Ever wanted an ultimate Frisbee court? Hoping to have a splash pad at your park? How about more walking trails? Now is the time for Wyoming residents to speak up as the City of Wyoming asks for their input on what Gezon Park should offer.
Through Jan. 11, the City of Wyoming is seeking Wyoming residents’ input on a new master plan for Gezon Park.
The Gezon Park project is part of the library millage proposal that Wyoming voters approved in May. Voters approved a proposal that allowed the city to open up its current library millage to help with park improvements. About .16 of the .39 library millage, about $800,000 a year, is being used to help pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million.
The master plan will be the basis of the future park development plans. Residents are encouraged to take a survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GezonParkMasterPlan. The survey only takes about a couple of minutes to complete. The survey will be available until Jan. 11. After the survey information has been processed, there will be two public meetings on the park as well. The first is scheduled for Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The second will be on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St., located in the hospital.
Gezon Park, which includes 94 acres with two entrances, 5651 Gezon Ct. SW and 1940 52nd St SW, actually had a site plan developed in 1996. However much has changed since then, noted Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt, who oversees the parks.
“With the growth in the City’s southern region, from developments at Metro Health Village to expanded residential housing along Wilson Avenue, we need the facilities of Gezon Park to align, not only the community needs of today, but well into the future,” Rynbrandt said. “We really look to our community and area residents to guide this process so Gezon can be exactly what is needed for the area.”
The walking path at Gezon Park during the summer.
While Gezon Park runs from Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street, only the entrance areas have been developed. The north end of the park (the 52nd Street entrance) serves as a neighborhood park with basketball courts, a picnic shelter, playground area and walking trail.The south end of the park (the Gezon Parkway entrance) is an active sports park with baseball, softball, and football fields along with restroom facilities. The vast majority of the park remains undeveloped. The City of Wyoming Water Treatment Plant is located adjacent to the park on the City property as well.
Gezon Park is one of four parks included in the proposed park improvements. The other parks are Ferrand Park, a pocket park on Byron Center Avenue; Jackson Park, located at 1331 33rd St. SW; and Ideal Park, located at 5843 Crippen Ave. SW.
For more information about Gezon Park or the greater Wyoming Parks system or program, contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
The first Parkview attendance celebration was a red-carpet affair for students like these kindergartners (from left) Major Weese, Benjamin Ramey, Taeja Gibson, Angel Gonzalez and Marianna Brault being recognized on stage. (All photos courtesy of School News Network.)
Parkview Elementary students shined, smiles spreading from ear to ear, as they walked down the red carpet laid out for them during a celebration of their success in getting to school nearly every day, all day.
Along with the grand Hollywood-style entrance, names of 260 kindergartners through fourth-graders were announced as students walked on stage in the Dan Heintzelman Fine Arts Center, honored for being in class 95 percent or more of the time during the first marking period. They then watched a movie with their families and went home with goodie bags. Beverly Reformed and Wyoming Park United Methodist churches sponsored the event.
The celebration, the first of three planned this school year, promotes family involvement in attendance, said Teresa Dood, Kent School Services Network community coordinator She works on the school’s attendance team with Principal Katie Jobson, social worker Micah Bell, KSSN clinician Staci Wolters, and Sarah Wildman, success coach for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Attendance is a critical piece to success in school, Dood said. “Kids miss critical building blocks when they miss school and days add up so quickly.”
About 8 percent of Parkview students were chronically absent for a range of reasons during the first marking period. The team takes multiple steps to remove barriers that are keeping children from school.
Those include transportation; unstable housing and homelessness; a parent who works third shift; and illness, anxiety and mental health issues. The staff goes as far as to help with car repairs, walk students to school, and connect families with health-care professionals. They make sure classrooms are stocked with hand sanitizer, tissues and cleaning wipes.
Superintendent Tom Reeder applauds as first-grader Kiara Thomas enters the building
Aligned with County-wide Goals
The countywide goal is for students to miss no more than five days per school year, said Mark Larson, Kent ISD’s truancy and attendance coordinator. Last year, Kent County education leaders — including a group of district superintendents, representatives from Kent County Juvenile Court, the Kent County School Justice Partnership and others — created a new policy with common definitions.
According to a study in Berrien County, replicated in other areas, top reasons students are kept home include parent-diagnosed illness, which includes the sniffles or other mild symptoms; routine dentist and doctors’ appointments for which parents pull students out midday and then don’t return; and parents placing a lack of value in attendance, including having older children stay home with younger siblings.
“When you look at it through that lens, it’s important the whole family values regular and consistent attendance,” Larson said.
Kristin Jacob and son, kindergartner Josiah, walk the red carpet to applause
Keeping Track of Days Missed
At Parkview, Dood and the staff review attendance records weekly, noticing patterns of absence early.
“Attendance is often an iceberg issue and really there are a lot of underlying things the family is struggling with,” Dood said. “When we talk to families, we try to look at it in a solution-focused manner: ‘What can we do to help you?’
“There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to attendance, it really needs to be individual.”
Sometimes the solution is just to stress the importance of attendance, beginning in kindergarten, to parents who have an “it’s just kindergarten” mentality. Stressing appropriate bedtimes is also important.
At the Parkview celebration, parents posed for photos with their children. Tim Agema, father to third-grader Ellie and first-grader Landon, said attendance is a priority for them. The reason? “Of course, education,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. You gotta be there every day.”
“Once you fall behind it’s hard to keep up. Every day matters,” added Kristin Jacob, mom to kindergartner Josiah.
Second-grader Sa’riyah Brown also knows why it’s important to be in class: “If you’re not there you don’t get to be smarter.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Parents also deserve recognition for making sure their students are in school as much as possible.
Wyoming and Kentwood’s local state government representatives were busy in Lansing in 2017, often on legislative action they felt passionate about. (Michigan Municipal League)
When it comes to working on public policy in Lansing, Michigan state legislators try to vote knowledgeably on wide range of issues. But they often have focal points for their efforts; legislative bills which they champion because they consider them uniquely important or, often, have a personal connection.
As 2017 comes to a close, WKTV asked the two state senators and two representatives who represent the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood to tell us about one of their legislative efforts that rose above the routine job of public policy and governance.
The answers ranged from combating the state’s opioid epidemic to supporting foster care parents, from protecting people by protecting their pets to a deeply held belief in the sanctity of the unborn.
Sen. Schuitmaker seeking an decline in opioid abuse
For Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker — Senate President Pro Tempore, R-26th District, which represents the city of Kentwood and Gaines Township in Kent County — a chance meeting with a constituent who lost her child to opioid abuse led her to focus on the issue and to work on several fronts to combat what some call an epidemic.
State Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-26th District)
First, Schuitmaker sponsored legislation to allow law enforcement and first responders to carry the life-saving Naloxone, a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Then, in 2015, she was appointed to Gov. Rick Snyder’s Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force, which issued several recommendations including the use of the Michigan Automated Prescription System to deter over-prescription problems such as so-called “doctor shopping” and “pill mills.”
Senate Bills 166 and 167 are expected to be signed by the governor soon.
“Every community across our state has experienced the devastating effects of prescription drug and opioid abuse,” Schuitmaker said to WKTV. “My colleagues and I have heard from parents of victims, individuals who have suffered from addiction, medical specialists, law enforcement and many others.
“Though many tragedies have happened in recent years, Senate Bills 166 and 167 are a culmination of hard work from every end of the spectrum to help put an end to this crisis. … This legislation will put an end to pill mills and other illegal operations by creating a paper trail for every Schedule 2 through Schedule 5 controlled substance. A quick, three-second search gives health care professionals a complete outline of a patient’s controlled substance prescription history; allowing them to see if something doesn’t look right.”
Rep. Brann takes love of animals to legally protected level
Anybody who knows Rep. Tommy Brann — R-77th District, including the City of Wyoming and Byron Township — knows he often explains his stands on issues with stories about people in his community if not in his restaurant. In this, his first year working in Lansing, he says one of his “pet” efforts was the introduction of House Bill 4332 and House Bill 4333, which increases the penalties of animal cruelty.
“I call HB 4332 the ‘Howie Bill’ because it changes the definition of animals to reflect them as companions in law, which is how I saw my dog Howie,” Brann said to WKTV. But the bill really has more of a backstory than just the legislator’s dog.
State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-77th District)
“While clearing tables at my restaurant and I overheard at booth #99 customers talking about the best way to get revenge on someone was to kill their dog,” Brann said. “This had a major impact on me, because of how much pets mean to me. Animal abuse should not be tolerated, and the proper, humane treatment of animals is good for society. According to multiple studies, there is a correlation between animal abuse and domestic violence.”
According to Brann, HB 4332 and 4333 make it a crime to knowingly kill, torture, or mutilate a companion animal, knowingly administer poison to a companion animal, or threaten to do any of those things, with the intent to cause mental suffering or distress to a person or exert control over a person. The bill also increases penalties for some existing animal abuse crimes, and expands some existing crimes. The legislation keeps some penalties against animal abusers the same but adds three tiers to the sentencing guidelines, and there is no minimum sentencing guidelines.
The House passed HB 4332 (92-15) and 4333 (90-17) and are currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee for review, he said.
Rep. Johnson follows his beliefs with anti-abortion effort
Rep. Steve Johnson — R-72nd District, which includes the City of Kentwood — is also in his first year in Lansing. And while he has had a busy year and been active on many issues, he was Christian conservative before he was elected and will be whenever he finally leaves state government. So his support of right-to-life issues are strong.
State Rep. Steven Johnson, left, talks with WKTV Journal: In Focus host Ken Norris during a 2017 interview. (WKTV)
“The first piece of legislation I introduced that I’m very passionate about is HB 4221, which would prohibit the state from sending money to clinics in Michigan that provide elective abortion services,” Johnson said to WKTV. “Protecting the sanctity of life is a responsibility I take very seriously. Our budget in Michigan should not be used to fund abortion clinics, whether directly through state-generated revenue or indirectly with money we receive from the federal government.”
HB 4221 is currently awaiting a vote in the House Appropriations Committee, he said.
Sen. MacGregor works to support child care efforts
As chairman of the Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, Sen. Peter MacGregor — R-28th District, which includes the City of Wyoming — has been working to reform the Child Care Fund for several years, most recently and specifically through Senate Bills 529 and 530.
State Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-28th District)
MacGregor has “worked closely with the Child Care Fund and the groups involved with taking care of this vulnerable population of children for over five years,” according to a statement from his office to WKTV. “What started out as a meeting to examine slow payments to counties and non-profit service providers from the state, eventually morphed into a two-year workgroup with the goal of changing the Child Care Fund payment system.”
Michigan’s Child Care Fund (CCF) provides financial reimbursement to counties for community-based programming and placement costs for youth with an annual budget of approximately $400 million. The workgroup included the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, county courts and other county representatives, and non-profit child placing agencies.
SB 529 and 530 amend the Social Welfare Act to improve the reimbursement process. The Child Care Fund pays for costs associated with foster care/child welfare and the juvenile justice services.
“Currently, it’s a convoluted system both in function and process where there is a 50-50 cost sharing between the state and counties,” according to the statement. “The goal of this legislation, which will transition to a state pays first system, is to make the system more efficient and to clarify the process relative to what is reimbursed.
“It’s been a delicate balance because separately each member of this group plays a different role in caring for the children and in how they use or oversee the fund. However, the communication, commitment to work on solutions and the time put into the proposed solution has really been amazing.”
SB 529 and 530 had overwhelming support in the Senate and are expected to gain a positive the state House of Representatives vote January 2018.
West Michigan Lutheran and West Michigan Aviation Academy, shown in a WKTV featured game from last year, are among the small high school teams featured in the Drive Winter Classic. (WKTV)
The WKTV sports broadcast team is in the midst of taking a holiday break, returning with basketball Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, and hockey the next day. But there is some local high school action this week and next including several local basketball tournaments highlighted by a special small-high-school basketball tournament at a big-time venue — The Drive Winter Classic at The Deltaplex Arena in Grand Rapids.
“The tournament was put together to feature the talent in small school basketball,” Eric Frohriep, President of the All-Star Officials Association, said to WKTV. “The Grand Rapids Drive have been working with me to put this on. … The officials are donating their game fees to raise travel expenses to work the National Dwarf Games in Orlando, Fl., this summer.”
The bracket for the tournament will begin at The Deltaplex on Thursday, Jan. 4 at noon with a boys game between Grand River Preparatory High School and Calhoun Christian High School. That game will be followed, at 4 and 6 p.m., by another boys game featuring West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science (WMAES) and Holt’s Martin Luther High School, and then by a girls game between WMAES and West Michigan Lutheran High School. (The Calhoun Christian girls team has a bye and will automatically advance to the tournament finals.)
The tournament will conclude Friday, Jan. 5, at The Deltaplex with the boys championship at 1:30 p.m. and the girls championship at 3:30 p.m.
All games are $5 to attend. and following the girls title game, fans can also Fans buy tickets for the Wisconsin Herd vs. Grand Rapids Drive game at 7 p.m.
The consolation game of the boys bracket will be played at West Michigan Lutheran, with the boys game at 6 p.m.
The girls team of Cedar Spring’s Creative Technologies Academy is also participating, but is not a MHSAA school so are not in the tournament portion of the Classic, Frohriep said. They are playing the Calhoun Christian girls at 2 p.m. at The Deltaplex on Jan. 4, and playing the loser of the girls opening round game at West Michigan Lutheran, also on Jan. 5.
For more information visit about The Deltaplex Arena visit deltaplex.com. For more information on the All-Star Officials Association visit their Facebook page.
Small high schools will also be the focus of the return of WKTV’s high school sports coverage in the new year.
WKTV’s sports crew will be on the road Jan. 5 with a doubleheader of boys and girls basketball, with Grand River Preparatory High School at Wyoming Potter’s House on the girls side, and Kelloggsville High School at The Potter’s House High School on the boys side. Then on Jan. 6, the crew will be at South Christian High School for a boys hockey game against Catholic Central High School.
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Wyoming @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Kelloggsville @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
East Kentwood @ Catholic Central – Baker Tourney
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights vs TBD @ Kelloggsville Holiday Tourney
Boys Basketball
TBD @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Basketball Tourney
Thursday, Dec. 28
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights vs TBD @ Kelloggsville Holiday Tourney
Boys Basketball
TBD @ Wyoming Lee – Rebel Basketball Tourney
East Kentwood @ Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
Friday, Dec. 29
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights vs FH Central @ Cornerstone University
1968 World Championship Series Detroit Tigers team member Mickey Stanley
By Mike Moll
WKTV Sports Director
WKTV will once again bring you highlights of the Stubby Overmire Benefit and Card Show with a program set to premiere on WKTV 25 Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. The program will run again Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. and Jan. 1 at 1:15 p.m.
Denny McLain, a member of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team
Stubby Overmire was born in Moline, Michigan, but went to high school at Wyoming Lee in the mid 1930s. Overmire went on to become a major league baseball player from 1943-1952 including seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 1943-1949. Overmire would have turned ninety-eight this year, but passed away at the early age of fifty-seven in 1977.
Each year for the last twelve, Wyoming Lee baseball head coach Ty Emelander, along with a host of many others, has put together the Stubby Overmire Sports Card Show and Auction, usually in November, as a fundraiser benefitting not just the baseball team and its facilities, but other athletic departments in the school as well. What is now a two-day event is called by many of the participating vendors, to be one of, if not the largest show in West Michigan.
Tom Matchick, another member of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team, with WKTV Sports Director Mike Moll
WKTV had cameraman/producer Gary Vande Velde, sound man Doug Hansen, and sports director Mike Moll attended the 12th Annual Stubby Overmire Sports Card Show and Auction, held on Nov. 18 and 19, to not only get entertaining video of the products available, but also to interview multiple vendors along with Stubby’s daughter Jane Overmire Keller, baseball coach Emelander, Lee football coach Tom DeGennaro, and a host of others. Highlighting the event were the guest appearances, autographs, and interviews with three members of the 1968 World Championship Detroit Tigers team. Also there was super utility man Tom Matchick along with all-star center fielder turned World Series shortstop Mickey Stanley, who made his second trip to the event, Denny McLain, who was baseball’s last 30-game winner having posted a 31-6 record in 1968 was there, just as he has been for every one of the twelve years. In this year’s WKTV special, you will hear humorous stories from all three players from not just the 1968 championship season but others as well.
Stubby Overmire’s daughter Jane Overmire Keller.
This year’s program was dedicated to Shirley Peuler. Shirley recently passed away unexpectedly and was the wife of 60 years to longtime WKTV volunteer Ray Peuler, who is called by many “the godfather of WKTV broadcasting.”
While at the 2017 Wyoming Gives Back holiday event and the 2017 Kentwood Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, WKTV was able to capture several holiday greetings from officials and residents. Below are just some of those sending out their holiday wishes to West Michigan. To see all of the Wyoming holiday greetings, click here. To see the Kentwood holiday greetings, click here for the ones from the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and here for the ones from the Kentwood City Commission.
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley
Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll
State Rep. Tommy Brann
Kentwood City Commissioner Betsy Artz
Wyoming Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt
Kentwood City Commissioner at Large Richard Clanton
Wyoming City Council member Rob Postema
Kentwood Second Ward City Commissioner Tom McKelevy
As the holiday season approaches, the Kent County Dispatch Authority is encouraging Kent County residents to take the time to speak with loved ones about the benefits and importance of signing up for Smart911™.
A free service provided by KCDA, Smart911 lets users create a private and secure safety profile that 911 will reference during an emergency. This information may include photos, detailed medical information, cell phone numbers, vehicle descriptions, pet information and other data that can be critical during an emergency situation, and enables faster and more effective emergency response by law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services.
“Smart911 helps responders use the minutes that count during an urgent situation for a better, faster response,” said Wyoming City Manger Curtis Holt, who serves as the chair of the Kent County Dispatch Authority. “This service is now free to all Kent County residents and has proven to save lives nationally. Taking a few minutes to get you and your family signed up now might save your lives in an emergency later.”
Connected to a mobile phone number, Smart911 allows residents to link both home and work addresses, which can then be passed on to responders in the field for a more detailed, rapid response. All information is optional, and each user has the ability to choose what is included.
Since Smart911 was introduced, emergency dispatchers have credited it with several “Smart Saves.” One incident earlier this year resulted in a successful intervention for an 18-year-old, who called 911 saying she had drunk alcohol and taken pills and was unable to move. The dispatcher was able to reach her through her Smart911 profile, reaching out to an aunt who was able to get her to the emergency room.
“I can’t say it enough: The benefits of signing up for this service are immense,” Holt said. “When you use your mobile phone to call 911, an address is not displayed to the call taker, slowing down the emergency response. In so many emergency situations, minutes and seconds matter, and the additional information in a safety profile allows help to get there faster – and arrive better prepared.”
Smart911 is currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities across the country. The service has been credited with positively impacting emergency outcomes, including prevention of several life-threatening incidents in which the discretion of conversations with 911 were critical to the outcomes. After making initial contact with 911 dispatchers via phone call, discrete details in these situations were able to be confirmed by text message via Smart911 after the call.
This service was made available to Kent County residents for the first time earlier this year, but as the holiday’s approach, KCDA is hoping residents will take the time to have conversations about Smart911 with loved ones.
“This holiday season, what better gift than giving your family additional peace of mind in case of an emergency?” Holt said. “I certainly can’t think of one.”
Kent County residents are encouraged to create their safety profile with Smart911 at www.smart911.com to ensure their information is available to 911. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete the secure online form that will be stored in the confidential Smart911 database. All information is kept private and protected and is only available to 911.
About Kent County Dispatch Authority
The Kent County Dispatch Authority was formed in 2007 to address issues that related to 911 services in the County. KCDA develops policies and procedures for administering 911, creates the annual operating and capital budget, establishes goals and objectives through a strategic plan for future technological or operational enhancements, distributes 911 surcharge funds and other initiatives to maximize efficiency of 911 services. For more information, visit www.kent911.org
About Smart911
Currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities, Smart911 allows citizens to create a free Safety Profile online for their household that includes information they want 911 and response teams to have during an emergency, such as their address, medical conditions, pets, etc. When an emergency call is made, a citizen’s Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 911 call-taker. Last year, 25 million 911 calls were assisted by Safety Profiles. All information is kept private and secure, only appearing when the associated number calls 911.
English teacher Katie Sluiter’s Wyoming Junior High classroom is a testament to the power of words, in the books eighth-graders eagerly grab from her library and in the writing she did to get those 1,000 popular works onto her shelves.
Through blogging and writing for an educational website, Sluiter connects with fellow teachers worldwide. Five years ago, feeling inspired after attending a workshop led by renowned educator Penny Kittle, she posted to her blog, Sluiter Nation, about a transformation she envisioned.
Maddy Roosa has learned to like reading because she has many books to choose from.
“I have this new dream that I want to change my classroom from making kids read books that either they don’t care about, they don’t relate to or they can’t even read because they are below grade level, into a place where kids are reading voraciously,” she wrote.
Sluiter created an Amazon Wish List of popular Young Adult books so people could donate to her classroom. She was intent on morphing her library, which contained titles like “Moby Dick” (“No kid is going to check out ‘Moby Dick'”), into a sought-after collection of titles and genres.
“Books started coming in like crazy from all over the world,” Sluiter said. “I went from 104 lame books to a few hundred higher-interest books in a matter of months.”
It opened up a new world of reading to her students — and a new world of teaching to Sluiter.
“Creating the classroom library is definitely the best thing I’ve ever done as a teacher. It definitely brings joy to my students and obviously to me,” said the 15-year Wyoming Public Schools educator.
As Sluiter’s classroom library grew by way of continued donations, a grant and Sluiter’s second job writing for The Educator’s Room, she enhanced her teaching to include strategies students respond to with enthusiasm.
They are given ample time to read books of their choice in class; they form book clubs; they listen to “Tuesdaaaay…Book Talks!,” during which Sluiter introduces popular new books with quick summaries. Her students have even gone Book Speed Dating, checking out an array of books quickly, circling yes, no or maybe, junior high-style, on paper, to decide which books are perfect matches.
Those matches are sometimes just what a student needs, she said. She’s seen students find books they can relate to because they are finally reading about their culture or shared experiences, or they learn about people different from them and developing new perspectives.
Sluiter recently brought in a brand new stack of 60 books, sorted according to genre. After class, students lined up to check them out, eager to get their hands on new fantasies, historical fiction, teen dramas and thrillers.
Eighth-grader Maddy Roosa checked out “Speak,” by Laurie Halse Anderson. “I’m a lot more interest in reading now,” Maddy said. “I usually don’t like books, but the Tuesday Book Talks make them more interesting.” “A Child Called ‘It’,” by Dave Pelzer, is her favorite read so far this year.
Sluiter’s overarching mission is to help students succeed in school and life, and to reach even reluctant readers, like Maddy.
“If we value reading we need to give our kids time to read,” Sluiter said. “All the research says that reading and becoming better readers is the key to success in high school, college, career.
“The more you read and the better reader you are is really the measure of where you are going to go.”
To help students at every level including special education, Sluiter has graphic novels and audiobooks for listening to while reading.
A Buffet of Choices
Once Sluiter saw the effect of choice reading on her classroom, she realized an even larger potential. “I started meshing the idea of choice and writing with choice in reading. What if my classroom was a big choice fest?”
Since then, students have been given freedom to choose writing topics while still meeting eighth-grade English standards.
Student Sadie Duron said she loves the freedom, while knowing “we still learn what we need to learn.”
“I really love it because not everybody likes the same topics,” Sadie said. “Everybody gets to choose what they want to read and the topic. I feel like I’ve been writing more. After I read a good book I want to write about it.”
Wyoming Junior High teachers say Sluiter’s enthusiasm and creativity have caught on.
“Katie Sluiter creates such excitement about books and reading that I’ve had a student of mine ask to go check out a book she had in her classroom library,” said eighth-grade English teacher Shantel VanderGalien. “She is a wonderful teaching partner and I love to brainstorm with her about creative ideas we can incorporate into our curriculum.”
Eighth-grade teacher Melissa Janz said Sluiter connects with students who have great difficulty reading and writing.
“She does such a great job with developing a love of reading even with our most reluctant readers,” Janz said. “She is always ready to learn and try various reading strategies in the classroom that would possibly reach the students who might not ‘get it’ the traditional way.”
A sampling of books in Katie Sluiter’s classroom
Reading Inspires Writing
Sluiter has seen stronger readers become stronger writers, and she sees the impact of sharing her own hopes, dreams and vulnerabilities in writing. When she started blogging in 2007, she soon identified as a “mom blogger.” Now a mother of three, she wrote about parenting issues and personal struggles, including pregnancy loss and postpartum depression.
Over the years, she stretched her focus to include education in writing for fellow teachers.
“I started writing quite a bit more openly about myself, and realized my process for writing was very similar to what I could be teaching my students. That’s about when I started writing along with my students and showing them a little more of my vulnerable side as a writer. It got much better writing out of them.”
She also was inspired to write about her craft and how she works to meet the needs of her students. “I really enjoyed writing about my job, what I do here, and what goes on in my classroom — the stuff that fills my heart and why I love education even though it’s hard.”
A full heart and full bookshelves: Sluiter shares both with her students every day, proving again and again that the power of words can help fill and refill both.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
What do you do when your running for a seat on the Kentwood City Commission and then your opponent drops out? Tom McKelvey, who in November won the 2nd Ward position, tells WKTV Journal: In Focus host Ken Norris what he did — still get out and meet people, and try to get up to speed on city matters as quickly as possible.
Also on the latest episode of In Focus, Madeline Schaab, a project specialist for local non-profit Disability Advocates of Kent County, discusses what her group does to promote accessible and welcoming communities, and what the public can do — including just keeping snow off the sidewalk in front of your house.
The episode will debut Tuesday, Dec. 19 , at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, and again next week on the same days and times on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “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.
The WKTV sports broadcast schedule will give you three games over two nights as our coverage truck makes visits to East Kentwood and West Michigan Aviation this week.
Tuesday night the truck and crew will be heading to East Kentwood for a boys basketball game against East Grand Rapids. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday night, the crew will be at West Michigan Aviation, where both the girls and boys teams will be hosting Wyoming Lee. The crew will then take the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day off before returning in the new year.
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Monday, Dec. 18
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee
Christian @ Wyoming
Girls Cheer
East Kentwood @ Grandville
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Boys Bowling
Wellsprings Prep @ Godwin Heights
Wyoming @ Middleville T-K
Boys Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Calvin Christian
East Grand Rapids @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Game
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Grand River Prep @ West Michigan Aviation
Girls Basketball
Calvin Christian @ South Christian
East Kentwood @ East Grand Rapids
Grace Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Barry County Christian
Manistee Catholic Central 2 tri-Unity Christian
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Wyoming @ Muskegon Mona Shores
Boys Basketball
Catholic Central @ Godwin Heights
Boys Wrestling
Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park
Wyoming @ Holland
Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian
Rockford @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Dec. 21
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming @ Allendale
Friday, Dec. 22
Boys Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation – WKTV Featured Game
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
Cedar Springs @ Kelloggsville
Lansing Christian @ Potter’s House
Girls Basketball
Wyoming @ Kenowa Hills
Lansing Christian @ Potter’s House
Wyoming Lee @ West Michigan Aviation – WKTV Featured Game
Boys Hockey
East Kentwood @ Catholic Central
Saturday, Dec. 23
Boys Wrestling
Kelloggsville @ Martin
Monday, Dec. 25
CHRISTMAS DAY
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights vs Covenant Christian @ Cornerstone University
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich. District 2) often disagree on topics, sometimes through intermediaries such as occurs at the monthly local Government Matters meetings. So it is no surprise that the two local federal government leaders take very different views on the Federal Communications Commission’s vote last week to abolish so-called “net neutrality” rule.
The Federal Communications Commission voted Dec. 14, to repeal rules it had established in 2015 under President Barrack Obama’s tenure which regulated broadband businesses, including cable television providers, that connect consumers to the internet.
The agency scrapped net neutrality regulations that prohibited broadband providers from blocking websites or charging for higher-quality service or certain content. The federal government will also no longer regulate high-speed internet delivery as if it were a utility, like phone services.
Peters, in supplied material, blasted the decision; Huizenga supported the FCC action. Couriousily, however, both seem to say the final decision should rest with federally elected officials.
“Today’s FCC vote to scrap net neutrality protections is an anti-consumer decision that disadvantages small businesses and everyday internet users,” Peters said in a statement issued Dec. 14. “This action could usher in a two-tiered internet, where large corporations that can pay for a fast lane have the power to slow down or block content, and consumers and small businesses are relegated to the slow lane.”
But Huizenga, during an interview on West Michigan’s WHTC radio just prior to the FCC action, said “The Obama Administration literally went back to 1930s utility law that was set up to regulate Ma Bell, which doesn’t even exist, and then layer that onto the internet.
“That is not how we got a dynamic internet, how we got a free and open internet. So this is completely the wrong direction to go. … (with) the FCC is regulating it, it is the wrong place to be doing this. It previously had been under the Federal Trade Commission, and the Obama Administration wanted to put the government in control of the internet. That, to me, seems to be a mistake.”
Both Peters and Huizenga say they believe their opposing point-of-view is based on what is best for a “free and open internet”.
A Dec. 15 statement to WKTV from the Brian Patrick, Huizenga’s communication director, said: “It was President Bill Clinton working with a Republican congress that created a light touch regulatory structure for the internet which led to the greatest engine of innovation and commerce the world has ever seen. Congressman Huizenga believes the entire internet ecosystem, including tech companies, edge providers, and ISPs, should be held to the same standards when it comes to ensuring a free and open internet for consumers.”
Peters sees a free and open internet differently.
“We live in an increasingly interconnected world where a free and open internet has never been more important to Michigan’s economic success. Michigan families and small businesses rely on net neutrality protections to ensure they can achieve their goals — whether it’s reaching customers in new markets, accessing educational opportunities or connecting with loved ones around the globe. Net neutrality levels the playing field, and without these protections, consumers and entrepreneurs will face unnecessary hurdles to the economic opportunities the internet provides.”
However, both Peters and Huizenga also say the issue should be decided by federal action if not new legislation.
“In response to today’s decision, Senator Peters joined his colleagues in announcing a plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would reverse today’s FCC action and restore the agency’s 2015 net neutrality rules,” the statement from Peters’ office stated. “CRA resolutions allow Congress to overturn regulatory actions at federal agencies with a simple majority vote in both chambers.”
While Huizenga said, also from the WHTC interview, “I believe Congress does need to be involved in this. I have been and will continue to be so, as an advocate for making sure we have a free and open internet.”
There are now 30 names on special purple and white banners hanging in the gym at Wyoming High School, including recent additions Julyssa Barajas-Gutierrez and Adrian Ngo.
But none are football or basketball players; they are “Champions of Character”.
Barajas-Gutierrez, a sophomore, is a band member, a person known for helping other students in and out of class, and, according to one nominating student, “the nicest person I’ve ever met.”
Ngo, a senior, is member of the National Honors Society and the National ART Honors Society, is seen as a roll model by many other students, and, according to one nominating teacher, is “composed of the desire to encourage others so all might feel success.”
On Dec. 7, as they have at the end of each semester for the last three three school years, Wyoming students and teachers honored six exemplary students with the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character Award — two sophomores, two juniors and two seniors.
Wyoming High School’s recent Alpha Wolf ceremony included a special flag ceremony. 9WKTV)
The ceremony was attended by the student body, special guests from the Wyoming community, City of Wyoming city and public safety leaders, school district administration and the Wyoming Board of Education members. There was also a special flag ceremony.
A special guest at the recent ceremony was the staff of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan and its executive director, Christy Buck, who spoke about the group’s Be Nice initiative. The program works in schools and the community to provide simple, common sense, ways to prevent suicide and be proactive to other dangers resulting from mental illness.
The Alpha Wolf program was led by teachers Jonathan Bushen and John Doyle, who started the program three years ago modeled on a program at Grandville high school, where he kids attended. But many teachers and staff members were involved.
As announced to the crowd, the Alpha Wolf is a rare and special breed — a power unto him or herself. They’re at their strongest when they empower their peers. Proactive in helping others and ever striving to set a high standard for those around them, they lead by example, going the extra mile to help a schoolmate feel welcome, spreading good cheer to all and displaying good character. On a scale of 1 to 10, the Alpha Wolf is an 11 in everything they do.
In addition to Barajas-Gutierrez and Ngo, the other first semester Alpha Wolfs were sophomore Erika Hernandez, juniors Becca Hanson and Gabriela Martinez Bello, and senior Brooke Elzinga.
Hernandez is described as someone who “settles for nothing less than excellence in all things” but “when a classmate is struggling in class, this student is the first one there to help and give encouragement.” Bello, who is also Miss Belleza West Michigan 2017, was described as “a gifted speaker this wolf is; she speaks not only for what is right, but for the rights of all.” Elzinga is described “as a leader, a member of student council, a cheerleader, a friend to all. Everyone knows this student is the definition of an Alpha Wolf.”
Hanson, in a supplied essay written after winning the Alpha Wolf award, explained the uniqueness of being so honored.
“In the past, I have sometimes been noticed for my grades and for my activity in extracurriculars, but I have never been noticed for my character and was not expecting to be seen as a good person,” Hanson said. “People receive awards for what they do, that’s the premise of awards, but this award, it’s different. This award celebrates who a person is and separates the receiver from what he/she has done — so powerful because many people feel like they are their accomplishments, not themselves.”
The new library is scheduled to open Jan. 9 with an official open house as part of the Jan. 17 Kelloggsville Rocket Family Night. The event is from 5:30-7 p.m. at the high school, 4787 S. Division Ave.
The state-of-the-art library was part of a $33.9 million bond proposal passed by Kelloggsville voters in February 2015. About $29 million of the bond proposal was dedicated to the high school with major changes that included a redesigned entrance on Division Avenue along with a new gym and an indoor track facility. The goal, according to Kelloggsville Director of Curriculum Tammy Savage, was to have all these facilities open to the public.
A room with a view: the new state-of-the-art library at Kelloggsville High School.
“Our community members don’ have access to a library in walking distance,” Savage said of the decision to have the library open to the community. “It is over four miles to the Wyoming branch and over five miles to the Kentwood branch.”
Kelloggsvile officials approached KDL and brought library representatives in for a tour of the new library facility.
“At KDL, we are always looking for ways to make library services easier and more convenient for the residents of Kent County and we know that transportation can be a barrier for the folks in Kelloggsville, especially the young children who have parents who work all day,” said KDL Director of Branch Services and Operations Lindsey Dorfman. “So we are really happy to bring KDL services right to their backyard.”
KDL has 18 partnerships with various local municipalities including the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. The partnership with Kelloggsville will be similar in that Kelloggsville owns the building and will be responsible for the care and maintenance of the facility just like Wyoming and Kentwood. KDL operates the library services within the buildings such as the staffing, collections and technology. Dorfman said the unique element to the Kelloggsville/KDL partnership is that the staffing with a be a team effort between the two organizations.
There are a lots of places for students to study and collaborate.
With the focus being on equity of service, according to Dorfman, the collection at the new Kelloggsville branch will be similar to what other KDL branches offer. It will have a range of books from preschool to adult along with the Beyond Books Collection that includes iPads, Go Pro cameras and even ukuleles. Also KDL programming such as KDLville Play and KDL Lab Spaces will be available. Both students and community members also will be able to reserve materials from other KDL branches that can be delivered to the Kelloggsville branch along with access to the Michigan Electronic Library (MEL), which allows patrons to order books from all over the state and have them delivered to their neighborhood library.
Savage said the Steelcase Foundation gave the district a $250,000 grant for seed money to get the community library project started. And while the library has not officially opened, response to the remodeled high school and the library facility has been overwhelmingly positive, Savage said.
“We had an open house in early October and we had over 200 people here for the open house at the high school and people were very excited about what they saw here,” Savage said. “Again, this is a fabulous space that [has been] renovated and then to have things like this, a 6,500-square-foot media center be here and know it is going to be open to the community…our community is very impressed and very happy about this.”
The KDL collection will include materials for all ages, pre-school to adult.
The Kelloggsville Library, which has its own entrance on the north side of the high school or to the right of the high school’s main entrance, will have community hours that will include three evenings, 3-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and every other Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Additional hours will be added during the summertime.
UPDATE: The precautionary boil water advisory for affected areas near Burlingame & 44th has been lifted. Residents are free to use their water as normal.
By City of Wyoming
Due to a drop in pressure in the City of Wyoming water supply, bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system. Bacteria are generally not harmful and are common throughout our environment. Corrective measures are currently being undertaken to correct the situation.
What should I do?
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Continue using boiled or bottled water until further notice.
What happened? What is being done?
These precautionary actions are being taken due to the loss of water pressure in the water distribution system caused by a water main break on December 12, 2017. Whenever a water system loses pressure for any significant length of time, precautionary measures are recommended. When a pressure loss occurs, water from inside a building may backflow into the water supply system.
Working in the trenches to restore water pressure
The City is working to get pressure restored, and water staff will be taking other remedial actions such as flushing and collecting bacteriological samples from around the system. The samples will be collected to determine that the water quality meets the state drinking water standards. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. If all goes well, water pressure should be restored by the end of the day today. Bacteriological test results should be available by the end of the day tomorrow. When water is restored, please remove your aerators and flush your water outlets for a minimum of 5 minutes.
This boil water notice shall remain in effect until results from the sampling verify the water is safe to drink. Customers will be advised when the boil water advisory has been lifted.
For more information, please contact Jaime Fleming, Laboratory Manager with the City of Wyoming at 616.261.3572. Please communicate as necessary with other people who may drink this water
In the recent WKTV Journal newscast, we talk to officials from Kelloggsville Public School and the Kent District Library about the new collaborative project to make the Kelloggsville High School library open to everyone in the community. We also visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for a look at its 23rd annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the Word exhibition. Lastly, renowned musician and original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Mark Woods visits Kentwood Public Schools for a concert that was electrifying and had everyone dancing, especially the musicians.
In Michigan politics two almost conflicting aspects of our election system are coming into conflict as the current politically directed voting redistricting system — often called gerrymandering — is being opposed by a group seeking to place a ballot initiative before the voters in 2018 which would change the system.
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, a public affairs talk program hosted by Ken Norris, he speaks to the leader of the ballot initiative group Voters Not Politicians.
Katie Fahey, president and treasurer of Voters Not Politicians, a non-partisan ballot committee seeking to put before voters in 2018 a proposal to end gerrymandering in Michigan, talks about the state’s current system of drawing election district maps, and how and why the plan Voters Not Politicians is advocating for would change the redistricting system.
Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks with program host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
Also on the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, a new county Mental Health Court program — involving law enforcement, courts and the county’s pubic mental health and substance use disorder services provider, Network 180 — aims to change the system for the betterment of all. So also on the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks about the effort.
The episode will continue airing Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday at the same time on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “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.
One of the unique aspects of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meetings is that you sometimes get differing views on the same issue — for instance, local city and state leaders in a debate on the current difficulties for local governments dealing with inequities in state revenue sharing.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
At the Monday, Dec. 11, meeting at Kentwood City Hall, City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and City of Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt offered their assessment of state government actions when it comes to an abundance of regulations and a lack of consistency and clarity when it came to historic and current state revenue-sharing.
“There was a promise made on state revenue-sharing … (now) we can’t count on that,” Holt said at one point. “We used to have a partner in the state” government.
Among the other multi-level government discussions topics at the meeting — and available on the WKTV video — were the status of federal tax reform, the impeding Kent County action to hire a new top administrator, and economic development Wyoming’s 28th Street areas, including the old Klingman’s building.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be Jan. 8, 2018 at Wyoming City Hall.
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 Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktv.viebit.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Santa is coming to Wyoming for a special event: the annual Great Candy Cane Hunt set for Saturday, Dec. 9.
There is still time for people to register for the hunt, which is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Registration is $4 for resident hildren 3-14 years old ($6 for non-residents). Additional family members who are over the age of 14 may attend and enjoy lunch for $2.
The annual event features a candy cane hunt, lead by St. Nick himself, outside the Wyoming Public Safety Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. Activities including lunch will be moved inside to the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call 616-530-3164.
Major Jack Poll looks over the donations from last year’s Wyoming Gives Back.
Grab a toy and head to the Rogers Plaza Mall Thursday for the City of Wyoming’s 7th Annual Wyoming Gives Back.
Each year the City of Wyoming partners with local businesses to celebrate the holiday season and collect toys for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Last year, more than 400 toys were collected for donation and with the generous support of the participating businesses, the City raffled off nearly $5,000 in prizes.
Event attendees who bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation to the Salvation Army Angel Tree will receive a raffle ticket in exchange for a chance to win prize packs that contain hundreds of dollars of gifts donated by Wyoming businesses.
“We use to have just an annual Christmas lighting program by city hall and then we decided to find a place to get it move inside and we would get a bigger crowd,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “Then we combined with some of the organizations that collect toys over the last few years and it is a great event for the city.”
The annual event will take place from 6- 8 p.m. and will benefit the Salvation Army Angel Tree.
“I love it,” said Wyoming Councilmember Kent Vanderwood. “It’s just great to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with all the great residents of the city.”
“That is what Christmas should be all about,” said Salvation Army Lt. William Brutto. “It should be about family. It should be about giving. It should be about helping others. So for the whole City of Wyoming to come together and help others is a fantastic time for the holiday season.”
Wyoming Public Safety officers and firefighters will be at this year’s event.
More than 20 businesses are hosting tables this year. The Salvation Army will be providing cookies and hot chocolate to event attendees. Residents are encouraged to bring their children to meet and visit with the Wyoming Police Department, the Wyoming Fire Department and, of course, Santa Claus!
A lineup of local choirs and bands is scheduled to share the sounds of the season. The lineup includes the Salvation Army Band, Tri-Unity Christian School Cherub Choir, Godwin Heights High School Chorale, Godwin Heights School Treble Choir, San Juan Diego Choir and the Wyoming Public Schools Jazz Band.
For more information on the event, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or call 616-530-7272.
Dean Transportation is looking for 50 drivers to serve Kent County schools
Diane Kallemeyn prefers to work as a substitute bus driver for Wyoming Public Schools, but is now covering a permanent route. She arrives at 6:30 a.m. to transport hundreds of students across the district and to Kent Career Tech Center, racking up about 80 miles each day she drives. With a few breaks in between, she finishes driving after school in the afternoon.
“Right now, we are short drivers so I am on a run every day,” she said.
So are many other subs. Area schools are experiencing the nationwide shortage of bus drivers, putting transportation departments in a pinch to get students on the bus in the morning and back home after the final bell at a reasonable time. In Kent County, subs like Kallemeyn are covering routes, dispatchers are driving, and retirees are filling in to transport thousands of children every day. They’ve also consolidated runs and are constantly seeking applications for new hires.
“We’ve tried to be creative,” said Don Hebeler, Wyoming director of operations and support services, who advertises job openings with yard and marquee signs and district-wide emails. He recently had three new drivers going through the training process for four open routes.
Consolidating routes and relying on retirees are some ways districts are covering shortages
Countywide, Dean Transportation is looking to hire 50 drivers to serve Grand Rapids, Sparta, Cedar Springs and Kent City public schools as well as Kent ISD programs. The Lansing-based firm contracts with those school districts and others statewide. Statewide, Dean needs to hire 100 drivers total.
“We’ve seen this for a few years now,” said Ashleigh Wright, Dean hiring specialist. “We are working toward closing the gap by increasing advertising and increasing flexibility with training. We will train non-credentialed drivers and pay for training.”
Wyoming Public Schools bus driver Diane Kallemeyn is a substitute currently covering a regular route because of the bus driver shortage
Why a Shortage?
School officials named several factors at play. More positions in the job market are now available than a few years ago, plus there are strict requirements and fewer perks for drivers than in the past.
With the national unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, people are more easily finding full-time work without frequent split shifts.
‘We are still in need of five drivers. We could use more subs too.’ — Laura Tanis, Kentwood Public Schools transportation supervisor
New hires don’t receive traditional pensions as they did years ago, Hebeler said: “When a lot of my drivers started they got full benefits and a pension.”
In Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, one of Kent County’s smallest districts, they don’t have enough drivers cover field trips and athletic events, said Scott Bergman, supervisor of operations, transportation and custodial services. The district, which parks its fleet at the Wyoming Public Schools bus garage, often uses drivers from Wyoming, Kelloggsville and Dean Transportation to cover needs.
“There needs to be increase in compensation for both custodians and bus drivers,” Bergman said. District driver pay starts at about $14 per hour.
The biggest challenge, Wright said, is finding candidates that meet all requirements: a good driving record including no history of driving under the influence or careless driving; at least seven years experience driving commercially; a valid Michigan license; a passed background check and fingerprint clearance. Candidates must pass a federal Department of Transportation physical and drug and alcohol screening.
“The number of folks who apply and get through the process is one or two out of 10,” Wright said.
Kentwood Public Schools began the school year with 10 open bus driver positions, of 36 total positions in the district. Since then, five were filled. “We are still in need of five drivers. We could use more subs too,” said Transportation Supervisor Laura Tanis.
Don Hebeler, Wyoming Public Schools director of operations and support services, stands near the bus fleet. He and directors statewide need more drivers
Enticements for Recruits
Starting driver pay from district to district ranges from about $14 to $18 per hour. A minimum of hours is often required to qualify for insurance. Dean Transportation wages start at $16 an hour and guarantees a minimum of four hours per school day. Dean also offers full benefits, including health, dental, vision, a 401(k) plan and paid time-off to all drivers.
Caledonia Public Schools, a district covering more than 100-square-miles, has recruited drivers with the offer of a $250 referral bonus and $500 sign-on bonus. The effort led to hiring five part-time substitute drivers who cover field trips, vacation and sick days and after-school athletic events. Two more substitute drivers are still needed, said Transportation Director Brenda Witteveen.
Godfrey-Lee’s Bergman pointed out another issue may be contributing to the shortage. “It’s an awesome responsibility to be a bus driver,” he said. “You are responsible for the safety of those children from the the time you pick them up to when you take them home.”
In today’s fast-paced society, people are commuting in a rush. “We’ve had two dozen people go through our red lights (on buses) since school started and they came within feet of our kids,” Bergman said. “Everyone is in such a hurry these days.”
There is no doubt that a large portion of the caseload of Kent County courts involves persons arrested with clear mental health issues, and that the system in which those persons are handled is burdensome for the courts, not constructive for the arrested, and — ultimately — often do not make the community safer.
Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks with program host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
But a new county Mental Health Court program — involving law enforcement, courts and the county’s pubic mental health and substance use disorder services provider, Network 180, aims to change the system for the betterment of all.
On the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, Network 180’s director of network services Ross Buitendorp talks with program host Ken Norris about a program that substitutes a problem-solving model for traditional criminal court processing.
Also on this episode, Katie Fahey, president and treasurer of Voters Not Politicians, a non-partisan ballot committee seeking to put before voters in 2018 a proposal to end gerrymandering in Michigan, talks about the state’s current system of drawing election district maps and how and why the plan Voters Not Politicians are advocating for would change the redistricting system.
The episode will debut Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, and again next week on the same days and times on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “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.
With Christmas and Christmas break this month, the December schedules are a bit thinner than a normal winter month, but boys basketball tips off the first week of the month and there are several holiday tournaments going on between Christmas and New Year’s, so get out to watch in person your local high school teams.
If you can’t make it in person, or even if you do, then join us on WKTV as we have an assortment of contests coming to the airwaves. The tentative December schedule is:
Tuesday, Dec. 12 – Girls Basketball Potter’s House at Kelloggsville
Friday, Dec. 15 – Girls and Boys Basketball Caledonia at South Christian
Tuesday, Dec. 19 – Boys Basketball East Grand Rapids at East Kentwood
Friday, Dec. 22 – Girls and Boys Basketball Wyoming Lee at West Michigan Aviation
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Monday, Dec. 4
Girls Basketball
Orchard View @ Godwin Heights
Boys/Girls Bowling
East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming
Tuesday, Dec. 5
Boys Basketball
West Ottawa @ Godwin Heights
Allendale @ South Christian
Kelloggsville @ Delton-Kellogg
East Kentwood @ FH Northern
Zion Christian @ Galesburg-Augusta
WMAES @ Grand River Prep
Girls Basketball
South Christian @ East Kentwood
Union @ Kelloggsville
Zion Christian @ Galesburg-Augusta
West Michigan Lutheran @ Potter’s House
Muskegon Catholic Central @ Grand River Prep
Montague @ Tri-Unity Christian
Wednesday, Dec. 6
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Unity Christian
Wyoming Lee @ Unity Christian
Wyoming @ Unity Christian
Kelloggsville @ Holland
East Kentwood @ Hudsonville
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming @ Byron Center
Thursday, Dec. 7
Boys/Girls Bowling
Caledonia @ Godwin Heights
Boys Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ Zion Christian
Grand River Prep @ Saranac
Boys Swimming
FH Central @ East Kentwood
Girls Basketball
Wyoming Lee @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Aviation @ West Michigan Lutheran
Friday, Dec. 8
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Union
Wyoming @ Jenison
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Kelloggsville @ West Michigan Aviation
East Kentwood @ FH Central
Barry County Christian @ Potter’s House
Boys Basketball
Hudsonville @ Godwin Heights
Jenison @ Wyoming
Holland Christian @ South Christian
Kelloggsville @ West Catholic
East Kentwood @ FH Central
Potter’s House @ Pewamo-Westphalia
Big Rapids Crossroads @ West Michigan Aviation
Algoma Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian
Boys Hockey
South Christian @ Lowell
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ East Kentwood
Saturday, Dec. 9
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Kent City
Wyoming Lee @ Greenville
Wyoming @ Calvin Christian
Buchanan @ Kelloggsville – Dave Flemming Tournament
The Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce and the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, will host the 11th Annual Santa Parade on Saturday, Dec. 2 along S. Division Ave.
The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. with more than 60 participants, including five school bands. Participants will travel down South Division from 33rd Street to Murray Avenue. The grand marshall this year is Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief James Carmody, who was recently named top chief by the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.
In the parade will be police vehicles and fire trucks from both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. There also will be floats and vehicles from several of the parade sponsors such as The Rapids, Comcast, Costco, Hobart Sales & Service, Steelcase, Conumsers Energy, Diversified Protection, JX Peterbilt, Marge’s Donut Den, Supermercado Mexico, Two Men and A Truck, Liberty Tax Service, Godwin Plumbing, Celebration Cinema, and Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille.
“I’m fortunate enough to ride in the vehicle that pulls Santa” said Bob O’Callaghan, president and CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “They don’t see me of course, they see Santa, but the smiles and the pictures from mom and dad and all of the things that go on with it. It’s just a great community event.”
There will be free pictures with Santa at Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, 4157 S. Division after the parade. Participants are encouraged to bring their own cameras.
Kent County has a new elections director, and he comes to the post from a company which this year was hired to provide election services to the county.
Gerrid Uzarski, who served as a regional representative for ElectionSource, a company based in Grand Rapids, will take over for the recently retired Susan deSteiguer. DeSteiguer served the county for 16 years and — coincidentally — came to the position after working for an elections equipment vendor.
“Through three county clerks and 16 years, Sue deSteiguer has led the county, and local clerks, through many elections and numerous transitions,” Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds, said in supplied material. “She leaves very big shoes to fill.”
Posthumus announced Wednesday, Nov. 28 that Uzarski will “fill” those shoes.
Technically, ElectionSource is not a contractor for the county, but is a co-contractor for the company which is providing the county with new election hardware and software — equipment and systems which made its county debut on Nov. 7.
“ElectionSource is Dominion Voting Systems contracted local service provider for their equipment,” Robert J. Macomber, chief deputy county clerk, said to WKTV. “That is a contract executed between those two companies, and not with, or by, the county.”
Selection came after standard hiring process
Macomber said Uzarski was hired through the standard countywide hiring process.
“In September the position was posted via accessKent and publicized throughout Michigan and national, resulting in 40 applicants,” he said. “There was/is no concern with Gerrid joining the county’s team having worked for a vendor. In fact, there is precedent for the hire as prior to becoming Kent’s elections director, Sue deSteiguer worked for an elections equipment vendor.”
And Lyons had even more praise for the hiring.
“After an extensive search and interviews with several very well-qualified individuals, Gerrid’s expert knowledge of our new voting equipment, reputation for top-notch customer service to county and local clerks, and professional approach was of great value to me in making this decision.” Lyons said in supplied material. “My focus is on ensuring and improving upon elections that are secure, efficient, and transparent, and Gerrid brings the right combination of knowledge, experience, and can-do attitude to accomplish this job.”
Gerrid Uzarski, new Kent County elections director
A native of Kent County, Uzarski graduated from Lowell High School and Western Michigan University, according to supplied material. In his role at ElectionSource, Uzarski was charged with implementing stringent accuracy and reliability testing of the company’s serviced voting systems; developing and implementing election day training programs for poll workers; and maintaining communication between vendors and local election administrators.
“I couldn’t be more excited to continue my work in elections with Kent County, and I look forward to serving the voters by maintaining elections to a standard of integrity set by the professionals before me,” Uzarski said in supplied material. “I will work to further the goals of clerk Lyons by ensuring timeliness, transparency, and accuracy in our elections.”
Macomber said he and Lyons are already seeing positive reaction from local election officials to the hiring of Uzarski.
“Since yesterday’s announcement several local clerks have reached out to clerk Lyons to express support for the decision, excited that Gerrid’s expert knowledge of our new equipment will continue to be of great benefit for the local clerks and the county,” he said.
10-years county contract with state grant paying initially
Uzarski will also be a key player in the continuing relationship between the county and Dominion Voting Systems/ElectionSource.
According to Macomber, in this initial phase of implementation, most of the county’s interactions are with the Dominion team directly, whereas the interaction with ElectionSource will be on election days and over the life of the equipment, when scheduled maintenance and updates need to occur.
The county’s financial contract with Dominion Voting Systems/ElectionSource runs ten years, Macomber explained to WKTV, with years 1–5 (the purchase and initial implementation of the equipment) paid for by state grant through a contact between the State of Michigan and Dominion. The county is then responsible for maintenance of the equipment in years 6–10, in the amount of about $30,000 per year to Dominion.
In order to implement the new equipment, there was also an upfront cost to the county of approximately $130,000, Macomber said. Of that, roughly $110,000 will be paid to Dominion for the computer hardware housed at the county that programs the ballots and receives the results from the precincts on election night. About $20,000 will be paid to ElectionSource for development of the online results reporting feature.
Just in case you think Kent County’s budget planning process is not big news, consider that its approved 2018 budget of $417 million will be second highest in the area, behind only the City of Grand Rapids’ $528 million budget, and that the county funds the sheriff’s office and courts, social services, the county’s elections, and veterans services.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners voted this week to approve a plan for how the county government will spend more than $356 million in 2018 — with public safety programs gaining the lion’s share at nearly $87 million, followed closely by social services programs at just over $81 million.
The county total budget includes $61 million in “transfers out” funding, which is designated funds for programs such as the Friend of the Court program. And the county’s main discretionary fund for operating and capital expenditures, its general fund, will be about $172 million.
In comparison to the 2018 plan, the county’s actual 2016 total expenditures were about $339 million and its adopted (but not yet completed and actual) expenditures for 2017 were $371 million.
The 2018 General Appropriation Act is on the agenda for approval by the Board of Commissioners at its meeting scheduled for the Nov. 30 — and after a lengthy budgeting process and public hearings, it is expected to be approved.
Commissioner Harold Voorhees
“It was in some ways a bit easier than many of the budgets (from) previous years in that, especially from 2007, we went through years of declining revenue — property values (and the county’s tax base) were on the decline, thus our property tax revenues declined,” Commissioner Harold Voorhees said to WKTV. “This year that is not so. (But) did that make budget discussions easier? No.”
Voorhees represents county District 8, which is all within the City of Wyoming. This was his 14th year serving on the county’s Finance and Physical Resources Committee.
The other commissioners representing Wyoming and Kentwood include Harold Mast (District 12/Wyoming and Kentwood), Betsy Melton (District 13/Kentwood), Matt Kallman (District 9, mostly the Byron Township but also a small portion of the City of Wyoming) and Stan Ponstein (District 7, the City of Grandville but also a small portion of the City of Wyoming).
Tax millage rate down slightly this year; more coming?
While not successful in this year’s budgeting process, Voorhees also said he plans to continue his outspoken efforts to institute a reduction in next year’s county income from property taxes.
“I was out front in my support of the dedicated millage for the John Ball Zoo and the Grand Rapids Public Museum,” he said. “This new revenue, and along with other savings and increases in revenues, caused me to seek a property tax reduction on Kent County families and all property owners. (But) I had to realize I had started my request for lowering taxes too late in the process for this budget year.”
The county tax millage rate, as proposed for the 2018 budget, is 6.0518 mills, which, according to the county, “is 0.0078 mills less than the millage rate levied for the 2017 budget due to the Headlee roll-back. As a result, Kent County’s total millage rate would be the 14th lowest in Michigan and the third lowest of the 13 counties in the West Michigan Region.”
Sheriff Department leads in increased expenditures
To break down the county’s general fund expenditures of about $172 million, which represents a 3.3 percent increase from the 2017 budget year, according to the county’s budget report. The budget includes operating expenditures of $134.0 million, including capital expenditures of $2.2 million, and $38.3 million to support the operations of other funded programs.
The Sheriff Department’s general fund budget will increase 5.2 percent, from $59.9 million in 2017 to $63.0 million in 2018. The personnel cost in the Sheriff’s budget is up $2.4 million, or 5.3 percent over the current year. This is attributed to general personnel increases and the addition of five correction positions, according to the county.
Some of the other highlights of the 2018 budget, according to the county, are: a Health Department appropriation of $29.2 million which represents a 3.6 percent increase over the 2017 budget; a total Child Care programs budget of $27.7 million that represents a 9.5 percent decrease; and a Circuit Court budget of $17.8 million that represents a 2.2 percent increase.
Carlos Ochoa is aware of just how much a problem it is when leaves and yard waste are pushed into the street. A City of Wyoming Public Works employee, it is his job to clean the streets in the fall with the extra leaves creating extra trips to Wyoming’s yard waste drop off site.
“We pick up a lot of leaves especially this time of the year,” Ochoa said. “Starting right now, I go about one mile and then I have to unload and that is a five-yard truck that I have there.
“It is a safety issue, because during winter hours if we don’t get all the leaves picked up, the water will create puddles and then [that] will create ice, then [that] creates accidents. It’s a big problem.”
Public Works Assistant Director Aaron Vis said the leaves and grass clippings in the street have been a problem with city officials visiting about 60 properties every year. Because of safety concerns such as flooding caused when the leaves block the basins along with aesthetic issues — “no one wants to drive down a street with grass or leaves on it” according to Vis — last spring the Wyoming City Council put enforcement strength into its existing leaf policy to discourage leaves being placed in the streets.
“If we notice that you have placed grass or leaves in the street, we provide you with a notice and you have three business days to get it taken care of,” Vis said. “If it is not taken care of, the city has a contractor that we work with who will stop by, take care of it by removing it from the street and then you, the property owner, will be charge cost plus 100 percent. If the property owner fails to pay it, then that charge gets placed against the property on the tax rolls.”
The City of Wyoming has a yard waste disposal site for its residents.
The City of Wyoming offers a number of options for yard waste and leaf disposal. The first being the city’s Yard Waste Drop-Off Site. Located right next to the Public Works Faclity, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW, the drop off site is open year round (except holidays) with hours being 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. December – March. To use the site, you need only bring ID or proof of residency.
“Over the last three years, we have averaged about 65,000 people who have used this site,” Vis said. “In an average year, we dispose of about 14,000 yards of wood chips, tree branches, and about 4,000-5,000 tons of leaves and grass clippings are collected.”
Another option to residents are the leaf containers.
Another disposal option is the leaf containers which are available as rentals to residents for $10 a weeknight and $20 for the weekend.
“The third option is on the first Saturday in December, the city has a contractor that comes through and picks up leaves from [residents’ properties] provided they are properly placed in a paper bag,” Vis said. This year’s curbside pickup is set for Dec. 2. All brush must be tied in bundles no longer than four feet and all yard waste must be placed on the curb by 6 a.m.
For more information about leaf disposal in the City of Wyoming, visit the city’s website and then go to the Public Works portion of that website. On the left side, there is a section called “All About Leaves.”
The Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce is busy this time of year, including advocating for business development in the area — Do you know what is happening at Wyoming’s 28 West Place? — as well as planning for its annual Santa Parade and its monthly Government Matters co-production with WKTV.
So it is only fit that chamber president Bob O’Callaghan, a regular guest to WKTV Journal: In Focus, sat down with host Ken Norris recently to discuss recent and upcoming chamber activities.
Also on the episode, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County executive director Bri McKee talks about her program’s religious foundations, its worldwide scope, but also its local neighborhood results.
The episode will continue Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “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.
Southeast Kelloggsville teacher Lynnea Roon lifted up a vial containing water that had turned a bright blue, taken from a portion of Buck Creek that flows through the schoolyard.
Jimmy Nguyen examines a feather through a microscope. (All photos courtesy of School News Network.)
“That’s a lot of phosphate!” a fifth-grader observed.
Next she showed a vial of water tested for nitrates that had turned a light shade of pink. “It’s not crazy bright red, so that’s good,” Roon said.
On a recent sunny fall day, fifth-grade students trudged along the squishy creek bottom to collect water samples for analysis in Roon’s new Science Lab class. Roon received a $1,000 grant from the Michigan Water Environment Association and American Water Works Association Michigan Section for water-related activities. She purchased 13 pairs of rubber boots, 13 nets, microscopes and water testing kits.
“When we test water we are testing the health of the something called the watershed,” Roon told her students. “We want to make sure the watershed is healthy. We want to make sure water entering the watershed is healthy.”
She introduced them to sources of water contamination like pesticides and fertilizers, water runoff from city streets and lots, factories, landfills and hazardous waste dumps.
Roon said the creek study ties in with a fifth-grade standard of learning about environmental impacts, and teaches students about being good stewards of the planet.
With net in hand, Karissa Cummings walks through the creek
After collecting samples from the creek, students looked at them, and other items like leaves, feathers and creek creatures, through microscopes and tested the water for dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and pH level.
“What I like is I got to see if we could find anything weird in the creek that is affecting it,” said fifth-grader Oscar Ramirez. “It’s like we’re mini-scientists!”
They also learned the Buck Creek Watershed is part of the Grand River Watershed, which eventually flows to Lake Michigan. “What happens here continues down the river to Lake Michigan,” said fifth-grader Abram Merdzinski.
“I learned that if you put garbage in the water it can make all the animals sick and their species could die out,” said fifth-grader Denaly Hill.
Reviving the Science Lab
Science Lab was reintroduced to the school last year after being cut five years earlier. The focus is on bringing to students hands-on, out-of-the-classroom experiences that align with Michigan K-12 Science standards, which are based on Next Generation Science Standards. Each class of third-fifth graders takes the course for one hour a week to enhance the science curriculum. They have also completed flower dissection, made marble roller coasters and will soon tend a greenhouse with tomatoes, cilantro and other vegetables.
“We are trying to make science come alive,” Roon said. “There are so many students who don’t know jobs exist (in the science field) and that they can get out there and experience these things.
“They definitely get excited,” she added. “You can see it through and through with their smiles.”
A favorite phrase of Roon’s is, “When you do, you remember.”
“I try to give them experiences they take with them and remember,” she said.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Everyone has his/her favorite candy, but have you ever heard of how good the scrumdidlyiscious candy bar is? You will if you come to the upcoming production of “Willy Wonka” the Musical at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2.
The musical is a fun-filled burst of kids, candy, and song, but it’s also a major milestone for the Van Singel Fine Arts Center and the Master Arts Theatre company. The two organizations came together to combine the skilled direction of Master Arts Theatre with the magnificent stage of the Van Singel. Both groups were excited about the partnership, and look forward to other possibilities.
“This one is unique and not because we don’t have community theatre, because we have several which is cool,” said Chris Knoblock who portrays Willy Wonka in the holiday offering. “This is a special conglomeration when you take two different organizations and they blend their strengths. You’ve got Master Arts Theatre bringing us the script and the direction and then you’ve got Van Singel bringing us everything they have to offer with the Dan Pfieffer stage and all of the set pieces and all of their expertise.
“It is going to be really, really cool and anyone who comes is going to enjoy it.”
When choosing their holiday production, the directors wanted something family friendly and community oriented. They wanted families from the community to be able to come to the shows with their children in tow and walk out with everyone singing the same cheerful songs.
“[When selecting the show, we wanted] something that was going to be appropriate for the season with the holidays coming up and one that was really going to strike a cord that families could enjoy and come and see together,” Master Arts Executive Director Timothy Van Bruggen.
The musical is based on the beloved children’s book by Roald Dahl, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which has had two films, a 1971 version with Gene Wilder as Wonka and the 2005 version with Johnny Depp as Wonka. (Note, Knoblock said he is channeling his inner Gene Wilder for the upcoming production.) The story follows a very poor boy, named Charlie, who is one of five lucky children to find a golden ticket giving him a once-in-a-lifetime chance to tour the elusive Wonka factory and receive the ultimate reward: lifetime supply of chocolate…or is it?
Nate Knoblock, who plays Phineas Trout, and brother Chris, who plays Willy Wonka.
“Willy Wonka the Musical” was also chosen because of the special way it involves kids, according to the show’s director Cathy VanLopik, adding it gives adult actors a chance to work with and mentor the next generation. In fact, Knoblock said it was his daughter, Kylee, who wanted to try out for a musical with her dad that brought Knoblock to Van Singel for the July auditions.
“My own father tried out with me for a musical when that wasn’t even his thing and we got to be in a musical together when I was a kid and I thought what fun to do it with my own daughter,” said Knoblock who actually got an extra treat with brother Nate being casted as reporter Phineas Trout.
More than 100 people tried out for parts in the production with residents from a number of areas, including Wyoming and Kentwood, being cast. Being this is a first-time venture, Van Singel Fine Arts Center Managing Director Sara Pass said they were pleasantly surprised at the turnout along with how well tickets have been selling at the box office.
“We figured we could not go wrong with anything that involves kids, candy, and song especially too because Willy Wonka is so timeless,” Pass said.
Showtimes for “Willy Wonka the Musical” is 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2 and 2 p.m Dec. 2 at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center, 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW. The Van Singel is adjacent to the Byron Center High School at the corner of 84th Street and Burlingame Avenue. Tickets are $22 for the prime seating (which is selling fast for all shows) $19 for all others, $17 for students and seniors and $8.50 for children 10 and under. For more information call 616-878-6800 noon- 5 pm. Monday-Friday or visit www.vsfac.com.
Keith Morgan, owner of All Clean Again and Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. (Supplied)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
Why shop local and shop small businesses, on Small Business Saturday and all year long? There are both sound statistics and personal stories to answer the question, according to Wyoming businessman Keith Morgan.
“As a small business owner and chamber leader I see the value of buying local from two different perspectives,” Morgan, owner of All Clean Again janitorial services and Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce board member, said to WKTV. “The business owner in me understands that buying locally helps build communities. When local communities support their local businesses, the dollars spent tend to stay in the community a lot longer. … In layman’s terms, a dollar spent local stays local.”
He pointed out multiple studies by the consulting firm Civic Economics which show the effects on dollars spent locally. One study showed each dollar spent at an independent business returns 3 times more money to the local economy than each dollar spent at a chain business — and almost 50 times more than buying from an online mega-retailer.
But he also says quality of service, and supporting one’s community, are reasons to shop locally.
“If quality and service is what you are looking for, it may be in your best interest to test the local business waters,” Morgan said. “When it comes to local business, almost all cases involve an owner who is dependent upon the success of their business to provide for their livelihood. This tends to get you a more attentive business individual, when shopping locally because you are vitally important to their business.”
Morgan points out that small businesses are also able to react to the customer more directly — when a decision is needed, the consumer wants an answer and resolution now, he said.
“When someone deals with a local business, they get the feeling of giving back to their community in a tangible way,” Morgan said. “Buyers who shop locally may likely be helping to support their neighbors put food on the table, helping send another’s children to the local community college, or helping provide yet another family the means to support the local mission that feeds the needy.”
When someone says Habitat for Humanity, people might think of President Jimmy Carter pounding nails in some far away foreign county, or of volunteers working in low-income urban areas of this country. Habitat for Humanity is that, but it is also so much more — including recent efforts to assist local veterans with their housing.
Habitat for Humanity of Kent County executive director Bri McKee visits the set of WKTV Journal: In Focus to talk with program host Ken Norris. (WKTV)
On the latest WKTV Journal: In Focus, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County executive director Bri McKee talks with program host Ken Norris about her program’s religious foundations, its worldwide scope, but also its local neighborhood results.
Also on this episode, Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce president Bob O’Callaghan, a regular guest to In Focus, talks about the recent grand opening of 28 West Place — a redevelopment on 28th Street that was the result of a focused public-private partnership — but that is just a highpoint in recent and upcoming chamber activities.
The episode will debut Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m., and will again air on Thursday, and again next week on the same days and times on WKTV channels but all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.
The entire episode of “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.
Sleigh bells are ringing, can you hear them? Well, you certainly will in the next couple off weeks as both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood host several popular holiday events.
Santa Parade
Kicking things off will be the annual Santa Parade hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. The parade is set for Saturday, Dec. 2, with step off at 10 a.m. The parade runs down S. Division Avenue starting at the 34th Street Mall Parking Lot (formerly Hope Network) to Murray Street (Chase bank).
After the parade, Santa will be available for photos at the Brann’s Sizzlin’ Steaks & Sports Grill, 4132 S. Divison Ave. to meet with families and for photos, so make sure to bring a camera, said Chamber President Bob O’Callaghan.
For the seventh year, the City of Wyoming will come together to host the annual community event Wyoming Gives Back. The event is Thursday, Dec. 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza Mall, 972 28th St. SW.
Participants are encouraged to donate a new, unwrapped toy to the Salvation Army Tree. Last year, more than 400 toys were collected. Each attendee who bring a new, unwrapped toy as a donation will receive a raffle ticket in exchange for a chance to win prizes donated by Wyoming businesses. Last year, the city raffled off nearly $5,000 in prizes.
There will be hot chocolate, music by local choirs and bands, and of course, a visit from Santa.
For more information on the event, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or call 616-530-7272.
Kentwood Tree Lighting Ceremony
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the City of Kentwood will host its annual community tree lighting ceremony Friday, Dec. 8. The evening starts with a holiday light parade at 6 p.m. along Breton Avenue followed by caroling and lighting of the tree at 6:30 p.m. lead by Mayor Stephen Kepley. From 6 – 8 p.m., the Elves Express Gift Shop will be inside the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SW. There will also be hay rides, hot chocolate, cookies, live music, caroling, and of course a visit from Santa.
The entire event has free admission. For more information, visit kentwood50.com.
Wyoming’s Great Candy Cane Hunt
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department will host the Great Candy Cane Hunt, Saturday, Dec. 9, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The event begins outdoors in the front of the Wyoming Police Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW, where Santa Claus will lead kids on a scavenger hunt for the many hidden candy canes outside. Activities will then move indoors to the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW, for lunch, games and crafts.
The event is for children 3- 14 years-old. The cost to participate is $4 resident, $6 non-resident. Additional family members who are 15 or older may attend and have lunch for $2. Pre-registation is required. To register, call 616-530-3164 or www.wyomingmi.gov/PRRegistration.
It is not that the Kent County Clerk’s office, or city clerks in both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, were expecting issues with the county’s new election equipment in the system’s debut Nov. 7 — an election dominated by local millage requests and city elections of little controversy.
But the election day did produce the as-expected small voter turnout while also revealing a few issues with the new equipment now easily remedied before elections of more state and national interest, and higher voter volume, come in 2018.
“Any time there is a transition as large as this — the first change in equipment and learned practices and procedures in over a decade — there are going to be challenges and areas to improve upon,” Robert Macomber, Chief Deputy County Clerk, said to WKTV Friday, slightly more than a week after the recent voting day, and after that day’s meeting between the county clerk’s office and local city clerks. “This ‘off-year’ election offered the county a tremendous opportunity to implement the changes when turnout was smaller, but still having elections in a large number of precincts and varying size of municipalities.”
Vote turnout was small, with only 11.2 percent of Wyoming’s 49,658 registered voters doing so, and 12.8 percent of Kentwood’s 35,178 registered voters doing so.
The voting system issues exposed on Nov. 7 were also small, according to Macomber, City of Wyoming City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg, and City of Kentwood City Clerk Dan Kasunic — most notably delays in reporting results from the precinct level to the county level, and inability of some voters to use new “adaptive” ballot marking devices.
Voting machines in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood looked similar to ones voters were used to. (Supplied)
After more than a year review and selection process, Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds Lisa Posthumus Lyons early this year selected Dominion Voting Systems, Inc. as the vendor for Kent County’s new election equipment and local firm ElectionSource for associated software. The plan for the new voting machines was to have them used by all voting bodies in Kent County starting with the November election.
Some clerks across the state planned to use their new machines at the August 2017 election, and all municipalities are required to have the new machines in place by the August 2018 election.
Some experiences familiar, some were new
It appears the new machines — which still feature individual manual voting cards and stand-alone tabulators not connected to the internet — worked as expected and it was pretty much the same voter experience as with the old equipment. But a new system by which precinct totals are uploaded to a new county-controlled interactive precinct map experienced some delays, and, at least in Wyoming, special needs voters experienced some issues.
“Anytime you have change, there will be some reconciliation between what you expect to happen and what actually happens,” VandenBerg said to WKTV. “The equipment is new, but the concept or function of the new equipment is essentially the same. I think our poll workers responded very well and I did not receive any complaints from voters.
Kent County’s new voting machines operated much like the ones the public is familiar with — and they are never connected to the internet. (Supplied)
“For the average voter who marks and casts a ballot in the tabulator, I doubt their experience differed from previous elections. For voters using the adaptive equipment — ballot marking device, the difference would have been more notable. I am aware of a couple of instances where the selections made by voters or poll workers did not enable the audio on the adaptive devices. Based on required testing before each election, I know the audio works and so I know this is a topic that we will spend more time on in future trainings.
VandenBerg said she has “shared some recommendations (with the county on the issue) … but also have some training strategies in mind if those recommendations cannot be incorporated.”
In Kentwood, Kasunic also saw and dealt with a few small issues.
“As with any new equipment, it is expected to have some challenges, all of which were dealt with quickly and without any interruption of the election process,” he said to WKTV. “All of these have been addressed with the state, county and vendor.”
Kasunic added that he thought “all of the reporting went better than we thought, with a couple slowdowns because we have new equipment and procedures.”
Those “slowdowns” in reporting are probably getting the most attention by the clerks.
“One area that I thought might be problematic was the transmission of results at the end of election night,” VandenBerg said. “This equipment allows each precinct to modem results directly to Kent County and only 2 of Wyoming’s 26 tabulators were unable to modem results. Neither was the result of equipment failure, but rather an oversight by the poll workers adapting to a new process. In these cases, each (local) clerk has been provided equipment to allow for the transmission of results and I did so within a few minutes of receiving the necessary information from the precinct.”
New county system for rapid reporting of results
The changes to reporting are part of a new county system of quickly getting results out the public as well as to county, state and — eventually — federal officials.
“Election night reporting is the area where we’ve made the most noticeable change to the public,” Macomber said. “In previous elections, Kent County voters would often not have access to complete results in some instances until midnight, and that data was in non-interactive form. With our new equipment, the precincts modem the results to the county and on election night we had our first results within minutes of the polls closing.”
The new reporting system allows for public access through an interactive, map-based reporting feature developed by ElectionSource and accessible via the county’s website: accesskent.com.
“For this past election we unveiled an initial version, with the fully-functional version being ready for 2018’s elections,” Macomber said. “The public response to the faster, user friendly reporting feature has been very positive.”
But, VandenBerg added, it is not just night-of reporting which should be looked at: “I do think there is room for improvement on the reporting side, especially as it relates to canvassing and archival purposes. … I have shared some recommendations on that as well.”
And, Kasunic also advocated for a reporting tweak: “The county is working with the vendor to add features to the reporting to provide percentage of turnout of voters on election night.”
The lessons learned from the Nov. 7 election, and the results of the meeting with local clerks, will likely lead to some changes at the county level.
“This election provided the county and local clerks the ability to implement and identify the ways our internal procedures and controls conform to — or are challenged by — the new system,” Macomber said. “Where there were challenges, we’ll be working with our vendors, the state elections bureau, and our local clerks to implement changes that ensure consistency, security, and transparency.”
It will have about the same number of attendees as the Super Bowl. It has its own Snapchat filer, and is perhaps rarer than the Olympics being hosted in the United States. It is tomorrow’s beatification mass for the Venerable Father Solanus Casey.
More than 400 area residents will be part of the 70,000 expected to attend the Catholic Church’s beatification mass at 4 p.m. at Detroit’s Ford Field. The event, which is free, sold out in minutes, but area residents can still see the entire mass live on Eternal World Television (EWTN) Network (click here for a channel finder) or may go to http://solanuscasey.org/beatification-live or the Father Solanus Casey Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/FatherSolanusCasey.
Bishop David J. Walkowiak
“With great joy, we join the Capuchins, the people and clergy of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and Catholics around the world in celebrating this historic moment,” said Bishop David J. Walkowiak of the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids in a released statement. Bishop Walkowiak will be participating in tomorrow’s beatification mass. “Father Solanus lived the Gospel message through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. He spent time counseling the doubtful, comforting the sorrowful, feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and caring for the poor. His life’s work embodies the mission we are all called to as disciples – a life of service to others.”
Father Casey was born in 1870 to an Irish immigrant family in Oak Grove, Wis.. He spent 20 years in Detroit as a member of the Capuchin Franciscan Order of St. Joseph. The Capuchin priest was known as the “friar at the door of the monastery, who welcomes your spiritual need but also answers to your physical needs or material difficulties,” according to Father Carlo Calloni in a Catholic News Agency article. Because of his humility and good counsel, people began to seek out Father Casey for spiritual guidance.
An emoji of Father Solanus Casey that is available through the Solanus Casey Center. Click here.
“There are a lot of people in our community who have some sort of connection to Father Casey,” said Annalise Laumeyer, Director of Communication for the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids. “Whether it was grandparents who visited him in Detroit or grandparents who have prayed to Father Casey and passed that down through generations.”
Parishioners from Kentwood’s St. Mary Magdalen and Wyoming’s St. John Vianney and Holy Name of Jesus will be among officials from the Vatican to Father Casey’s family members from Ireland who will make the trip for the beatification. In fact, the expected attendance to the beatification mass is just shy of the number who attended the 2017 Super Bowl.
The reason being is that a beatification is not common.
Before a person can be beatified, the Catholic Church has to investigate and make sure that all of the person’s writings show “purity of doctrine” and that all of the person’s actions were motivated by virtue. If the person passes through those stages, he or she is called “venerable.” To be beatified, the Church also has to prove that either you were martyred or that you caused a miracle after your death. In the case of Father Casey, it was determined a woman who prayed at his gravesite was cured of a genetic skin disease. Father Casey died in 1957 of the skin disease erysipelas.
Another emoji of Father Casey available through the Solunas Casey Center. Click here.
Beatification is a step toward sainthood in the Catholic Church. To become a saint, a miracle must be attributed to him after being beatified. While the Catholic Church has made 11 people saints for their work in what is now the United States, only one other American-born male has been beatified, the Blessed Father Stanley Rother, who was martyred in Guatemala. Rother’s beatification mass took place earlier this year.
There is also the potential for another beatification as the Diocese of Marquette has been working toward this for the Venerable Bishop Frederic Baraga. Baraga actually has a connection to Grand Rapids. According to Laumeyer and the Diocese of Marquette’s website, Bishop Baraga was in the Grand Rapids area from 1833 – 1835 before moving his mission to the Marquette area.
“As we commemorate this step along Father Solanus’ journey to sainthood, let us reflect on his life and how we can live the Gospel of mercy in our own lives,” said Bishop Walkowiak. “We pray for the intercession of Father Solanus and the blessing of his grace and wisdom.”
