If you are interested in improving your English skills, make plans to attend the English Language Learners enrollment session presented by the Literacy Center of West Michigan. The program will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, at the Kelloggsville Branch of Kent District Library. Any adult who wants to learn English or improve their skills is invited to attend.
Attendees will learn about and can sign up for a free, 15-week community English class that will take place at the Kelloggsville Branch of KDL. The class will meet from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 10 – June 18. Anyone interested in taking the class should attend the enrollment session.
“Our goal in holding an English class at the Kelloggsville Branch is to provide English literacy instruction to adults in a context that is immediately relevant to their lives,” said Chad Patton, Director of Customized Workplace English for the Literacy Center of West Michigan. “We are excited to help adults in this community reach their literacy goals, and we think that this partnership with Kent District Library only makes sense.”
Wyoming Community Foundation Chair Greg King sit-down with WKTV Journal’s Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma to talk about the Wyoming Community Foundation. (WKTV)
For Wyoming’s Oriole Park Elementary, it was getting a set of recycling bins to help with its recycling effort. For the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids , it was supporting its Y Achievers Program to bring it to the middle and high school students at Godwin Heights and Godfrey Lee schools.
Since 1992, this is the kind of support that the Wyoming Community Foundation has been providing to the City of Wyoming through its two grant programs.
“It kind of came about as a group of individuals who came together looking to do community stewardship,” said Greg King, who recently became the chair of the Wyoming Community Foundation. “That there were so many different needs going on in Wyoming, and how could this group help fund and support them going forward.”
A few years ago, the Wyoming Community Foundation helped fund new recycling bins for Wyoming’s Oriole Park Elementary School. (WKTV)
The foundation is an affiliate of the Grand Rapids Foundation which King said the Grand Rapids Community Foundation handles most of the administration details for the Foundation. In fact, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation lists five community affiliate funds that include the communities of Ionia, Hudsonville-Jension, Lowell, Sparta, and Wyoming.
The Wyoming Community Foundation ten-member board, which makes decisions on who will receive grants, is made up of community and City of Wyoming business leaders such as Lillian Vanderveen, owner of Lenger Travel, and Chris Hall, former chair and Inner City Christian Federation community homes initiative manager.
The Wyoming Community Foundation awards two types of grants, general fund grants and Youth Advisory Committee grants. Currently, the Youth Advisory Committee program is on hiatus for a year as the group looks to revamp the program. King said the plan is to work with schools that have a footprint in the City of Wyoming to identify the issues the youth committee should focus on. Those schools are Wyoming Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools,
“ [We are] looking at some of the priorities that have changed,” King said. “The priorities that the act [which created the Youth Advisory Committee] had were back from 2016. Things have changed in the past four years. We are looking at getting more input from the schools on what the giving priority should be for our youth.”
Through the foundation’s general fund, the Wyoming Community Foundation did award about $14,000 to six different organizations in 2019. All of the organizations had programs that would directly benefit the City of Wyoming residents, King said. Those groups included Affinity Mentoring, Feeding America Mobile Food Pantries, Junior Achievement, Senior Sing-Along, UCOM’s Eat Healthy, Be Healthy, and the YMCA’s Y Achievers.
Any 501c3 organization that works within the city may apply for a grant. The application process opens in July and ends the second Friday in September. Decisions are announced by Oct. 31. The Youth Advisory Committee grant process usually starts in February.
King said the Foundation can also serve as a springboard for organizations looking for other funding opportunities or residents looking for volunteer possibilities within the community. In fact, King said the Wyoming Community Foundation is currently looking to expand its board and interested residents can contact the Wyoming Community Foundation through its website, https://www.grfoundation.org/about/regional-affiliates/wyoming, or Facebook page.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week.
The Featured Game coverage schedule for the remainder of February includes the following:
Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Boys Basketball Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 21 — Girls/Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep
Friday, Feb. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Potter’s House
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Feb. 17 Boys/Girls Bowling South Christian @ FH Eastern Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep Girls Cheer Wyoming @ Comstock Park Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park
Tuesday, Feb. 18 Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Fennville Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran West Michigan Aviation @ Zion Christian Grand River Prep @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Muskegon Catholic Central @ Potter’s House Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee — WKTV Featured Event Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian @ Middleville T-K Wyoming @ Hudsonville Kelloggsville @ Belding Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Fennville Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran West Michigan Aviation @ Zion Christian Grand River Prep @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Potter’s House @ Muskegon Catholic Central Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Middleville T-K @ South Christian Hudsonville @ Wyoming Belding @ Kelloggsville Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Cheer East Kentwood @ Comstock Park
Wednesday, Feb. 19 Boys/Girls Bowling Wayland @ South Christian Byron Center @ Wyoming East Kentwood @ Grand Haven Boys Wrestling East Kentwood – MHSAA Team Regionals
Thursday, Feb. 20 Boys/Girls Bowling Grand River Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian East Kentwood @ Caledonia Boys Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Kalamazoo Phoenix West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian Girls Basketball Barry County Christian @ Grand River Prep Boys Swimming South Christian @ Ottawa Hills
Friday, Feb. 21 Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian Wyoming Lee @ Belding South Christian @ Wayland Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian Grandville @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian Wyoming Lee @ Belding South Christian @ Wayland Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian Grandville @ East Kentwood Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights @ TBA — O-K Silver Post Season Tourney Boys Hockey South Christian @ Christian Girls Cheer Wyoming – TBA – MHSAA State Districts
Saturday, Feb. 22 Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian – OK Green-Gold Tournament @ Park Center Lanes Wyoming @ Christian East Kentwood – Post Season Conference Tournament Girls Cheer Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park – Districts @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts Boys Hockey Catholic Central @ South Christian Boys Wrestling East Kentwood – MHSAA Individual Regionals
Monday, Feb. 24 Girls Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Potter’s House
The new State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The March 10 Presidential Primary ballots, both the crowded Democratic version and the less crowded Republican version, are already in Wyoming and Kentwood voters hands if they applied for absentee ballots.
And it is not too late to apply for absentee ballots for the coming voting day, or for the entire and very busy 2020 voting calendar which includes the March 10 presidential primary election, a May 5 potential proposal or millage election, the Aug. 4 state and federal primary election and the Nov. 3 presidential, federal and state general election.
There will also be voting in the Wyoming Public Schools district for a millage renewal on the district’s March 10 ballot, and there will be voting for Kent County Sheriff and the 62 B District Court (Kentwood) judgeship, possibly in both primary and general elections.
For more information on the Wyoming Public Schools Operating Millage Restoration Proposal on the March 10 ballot, visit here.
But first, the presidential primary. And given the evolving list of political candidates in each party’s race, the ballot will show candidates who have already dropped out of the race.
“The list of candidates who will appear on the March 10 Presidential Primary is created, per statute, by the Secretary of State and the state chairpersons of the two political parties, based on whom they deem to be nationally-recognized candidates,” Robert J. Macomber, Kent County Chief Deputy Clerk and Register of Deeds, said to WKTV. “Because the candidate list was finalized in December in order to meet programming and printing deadlines, the ballots will include the names of several candidates whom have since ended their campaigns.”
While there are things for voters to watch out for on the presidential primary ballot, there are also things to know about the state’s new absentee ballot rules and envelopes.
Voters in both Wyoming and Kentwood can request absentee ballots, for specific voting dates or for the entire 2020 calendar, by contacting the city’s respective city clerk offices. For more information on Kentwood, visit here. For more information on Wyoming, visit here.
“With the passage of Proposal 18-3, Michigan voters now have the right to vote absentee without providing a reason, and the right to request to be placed on what is known as the Permanent Absentee List, and maintained by most city and township clerks,” Macomber said. “When on the permanent list, the voter will automatically receive an Absentee Ballot Application in advance of each election. On that application, the voter will have the option to request to receive the ballot for one election, or each subsequent election in that year.”
Absentee, not early, voting with new envelopes
While it seem to be a nuance, absentee voting is not early voting — and that particularly matters for the coming presidential primary.
“You may hear the terms Absentee Voting and Early Voting used interchangeably, however Michigan is has absentee voting, not early voting,” Macomber said. “In early voting states, ballots are immediately tabulated upon return to the clerk. In an election like a Presidential Primary, that distinction matters.
“In Michigan, whether they voted for a candidate who may have exited the race, or simply changed their mind prior to any election, voters who return an absentee ballot have the right to spoil their ballot and cast a new ballot at any time prior to 4 p.m. the day before the election. For the Presidential Primary, that would be 4 p.m. on March 9. Ballots cast for candidates that have dropped out will still appear in Election Night results, and how those votes are later allocated into delegates are determined by the political parties rules.”
There are also newly designed envelopes for absentee ballots, and some details on how they should properly be returned.
The new State of Michigan Absentee Ballot envelope sent to voters who request them. (WKTV)
“The Secretary of State has adopted a new design for absentee envelopes, and voters should pay close attention to their mail in light of that change,” Macomber said. “Previously, absentee ballots came in a dark yellow/golden envelope. The ballots are now mailed in a mostly white envelope with a blue strip on the left side, with ‘Official Absent Voter Ballot.’
“Normal postage requirements, or the timeframe to return the ballots has not changed — ballots need to be received by the voters city or township clerk’s office (not the polling location), whether mailed or hand delivered, by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.”
For more Kent County election information visit here. For more State of Michigan election information, visit here.
Faith Hospice volunteer Elaine Martin delivers a handmade card and Valentine’s Day box of chocolates to former Wyoming resident and historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Dorothy Simon-Tibbe easily admits that she was always better at giving gifts than receiving.
So it should have come as no surprise to the media crew at Faith Hospice Trillium Woods covering the special Valentine’s Day deliveries to patients that the first thing the former Wyoming resident and historian would do with her box of chocolates is open it and offer a piece to everyone.
A Valentine’s Day card that hands in Dorothy Simon-Tibbe’s room. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
“I appreciate being remembered,” Dorothy said. And as she passed around the candy, she added “You know I have been very blessed in that I have already received a lot of candy for Valentine’s Day.”
A small table near the doorway to Dorothy’s room has Lindt chocolates and other goodies along with Valentine’s Day notes. Across from where Dorothy sits is a large Valentine’s Day card that hints at her generosity: “No one has a bigger heart than you.”
“The reactions are all different,” said Cheryl Brink. volunteer coordinator for Faith Hospice Trillium Woods, about the annual Valentine’s Day delivery of candy to patients. “There are lots of smiles. Who doesn’t love chocolate?”
Valentine Day’s candies and cards ready for delivery. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
The Valentine’s Day surprise started about four years ago as an anonymous donor wanted to remember a family member and thank Faith Hospice for the care it provided. The person donated the boxes of chocolates and volunteers distributed the candy to Faith Hospice patients at the Trillium Woods, in their individual homes, and other nursing facilities where Faith Hospice oversees care.
The special Valentine’s Day surprise was so well received that every year since an anonymous donor has purchased the chocolates to be distributed to the Faith Hospice patients, which total more than 300.
“It’s just so joyful,” said Elaine Martin who once lived in the Wyoming area but now resides in Shelbyville with her husband. “There is surprise and joy. Some question where the candy came from and why. They usually smile back and sometimes invite you to sit with them for awhile. It’s a happy moment of their day.”
Upon receiving the candy, Dorothy immediately invited Elaine to sit with her and chat.
“You are probably going to say that Dorothy talked and talked and talked,” she said with a laugh, but being a former Wyoming historian and a “Wyominite” for most of her life (Dorothy originally came from the Traverse City area) had had a lot of stories to share.
Former Wyoming resident and historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe and Faith Hospice volunteer Elaine Martin look over one of the Wyoming history books that Dorothy helped wrote. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
She talked about her time as writer for the Southkent Advocate which lead to her getting involved with her beloved City of Wyoming. She showed off the two City of Wyoming history books she helped write “Wilderness to Wyoming” and “A City of Wyoming: A History,” along with a book she wrote for her family “Hoe Your Own Row.” She had stories of being on the city’s Planning Commission and other city committees and that “I knew every mayor and city council member…at least who was in my age bracket.”
“I have had such an incredible life,” Dorothy said. “As I look at the end of life, I am not bother by it at all. I married two wonderful husbands, had five wonderful children by birth, three foster children, 19 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.”
As Elaine gets ready to leave, she gives Dorothy hug, thanks her for sharing and tells Dorothy that she will definitely have to pick up one of Dorothy’s books as she is curious about the area she once lived in.
“It’s more than just the candy,” Elaine said as she readies the candy cart for the next deliveries. “It is someone is thinking about me.”
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus we continue WKTV’s series of discussions on the impact of Michigan’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana.
First we talked with the executive director of Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency, the state office which controls both the state’s medical and recreational marijuana distribution facilities. See the video here.
Now, In Focus is Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young, who discusses the current and evolving legal aspects of the recreational marijuana, specifically how the law enforcement community is reacting to the laws associated with legalization.
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young on the WKTV Journal In Focus set with host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
Specifically, the Sheriff talks about where is it legal and illegal to smoke marijuana in public, and while there are laws on the books dealing with driving while impaired by alcohol, it is a new and evolving situation when it comes to driving while impaired by marijuana and other cannabis-derived products.
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.
People in north Michigan are not different at all from people in southern Alabama. Trust me, someone who’s spent a lot of time in both places. They’re all hardworking, simple people.
The 28th Street Metro Cruise organizers announced this week that Woodland Mall will be a second main event spot for the 2020 28th Street Metro Cruise. The new location, which will be open only on Aug. 22, will feature a wide array of collector, sports, and antique cars along with other activities. Of course the main event will remain at Rogers Plaza and will include many of the activities that are popular at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. For more information, click here.
Tag teaming against cancer
Stating Jan. 1, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health and Michigan Medicine launched the new initiative the Cancer Network of West Michigan. The initiative is designed to integrate cancer care services in West Michigan with the goal of bringing broader access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis treatment and support across leading health care institutions. How will this impact patient care? Click here to find out.
Leslie Odom Jr. (Photo by Nathan Johnson)
‘Hamilton!’ Fever
If you did not get a chance to see “Hamilton!” or just did not get enough, the Grand Rapids Symphony has some great news: Leslie Odom, Jr. who originated the role of Aaron Burr in the musical will be performing with the Grand Rapids Symphony in its 2020-21 season. This and the symphony’s Classical Series lineup was announced this week. Don’t miss your shot by clicking here to learn more.
Happy Quasquicentennial!
Mackinac State Historic Parks mark its 125th anniversary this year with lots of celebrating planned throughout the year. Mackinac Island was actually the second national state park, designated in 1875. The park was turned over to the State of Michigan in 1895 at the request of then Governor John T. Rich with a condition: that the area remain a state park or the land would revert back to the United States. For more information on the 125th Anniversary activities, visit mackinacparks.com/mackinac125.
The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball team, from an early season game. (Curtis Holt)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Wyoming High School will be hosting its annual Hall of Fame Basketball Community Night Friday, Feb. 14, with the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 honored, special coverage by ESPN radio and the WKTV video crew, and two special performances by Wyoming’s Dance Team.
Oh, and ya, there will be also be what will likely be the OK-Conference Gold’s boys basketball game of the season as Wolves boys team hosts Grand Rapids Christian for the conference lead.
The Wolves boys (13-1 overall, 7-1 in OK Gold) will seek to tie for the conference lead and avenge their only loss of the season as they host the Eagles (14-0 and 7-0) in an 8 p.m. game. On the girls side, Wyoming (5-10 and 2-6) will try to spoil the conference title chances of Christian (13-2 and 5-2) in a 6 p.m. game.
Both games will be WKTV Sports Featured Games, which will be available on cable television and on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
“These are great games for the team and the community,” Wyoming boys coach Thom Vander Klay said to WKTV. “Wyoming has always had tremendous support for our kids and respecting the countless hours of training and practice it takes to develop their skills.
“The boys been working since elementary school to play in games like this one … and next Tuesday at Hudsonville, etc.,” he said. “Our kids will battle.”
This pack of Wolves led by seniors
One of those kids who will battle is senior Menalito McGee, who will be honored between the two games for scoring his 1,000th point in a Wolves uniform during a game in January.
The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball fans were into this Dec. 13 home game; this week’s game will be even more exciting. (Curtis Holt)
“Menalito is a great leader and is one of the best communicators we have ever coached,” Vander Klay said. “He leads the team in assists and rarely turns the ball over, particularly given the amount of time he has the ball in his hands.”
McGee is averaging an impressive 26.4 point per game this season, including shooting 47-of-82 from 3-point distance and 45-of-54 from the free-throw line, with 61 assists and only 15 turnovers.
“He has one agenda,” Vander Klay said. “ … to help us win. In his case that means he may have to score.”
But the Wolves are not a one-man team, as their record indicates, and have gotten great play from fellow seniors Marion Parks, Diego Ledesma, Monte Parks and Quincy Williams.
Marion Parks was a honorable mention All-Conference player last year and this season is averaging 12 points and nearly six rebounds a game.
“He had 27 against GR Christian in the first game to lead all scorers,” Vander Klay said. “He is a great athlete and competitor.”
Ledesma is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game, while Monte Parks is averaging eight points and five rebounds per game.
Wyoming High School basketball coach Thom Vander Klay, coaching. (Supplied)
“Ledesma is a very skilled player that continually works on his game to improve and loves the big games,” Vander Klay said. “Monte Parks is a great athlete and is fearless regarding competition. He can board, defend and score.
“Quincy Williams (leading the team in rebounds per game with just under seven per) is our role player that will continually battle and emerge with big plays on both ends of the floor even though he is perpetually undersized,” Vander Klay added.
Other players on the team include seniors TJ Chandler, Carlo Bass and Deion Parks, and juniors Jeremy Barber, Payton Lee, Joshua Anstey, Sam DeYoung, Mahki Matthews and Seth DeYoung.
Big night of basketball and ceremony
And, it if playing at home on a special night is not motivation enough, there is that matter of the Wolves only loss coming at Christian.
“Obviously, we believe we can improve one possession since the January 17 game,” Vander Klay said. “Certainly motivation is high for both teams to play well and we have been working on things for a long time.
“We emphasize our pace including making sure our opponent plays fast for as close to 32 minutes as possible. The faster the pace, overall, the better opportunity we have to win games. We hope Grand Rapids (Christian) will have to play 32 minutes at our pace to give us the best opportunity for victory.”
The planned Hall of Fame Ceremony — the induction of Joslyn Narber, Micah Bell, Craig Chappell, Rich Friberg, Sue Peterson, Paul Agema — is also set for between the two games.
The night will also be Wyoming Dance Senior Night, with performances at halftime of both games. There will also be a performance by the school’s honors choir and pep band, special student section t-shirts and an effort to set a student section attendance record, and the Wyoming Wolf Mascot bounding around.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Local state legislators, and leaders from the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, weighed in on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plan to borrow $3.5 billion to rebuild the state’s deteriorating highways and bridges over a 5-year span, as part of a wide-ranging inter-governmental leaders meeting Monday, Feb. 10, at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee’s monthly forum at Wyoming City Hall.
The Democratic governor unveiled the bonding plan during her second annual State of the State speech to lawmakers. It will enable the state Department of Transportation to do about twice as much construction on I-, U.S.- and M-numbered routes as it can now, she said in her speech. The funds would not be used to repair local roads.
But it was near unanimous opposition to, or at least serious questioning of, the Governor’s plan from local officials.
State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R), in part, pointed out that “bonding for the roads is not a solution” and compared such a plan to “financing the roads by putting it on credit cards.” While State Rep. Steve Johnson (R) said that when it comes to government financing “it is really easy to get into debt and really hard to get out.”
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and Wyoming Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt also voiced their concerns.
Mayor Kepley said, in part, that “this is not long-term planning,” and Bolt pointed out that the increased state road work “doesn’t do any good for Wyoming” as it not have any funding for city roads.
Other discussion topics at the meeting included Kent County recycling efforts and the issue of drivers license documentation for undocumented immigrants.
The meeting, as always, was hosted by chamber member and moderator Kathy Batey and chamber president Bob O’Callaghan. The intergovernmental discussion hosted by the chamber focuses on issues that effect residents and businesses in the two cities.
The Government Matters meeting brings together representatives from the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, Kent County commissioners, local Michigan state senators and representatives, as well as often representatives of Michigan’s U.S. senators and U.S. congressman who represent the Wyoming and Kentwood area.
At the February meeting, state leaders also included Rep. Tommy Brann. On the federal level, the panel included Peter Dickow, West Michigan Regional Director for U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, and Brian Patrick, communications director for federal Rep. Bill Huizenga (Michigan Congressional District 2).
The next meeting will be March 9, from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., at Wyoming City Hall.
For more information about the chamber and Government Matters visit southkent.org.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the latest meeting on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., as well as on select Saturdays, on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. For a highlight schedule of WKTV cable programs visit WKTVjournal.org.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that it is partnering again with the DTE Foundation for the Young Women in Science program, offered as an after-school program to Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and Grand Rapids Public Schools students.
During spring of 2020, middle school students will have a special opportunity to work with local women STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) professionals. During this after-school program, students will work with Hydrogen powered cars, solar and wind energy, electrochemistry, physics and engineering, and more. Young Women in Science is offered free to participants, and takes place during a six-week session at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, once again sponsored by the DTE Foundation.
“Thank you to the DTE Foundation for continuing to support the Museum’s efforts to share these opportunities with area students,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “In these after-school programs, students experience science in a hands-on way, led by local female professionals. We are extremely thankful to the DTE Foundation for the role they are playing within the community.”
The program reinforces grade-level science standards and laboratory skills with an emphasis on renewable energy. A portion of the program focuses on reflection and dialogue to improve students’ attitudes toward science and engineering by strengthening self-confidence and introducing career possibilities. The program is especially beneficial for young female students who may not see themselves widely represented in STEM fields.
“The Young Women in Science program engages girls in middle school with STEM subjects at a crucial time in their educational journey. At the DTE Foundation we want to make sure that we keep these girls interested in an important field that can change their futures,” said Lynette Dowler, executive director and president of the DTE Foundation. “We’re proud to support the next generation of engineers, mathematicians and scientists.”
Participating schools include Lee Middle School (Godfrey-Lee Public Schools) and Grand Rapids University Prep Academy, Westwood Middle School, Alger Middle School, and Riverside Middle School (Grand Rapids Public Schools).
Since 2010, the Centers for Disease Control predicted that the number of new cancer cases has increased 24 percent.
For those in the medical field, the reason for that increase varies from early detection to people living longer. Because of some of those reasons, many agree that cancer care has become subspecialized and getting the right care often means that some West Michigan residents have had to leave home to find it.
Dr. Peter Hahn, President and CEO of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health (WKTV)
However, three institutions — Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health, and Michigan Medicine (formerly the University of Michigan Health System) — are looking to change that with a new initiative launched at the beginning of 2020, the Cancer Network of West Michigan.
The Cancer Network is being designed to integrate cancer care services in West Michigan with the goal of bringing broader access to advanced, state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnosis treatment and support across leading health care institutions.
“We are really bringing together the talents of three world class organizations and combining it with the world class expertise of Michigan medicine,” said Dr. Peter Hahn, CEO and President of Metro Health – University of Michigan Health.
Dr. Kim Hyung, President of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s (WKTV)
Dr. Hyung Kim, president of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, said the partnership is actually a natural extension of partnerships that already exist between the institutions. They Cancer Network of West Michigan will build on the foundation established by a radiation oncology collaborative already linking radiation oncology services between Michigan Medicine and Metro Health and between Michigan Medicine and Mercy Health.
Hyung said the question became “What can we do to take it to the next level. Especially in something like cancer care where there are more therapies and things are getting more complicated. Working together can make a big different in terms of what you can offer a community.”
Combined, the three West Michigan facilities treat 13,658 cancer patients a year. They bring to the collaboration a combined of 63 cancer specialists and sub-specialists, along with access to the latest research, treatments and clinical trails.
What does this mean for the average patient? Two or three years ago, a person with lung cancer only had one option, which was standard therapy such as chemotherapy, Hahn said. Today, there are so many different advances in terms of molecularity therapy that through the Cancer Network, the three partnering organizations will be able to offer that care in West Michigan versus a person having to travel to Ann Arbor or the Mayo Clinic, he said.
“We all know that people do better if they get excellent care close to home,” Hyung said.
For patients, the new Cancer Network will provide a more standardized cancer base-care with less variance. No matter which facility a patient goes to, they should receive the same treatment options.
Dr. Gary Allore, President of Mercy Health Muskegon (WKTV)
The initial announcement of the new initiative was received quite favorably by staff, acceding to the hospital officials. Currently, the three organizations are working to build the leadership team for the Cancer Network. There is a nationwide search for the person who will head the Network with the recruiting process for the specialists, who are in high demand, underway as well.
By having access to world class trials and advance therapies, Hahn said he believes the Cancer Network could help make West Michigan a destination for cancer care treatment.
“There is a lot of work to come, but we are all confident this could be a regional leading, potentially a national leader, in cancer care,” Hahn said.
To learn more about the Cancer Network of West Michigan, visit wmicancernetwork.org.
Social studies teacher Brent VanEnk has built the game with students over four years. (School News Network)
Wyoming: ‘You sneak them into learning
Discover how Wyoming Junior High School teacher Brent VanEnk sneaks students into learning with a virtual reality game he developed. In a Dungeons & Dragons-esque fashion, the game takes the students through the start of humanity and ends between 1400 – 1500. Want to play along? Well then click here for more.
Teacher Bryce Pulley with Paul Shannon, left, and Eire’hon Payton-Moore. (School News Network)
Kelloggsville: ‘Thinking about my world and deciding how to make it’
More Dungeons & Dragons coming as we head over to Kelloggsville Middle School where first-year teacher Bryce Pulley uses the software Inkarnate to help students learn more about geography. D&D players have used the software to create the intricate and detailed maps the game demands. How does Pulley use this software? Well X marks the spot to learn more.
Damone’t Johnson and Cacia Mitchell play their violas. (School News Network)
Kentwood: Musicians take on anything but classical
Just because they wear formal attire when entering into a concert venue does not mean East Kentwood High School’s Anything But Classical Orchestra is your typical musical performance group. In other words, be prepared to — at minimal toe tap and at maximum dance — along. Click here to read more.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
AIM also invites the public to run, walk or hand cycle your way through Grand Valley State University’s campus in Allendale this Saturday, April 4, for its Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser. (Supplied/AIM)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The local non-profit Alternatives in Motion — whose stated mission is to “enhance independence through access to mobility equipment” — recently announced a successful mobility device collection drive put on by one of AIM’s board members.
AIM will also be the benefactor of the Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser, held at Gran Valley State University’s Allendale campus in April. And it is not too early to sign up.
Throughout December 2019, AIM board member Leigh Chick hosted a Mobility Drive at Ionia Intermediate School District’s Freedom Acres School.
Throughout December 2019, AIM board member Leigh Chick hosted a Mobility Drive at Ionia Intermediate School District’s Freedom Acres School. (Supplied/AIM)
“I was inspired to host a mobility drive to support AIM because they have given so much to the students and families of Ionia County and directly to Freedom Acres School,” Chick said in supplied material. “I knew there were families and community members holding onto old equipment that their child had outgrown and they didn’t know what to do with it. I wanted to give them a place to pay it forward. I also wanted to spread the word about how amazing of an organization AIM is.”
Chick thanked several people for help with the drive, including Jim VanBeek of Triangle Construction, who loaned an enclosed trailer to house and collect the equipment in until it could be delivered to Alternatives in Motion’s warehouse, as well as, at the school, Principal Angela Miller, maintenance supervisor Jeff Duell, and Brenda Brown, the school’s physical therapist.
Wheels, run, walk, whatever — for a good cause
AIM also invites the public to run, walk or hand cycle your way through Grand Valley State University’s campus in Allendale this Saturday, April 4, for its Wheel Run Together 5K Run/Walk fundraiser.
All proceeds go directly to support the organization, which aids in donating and refurbishing wheelchairs to individuals and families in need.
The event will take place at 1110 Kirkhof Center, 1 Campus Drive, on GVSU’s Allendale campus. In addition to the run, there will be raffles, prizes, music, snacks, drinks, and more. The cost is $25 per person with events starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week.
The Featured Game coverage schedule for the last week of February includes the following:
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Girls Basketball East Grand Rapids at South Christian
Friday, Feb. 14 — Girls/Boys Basketball Christian @ Wyoming
Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Boys Basketball Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 21 — Girls/Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep
Friday, Feb. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Potter’s House
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Feb. 10 Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Belding Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian Zeeland East/Zeeland West @ South Christian Wyoming @ Unity Christian Rockford @ East Kentwood
Tuesday, Feb. 11 Boys Basketball Morley Stanwood @ Tri-Unity Christian Calhoun Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran Grand River Prep @ Wellsprings Prep Ravenna @ Potter’s House Zion Christian @ Martin Wyoming Lee @ White Cloud Belding @ Godwin Heights South Christian @ East Grand Rapids Wyoming @ Wayland NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville West Ottawa @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Battle Creek Calhoun Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran Grand River Prep @ Wellsprings Prep Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee Martin @ Zion Christian Godwin Heights @ Belding East Grand Rapids at South Christian — WKTV Featured Event Wyoming @ Wayland Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian East Kentwood @ West Ottawa Boys Swimming South Christian @ Wayland Boys/Girls Bowling Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville
Wednesday, Feb. 12 Boys Hockey East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ FH Northern Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights Unity Christian @ South Christian Wyoming @ Middleville T-K – Girls Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian Boys Wrestling Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – MHSAA State Team Districts Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – MHSAA State Team Districts East Kentwood @ Grandville – MHSAA State Team Districts Girls Cheer Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Thursday, Feb. 13 Boys/Girls Bowling Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House Girls Basketball Hudsonville Home School @ West Michigan Lutheran Boys Swimming East Kentwood @ Rockford
Friday, Feb. 14 Boys Basketball Holland Calvary @ Tri-Unity Christian West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep Potter’s House @ Cedar Springs Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee Covenant Christian @ South Christian GR Christian @ Wyoming — WKTV Featured Event Kelloggsville @ Hopkins East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Girls Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Grand River Prep Holland Black River @ Potter’s House Wellsprings Prep @ Zion Christian Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee Covenant Christian @ South Christian Christian @ Wyoming — WKTV Featured Event Kelloggsville @ Hopkins East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Boys Hockey East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ East Grand Rapids Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ South Christian Boys Swimming South Christian – MISCA Diving Meet @ EMU East Kentwood – MISCA Diving Meet
Saturday, Feb. 15 Boys Hockey East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation Lake Orion @ South Christian Boys Wrestling Wyoming Lee @ Fremont – MHSAA State Individual Districts Godwin Heights @ Fremont – MHSAA State Individual Districts Wyoming @ Lowell – MHSAA State Individual Districts Kelloggsville @ Lowell – MHSAA State Individual Districts East Kentwood – MHSAA State Individual Districts Girls Basketball Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park Boys Basketball Comstock Park @ Godwin Heights Boys Swimming South Christian – MISCA Swim Meet @ EMU East Kentwood – MISCA Swim Meet Boys/Girls Dance Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills Girls Cheer East Kentwood – Delta Plex Invite Girls Dance East Kentwood @ Kenowa Hills
Monday, Feb. 17 Boys/Girls Bowling South Christian @ FH Eastern Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep Girls Cheer Wyoming @ Comstock Park Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park
Hand2Hand, a local children’s food program, will host an informational meeting Thursday, Feb. 27, for area business, church, and school leaders in the Wyoming/Kentwood area.
According to Hand2Hand, there are about 6,619 students in the Wyoming/Kentwood area in need of weekend food. Weekends are the most vulnerable time for child whose home lacks food resources.
Hand2Hand delivers a bag of food to children for that weekend time. The program parnters with local churches and schools and also engages businesses and individuals to help provide that food.
The informational meeting for the Wyoming/Kentwood area will be Feb. 27 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Cornerstone Church’s Wyoming campus, 2730 56th St. SW. During the meeting, participants will learn about Hand2Hand and its purpose, hear from Wyoming and Kentwood superintendents about the program, and receive a complimentary lunch.
Those interested in attending the program should RSVP by Feb. 18 to jodi@h2hkids.org or call 616-209-2779.
A community blood drive has been set for Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Wyoming City Hall Council Chambers, 115 28th St. SW.
Those interested in donating blood at the drive should make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. Also, participants should plan to bring a photo ID with birth date.
Appointments are preferred. To make an appointment, call 866-642-5662 or visit versiti.org/MI.
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.”
George Bernard Shaw
Community programs in Wyoming
There are a number of spring programs available through the Wyoming Department of Parks and Recreation Registration is now open for these programs. Go here for the story.
Run and dance in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood has community-focused events all year round but February may be a little more busy than most months with its annual Valentine’s Dash 5K on Saturday, Feb. 8, and two more events later in the month, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22. Go here for the story.
Summer sunny job in Wyoming
Whether a college student just home for the summer or an older adult looking to do something different, the City of Wyoming has a number of seasonal job opportunities available. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
$3,910 … or so
If you will reach full retirement age in 2019, you may earn up to $3,910 per month without losing any of your Social Security benefits. Source.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) announced today that Roger That! is returning this February for the fourth year. Roger That!celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, with a multi-day experience, featuring STEM school programming and a public celebration at the GRPM and an academic and public conference at Grand Valley State University (GVSU).
The two-part event will feature speeches both days by NASA astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave, who was the only astronaut to fly on every shuttle that went into space. The free academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14 will include a keynote from Alice Bowman, one of the leaders of a mission that explored Pluto, along with programs for school groups and breakout sessions. School groups are invited for STEM programming on Friday, Feb. 14 at the GRPM, followed by public programming on Saturday, February 15.
GRPM Public Celebration
Join the GRPM for Roger That!on Saturday, Feb. 15.Visitors will learn more about Roger B. Chaffee and space exploration with hands-on activities including a jet propulsion activity, gazing at the daytime sky with telescopes, creating underwater ROVs, interacting with space artifacts and much more!
Community partners will engage with visitors through hands-on activities. New this year, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) and YETi CGI will join returning partners, Kent District Library (KDL), the Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Association (GRAAA), the GVSU Padnos College of Engineering, GVSU Physics Club and the GVSU Lunar Lakers.
Activities will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the GRPM. Activities are included with general admission. Planetarium shows take place every hour and are $4 per person; free for Museum members. For planetarium show schedules and to purchase tickets, visit grpm.org/planetarium.
Dr. Story Musgrave (NASA)
Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave: From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond
Astronaut Dr. Franklin Story Musgrave will present From Farm Kid to Trauma Surgeon to Rocketman and Way Beyond as part of Roger That! on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. in the GRPM’s Meijer Theater. Theater doors will open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are free and must be reserved in advance at grpm.org/RogerThat. Limited tickets available. Following the presentation, there will be a meet and greet opportunity with Dr. Musgrave.
Dr. Musgrave is an American physician and a retired National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut. He is a public speaker and consultant to both Disney’s Imagineering group and Applied Minds in California.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Musgrave earned an impressive list of academic credentials, including a combination of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics, operations analysis, chemistry, literature and physiology, as well as a medical degree from Columbia University. As an expert on cardiovascular and exercise physiology, Musgrave was selected by NASA to serve on future space missions.
Musgrave’s first space mission was on STS-6, the maiden flight of the Challengerspace shuttle (April 1983). Musgrave’s most important mission came in December 1993, where he led a crew in a successful effort to repair the faultily constructed Hubble Space Telescope. In addition to Musgrave’s impressive work history, he also published several scientific papers on aerospace medicine, exercise physiology and other subjects. Musgrave retired from NASA in 1997.
Roger B. Chaffee By NASA/photographer unknown – NASA [1] Great Images in NASA Description, Public Domain
Academic, Public Conference at Grand Valley State University
Join GVSU for a free, public academic conference on Friday, Feb. 14, including keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and celebrating Valentine’s Day with an educational “Love Story” theme. Those interested in attending should register at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
GSVU will kick off the Roger That! academic conference with keynote speaker Alice Bowman, the Mission Operations Manager for New Horizons, presenting New Horizons: Exploring the Icy Heart of Pluto and Beyond at 11 a.m. Bowman’s presentation will highlight the watery elements of Pluto, theories of a subsurface water ocean and discuss the Sputnik Planitia ice field on Pluto, the most famous “heart” in the Kuiper Belt.
A plenary session will be held at 2:30 p.m., featuring guests from the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. The session will discuss Aquarius, a citizen-scientist program that allows students and scientists to work together, using underwater robots and additional technology, to search for pieces of a 600-pound meteorite that splashed into Lake Michigan in February 2017.
Following, Astronaut Dr. Story Musgrave will present The Way of Water: Essential, Engaged, Energetic, Adaptable, Cohesive, Transparent, Creative, Flowing, Synergistic, Multidimensional, Unbeatable and Beautifulat 5:30 p.m. in GVSU’s Loosemore Auditorium.
Additionally, GVSU will host an honorary dinner for Alice Bowman and Dr. Story Musgrave at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown, followed by a special showing of Space School in the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium. Tickets to the dinner are $25 and can be purchased at gvsu.edu/rogerthat.
Roger B. Chaffee and the Apollo Tragedy
On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first spaceflight, died in this tragic accident. The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year. The Planetarium was originally opened in 1994 and has gone through renovations to provide the best experience for Planetarium visitors.
Roger B. Chaffee, born in Grand Rapids, was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.
The tan and white home at 4827 Walton Ave. SW is not anything fancy, just a simple little bungalow. The 1,384-square-foot home, located near Kelloggsville High School, has three bedrooms, two downstairs and one upstairs; a bathroom with tub and shower, living room, kitchen, a fenced off backyard, and a basement that could be easily finished off.
All it needs is some landscaping, paint, new vinyl floors, and refinishing the existing hardwood floors to make it move in ready for one of the numerous families on the Inner City Christian Federation’s waiting-for-homes list.
“It’s been a great home for 70 years and it could be again,” said Chris Hall, the community homes initiative manager for the Inner City Christian Federation.
ICCF has about 250 homes in its Community Homes Initiative, many of which only need simple maintenance and repair, such as plastering and painting, to become livable again. These were homes the organization acquired in 2017-2018 through philanthropic efforts, returning the homes to local management, said Michelle Covington, ICCF’s vice president of advancement.
“When you think of Grand Rapids right now, it is a hot city,” Covington said. “It is one of the hottest zip codes in the city and so what happens is the home rates and rentals rise.”
By purchasing the large portfolio, ICCF’s goal is that homes remain affordable for low and moderate income households.
“Once we move someone out of the shelter into a home, it is only about day to repaint and do repairs at the shelter before someone else moves in,” Hall said as an illustration of the need for affordable housing.
“The key to the success is that we renovate these homes,” Covington said, adding to do that ICCF needs volunteers willing to help.
Chris Hall outside the Walton Street home discussing some of the needs to get the house move-in ready. (WKTV)
Most of what is needed is basic, patching walls, painting, cleaning, painting the trim, and landscaping, to make the homes safe, energy efficient, and affordable.
“You do not need to be a professional builder to do these types of things” Hall said, adding that ICCF already has had professionals come in for any major repair work.
For example, in the Walton Street home, the kitchen walls need plaster and paint and the moldings need to be washed and painted to transform the room into a nice living space.
Hall noted that a group of eight to 10 individuals could easily complete the work necessary in a few days.
“We have plenty of opportunities for this type of work if you are interested in helping to tackle this affordable housing crisis,” Covington said.
The homes are scattered throughout Wyoming and the Greater Grand Rapids area. The portfolio also included some homes in the Lansing area as well.
For more information on the Community Homes Initiative, visit the Inner City Christian Federation’s website, iccf,org.
To make the healthy choice the easy choice and enable store guests to quickly and easily identify products that fit their lifestyle and nutrition needs, SpartanNash today introduced Nutrition Pathways. Nutrition Pathways are 22 nutrition and lifestyle attributes designed to help SpartanNash customers more easily identify heart healthy, sustainable, nothing artificial, organic and other key product features in store and on shopthefastlane.com.
In Family Fare, D&W Fresh Market and VG’s Grocery stores, Nutrition Pathways attributes are now displayed at the bottom of all shelf tags, allowing store guests to quickly see up to four key attributes for every product. Martin’s Super Markets, Forest Hills Foods, Family Fresh Market, Dan’s Supermarket and all other SpartanNash-owned stores will launch Nutrition Pathways by March 2020.
“Our customers are looking for healthier choices – but it can be time consuming to read through nutrition facts panels and ingredient lists and difficult to know exactly what fits into your diet,” Chief Merchandising and Marketing Executive Lori Raya said. “With Nutrition Pathways, we’ve done all the hard work for you, so your shopping trips can be quick, convenient and, most importantly, fit within your lifestyle or wellness journey.”
SpartanNash Regional Wellness Specialists used industry standards as well as evidence-based nutrition guidelines to create the definition for each Nutrition Pathway. Many of the pathways highlight the most nutritious foods on the journey to well-being – whether store guests are managing a health condition, following a food lifestyle or just wanting to make healthier choices.
Consumers generally shop for products based on four stages of wellness2:
General Wellness: Customers care about everyday healthy choices and eating a variety of foods.
Sustainability: Customers care about the environment, how products are made, grown or raised and appreciate food transparency.
Ailments: Customers’ shopping habits revolve around ailments such as heart disease or diabetes that drive them to eat or not eat certain foods, so they read labels and ingredient lists.
Life Stage: Customers want to live longer and stay healthier by making smarter choices.
“What we eat is a huge contributor to many chronic diseases, and eating a healthier diet helps prevent and treat many of these conditions,” said Barbara Karenko, DO, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health. “Food works as preventative medicine to keep us healthy and is essential to a person’s well-being.”
Nutrition Pathways key attributes include:
Heart healthy – This product is considered ‘heart healthy’ by the American Heart Association (AHA) and contains less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving.
Five or less ingredients – This product has five or fewer ingredients.
High fiber – This product has at least five grams of fiber per serving.
Whole grain – The first ingredient in this product is a whole grain.
No added sugar – This product does not contain any added sugar.
Low sodium – This product has 140 mg or less sodium per serving.
Good source protein – This product contains at least five grams of protein.
Gluten free – This product is gluten-free.
Nut free – This product is free of tree nuts and peanuts.
Lactose free – This product does not contain any lactose.
Non-dairy – This product does not contain dairy or milk ingredients.
Free from – This product is free from the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy), antibiotics, high fructose corn syrup, hormones, partially hydrogenated oil ingredients, pesticides, nitrates and nitrates.
Nothing artificial – This product does not contain artificial color, artificial flavor, artificial sweetener or artificial preservatives.
Vegan (plant-based) – This product does not contain animal by-products or any animal ingredients.
Kosher – This product is Kosher.
Organic – This product is considered organic.
Non-GMO – This product does not contain any genetically modified (GMO) ingredients.
Sustainable – This product has one of the following claims and/or certifications: B Corp, Biobased, BPA Free, Carbon Footprint, Dolphin Safe, Environmentally Friendly, Ethical, Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, FSC, Marine Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance Cert, Sustainable Farming, Sustainable Fishing, Sustainable Forest Initiative, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Seafood or Wild Caught.
Fragrance free – This product does not contain fragrance ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a fragrance-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Hypoallergenic – This product claims to be hypoallergenic. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Paraben free – This product does not contain paraben ingredients based on a derived analysis of the ingredient statement or makes a paraben-free claim. You will find this pathway in the Beauty Care, Baby Care and Household Cleaners sections.
Meat first – The first ingredient in the ingredients statement of this product is identified to be a meat-containing ingredient. You will find this pathway in the Pet Food section.
On shopthefastlane.com – SpartanNash’s proprietary, intuitive online grocery shopping solution available at 70 stores in six states – all Nutrition Pathways attributes are listed, allowing customers to filter products based on their lifestyles and nutrition needs.
Nutrition Pathways is part of SpartanNash’s “Living Well” initiatives, which also include an ever-growing assortment of organic offerings, free and reduced-cost prescriptions at their pharmacies, Kids Crew programming and Regional Wellness Specialists who serve company-owned retail stores and communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and the greater Omaha, Neb. area.
Wellness Specialists work with community partners and healthcare organizations to raise awareness about programs such as Nutrition Pathways and provide resources about nutrition and optimal food choices.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Kelloggsville High School boys basketball team will take a break from its OK-Conference Silver schedule to host Comstock Park out of the OK Blue Tuesday, Feb. 4, as both teams look to get back in the win column.
The Kelloggsville Rockets (4-6 overall, 2-4 in league) are coming off a road loss to OK Silver foe Godwin Heights on Jan. 31. Comstock Park (2-8 and 1-5) will be out to break a six-game skid including a home loss to Central Catholic also on Jan. 31.
The WKTV Sports Featured Game will be available on cable television and on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
The City of Wyoming’s odd/even parking ordinance is in effect through March 31. The ordinance helps facilitate the City’s snow plowing operations.
Under the ordinance, residents must park on the side of the street that corresponds with that day’s date. For example, on Feb. 5 cars should be parked on the side of the street with odd-numbered addresses. On Feb. 6 cars should be parked on the side of the street with even-numbered addresses. On a cul-de-sac, parking may occur on even-numbered days.
Cars mus the parked on the correct side of the street from midnight to 7 p.m. From 7 p.m. to midnight, they may be parked on either side. Odd-even parking rules apply to all streets in Wyoming that are not already designated “no parking.”
For questions, please contact the City of Wyoming’s Department of Public Works at 616-530-7260.
Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Jan. 30 for a new affordable housing development at 501 Eastern Ave SE between Logan and Baxter.
In partnership with Bethany Christian Services, this development will offer permanent affordable housing for homeless youth along with supportive services to help them successfully transition into independent living. The two apartment buildings will ensure low-income households and families continue to have a place to live and thrive in the Baxter and Madison neighborhoods.
The two four-story 65-unit apartment buildings include:
61 affordable housing units
4 market rate units
First floor live/work space for households with small businesses
17 youth housing units
Ground floor community space and kids room
Rear parking lot for residents
LEED Silver designation
The ribbon cutting event included a “cornerstone” plaque presentation to Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church and Restoration Row, whose support was instrumental in this project. (Supplied)
“In a climate where rent prices continue to rise and vulnerable families are displaced, this new development is the embodiment of ICCF’s commitment to providing and preserving affordable housing for low-income families and homeless youth on the southeast side,” said Ryan VerWys, President/CEO ICCF.
“We are thrilled to see this project come to fruition,” said Justin Beene, founder of the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation (GRCCT) of which Bethany Christian Services is a core partner. “For the past six years, Bethany has been forging new partnerships in the community. We are grateful that this innovative collaboration will provide 17 of our previously homeless youth with a safe, affordable place to live.”
This project is made possible by funding from MSHDA Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Love Funding, Insite Capital/Chemical Bank, HUD, Grand Rapids Housing Commission, City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Herman Miller Cares, Restoration Row LLC, and the DEQ.
Those who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony had the opportunity to tour the facility. (Supplied)
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director sports@wktv.org
February already brings the final full month of the high school winter sports schedules to the area. The opening rounds of MHSAA State tournaments are near the end of the month in several sports and others, such as girls’ basketball, close out the regular season to begin their state tournament to open up March.
With the change in basketball districts this year having the teams be seeded and matchups announced fifteen days before the opening games, updated schedules will be posted here as they are announced.
Once again, WKTV and its crews will be at two events each week throughout the month but show your support in person to your local schools whenever you can and then join the rebroadcast or watch on-line within a few days of the event.
The Featured Game coverage schedule for the last week of February includes the following:
Tuesday, Feb. 4 — Boys Basketball Comstock Park at Kelloggsville
Saturday, Feb. 8 — Boys Hockey Lowell/Caledonia at East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation
Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Girls Basketball East Grand Rapids at South Christian
Friday, Feb. 14 — Girls/Boys Basketball Christian @ Wyoming
Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Boys Basketball Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 21 — Girls/Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep
Friday, Feb. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Potter’s House
Want to be a television sports announcer?
If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! We are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Feb. 3 Boys/Girls Bowling Calvin Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian – Boys NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee Hopkins @ Godwin Heights Byron Center @ South Christian Wyoming @ Middleville T-K Kelloggsville @ Hilcrest Lanes Grand Haven @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Lansing Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Tuesday, Feb. 4 Girls Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Hudsonville Libertas Christian Holland Black River @ West Michigan Aviation Grand River Prep @ Potter’s House Muskegon Catholic Central @ Zion Christian Benton Harbor @ Godwin Heights Hudsonville @ South Christian Boys Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Hudsonville Libertas Christian Holland Black River @ West Michigan Aviation Grand River Prep @ Potter’s House Potter’s House @ Tri-County South Christian @ Calvin Christian FH Central @ Wyoming Comstock Park @ Kelloggsville — WKTV Featured Event Northview @ East Kentwood
Wednesday, Feb. 5 Boys/Girls Bowling Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee Belding @ Godwin Heights South Christian @ Wyoming Kelloggsville @ Hopkins East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Girls Cheer Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins Kelloggsville @ Hopkins Wyoming @ Wayland Boys Wrestling Muskegon Catholic Central @ Godwin Heights
Thursday, Feb. 6 Boys/Girls Bowling Tri-Unity Christian @ West Catholic – Boys Boys Swimming Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Friday, Feb. 7 Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Tri-Unity Christian Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Lutheran Kalamazoo Heritage Christian @ Grand River Prep Creative Tech @ Zion Christian Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville Hopkins @ Godwin Heights Wyoming @ South Christian Girls Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Tri-Unity Christian Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Lutheran Creative Tech @ Zion Christian Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville Hopkins @ Godwin Heights Wyoming @ South Christian Boys Hockey South Christian vs Plymouth Boys Swimming South Christian @ Hudsonville Boys Wrestling Wyoming @ FH Eastern East Kentwood @ Rockford Girls Cheer East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Saturday, Feb. 8 Boys Hockey Lowell/Caledonia @ East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation — WKTV Featured Event South Christian vs Powers Catholic Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Hudsonville Godwin Heights @ Muskegon Mona Shores Wyoming @ Muskegon Mona Shores East Kentwood @ Hudsonville Boys Wrestling Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Godwin Heights @ Belding Kelloggsville @ Belding Girls Cheer Wyoming Lee @ FH Northern Wyoming @ FH Northern Boys Swimming South Christian @ Hudsonville
Monday, Feb. 10 Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Wellsprings Prep West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Belding Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian Zeeland East/Zeeland West @ South Christian Wyoming @ Unity Christian Rockford @ East Kentwood
The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball team, from an early season game. (Curtis Holt)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Wyoming and Forest Hills Eastern high schools are friendly rivals, and one of the reasons is that Wolves athletic director Ted Hollern’s brother Tim is the assistant principal at Forest Hills Eastern.
And when Wyoming hosts its annual Coaches vs. Cancer Community Basketball night on Friday, Jan. 31, with the girls game first at 6 p.m, the night’s cancer awareness events and celebration of cancer survivors will also have a “Hollern” connection.
Set to be called the “Wolf Pack Howl for the Hollern Night”, one of the cancer survivors will be Tim Hollern.
“My brother Tim Hollern has colon cancer,” Ted Hollern said to WKTV. “So we are celebrating him along with all survivors.”
The community basketball night will have some great basketball played — the Wolves boys team (4-1 and 9-1 overall) will be fighting to stay with the leaders of the OK-Conference Gold as they host the Hawks (3-2 and 8-3) at 7:45 p.m. The girls game will have the Wolves (1-4 and 4-8) hosting the Hawks (1-4 and 2-10).
But there will be so much more than just basketball.
There will be an American Cancer Society table set up for information.
The members of the boys varsity squads will be autographing items during the first quarter of the girls game. And the girls team players will be autographing at the end of the girls game. And there will be “Howl for Hollern” t-shirts available for fund-raising, which will be perfect for autographs.
Game-time activities will include all elementary, intermediate and junior high principals, and their students, being honored at the halftime of the boys game. The Wolves Dance team, Pep Band and Honored Choir will also be honored.
There will also be a free raffle, souvenirs, free Wyoming Wolves water bottles, and other door prizes.
Finally, elementary, intermediate and junior high students will gain free entry to the game when accompanied by an adult.
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce kicked off its 40th Anniversary with its Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on Jan. 25 at the Amway Grand Plaza. At the event, several individuals and two local businesses were honored including The Candied Yam for Retail Business of the Year and WKTV for Service Business of the Year. To read all about it, click here.
Fast and Shiny
Sports cars, along with SUVs and trucks, are expected to be the big draw at the 2020 Michigan International Auto Show , as they were last year in this photo. (Supplied)
If you didn’t score “Hamilton” tickets yet or not planning to go, you’ll be happy to know another favorite American past-time is in town: the 2020 International Car Show. The annual event is taken place this weekend at DeVos Place. Mixed with some of the newest cars coming out are a few classics from the Gilmore Car Museum. For more about the show and where to park, click here.
Filling the Shelves
Our giving spirt sometimes ends when the holidays are over. Pantries such as the Family Network of Wyoming are in need of food and especially personal care items such as toilet paper. Have a few hours to spare? Volunteers also are needed. To learn more about how Family Network of Wyoming has been helping its community for the past 15 years, click here.
Fun Fact: Some say Soda, we say Vernors
While Dr. Pepper and Coke Cola like to battle it out as the oldest soda the title actually goes to Michigan’s Vernors, which was created in 1866 by Detroit pharmacist James Vernor (hence the name Vernors.) The popular ginger ale was sold outside of the pharmacy starting in 1880, five years before Dr. Pepper even came on the market. And for those Vernors lovers, try a Boston Cooler, which is a twist on a float using Vernors and vanilla ice cream.
Exalta Health provides health care to an underserved population at two clinics, one in the 2000 block of Division Avenue. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
A new contract between Exalta Health and the Kent County’s Women’s Health Network will benefit both Exalta Health and its patients. Exalta Health is located at 2060 Division Ave. S., Grand Rapids, but serves patients from Wyoming and Kentwood as well.
The Women’s Health Network program contracts with 30 medical sites in Kent, Muskegon, Barry and Ottawa counties to offer the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control and Navigation (BCCCN) program, according to supplied material. This is both a national and State of Michigan program that offers free mammograms, clinical breast exams, Pap smears and pelvic exams to women who qualify, as well as follow-up care, medical referrals and cancer treatment.
Through this new contract, which could be worth up to $20,000, Exalta Health becomes one of those 30 sites and those critical and often life-saving exams will be made available to its patients with the contract now covering the costs.
Exalta Health’s Andrea Cervantes said in supplied material that the organization has offered these tests in the past, but essentially took a loss on them. The new contract means Exalta Health will not only be able to provide the tests but also will break even in doing so. For a small nonprofit that depends on donations to fund its services, access to a fund is a big deal.
In addition, access to the funds means Exalta Health will be able to serve more of its patients who need these exams and will be able to work with its patients in a more direct and more proactive way to make sure critical exams and screenings aren’t being missed.
“We’re really grateful to the Kent County Women’s Health Network,” said Cervantes, a registered nurse. “This grant is going to allow us to serve our patients better and serve more of them. We see a lot of female patients at Exalta Health, so BCCCN is really important to them and to us.”
Fifth-grader Jerzey Wright didn’t want to part with her candy, but alas, her hoodie had a zipper. King George III had declared such an accessory be taxed one M&M.
Jerzey slid under her desk dramatically at the news that her once ample allotment of candy pieces would dwindle to two. She reached one arm up from below the desk as tax collector Jo’ Vaughn Grover came for payment. “Give me my M&Ms back!” demanded the Wyoming Intermediate School student.
At the front of the classroom in his office chair-turned-throne, King George, played by Principal Kirk Bloomquist, showed no empathy as he taxed shoelaces, jewelry and buttons to pay off England’s debt from the French and Indian War. As students handed over more and more candy pieces to tax collectors, they began to cry foul.
King George enters the class. (School News Network)
The king, however, proved relentless. “If you are a girl, please pay one M&M,” he ordered.
The Colonists’ Side of Things
Students were assigned roles of tax collectors, parliamentarians and colonists. After each decree from the king, collectors came for colonists’ candy-coated chocolates and brought them back to the king and parliament.
The social studies lesson on taxation without representation taught students about events leading up to the Revolutionary War while giving a sense of how colonists felt when taxed on goods by a faraway king. It was a tactile lesson about historical themes that audiences will see played out onstage in “Hamilton,” the hit Broadway musical that opens at DeVos Hall tonight, Jan. 21.
“M&Ms are something the students love and will work for,” said teacher Anna Limbeck. “When they are taken from them unfairly, they feel it a lot more… It develops a connection between this activity and taxes in real life.”
As the king imposed more and more taxes, students’ M&Ms dwindled. (School News Network)
As they move on in the unit, students remember the injustice they felt when learning why colonists sought independence when they didn’t have a voice in what was taxed.
“It would have been more fair if they would have had a say and voted about what they were taxed for,” said fifth grader Ashonna Fudge.
Ashonna pointed out how the taxes didn’t benefit the colonists. “When your parents pay taxes they are used to build different buildings and pay for things in the city.”
Tax collector Lucy Renteria said it was exciting collecting the candy-coated chocolate, but she felt bad too. “It was sad because it really wasn’t fair for them. Their faces were mad and sad when I was taking their M&Ms.”
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
King George III (Wyoming Intermediate School Principal Kirk Bloomquist) addresses the colonists (fifth-graders). (School News Network)
A four-pack of toilet paper. That is one thing that Family Network of Wyoming volunteer Phyllis VanderSloot would love to see each of the organization’s clients walk out with.
“They get one roll of toilet paper for the whole month,” the Byron Center resident said, adding who can last a whole month with one role of toilet paper?
And while the shelves of the Family Network food pantry are well stocked of food items and the freezers, thanks to area businesses, are full, the personal care items like toilet paper, barely at times take up half of a shelf. So the toilet paper is handed out sparingly so as everyone who comes in can get at least a roll.
Dale Echavarria, the retiring co-executive director of Family Network of Wyoming, is the first to admit collecting food is much easier than getting personal care products.
“Unlike food items, personal care products do not have an expiration date and so they can stay on a store shelf for a longer period,” Echavarria said.
Echavarria is grateful for the community support and donations to the Family Network of Wyoming, which comes to the organization in various ways. Local organization such as SpartanNash, Car City, and Shannon Orthodontics bring much needed personal care products and food items to the pantry.
“I remember the first year that Shannon Orthodontics contacted us,” Echavarria said. “They said they had had a food fight with other area dentists and was wonder if they could drop the items off. We were expecting a few boxes and instead had a parade of stocked mini vans.”
Even those in need have contributed back, Echavarria said.
“Recently the Wyoming Wolves had a food drive bringing in more than a 1,000 cans of food,” Echavarria said. “It was moving because some of the families who gave have been or are our clients.”
The fruit and vegetable section in the Family Network of Wyoming. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
What’s in a name?
Because of the name, Family Network, most people think it is a counseling center,” Echavarria said. And while there is some counseling along with a medical supply closet and a Christmas store, the main focus of Family Network is its food pantry.
The former Faith Community Christian Reformed Church at 1029 44th St. SW serves as the headquarters. The worship area is the storage room where volunteers pull items. The entrance way is where residents line up for their monthly supplies. The downstairs serves as offices, meeting area, and storage for the medical supply closet.
The main hub of activity takes place in the the worship area, where food is distributed two days a week to about 10,000 residents yearly in the Wyoming, Grandville, and Jenison areas. Residents are usually assigned a pantry to visit once a month based on where they live, Echavarria said, adding that Family Network will take a person or family in distressed and help them get connected to the right pantry.
Before distributing, the volunteers gather for a brief meeting and prayer and then Echavarria heads to the foyer to talk to the clients. He lets them know of opportunities while seeing if there is anyone new to the pantry or anyone with special needs. From there, one-by-one, the residents meet with staff and volunteers who help fill out food sheets and assist them in shopping.
It takes about a person 30 minutes to make their way from fruits/vegetables to receiving their meat items and selecting bread. Once and while there are extra items such as flowers donated by one of the stores.
“Many of the people who come through here would never have money for flowers,” said Sandy Jenkinson of Wyoming. “So it is a nice treat to be able to give them something like that.”
Family Network of Wyoming brings items out from the food area to a client. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Taking the lead
Family Network of Wyoming is a lead pantry. Echavarria said they saw a need to streamline the process with stores to make it convenient and constant for food pick up or for trucks to drop items that can not be delivered. Family Network then reviews all the food that comes and redistributes it, providing other pantries connections to items they might not be able to get because of location, staffing, or lack of resources.
“We believe there is not a scarcity mentality, it is a team work mentality,” he said.
Nothing is wasted. Fresh produce or dated items not used at Family Network are sent to other area pantries and even items that don’t make the cut for distribution are set aside for area pig and chicken farmers to use as feed.
Volunteers pull food items for clients from the shelves. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)
Always in Need: Volunteers
“I meant many of the people during a food drive,” said volunteer Burt Ponstein. “Everybody was so nice and friendly that I just called one day to see about volunteering.”
To do all that the Family Network does takes a village, so volunteers are another need for many pantries like the Family Network of Wyoming. About 43 people currently volunteer at Family Network.
“Many of us, well, we’re not 22 anymore,” Echavarria said, adding that as the current group ages out, he is concerned about filling the gaps with new volunteers.
Part of the obstacle is that Family Network of Wyoming is one of the best kept secrets in the area, Echavarria said, referring again to how people keep thinking it is a counseling center. However with a peek through its doors, Echavarria hopes people will see the good it has been doing for the past 15 years.
“We just need people to consider if they can help,” Echavarria said. “It might just be an hour or two, picking up food, helping to organize the pantry. There is something for about every skill level.”
Or it just be just dropping off some personal care products, like toilet paper, on the way to the next destination.
For those who wish to volunteer or donate, go to fntw.org.
Are you an educator looking for a creative, fun opportunity for your students to practice their filmmaking skills? Or a student excited about the possibility of using your talents to compete for thousands of dollars in prize money?
The Meijer Great Choices Film Festival each year challenges high school students and K-8 classrooms across the state to create 30-second Public Service Announcements focused on either Healthy Living, Building Character orCelebrating Diversity. The goal is to encourage students to focus on positive, great choices that can be made in daily life. The PSAs can be as creative or as simple as competitors choose. Today’s technology makes filmmaking possible utilizing anything from a small video camera to a cell phone camera. Animation is also an option.
Individual student PSAs are judged anonymously based off technical merit by a panel of college judges, while PSAs produced by K-8 classrooms are judged through an online public voting process each spring. Those involved in the classroom competition are encouraged to get their friends and families to vote.
In the competition for individual high school students, six 1st place awards of $1,500 each will be given, along with six 2nd place awards of $1,000 each, and six 3rd place awards of $500 each. Additionally, 42 finalists (4th-10th place) will each receive $75. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in May 2020. In the classroom competition for grant money, there will be three 1st place awards of $500 each, three 2nd place awards of $200 each and three 3rd place awards of $200 each for top vote earners. There will also be three Judges Choice $200 grants awarded.
Participating K-8 classrooms are invited to register and upload their PSA videos online between Feb. 1 – 28. An online public voting period will run from March 4 – 29, with winners announced after. There are no submission fees in the K-8 classroom competition. Videos can be submitted through 11:59 p.m. Feb. 7 for the full $10 fee.
The Top 10 PSA films in each category will be made available on the Meijer Great Choices Film Festival website for schools to use as tools for their character education, health and diversity programs. We encourage teachers to showcase students’ PSAs in peer-to-peer education on these important topics.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week. The Featured Game coverage schedule for the last week of January includes the following:
Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Grand River Prep at Zion Christian
Friday, Jan. 31 — Girls/Boys Basketball Caledonia at East Kentwood
Want to be a television sports announcer?
If anyone has ever thought about trying to announce a sporting event, WKTV has a great chance for you to do exactly that! We are always looking for additional announcers, especially for the spring games. If you would like to try it or have any questions, please email Mike at sportswktv@gmail.com.
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Jan. 27 Boys/Girls Bowling @ East Kentwood Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian FH Eastern@ Wyoming Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville Christian @ South Christian
Tuesday, Jan. 28 Girls Basketball
East Kentwood @ Grand Haven Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian Wyoming @ Middleville T-K NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee Western Michigan Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian Kelloggsville @ Tri-County South Christian @ FH Eastern Galesburg-Augusta @ Potter’s House Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian – WKTV Featured Event West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Boys Basketball Grand Haven @ East Kentwood Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights Wyoming @ Middleville T-K Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Tri-Unity Christian @ Kelloggsville FH Eastern @ South Christian Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian – WKTV Featured Event Lansing Martin Luther @ West Michigan Lutheran West Michigan Aviation @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville Boys Wrestling Kelloggsville @ Kent City Girls Cheer Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Wednesday, Jan. 29 Boys/Girls Bowling Caledonia @ East Kentwood Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville Wyoming @ Christian East Grand Rapids @ South Christian Boys Wrestling East Kentwood @ Caledonia Godwin Heights @ Shelby Wyoming @ Hamilton Wyoming Lee @ Lakeview Girls Cheer Godwin Heights @ Wyoming Lee Girls Basketball Grand River Prep @ Holland Black River
Thursday, Jan. 30 Boys Swimming/Diving @ East Kentwood South Christian @ Middleville T-K Boys Bowling Grand River Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian Girls Basketball Potter’s House @ Zion Christian Boys Basketball Potter’s House @ Zion Christian
Friday, Jan. 31 Boys Hockey East Kentwood @ Chelsea Girls Basketball Caledonia @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights FH Eastern @ Wyoming Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian South Christian @ Christian Creative Tech @ West Michigan Lutheran Boys Basketball Caledonia @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Event Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights FH Eastern @ Wyoming Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian South Christian @ Christian Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Potter’s House Creative Tech @ West Michigan Lutheran Holland Calvary @ West Michigan Aviation
Saturday, Feb. 1 Boys Hockey Anchor Bay vs East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ Chelsea South Christian vs Northville Girls Cheer Wyoming @ Kalamazoo Central Kelloggsville @ Northview East Kentwood @ Northview Boys Wrestling @ Kelloggsville – Rocket Individual Tourney East Kentwood @ Lakewood Boys/Girls Bowling Kelloggsville @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer Girls Dance East Kentwood @ Jenison Boys Swimming East Kentwood @ Grandville Boys Basketball TBA @ East Kentwood
Monday, Feb. 3 Boys/Girls Bowling Calvin Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian – Boys NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee Hopkins @ Godwin Heights Byron Center @ South Christian Wyoming @ Middleville T-K Kelloggsville @ Hilcrest Lanes Grand Haven @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Lansing Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
A UCOM staff person checks out the new Hydroz purifying water filing station located in the organization’s lobby. The station is open to the public during business hours. (Supplied)
United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) recently partnered with Hydroz to provide a free purified water filing station in its neighborhood. The station, installed last week, is in the lobby at UCOM, at 1311 Chicago Dr. SW Wyoming. It will provide endless hot and cold purified water for those in the UCOM neighborhood.
The purified water filing station will be available to the community during UCOM’s regular hours, Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m. Hydroz has generously donated this station for the neighbors to enjoy clean, pure drinking water. Hydroz is a locally owned water purification company, certified by the Better Business Bureau and Local First.
They filter the water using reverse osmosis to remove 98% of impurities from tap water. This includes lead, arsenic, chromium-6, mercury, PFAS, chlorine, and more. Hydroz uses a four-stage filter process to remove impurities from the water and then stores it in a stainless steel holding tank, waiting for neighbors to fill their bottles. The water at UCOM was tested prior to the installation and was found to be within normal range of solid particulates for city drinking water, with just over 130 part per million. However, after the installation, water coming from the system was tested again and had less than 15 parts per million. Also, according to staff, it also tastes great.
UCOM’s Culture of Health recognizes water is the best beverage for healthy living. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that drinking water helps your body regulate your temperature, protect your spinal cord, joints, and other tissues, and helps in all of your bodily functions. Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages reduces the amount of calories a person takes in and the amount of added sugars. With obesity-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease on the rise, drinking more water is a way to cut those added sugars and lower the risk of developing these diseases, according to the CDC.
In 2018, UCOM hosted neighborhood listening sessions. The UCOM team hoped to learn more about what people in the community enjoyed seeing at UCOM and also find out if there were things the community wanted to see done differently. One topic brought up by several participants was how proud they are of where they live and how sad they are to see empty water bottles or other garbage find its way into the streets, parking lots, and yards of the neighborhood. UCOM hopes that having a refiling station for water bottles will cut down on some plastic waste in the area and improve the beauty of the community we call home.
UCOM invites neighbors to stop in and fill their water bottles and help us thank Hydroz for bringing this service to our neighborhood! Hydroz has a commitment to philanthropy and is proud to give back to this community.
The box-shaped, motor-propelled robot scuttled across the floor of Buck Creek, with Valleywood Middle School eighth grader Amaya Eggleston controlling it via remote.
“That’s so cool!” said Amaya, who helped build the marine ‘bot with classmates Ajla Lelek, Sarah Vokoviak and Sumayah Hanson and teacher Bobbijo Zoerhof.
The robot took its first dip on a recent afternoon. It will play a significant role in an eighth-grade community project, a year-long environmental study of the creek and its levels of pollutants. Teachers and students are working on the project with funding help from Groundswell, a coalition of community partners creating opportunities for hands-on environmental learning.
Sumayah Hanson controls the underwater robot. (School News Network)
The robot is powered by three motors and equipped with a camera that shows images of the creek floor onto a fish-finder screen. The girls are using a 3D printer to make sensor boxes and tube endings. While they are still tweaking and tinkering, the robot can already move through the creek and record underwater images on its camera.
The robot will soon be used to test the water for phosphates, nitrates, turbidity, pH level and temperature. Social studies teacher Bobbijo Zoerhof and English teacher Jane Van Hof have classes assigned with studying and recording levels throughout the year, which they expect could vary due to water runoff. They will present findings to neighbors and post readings on a website.
“I love making this stuff with my team,” Amaya said. “It’s exciting to know we can help more than ourselves just doing this. I hope it helps people — the students at our school — to know what our water’s like.”
The project is cross-curricular, involving reading and writing in English Language Arts and mapping a region and environmental laws in social studies.
Students read the book “A Long Walk to Water”, about an 11-year-old African girl who regularly walks eight hours to fetch water from a pond.
Valleywood students correlated the story to the mapping of fresh water, and also the robot with water quality testing. In social studies, they focus on how humans interact with their environment.
“The robot connects with fresh, healthy water, where to locate the water and how to keep the water supply healthy,” Zoerhof said.
The underwater robot includes motors, a tether, fishfinder and camera. (School News Network)
Multifaceted Outdoor Learning
Zoerhof and VanHof partnered with Groundswell, which is housed in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University, by attending an outdoor learning session in October at Garfield Park.
Zoerhof said she learned about remote operated vehicles from a workshop years ago, and came up with the idea to use one to collect water samples. The girls will head to the creek several times this school year to control the robot as it gathers samples. This eliminates the need for students to gather icy samples themselves.
The robot will collect water samples over the course of the school year. (School News Network)
“We thought, ‘Why don’t we use the robot to test the water year round instead of having a student do it? Plus, with the camera, it can see to the depth that we can’t,” Zoerhof said.
Before the robot began its submarine-like mission, students this fall mapped the schoolyard, sketching and with Google Maps to analyze water runoff patterns and natural features of the landscape. They will also plant a native nursery, also funded by Groundswell, on the creek’s edges and study whether the plants impact pollutant levels.
Zoerhof chose the girls to work with the robot because of their interest, both in STEM-related learning and the outdoors. The girls have also worked with 3D printing.
“I hope we can show all the pollution that’s in there and people will help clean it and get rid of what causes more pollution,” said Ajla.
Added Sara: “It’s a big privilege to know you are a part of something that can make things better.”
For stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
This Saturday marks the most important and celebrated holiday of the year for cultures rooted in a lunar calendar — the Lunar New Year.
Widely referred to as the Chinese New Year, many other Asian countries honor the special holiday, In fact, the Chinese often refer to the new year festival as the Spring Festival. In Vietnam, it is called Tết. In Korea, it is called Seolial. Most of these countries observe the Lunar New Year from when the new moon rises on Jan. 24 and concludes with the full moon on Feb. 9. There are some Asian countries, such as Thailand and Laos, who observe the Lunar New Year in April, usually around April 13.
This year, 2020 is the year of the rat according to the Asian Zodiac. While the rat is not considered by most as adorable, it ranks first on the Asian Zodiac, meaning it starts the 12-year cycle of the Asian Zodiac. The rat, as described on the Vietnamese American Community of West Michigan’s website page, is clever, quick thinkers, successful in reproductive and survival, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life. People born under the Rat hold a strong community value and depend on each other.
To learn more about the Asian Zodiac, click here for a story by resident Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh.
While Asians celebrate the Lunar New Year in different ways, all celebrations have one common feature: family reunions. The Lunar New Year is in fact one of the biggest migration of people, with hundreds of thousands of people returning home to see their family.
Tết, the Viet Lunar New Year is Saturday, Jan. 25. Photo supplied by Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh.
Tết: Viet Lunar New Year Celebration 2020
One of the longest running community Lunar New Year celebrations is the Vietnamese community’s annual event. The event is Saturday, Jan. 25, at Wyoming’s Knights of Columbus Hall, 5830 Clyde Park Ave. SW.
Hosted by the Vietnamese-American Community of West Michigan, the Children Tết Festival is from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and includes games and fun for the entire family, such as face painting, a dragon dance, animal balloons, music, foods, and arts and crafts.
Starting at 4 p.m. is the traditional ceremony which will run until 6:30 p.m. The program will include the New Year’s message, the ancestors commemoration ceremony, the Lion Dance Welcoming the Year of the Rat, and community awards. The New Year Concert and Dance, featuring numerous local performers, is from 7 to midnight.
This event is free and open to the public. Authentic Vietnamese food will be available for purchase. According to organizers, the festival is designed to highlight the richness and diversity of Vietnam by featuring a variety of traditional performances including the dragon dance, traditional musical instruments, children dances, games and much more.
For more about Tết, check out this article written by resident Adrian Ɖặng Bảo Oánh by clicking here.
WKTV will be at the annual Tết event. Check the wktv.org website for air dates of the annual celebration.
Students prepare for the Dragon Dance. Photo by Erika Townsley.
Lunar New Year Festival 2020: Grand Rapids
“We spend most of the day with our families,” said Kim Nguyen who with Kathy Bui are organizing the Lunar New Year Festival in Grand Rapids. “Just like Americans do at Christmas and other holidays, during the day we spend time with our family and in the evening, we attend community events.”
It was the reason the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival, the Grand Valley Asian Student Union, Zeeland Christian Schools, Com 616, and the Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. came together to host this year’s Lunar celebration which is set for Saturday, Jan. 25, from 5 – 9 p.m. at the community space located at 555 Monroe Ave. NW.
“It is in a tent, a heated tent,” Nguyen emphasized.
“The festival is a community experience,” Nguyen said, adding that it is a family-friendly event. “What I am hoping is people come and see the diverse culture that we have in the Grand Rapids area.”
One the largest Asian populations is located in and around the Greater Grand Rapids area, she said. The Lunar New Year 2020 will feature a number of traditional activities representing many of the different Asian cultures. This includes a dragon dance, lion dancers, and performances from many area residents such as hip-hop dancer Heather Truong, musician Caleb John Lawson and Friends, the children of the Lao Buddhist Temple, Lakeshore Taekwondo Academy, and the Grand Valley Asian Student Union.
At the event, there will be a variety of traditional foods such as bubble tea along with many traditional food items such as dumplings, spring rolls, rice cakes, veggie soup, and an Asian sandwich. The event is a fundraiser for the annual Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival, which will be June 12.
Also at the Lunar Festival, there will be a variety of children games, traditional Korean and Japanese ones as well as painting rat piggy banks, a ring toss, and face painting. Tokens will need to be purchased for the games and activities. For more about the Lunar New Year celebration, check out the Facebook page, Lunar New Year Festival 2002.
In 1936, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev was invited by Central Children’s Theater in Moscow to write a new musical symphony to cultivate “musical tastes in children from their first years of school.”
Prokofiev got to work and completed Peter and the Wolf in just four days. The piece for narrator and orchestra debuted in May of 1936 and, in Prokofiev’s own words, was poorly attended and little noticed.
Despite its rocky start, this children’s tale has become a classic in literature and music, arguably becoming the best-known, best-loved work ever composed for symphony orchestra to perform for its youngest audiences.
Students get a chance to check out the instruments and meet the musicians at the Saturday concert. (Supplied)
Grand Rapids Symphony presents the classic tale of Peter and the Wolf at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Dan Heintzelman Fine Arts Center at Wyoming Junior High School, 2587 Boulevard Drive SW in Wyoming.
Associate Conductor John Varineauconducts the opening concert of the Grand Rapids Symphony’s PNC Lollipop series.
Local actress and singer Edye Evans Hyde narrates the story that introduce listeners to specific musical instruments that represent each character in the story. The bird is represented by the flute, the cat by the clarinet, and the duck by an oboe. Peter is portrayed by the string instruments, his grandfather by the bassoon, and the wolf by a trio of French horns.
Peter and the Wolf has been narrated and performed by a number of famous faces and voices over the years. Just a few include actors such as Sharon Stone, Ben Kingsley, and Boris Karloff; musicians David Bowie, Stingand Alice Cooper, and political figures Eleanor Rooseveltand William F. Buckley.
Tickets
Tickets are $5 for all seats and are available at the door. Tickets also are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call 616-454-9451, ext. 4 to order by phone. (Phone orders will be charged a $3 per ticket service fee, with an $18 maximum).
