The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II was commemorated locally Sept. 1-2 with local ceremonies including a socially distant Grand Rapids area flyover of war-era military aircraft.
In our own effort of remembrance of the “Greatest Generation”, WKTV sent camera persons out Sept. 2 to capture the local flyover of three restored military aircraft from the Yankee Air Museum, including a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain military transport, and a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.
In response to our video of the ‘Greatest Generation” celebration local military plane flyover, viewer David Knight shared this video of the event.
The business community of Wyoming and Kentwood has held strong together during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, and in celebration of them working together they are preparing for a community event, Team Up Tuesday, on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Hosted by Wyoming/Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, Family Network of Wyoming, and The Candied Yam, the outdoor event is open to the public to “hang out and connect with each other.” Light refreshmentswill be served by The Candied Yam.
The event will take place from 4:30-6 p.m., at Family Network of Wyoming on 44th street. Small group tours of the Family Network lending closet and food pantry will be part of the event as well.
Residents will be asked to follow social distancing/safety protocols and wear masks for this fun-filled evening. To find out more about the event, visit southkent.org.
After six months of complete closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Salvation Army Kroc Center will reopen to members on Thursday, Sept. 17, in accordance with the pre-Labor Day executive order by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“We’ve spent the last few months making sure the Kroc Center is as safe as possible for our members,” said Senior Kroc Officer Captain Bill Brutto. “The Kroc is an important place for the physical and mental health of our members, and we are glad to be able to welcome them back.”
The Kroc Center will continue to follow all state and local guidelines and has developed its own “Road to Reopening” plan that will phase in services and programs over the coming weeks and months. Details on the plan are available at GrKrocCenter.org.
In the first “Orange” phase, only the fitness center will be available to Kroc Center members. No day passes will be sold. Services like the aquatics center, gymnasium, group exercise classes, and child watch will return during the “Yellow” phase. Day passes, programs, and all other services will wait until the “Green” phase. The progression of phases will be based on customer feedback, staffing, and, most importantly, the state of the coronavirus in the Grand Rapids area.
“Even as we reopen, the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, and we can’t ignore its impact on the people we serve,” said Captain Brutto. “Every step we take is rooted in the health and safety of our members and guests.”
During its closure, the Kroc Center has continued to provide services to members and guests by offering free sack lunches and grocery boxes, check-in calls for seniors, and virtual fitness classes and other activities. Kroc Church has also continued meeting, both via online channels and outdoor worship services.
WKTV Community Media each year broadcasts fall football games as part of its extensive coverage of Wyoming and Kentwood high school athletic teams. But with in-stadium crowds limited in this shortened prep football season due to COVID-19 restrictions, WKTV’s sports coverage will expand to provide fans with live coverage of games.
Starting with the Week 4 contest featuring Zeeland West at Wyoming High on Friday, Sept. 18, WKTV will livestream our Featured Game broadcast on WKTV.org (click on Watch Live), as well as on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel.
WKTV’s Feature Game coverage crew is ready for a little football. (WKTV)
“WKTV prides itself on being the community connection for the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, so we wanted to step up and be the weekly football source for fans with live coverage of games,” Tom Norton, general manager for WKTV Community Media, said. “We thank the MHSAA for allowing us to bring these games live to our community.”
At this time, our schedule will include the Week 5 Sept. 25 game of Grandville at East Kentwood, and the Week 6 Oct. 2 game of Belding at Godwin Heights. (East Kentwood’s home game will be live-streamed on a different platform, and WKTV will provide that information.) WKTV also plans to cover local games in Week 8 and 9, and possibly into opening round of the now-expanded playoffs.
“We’re relaxing our live video rules during the pandemic to allow games to get out to fans who can’t get to the events,” John Johnson, director of broadcast properties for the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), said.
For more information on WKTV coverage of football and other fall prep sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
From that nascent moment when Benjamin Franklin’s discovered electricity in 1757 to September 1882 when Thomas Edison went online with his first power dynamo to generate it, the transformative power (pun intended) of electricity on society is evident everywhere. So common and everyday that we don’t even imagine the world we live in without electricity. Perhaps next to the discovery of fire, the harnessing of electricity is one of the greatest leaps in the advancement of civilization, completely transforming the personal lives of everyone on the planet.
But it wasn’t until the burgeoning environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s that the primary means of powering the generators to make the world’s electricity came under closer scrutiny. Air and water pollution from coal fired power plants and the early accidents with nuclear power inspired and drove science to continue to look for other means of generating electricity. By far one of the biggest contributors to airborne pollution, coal-fired power plants were on track to only increase their output; both of electricity and pollution, as the earth’s population grew and demand exponentially increased.
A key question is how does that sort of information filter down to the average business or home? WKTV Community Media here in Wyoming, Michigan, has taken the plunge into renewable energy and spent the last three months converting the power needs of a full fledged television station over to solar power. For a television station like WKTV, the power needs are significant. At any one time, full use of television and media production happening in the media facility consumes as much as 15,000 – 25,000 watts of electricity. There are the lights, cameras, a control room and in addition to productions there are offices, editing bays, master control, a newsroom with its own studio needs and remote vehicles plugged in to the main building when not on the road and all of it operating from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. each day. It all adds up to hefty and expensive electrical use.
During the past 12 years, WKTV’s monthly electrical bill has tripled. Even taking into account rate increases, which have been relatively constant, that’s a dramatic increase and reflects facility growth. Realizing this was a financial issue as much as an environmental one, WKTV sought to discover how they could reduce this significant expense.
The array of inverters and panels that take converted solar to the power grid (WKTV Journal)
Getting By With a Little Help from Our Friends
There’s the familiar and sometimes sarcastic saying of “Your tax dollars at work” and perhaps for once it’s become a truism. With NASA’s now nearly 60-year history of scientific and tech innovation playing out in the marketplace, the benefits are being felt at WKTV.
In 1954, American scientists at Bell Labs created the very first photovoltaic cell, converting sunlight into electrical current. At the time, the efficiency of that first cell was only 4 percent, but the early space program instantly recognized this capability of solar power to provide current to everything early NASA researchers and scientists were dreaming of putting up into space. In fact, one of the most rewarding partnerships between government and private enterprise is found in NASA’s sharing of scientific knowledge with the private sector in hopes of picking up the pace of technological developments. NASA has devoted an entire division, called Advanced Energy Photovoltaics, for the last several decades to this ongoing collaboration with American private enterprise.
The array of 252 solar panels on the roof of WKTV Community Media (WKTV Journal)
So if some wonder what this means to the average home or average-sized business, the answer is “plenty.” The technological advancements made at NASA in the last 60 plus years extend way beyond Velcro and cordless drills. If someone considers the advancements in solar necessary for the Mars Rovers to successfully operate on the red planet, where incidentally the power of the sun is significantly weaker; then a person can appreciate how this can translate to real practical advancements here on Earth.
When WKTV initially inquired about solar power for its facility, there was an initial assumption that it would be expensive and only moderately effective, but there was a feeling that it was worth at least an inquiry. After submitting months of electrical usage reports to multiple companies for analysis on the effectiveness of a solar array, the prospects were encouraging. On average, the prognosis that came in was that by switching to solar, WKTV could see a reduction of 90-95 percent in its annual electrical costs.
In other words, it was no longer your grandfather’s solar. Solar had come a long way increasing the ratio of light converted to electricity. And with a payback schedule of 13 years for an array of 252 panels spread over a 10,000 square-foot roof, the numbers did work in WKTV’s favor. The operating principle for solar operation is relatively simple: once sunlight is converted into electricity on the roof, an array of inverters installed inside the facility distribute that power to the facility. Any unused portion of solar electricity is then sent onto the grid where Consumer’s Energy will apply it to its own power generation needs and that will then generate a credit toward the facility’s power costs. This method is what reduces the annual electric costs by as much as 95 percent. With 252 panels so efficient they can even generate small amounts electricity in moonlight, it’s looking brighter for solar (again, pun intended.)
Coal accounts for just 22 percent of America’s energy sourcing (Tony Webster)
The Green Equation
While everyone knows that pollution is bad both for the planet and all of us living here, the debate lies in how to handle it. Since coal is now one of the most expensive means of generating electricity, some projections are that coal will be completely retired from power generation in just ten more years. Already coal accounts for just 22 percent of America’s energy sourcing. Much of this is because the costs of renewable energy sourcing is dropping dramatically. While coal fired plants continue to go offline annually, here in Michigan companies like Consumer’s Energy know that incentivizing customers to use less electricity by subsidizing customers with the latest power saving tech is far cheaper than building a new power plant. In a 2019 USA Today article, Mike O’Boyle, Director of Electricity Policy for Energy Innovation, a research non-profit group that is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, stated that the U.S. should be open to a multitude of solutions. He said that innovation is going to find ways to keep the system running at lower costs, adding that if the market sets the agenda technology areas increasingly lean toward more cost efficient carbon neutral solutions.
Judging from the fact that several years ago, the idea of going completely solar at WKTV was something not even on the facility’s radar screen to becoming a reality shows that it’s dangerous to say “never.”
So starting in late September 2020, WKTV will throw the switch and begin generating daily electricity needs from the star at the center of our solar system. Here on what’s referred to as the “third rock from the sun,” one organization’s leap into solar may only add up to one step for a small business, but still is a giant leap forward for much lower utility bills.
Tom Norton is the General Manager of WKTV Community Media and writes for the WKTV Journal on science, technology and communications issues.
Friday night lights could be returning to local fields. (Shown is Lee High School’s football team celebrating a win over Galesburg-Augusta in 2019.) (Supplied)
In 2020, this year of pandemic, Wyoming and Kentwood high school athletic teams — especially football teams — have, in the opinion of Wyoming high head football coach Irv Sigler, “learned to adjust and adapt to whatever happens.”
So on Thursday, Sept. 2, when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office announced competitive sports would be allowed and the Michigan High School Athletic Association give its approval, with restrictions and with pages of state health department and MHSAA guidance, local teams hit the ground running.
The result of state and MHSAA action is some fall sports that had been in limbo, including boys soccer and volleyball, can begin competitive action against other schools as early as the week of Sept. 7. And high school football can begin be under the Friday-night lights beginning Sept. 18.
The final approval for beginning of competitive action will be left to the discretion of individual school districts and athletic departments, according to a MHSAA statement.
But with the news, local football teams are chomping at the bit and ready to get into pads for the first time next week, and will be ready to begin action in two weeks.
East Kentwood football coach Anthony Kimbrough working with a previous year team at practice. (WKTV)
“Our players, especially our seniors, are extremely excited about playing on Friday nights thIs fall,” East Kentwood head football coach Tony Kimbrough said to WKTV. “Most teams have never stopped practicing, therefore adding pads and actually hitting one another won’t be an issue. We will hit the ground running on Tuesday, and we cannot wait.”
Coach Sigler echoed his fellow coach when it comes to his Wolves team being ready to play in two weeks.
“Our kids have worked hard and are ready for the opportunity,” Sigler said to WKTV. “All high school football players deserve to have their season — and everyone is very excited. As for the time it takes to prepare — we are all essentially in the same boat, so there’s a sense of equal footing there.”
And there is a sense that school communities and football fans alike need the opportunity to have a degree of normality with a however-shortened football season.
“I truly believe that the return of high school football is what our state needs,” Kimbrough said. “COVID-19 has had a traumatic impact on many lives. I believe football will give everyone a much needed dose of hope and joy, and assurance that normal times are soon to return. This will certainly have a positive effect on the mental health of our student athletes. … (And) hopefully this will generate a lot excitement for our student body and the community.”
And while all high school athletic teams are expected to resume their approved fall 2020 schedules once competition starts, with football beginning with Week 4 games, there will be changes to the regular schedule of the football playoff system, the MHSAA also said.
“All football teams in 11 and 8-player football will qualify for the playoffs during this fall’s shortened season, and then advance through their usual postseason progression with 8-Player Finals the weekend of Nov. 27-28 and 11-Player Finals the weekend of Dec. 4-5,” according to the MHSAA statement.
All other fall 2020 tournaments will be conducted as previously scheduled.
Approvals, restrictions and health warnings
The fall 2020 football season was reinstated by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association after Gov. Whitmer’s Executive Order 176 this week lifted restrictions that previously did not allow football — as well as soccer, volleyball and competitive swimming — to be played.
But according to the MHSAA, “schools are not required to play any of those sports this fall, and may postpone until the spring. However, the MHSAA will conduct its postseason events in those four sports only for the Fall 2020 season.”
But the current order also sets spectator limits for outdoor and indoor events in Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan, which Wyoming and Kentwood schools fall under. The details of this implementation of those limits are to be finalized by the individual school districts and high schools.
But general state restrictions on spectators of high school events were detailed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHSS).
“Spectators for indoor organized sports are limited to the guests of the athletes with each athlete designating up to two guests. For outdoor sports competitions, the organizer of the competitions must either limit the audience to the guests of the participants with each athlete designating up to two guests, or limit total attendance to 100 people or fewer, including all participants like athletes, coaches, and staff.”
The MHSAA, too, has health guidance for the on-field athletes and teams.
“We share the Governor’s priorities of putting health and safety first, and the COVID-19 guidance and protocols designed by the MHSAA at her request have led to the safe starts in all sports across the state,” MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl said in the MHSAA statement. “Thirty three other states are currently participating in all fall sports, and the MHSAA and its member schools are committed to doing this as safely as possible.”
While the Governor’s new order allowed the MHSAA to go ahead with fall competitive sports, the state health department at the same time issued a warning to schools which decide to participate.
“Individuals can now choose whether or not to play organized sports, and if they do choose to play, this order requires strict safety measures to reduce risk,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHSS chief medical executive, said in the Governor’s statement. “However, we know of 30 reported outbreaks involving athletic teams and facilities in August. Based on current data, contact sports create a high risk of COVID-19 transmission and MDHHS strongly recommends against participating in them at this time. We are not out of the woods yet. COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our families.”
With the high school football season now planned to begin Friday, Sept. 18, WKTV expects to resume its coverage of high school football action on that day.
By Jenni Eby City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety
Welcome to the Traffic Tuesday question. Each week, the question will be posted on Tuesday, and the answer posted Thursday.
Since there is nation-wide increase in patrols for impaired drivers currently going on, we’re going to focus on drunk driving this week. Most people know that driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher is illegal. However, can you be arrested for driving with a blood alcohol level lower than .08?
Yes
No
I’m not sure, I’ll check back Thursday!
Answer: 1) Yes. MCL 257. 625 covers “operating while intoxicated”. It specifically lists the BAC of .08, and also states that “a person, whether licensed or not, shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway or other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles…within this state when, due to the consumption of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or other intoxicating substance, or a combination of alcoholic liquor, a controlled substance, or other intoxicating substance, the person’s ability to operate the vehicle is visibly impaired.”
There are multiple validated and reliable tests that officers are trained to conduct roadside to determine impairment. These tests are not based on one’s blood alcohol content, but on how the alcohol affects a person. Someone could be impaired and unable to operate a vehicle before reaching the .08 BAC level.
The Lake Michigan coastline is one of Michigan’s most treasured places. Every year visitors walk a portion of its shore and take in the beautiful sites. But how many can say they have hiked the 473 miles from the Indiana border to Mackinaw City?
West Michigan native and Grand Rapids Christian graduate Jacob Penning can make that claim. With friend and former WKTV intern Micah Rynders, he produced the documentary “The Middle Coast” to share his story. That documentary, “The Middle Coast,” premieres Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. on WKTV Channel 25 with re-air dates Sept. 9 at 1 a.m. and Sept. 11 at 10 a.m.
The West Michigan coastline. (From The Middle Coast)
On July 9, 2018, Penning started at the Indiana border and headed north on his hike which spanned four weeks. With no trail, he embarked on a solo hike along the Michigan lakeshore documenting every step of the way. The hike was rough and Penning needed to rely on the help of Michigan residents to complete his journey.
“In the summer of 2017, I hiked the Colorado trail, an 484-mile walk across the width of the state,” Penning wrote in an email to WKTV. He is currently traveling through Montana. “Looking at a map of the coast of Michigan, and measuring the distance from the boarder of Indiana to the bridge, I found it was almost exactly the same distance as my hike in Colorado. Having already walked that far before, and seeing how follow-able the coast was with constant access to water and many cities to resupply food, I knew that it could be done.”
Coming up to Big Red in Holland. (From The Middle Coast)
During his journey, he spent his nights resting at campsites and friends’ homes. Along the way, there was no shortage of familiar faces from catching his old teacher at the beach to finding his former neighbors at a campground.
“There was not an ugly place along the entire coastline,” Penning wrote. “Every part of the coast is uniquely beautiful.”
Penning made sure to take his time hiking the coast so he could stop at some of the state parks and cities along the way. From taking a jeep ride over the Silver Lake Sand Dunes to exploring Traverse City, he had his fair share of adventures.
“Muskegon State Park surprised me with its beautiful dunes and forests,” he said. “Crossing most every river channel was done by hitchhiking boats to get a ride across, this happened without fail every time that I needed it, usually from the first boat that passed by.”
The challenge was the actual hike, Penning said. Hiking 20-plus miles day after day is taxing on the mind and body and requires perseverance and determination when the end seems so far away, he said.
“I don’t think he ever actually felt negatively about the journey, nor do I think he ever really felt alone,” Rynders said. “I think he looks back on the whole journey with awe and excitement so much more than he thinks anything negative about any of it.”
The entire production was filmed predominately on a GoPro with close up shots done on a Sony mirror-less camera, as well as drone footage shot by Rynders. When all was done, they had hours of footage. The goal was to submit the film to the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the world’s largest mountain film festival, and to do that they needed to cut the footage down to 20 minutes. This took an excessive amount of time, however, in the end they believe the finished product exceeded their expectations, Rynders said. They will know in October if the film made it as a finalist.
In a few weeks, Penning said he will be moving to Ethiopia to produce music and spread the gospel in the capital of Addis Ababa for the next year. Penning and Rynders also are “dreaming” about their next project, so “more adventures are on the horizon,” according to Penning.
The end of the line: Jacob Penning touches the Mackinac Bridge to signal the end of his 473-mile journey along Lake Michigan’s coastline. (From The Middle Coast)
Kent District Library, Hancock School Public Library and Schuler Books announce the ninth annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest, which drew over 1,000 Michigan writers last year.
Writers of all ages are invited to enter, with separate categories for youth, teens, adults and Spanish language (11 and younger). Winning entries will be published and receive cash prizes.
With so many kids being homeschooled or learning virtually this year, Write Michigan is a great option to get them thinking, writing, expressing and imagining. Teachers are encouraged to have their students participate.
“Write Michigan provides educators at all levels an opportunity to get students excited about writing,” said KDL Community Liaison Jim Davis. “This annual program allows writers of all ages and experiences to enter the short-story arena while giving a great support to school leaders and their curricula.”
Stories can be submitted at www.writemichigan.org through Monday, November 30 at noon. Details include a 3,000-word maximum length; $10 entry fee for ages 18 and above, free for 17 and under; current Michigan residents only; all entries must be submitted online.
Winners are chosen by public vote for the Readers’ Choice award and by a panel of judges for the Judges’ Choice award. Voters and judges choose winners from the top ten semi-finalists. The top honor in each category receives a $500 cash prize and a Judges’ Choice runner-up in each category will receive a $250 cash prize. In addition, judges will award one writer a slot in Johnathan Rand’s 2021 Author Quest writing camp for kids ages 10-13.
Winners will be honored during an awards ceremony in March and their story will be published in an anthology by Chapbook Press.
KDL welcomes the Hancock School Public Library as a partner this year. HSPL will work to attract writers and volunteers from the Upper Penninsula to participate in Write Michigan.
By Officer Jenni Eby Wyoming Department of Public Safety
Welcome to the Traffic Tuesday question. Each week, the question will be posted on Tuesday, and the answer posted Thursday.
Since there is nation-wide increase in patrols for impaired drivers currently going on, we’re going to focus on drunk driving this week. Most people know that driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher is illegal. However, can you be arrested for driving with a blood alcohol level lower than .08?
Marion Charles Gray, an Army Medic who was with the first waves of invasion forces to hit Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944, passed away in 2015. (U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
The 75th anniversary of the end of World War II — coming this week on Sept. 2 — will be commemorated locally with virtual ceremonies and a socially distant Grand Rapids area flyover of war-era military aircraft.
The Grand Rapids Greatest Day Celebration Committee and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Museum will host two days of celebration and remembrance of the “Greatest Generation” — Americans who grew up during the Great Depression and fought in World War II, or whose labor helped win the war — starting today, Tuesday, Sept. 1 and continuing Wednesday, Sept. 2.
On Sept. 2, 1945, with the Japanese and American signing of the Instrument of Surrender aboard the U.S. Navy battleship the USS Missouri, World War II was officially over.
The local events will begin today, Sept. 1, however, when there will be an “In Memoriam Remembrance and Bell Ringing”, at the Ford Museum, with guest speaker Jim DeFelice, beginning at 6 p.m. The event will be live-streamed on the museum’s Facebook Live page.
Promotional material for the event states: “Hear master storyteller (and) NY Times Bestselling author Jim DeFelice, known for his vivid, raw, and powerful portrayals of modern American military heroes, as he honors those who gave their life during the Second World War.”
The celebration will continue Sept. 2, at about 6 p.m., with the Grand Rapids area portion of a planned flyover of a three restored military aircraft: a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain military transport, and a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. (See map below for approximate times and route.)
The planes, traveling to Grand Rapids from the Yankee Air Museum in Belleville, are set to make a pass along the Grand River, from north to south, near downtown Grand Rapids, and are expected then make at least one pass over the Wyoming and Kentwood area by flying over the Grand Rapids Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Wyoming before exiting the area.
The celebration will conclude with a another virtual event, “Countdown to 1945 with Chris Wallace” on Sept. 2, at 7 p.m., and also live-streamed on the museum’s Facebook Live page.
A veteran journalist and Fox News Sunday anchor, Wallace will be the keynote speaker of the Greatest Generation Day Celebration. According to supplied material, he will discuss his recently published book, “Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World.”
“Countdown 1945” delivers a behind-the-scenes account of the 116 days leading to the bombing on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and “goes beyond just the atomic bomb and shares accounts of ordinary American and Japanese civilians in wartime.”
During his journalism career, Wallace has covered almost every major political event, and interviewed U.S. and world leaders, including seven American presidents. Throughout his 50-plus years in broadcasting, Wallace has won every major broadcast news award, including three Emmy Awards and the Peabody Award.
The route of the planned B-17, C-47 and B-25 Military Plane Flyover on Wednesday, Sept. 2. (Greatest Generation Day Committee)
The Kent County Board of Commissioners last week approved $2 million, part of a nearly $115 million federal CARES Act grant awarded to Kent County earlier this year, to help county schools reopen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. All county schools — public, private and charter — are eligible for the funding.
The grants are based on the number of students enrolled in each school in 2019, with schools receiving approximately $16 per student, according to supplied material. The grants provide schools with flexibility in how they use the funds as they continue to implement back-to-school plans.
“We are fortunate to have this federal funding and be able to provide our schools with the resources they need to ensure our children continue to learn and grow,” Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter said in supplied material.
Eligible uses of the funding could include purchase of personal protection equipment and sanitation supplies, technology costs necessary for enhanced virtual learning, or to finance mental healthcare and nurses.
“We appreciate the support of the Kent County Board of Commissioners. This approval will help schools secure the needed resources and services to meet the needs of students during this pandemic,” Kent ISD Superintendent Ron Caniff said in supplied material.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners has previously allocated CARES funding for other programs to assist communities during the coronavirus pandemic, including the Kent County Small Business Recovery Program, shelter assistance, non-profit assistance, and a business personal protection equipment program.
For more information about the CARES Act and related Kent County efforts, visit here.
If you fish out a gun, or something like this old grenade, the Grand Rapids Police Department recommend you call your local police and let the experts handle it. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
Fishing on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids is nothing new. You can see anglers on the banks almost every day, year around.
But a not-so-new version of fishing for fish with the usual bait, fishing for anything metal with magnets, is turning up some unusual catches. From the usual odds and ends, to guns and even an unwisely disposed of military grenade, to — and we have the photograph to prove it — an antique metal toilet, one local magnet fisherman has stories to tell.
Magnet fishermen find the strangest things — like an antique toliet. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
“Me and my buddy have pulled up all sorts of stuff, including five guns and a World War II grenade,” Matt Kavaluskis, a lifelong Grand Rapidian and a community volunteer at WKTV Community Media, said recently. “And for that iron toilet, we used three magnets and fourth rope to haul it up.”
Kavaluskis said that while the usual finds — metal odds and ends, large and small — are usually just turned in for scrap. But we are not taking about a little scrap here and there. He points out that in addition to the toilet, they recovered a metal cross beam for a sign that weighed nearly 200 pounds.
His favorite magnet fishing spot, he says, is on either side of the river at the Sixth Street Bridge — “That’s were we have found the most stuff.”
Most guns fished out of the Grand River of of no value to the police, except for getting the off the streets. (WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
And those guns? That grande? They turned them over to the police, as a Grand Rapids Police Department spokesperson said they should do so.
“With the popularity of magnet fishing, things like this are going to happen,” Sgt. John Wittkowski said to WKTV. “… for the most part we just take them and melt them down. They are really just paperweights, but for obvious reasons we do not return them.”
Unlike in the movie or on television crime dramas, the guns are rarely of any real value to the police.
“Typically, they are in such poor condition, they are of no evidentiary value,” Wittkowski said. “We may check the serial number if that is visible, but usually they are not much use to police.”
But about that World War II antique which Kavaluskis and his buddy turned in …
“If we are taking about a grenade, that is more of a safety issue,” Wittkowski said. “That is very unusual. People occasionally will occasionally bring us things … say they found something when there were going through their father’s belongings. … They are usually inert, but you never know.”
But the bottom line advise from the police department is simple: if you find something like guns or things that could be explosives, call your local police and let the experts handle it.
Back to fishing for the everyday stuff: What might be the beginners tackle box look like for a magnet fisherman?
The usual haul from magnet fishing — odds and ends.(WKTV/Matt Kavaluskis)
“Magnets start at $29, go up to $300, depending on what pull weight you want,” Kavaluskis said. “Each magnet comes with 70 feet of rope, a carry box, set of gloves and a carabiner clip. There is like four or five really good magnet companies.”
And what is next on Kavaluskis’ magnet fishing to-do list? He says there is the motorcycle he and his buddy think they know the whereabouts of.
A Harvard Medical School graduate’s homecoming to West Michigan is expanding Metro Health – University of Michigan Health’s expertise in gastroenterology while strengthening an innovative regional approach to cancer treatment.
Antonia Henry, MD
An alumna of Grand Rapids City High, where she was valedictorian, Antonia Henry, MD, is an expert in a wide range of colon and rectal surgical procedures.
She will be based in Metro Health’s Gastroenterology Department, serving multiple departments across the health system. This will include Metro Health’s contributions to the Cancer Network of West Michigan, a groundbreaking joint venture launched this year in collaboration with Mercy Health and Michigan Medicine.
Henry completed her undergraduate studies in microbiology at the University of Michigan before going on to earn her medical degree at Harvard, consistently ranked as the world’s No. 1 medical school.
She completed a residency in general surgery and a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The Boston-based teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School is ranked by U.S. News & World Reports as the No. 6 cancer center in the nation. In addition to her medical degree, Henry earned a master’s degree in public health at Harvard.
“Dr. Henry was educated and trained at one of the most prestigious medical centers in the world. Her return to West Michigan exemplifies our commitment to bringing health care excellence to patients who live here,” said Rakesh Pai, MD, President of the Medical Group and Chief Population Health Officer, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
She is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. Her areas of expertise include colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy; surgical treatment of colon and rectal cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, anal abscess and fistula, pilonidal disease, anal fissure, fecal incontinence, parastomal hernia, and stomal and rectal prolapse.
While at the University of Michigan, Henry was a finalist in the American Rhodes Scholarship competition and traveled to South Africa to conduct public health research on childhood asthma. She also served in the U.S. Navy as Commander, colorectal surgeon and medical director of the endoscopy unit at Naval Medical Center San Diego. She was deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support and served as Director of Surgical Services at the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit.
Even with that wide range of experiences, Henry said her return to West Michigan holds significance for her.
“Delivering compassionate, high-quality, patient-centered care in my community is an honor and a privilege,” she said.
Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected.
American Artist Boyd K. Packer (1924-2015)
The City of Kentwood “Chalk the Lot” will allow families to create their own art projects. (WKTV historic photo)
Unleash your Inner Artist at ‘Chalk the Lot’
Grab the family and head down to Kentwood’s ‘Chalk the Lot‘ event. Join the City of Kentwood’s Park and Recreation Department at the Veterans Memorial Park’s new playground in Kentwood. Participants are asked to register in advance and will be provided an assigned spot and chalk. The public is invited to view the artwork while practicing proper social distancing. The event begins Friday, Aug. 29, at noon and ends Sunday evening.
The new playground at Ideal Park(WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Pay a Visit Ideal Park
Now that Ideal Park has officially been reopened, why not spend a few hours this weekend checking out the park’s new features. There’s a new playground with all kinds of accessible items such as swims and a new whirler. A shelter provides shade for those want to relax and new bathrooms! Make sure to take photo at the butterfly for the City of Wyoming’s butterfly photo contest.
Summer Sweep 2020
You have until Sept. 7 to head down to Grand Haven for the annual Summer Sweep. Merchants are moving their summer clearance inventory to the sidewalks and offering great deals. For more information about this event you can visit downtowngh.com or follow the entire adventure on Facebook at “Grand Haven Main Street.”
Alaska’s Denali mountain form the north with Reflection Pond in the foreground. (Wikipedia)
Fun Fact: High on the Mountain Top
Some say its the Rockies and others, the Appalachian Mountains, but in truth it is the Alaska Range that has the highest mountain in the United States. The mountain that tops them all: Denali at an elevation of 20,310 feet.
The City of Wyoming is looking for its residents to tell them what to do over the next five years with more than $5 million in federal funds.
For the past couple of weeks, the city has been asking its residents to fill out a survey to help prioritize the needs they would like the federal funds to be directed toward.
“If you are interested in housing in your community, if you are interested in economic development, if you want to know and help inform the city on how it should spend $5 million or more in community development dollars and home dollars which is federal money which comes to the city, the survey needs you,” said City of Wyoming Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt.
Every five years, the city’s Community Development staff researches and analyzes the city’s neighborhoods related to areas of problems and needs concerning low-income concentrations, persons with special needs, housing and commercial structure deterioration, recreational requirements and other neighborhood issues. Following this analysis, the city’s Community Development Committee decides on a Comprehensive Housing and Community Development Strategy to guide the use of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds that come through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).
The survey’s main focus is getting citizen’s input on how the city should prioritize the the use of these federal dollars.
Rynbrandt said people call the city offices concerned about eviction, affordable housing and a homeowner who is not taking care of their property.
“They want to understand how the city cares about the community and invests in them and in their property,” she said. For more than 40 years, the CDBG funds have been used for housing rehabilitation loans that have zero or three precent interest.
“These funds are honestly not about the individual, even though impacts individuals,”Rynbrandt said. “These funds are about stabilizing neighborhoods and insuring the built in environment and the public services be they homeless, be they code enforcement, are captured and invested in to ensure that long term stability of the community is successful.”
Residents input from the survey will have a direct impact as the comments go into a plan to prioritize investments such as the program to help homeowners, who income qualify, upgrade their properties so they are code compliant and helped to rehouse those who are homeless.
“That child, who may be homeless and now has a stable environment, is no longer couch surfing,” Rynbrandt said. “So what does that mean for the long term? That child is better able to prepare to be successful and is able to go to school and have educational engagement.”
The city already has received about 1,000 survey responses. They are asking residents, if possible, to fill out the survey by Aug. 31. The survey will be up after that for a little while.
To fill out the survey, click here or visit the City of Wyoming’s Department of Parks and Recreation’s Facebook page. Due to COVID-19, the city is encouraging everyone to complete the survey online.
With the City of Kentwood planning and approval process complete after more than a year, a developer plans to break ground in early September on a 240-unit affordable workforce housing development.
CityLine Apartments will be located on nearly 12 acres of now vacant property touching Division Avenue and 52nd Street, on land most recently used as a used car sales lot and as a golf driving range. It does not include two existing business locations directly on the corner of Division and 52nd.
The CityLine Apartments project, led by developer Herman & Kittle Prop. Inc., of Indianapolis, Ind., will be a “first” in several ways.
It will be the first Grand Rapids area project for a developer which is no stranger to Michigan. It is the first Kentwood development approved using Form Based Code planning changes recently enacted by both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming to aid redevelopment of the Division Avenue corridor. And it is the first major affordable workforce housing project focused on taking advantage of the Sliver Line bus route intended to move workers to and from downtown but also supporting businesses near the corridor in both Kentwood and Wyoming.
“West Michigan knows that Kentwood is open for business and is successful by meeting our businesses’ needs on a daily basis,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said to WKTV this week. “Vibrant communities like Kentwood know that offering a range of housing opportunities is critical to the success of our businesses. This project will help expand our workforce capacity and serve as a catalyst for development along the Division Avenue corridor.”
That city’s goal of aiding development of workforce housing and redevelopment — some would say economic “revitalization” — of the Division Avenue corridor was echoed by city staff in Kentwood.
Division Avenue, looking north from 52nd Street, showing two vacant lots planned for the CityLIne Apartments. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“The development of CityLine Apartments will likely represent the largest private investment ever made along the Kentwood portion of the corridor,” Lisa Golder, City of Kentwood Economic Development Planner, said to WKTV. “The development of housing along Division fits perfectly into the city’s plans for the area, as residential development supports both the Bus Rapid Transit (Silver Line) and the business community.
“Since the apartments are located directly on the Silver Line route, residents will be able to use transit to get to work, shop and recreate. With 240 housing units being introduced to the area, businesses will likely see an increase in demand for goods and services.”
And recent changes to Kentwood and Wyoming development codes, specifically the so-called Form Based Code, was essential for the development to be approved.
“The CityLine Apartments could not have been developed without the new Form Based Code,” Golder said. “With the Form Based Code, residential development is allowed for the first time along Division Avenue.”
CityLine Apartments development layout (north at top). (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
The developer and the development
The CityLine Apartments is currently planned to be eight residential buildings including one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a clubhouse, accessory garage/storage buildings, a pool and playground, and even a dog park for residents of the “pet friendly” complex, according to Caroline Kimmel, CityLine development director for Herman & Kittle Prop. Inc. (HKP).
“The development has been in process since July 2019, HKP needed to rezone a portion of the site, as well as work through the rest of the development and site planning process with the city,” Kimmel said to WKTV. “This development is about a two-year construction period, but the first units will be available in about 16 months, or January/February of 2022.”
The planning approval process “took several meetings with the City as well as multiple public hearings to be finalized,” she said.
CityLine is HKP’s first development in Grand Rapids, Kimmel said, but the company has developments in Kalamazoo, Jackson, Niles, Lansing, and Benton Harbor, “as well as over 130 additional properties in 16 other states.”
And Kimmel said the reason for her company’s interest in the Kentwood development was simply good business.
“The Grand Rapids area is still one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest, and HKP is very excited to be a part of that growth,” Kimmel said. “Our internal and external demand analysis showed that rents are growing faster than incomes, and that we might be able to help balance out that growth with a development geared toward workforce housing.
52nd Street looking West to Division Avenue, with road infrastructure work being done not directly a part of the CityLine Apartments project. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
“The commuter bus line is a highly desirable amenity, especially for residents who may not have the financial means to live in downtown Grand Rapids, but want the ease of access that the Silver Line offers,” she said.
According to information supplied by HKP and City of Kentwood planning documents, the Kentwood development will include 72 one-bedroom units, 120 two-bedroom units, and 48 three-bedroom units. Twelve of the units are designated for people with disabilities.
The larger buildings will have 36 units while the smaller will have 24 units. Three garage buildings will be provided with 18 stalls, including one handicap stall. In total there will be 357 parking spaces provided including 325 standard spaces, 14 handicap parking spaces, and the 18 garage spaces.
“HKP believes this development will attract a mix of one and two parent households with children, as well as single persons who work downtown, but the property is not age restricted,” Kimmel said. “A close proximity to schools will attract families as well, especially with the walkability this location offers.”
Finances for the project; costs for renters
The development is financed through a combination of sources, according to Kimmel, including tax-exempt bonds for construction, a mortgage, and Tax Credit Equity from Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
“The MSHDA Tax Credits provide equity to the development, which allows a reduced mortgage, enabling rents to remain affordable for Kent County residents,” she said.
Residents will be subject to a rent-history screening and criminal background check and other compliance requirements set forth by MSHDA, Kimmel said. Income limits will range from $33,720 for a one-person household, $38,520 for two persons, $43,320 for three persons, $48,120 for four persons, and $52,020 for five persons.
“Lease-up will likely begin in late 2021 or early 2022,” she added. “A leasing trailer will be on site with contact information as soon as we are accepting applications.”
Traffic generation to be monitored
While CityLine’s location on the Silver Line bus route is expected to mitigate the usual vehicular traffic issues a development of this size might normally produce, city documents state that a detailed Traffic Impact Assessment may yet be needed.
“Using Institute of Traffic Engineers trip generation data, a 240-unit apartment development generates 1,317 daily trips and 117-129 peak hour trips,” according to a city planning department report. “If this many trips are anticipated, a Traffic Study would be required. However, the data does not take into account the existence and use of the Silverline BRT, which may reduce the trip generation. The applicant should provide a best estimate of vehicle trips anticipated based on other locations in communities adjacent to a BRT line or light rail.”
Pulaski Days — the week-long celebration of Polish/Lithuanian culture held every fall in Grand Rapids since 1973 — has been cancelled this year due to concerns about spread of the virus among attendees and volunteers. (Suupplied)
Another “community tradition” casualty of COVID-19, the Grand Rapids area Pulaski Days Committee announced last week that Pulaski Days — the week-long celebration of Polish/Lithuanian culture held every fall in Grand Rapids since 1973 — has been cancelled this year due to concerns about spread of the virus among attendees and volunteers.
This is the first time in the event’s history that it has been canceled, Michelle Kershner, chairperson of the Pulaski Days Committee, said in supplied material. The committee coordinates the efforts of 14 Polish/Lithuanian halls and fraternal organizations that fund and put on the celebration, which is a major fundraiser for the organizations.
But the cancellation does not mean Pulaski Days fans cannot support the local halls and fraternal organizations — the Pulaski Days Committee also announced it is launching a “Save The Halls” campaign to raise money to help the organizations make it through until Pulaski Days 2021.
“It was an extremely difficult decision to cancel Pulaski Days this year,” Kershner said in supplied material. “Many people were looking forward to listening and dancing to the top-notch polka bands that we bring to town and sampling the authentic Polish food served at the halls. The halls are terribly disappointed too, because Pulaski Days is their single largest source of revenue.
“But after a lot of debate over several meetings, we made the tough decision to cancel because we couldn’t determine how to hold an event that drew more than 300,000 people last year and ensure that everyone would be safe from spreading COVID-19.”
Many halls are still offering food for take out as a fundraiser. (Supplied)
In past years, the week-long event included a flag raising ceremony, parade, golf outing, coronation of the Pulaski Days queen, kielbasa eating contest, Polka Mass and three days of music and food at the halls. Visitors from Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and other states have visited the area to participate.
The need for masks at close quarters indoors and social distancing requirements “runs counter to everything that makes Pulaski Days such a popular event,” according to the statement.
“The heart of Pulaski Days is to be social — eat, dance and get together with family and old friends, and make new friends,” Kershner said. “Now how are you going to do that standing six feet from someone with your mask on?”
Financial impact widespread in community
The cancellation of Pulaski Days is more than just a disappointment for Polish/Lithuanian halls and fraternal organizations, Jim Seppala, president of Diamond Avenue Hall/St. Isidore’s Benevolent Aid Society, said in supplied material.
“We depend on Pulaski Days as a major source of our annual operating budget,” Seppala said. “We run a tight ship financially, but no matter how you cut it, we are going to feel the pinch that the event isn’t being held this year. Regardless, we know that we are doing the right thing.”
Along with a number of other halls in Grand Rapids, Diamond Avenue Hall is working to restore some of the revenue lost from Pulaski Days through other COVID-safe promotions, according to the statement. For example, the hall recently held a drive-through service where customers could pick up combo plates of Polish food, tee shirts, can koozies and other items without leaving their cars.
But the halls will need additional help to make sure they can keep their doors open and host Pulaski Days 2021, Kershner said.
“Many of the halls have been in continuous operation for more than a century — for instance, Diamond Avenue Hall was established in 1892,” she said. “We have to make sure that they’ll remain strong for generations to come.”
So, the Pulaski Days Committee is asking individuals to buy pins and Polish shields at local businesses such as Sobie Meats, 3450 Remembrance Rd NW and Lewandoski Meats, 1107 Walker Ave NW. The committee also is asking for charitable contributions to an emergency fund called Save The Halls. All of the money collected will be split equally among all of the halls, Kershner said.
Contributions to Save the Halls can be made in person at the Grand Rapids branch of Credit Union ONE, 1609 Walker Ave. NW, and online by going to the Pulaski Days Committee website at pulaskidays.org, where there is a PayPal button for the Save The Halls campaign.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mi) on Aug. 25 visited a U.S. Postal Office (USPS) processing facility and then talked at the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 56 in Kentwood. (WKTV)
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mi) on Tuesday visited a U.S. Postal Office (USPS) processing facility on Patterson Avenue SE in Grand Rapids to see first-hand the causes of slowdowns, delays and backlogs he says are occurring in communities across the country.
After the Aug. 25 tour and at a media opportunity at the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 56 in nearby Kentwood, Sen. Peters stressed that his concerns — and the investigation of postal service changes he has recently initiated as ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — are not solely about the pending November election.
He said that postal service operational changes are preventing veterans from receiving timely delivery of their prescription medications through the Department of Veterans Affairs’ mail-order pharmacy service. He also said he has heard firsthand that delays are directly impacting small businesses in West Michigan and across the county.
However, answering a question from WKTV, he expressed confidence in the ability of local city and township clerks — in Wyoming and Kentwood and statewide — to reliably count the ballots they will receive, but he also expressed some concerns about “possible” delays in the handling mail-in ballots.
“What we are seeing right now, that concerns me, because of the delays we have been hearing,” Sen. Peters said, adding that he had also been told about delays in mail-in ballots getting to voters from the city clerk in his hometown of Bloomfield Hills.
He also, though, gave advice on how Wyoming and Kentwood voters can avoid any issue with possible postal delays in mail-on ballots — request and acquire the ballots early, mail them early or drop them off directly at the local clerks’ offices. (See his entire statement at this video link.)
Last week, Sen. Peters, who is running for election to the Senate against Republican challenger John James as well as other independent candidates, led a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. DeJoy, who became Postmaster General two months ago, was questioned on the policy and operational changes possibly resulting in delayed mail across the country.
Welcome to the Traffic Tuesday question. Each week, the question will be posted on Tuesday, and the answer posted Thursday.
Traffic Tuesday Question: Center Lane Passing: Vehicle A is driving toward north on De Hoop, toward the police department, from 28th St. Vehicle B is behind Vehicle A, going the same direction, and would like to pass Vehicle A. Can Vehicle B use the center lane to pass Vehicle A? Check out the photo for a visual.
It has been six years since children played on its playground. It has been six years since family sat at the picnic tables. On Aug. 18, the City of Wyoming ended the six-year wait and officially reopening Kent County’s oldest park, Ideal Park.
In 2014, a tornado, straight-line winds, and flooding, damaged the park’s playground equipment, tennis and basketball courts and uprooted many of its trees, some of which were more than 100 years old.
“In a matter of seconds a park that was magnificent, majestic, mature was destroy,” said Doug Wustman, chair of the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission. “Ninety-eight percent of the canopy was laying on the ground and there was nothing but twisted, shredded, uprooted trees is all that you saw. The out buildings, the picnic shelters, the restrooms, everything was just gone in a matter of seconds.”
The Wyoming City team who helped to redesign Ideal Park with residents’ input. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
It was not just the park that was impacted by the storm, but the entire area.
“In 2014, the whole community was devastated and we had to hold off doing anything in Ideal Park until we could get the residences built in the area, said City of Wyoming Director of Community Services. The city spent $500,000 to remove the trees and debris from the park only to have flooding and another tornado in 2016.
“It has been a practice in patience for our residents,” Rynbrandt said. “As you can see our community is resilient and this park is a result of their commitment. The commitment of engaging in design so we could make sure that what is featured today really came about because it was what they wanted.”
The city spent more than $800,000, of which was a Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant of $508,000, reconstruction the park, located at 5843 Crippen Ave. SW. This included moving many of the amenities to the east side of the park along with improved traffic control for vehicle and pedestrian safety.
One of the unique features to Ideal Park’s playground are these all accessible swings. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
New amenities include restrooms, a shelter, and a playground that offers special new features.
“The playground is universally accessible,” Rynbrandt said. “We made a strong commitment that people of all abilities can come and play in our community.”
The playground features a tile form of the cushion-style playground surface that is similar to the one at Frog Hollow. The advantage of the tile is that the city can replace sections easily without having to replace the entire surface, Rynbrandt said.
At each of the city’s parks, the city tries to incorporate special elements that are unique to that park and for Ideal Park that includes modified swings, a climbing rope and a modified whirler.
Ideal Park also has a trailhead connecting to the interurban trail system that starts in Byron Center and goes through Kentwood and on into Grand Rapids.
There is excitement about reopening Ideal Park, Rynbrandt said, but also a little sadness in that the one item the city could not bring back was the 300-year-old trees that were the canopy of the park. However, the reopening of the park and the new amenities it offers will make new memories for residents today and tomorrow, Rynbrandt said.
“I am thankful to the people of the Ideal Park area for their patience and understanding because today we have a rebirth, we have a new parkThat they can enjoy for generations to come,” Wustman said. “2020 has been a rough year for everybody because of the pandemic environment we’re living in, so to see people laugh and even shed a tear at time, yeah I look forward to that. To life back to normal.”
Through Sunday, Aug. 23, Celebration! Cinema South is hosting a Fair Food event in support of the Kentwood Athletic Boosters. They have elephant ears (five trucks), funnel cakes, deep fried Oreos, Lemon Shake-Ups, corn dogs, Philly steak and cheese, cheeseburgers, cotton candy, caramel apples, candy apples, popcorn, chicken nuggets, tater tots, fresh cut French fries, sausage and snow cones. The event is from noon to close (noon to 9 pm. through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday)
Sprinkle Away!!! Yeah!!!
Yep! Betty, Sue and Johnny can now run through the sprinklers as the City of Wyoming announced it had completed the repair of the larger of two transmission water mains. Through the efforts of its customers, who reduced their water demand by half along with the quick work of the contractors, the main was fixed in about a week and half with the ban being lifted on Wednesday and the city announcing “Sprinkle Away.”
Go On an Art Walk
Disappointment reigned supreme when it was announced that COVID-19 had put the kibosh on this year’s ArtPrize activities. As others scrambled to fill in the gaps, we discovered there is quite a bit of art — both new and old — for any resident to take their own art tour through downtown Grand Rapids. WKTV Intern Shallom Kimanzi offers up her own art walk through downtown, where she discovers just how much art downtown Grand Rapids has to offer.
Fun Fact: Where does the name August come from?
In the original Rome calendar, August was called Sextilis because it was the sixth month of the year. When January and February was added, it became the eighth month with Julius Caesar adding two more days to the month so it had 31 days. Later, it was renamed to honor Rome’s first emperor Caesar Augustus, who was Julius Caesar’s adopted son and heir.
Kent County and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, on Aug. 18, announced the current status of the Kent County Small Business Recovery Grants fund, a program which intends to use $25 million in federal CARES Act funds to provide grants — not loans — to county small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a Zoom press conference, it was announced that the program has received 2,112 applications and 1,318 businesses have qualified for short-term economic relief grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Qualifying businesses are those which have suffered lost business and income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June, the Kent County Board of Commissioners approved a plan to disperse the $25 million CARES Act dollars — a portion of the $94.2 million approved for allocation from the $114.6 the county has received for pandemic relief — to small businesses in the form of grants and technical assistance. The board also selected the Grand Rapids chamber to be the application, review and selection recommendation organization for the small business grants.
To date, 721 grant checks totaling $5.9 million have been mailed to small businesses throughout Kent County, according to information supplied during the Zoom press conference. Another $4.4 million will be distributed to approximately 597 businesses as soon as the required paperwork is complete. So less than half the total $25 million has been distributed or earmarked for distribution.
“Our small businesses are struggling through no fault of their own as a result of the pandemic,” Mandy Bolter, Kent County Board of Commissioner Chair, said in supplied material. “We worked quickly to get aid into their hands to help keep the economy moving and protect the jobs of our friends, families and neighbors. While we have more work to do, I’m thankful for the efforts of my fellow commissioners, business groups, community members, and county staff who successfully implemented the first round of grants.”
According to information compiled and released by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, overall and using the chamber designations, the list of 1,318 awardees is comprised of 36.6 percent White/Caucasian, 12.9 percent Hispanic/Latino, 21.4 percent African American/Black, 13.3 percent Asian, 1.4 percent Middle Eastern, 8 percent multi-racial, and .2 percent Native American businesses. Additionally, 6.3 percent of applicants did not indicate their racial or ethnic classification.
The fund is designed to support for-profit businesses with 0 to 25 full-time equivalent employees located in Kent County. It is also focused on businesses that have not been able to access to, or have been declined for, other local, state, or federal relief funds, or “need additional support to weather this crisis,” according to the chamber’s website.
“Our team at the Grand Rapids Chamber has worked purposefully to provide assistance to applicants to ensure business owners have a smooth application process,” Dante Villarreal, vice president of business and talent development at the chamber, said in supplied material. “The need for this relief is critical, and we are working to ensure this funding is allocated quickly and efficiently.”
During the Aug. 17 Zoom press conference, Villarreal said there are about 5-6 weeks remaining in program, and that the chamber is now focused on bars and restaurants to reach out to with information. He also said the average award was about $8,000, and that service based industry is largest grant recipients, at about 49 percent.
Villarreal also emphasized that not only is grant funding still available, but qualification verification and application assistance from chamber staff is available as well.
One local small business which has benefited from the grant program, and the assistance of the chamber, is Mod Bettie Portrait Boutique.
Elise Kutt, of Mod Bettie Portrait Studio, discussed the value of her gaining a grant from the Kent County Small Business Recovery Grants program. (from a GR Area Chamber of Commerce video)
“At the beginning, when COVID struck, I had no idea what we were going to do,” Elise Kutt, founder of Mod Bettie, said in a chamber-produced video. “Receiving this grant, for my business, allowed me the ability to take care of business … The unknown is the scariest part, and now I feel so much relief and I am able to put my time and energy back into what I am really good at.”
Villarreal also said chamber staff is available to provide technical assistance, including cost-cutting measures, six-month cashflow projection, analysis with a business consultant, creditor recommendation review, and connections to other critical resources.
You’re driving behind a school bus when its overhead (upper) yellow lights begin flashing. What should you do?
1) Proceed with caution around the bus
2) Prepare to stop behind the bus
3) I’m not sure after last week’s question, I’ll check back Thursday for the answer!
Answer: The answer is prepare to stop! Treat school buses like traffic lights. If the overhead flashing yellow lights are activated, the bus is preparing to stop and you should too (if you’re following behind the bus, you should be able to stop with no problems). If the overhead red lights are on, you need to stop behind the bus.
If the lower flashing yellow hazard lights are activated, you can proceeded around the bus with caution. No matter what lights are flashing, always keep an eye out for kids or people running across the roadway!
The City of Wyoming has completed the unplanned emergency repair on the larger of two water transmission mains and lifted the Sprinkling Ban at 11 p.m. Wednesday night. The repair, which began the morning of Aug. 11, impacted 13 West Michigan communities. Good weather and hard work from two contractors, Kamminga & Roodvoets and Prein & Newhof, allowed the project to be completed ahead of schedule, restoring full water capacity to the 230,000 people served by Wyoming’s system.
Together, the two water transmission mains can carry up to 104 million gallons of clean, drinkable water each day. During the repair, the larger of the two transmission lines was out of service and the water system capacity was limited to about 35 million gallons of water per day. To maintain safe water and avoid boil advisories that are issued when a total loss of water pressure occurs, a Sprinkling Ban was put in place.
“The ban was so that when people turned on the facet they would not just get a trickle of water, or worst yet, no water at all,” said Myron Erickson, director of the city’s Department of Public Works, at the city council meeting on Aug. 17.
With summer water demand at 70 million gallons per day on average, customers were collectively asked to reduce their water consumption by more than 35 million gallons per day, which could be accomplished through observing the Sprinkling Ban. The ban was a success. The West Michigan communities served by the plant showed up for each other by reducing the average daily demand on the Wyoming Treatment Plant to an average of 33.6 million gallons per day. This was achieved by complying with the Sprinkling Ban and helping spread the message about the emergency repair.
“We want to thank all of the water customers who did their part to pause their sprinkling habits, reduce water consumption, and help us spread the message to their neighbors, family, and friends. It’s rare to have an unplanned repair like this and to happen during peak demand was not ideal. We were in a serious situation that could have resulted in boil advisories,” Erickson said. “Fortunately, with the help of our amazing community members actively conserving water and our municipal partnerships, we were able to maintain our water pressure and provide clean, potable water throughout the nine-day repair.”
Staff at the Wyoming Treatment Plant acted quickly to address this unexpected, emergency repair. Erickson said, “going from a report of a suspected leak to a completed repair in less than three weeks is a fast turnaround for a water transmission main this size. Typically, these replacement parts are made to order and can take three weeks to make and deliver to the site. Luckily, one matching the size needed was found in Indiana. Ultimately, the success of this repair could not have been accomplished without intercommunity action to reduce water demand and a highly efficient and professional contractor.”
After nine days of repairs, the emergency project is finished. By completing five days ahead of schedule, the Sprinkling Ban has been lifted earlier than anticipated. The efforts by the entire community helped maintain adequate water pressure, avoiding the serious risk of depressurization and boil advisories.
In February, Former Wyoming resident and historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe (left) and Faith Hospice volunteer Elaine Martin look over one of the Wyoming history books that Dorothy helped wrote. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The City of Wyoming’s first female Planning Commission member and beloved historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe died Aug. 11. She was 88 years old.
During Monday night’s meeting, Mayor Jack Poll remembered Simon-Tibbe, who had been the city’s first female Planning Commissioner and had served on the Wyoming Historical Commission.
“Dorothy was deeply involved in community and served in several study committees and events like the Rodeo and many other pursuits,” Poll said. “We are grateful for Dorothy’s service and know her legacy will serve as a testimonial to others.”
On a personal note, Poll said he had gotten to now Simon-Tibbe when he owned Pfieffer Pharmacy on Burton Street. In fact, he remembered receiving a note from her only a few months ago about something she had saw in Wyoming and would miss that.
“Dorothy challenged the city to honor its history, while being proactive in its development,” said City of Wyoming Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt. “She was a champion of city’s economic progress and land development through her appointment as the City’s first female Planning Commissioner. Throughout her life, she forested great passion for the preservation of Wyoming’s history by being a member of our Historical Commission and publisher of the City’s history books. We will miss her greatly.”
Simon-Tibbe helped to co-author two history books on the City of Wyoming: “Wilderness to Wyoming” and “A City of Wyoming: A History.” She also wrote a book for her family “Hoe Your Own Row.”
On the Wyoming Historical Room’s Facebook page it talked about Simon-Tibbe’s dedication to the city’s history in that she was “instrumental in the publishing of Wyoming’s two history books, spending hundreds of hours typing out stories and doing interviews.”
For the City of Wyoming, Simon-Tibbe also served on Mayor Wiest’s Study Committee, Mayor Eardley’s Urban Renewal Study, Wyoming City Census Board, Rodeo Board, Festival Committee, and City Manager Mason’s DDFA. Considering the number of city committees she had been on, Simon-Tibbe once joked that “I knew every mayor and city council member…at least who was in my age bracket.”
She also was Mrs. Santa for 25 years for special needs functions, a reporter for the Wyoming Advocate/South Kent News, WERX Radio Girl Friday, served on the Beckmaze Historical Society in the City of Wyoming, and was a reporter for the WKTV Journal.
In her last interview with the WKTV Journal in February, Simon-Tibbe acknowledged she had no regrets.
“I have had such an incredible life,” she said. “As I look at the end of life, I am not bother by it at all. I married two wonderful husbands, had five wonderful children by birth, three foster children, 19 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.”
Simon-Tibbe was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert A. Simon and James Tibbe.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oasis of Hope Center, 522 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 (ohcgr.org)
City of Wyoming residents ponder the question “Wyoming would be better if…” at the May 2 master plan workshop.
By Nicole Hofert City of Wyoming
On Monday, the Wyoming City Council voted to open the 63-day public comment period for the community-driven Master Plan, Wyoming [re]Imagined. The draft plan forms a framework for future growth and reinvestment in the City of Wyoming. Upon final approval, it will inform how planning decisions are made related to land-use, infrastructure, transportation, parks, recreation, housing and more. During the public comment period, the City invites community members to review the plan and provide comments on the goals, objectives, policies, and programs it includes that will guide how the City will develop over the next 15 to 20 years.
As the blueprint for the City, the planning process for this draft Master Plan was intentionally developed to bring community voice and needs to the forefront. The City is committed to involving residents, businesses, developers, stakeholders, and workers in every step of the process. A 20-member steering committee made up of representatives from local school districts, commissions, neighborhoods, businesses, and partner agencies helped to ensure the plan is reflective of the community’s vision. Community outreach activities included workshops, focus groups, interviews, special event outreach, online questionnaires, social media, and more.
The Wyoming [re]Imagined document explores multiple topics including a new Land Use Map, and Special Area Plans, as well as chapters on Residential Areas, Economic Development, Community Facilities, Transportation and Mobility, and Parks, Open Space, and Recreation. Each section details what community stakeholders and residents want to see in Wyoming’s future and how the collective vision is implemented.
This fall the residents of the City of Wyoming will select a new 8th District representative on the Kent County Board of Commissioners. But before that happens, WKTV Journal In Focus sat down with Wyoming’s current commissioner, Harold Voorhees. But serving the local community on the county body is only latest of a nearly four decade career for the long-time public servant.
As he prepares to leave office — and we all find our what’s next in his public service life — WKTV Journal In Focus sat down with Mr. Voohees. We talked about his last months of his nearly two-decade tenure serving Wyoming and Kent County, about his leadership work within City of Wyoming beginning in the late 1980s as a councilman and as the city’s mayor, and then his three terms in Lansing as a state representative.
While he will not be on the ballot this November, as he declined to seek reelection, he hinted about what’s next as we talked about his decision, his pubic service, and, of course, those cookies.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
Smile. Love. Stay Strong. One day after at a time.
These are the words of hope and encouragement that area residents have been painting on pillowcases as part of the Dégagé Ministries’ Pillowcase Project.
Started as a 2020 ArtPrize exhibit, the Pillowcase Project is designed to honor the more than 4,700 women who have accessed the Dégagé Ministries Open Door Women’s Center since it opened in 2003.
“We really wanted to do something to reflect the number of women who have come here and received helped through Open Door,” said Bob Kreter, marketing manager for Dégagé Ministries.
While the 2020 ArtPrize has been cancelled, the Pillowcase Project is moving forward as part of The Bridge GR event scheduled from Sept. 10 – Oct. 1. With that in mind, project organizers are hoping community involvement will help them collect the needed 4,700 decorated pillowcases by Sept. 2.
“We are about half way through the process and we have about three more weeks to go,” Kreter said, adding that they still need about 2,000 more pillowcases.
Participants are encouraged to used fabric paint to decorate pillowcases. (Supplied)
All of the pillowcases will be displayed at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, located in front of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in downtown Grand Rapids, from Sept. 10 – Oct. 1, which Kreter noted Dégagé was “honored” to have been given the entire Ah-Nab-Awen Park for this project. It is hoped that the display will create a powerful narrative concern the increasing number of women facing homelessness, a number, according to Kreter, that Dégagé expects a surge in need due to factors related to COVID-19.
Open Door is a women’s shelter that provides a safe haven during overnight hours for adult women in crisis. Women, who are 18 or older, can also scheduled to stay at the shelter with most coming in at 7 p.m., staying the night, and getting up at 6 a.m. to leave by 7:30 a.m. Kreter noted that the program is much more than just an overnight shelter.
“We walk along side of those who come to the shelter,” Kreter said. “We work with those who come here to help them find a place to live, a job. We try to discover what are the hurdles they face and then set them up so they can be more self sufficient with their lives.”
Completed pillowcases need to be turned in by Sept. 2. (Supplied)
Dégagé’s Ministry’s Open Door Women Center has been one of the more well known aspects of the organization which was founded in 1967.
Those interested in participating can decorate a new or gently used pillowcase. Most people are using fabric paints for the project. Dégagé does ask participants to refrain from using glitter or other fragile materials in decorating pillowcases.
Pillowcases need to be dropped off by Sept. 2 to any of the following locations: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Friday and 7 a.m. – noon Saturday and Sunday at Dégagé Ministries, 144 S. Division Ave.; 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Lions & Rabbis Center for the Arts, 1264 Plainfield Ave. NE; or various Lake Michigan Credit Unions. For more information about the project, click here.
Metro Health recently acquired two da Vinci Xi robotic systems, state of the art technology that allows smaller incisions, greater precision, fewer complications and less pain for patients. Supplied/Metro Health)
With its latest expansion and update of robotic surgery capabilities, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health becomes the first health care system in West Michigan to offer the newest generation of this minimally invasive robotic option in an outpatient setting.
Metro Health recently acquired two da Vinci Xi robotic systems, state of the art technology that allows smaller incisions, greater precision, fewer complications and less pain for patients. One of the systems will be used at the main hospital in Wyoming. The other system will be available for outpatient procedures at the Health Park East Surgery Center, 4055 Cascade Road SE.
The equipment gives surgeons a 3-D view inside the body. Working from a console, surgeons guide precise movement of the robotic system’s tiny instruments, with far greater range of movement than possible with the human hand.
Metro Health’s first generation of da Vinci robotics was funded through a donation by local philanthropists Tom and Mickie Fox. (Supplied/Metro Health)
This technology builds on a tradition of surgical innovation at Metro Health, which has offered robotic surgery for more than a decade, said Dr. Ronald Grifka, Chief Medical Officer, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
“The Xi system is a quantum leap forward in technology,” Grifka said. “Our surgeons are poised to have another advantage in the treatment of our patients.”
Metro Health’s first generation of da Vinci robotics was funded through a donation by local philanthropists Tom and Mickie Fox. The addition of the Xi robotic systems was made possible through a $1M grant from the Metro Health Hospital Foundation.
“We are grateful to the foundation and its donors, who once again are helping our non-profit health system advance patient care for West Michigan,” said Grifka. “We are especially pleased that we can now offer this option for outpatient procedures.”
The versatility of the Xi system allows it to be used in a wide range of procedures, including prostatectomy, other urological surgeries, thoracic surgery, hysterectomy, additional gynecological surgeries, general surgery and ENT procedures.
“This Xi equipment is the latest example of our innovations in minimally invasive procedures, which promote speedier recoveries, reduced pain and less need for narcotics,” Grifka said. “Whenever patients are facing surgery, we are pleased to have options that help them get back to their lives sooner.”
The Wyoming Public Schools Board of Education last week approved a Return to School Plan which details that students will begin the 2020-21 school year Aug. 25, but students of parents who choose that their children receive in-school classroom education will not be in school and in class until Sept. 8 at the earliest.
Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Craig Hoekstra. (Supplied)
“I am thankful for the many administrators, staff members, parents, and community members who worked together on such an important plan,” Wyoming Public Schools Superintendent Craig Hoekstra said in an Aug. 10 letter to the community, shared with WKTV. “The WPS Safe Start Reentry Plan … is a result of much thoughtful planning and preparation that centers around the health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and families.
“We know that in this unprecedented time of COVID-19, providing families with the choice between in-person and virtual learning allows you to choose what you feel is best for your student(s) and family, while still supporting their academic progress. It is my hope that when you read through the plan, your questions are answered and you are assured we are committed to supporting your child(ren) academically, while taking necessary precautions to keep everyone safe.”
Last week’s letter also reiterated that the first two weeks of remote learning “are not intended to be a (remote learning) trial period,” echoing a letter from the Superintendent’s office which was sent to WPS families on Aug. 4, when parents were asked to select their choice for their students to begin the school either in-class or virtually by Aug. 10.
“What you select by August 10 is your intent for either the first quarter (K-4th grade), or the first semester (5th-12th grade) of the school year,” Superintendent Hoekstra said in the Aug. 4 letter. “Beginning September 8, students will participate in either in-person or 100 percent virtual learning based on what families chose when registering their child(ren).
The WPS plan is the result of the work of five subcommittees, working on specific areas, which made recommendations to the WPS Safe Schools Committee on how the district would meet Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s guidelines for a safe return for staff and students.
One of the specific items addressed in the Return to School Plan was changes from the quickly implemented spring 2020 remote-learning system to this fall’s remote-learning system.
“Although some aspects of remote learning will be similar to our students’ experiences in the spring of 2020 (following school closure in March), there will be meaningful differences in expectations, structure, and rigor of remote learning during the 2020-21 school year,” according to the plan document, also shared with WKTV.
Among the changes made for those students being taught remotely are, according to the plan document, increased accountability in areas such as attendance, grading and schedule — including a set schedule with more structure — as well as ongoing assessment and feedback, and a “single learning management system for instruction, assignments and communication.”
The plan document also details issues such as health and safety, including health screenings, the requirement for social distancing and face coverings, and personal hygiene. It also details some non-classroom facets of education such as technology availability, transporting via bus, food services, and safety during athletics and activities.
The district also set up a question and answer link on its website to deal with specific questions and concerns from parents.
For more information on the Wyoming Public Schools plan and its Q&A page, visit WyomingPS.org.
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Go Baby Shower Shopping!
So they have been a little busy at the John Ball Zoo with a lot of new arrivals. To celebrate, the Zoo is hosting a baby shower. The Anthony Poison arrow frog is looking for a new aquarium and some plants while the Goeldi’s monkeys (pictured above) are hoping for some toys and a flat screen TV (great for stimulation on those cold winter days.) For a complete list of gifts, visit https://www.jbzoo.org/babyshower. Also on Aug. 18. there will be fun baby shower activities at the zoo. For more information, visit www.jbzoo.org.
Check out Outbreak
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is currently hosting the Smithsonian exhibit, “Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World.” The exhibit features informative panels and videos that cover outbreaks such as Zika, Ebola, Influenza and new information pertaining to COVID-19. It also will include video from the Museum’s own COVID-19 collection. For more information, visit grpm.org.
Two for the Price of One
Grand Rapids Art Museum (supplied).
By the way, if you have a membership to the John Ball Zoo, you can get into the Grand Rapids Art Museum for free during the entire month of August. (It is the same for GRAM members who can get into the John Ball Zoo for free for August.) And this Saturday is Family Day at the GRAM from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be lots of family activities and docent tours. For more information, visit artmuseumgr.org.
Fun Fact: Hot Dog!
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume more than 150 million hot dogs on July 4 which if laid from end-to-end would stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles five times. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Americans consume 7 billion hot dogs or about 818 hot dogs every second. That’s a lot of dogs!
Along the corner of Porter and Lee streets is an example of what the City of Wyoming residents would like to see throughout Wyoming — small commercial neighbors where residents could walk to a grocery store, restaurant or even to work.
The neighborhood node concept is just one of the outcomes after months of discussion and meetings to develop the city’s new Master Plan, which will be unveiled to the public at the Wyoming City Council’s Monday, Aug. 17, meeting. This is the council’s second on-the-road meeting which will be at 7 p.m. at the SpartanNash YMCA, 5722 Metro Way SW, right off of Gezon Parkway.
The city’s current master plan is about 14 years old and was revised about eight years ago in 2012. Since the revision, the city has implemented the first phase of its 28 West project, which included the redevelopment of the Wyoming Village Mall, now called 28 West Place and the construction of the new Hom Flats project on the old Studio 28 site.
Since May of 2019, the city has been working on a new master plan hosting meetings with residents and community leaders to discuss how they would “reimagine” the City of Wyoming. Along with those meetings, residents had the opportunity to share their input through an interactive website and surveys.
“We were very fortunate in that when COVID-19 hit, we were in the process of writing the plan so it did not have an impact on the process,” said Nicole Hofert, principal planner for the City of Wyoming. The consulting firm Houseal Lavigne Associates took all the comments to compile the draft proposal for the new master plan.
The city’s Planning Commission and city officials have been reviewing the draft proposal and have forwarded it on to the City Council, which is scheduled to approve the release of the draft to the public at Monday’s meeting.
Wyoming Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt talks to City Planner Nicole Hofert during the May 2, 2019 master plan workshop. The city hosted several master plan meetings. (WKTV)
What does the plan include? Residents want sense of community with the creation of walkable, mixed use districts along with the establishment of a city center.
Residents want to spend more time closer to home, Hofert said. It was noted by many that the north side of the city such as Lee and Porter streets and Burton Street and Godfrey Avenue were designed to support such community nodes with stores, restaurants, and parts to walk to. The south side of the city, such as the panhandle, have more of a suburban feel and that future development should be encouraged to be more compact and walkable.
Another idea was a thriving, pedestrian-friendly city center that would help to attract better-quality businesses into Wyoming and diversify shopping options, particularly along 28th Street. The future of Rogers Plaza was discussed along with revitalizing the area with food truck rallies, public open spaces, a community center and a farmers’ or flea market.
Another area that residents discussed, according to Hofert, was Site 36, the former location of a General Motors plant. Suggestions for the site varied with a mix of commercial, recreational and industrial, she said, adding that most resident felt the site could be redeveloped to help attract people to Wyoming and build up the South Division area.
A need that was demonstrated through this master plan process was for more diverse housing, Hofert said. The city has a lot of single family homes but there is a need for multi-family spaces along with affordable housing.
There is a 63-day public comment period for the proposed draft. Hofert said due to COVID-19 staff will have to facilitate public comment while following social distancing guidelines. Plans do include small workshops to be held through the community and that would be multiple opportunities to gain comment from the public. Once the public comment period closes, the Steering Committee will review the final draft. That draft will be sent to the City Council for approval, which according to the timeline, will be in December.
By Officer Jenni Eby City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety
Welcome to the Traffic Tuesday question. Each week, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety posts a question on Tuesday, and the answer posted Thursday. **Please do not post the answer in the comments, so that others have a chance to answer on their own** Note: the answer can be found on both the WKTV Journal website and in the community social media site Nextdoor.
This week’s question: You are behind a school bus, when it stops and activates its flashing red lights. What is the closest you can stop behind the bus?
No closer than 20 feet
No closer than 25 feet
No closer than 35 feet
No closer than 50 feet
Answer: You can be no closer than 20 feet from a school bus while the red lights are activated and flashing.
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