering in a classroom–and I loved it.”

Value in variety

While the medium of watercolors is Duffield’s personal favorite to work in, she believes in the value of all art forms.

“I think it’s really important to expose my students to many different kinds of art,” Duffield said.

Wyoming girls basketball team comes up big at crunch time in 47-43 win over Mona Shores in WKTV’s Tuesday Game of the Week

City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, West Michigan, ,
Wyoming’s La’Anna Griffin steps to the line against Mona Shores. Griffin and Shakya Anderson led the Wolves with 12 points apiece. (WKTV Tuesday Game of the Week)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor

No matter the score or the situation, the Wyoming girls basketball team can never be counted out of a game.

The never-give-up attitude of the Wolves was never more evident than Tuesday when they hosted Mona Shores. Trailing for most of the second half, the Wolves continued to battle and eventually a late flurry propelled Wyoming to a 47-43 win.

“It was just a great team effort,” said Wyoming Coach Jesse Vasquez. “These girls just never quit. They never give up. They play with a lot of grit and toughness. They are hard to count out.”

Mona Shores tried numerous times to pull away from the Wolves in the second half, but could never put Wyoming away. Mona Shores was up 24-20 at halftime and led 34-31 at the end of the third quarter.

Wolves kept battling back

Twice during the fourth quarter the Sailors were up by five points and threatening to pull away, but the Wolves continued to battle back.



Wyoming’s Tamia Gayles prepares to shoot three free throws after getting fouled outside the arc. (WKTV Tuesday Game of the Week)


With less than a minute to go in the game, Mona Shores was up 43-40. The Wolves, however, came up with a big defensive stop and sophomore Tamia Gayles was fouled on a three-point shot on the offensive end of the floor. Gayles connected on the first two free throws, but missed the third attempt. Wyoming senior Ta’tyan Hardiman was there to pick her teammate up as she gathered in the rebound and then converted it for a basket putting the Wolves up 44-43 with 42 seconds remaining.



Wyoming’s Ta’tyana Hardiman gets the rebound off a missed free throw and scores to put the Wolves ahead 44-43 over Mona Shores. (WKTV Tuesday Game of the Week)



The Wyoming defense then came up big again forcing a Mona Shores turnover with 27 seconds remaining in the game. Mona Shores eventually fouled the Wolves and sent Gayles back to the free-throw line with 17 seconds remaining in the game. Gayles then drained both free throws giving the Wolves a three-point lead.

On the ensuing Mona Shores possession, the Sailors were fouled and went to the free-throw line, but missed both shots. Hardiman then split a pair of free throws for Wyoming with five seconds remaining to secure the win.

A total team effort

Like they have all season, Wyoming relied on a total team effort to earn the win. The Wolves had a balanced effort on offense as senior La’Anna Griffin and junior Shakya Anderson led the Wolves with 12 points apiece. Gayles added nine points, followed by sophomore Michaela Moore with seven points, sophomore Myah Nabors, four, and Hardiman, three.

“Sophomore starters relied on a lot”

“We start three sophomores and we rely on them a lot,” Vasquez said. “Michaela Moore, Myah Nabors and Tamia Gayles are young players, but they step up for us each and every night. Like all of our players they keep scrapping and never give up. We also have some great assistant coaches and they do a great job of coaching our players all the way up.”

The Wolves also received a big effort from Anderson. One of several key players who come in and provide big contributions off the bench, Anderson not only scored in double figures in points on offense, but also provided strong rebounding and defense.

“Shakya is a scrappy player,” Vasquez said. “She came off the bench and did a great job for us. We have a pretty deep team. We have a lot of players who can do a number of things for us. Anything can happen with the arsenal of players that we have.”

With the win, Wyoming improved to 14-4 overall and 9-2 in the OK Green Conference. The Wolves are tied for second place in the conference with Zeeland West, two games behind Muskegon who’s in first place at 11-0.

“All the credit goes to the kids,” Vasquez said. “They played very hard. They just kept fighting back. We still have a couple more weeks left and the state tournament left so we have a lot to play for still.” 

Woodland Mall to host Galentine’s Day Fashion Showcase Saturday, Feb. 17

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By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



Woodland Mall will host its first-ever Galentine’s Day Fashion Showcase on Saturday, Feb. 17 featuring a fashion show, interactive vendor booths, a selfie station, giveaways and more.

Galentine’s Day, traditionally celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day, was made famous by the TV series “Parks and Recreation.” Ever since the “Galentine’s Day” episode aired more than a decade ago, the fictional holiday celebrating female friendship has gained popularity in the real world.

In celebration of Galentine’s Day, shoppers and their besties are invited to the showcase for an afternoon full of fashion and fun from 2-4 p.m. The event’s main attraction will be a fashion show in the Von Maur wing complete with a 32-foot-long runway and a DJ playing music while announcing looks from mall retailers’ latest collections.

The fashion show will be surrounded by booths with mall retailers and vendors offering makeup, hair and apparel styling tips, free refreshments and even a create-your-own bath bomb activity. Additionally, a selfie station will be set up with Valentine-themed props for guests to take photos with. 

“Woodland Mall is delighted to offer a fun way for our shoppers to celebrate friendship and fashion with our first-ever Galentine’s Day Fashion Showcase,” Marketing Manager Kennedy Vancalbergh said. “We have a fantastic lineup of retailers who are excited to show off their latest collections, as well as opportunities for shoppers to learn new styling tips, enjoy free samples, take photos and more with their friends.” 

First 100 attendees receive goody bags

The first 100 attendees will receive a goody bag filled with coupons, freebies, in-store giveaway slips, samples and more. Shoppers who post a photo from the event’s selfie station on social media and tag Woodland Mall will be entered to win a $150 shopping spree to a retailer of their choice.

Participating retailers include:

  • Abercrombie & Fitch
  • Aerie
  • Altar’d State
  • American Eagle
  • Ann Taylor
  • Arula
  • Auntie Anne’s
  • Carter’s
  • Chico’s
  • Francesca’s
  • Hollister
  • J. Jill
  • JCPenney
  • Lush
  • Rose and Remington
  • The Candy Store
  • Vans
  • Vera Bradley
  • White House Black Market
  • Zumiez

Many Woodland Mall retailers also will offer in-store shopping events on the day of the showcase, so guests are encouraged to explore the entire mall for more fun activities.

For additional event information, visit ShopWoodlandMall.com/events.

Wyoming mobile food pantry to be held Feb. 26

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Kent County, Local Food, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, ,



By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.

*WHS February Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Feb. 26 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

What to expect

Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.

The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.

WHS Mobile Food Pantry Map (Courtesy, WPS)

Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.

Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.

Resources

To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.

For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 9) featuring many cool clips

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Feb. 5-9.



Every Friday, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!

Godwin Heights stays in hunt for league title with 76-48 win over Comstock Park

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Godwin Heights’ Jacari Jones (0) applies defensive pressure during Tuesday’s game with Comstock Park. Jones and Isaiah Guyton led the Wolverines with 12 points apiece. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



By Greg Chrapek

WKTV Contributor



The Godwin Heights boys basketball team may be on the young side this season, but future foes need to be aware that this year’s squad of Wolverines is becoming a nasty team to deal with.

Combining a tenacious defense with an explosive offense, the Wolverines have been on the prowl lately. That was evident Tuesday as Godwin Heights turned back Comstock Park 76-48 to stay in the thick of the chase for the OK Blue Conference title.

The Wolverine defense proved tough to crack right from the opening tip while the offense gained momentum as the game progressed en route to its highest point total of the season. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 7-1 in the conference, a half game behind league-leading Sparta who travels to Godwin next Tuesday for a big conference showdown.

“We took a tough loss to Calvin Christian a couple of weeks ago and the one thing I’m super proud of is the way the guys learned from that loss,” said Godwin Heights Coach Bernard Varnesdeel. “Our team learned what our identity is from that loss. First, we realized that we have to hang our hat on our defensive pressure. We apply pressure both full court and in the half court. We put the pressure on with our defense and push the tempo on offense especially after creating turnovers on defense.”

That was the formula the Wolverines used against Comstock Park. The Wolverines used their strong defensive pressure to take a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Godwin dialed up that pressure in the second quarter as it outscored Comstock Park 26-13 to take a commanding 38-22 halftime lead.

“I feel like we did a lot better job of getting rebounds and I feel we did a good job of passing the ball on offense,” said Godwin Heights junior Jamaan Hastings. “I feel like we are working together better to play as a team and are starting to gel as a team for the March playoffs.”

Teamwork is a major strong point for the Wolverines. Not only do the Wolverines play strong team defense, but they share the ball on offense and have multiple players who can contribute on the offensive end of the floor. Nine different players scored for Godwin during the second-quarter offensive outburst and all 11 Wolverines scored during the game.



Sophomore guard Ka’Res Harris (10) looks for an opening as he moves the ball around the perimeter of the Comstock Park defense. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)



“We have 11 really, really good basketball players,” Varnesdeel said. “I tell all the guys that they will get the opportunity to get their run.”

Godwin players continued to get plenty of “run” during the second half as the defense continued to force turnovers while the offense capitalized on the offensive end. Godwin extended the lead to 58-35 at the end of the third quarter as it outscored the Panthers 20-13.

“I think we have a really good team,” said Wolverine senior Ben Dolo. “I think we are a super-underrated team. We can play with the top teams in the area and we can’t wait till March to show what we’ve been working on this season.”

Godwin closed out the game strong outscoring the Panthers 18-13 to end with a 28-point win.

“We’ve made a ton of improvement,” Varnesdeel said. “This is a great group. I’m a new coach here and we had a lot of younger, inexperienced players coming into the season. We only had one guy with a lot of experience and we have four sophomores. Those guys have made a lot of progress this season.


“We are learning each and every day and improving. We still have a lot to work on, but we’ve made a ton of progress.”

Godwin’s depth was evident in the scorebook. Jacari Jones and sophomore Isaiah Guyton were the lone Wolverines in double figures with 12 points apiece. Senior Jace Reid-Anderson added nine points, followed by Marcos Rodriguez and Hastings, eight points apiece; Armani Dedrick, six; sophomores Justin Chan, Ka’Res Harris and Dom Sanders, five each; sophomore Lonnie Sanders, four and Dolo, two.


Godwin Heights guard Ben Dolo brings the ball up the floor against Comstock Park. (WKTV/Greg Chrapek)


“Jace is our most experienced player and he is doing a great job of leading our young players,” Varnesdeel said. “Isaiah is a sophomore who is doing a nice job for us. Jacari had a really good game tonight and Ka’Res is our sophomore point guard who is doing a really good job. All 11 of our guys did a nice job and it was a great team win.”

With the win, the Wolverines improved to 10-5 overall. Godwin returns to action Friday at Calvin Christian before returning home for the OK Blue showdown with Sparta next Tuesday.        

Local award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the literary world

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Local author, Susie Finkbeiner, shared literary insights with WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed on WKTV Journal Soundbites (Courtesy, WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


(Courtesy, Susie Finkbeiner)

Award-winning local author Susie Finkbeiner wrote her first novel in secret.

“I would sneak out and go to a coffee shop and write for an hour,” said Finkbeiner. “Nobody knew I was writing a novel. Not even my husband.”

Since that first novel, Finkbeiner has written several more, with awards following close behind.

Two-time winner of the Michigan Notable Book Award, a Christy Award Nominee and Selah Award Finalist, Finkbeiner is making waves in the historical fiction genre.

Stories = Love

The Wyoming author is more thrilled to have the opportunity to be a full-time storyteller than she is by awards.

“My family is very story-centric,” said Finkbeiner. “My dad is also a novelist, and he would always tell us stories. My mom would read to us all the time, and do the voices of the characters.”

One of Finkbeiner’s earliest memories is of her big sister reading a story to her.

“When [my siblings] had to practice reading, my mom would send them to read to me,” said Finkbeiner with a laugh. “My big sister reading a story to me, I felt very loved.

“That is the feeling I associate with that memory. So in my mind, sharing stories equates to sharing love.”

That value of books and stories is something Finkbeiner tries to instill in her own children.

Writing in the margins

Finkbeiner was writing plays for a local church and blogging snippets about life when a friend said she should write a novel.

At first, the idea seemed crazy to Finkbeiner. Then… “That little seed of a thought kept growing.”

Chasing after three young children and being employed didn’t leave a lot of time for writing. That time was carved out in quiet moments at coffee shops and while her children were sleeping.

Finkbeiner’s first novel began in a coffee shop (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“I would write when they were napping, I would write when they went to bed,” said Finkbeiner. “I really wrote in those margins.”

After finishing the first draft, Finkbeiner thought it might have some potential.

“I never knew if it would go anywhere,” said Finkbeiner. “I got a lot of rejections.”

After several of those rejections, Finkbeiner decided to change course for bit.

What did I get myself into…?

Finkbeiner posted on Facebook, committing to writing as many short stories as she was given ideas for during the month of September.

“I thought I would get three or four,” Finkbeiner said. “I got 32.”

With each story 1,500 words or less, the process taught Finkbeiner how to get to the point, characterization, and about working toward a deadline.

“It stretched me,” said Finkbeiner. “They would paint me in a corner and I had to find my way out. I learned so much.”

But Finkbeiner has no plans to repeat that challenge.

“I don’t know if I could ever do it again. Now that I write such long pieces, 1,500 words sounds like a sprint.”

While Finkbeiner was posting 32 stories in 30 days, an editor was paying attention. Shortly after that short story challenge, Finkbeiner received a request for her novel.

The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

History? No, thank you!

While Finkbeiner’s novels are centered around historic events and times, it took some time for her to embrace the genre.

“My first two novels were contemporary because I didn’t think I could write historical fiction,” said Finkbeiner. “It seemed too daunting to me. In my mind, historical fiction was the 1700s, 1800s, the Civil War. I just didn’t want to reach back that far, so I thought [that genre] wouldn’t be for me.”

Another deterrent was that most historical fiction Finkbeiner saw was centered around romance – a genre she was not comfortable writing.

After reading a novel set in the 1930s, however, Finkbeiner realized she could write a Depression Era book.

“It worked,” said Finkbeiner. “And I realized how much I love the research. The 20th Century is fascinating. So much happened in this very condensed amount of time. And the research is a lot easier to access.”

The author especially enjoys talking to people who have lived experience in certain time periods.

“My dad wrote his memoirs of his time in Vietnam for me to use as research,” said Finkbeiner. “[I talked] to my mom about how she straightened her hair. It helps me feel connected to my grandparents and my parents in a way that I don’t know that I could otherwise.

“It makes me feel empathy for them. You grow to understand what they lived through.”

Anything is possible

“The ideas come in different ways every time,” said Finkbeiner. “It’s the most exciting part.”

The All-American, Finbeiner’s latest release, was inspired by two separate books that she read simultaneously.

“One was about [the author’s] father being accused of being a Communist, and the other was about women playing baseball,” said Finkbeiner. “Then I realized that the timelines met up between those two historical events.

“What’s less American than being accused of being a Communist, and what’s more American than baseball? What would happen if I put those two together?”

Written over two years, The All-American is a coming-of-age novel about two sisters in the 1950s. Finkbeiner’s relatable characters create a moving novel that inspires readers to dream big and believe anything is possible.

A literary legacy

The Library of Michigan Association hailed The All-American as one of 2024’s Michigan Notable Books.

(Courtesy photo)

Finkbeiner considers the award a great honor.

“I’ve been the recipient twice, which feels like getting struck by lightning twice – in a good way,” said Finkbeiner. “I think that one is so important to me because I love being a Michigander.”

That the recognition came from the Library of Michigan, and knowing she is part of the literary legacy of Michigan, is also meaningful to Finkbeiner.

“The library, throughout my life, it’s been one of those constant presences,” Finkbeiner said. “Sometimes during difficult times in childhood, I would go to the library and grab some books. Being honored by the library that made me who I am, it’s encouragement to keep going.”

Messages & Misconceptions

The misconception of writers not having contact with people is damaging, said Finkbeiner.

“I’m a noisy introvert,” said Finkbeiner. “I love public speaking. My favorite speaking events are at libraries because you get to meet readers. We really need to know who our readers are, because they are who we’re serving.”

Author Susie Finkbeiner on WKTV Journal Soundbites (Courtesy, WKTV)

“My novels aren’t just happy and fluffy,” Finkbeiner continued. “Things happen to the people in them. But through it, I always want the reader to know there is hope, that we are not left to despair. We all suffer, we all struggle, but there’s hope in the people around us, in faith, in the way that we can overcome.”

Any messages in Finkbeiner’s novels come organically, and tend to surprise her.

“That’s the beauty of writing and telling stories. Once it’s out there, it’s not mine anymore. It’s the reader’s. That is another reason why I like to meet readers; they always have insights that I would not have thought of.”

Words of wisdom

“There is a lot of rejection,” Finkbeiner said in advice to other writers. “When those rejections come, don’t quit. Sometimes it means it’s provoking them in a way that makes them uncomfortable. That can be good, because they will think about it later.”

Finkbeiner also gives writers permission to not write every day.

Giving your mind rest is necessary for creativity (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“You’ve got to let your mind rest,” said Finkbeiner. “You’ve got to let it wander. You’ve got to take in other art. Writing every day is not good for us. It’s too much hustle, and I don’t think art comes out of hustle.”

No guilt here!

“To readers, I would say that there is no guilty pleasure in reading,” said Finkbeiner. “Don’t let anyone judge you for it. If you like to read many things, go ahead. That’s what the library is there for. And if you don’t like a book, stop reading it.”

Next up: Joy of writing

Finkbeiner is busy writing a novel that is not currently under contract.

“I don’t have a deadline, so I feel a kind of freedom and space to breathe a little bit,” said Finkbeiner, adding that she is simply enjoying the process of writing right now.

Learn more about Susie Finkbeiner and her novels by clicking here.

Dance the night away at the Wyoming Valentine Dance Feb. 10!

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Going Local, Holidays, Kent County, Kids Activities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , ,
(Courtesy, City of Wyoming)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is inviting residents to dance the night away with their favorite Valentine!

The Valentine Dance, formerly called Daddy/Daughter Dance, will be held at the Wyoming Senior Center from 6 – 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10.

This event is for all children and the special adult in their life: a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle, etc.

A DJ will be pumping out the jams for a fun evening of dancing. Attendees can also enjoy crafts and a free professional photo to capture this special memory.

Pizza will be provided by Jet’s Pizza of Wyoming, and attendees can also enjoy a dessert bar.

Cost per ticket is $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents. Register by Feb. 8 by calling 616-530-3164 or online.

Check out our latest WKTV Friday Night Highlights show (Feb. 2) featuring many cool clips

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment News, Sports, West Michigan, , ,



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director

greer@wktv.org



Check out our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the basketball season featuring many area high school teams in action the week of Jan. 30-Feb. 2.



Every Friday, we’ll bring you several high school boys and girls basketball clips from the Wyoming and Kentwood areas, highlight some top performers and give a snapshot of the latest conference standings.



Thanks for watching, and see you next week!