Category Archives: City of Wyoming

Pronto Pups soon to be available in Grand Rapids

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming,
Andy Bogart and Matt Morton are bringing Pronto Pups to Grand Rapids with a food truck/trailer. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

While many are looking at how to reopen their business, Andy Bogart and his business partner Matt Morton are investing in the future with a very familiar food item: the Pronto Pups.

“I just paid for the truck today,” said Bogart during a phone interview on April 28 about the new Pronto Pups Grand Rapids food truck. “I really believe that after all this and the shutdown, food trucks are going to be more in demand than ever because they can accommodate the social distancing requirements.”

That and the fact that the Pronto Pup is such a legend in the area, had Bogart, who is from the Grandville/Wyoming area and his partner, Morton, who lives in Kentwood, decide to make the jump into the food truck business.

“I saw the food truck at an event I was at and I always honestly thought it was just a Michigan thing,” Bogart said. “I never knew it was actually a national chain based out of Portland, Oregon.”

For many area residents, including Bogart, Pronto Pups is associated with Grand Haven where one of the most famous — and the longest running — stands featuring the popular batter-dipped dog on a stick is located. Opened in 1947, the Grand Haven Pronto Pup is located off the waterway on Harbor Drive, and its reputation has people driving miles and standing in long lines to get one of the famous Pronto Pup dogs.

But Bogart, who also owns the food delivery service Five Star Food Express, had seen Pronto Pups in East Tawas, Michigan, located off of Lake Huron, where he camped with family. After seeing the Pronto Pups truck, Bogart started doing some research on Pronto Pups and discovered it is a national phenomenon. 

The story is that husband and wife team George and Versa Boyington created the speciality dog in the late 1930s. The couple ran a small hot dog stand at Rockaway Beach, Oregon, located west of Portland near the Pacific Ocean. When a rainstorm came, the hot dog buns would be ruined becoming wet and soggy. George Boyington came up with the idea of cooking a “bun” as needed. He created a pancake batter based mix and the duo came up with the Pronto Pups formula used today. According to the Pronto Pups website, by 1941 the Boyington’s invention had become a nationwide hit.

Pronto Pups are a highlight at the Minnesota State Fair and the original Pronto Pups stand is still located in Rockaway Beach, which boosts to be the home of the world’s largest corndog and the first riding mechanical corndog. The Oregon-based Pronto Pups company still specializes in providing everything to make a Pronto Pup along with other carnival and amusement park food supplies such as cotton candy and other fry items such as onion rings.

Pronto Pups Grand Rapids is a separate franchise and is not affiliated with the Grand Haven location. The Pronto Pups Grand Rapids will be serving the Greater Grand Rapids area and Kent County, along with going into other areas such as Greenville. The Pronto Pups Grand Rapids truck will feature the Pronto Pup along with Pronto Pups with a twist such as with cheese or jalapeños. Other menu items may include gourmet hot dogs, vegan hot dogs, brats, and walking tacos.

“It is really cool to be able to bring back a childhood memory of when you use to go to the fair and get a corndog,” Bogart said.

 

Bogart estimates that it will still be another 45 days until the truck is fully operational. During that time, he has been working to build a client base and recently joined the Grand Rapids Food Truck Association. He said he also has been looking at festivals and events to bring the truck and hopes one location will be the City of Kentwood’s annual End of Summer Food Truck Festival, which is usually in the fall.

Until then, Pronto Pup aficionados will have to follow the Pronto Pups Grand Rapids progress on its Facebook page.  

May 5 local school funding vote in Wyoming, Kentwood to be a ballot process unlike any other

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A sign at the City of Wyoming City Hall informs people intending to drop off absentee ballots for the May 5 local school district funding votes. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Michigan’s, and so both Wyoming’s and Kentwood’s, voting process for the upcoming May 5 local school funding proposals may — or may not — be foreshadowing how the hugely important 2020 election cycle will  play out in August if not also in November.

But one thing for sure, the Kent County voting process, put in place in the aftermath of current COVID-19 restrictions and Michigan Secretary of State directives, will be unlike any the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood city clerk’s offices have ever seen.

The bottom line, according to the Kent County Elections Office, is that registered voters within the precinct boundaries of two local school districts with funding measure requests — Kelloggsville Public Schools and Godwin Heights Public Schools — should have automatically received absentee ballot applications.

(For more information on the Kelloggsville Public School District funding request, see a WKTV story. For more information on the Godwin Heights Public Schools funding request, see a story by our media partner School News Network.)

While applying for absentee ballots, and using them, is the “preferred” voting means May 5, “each jurisdiction is required to have one polling place open where individuals can vote in-person,” Robert J. Macomber, Kent County Chief Deputy County Clerk,  said to WKTV. “It won’t be a typical polling place as it would operate on election day normally.

“Anyone who walk-in on election day will be given a ballot and an envelope to put it in and it will be grouped in for counting with those that voted absentee prior to election day.  It’s essentially in-person absentee voting.”

And it is up to local clerks, such as the city clerks of Wyoming and Kentwood, to receive and county the absentee ballots on election day — including the ones dropped off at or walked into the clerk’s on that day.

A voting day unlike any other

This voting process “is certainly different, because all ballots will be processed as an absentee ballot,” Kentwood City Clerk Dan Kasunic said to WKTV, whose office has posted specific May 5 voting process information on the city’s website.

And while both Wyoming City Clerk Kelli A. VandenBerg and Kasunic will be busy on that day counting ballots, VandenBerg also hopes to have few people actually needing to walk in to register and/or vote.

“We have seen a steady stream of ballot requests and a return of voted ballots,” VandenBerg said to WKTV. “While ‘day of’ voting is an option, we are strongly encouraging voters use the absentee process as much as possible.

And extension of the existing City of Wyoming drop off (and usually drive-up) city business customer convenience, the city clerk will now collect absentee ballots via a drop box. (WKTV)

“We have received guidance from the (state) Bureau of Elections and we continue to working closely with both county and city staff to ensure we have a safe election for voters and workers. … Anyone entering a public building will need to have a mask, so we will be prepared to address that. One feature we look forward to is a new drop box that will allow voters to drop off ballots without having to leave their vehicle.”

VandenBerg also pointed out that “While some voters have experience with absentee voting, this concept is new to many others. I often hear concerns from voters about whether absentee ballots are counted.  And absentee ballots are absolutely counted. They are not held in case there is a tie, they are counted each and every time.

For Spanish language voters, a sign at the City of Wyoming City Hall. (WKTV)

“Also, I would ask that voters have patience if they do need to visit city hall on election day. My staff and I want to help any and all voters who wish to vote, but we also want to do so while maintaining safety for everyone.”

She also urged voters to check their registration status at mi.gov/vote, where they can verify registration, view a sample ballot and check the status of their absentee request.

Highlights of Kentwood’s voting process includes confirming that “All registered voters in Precincts 1-4-5 (Kelloggsville Schools) have been mailed an application for an absentee ballot,” according to the city website page.

Also, the registration process, if absentee ballot requests were not received, include the person wishing to register prior to the May 5 election day should make an appointment at the city clerk’s office and provide proof of residency.

In person voting — dropping off absentee ballots — and voter registration on May 5 will be at Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave SE, with the office open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. After registration, voters will be given absentee ballots to fill out and hand back — but “in person interaction will be conducted in adherence to social distancing and health safety measures,” according to the city website page.

Kelloggsville asking for sinking fund to help with long-term projects

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The playground at Southeast Elementary. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The playground at Kelloggsville’s Southeast Elementary is a mismatch of different equipment: silver monkey bars that look like they are from the 1970s mixed in with what seems like newer bright blue swings, a slider, and balance equipment.

It is easy to tell that the equipment has been used — a lot. The bright blue paint on the slider has been chipped away to reveal the metal. The slides with scratches are now a faded pink and the monkey bars have a slight bent in them.

Southeast Elementary and the district’s West Elementary are two of Kelloggsville’s oldest buildings. Admitting he is not certain of their age, Eric Alcorn, Kelloggsville’s auxiliary services director, said he estimates Southeast Elementary to have been built in the 1950s or early 1960s.

Playground upgrades at the two elementary buildings are on a long list of proposed projects that will be funded if Kelloggsville voters approve a May 5 proposed 1.0 mill sinking fund request.

West Elementary would be the first school to receive new lockers, carpet, playground upgrades and parking lot repaving. (WKTV)

“With our newest elementary building, we want to make sure that all the buildings are up-to-date and that all our students are benefiting from the rewards by being able to grow both physically and mentally,” Alcorn said.

As district officials proposed a 2018 bond request for a new elementary building (which was approved by voters), they made it clear that the new building was part of a long-term plan to update and modernize the district’s elementary schools. The sinking fund request is the next step in that plan with Superintendent Samuel Wright stating on the district’s website that “A plan has been made to identify items that are necessary to keep our buildings in excellent shape and aren’t exactly recognizable. Items such as parking lot paving, HVAC, roofs, and energy conserving projects are expensive and additional funds are needed to complete these projects.”

In Michigan, a sinking fund is a millage levied to support school safety improvements, technology improvements, and the repair and construction of school buildings. It is a “pay as you go” system that does not require borrowing money or paying interest. A sinking fund milage is calculated using the taxable value of a home, which is usually about half of the assessed value. For example, Kelloggsville Public Schools is asking for 1.0 mill. On a house valued at $100,000, the taxable value is $50,000. The annual cost to a Kelloggsville taxpayer would be $50, which is about 96 cents a week.

A sinking fund is for up to 10 years. Kelloggsville’s sinking fund request would run from 2020 – 2029. It is estimated that within the first year, 2020, the district would receive about $371,073.

An important aspect to a sinking fund, which Alcorn pointed out, is that money from that fund can not be used for things like regular maintenance, purchasing teaching supplies or textbooks, or paying teacher and administrator salaries. In fact, the law requires districts with sinking funds to keep these funds separate from the district accounts and a district also must have s separate auditor each year of the funds to ensure they are being spent appropriately.

“The fund will help us pay for long term projects that in the end will help us not have to pull from the general funds to help pay for it,” Alcorn said, adding by creating a fund that allows for the district to handle building and safety concerns, the district is able to maintain school services without concerns of having to use money for an emergency. 

“We are not in a situation where an emergency needs to be addressed,” Alcorn said. “However, we do not want to have to make a decision that would move money away from student services because of a need.”

School officials have made a wish list over the 10-year life of the sinking fund of items they would address in the district’s facilities. Year one would focus on West Elementary receiving new carpet, lockers, playground upgrades, and the parking lot would be repaved. The second and third year would focus on Southeast Elementary, which would receive playground upgrades, repaved parking lot that would include a bus loop, and classroom remodels. In fact, over the 10 years, every building in the district, which also includes the Early Childhood Learning Center, the middle school, high school and the alternative high school, 54th Street Academy, would benefit from the fund by receiving roof replacements, classroom updates and parking lot repaving.

 

If the sinking fund is approve, in year 9 the 54th Street Academy would receive a roof replacement and in year 10, its parking lot would be repaved. (WKTV)

Voting by Absentee

Kelloggsville Public Schools has about 2,400 students enrolled for the 2019-2020 school year, with Alcorn noting the district continues to grow. While most Kent County school districts are pretty much contained to one area, Kelloggsville Public Schools has about half its students in the City of Wyoming and the other half are from the City of Kentwood.

Alcorn said the district was just gearing up to inform voters about the sinking fund request when the Stay Home, Stay Safe order took effect on March 24. In April, the governor issued an executive order that the May 5 elections would be done “to the greatest extent possible” by absentee voter ballots.

Residents who have not received a notice for an absentee ballot may request one from their local clerks office. The Kelloggsville Public Schools’ website also has information on how to obtain an absentee ballot. The ballot must be mailed and received by 5 p.m. May 1 or you may bring the ballot to your city’s clerk’s office on the day of the election, May 5, by 8 p.m.

Also according to the May 5 elections order, the clerk’s office in both cities will be open for people to request, fill out and return an absentee ballot. Voters may also register and vote that day as well. According to the Kelloggsville website, you may request ballot up until 4 p.m. on May 5 and you have until 8 p.m. to return an absentee ballot.

For specific guidelines on May 5 voting, visit the City of Wyoming Clerk’s Office page or the City of Kenwood Clerk’s Office page.

Local hotdog and ice cream walk-up eatery opens, with restrictions but optimism

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Food, Going Local, Local Business, Local Food, WKTV Projects,
The 44th Street Dog and Dairy walk-up eatery’s owner and manager Joel Ruark. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The 44th Street Dog and Dairy walk-up eatery, located just east of U.S. Highway 131 in Wyoming, opened just about its normal time of mid-April. But is it not entirely “business as usual” due to current restrictions on restaurants.

Owner and manager Joel Ruark, who opened the business in 2012, says is some ways his business is perfect for the COVID-19 restrictions — 44th Street Dog is a walk-up, not a walk-in, and there is very little direct contact between employees and customers.

But he also worries about the impact of not being able to allow customers to sit on his brightly colored bench tables and eat as the weather gets warmer.

“Pretty much normal opening time for the season,” Ruark said to WKTV last week. “We got to the 15th (of April), which is when we usually open, and we said, ‘Well, we qualify. We’re a take-out.’ And we do a lot of take-out food. (Where people pick it up and drive away).”

The 44th Street Dog and Dairy walk-up eatery, located just east of U.S. Highway 131 in Wyoming, opened just about its normal time of mid-April. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

44th Street Dog and Dairy, like many similar businesses, offer various styles of hotdogs, hamburgers and ice cream treats. But for the time being, they can not offer a place to sit and eat — as evidenced by the majority of his bench tables being stacked on the side of the building with only a couple available for those waiting for food.

“You can’t use those tables,” Ruark said. “I’ve been having to kick people off of them continuously. But they are very understanding. I think it is ridiculous. A family can’t event sit on the tables and eat together. They don’t want that. … I don’t love it. Especially in the summer, we have people who love to sit out here.”

And despite the current restrictions, Ruark says his business is starting pretty much as it always starts: very weather dependent.

“It is too early to tell what the impact is,” he said. “So far, I think it has been promising, maybe. It’s hard to say, the weather may have more (of an impact on business) than the restrictions.”

One thing for sure, Ruark said, his seasonal employees were ready to get back to work.

“My employees were just beating down the door, saying ‘We want work’,” he said.

44th Street Dog and Dairy is located art 521 44th St SW. For more information, visit their Facebook page @44thStreetDogandDairy.

SpartanNash announces partnership to support local restaurants

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The Friesian’s Oven-ready lobster mac and cheese is available at the Family Fare, 2275 Health Dr., Wyoming. (Supplied)

By Lauren DeVol
SpartanNash

In an effort to help local restaurants impacted by COVID-19, SpartanNash today announced it has launched an innovative pilot partnership with eight West Michigan restaurants.  Each participating restaurant will create its patrons’ favorite menu items, which will be sold at select D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods and Ada Fresh Market locations.  One hundred percent of the proceeds will be provided to the restaurants to help them remain strong during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participating restaurants include:

  • Anna’s House 
  • Big O’s
  • Cedar Springs Brewery 
  • City Built Brewery
  • Donkey Taqueria 
  • Friesian Gastro Pub 
  • Osteria Rossa
  • West Side Social 

A complete list of restaurant menu items and the locations of the 25 pilot stores can be found at spartannash.com/restaurant-meals-to-go. The heat and serve meals will be located in the deli section of each participating D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods and Ada Fresh Market location.

“This is a win-win partnership for West Michiganders and local restaurants hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said EVP and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer, Lori Raya. “Restaurants are bringing team members back to work, while families can enjoy some of their restaurant favorites, discover new ones, and help their local struggling restaurants. Together, we can and will build stronger communities through these local partnerships. For more than 100 years, our company has been headquartered here and a trusted provider of food, medicine, and essential household goods.  Supporting our local communities, farmers and food producers has always been vitally important to us and drives our vision to be a best in class company that feels local, where relationships matter.”

Items from the City Built Brewery will be available at Family Fares located at 2900 Burlingame Ave., Wyoming, and 6127 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. (Supplied)

On March 16, 2020, Michigan restaurants were ordered to temporarily close for all but take out service as a means of containing the spread of the coronavirus. 

In developing the pilot program, SpartanNash’s retail, merchandising and marketing teams worked quickly to identify a diverse group of local restaurants that could transition to preparing heat and serve meals for purchase at the grocery store. SpartanNash’s quality assurance, food safety, legal, IT and corporate affairs teams provided guidance. West Michigan Tag and Label also came on board to work directly with the restaurants and donate the restaurant branded and ingredient labeling at no cost as a means of supporting participating local restaurants.

“Being in the food business – whether a grocery retailer, wholesaler, supplier or restaurant – we all have something in common: helping create an exceptional experience for the guests we serve,” said Raya. “Now, more than ever, we want to provide not only the financial support to our restaurants, but the emotional connectivity to some of West Michigan’s ‘must have’ menu options.”

For all of SpartanNash’s latest efforts around the coronavirus, visit: spartannash.com/spartannash-coronavirus-updates.

Anna’s House’s Monkey Bread is available at the Grandville Family Fare, 3960 44th St. SW. (Supplied)

Wyoming, Kentwood craft breweries staying positive despite ‘first to close, last to open’ concerns

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Hankerin’ for a dinner of TwoGuys Brewery’s prime rib and beer? TwoGuys managing partner, brewmaster and all-around craft-brew guru Tom Payne shows off a take-home option. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Three Wyoming and Kentwood area craft breweries and brew pubs — TwoGuys Brewing, Broad Leaf Local Beer and Railtown Brewing Company — are doing what they can to keep their taps flowing in these times of COVID-19 restrictions.

Like most restaurants, they are offer take-out and delivery of food from their kitchens. Like most breweries, they offer to-go craft beer choices from their brewers. And like any good pub, they offer the kind of optimism that any good bartender will offer up to customers contemplating the worst over a cold pint.

Broad Leaf reports they are brewing up a Super Wonderful Happy IPA, “named to contrast the times and keep people thinking positively,” they say.

But despite a barkeep’s optimism, there is a healthy outpouring of concern about the future.

Railtown Brewing Company. (Supplied)

“It’s been a long road so far. Sadly, we’re in the early part of a marathon not a sprint,” Railtown’s Justin Buiter said to WKTV. “We were one of the first industries to see forced shutdowns and we’ll be one of the last to re-open. We’re planning for the worst and hoping for the best.”

TwoGuys also has some concerns about what might happen with a “slow opening” of establishments like theirs.

“As far as plans for when things open back up, we aren’t really sure,” TwoGuys Brewing managing partner Amy Payne said to WKTV. “We are prepared to pivot once again as necessary but have discussed that until all restrictions to regular business are lifted we will, most likely, continue to operate as we currently are. Opening our taproom at half capacity (if that should be the next phase) would definitely be detrimental to sales so keeping with the current model would keep us closer to our goal numbers.”

A bright spot has been community support  

Despite the current hardships, the three breweries have been thankful for the support of the community during these times.

“The community support has been amazing,” Railtown’s Buiter said.”We see a lot of familiar faces every week. Folks genuinely care about us and want to see us through this, and that means more than we can put into words.”

For Broad Leaf and its mother ship, Grand Rapids’ Brewery Vivant, their thankfulness includes community support of employees whose jobs were impacted by the closures.

“All gratuities at both locations are being put into an emergency fund for our hourly staff,” Broad Leaf and Brewery Vivant co-owner and president Kris Spaulding said to WKTV. “We have been amazed at how generous our community is. Through those guests, we have built up a meaningful fund that will surely help out some of our staff who are struggling.”

Broad Leaf is also being a little old-school resourceful when it comes to labeling their to-go beer cans and their brewing choices.

Broad Leaf Local Beer offers door pick-up of beer-to-go, and merchandise, at the Kentwood location. Much of the pub’s usual food fare is available through the mother ship, Grand Rapids’ Brewery Vivant, by pick-up or delivery. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“People may notice our simple war-time style labels printed on address stickers as we make do with what we have on hand,” Spaulding said. And “We have been going back to old school methods and are all pulling together to be able to share what we all love with the amazing public that has been going out of their way to support us.”

Also “Super Wonderful Happy IPA … is sort of an old-school IPA made with Mosaic and MI Chinook hops …  Bananicula is a pastry stout with Count Dracula Chocolate cereal, banana, vanilla, and marshmallow that we bottled by hand on a homebrew counter-pressure filler contraption our head brewer Jacob cobbled together.”

Man, and woman, does not live on beer alone

That adapting with the times is also at play in to-go food selections.

Much of Broad Leaf’s eclectic fare — including their appropriately named “Drunken Noodles” — is available for pick up and limited-area delivery out of Brewery Vivant’s Eastown kitchen. (The actual Broad Leaf location has curbside pick up of beer and merch, as well as beer delivery.)

TwoGuys, in contrast, has made some changes to adapt.

“In order to stay relevant in the current situation we took a look at what our guests, and hopefully folks new to TwoGuys, would be looking for as the social distancing seemed like it was going to carry on longer than officials were suggesting,” Payne said. “What we decided was, although hot take-out food is great for some, many were traveling across town to get back home if they worked near us or wanted to support us even though they lived across town. Take-out hot food just isn’t as good when it has travelled for a while. So, we began to work on ‘Take N Bake’ options.”

Currently they offer casseroles, lasagna, mac and cheese — and prime rib meals — purchased in tins ready to be put in the oven when they got home.

Desserts have also been “huge,” she said. “Pans of brownies full of all kinds of delicious additives … Nothing like brownies when the world is full of uncertainty.”

(The take-and-bake fruit cobblers looked too good to pass up when researching this story! And their TwoGuys IPA hits the pale ale spot.)

Railtown Brewing Citra Warrior IIPA. (Supplied)

At Railtown, they are open for pick-up and carryout of beer, cider and much of their regular menu food for lunch and dinner, daily except Sunday. Ordering is by phone only. And they do have some special brews unexpectedly available.

“Due to COVID-19, we had to cancel our Warrior Unleashed party which is a celebration of our Imperial IPA, Citra Warrior,” Railtown’s Buiter said. “The result is, we have a ton of beer selections on tap currently. We released 4 variations of Citra Warrior — Midnight Warrior (Black Imperial IPA), Soulless Warrior (Ginger Imperial IPA), Tiki Warrior (Pineapple Imperial IPA), and Tiki Torch (Pineapple and Cayenne Pepper Imperial IPA).”

Keeping with that barkeep’s optimism, they also have a new “Shutdown Brown”, a hazelnut brown ale.

Railtown is located at 3595 68th St. SE, in Dutton but just across the border with Kentwood. For food and beer information, call 616-881-2364 or visit railtownbrewing.com.

TwoGuys is located at 2356 Porter St. SW, in Wyoming. For food and beer information, call 616-552-9690 or visit twoguys-brewing.com.

Broad Leaf is located at 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd, in Kentwood. For food and beer information call 616-803-0602 or visit broadleafbeer.com.

Kentwood, Wyoming public schools implementing remote learning options after state closes schools

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Local public school’s plans for remote learning differ, but all meet state guidelines and goal that “teaching and learning must continue.” (Public Domain)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, early this month, ordered all K-12 public school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year but urged the continuation of education through remote learning — in fact part of her order included funding the use of public school facilities by public school employees and contractors for the “purposes of facilitating learning at a distance.”

Many Wyoming and Kentwood school districts, along with the Kent ISD, anticipating the governor’s order, had already been working on remote learning plans. But the governor’s order set a deadline of this week for remote learning plans to be submitted and approved by the Kent ISD, and required “all schools to begin providing learning opportunities for all students no later than April 28, 2020. Districts who are able to begin their plans earlier are encouraged to do so.”

Most local schools districts are already “doing so.”

There was no easy answer, no cookie-cutter answers given individual district goals, needs and even the logistics of working to verify students’ ability to access the internet and to distribute the technology necessary to reach as many students as possible.

So every district’s plan is unique but, in the words of the Kent ISD Continuity of Learning and COVID-19 Response Plan Application instructions, “although schools are closed and not providing in-person instruction, teaching and learning must continue.”

To look at just one plan, after getting approval of the district’s plan from the ISD, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools this week shared their plans with their community, and WKTV.

“Today marked a new beginning for Godfrey-Lee Public Schools as the district responded to the suspension of in-person learning and shifted to distance learning for the entire district,” Kevin Polston, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said to WKTV early this week. “District staff have prepared for this reality over the past few weeks to provide students and families necessary supports to continue meaningful learning for the remainder of the school year. New student learning begins today and will continue through the remainder of the school year ending on May 29.”

Some of the highlights of the Godfrey-Lee remote learning plan include providing almost 1,500 computer/tablet devices and contacting families individually to check on internet access — the district reports 93 percent have such access. For more detailed information on the Godfrey-Lee plan, visit here.

To gain information on other Wyoming and Kentwood public school district’s remote learning plans, visit their district websites and/or Facebook pages, including Wyoming Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, and Kentwood Public Schools website and Facebook page link.

“While the means of delivering learning has changed, the district’s vision, mission, and values remain constant,” Godfrey-Lee’s Polston said. “I am confident that our students will have an excellent experience during our Continuity of Learning Plan, and our staff stands ready to support any student or family member in need.”

Also like other school districts in the Wyoming-Kentwood area, remote learning is only one part of Godfrey-Lee schools’ efforts during a spring of closed schools.

“The district has also continued to support the basic needs of families, social-emotional wellbeing of students, and health and wellness of families through Kent School Services Network (KSSN) support,” Polston’s stated. “It is the expectation that each student will have contact with a district staff member every week. … (And) the district implemented a structure to target students that aren’t in contact to offer assistance and support.”

Godfrey-Lee, also undoubtedly like other local school districts, has also gained support in their remote learning activities.

“The district is thankful for the generous support of individuals, community partners, and philanthropy during this crisis,” Polston said.

Change coming in local county commission seats, state senator looking toward future, after candidate filing deadline

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The 2020 election cycle, the August primary and the November general elections, will have a wide spectrum of officeholders for Wyoming and Kentwood voters to decide upon.

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The 2020 election cycle, the August primary and the November general elections, will have a wide spectrum of officeholders for Wyoming and Kentwood voters to decide upon — from Kentwood’s District Court judge to President of the United States.

As the candidate deadline for the filing for partisan positions on the fall primary and November ballots passed today, April 21, at 4 p.m., a review of the Kent County Elections Office list also includes three local developments of special note.
 

Three candidates will vie for the Kent County Board of Commissioners 8th District seat, which is entirely in the boundaries of the City of Wyoming, but current commissioner and long-time public servant Harold Voorhees will not be one of them.

And current State Sen. Peter MacGregor (Republican, 28th District) is running for Kent County Treasurer, an action that if successful would require him to resign from his senate seat two years before term limits would force him to do so.

Both Commissioner Voorhees and Sen. MacGregor talked to WKTV briefly today about their decisions.

For Commissioner Voorhees, this is just the right time.

Commissioner Harold Voorhees

“At the end of 2020, I will have served 30 years in elected office. I think this is the right time for someone else,” Voorhees said. “I have been blessed to be able to serve people in three different elected offices … (and) my wife and I are in our 80s and we are blessed with good health. So why not spend more time with our six children, 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. We have lots of visiting to do.”
 

The new county commission’s 8th District commissioner, to be decided in November, will be either the sole Democrat to file, Sarah Chatterley of Wyoming, or the winner of an Aug. 2 Republican Party primary between current City of Wyoming City Council Member-at-large Dan Burrill and Grandville’s Denise Kolesar.

Additionally, in the county commission’s 13th District (Kentwood), incumbent Democrat Betsy Melton filed early but then removed her name late in the process, so fellow Democrat Michelle McCloud and Republican Levi Cipcic, both unopposed in the primary, will face off in November.

As far as Sen. MacGregor’s decision, he told WKTV that his love of public service — he has more than 11 years as a state representative and now state senator —  and looming term limits are what drove him to the decision.

State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District)

“I truly love serving the people” of Kent County, he said. “Maybe I can use my skill set to continue serving this way … (and) this is kind of a free shot to test that.”

If he does not win the treasurer seat, Sen. MacGregor would continue to serve his final two years in the senate.

Also seeking the county treasurer job, and running in the Democratic primary, are José L. Reyna and Beth White, the winner of which will face MacGregor in the general election.

City of Wyoming City Council

City of Wyoming voters will have three seats on the City Council to be voted on, all three on the November ballot and two of the three unopposed at this point. Incumbents Marissa K. Postler and Robert Postema have filed for the 2nd Ward and the 3rd Ward council seats, respectively. Rob Arnoys and John Fitzgerald have filed for a Commissioner-at-large seat.

Kent County Board of Commissioners

In other Kent County Board of Commissioners contests, in the 7th District (Grandville/part of Wyoming), Republican incumbent and Grandville resident Stan Ponstein and Democrat and Grandville resident Jane Newton will run unopposed in August and face off in November.

In the 9th District (Byron Twp./part of Wyoming), incumbent Republican Matt Kallman will be opposed by Keith Courtade (D) of Wyoming, while in the 12th District (Kentwood/part of Wyoming and Grand Rapids) incumbent Democrat Monica Sparks of Kentwood and Grand Rapids Republican Ryan Malinoski will run unopposed in August and face off in November.

Kent County-wide elections

Current Kent County District Attorney Chris Becker (R) will run for reelection unopposed this election cycle, but current Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young (R) will be opposed Democrat Marc Burns.

Current county Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R) will also be opposed, by Wyoming resident Devin Ortega-Furgeson (D). And current Drain Commissioner Ken Yonker (R) will be opposed by Elaine Isely (D).
 

Part of the Kent County Court System, Kentwood’s current 62 B District Court Judge William G. is bared from running again due to a state law setting an age limit of 70. Running for the non-partisan seat is Amanda Sterkenburg and Joe Jackson, both of Kentwood.

According to the Kent County Elections Office, local judicial candidates will only be on the November candidate listing unless they are forced into a primary (if more than twice the number of candidates file for the number of seats to be elected). If that happens, there will be a primary on the August ballot.

Wyoming’s and Kentwood’s state, federal elected positions 

In the Michigan State House of Representatives 72nd District, which includes Kentwood, incumbent Rep. Steven Johnson (R) of Wayland will run unopposed in the primary but in November will face the winner of a Democratic primary between Lily Cheng-Schulting of Grand Rapids and Cade Wilson of Kentwood.

The state house 77th District (which includes Wyoming) will have incumbent Tommy Brann of Wyoming running unopposed in the Republican primary and, in November, he will face the winner of an August Democratic primary field of Bob Smith of Byron Center and Dana Knight of Wyoming.

In Michigan’s 2nd U.S. Congressional District (which includes Wyoming and Kentwood) incumbent Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) and Rev. Bryan Berghoef (D)  will also run unopposed in August and face off in November.

Wyoming and Kentwood voters will in November also select between incumbent U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D) two Republicans running in the August primary, John James and Bob Carr.

According to the Kent County Elections Office, “Candidates without party affiliation have until 4 p.m. on July 16 to file petitions to appear on the November ballot.” So independents could still file for offices.


Wyoming City Council moves forward on Gezon Park redevelopment

3-bottom, City of Wyoming,
The City of Wyoming is moving forward on redevelopment plans for Gezon Park. (WKTV)

By Rebecca Rynbrandt
City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation

The City of Wyoming is excited to announce the next steps in the redevelopment of Gezon Park. 5651 Gezon Ct., in an effort to continue to provide high quality and well-maintained parklands.

On Monday, April 20, the Wyoming City Council authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute an agreement for professional services with Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio in the amount of $132,710 and Fishbeck in the amount of $23,850. The profession services are to prepare construction drawings and bid materials for the next phase of Gezon Park’s development which will include a splash pad, walking and bike trail, restroom, shelter, and expanded parking.

“We are grateful to our residents as we continue to invest in the local economy through our parks system,” said Jack Poll, mayor. “The redevelopment has been highly anticipated by area residents as the project has been guided by community input.”

The large-scale park is expected to serve as a regional recreational source for the entire community. Currently, the interior of the park is undeveloped. This project would improve this area and increase access to recreation and leisure services for a significant portion of the community.

In 2018, The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department offered three development plan options for Gezon Park which were produced by Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio. (WKTV)

Gezon Park currently borders a densely populated residential area of the community which includes multi-family and single-family homes. The southernmost portion of the park has been developed as an athletic complex featuring baseball, softball, and football fields. The northernmost portion has been developed with a small shelter, playground, and basketball court.

“During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in our residents using our trails and recreational resources to maintain their physical and mental health. We’re excited for this next step in the process to make improvements to Gezon Park which will continue to add to these valuable facilities,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services.

The development plan for Gezon Park was approved by the City Council on April 2, 2018. Funding for the professional services was planned for in the city’s 2020 budget from the capital parks revolving fund. 

Construction for this next phase for the park development is slated to begin in the spring of 2021. In the meantime, the community can look forward to the opening of Ideal Park, 5843 Crippen, this summer of 2020 and Jackson Park, 1331 – 33rd SW, in 2021.

Start Garden awards more than $300,000 to 68 entrepreneurs experiencing financial strain

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

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Just 10 days after announcing an aggressive relief effort that pivoted its annual 100 business ideas competition, The Start Garden 100, into a fund for existing entrepreneurs, Start Garden announces it has selected grantees of its 100 Comeback Fund. Launched April 7, entrepreneurs had 100 hours to apply for a grant from a $300,000 fund. Just yesterday, a review committee awarded more than $300,000 to 68 entrepreneurs.

It was a whirlwind experience for the Start Garden team and entrepreneurs, but organizers knew the process needed to be quick as time and money is precious for so many entrepreneurs that are trying to navigate the next 100 days. 

“Each day we talk to entrepreneurs, many say that time is their biggest enemy,” said Jorge Gonzalez, Start Garden co-director. “When their April 1 bills came due, it was a serious blow. We knew they needed money before May 1, so we compressed what’s normally six months of work into three weeks. With so many requests, we wished we could do more. We’re confident we did the best we could as fast as possible.”

The results of the 100 hour application process:

  • 430 applications submitted.
  • $5.6 million in requests.
  • 70% of fund requests were for $10,000 or less.
  • 68 applicants were selected to receive funds.
  • Selections were made & entrepreneurs notified in less than 100 hours.
  • 88% of recipients indicated a household income of less than $60,000.
  • 44% of recipients are female. 56% male.
  • 35% of recipients are African American. 32% are Caucasian. 25% are Hispanic. 4% are Asian. 3% identified as Other.

“New business owners frequently pay everyone else before themselves. Almost instantaneously, their ability to provide for their own families was compromised,” said Start Garden co-director Paul Moore. “These funds targeted eliminating that problem for an entrepreneur as they spend the next few months navigating the daily changing landscape of how to make a comeback.” 

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Michigan, the decision was quickly made to pivot funds to The 100 Comeback as Start Garden leaders knew that new entrepreneurs often defer paying themselves in order to grow their business and they can’t lay themselves off. Almost all federal and state small business relief comes in the form of loans, and many new businesses can’t risk the additional leverage.

“The need for entrepreneur financial support is unlike anything we’ve ever seen right now,” said Start Garden co-director Darel Ross II. “People think a business owner is taking home the biggest check. Most don’t realize they’re investing that money into their people and business. In the small business and tech startup community, the financial impact of the COVID-19 shut down hits employers and employees alike.”

“The decision making process was quite emotional,” adds Start Garden program director Laurie Supinski. “Each entrepreneur has such a unique set of problems, which having the 100 second video in the submission was critical to understanding. Their resilience and creativity is so inspiring, and the heartbreak is very real right now. We remain hopeful that this venture will help keep 68 talented entrepreneurs going instead of folding.”

Learn more about The 100 Comeback: https://100.startgarden.com/

The 68 Recipients: 

5F Ventures, LLC

AgHelp

Any Colour You Like Treats LLC

Arebelo & Associates

Art Caribbean Fusion Cuisine

Aztech

Bare All LLC

BattleGR

Blackbird RSVP

Break Room Therapy

Bryan Esler Photo

Chez Olga LLC

CNN Cleaning, LLC

Daddy’s Dough Cookies

Dime & Regal

Edgerow Property Management

El Globo Restaurant

El Granjero Mexican Grill

Emonae Korean BBQ

EverythingAB

Flip Dog Yoga

Germination Labs

Grand Rapids Sport & Social Club

Graped Out

Guelaguetza Designs

Irie Kitchen

Jose Abreu Graphic Studio, antiguamente Koren Graphic Design*

KOKI

La Casa del Pollo Loco

Lawnbot

Life Addicts Studio

Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano

Little Space Studio

Littlebird, That Earlybird, Kingfisher

Love’s Ice Cream & Chocolate

Luxe Artisan Preserves

Matt Everitt Productions

Michigan Clinical & Therapeutic Massage

Michigan House Creative

Mindset Meals

Mosbys Popcorn

Muse GR

New Valley Landscape LLC

Noble Strong Training LLC

Old World Olive Co.

Pack Elephant

PhotoUp

Polished Nail Bar & Spa

Pottery Lane

Rising Grinds Cafe

Rogers Wealth Management Services, LLC

RYE Venue Management LLC DBA The Lit GR

SlothWerks LLC

Soldadera Coffee LLC

Sparkle All The Time

Supreme Focus Ent (Dj Composition)

Sympl.

Tacos el Cunado

The Comedy Project

The G-1:27 Collection

The Hot Spot Metal Studio

The Wisdom Center LLC

United Freedom Painting LLC

VIVE MICHIGAN Magazine

Wallway Technologies & Women in Tech with Ariana Podcast

Wear Your Curls

Wimage, LLC

Wormies 

Snapshots: The kind of (good) news we need right now

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Travel, WKTV Projects

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“My mother is an incredibly beautiful woman who has laughed at every single thing my father’s ever said. At a young age, my brother and I understood that if you can make girls laugh, you can punch well above your weight class.”

Seth Meyers (From whom we stole the headline!)



Love in the time of coronavirus

April is a big time for weddings and like many couples, Melanie Bork and Bradley Wernette were looking forward to their special day on April 17 in Petoskey, Mich. However, one uninvited guest — COVID-19 — crashed the party before it could even get started. Go here for the story.



Boardman Brown, on stage at a July 2019 Wyoming Concerts in the Park. (WKTV)

A summer concert, from your ‘stay at home’ couch

The members of Boardman Brown, a West Michigan band that lit a little musical bonfire at a Wyoming Concerts in the Park summer series gig last summer, are working their way through the COVID-19 restrictions just like everyone else — at home. Go here for the story/videos/on-demand concert.



A virtual walk in Australia’s Outback

The most iconic element of Australia’s Red Center, Uluru is sacred to the indigenous Anangu, who finally succeeded in having hiking banned on the rock late last year. But even walking around the perimeter (which is still allowed) is a staggering experience—particularly at sunrise or sunset, when the rock takes on a preternatural glow. Go here for a virtual tour video.

Fun fact:

883

… and each with at least one bad joke!

The current total number of Saturday Night Live eposides. Trivia bonus fact: On the very first episode of SNL, host George Carlin comes down from the balcony and discusses the differences between football and baseball, using the language associated with each sport. See Carlin’s monologue here.

State offers a way to help shut-in seniors with food needs through a ‘virtual food bank’

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Food, Health, Local Food, Senior Living,
A new virtual food bank has been set up to support senior food needs, and donations are being accepted. (Public Domain)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Feel like you want to support seniors in your community while maintaining a social distance from one of the most at-risk COVID-19 populations? A new virtual food bank may be just what you’re looking for.
 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Aging and Adult Services Agency and the Food Bank Council of Michigan announced this week the creation of  “virtual food bank” raising money to provide food boxes to seniors who are staying home to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Michigan residents can make monetary donations on the virtual food drive website to buy food for the project.

Kent County seniors who need extra support at this time can now sign up for assistance, including meal delivery, delivery of non-perishable food items, and daily wellness-check calls by contacting the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan.

The Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan said to WKTV, following the state announcement, that information on local food resources is available at aaawm.org/article/an-update-on-food-resources.

Each of the virtual food drive boxes is filled with 33 food items that provide for 22 well-balanced, nutritious meals, according to supplied material. Each box contains breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes for seniors who are food insecure. A donation of $28 pays for an entire box containing food such as chunk white canned chicken, green beans, peanut butter and low-sodium diced tomatoes. Boxes are distributed from local food banks through Area Agencies on Aging and delivered by volunteers.

“Michigan’s aging adult population is especially vulnerable to COVID-19,” Dr. Alexis Travis, director of the Aging and Adult Services Aging, said in supplied material. “It’s critical that seniors stay home, but they also need healthy food.”

The Michigan National Guard is packing the first 10,000 boxes at Gleaners’ Community Food Bank’s warehouse in Pontiac. The Food Bank Council is routing the boxes to Area Agencies on Aging across the state, but more food is needed to feed seniors.

“The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented additional barriers to food access,” Dr. Dawn Opel, of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, said in supplied material. “This program is an example of how we are creating innovative food distribution models to bring food to people where they are—to alleviate household food insecurity and to prevent the spread of the virus for those without transportation and other supports.”

WKTV celebrates its volunteers at March banquet

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, WKTV Projects, ,
Right, WKTV Board President Judy Bergsma with her husband Mark Bergsma talk to Ron Schultz and his wife. (Photo by Pat Moll)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

About two weeks before the governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order went into effect, more than 100 people gathered at the WKTV station, located at 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW, to celebrate another great year of community programming.

At the annual Volunteer Banquet, which was held at the WKTV station, giving volunteers an opportunity to check out the recently finished construction work that added a new facade to the station’s main control room along with creating a second floor above Studio A. In fact, the new meeting space already has been used for a video shoot in February.

WKTV also added to its offerings with the creation of a new podcast room where about 20 shows are taped and filmed with the video housed on the Whole Picture Podcast Facebook page and the podcasts also can be found on the WKTV Journal website.

As always, the annual banquet is designed to recognize the many amazing contributions of the WKTV volunteers.

From left: Anne Cope with Scott Baisden (Pat Moll)

This year’s Volunteer of the Year, Scott Baisden, has spent plenty of time at the WKTV station, clocking in more than 1,000 volunteer hours while also editing and producing shows. Baisden has done a number of handyman jobs from various construction projects to landscaping. He also has lent his expertise to several WKTV productions and podcasts.

Far right, Mike Moll, with the rest of the WKTV Sports crew Mark Bergsma, Ron Schultz, and Paul Kabelman. (Photo by Pat Moll)

This year’s Community Service Programming recipient also is no stranger to WKTV. Mike Moll has been a WKTV volunteer for nine years and he might be a familiar face to many as he is one of the hosts for the WKTV Sports program. Moll also has written sports articles for the WKTV Journal and served as a host for a number of WKTV projects.

Recognition was given to volunteers for both years of volunteer service as well as hours of service in 2019. Following is a list of those recognized as well as their programs or volunteer areas for those honored for years of service.

  • From the left, Latesha Clay and Bernadine Francis were recognized as new volunteers. (Photo by Pat Moll)
  • From left, Cynthia Johnson and Randy Galaszewski received their Five-Year Awards. (Photo by Pat Moll)
  • Becci Schumaker received the 10-year-Award. (Photo by Pat Moll)
  • Allen Wegener received the 20-Year Award.

20 Years

Allen Wegener – Variety of shows throughout the years

10 Years

Beccie Schumaker – Sports/Concerts

5 Years

Cynthia Johnson – Sports/Parades

Randy Galaszewski – Anything Goes/Sports/Concerts

New Volunteers

Cynthia Best – Volunteer

Latesha Clay – L.I.P. Street Team

Bernadine Francis – Studio Productions

Dana Knight – Productions Involving Arts and Culture

Riley Zoet – WKTV Sports

Volunteers who contributed 25 or less hours to WKTV. (Photo by Pat Moll)

1 – 25 Hours

Judy Bergsma – WKTV Board Member/ Reading Train

Caleb Butler – Former staff / Remotes /Council meetings 

Paul Chittenden – Indie Filmmaker / Podcasting

Sagar Dangal – WKTV News /Bhutanese Talk Podcast  

Joe DeJong – Infinity & Beyond Podcast

Randy Galaszewski – Anything Goes / Summer Concerts

Cynthia Johnson – Holiday Parades

Phyllis Koslow – Grand Rapids Symphonette

William McKenny – L.I.P. Street Team and Truck Remotes

Pat Moll – Photographer WKTV News

Linda Pacic – Host Parades and Specials 

Les Raebel – WKTV Board

Don Schumaker – Golden Gloves

Laura Szczepanek – The Polish Pod Café Podcast

Andrew Shelest – Construction

Nathan Slauer – WKTV News

Mark Tangen – Metro Cruise

Mike Van Druemel – WKTV Fix it Man

Dick Visser – WKTV Board Member

Pat Williams – Volunteer

Volunteers who contributed between 26-50 hours to WKTV in 2019. (Photo by Pat Moll)

26 -– 50 Hours

Doug Hansen – Sports

Paul Kabelman – WKTV Sports

Romeo Keels – L.I.P. Street Team + Truck Productions

Kyle Misak – Indie Filmmaker

Reid Petro – Indie Filmmaker 

Prakash Rai – WKTV News / Sports

Tom Sibley – Veterans / Sid Lenger Travel Shows

Bob Serulla – Golden Gloves / Metro Cruise

Wayne Thomas – Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters Podcasts

Meochia Thompson – New Cooking Show/ WKTV News

These volunteers contributed 51 – 99 hours to WKTV in 2019. (Photo by Pat Moll)

51 – 99 Hours

Carrie Bradstreet –  Anything Goes Podcast / WKTV News Host/ 10

Mark Bergsma – WKTV Sports

Anne Cope – Why Don’t We Have Our Own Podcast

Ron Schultz – WKTV Sports


This year’s 100 Hour Club included a number of dedicated WKTV volunteers. (Photo by Pat Moll)

100 Hour Club

Val Fisher

Gary Vande Velde 

Scott Wiseman

Kyle Cortez 

Allen Wegenar

Monique Keels

Darius Young

Stephanie Norton 

Renee Karadsheh

Becci Schumaker

Bill Rinderkencht

Mike Bacon 

Kathy Norton

Mike Moll

Matt Kavaluskis

Matt Zuby

Michael McCallum

Rose Hammond

Doug Remtema 

Scott Baisden 

WKTV’s ‘From Your Couch’ concerts — working through work-from-home, Boardman Brown available on-demand

City of Wyoming, Community Health, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Reviews, WKTV Projects,
The heart of Boardman Brown: Robbie Koets, Shelagh Brown, Anna Joy Tucker and Brian Fraaza. (Supplied/Boardman Brown)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The members of Boardman Brown, a West Michigan band that lit a little musical bonfire at a Wyoming Concerts in the Park summer series gig last summer, are working their way through the COVID-19 restrictions just like everyone else — at home.

While more fortunate than some other local musicians struggling without the income from local gigs, Boardman Brown member’s day jobs are keeping most of them busy — if more than a little starved for human interaction — as they await the opportunity to get back in front of a crowd.

“It’s a bizarre time, that’s for sure,” Shelagh Brown said to WKTV. “Boardman Brown is a side gig for everyone in the band, so thankfully we are all able to manage. (Husband and musical partner) Robbie (Koets) has a full time job, and I have a couple part time jobs that we are both able to do from home. I’m incredibly thankful for the technology that we have that makes it possible.

“And, late summer, fall, I think I can speak for everyone in the band that we’ll be ready to get out there again, make more music, and see people in person.”

Until then, if you’re a fan or soon-to-be fan, WKTV caught up with Boardman Brown on in July 2019 as part of our coverage of the City of Wyoming’s summer concert series. And the Boardman Brown concert is on demand here as part of WKTV’s “From Your Couch” concert series.

Boardman Brown, on stage at a July 2019 Wyoming Concerts in the Park. (WKTV)

The country-rock-pop band features three lead singers, some great guitar play by Adam Newton and Brian Fraaza, and some great covers stretching from County-2000s hitmakers like Drake White (“Let it Ride”) to Pop-2000s hitmakers such as Adele (“Could Have Had it All”). In addition to Brown and Anna Joy Tucker supplying the female vocals, and keyboards, Fraaza brings the more “manly” vocals, with Koets on bass and Jeff Hale on drums.

From the live concert, I particularly liked the cover of Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” featuring the harmonies of Brown, Tucker and Fraaza, and their version of the new-alt-something artists The New Respects’ lovely song “Trouble” — available both in the WKTV concert and an even better version on the band’s Facebook page.

And speaking of their Facebook page … When you go, defiantly make a stop at their version of the great (and recently late) John Prime’s classic “Angel From Montgomery”. Worth the visit all by itself.

Had to ask: What about that name?

“The band name?” Brown said. “We had previously written music together at a cabin up north, outside Traverse City, and the cabin is on the south branch of the Boardman River. After a bit of thinking and coming up with many names, Boardman Brown was the one that stuck!

In an intimate acoustic setting, Boardman Brown sings John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery”, one of the band’s Facebook videos. (Supplied/Boardman Brown)

“We had all played together at church in the worship band, and had been friends for long time through that. Throughout that time, I had a local country band (the Shelagh Brown Band) … Anna Tucker and Brian Fraaza also have a duo called Criminals of Eden. The band came together for the first time when the Shelagh Brown Band was competing in B93’s Battle to the Bash quite a few years ago. … After making it to the finals in the contest, we all agreed that this combination of musicians was something special.”

As far as getting through the current COVID-19 time of isolation, Brown is working  through it like everybody else but also sees it being a time of possible growth for herself and the band.

“We haven’t gotten to original music as Boardman Brown, yet. We’ve written together and separately for other projects. And have plans to write together as a band,” she said. “I believe that as we walk through this time apart, and look back from the other side of this, that we will have lots to talk about and write about.”

If your locking for more great “From Your Couch” concerts, WKTV has a bunch of recent concerts covered by WKTV Community Media and available on-demand at WKTVlive.org.

State of Michigan reports: expanded COVID-19 testing, with new location assistance

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Health, Our Cities, WKTV Projects, ,
COVID-19 testing, including drive-thru test stations, will be available to more people after Stat of Michigan action this week. (U.S. National Guard)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from Monday and Tuesday, April 13-14 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

State expanding COVID-19 testing criteria, access 

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Monday it is expanding testing criteria for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) to include individuals with mild symptoms, and has published a COVID-19 test site finder at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus to help Michiganders locate a testing site near them.

“Expanded testing is needed to learn more about how COVID-19 is spreading in our state,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, said in supplied material. “We want to make sure people know that if they have symptoms, they should work with their medical provider to be tested.”

Michigan’s testing priority criteria now includes: hospitalized patients, symptomatic healthcare workers and expanded list of “patients in congregate facilities with symptoms,” including those at:

Long-term care or elderly living facilities.

Jails or prisons.

Homeless shelters.

Residential foster care facilities.

Other group living settings.

Read the entire release here.

Other April 13-14 releases, listed by headlines and with links, include:

Michigan National Guard to support Sparrow Hospital’s COVID-19 efforts

(State of) Wyoming business misleads consumers about face masks for sale

State offers business taxpayers some May delays in payments to state

Michigan Strategic Fund assistance expands availablity of business, community support

MDHHS announces expanded aid to persons with mental health needs 

COVID-19 could not stop the wedding bells from ringing for one West Michigan couple

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

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Melaine Bork and Bradley Wernette were not about to let COVID-19 prevent them from getting married. The couple tied the knot April 13 at Metro Health. (Supplied)

April is a big time for weddings and like many couples, Melanie Bork and Bradley Wernette were looking forward to their special day on April 17 in Petoskey, Mich. However, one uninvited guest — COVID-19 — crashed the party before it could even get started.

Both essential employees working at Metro Health – University of Michigan Health — Bork is a a nurse in the post-anesthesia recovery unit and Wernette is a physician assistant in neurosurgery — the couple faced long hours ahead on the front lines of battling the coronavirus. That and a governor’s executive order limiting gatherings met the Petoskey wedding was not going to happen.

But Bork and Wernette were not about to let anything stop them from getting hitched.

Metro Health chaplain John DeVries (center) officiated the ceremony. (Supplied)

“We can say that we’re more excited about the marriage than one day of a party and a wedding,” Bork said. “We’re more excited about the rest of our lives and a marriage.”

They picked a new venue, the place they happened to be at the most, Metro Health, and reached out to the hospital’s chaplain, John DeVries. DeVries has married other people at the hospital, but it is normally when a patient is too sick to have a wedding anywhere else, adding that this was a much nicer experience, despite the less-than-perfect venue.

“It is really nice to have a wedding to focus on and to show there are good things going on during this unprecedented time,” DeVries said.

Social distancing guidelines were followed for the April 13 wedding of Melaine Bork (second from right) and Bradley Wernette (right). (Supplied)

So a few days earlier from their original date, the couple tied the knot on Monday, April 13, with two co-workers as witnesses and DeVries officiating the ceremony, and of course, all social distancing guidelines being followed. Metro Health also was able to stream the ceremony for the couple’s family members to watch and enjoy the special union.


The couple is not alone. Across the country, there have been reports of couples finding ways to say their “I dos,” from one couple stepping outside for their “walk” to another having a drive-by wedding.

The couple, who reside in Hudsonville, hopes to have a party with the 110 friends and family who were planning to come to the Petoskey ceremony this summer to celebrate their nuptials as well as taking their postponed honeymoon to Hawaii.

The couple’s friends and family were able to watch the wedding via streaming. (Supplied)

County health department launches home screening app to spot COVID-19 hotspots

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Health, Local Business, Our Cities, ,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

In an effort to obtain information to track potential COVID-19 hotspots in Kent County, the county health department today launched a new web-based survey for residents — keepmihealthy.org.

The “secure, anonymous, web-based survey” — which does not required an app download — will provide health officials with “valuable data that could potentially identify future COVID-19 ‘hot spots’ in Kent County,” according to the announcement.

“Our ability to respond to this pandemic depends upon timely, accurate, and multi-sourced data,” Kent County Health Department Director Adam London said in supplied material. “The information gathered through this survey will provide us with an additional layer of data to make strategic decisions on how we use our resources.”

Local technology company OST, which started in Grand Rapids in 1997 but now has a worldwide footprint, actually came to Kent County with the idea.

“We would like to thank local technology developer OST for turning this community health screening concept into reality,” London said. “Without being asked, they identified a need, reached out to us and other community partners, and quickly developed an easy-to-use and effective screening tool.”

The survey questions are simple — as simple as “Are you experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms or not?”

To complete the survey, residents will be asked to answer four personal identification questions including year of birth, gender, county, and zip code.

All data will be kept confidential and housed in a secure database, according to the announcement. Under licensed agreements, health care professionals, hospitals, and local health departments will have access to the anonymous data to learn more about the community’s health in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID- 19.

To complete the survey, go to keepmihealthy.org/ and click “Get Started!”

Upon completion, residents can optionally provide their mobile phone number to receive a daily text reminder to take the survey.

“By taking the survey daily, it will ensure health officials are making decisions based on the most current information available,” according to the statement.

To learn more, review the frequently asked questions document at keepmihealthy.org/faq.

A Spanish version of the application will be released shortly.

Hospitals put out the call, the community responds

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, , , ,
Coppercraft Distillery deliveries hand sanitizer to Holland Hospital.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

If there is something that staff from West Michigan hospitals have learned during the past couple of weeks, if you ask, the community will rally to help.

As the announcement of the Stay Home, Stay Safe order came out and area hospitals began to see the number of COVID-19 cases rise, hospital officials put out a request for items.

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health Public Relations Manager Jamie Allen said Metro Health has received a number of donations from the community. Among those contributing are:

• Amway donated 3,400 bottles of hand sanitizer

• Steelcase donated 1,800 face shields

• Byrne Electric donated 500 face shields

• The Center for Physical Rehabilitation donated an assortment of gloves, wipes, and sanitizer

• Planet Fitness donated hand sanitizer and disinfectant products

• Posh Nail Spa and Girl Cave Nail Salon donated gloves

• Hoekwater Family Dentistry donated masks and gloves

• Home Depot donated make, filters, and gloves

“We are now asking for homemade cloth masks from the community,” Allen said, adding that they have received about 600 handmade masks from individual donors. “These are something we want to provide to our non-clinical staff members.”

Metro Health – University of Michigan Health is accepting donations from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Items are to be brought to Metro Health’s System Services and Learning Center, 1980 Metro Court, Wyoming. People should enter using the door on the south side of the building, facing M-6. 

Area schools contribute

With public school and college buildings shut down due to the governor’s order, staff at KentISD and several area universities and colleges discovered they had extra personal protection equipment that would not be used for the current school year.

School News Network reported that the Kent Career Tech Center’s Exploring Health Careers program has donated personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, isolation gowns, and cleaning items like hospital-grade wipes and hand sanitizes to Spectrum Health and the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. 

According to School News Network, other schools that have donated include Rockford, which donated 5,000 medical gloves and more than 1,000 masks and Grandville High School science department donated 219 pairs of protective eyewear to Metro Health. As well as Grand Rapids Community College, which donated more than 70,000 pieces of medical and personal protection equipment and have had faculty members volunteering time and expertise to Spectrum Health and GRCC’s Nursing Programs loaning thermometers and donated more than 1,500 thermometer probe covers to the Grand Rapid sPolice Department. 

Various departments at Grand Valley State University have donated medical supplies to regional health care systems and facilities. Efforts include donating disposable gloves from science laboratories as well as custom-made masks designed and created by engineering students and faculty, and face shields and respirators donated by occupational safety and health laboratories.

“It seemed like the right thing to do,” said Michele DeWitt, lead lab supervisor with the GVSU Chemistry Department, who led efforts for donating 90,000 disposable gloves to Spectrum Health. “We don’t want the doctors, nurses and other health professionals to get sick. We want them to be able to help us.”

The Padnos College of Engineering and Computing and the applied Medical Device Institute worked to design and create approximately 1,000 face masks, all made by hand from fabric and metal. Because elastic is in short supply, the design incorporates a metal clamp to hold the mask in place comfortably. Those masks will be donated to American Family Care, an urgent care in Grand Rapids that was already in short supply of equipment.

Businesses getting creative

Business leaders have also rolled up their sleeves to help where they can.

Hearing that there was a major shortage of nasal swaps for the COVID-19 test kits at a Grand Rapids hospital, The Right Place staff identities Keystone Solutions Group, a member of its medical device consortium, MiDevice, that had the capabilities to fulfill the request. The company’s team worked to develop the swabs and being production for West Michigan health care systems.

Many have heard of Holland’s Coppercraft Distillery’s efforts to produce hand sanitizer with the company delivering a 1,000 gallons to Holland Hospital before the end of March and another 1,000 gallons to the Detroit Fire Department last week. 

While Coppercraft is focused on area hospitals and other emergency agencies, Three Oaks’ Journeyman Distillery has answered the call of providing hand sanitizer to the community. 

“In the early 1940s, the Warren Featherbone Company supported the war effort by manufacturing raincoats for the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Journeyman founder and self-proclaimed history buff Bill Welter. “Now, almost 80 years later, we’ve converted our production facility in the historic Featherbone factory to make hand sanitizer for front-line healthcare and essential service providers—as well as our community.”

In March, Journeyman had a fundraising bottle sale for its Hourly Employee Fund and from there requests for hand sanitizer started rolling in with the company website taking online orders. 

Southwest Airlines Grand Rapids station staff prepares to take snacks to Spectrum Health. (Supplied)

Due to national restrictions, travel has been down especially on the airlines. Southwest Airlines found it had an abundance of snacks it normally serve for on-board flight service and wanted to make sure food items were put to good use. This week, Southwest Airlines Grand Rapids station dropped of 30 boxes of snacks to teams at Spectrum Health as a way of saying thanks to all the healthcare employees putting in long hours to battle COVID-19.

Donations are being accepted at many facilities. For a list of items, click here.  

State of Michigan reports: COVID-19 history project started; medical insurance to cover costs

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Hard News, Health, Politics, Volunteers,
In future Michigan classrooms, the age of COVID-19 will be studied by all age groups. A new Michigan History Center program seeks to collect stories to tell. (U.S. Army)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from the Easter Sunday holiday weekend, April 9-12 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

Michigan History Center seeks public input for COVID-19 pandemic project 

The Michigan History Center has announced a new collecting initiative that gives residents the opportunity to share stories that reflect their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, for the benefit of future generations.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is a critical moment in history, and the Michigan History Center is committed to documenting — through objects, archival materials, stories and experiences from diverse Michiganders — how the coronavirus is affecting Michigan residents in the workplace, at home, in communities and in many other settings,” an April 11 press release states.

The first phase of the three-phase collecting initiative is active right now. It offers a web-based platform for people to share and donate photos, videos and audio files that document their daily lives during this emergency— all of which will be considered for preservation in the Archives of Michigan’s collections.

Read the entire release here.

Michigan health insurance providers to waive COVID-19 patient costs

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) announced that the state has received agreements from nearly all of the state’s health insurance companies to waive cost-sharing, including copays, deductibles, and coinsurance for coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and treatments. The Whitmer Administration and DIFS had worked with insurers to waive these costs.

Consumers with these individual and group health plans will not be charged cost-sharing for coronavirus-related medical treatment, such as primary care visits, laboratory testing, emergency room visits, ambulance services, and FDA-approved medications and vaccines for COVID-19 when they become available.

Read the entire release here.

Other April 9-12 releases, listed by headlines and with links, include:

MDHHS issues statement about April 12 reported COVID-19 case and death counts

MDHHS details COVID-19 testing prodedures, announce more drive-thru locations

State, Mason County acts on Community Action Agency for violating Stay Home, Stay Safe Order

New resources to help unemployed workers resolve technical Issues with claims

National Guard distribute medical equipment during COVID-19 response

Governor Whitmer creates Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities

Part of the solution: Feeding America WM, National Guard, Woodland Mall join forces to distribute food

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Hard News, Health, Local Food, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, Woodland Mall, , ,
Feeding America West Michigan’s mobile food bank operation is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard to provide Mobile Food Pantries for those facing hunger. The weekly food distribution is open to the public but aims to serve unemployed service industry workers. (Feeding America WM)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

There has always been hunger in the Wyoming and Kentwood area — and across the region, state, country and world, in fact. And there is a long list of groups big and small working to be part of the solution to the problem.

From the City of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry to the Kent County Community Action, from local school districts to Wyoming’s United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and a score of other area churches and other private non-profit organizations, many groups have done their part and continue to do their part in this time of a COVID-19 unemployment surge.

Feeding America West Michigan is providing weekly Mobile Pantries in Woodland Mall’s parking lot. The Michigan National Guard is helping to distribute the food each week. (Feeding America WM)

The most far-reaching single group, however, is Feeding America West Michigan, which with the aid of the Michigan National Guard and Woodland Mall began weekly food distribution at the mall April 1.

The next Woodland Mall mobile pantry food distribution, from Feeding America’s Service Industry Workers Mobile unit, will be Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m., at 3195 28th St., Kentwood.

“Hunger is not new,” Molly Kooi, communication manager for Feeding America West Michigan, said this week to WKTV. “Before COVID-19, 1 in 8 people in our 40-county service area faced hunger. Now, many more people are in need of food assistance due to unemployment, school closings and a variety of other factors.”

Feeding America West Michigan (WM), part of Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks, not only collects and directly distributes food but also works with many religious and non-profit groups. And they have some sobering statistics about the impact of COVID-19 on the food assistance need.

“We’ve seen a 235 percent increase in people searching for food assistance on our website,” Kooi said. “We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the amount of food requested by our partner agencies. We’re spending $100,000 each week to keep up with the increased demand for food.”

The new distribution site at Woodland Mall is just one part of the group’s efforts, and one part of a much wider spectrum of emergency food providers. In the Wyoming and Kentwood area alone, food pantries supported by Feeding America include the East Paris Community Food Pantry, located at At-Tawheed Islamic Center and Mosque, on East Paris Avenue; Faith Reformed Church Food Pantry, on 44th Street SW; and Family Network, also on 44th.

What to expect if you’re seeking assistance

The first step for persons seeking food assistance — especially persons new to the system such, maybe recently out of work and seeking to support families — could be the regional Feeding America WM webpage FeedWM.org/findfood, Kooi said.

 

Feeding America West Michigan is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard, to provide  weekly food distribution at the mall parking lot in Kentwood. (Feeding America WM)

“There they will find a map making it easy for them to locate our partner agencies (red icons) and mobile food pantry sites (blue icons) near them,” she said. “If they don’t have access to the internet, they can call 2-1-1 or our office (616-784-3250) for assistance.”

And how does a person new to the system qualify and register for food assistance?

Some traditional food pantries have income limits, some have geographical limits and most have visit frequency limits (say, once a month). However, many may be changing how they are doing things due to COVID-19, Kooi said.

“I would tell a neighbor in need to first locate a food pantry near them and then reach out to that pantry’s director, or search their website, to learn what the requirements are,” she said.

Feeding America WM’s mobile pantries are hosted by organizations such as churches or schools, and provide fresh produce and other food to those in need, farmers’ market style, Kooi explained. All attendees are required to fill out a form asking for basic information like household size.

“Anyone in need can attend mobile pantries at any time and no one is turned away,” she said. “Due to COVID-19, all mobile pantries are providing drive-thru service at this time.”

Woodland Mall food distribution part of large network

The new mobile food pantry at Woodland Mall is a prime example of diverse organizations working together.

During the recent COVID-19 crisis, Feeding America has gained assistance from the Michigan National Guard at various locations including at the Woodland Mall mobile distribution.

One reason for the National Guard assistance is that Feeding America WM’s regular volunteer force, often older retired persons, has been directly impacted by safety concerns and stay-at-home orders.

But the local work is just a small part of the scope of Feeding America WM’s food bank collection and food distribution work.

Feeding America West Michigan currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. (Feeding America WM)

The food bank currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. So many trucks and trips are needed because of the way our the organization works: “We reclaim safe, surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, distributors and retail stores, and then distribute it to more than 800 partner agencies throughout West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula,” they state in supplied material.

Typically, more than 100 mobile food pantries are held each month across our 40-county service area. More than 99 percent of the donated food collected and distributes comes from large-scale food donors, with a small amount from community food drives.

Feeding America WM also delivers thousands of pounds of various food items to fixed food pantries and other hunger-relief agencies each month.

Where to go for support, to be part of the solution

For a complete list of Feeding America West Michigan’s mobile food pantries planned Kent County visits and locations, visit here.

 

For a map showing not only the locations of the mobile food pantry visits but also Wyoming and Kentwood partner locations, visit here.

To make a donation or offer support to Feeding America West Michigan, visit here.

For information about the Kent County Community Action food distribution program, visit here.

Snapshots: Things to do during the Stay Home, Stay Safe Order

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

Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.

Winne-the-Pooh


By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Visit Drummond Island or check out Harbor Country

Drummond Island now has a live camera. (WKTV)

Two new Michigan destination spots added live video or virtual tours this week. The West Michigan Tourist Association added a livestream video of Drummond Island to its website, wmta.org. The stream is one of 12 livestreams featuring West Michigan locations such as the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Binder Park Zoo, and the USS Silverside Museum. To learn more, click here.

Also, Harbor Country, which features eight towns, Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, and Sawyer, along the southeast edge of Lake Michigan, announced it has released its annual tour guide of the area digitally. To check it, click here.

Run for the Tulips

Sign up for the Tulip Time 5K virtual run and then start training. Just do the run sometime between May 1 and 10 and you will receive a t-shirt and a finisher medal plus a dollar from each registration will go toward the Kids Food Basket. You must register by April 20 to participate in the run. For more information, click here, and remember to follow social distancing guidelines!

Check out the May ballot

Michigan’s Secretary of State’s office has announced that the coming May 5 ballot will “primarily” use a mail-in voting system by expanding the state’s existing absentee ballot process with all registered voters in areas set to vote being sent absentee ballot registrations. There are two school districts that will have items on the ballot, Kelloggsville and Godwin Heights. For more on how the May 5 election will work, click here.

Fort Gratiot Lighthouse (Wikipedia Commons)

Fun Fact: Lighthouses

Michigan has more than 100 lighthouses, 116 that can be toured. Ever wonder which one is the oldest? Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was established in 1825 and is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Michigan. It help keeps watch over Lake Huron at the St. Clair River.

Lighthouse of Alexandria (Wikipedia Commons)

Bonus Fun Fact

The oldest lighthouse in the world happens to be the first lighthouse, the Pharos of Alexandria, commonly called the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Ancient Greece sometime between 280 – 247 BCE

Kelloggsville, Godwin Heights school district voters to face ‘confusing’ ballot process in May

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Election, Going Local, Hard News,
The new State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org



Michigan’s Secretary of State’s office has announced that the coming May 5 ballot will “primarily” use a mail-in voting system by expanding the state’s existing absentee ballot process with all registered voters in areas set to vote being sent absentee ballot registrations.

In addition, according to a Secretary of State press release, it was announced that last week that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had issued an executive order that will close all but one polling place — typically the clerk’s office — in each election jurisdiction to be used for in-person voting.

The Kent County Clerk’s office, which is responsible for voting processes in the county, is putting plans in place for handling the changes but the admits the state’s plans may be “confusing to voters and could jeopardize election integrity,” Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Clerk/Register, said to WKTV today, April 8.

None-the-less, Posthumus Lyons said “we are moving forward in Kent County, working with local clerks to ensure we have enough workers to staff the election, adhere to the CDC guidelines for the health of the public and our workers, and protect the security and integrity of the election.”

School leaders in Kelloggsville Public Schools — which along with Godwin Heights Public Schools are the only entities in Wyoming and Kentwood with funding measures on the May ballot — are also unsure how the changes will impact the public vote.

“First off, all of our thoughts go out to the families that have been impacted by this pandemic and hope that they are healthy as possible and are making it through these difficult times,” Eric Alcorn, auxiliary services director at Kelloggsville Public Schools, said to WKTV. But “we think anytime there is a major world/national threat, pandemic, disaster, a change in the economic outlook, there is a huge impact on elections.

“I am not sure if we have ever done an election entirely through absentee voting — we will have to wait and see on what kind of impact it will have. It will for sure be a learning opportunity for us.”

The Kelloggsville Public School District has an approximately $4.2 million, 10-year sinking fund millage proposal. Godwin Heights Public Schools has a $13,975,000 bonding proposal on the ballot.

“All I can say is that we are going to do the best we can to get the word out about the sinking fund, its benefits, and the opportunities we want to provide for our students, staff and community,” Alcorn said. “We are adjusting our plan to meet the stay-at-home orders and social distancing placed on Michigan.

“We have a small community and usually like to do a lot of our marketing face-to-face and by word-of-mouth through inviting them into our facilities and talking about proposals at events and activities. At the end of the day, we are committed to providing the best educational environment for our students that we can. The revenue generated from the sinking fund will go a long way in helping us achieve that.”

Kent County Clerk has some concerns

And while the Kent County Clerk’s office is preparing as directed by the state, the county leader is not entirely comfortable with the process mandated by the state.

“My primary concern with the May 5 Election is the safety of our clerks, election workers, and of course, the voters,” Posthumus Lyons said to WKTV. “While it would have been ideal for the school districts take advantage of the opportunities they had to move their questions to the August ballot, seven have opted to continue for May.

“I understand we face a time that requires making difficult decisions, but I am admittedly concerned with the action taken by the Governor and Secretary of State to address this May election because the process they’ve put in place is confusing to voters and could jeopardize election integrity, and I do not want this to set a precedent for how we conduct future elections in Michigan.”

The Secretary of State’s office, however, sees a primarily mail-in ballot in May as the best way to handle the voting.

“Elections are the foundation of our democracy, and our nation has a long history of holding them even in times of crisis and uncertainty,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in supplied material. “All election work will be done in strict adherence to the protocols to prevent coronavirus transmission, including exercising social distancing, using sanitary equipment, and maintaining strong hygiene.”

To encourage everyone who can to stay home and vote by mail, the state will mail absentee ballot applications to all registered voters, and all new registrations will be treated like an absentee ballot application, prompting the issuance of an absentee ballot, according to Benson’s office.

“Voters like voting by mail because it is easy, private, and can be done on their own timing and while researching issues and candidates at home,” Benson said. “It also eliminates the possibility of coronavirus transmission for the voter and, with simple precautions like gloves and social distancing, the election workers as well. Finally, voting by mail is absolutely secure, as the signature matching requirement is a built-in security check.”

According to the latest Secretary of State’s office direction, local city and township clerks’ offices will remain open through Election Day, enabling same-day voter registration and voting in person, including for people with disabilities who wish to vote using assistive equipment, and others to drop off their ballots if they forget to mail it in time.

Voter registration can also be done by mail or online at michigan.gov/Vote through April 20. Between April 20 and May 5, new registrations must be accompanied by proof of residence, which can also be submitted by mail or electronically.

More information on school ballot measures

For more information on the Kelloggsville Public School District funding request, see a story by our media partner School News Network.

For more information on the Godwin Heights Public Schools funding request, see a story by our media partner School News Network.

Cyber-scammers taking advantage of COVOD-19 online searches to steal identities

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Tech Trends, ,
Cybercrime is always a problem, but during current COVID-19 restrictions, scammers are taking special advantage of people searching the World Wide Web. (GVSU)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Online scamming is nothing new — according to the Federal Trade Commission the most common categories for fraud complaints in 2019 were imposter scams, debt collection and identity theft, with identity-theft linked credit card fraud reported by more than 167,000 people.

But in the current world of COVID-19 awareness, cybercriminals are targeting Americans who are working from home, and spending more time online, according to a story on consumeraffairs.com by Rob Douglas, identity theft protection contributing editor.

“The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to be wary of cybercriminals exploiting coronavirus fears to steal personally identifiable information (PII),” the Consumer Affairs article states. “Financial information and medical information is especially sensitive right now.”

There is also an increased number of hackers creating malicious websites that spoof legitimate public health resources. For example, a link can seem like it should lead you to a map of “COVID-19 cases near me” could infect your phone or computer with spyware or ransomware.

For reliable information on COVID-19, the public is urged to to visit the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) or World Health Organization (who.int) for accurate, safe information about coronavirus trends and statistics.

According to Consumer Affairs, increasingly common COVID-19 scams include:

Fraudulent e-commerce vendors for masks, sanitizers and test kits.

Fraudulent investment sites.

Phishing and vishing through update emails, texts and voicemails.

Spoofed government and health organization communications.

Fake vaccines or “miracle cures”.

Scam employment posts.

Phony charity donation offers.

For the complete ConsumersAffairs.com article, follow this link.

Several healthcare plans available to Michigan residents out of work due to COVID-19

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health,
Michiganders who have lost their job, resulting in a loss of their healthcare coverage or a change in income, may have low or no-cost healthcare options available. (Public Domain)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

With many employers having laid off workers due to COVID-19 restrictions, many Michigan workers are now without employer-provided healthcare coverage. But the state’s Department of Insurance and Financial Services reminds people that government-supported plans are available.

Michiganders who have lost their job, resulting in a loss of their healthcare coverage or a change in income, may have low or no-cost healthcare options available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA; also called “Obamacare”) Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to State of Michigan guidance issued Tuesday, April 7.

And, the state points out, consumers in these situations are not required to wait for the yearly Open Enrollment Period and but should act quickly as there is a 2-month window for special enrollment.

“Michiganders who lose employer-based health insurance may have options to continue or replace their coverage,” Anita G. Fox, director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), said in supplied material. “If consumers have questions about enrolling, DIFS is available to assist.”

Consumers have 60 days after losing essential health coverage, such as through a job loss, or experienced a change in income to take advantage of a Special Enrollment Period. To determine eligibility, consumers should visit healthcare.gov.

Depending on income and their situation, consumers may qualify for cost sharing reductions, premium tax credits, coverage for their children (CHIP), or Medicaid. Consumers can contact DIFS toll free at 877-999-6442, or or email at DIFS-HICAP@michigan.gov, for assistance.

To read the entire State of Michigan press release on the issue, visit here.

For more information on coronavirus marketplace coverage visit here.

Metro Health president, CEO provides message to the community

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

In a videotaped message to the West Michigan community, Dr. Peter Hahn, President and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, describes the fight against COVID-19 as the defining challenge of our time, one that offers everyone an opportunity to contribute.

Drawing from his experience as an ICU physician and as a healthcare leader, Dr. Hahn notes that the greatest minds in medicine, science, engineering and manufacturing are racing to find vaccines, treatments and innovative solutions.

These experts need time and that is why it is critical for everyone to practice social distancing and other precautions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. These actions buy precious time. Everyone has a role to play and every step we take here in West Michigan unites us to the global cause.

“The finest medical minds in our community and across the nation are working together on our behalf to develop vaccines and treatments,” Dr. Hahn says. “Brave and tireless healthcareworkers are being joined by an army of civic-minded people from all walks of life – people likeyou, resolved to do their part.”

State of Michigan reports: action taken to protect quarantined workers, state park use

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Health, WKTV Projects
Sterling State Park, Frenchtown Township. (Michigan DNR)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from April 3-4 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

State takes action to protect quarantined workers rights

Governor Gretchen Whitmer last week signed an executive order prohibiting all employers from “discharging, disciplining, or otherwise retaliating against an employee for staying home from work if they or one of their close contacts tests positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms of the disease,” the order states.

“People who are prioritizing the health and safety of their families, neighbors, and loved ones during this crisis should not be punished by their workplace,” Gov. Whitmer said. “Staying home and staying safe is one of the most important things we can do to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan, and this executive order will ensure more people can do so without facing discrimination from their workplace.”

Read the entire release here.

Most state parks are open, but there are restrictions

A vast majority of State of Michigan parks and recreation areas, state-managed trails and boating access sites remain open to provide local opportunities to get outdoors, but most locations have modified services or closed amenities. And the situation could change if there are abuses of social distancing and crowd avoidance requirements.

Recently, according to a state press release, Tippy Dam Recreation Area in Manistee County was closed until further notice due to high numbers of visitors, lack of improper social distancing and people traveling long distances to reach the park.

“In order to continue to keep state parks and trails open, we expect everyone to follow effective social distancing practices, to not litter and not travel long distances to enjoy the outdoors,” Ron Olson, chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division, said in supplied material. “If concerns continue to build, the DNR will have to look at closing or further limiting access to our state-designated trails, state parks, boating access sites and other outdoor locations.”

Read the entire release here.

Other April 3-4 releases, listed by headlines and with links, include:

Attorney General acting against businesses selling fake COVID-19 test kits

State teams up with Detroit sports teams to support health care volunteers

State requires funeral homes, doctors to report COVID-19 deaths faster

Senior meal programs can deliver to COVID-19 shut-ins safely 

Cease and desist letter sent to car wash for violations of COVID-19 restructions 

State of Michigan reports: State puts teeth into COVID-19 related restrictions, orders

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Our Cities, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from Thursday, April 2 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

https://www.wktvjournal.org/after-gov-whitmer-cancels-in-school-education-kent-isd-and-local-schools-exploring-options/For a special WKTV story on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer April 2 Executive Order 2020-35, which orders all K-12 school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year, follow this link.

Heath Department sets fines, other actions to enforce COVID-19 actions 

In the wake of Thursday, April 2, reports that Michigan had recorded more than 10,000 cases of COVID-19 — with 417 deaths — the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an Emergency Order setting a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a process for referral to licensing agencies for violations of Executive Orders 2020-11, 2020-20 and 2020-21. Criminal penalties for violation will remain an option for prosecutors.

“A person can have coronavirus without knowing it,” Robert Gordon, MDHHS director, said in the release.  “They can spread the disease to others who can spread it to others. The only way to stop the spread is social distancing. A civil penalty and potential licensing actions send a strong message to Michiganders that social distancing is essential to saving lives.”

Read the entire release here.

The other April 2 release, listed by headline and with link, was:

After AG action, three U.P. businesses comply with ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ order 

After Gov. Whitmer cancels in-school education, Kent ISD and local schools exploring options

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Hard News, Health, Kentwood Public Schools, Kids Activities,
Lee Middle and High School. (WKTV)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Governor Gretchen Whitmer today signed Executive Order 2020-35, which orders all K-12 school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year but urges the continuation of education through remote learning.

Gov. Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-35, issued Thursday, April 2, also guarantees school staff and teachers will be paid for the remainder of the school year, allows the sue of public school facilities to be used by public school employees and contractors for the “purposes of facilitating learning at a distance”, and assures that 2020 seniors will graduate this year.

As far as school-based standardized tests, the governor’s statement said that those previously scheduled for the remainder of the school year, including the M-STEP and the SAT, will be canceled. There will be a date in October for rising high school seniors to take the SAT and for other high school students to take the PSAT.

It also states that guidelines for “remote learning” for the remainder of the 2019020 school year will be issued, Friday, April 3.

While Wyoming and Kentwood school districts are looking to what those guidelines may be and how they may handle remote learning, the Kent ISD issued a statement detailing their actions.

“The Governor asked each school district and its staff provide instructional materials and opportunities for students to continue their education during this crisis,” Ron Caniff, superintendent of Kent ISD, said in a supplied statement following the governor’s order.  “We are working with our schools, their superintendents and staff to respond to the governor’s request as quickly as possible.

“Our team is reviewing instructional plans from states across the country to create the best possible experience for students and their families, who will be essential in helping their children learn during this difficult time. Local districts are doing the same and have been actively designing plans since the school closure went into effect.”

Kent ISD school districts are working together to develop distance learning programming for all students, according to the Kent ISD statement. Some will be served online, while others will receive packets of educational materials delivered much as food is being provided for students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals while schools are closed.

“While all of the details have yet to be worked out, parents should check their district websites and wait for communication from their individual school district to learn the details for their students,” according to the statement.

 

Districts have also een working to verify students’ ability to access the internet and to marshal the technology necessary to reach as many students as possible, Caniff said.

During this crisis, many of the necessary elements – internet hotspots and inexpensive laptop computers – are in short supply as employees in all fields work from home. To help member districts, Caniff said the Kent ISD this week purchased 1,000 Chromebooks “and will continue to monitor district needs and resources available to ensure schools can reach all students to the extent possible.”

Governor continues action to blunt virus spread

Gov. Whitmer said the decision was forced by the current need to extend COVIF-19 restrictions into June, which she has called for legislative leaders to approve quickly.

 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks during a 2019 event. (Air National Guard).

“For the sake of our students, their families, and the more than 100,000 teachers and staff in our state, I have made the difficult decision to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement accompanying her executive order. “As a parent, I understand the challenge closing schools creates for parents and guardians across the state, which is why we are setting guidelines for schools to continue remote learning and ensuring parents have resources to continue their children’s education from the safety of their homes.”

The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and the Michigan Council of Charter School Authorizers will develop “a Continuity of Learning Plan template application for schools to utilize in order to create their localized plan,” according to the announcement of the governor’s action.

“District plans will need to detail how districts will provide opportunities for students to learn remotely and how schools will manage and monitor their progress,” the statement continues. “It will also provide information on how parents and guardians can learn more about the local plan. Each district must have its plan approved by their regional Intermediate school district (ISD) before being implemented. Public school academies must have their plans approved by their authorizer.”

Districts can also partner with one another to create joint plans.

“There is no video chat or homework packet that can replace the value of a highly trained, experienced teacher working with students in a classroom,” Gov. Whitmer said. “But we must continue to provide equitable educational opportunities for students during this public health crisis.”

If the plan relies on some online instruction, the district should ensure every student who needs it has access to an appropriate device with an ability to connect to the internet. “Students and families will not be penalized if they are unable to participate in their alternate learning plan,” the announcement states.

Governor’s action also allows other public school action

Gov. Whitmer also announced that schools should continue to provide mental health care services for students “to the extent possible,” and should be ready and willing to help efforts to establish disaster relief childcare centers. School districts will also continue to provide meals for families who need them during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and Godwin Heights Public Schools systems, and other local school districts, have already been providing meals to students during the school closures.

Also, if any schools have unused personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies or other materials, they are allowed and encouraged to donate them to organizations that could put them to use.

Additionally, school districts will have the flexibility to adopt a balanced calendar for the 2019-2020 school year and/or to begin the 2020-2021 school year before Labor Day without having to seek additional approval. Student teachers will still be able to get a temporary certification and current teachers will still be able to get their certifications renewed, even if they can’t meet all the requirements due to COVID-19.

To view executive order 2020-35, click the link here.

Employees, customers: the reasons why some Wyoming/Kentwood restaurant remain open

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, ,
The Candied Yam owner Jessica Ann Tyson (left) said you have to be creative in letting people know your restaurant is still open. (Supplied)


By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

When you walk into Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW, gone is the chatter of people with their coffee and donuts. Gone is the rush of church groups stopping in before or after service to pick up a dozen. Gone are the families out for a treat.

It is quiet, except for the phone ringing.

“It’s very much quieter,” said owner Marge Wilson. “We have a big rug out to show people where to stand and right in the middle we have a table to remind people to go on either side. Or people can sit out in their car and we’ll bring them the donuts. For that reason, the phone rings a lot more.”

The signs on the doors of Marge’s Donut Den make it clear that only takeout is available. (WKTV)

To encouraging social distancing, on March 16, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer banned events and gatherings of more that 50 people causing most of the West Michigan restaurants to eliminate dining in. Those who could or wanted, move to takeout, curbside or delivery options. Marge’s Donuts Den, which offered both takeout and dine-in, closed its doors to its dining area with only access to the donut counter available.

 

On March 23, Whitmer issued an executive stay-at home order, but encourage residents to support local restaurants by ordering takeout and/or have food delivered from area restaurants. Since then, numerous organizations, such as Eatgr, have worked to promote restaurants that are currently offering those options. Recently, the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce distributed a list of chamber restaurants that are open. (See the list below.)

The elimination for dine-in has meant a reduction of customers with Wilson stating she has reduced her hours. Now the popular donut shop closes at 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. But she is grateful to be able to provide jobs for her staff who need or want to work.

“It has reduced the staff because there are some who are too afraid to come and others have to stay home to stay with their kids,” she said. “But for those who want to work or need to work, they can.”

For many of the local business owners, helping their employees was a big decision in staying open.

“I could have just closed,” said Jessica Ann Tyson, owner of The Candied Yam, 2305 44th St. SE. Both Wilson and restaurant owner and State House Rep. Tommy Brann echoed the same in their comments. “But there are factors you have to consider. There are employees who if you can keep working means that it is at least one less person drawing on the system. The local vendors who we purchase quite a lot from, and the customers who don’t cook or don’t know how to cook.”

There is also the cost of shutting down and then reopening a kitchen which can cost $3,000 or more where as Tyson estimates it is costing her about $700 a week to stay open.

Tommy Brann, owner of Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille at 4157 Division, admits he often thinks about his employees. It is why he decided to stay open, offering takeout even though it only makes up about five percent of his business.

“I’m looking at chairs up and and an empty bar,” Brann said. “Much of our business is dine in. This is a place that people come with families to celebrate birthdays, weddings, showers, and sadly, funerals.

“This is a place where you are around people but sadly, right now we can’t do that and we understand why.”

For many of the restaurant owners we talked to, they understand the reasoning for the restrictions on gatherings. As a state representative for the Wyoming and Byron Center areas, Brann said he also has heard from a number of local business owners as well and there are some he fears may simply not reopen.

 

“You’ve got to be creative,” Tyson said. “We still feel obligated to offer specials so that seniors who are on a fixed income can still come as well as entice people to order.”

Tyson said her cost has gone up but she made an effort to keep her prices the same because she recognizes there are people who do rely on the restaurant for a good meal.

 

And she figures, if she is open she might as well share with those who are considered essential workers, doing a daily delivery to various individuals and organizations such as the Kent County Health Department’s Emergency Operations Center and a local milk operation. 

“I am staying optimistic and getting my energy from other people and places,” Tyson said.

Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce member restaurants that are currently offering takeout and/or delivery:

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
4515 28th St. SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
(616) 730-8466

Noto’s Old World Italian Dining
6600 28th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616) 493-6686

Dave & Buster’s
3660 28th Street SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
(616) 224-8800

The Candied Yam
2305 44th Street S.E.
Kentwood, MI 49508
(616) 551-3509

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
2720 44th St SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
(616) 261-9464

Osta’s Lebanese Cuisine
2228 Wealthy St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
(616) 456-8999

Monelli’s Italian Grill & Sports Bar
5675 Byron Center Ave. SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
(616) 530-9700

Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille
4157 S Division Ave
Wyoming, MI 49548
(616) 534-5421

Hilton Garden Inn
2321 East Beltline Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616) 608-8800

Apple Spice
701 68th St. SW #410
Byron Center, MI 49315
(616) 805-3288

Applebee’s – Wyoming
1375 28th Street
Wyoming, MI 49509
(616) 261-2588

Buddy’s Pizza
4061 28th St. SE
Kentwood, MI 49512
(616) 554-9663

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
2035 28th St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508
(616) 241-2999

YoChef’s Catering Co.
34 44th St. SE
Kentwood, MI 49548
(616) 608-3003

McDonalds
1221 28th St. SW
Wyoming, MI 
(616) 531-6190

Marge’s Donut Den
1751 28th St. SW
Wyoming, MI
(616) 532-7413

Cindy’s Donuts & Ice Cream
4020 28th St. SE 
Kentwood, MI
(616) 259-8295

Beltline Bar
16 28th St. SE 
Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 245-0494

Bagel Beanery
455 Michigan NE
Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 235-7500

State of Michigan reports: closed-border rumor control, National Guard in Detroit

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Health, Our Cities, WKTV Projects,
Michigan National Guard troops at work. (U.S. Army)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly with COVID-19 related news. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from Wednesday, April 1 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

Despite rumors, medical professionals are allowed to cross into U.S.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with numerous other law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Michigan, are reporting that they are getting calls from concerned travelers that the border is shut down to medical professionals.
 

“These rumors that are currently circulating are false,” a state press release states. “The border remains open to all essential travel which includes medical professionals who are vital during these difficult times.”

Read the entire release here.

Michigan National Guard on the job, helping FEMA in Detroit

Approximately 20 members of the Michigan National Guard assisted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with logistics support to establish a Federal Medical Station in Detroit this week.

“The Michigan National Guard stands ready to support Detroit in its fight against COVID-19,” Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said in the release.

Read the entire release here.

Other April 1 releases, listed by headlines and with links, include:

Michigan seeks approval to streamline Medicaid … and another one the subject.

AG’s office warns menards about business practices during COVID-19 outbreak

State grants offered to manufacturers to produce health and human service supplies

Local law enforcement agencies aiding State AG with complaints

Department of Insurance and Financial Services working remotely to assist consumers

State of Michigan reports: AG says craft stores not ‘essential’; there are jobs to be had

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Hard News, Local Business, Our Cities, WKTV Projects, ,
JoAnn Fabrics had asked that the business’s storefront operations be allowed. The state said it was not “essential”. (Public Domain Photo)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from Tuesday, March 31 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

More than 2,000 Michigan companies hiring now

There is a lot of businesses shutting down temporary and laying off workers. But, according to the state, Michigan companies need to fill thousands of critical, immediate vacancies to support work during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those in logistics, healthcare, manufacturing and agribusiness industries.

“Michiganders are tough and hardworking, especially in times of crisis,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in the release. “Tens of thousands of open jobs are available right now with more than 2,000 Michigan companies and organizations hiring to continue providing critical services.”

Read the entire release here.

State denies craft store in-store operations are essential

What is essential business and what is not in these times of COVID-19 restrictions? You would probably get some argument from crafters, but Michigan’s Attorney General says craft stores are not an essential business, which allows them to be open and people to visit.

Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office on Monday sent a letter to JoAnn Fabrics indicating the business’s storefront operations should be temporarily suspended while Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order remains in place for non-essential businesses to close.

“I can appreciate the desire of businesses that want to remain open and provide their customers with the same products and services they have come to expect from these retailers, but there must be common sense protections in place during this global health emergency,” Nessel said in the release.

Read the entire release here.

Other March 31 releases, listed by headlines and with links, include:

Department of Education requests federal waiver for child nutrition programs

AG’s office: sharing health info with first responders is critical — and legal

Crowded conditions close Tippy Dam Recreation Area; more closures likely

State accepting donations to aid COVID-19 response and recovery

KDL Staff Picks: Going Online

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

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

With week two of the stay-at home order now under way, Kent District Library and WKTV thought we would remind people of the number of free online resources available through the KDL website, kdl.org.

Since I am frequent user of the CloudLibrary, eBooks and audiobooks, and have used Freegal, music, I decided to offer up my own reviews of the different sites. Most offer eBooks and audiobooks with some offering other items as well.

A couple of selections from the CloudLibrary. (WKTV)

CloudLibrary: I started listening to audiobooks, first on tape, in my car to help with long drives. Listening to a good story certainly melted the miles away. I also discovered that listening to audiobooks on my iPhone helped motivate me to walk and I suddenly found walking a couple of miles was pretty easy when you were following Stephanie Plum on one of her wild adventures in the Janet Evanovich detective series or Percy Jackson in Rick Riordan’s popular teen mythological-based series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”.

To be honest, I downloaded CloudLibrary awhile ago and have never looked back. It is easy to search and I have followed the recommendations to discover some new authors such as Deborah Coonts (who is mentioned in last week’s KDL Staff Picks). Follow the prompts to create an account and remember to have your library card available as you will need to type in your number. The nice thing about CloudLibrary is it is available on about anything, Android, iPhone, Chrome, Mac, Windows, Nook, and Kindle.

Home page of Hoopla. (WKTV)

Hoopla: Hoopla offers more than just audiobooks and eBooks but comic books, movies and television programs. In the movies, there is no huge recent blockbusters, but still a lot of goodies such as “Ella Enchanted,” “Frida,” and “Elmo’s Potty Time” for those parents who have decided the stay-at home directive is an excellent time to work on this skill. For music, I was able to find quite a lot including the cast recording of “Hamilton the Musical” and Taylor Swift’s newest release, “Lover.”

Download was simple. I went to the App store and searched for Hoopla. I followed the prompts, putting in my email address, creating a password, selecting Kent District Library as my library and then putting in my library card. Boom, I was in. Hoopla is also available through Google Play and Kindle Fire.

RBdigital: RBdigital would be perfect for those who enjoy flipping through magazines. Along with eBook and audiobooks, the site offers more than 100 magazine selections that include popular titles such as “O, The Oprah Magazine,” “The New Yorker,” and “Vanity Fair.” Looking to start a hobby? The list includes the “Woodworker’s Journal” and the “Yoga Journal.”

To create an account, you have to start at the KDL website and go to the “eBooks and Download” tab on the left side of the page. From there, scroll down to RBdigital to follow the prompts to create an account. Once you have created your account through KDL, you can download the app to your phone and open your account. RBdigitial is available through the App Store, Google Play, and Kindle Fire.

Freegal Music is definitely for music lovers. (WKTV)

Freegal Music: For the music lover, this is the site for them. Actually, I have not open my Freegal Music app in awhile, so I was surprised to discover it now offers a selection of audiobooks. I would be more likely to go to CloudLibrary for audiobooks, but if you are a person who only wants one app and music is more your thing, then Freegal probably would be the better option.

Freegal does not carry every song by every artist. You can search and often you can find older songs by the most popular artists. You also can save up to five songs a week into the “My Music” section. Again, I have not used Freegal in awhile, but when I did and was saving songs, I did lose all of them when the app updated. I do not know if this glitch has been have out or it could be songs may fade off after a certain period of time. Still it is a nice source for music.


Download is just like the others. Look for the app in the App Store, Google Play or Kindle Fire, and follow the prompts to create a login.

The “Wash You Hands” song is on TumbleBooks.

TumbleBooks (Tumble Book Library): This is strictly children’s books with some graphic novels for younger students. They are good about going by topic and one of the first sections is “Health, Hygiene and Everything in Between,” which includes the “Wash Your Hands” song. Parents and children could easily have fun searching the site for stories and songs.

To get into the site, you have to go through KDL. Click on the “eBooks and Download” tab on the left side of the page. Scroll to the bottom for TumbleBooks and click on the link, which will redirect you to the page. You must have your KDL card to enter.

Again, remember to always have your KDL library card available. If you do not have a KDL library card, some of the online sources, such as Hoopla, can help you get one.

With school year likely cancelled, Godfrey-Lee schools continue work by planning for ‘Legendary’ future

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Going Local, Sports,
Lee Legends Dragon and Crest (possible final design). (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

While all Wyoming and Kentwood area school district leaders are in a “wait and see” mode this week awaiting an expected order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, at Godfrey-Lee Public Schools district business continues.

At a remotely attended Godfrey-Lee Board of Education meeting Monday, March 30, a brief update by Superintendent Kevin Polston on the status of the school year was followed by the approval by the board of the rebranding of the high school sports teams to become the Lee Legends.

On March 27, Governor Whitmer said in a radio interview that it was “very unlikely” students would be allowed to return to school this school year. But Polston, on Monday, March 30, said to WKTV that his school district is waiting on final word — and guidance from the state — on the details of school cancelling the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.

“By all accounts it looks like the remainder of the school year will be canceled,”  Polston said to WKTV on Tuesday, March 31. “This is heart breaking news for our students, staff, and families. Our core values include community and relationships, both are predicated on interactions between individuals. Our team has been preparing for this possibility and when we receive official guidance from the Governor, we will have a plan ready for our students to continue learning during the school shutdown.”

A possible design for the Lee Legends football helmets. (Supplied)

At the Monday night meeting, however, district business continued as the board approved the months-long rebranding of the school district and its sports teams and extracurricular programs such as band. The name change from The Rebels to The Legends was known, but the images be used in a wide-range of ways was finalized. At the meeting the board was shown several possible versions of the the images.

“The Legends name will inspire the district and unify our community behind the aspirational goal to #BeLegendary,” Polston said in a March 31 supplied statement. “Students were at the heart of the decision making process, and the spirit of their artwork serves as the inspiration for the mascot design.”

Dragon and Crest in Spanish (possible design). (Supplied)

All athletic uniforms, district signage, murals, and the district’s digital footprint will represent the Godfrey-Lee Legends name beginning in August of this year 2020, according to the statement. The district also included the Spanish version of Legends, “Leyendas”, in the presentation for the potential to be used with apparel to “represent the rich Latinx cultural influence” of the district.

“We are thankful for our donors for supporting the district so that general fund dollars targeted for the classroom aren’t spent on this project,” Polston said. “In particular, we wish to thank the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Frey Foundation, and the Native American Heritage Fund for their generous support.  We look forward to full implementation in the fall with the start of the new school year, and the start of a new era in Godfrey-Lee.”

That new era will likely be the beginning of the 2020-21 school year.

On March 23, after the governor announced the “Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Alive” order which called for everyone in non-essential businesses and organizations to stay home through April 13. Schools such as Godfrey-Lee Public Schools promptly temporarily closed. But that temporary closure was extended and schools are awaiting expected direction to stay closed for the remainder of the current school year.

“We are working diligently to come up with a plan to meet the needs of our kids,” Gov. Whitmer said in a public statement late last week. “Anyone who is watching what is happening globally with this pandemic knows it’s probably very unlikely they’re going to get back in school before the end of this year.”

The governor said the state is working on a plan for the cancelation of the remainder of the school year.

“It’s not something you develop overnight because we’ve got an inequitable system across the state of Michigan,” Gov. Whitmer said.

Whitmer’s orders apply to all public, private and boarding school buildings in Michigan.

Local school districts, however, are staying active and engaged with their students and their communities. Godfrey-Lee schools, for example, are encouraging remote learning and making food service for students available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with meals expected to be served throughout the duration of the closure, according to an earlier statement from the school district.

At this point, according the earlier statement, a waiver has been granted by the federal government to cancel state assessments for the 2019-20 school year. But final resolution of the issues of graduation and end-of-year events such as proms are unknown.

All district personnel with the exception of food service and limited maintenance and grounds staff are working remotely for the duration of the closure.

With the March 30 meeting, the Godfrey-Lee Board of Education began hosting Board Meetings remotely but live-streamed and accessible to the community.


Self-employed, low-wage earners to also benefit from Michigan’s new unemployment aid rules

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Hard News, Local Business,
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (shown in a 2019 event) this week signed into effect new unemployment aid rules. (Michigan Air National Guard).

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan has changed the rules for unemployment benefits to not only increase and expand benefits forWKTVworkers now unemployed by COVID-19’s economic impact but to expand benefits to self-employed and low-wage workers.

According to a March 30 statement from the state government, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, acting as provided by the new federal CARES Act, signed an agreement between Michigan and the U.S. Dept. of Labor to implement Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Compensation programs that grant benefits to workers who do not already qualify for state unemployment benefits.

According to the statement, workers include self-employed, 1099-independent contractors, gig, and low-wage workers who can no longer work because of the pandemic. The agreement also increases weekly benefits for all unemployed workers by $600 a week for up to four months and extends benefit payments from 26 to 39 weeks.

“This increase and expansion of unemployment benefits will provide a measure of security for Michigan working families who lost their income due to the pandemic,” Gov. Whitmer said in supplied material. “We are committed to ensuring emergency financial relief for unemployed residents who continue to stay home and stay safe.”

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters also issued a statement on March 30 detailing the expanded benefits, saying that the federal act put into effect by the the governor will “ensure workers – including those who are self-employed and work in the gig economy – have the resources to get through this crisis.”

According to Sen. Peter’s office, “the program will be particularly helpful for those workers who are self-employed or without sufficient work history to qualify for regular unemployment insurance. … (and) it will eliminate the typical weeklong waiting period between applying for and receiving unemployment assistance.”

In addition to individuals whose employers closed due to COVID-19’s economic impact, workers who qualify for assistance under the program include:

Individuals who have the virus, need to self-quarantine to protect themselves and cannot reach their place of employment, or are caring for someone with the disease.

Individuals who must care for a child because of a school closure.

Individuals who are working reduced hours due to the virus.

Rules and suggestions for applying

The following summary of the new rules and information is drawn from both state and federal supplied material:

Under the CARES Act, weekly benefits for all unemployed workers will be increased by a set amount of $600 a week for up to four months.

The additional benefit amount applies to workers already in the unemployment system and eligible employees about to apply. These workers do not need to reapply and those about to apply do not need to take additional steps and should file as usual. If a worker’s application has previously been denied by the UIA in the past three weeks there is no need for them to reapply at this time. They will be notified by the agency with any additional action that may need to be taken.

Workers should apply online at Michigan.gov/UIA and utilize a new filing schedule based on their last name. Workers are encouraged to go online during off-peak times between 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. The day or time of day in which a claim is filed will not impact whether a worker receives benefits or their benefit amount. Additionally, claims will be back-dated to reflect the date in which a claimant was laid-off or let go from their job due to COVID-19. The eligibility window to apply has also been increased from 14 to 28 days from the date of their work stoppage.

The state asks workers to file on-line or via the phone — at 866-500-0017 — on set days.

For on-line filing, last names beginning with letters A-L are asked to file claims on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. Last names beginning with letters M-Z are asked to file claims on Sundays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays. Saturdays will be available for anyone to accommodate those who could not file during their allotted window.

 

For state call center filing, last names beginning with letters A-L are asked to call on Mondays and Wednesdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Last names beginning with letters M-Z are asked to call on Tuesdays and Thursdays also 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays (8 a.m.– 5 p.m.) will be available for anyone to accommodate those who could not file during their allotted window.

For more information visit Michigan.gov/UIA.

Benefits and administrative costs associated with this program are federally funded through the federal unemployment insurance trust fund. The program is administered by state unemployment offices.

Treetops Collective’s work for new American women detailed on WKTV Journal In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Health, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, WKTV Journal In Focus,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

In Focus today is Treetops Collective, a Grand Rapids based group which helps New American women become part of our west Michigan community — to quote from their website, to help refugee women “sink their roots down and flourish with their families for generations to come.”

Peninah Mucyo

With us is Tarah Carnahan, Treetops Collective Business Development Director & Co-Founder, and well as Peninah Mucyo, social enterprise program participant with Treetops Collective.

The local non-profit’s past and present and future — including why they use the name “Treetops Collective” — is both informative and important; Ms. Mucyo’s personal story is nothing short of inspiring.

WKTV Managing Editor Ken Norris hosts.

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 (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.