Joanne Voorhees has left the Wyoming City Council, having declined to run again for the 3rd Ward seat after nearly a decade of council service and decades of serving the community her and husband Harold call home. But don’t expect her to spend all her time with her grandkids and great-grand kids.
“As the mayor closes every session, he asks the citizens to stay informed and stay involved, so I plan to stay informed and stay involved,” Voorhees said Monday, Nov. 21, as she officially stepped off the council and the city welcomed two new members prior to its regular meeting.
“But I also have three children, 19 grandchildren and I have 14 great-grandchildren,” she said. “So I am going to spend time with family, but I will always be available and will do some volunteer work, hopefully, here in the city of Wyoming.”
At the Monday meeting, the council recognized Voorhees as well as long-time member Richard Pastoor for their service to the council and the city. The city also swore in returning member-at-larg councilman Dan Burrill, who ran unopposed in the Nov. 8 election for his second four-year term, and new council members Marissa Postler, elected to the city’s 2nd Ward seat, and Robert Postema, elected to the 3rd Ward seat vacated by Voorhees.
Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt had nothing but praise for Joanne Voorhees’ service to the city.
“Rich and Joanne have been longtime fixtures in our community,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. “They are known throughout the community for their good works in the community, whether it is working in the school districts, whether it is working as a state representative.
“Rich owned a radio station in our community and has that radio voice we all know. They are people who have dedicated their lives to our community and that dedication followed through to the city council, where they were always very supportive of the city and city projects. They were always dedicated to making our city better.”
Voorhees’ service includes much more than just a city council member, however. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives and joined the Michigan Republican Party leadership committee in 2011, to name just two high-profile positions.
“At one time I served as the chair of the Kent County GOP, before that I served six years as a state legislator, my husband was on there for six years and because of term limits I had the opportunity to run,” she said. “It was a natural fit for me, to not only serve the community as a state representative but then to serve the people here, in the city council room.
“The neat part about Harold and I is that he also served as mayor of the City of Wyoming. At that time, I could be called first lady, and I loved that position. … I have had very unique and very blessed opportunities.”
As you watched her talk to people before the ceremony Monday, at a reception in her’s and Pastoor’s honor, you could there was a sense of pride from Voorhees for being able to serve the city and the 3rd Ward.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve (the Wyoming community), it was a golden opportunity for me to be able to serve in this capacity,” she said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my nine years. We, as a council, have worked together for nine years … We blended. We understood each other. We knew were we were coming from. We did not always agree, but we would disagree very agreeably.
“It has been a tremendous experience, I just can’t say enough about what a blessing it is to have served the residents of Wyoming, particularly the 3rd Ward, who I really represent. I have gone door-to-door, so many times. I know many of them personally. I know their feelings. I truly feel like I’ve been able to represent them to the city more than maybe the city to them.”
Holt may have summed up the feelings of many attending the ceremony, saying:
“The time she has given to our citizens is significant and I am sure at the expense of her own personal priorities in some cases. … You can’t help but admire that dedication and the time she has given to serve the citizens of the City of Wyoming.”
So today is the day that many Potter fans have been waiting for — the release of the newest movie in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
It’s been five years since the last Harry Potter film was released and coupled with the fact that “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part 1” is not expected to be released until 2018, excitement over “Fantastic Beasts” has been building. For proof of that, we offer up this fact: you can’t even get a ticket to the Kent District Library’s upcoming “Harry Potter Party” set for next week at Celebration! Cinema North.
“I’m excited to see everything in it and if they’ll be any cameos from the original cast members,” said Wyoming High School 10 grader Maria Martinez.
The story actually takes place about 70 years — 1926 to be exact — before Harry and crew were even born. Infact, the new movie does not feature a single character from the original Harry Potter movies, although there are a few name drops such as Albert Dumbledore and that other dark wizard and Dumbledore’s former friend Gellert Grindelwald, who at this point is terrorizing the wizarding world.
“I am so excited to see a new installation of the Harry Potter fandom come to life in an entirely new and magical way,” said Abby D’Addario, who is a youth paraprofessional at the KDL Wyoming branch and will be seeing the movie at the KDL Nov. 21 event. “I always imagined what witchcraft and wizardry looked like outside the walls of Hogwarts – we barely caught a glimpse of that in the ‘Goblet of Fire.’ In this film we get the privileged of seeing the magic underworld of America. It is hard to imagine a magical world without Harry and Voldemort, but I can forgive Ms. Rowling because Eddie Redmayne is magical enough for all of us.”
The film is directed by Potter alum David Yates who reportedly brought with him several former Potter crew members. Also J.K. Rowling did write the screenplay — her first — and adapted it from her 2001 book of the same title.
Of course, “Fantastic Beasts” is set to be a series of movies — recently announced to be five — so there are already predictions that Dumbledore will be making an appearance. Probably not too far off since Johnny Depp recently was tapped to play Grindelwald.
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander.
“I’m excited to just see Eddie Redmayne!” said Wyoming High School 10th grader Alondra Soto. Well who would not be excited to see Redmayne? He won an Oscar for Best Actor for the 2014 film “The Theory of Everything” and was nominated for the 2015 film “The Danish Girl.”
“I can’t wait to see the attitudes of the new characters and how Eddie Redmayne will be!” said Wyoming Middle School seventh grader Harlei Schovey.
Redmayne plays Newt Scamander, who has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. He intends to make a brief stopover in New York, but as we all know, nothing is ever brief when dealing with magical creatures.
Scamander meets up with No-Maj — American for Muggle — Jacob (Dan Fogler). There are lots of other new characters such as Tina Goldstein who is a former Auror and who works for the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA); Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), an Auror with a mean streak; Queenie (Alison Sudol), Tina’s sister and a mindreader: and Credence (Ezra Miller), an introverted orphan whose adopted mother is leading a group of non-magical people in a witch hunt.
“The intense CGI and the new story line,” said Wyoming High School 12th grader Matt Bulthuis. “The old with the new really gets me excited!”
From early reviews its sounds like few will be disappointed with the new film. “The Chicago Tribune” said “Eddie Redmayne and company make magic in Potter prequel” and from “The Guardian,” “The entertainment enchanter J.K. Rowling has come storming back to the world of magic in a shower of supernatural sparks — and created a glorious fantasy — romance adventure, all about the wizards of prohibition-era America and the diffident wizarding Brit who causes chaos in their midst with a bagful of exotic creatures.”
If you want to learn more about world of Harry Potter or “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” to prepare for your movie adventure, visit Rowling’s site Pottermore.com or the Harry Potter Lexicon at hp-lexicon.org.
Chad Boprie, the new director of the Wyoming Senior Center, has been at the facility for two weeks now but his history with the center actually goes back more than 10 years.
Boprie, a graduate of Grand Valley State University’s Therapeutic Recreation program who most recently worked a supervisor of therapeutic recreation services for Hope Network, did a student placement at the Wyoming Senior Center in 2006.
“So I am familiar with the programming, with the City of Wyoming,” he said Monday. “I really enjoyed my time there.”
But he is still in the early phases of his learning mode this time around, after starting Oct. 31.
“It has been good,” he said. “I have been learning the processes the program. Getting to know the members and the participants. As I go along, I will look for things we can make better, but right now I am just learning.”
Part of the City of Wyoming’s Parks and Recreation Department, Boprie will oversee recreation programming for older adults as well as facility operations center.
“The Center is an invaluable community asset that greatly impacts our residents,” Boprie said in supplied material. “I look forward to contributing to its continued success.”
The WSC is an 18,000-square-foot facility that serves more than 200 daily, and offers participants fitness, creative arts, technology, and social activities.
For more information, please contact the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit wyomingmi.gov/ParksRec/parks-recreation
The City of Wyoming will return one familiar face to the City Council after Tuesday’s election but there will be two newcomers, including Marissa Postler, who is just 23 years old and will be a student at Grand Valley State University while representing in her district on the council.
Councilman Dan Burrill, who ran unopposed and was re-elected for his second four-year term as council member-at-large, gained a final unofficial total of 18,474 votes.
New to the council will be Robert D. Postema, who defeated Rusty Richter for the 3rd Ward seat vacated by Joanne Vorhees, 5,168 votes to 3,683 votes; and Postler, who defeated incumbent Richard K. Pastoor for the 2nd Ward seat, 3,479 to 2,873.
The new council members will be sworn in at the Nov. 21 meeting.
Youth was served; will serve
Maybe the most startling result was the 2nd Ward win by Postler, who not only unseated a 15-year veteran of the council but also expects her youth to be an asset to the council and the city as much as it was an asset to her campaign.
“I definitely think my youth and energy played a part” in the win, Postler said Wednesday. “This election season, we’ve seen a lot of support from both Democrats and Republicans for the idea of an outsider candidate. Bernie Sanders really excited young liberals and Donald Trump, of course, found a lot of support among more conservative voters. While these two men (and myself) have very little in common, there is definitely that common thread of people wanting something different from what they’ve had forever.
“In the case of our (2nd Ward) residents, I think I’m probably the first 23-year-old girl who has ever knocked on their door trying to talk about politics and city issues. I had a lot of older folks tell me how glad they were to see someone from the younger generation ready to step up and take the torch.”
Postler works at Costco in addition to being a college student seeking a music education degree leading to a teaching position.
The 2nd Ward area covers the northern portion of the City of Wyoming from Chicago Drive in the north to Prairie Parkway down Burlingame Avenue over 36th Street and up along 32nd Street on the south. The ward’s western border is Wentworth and the eastern border is the city limits.
Part of Postler’s campaign had her advocating for more local engagement and local opportunities for Millennials.
“Considering we’re the second largest city in the metro Grand Rapids area, I definitely don’t think it’s crazy for us to try attracting young professionals, Postler said. “The thing is, though, we don’t have a ton of jobs they want right here in Wyoming. On the upside, we do have affordable homes and a 10-minute drive downtown. I think especially if this 28 West project works out, we could definitely become a more attractive area for people who want that city proximity but at a more affordable cost.
“One thing we need to continue being careful about is making sure the businesses who fill our many empty spaces are going to add value to the community and make us appealing. No more dollar stores, check cashing places, or vape shops, please! That is a sentiment that I’ve heard from several residents and wholeheartedly agree with myself.”
Not only is Postler not your usual city council candidate, she found out about the win in a most unusual way.
To be honest I was half asleep when I found out, so it took a moment to sink in,” she said. “I gave up and went to bed around 12:30 (in the morning … with no results yet, and somehow managed to fall asleep despite the excitement and nervousness. Then my boyfriend woke me up at 4 a.m. with the news as he was leaving for work and I saw I had 20 notifications on my phone! … I just want to thank the voters so much for their support and invite them to reach out to me with any ideas or concerns.”
(Postler’s email address is marissapostler@gmail.com.)
Back to work; working at large
Burrill, who was reelected for a second 4-year term as council member-at-large, ran unopposed and still gained nearly 18,500 votes — as well as a few ribbings — from constituents.
Joking aside, he says he is grateful not only for reelection but for the confidence in this work and work ethic shown by city voters.
“I do hope (the high number of votes he gained) says that folks recognized that I do a nice job for the city,” Burrill said. “I put the community’s best interest at heart. I put a lot of time and effort in that position, so I hope it says, ‘This guy is doing a pretty good job.’ Some of these (public service) positions can be pretty thankless sometimes, and I think that people are thankful that someone is doing it and putting forth effort on it.”
Burrill also said he takes pride representing the entire city as member-at-large, but he stressed that all the council members really represent the entire city.
“We have such a diverse community, and I think that is totally awesome,” he said. “When I think about our community, I see it from so many directions. It is such a great place to live. I do think I look at it as that I do not represent just one area, one ward, you do feel a sense of duty to the entire community.
“Of course, I know the ward commissioners do the same. Sure they represent their ward, but they also are looking for what is best for the people throughout the community. I know in those wards, they all of have a good sense of community for the entire community. Not just their area. You have to look at Wyoming as a whole. The decisions you make on the north end can affect the south end, so you have to look at the community as a whole.”
Of course, Burrill said, being well-known and accessible to the voters can have it’s, ah, moments.
“This past election, I had more people text me and say ‘Dan, I voted for you.’ Of course, some of them joke around: people that know me said ‘Hey, we had a tough choice but we voted for you anyway.’ When you get those text messages, those calls, from people it makes you feel really good. More than anything, this election made me feel really good; it gave me a lot of confidence in what I am doing.”
Postmen has ties to local community and local business
Postema — please call him “Rob,” he says, to avoid any confusion with his father and brother, both Richard — has a long history in Wyoming and, while he sees the many strengths of the city, he sees things he wants to make better.
“Wyoming has a lot going for it,” he said this week. “Good infrastructure, strong neighborhoods and great citizens. City services have generally remained stable and the city is good financial shape despite some difficult economic times. But there are opportunities for improvement in many areas.
“I’d like to see both public safety departments strengthened,” he said. “The DDA area (28th Street area) is an area we should continue to look for improvement. The DDA appears to be a great tool to compound investment in the area without any added tax burden. Wyoming’s DDA suffers a bit from unlucky timing with the economic downturn and several large business closures that have left it struggling for funding. The 28 West project, hopefully, will spur some positive momentum and as that momentum builds I think we could see some real positive change in this area of the city. I think there is opportunity along the Division corridor for positive change as well.”
Postema said his initial focus, however, will be in not only representing his ward but in “gaining a greater understanding” of the city and the working of the City Council.
“My exposure to city government from my work on the Planning Commission and BZA is an asset, as is my experience running a business,” he said. “But I recognize there will be some issues I do not yet fully understand and need to learn.”
Postema works for Richard Postema Associates PC, an architectural and engineering firm which moved to the city in 1981. It is a family business, named after his father, but both his father and his brother are “Richard” and his brother — who goes by “Rick” — is also part owner. “It can be confusing,” Postmen said.
Postema, 49, grew up in Wyoming, attended South Christian High School, graduated from Calvin College with an engineering degree. He is married, to Shelley, with two daughters, one a graduate from Hope College and in the nursing field, and the other just starting study at Calvin.
His becoming a city council member is just starting to sink in, however.
“Running for election is a humbling event,” he said. “It seems cliché to say so, but it really is an honor to have people place their faith in you to represent them in such an important role. I am so very thankful to everyone who placed their faith in me. I will do my best to honor that faith and follow the commitments I made to everyone when running for office.”
UPDATE: Person of interest in the Saturday 6:50 a.m. crash was lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) second. The person injured is in the hospital with serious injuries.
It was a busy Saturday morning for the Wyoming Department of Public Safety with a robbery and serious car crash taking place in the early morning hours.
At around 2 a.m. this morning, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the report of a robbery of a person in the area of 36th Street and Raven SW. Two suspects threatened the victim with a knife and took an undisclosed amount of cash and other personal belongings. K9 Azar and his handler began tracking the suspect while other officers established a perimeter. K9 Azar was able to flush the suspect out of several backyards and officers subsequently took the suspect into custody. He is lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility.
The remaining suspect is still at large and is described as a tall, skinny black male, approximately 20 years of age. it is believed that the suspects and the victim may be known to each other.
Anyone with information that may lead to the identification of the suspect is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
At 6:50 a.m., the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was called to Chicago Drive and Wendell Avenue SW on the report of a serious crash involving two vehicles. It appears that an east bound vehicles crossed the center line and struck a west bound vehicle head on. The west bound vehicle was driven by Polita Saavedraleon, 24, from Grand Rapids. She was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the east bound vehicle is a 28-year-old male from Kentwood.
Officials stated that the name of the east bound driver will not be released as crash investigators are attempting to learn more details of the crash and whether alcohol and speed are a factor in the crash.
Wyoming Public Safety personal continue their investigations into both the crash and the robbery. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Local government matters most. Many people don’t realize how decisions at the local level affect members of the community. Here’s your chance to get engaged!
One of the topics of discussion will be the newOvertime Lawthat goes into effectDec. 1, 2016. If you would like to comment or have figured out how much this will cost your company, please come to the Forum and share with us your input.
This meeting is an opportunity for business owners and the community to face our appointed officials and bring to light any issues or concerns they would like to address. You are welcome to be recognized by the moderator — and present your questions at the allotted time.
Bring your top issues and interact with policymakers from
City of Kentwood
City of Wyoming
County of Kent
Michigan House of Representatives
Michigan Senate
This monthly meeting will be televised by Cable Channel 25 WKTV.
Now that voters have overwhelmingly approved the surcharge increase for the 9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatch, supporters and the Kent County Sheriff Department really have their work cut out for them.
“It’s a big project with a lot of work,” said Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young.
Last night, Kent County voters approved the 70-cent increase to the current Kent County surcharge of 45 cents in a three-to-one margin with 205,112 in favor to 74,726 opposed. The 70-cent increase is on top of the existing 45-cent surcharge and is for 20 years. Starting in July 2017, a phone user will pay $1.15 surcharge to Kent County or about $13.80 per year with $8.40 per year going toward the 9-1-1 dispatch.
About half the money raised will go toward the public safety dispatch and a portion will be used to cover costs associated with countywide fire dispatch services.
In preparation of the surcharge possibly passing, LaJoye-Young said the county has been working on a contract with plans to join the Michigan Public Safety Communications System.
Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma
“This is more than a quick fix. This is an investment in our future, in the safety of our first responders, and the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to residents who call 9-1-1,” Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma said. “We can now provide communications towers and new radio equipment that will place all Kent County dispatchers and first responders on the Michigan Public Safety Communications System. This will improve our ability to communicate with most of the state’s 9-1-1 call-taking centers, including Michigan State Police, and Ottawa, Allegan, Ionia and Newaygo counties.”
The goal is to have the contract in place by the end of year, LaJoye-Young said, adding the next phase is the project management, which has a two-year window. This is where the real work begins as the county will need to change its frequency, requiring the purchase of communications towers and 800 MHz equipment. There will be some build-out for the power which will include reconstruction and construction of towers depending on whether those towers can hold the new equipment, LaJoye-Young said, adding that it is estimated the entire dispatch project should be completed in three years.
Besides the increase in the surcharge, residents probably will not feel much of an impact on police/fire services or even phone service.
“If they happen to live near a tower, they might see the outward signs of construction but that will be pretty low impact,” LaJoye-Young said. “Ideally, this will be seamless with residents experiencing no drop in service. They won’t realize a change but just the continuity of communication and improved communication for public safety that should increase our efficiency.”
Currently Kent County 9-1-1 dispatch operates on eight different radio systems, which hampers public safety efforts in some situations because emergency responders cannot communicate directly – even if they are working on the same incident. With the new technology, LaJoye-Young said officers involved in a specific situation, such as a traffic accident, or an event like Metro Cruise, will have direct communication abilities while regular calls are maintained on dedicated channels.
“I am delighted to see voters approve the dispatch,” said 12th District Kent County Commissioner Harold Mast, who represents the western portion Kentwood and the eastern portion of Wyoming. “This will definitely help in improving the way law enforcement communicates.”
“Voters in Wyoming and throughout Kent County overwhelmingly demonstrated their supported of the 911 dispatch public safety surcharge,” said Curtis Holt, director of the Kent County Dispatch Authority and Wyoming City Manager. “The increased surcharge will enhance public safety with an upgrade in technology, provide a sustainable countywide fire dispatch funding source and improve communication efficiency to make Wyoming and all of Kent County safer.”
The surcharge is a “user-based” fee directly charging devices that use 9-1-1 service. For every phone device a Kent County resident has — cell phone, air card, home internet with voice IP — the surcharge will be applied. LaJoye-Young recommends that residents look at their phone bill for the current Kent County surcharge of 45 cents to determine what their individual cost will be.
Despite a resounding win over his challenger for the State House District 77 race, Republican Tommy Brann says he prefers to continue to be known as a small businessman rather than politician.
He also does not think the GOP surge in Michigan played much into his win.
“I don’t think so. I focused on the local and I think the more local it is the less the impact of the national,” Brann said Wednesday morning. “When I go to things (public events), when I am out there, I do not want to go there as a politician. I want to go there as a local small businessman. I do not want people to change the way they look at me.”
He also said despite the big win, he knows he is working for all the people, not just the ones who voted for him. “I won with 64 percent … but to those other people, I want to please those people too,” he said.
Brann gained his first statewide office in the Tuesday election, defeating Democrat Dana Knight with 66 percent of the votes (27,946 to 14,526) for the seat representing the City of Wyoming and Byron Township and currently held by Thomas Hooker of Byron Township, who is vacating due to term limits. Hooker recently was elected as the new supervisor for Byron Township, where he lives.
Brann, a Wyoming resident, is the owner of Brann’s Steakhouse and has run the business since he was 19-years-old.
He previously said he ran for office because “I’ve always been interested in politics and admired the people who do it. I believe in free enterprise. There’s a lot of stories of entrepreneurs that I want to share not only with the government.”
He also ran on a simple platform of “keeping government simple” and avoiding debt. He reiterated that stand Wednesday.
“Working in my restaurant, I have learned that when you run a business, you keep it simple. … That is definitely the way to run government,” Brann said. “I am not there yet (in Lansing), so I don’t have specifics. … and you’ve got to have some paperwork and you have some regulations. For instance, the health department, you could call that a county regulation. I really believe in the health department; it is good for me, it is good for my customers, it is good for when I go out to eat at other restaurants. There are good regulations. But I think government and business should work the same way.”
He also stressed that government should be wary of debt.
“There is not sense of urgency” about debt, Brann said. “That debt, on the national level, is a national security problem. And I don’t want to see (debt problems) happen in our state.
“We have problems in our state. (For example) it is not the teachers’ problem, but we are $27 billion in arrears in teachers’ pension. It may be a little paranoid (looking at possible debt problems), but as a small business owner you have to be fiscally responsible. I think it is important government is run that way too. You see some cities that get in arrears, and they cut budgets and they cut services, and that leads to problems. I think Flint is a prime example of that.”
This time of year many may reflect on what they have to be thankful for and for some, this includes a desire to volunteer their time to help others. While older adults are able and welcome to volunteer anywhere, some find it more appealing to volunteer with organizations that cater specifically to older adults. The following agencies either utilize senior volunteers throughout the community or use volunteers to serve older adults specifically.
Friendly Visitor Program – This program pairs volunteers with older adults who feel extremely isolated, lonely or are homebound. Volunteers make weekly social visits with the goal of providing companionship and helping seniors remain mentally and physically active and connected to their community. The Friendly Visitor program accepts volunteers of all ages who want to make a positive impact on the life of a senior. They are partnered with an older adult for flexible one hour weekly visits and are encouraged to commit to at least one year with the program, although many build lasting relationships
To find out more, contact Spectrum Health Visiting Nurse Association Volunteer Services at 616-486-3956.
Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) – This organization pairs older adult volunteers with non-profit agencies within Kent County. Senior volunteers can work in a number of ways including transporting older adults to medical appointments, providing other older adults with companionship, serving in food pantries and tutoring early elementary grade students to increase literacy, and much more. RSVP staff can help volunteers identifying opportunities within these focus areas that best match with their interests and/or skills.
For more information, contact Senior Neighbors’ RSVP program at 616-459-9509
Senior Companion Program –The program trains and provides a stipend for low-income seniors to care for older adults who are homebound, frail or who have mental and/or physical disabilities. Volunteers may come to the home to provide companionship for the senior, a break for a family caregiver, or companionship and support at a congregate meal site where seniors eat together. These visits often help older adults overcome feelings of loneliness and isolation some older adults experience.
For more information on this program, contact Senior Neighbors at 616-459-6019.
Meal Drivers and Packers – Meals on Wheels Western Michigan is always looking for volunteers to either help package or deliver home delivered meals. Volunteers can be any age and ability who are interested in helping provide nutritious meals to homebound seniors.
For more information on this program, contact Meals on Wheels West Michigan at 616-459-3111.
Still want to volunteer, but none of the above opportunities seem like a good fit for you? Check out Heart of West Michigan United Way’s Volunteer Center for opportunities organized by topic, location and keywords. For more information, visit http://connect.hwmuw.org/
For more details on Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan or services specific to older adults, visit www.aaawm.org or call at 616-456-5664.
The City of Wyoming will hold its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 pm at the Veterans Memorial Garden, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll will host the ceremony and Col. Dennis Gillem, one of the most decorated Michigan veterans, will be the guest speaker for the event. Gillem received seven medals of valor for service during two deployments to Vietnam and retired from active duty in 1986 after serving as an Army advisor for the Michigan National Guard in Grand Rapids.
“We are honored to have the highly decorated Col. Gillem speak at our annual Veterans Day ceremony,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “The City is profoundly grateful for the commitment and sacrifices veterans have made for our country and our freedoms.”
Courtesy City of Wyoming
The Lee High School band will perform at the event along with the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard.
“The City of Wyoming is committed and proud to recognize those who have served, and continue to serve, our country in the armed forces and protect our freedoms,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Our Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies are a tribute to that service and protection.”
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be accepting donations for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans during the month of November. Items sought for donation include $25 gift cards to local fast food restaurants and retailers, candy bars, pens, batteries, stamps, grooming and hygiene items, and new or gently used clothing.
Courtesy City of Wyoming
Items can be dropped off at Public Safety, which is located at 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW, on weekdays from 8 am to 4 pm.
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Departmentis committed to creating community through people, parks and programs by providing services, facilities and activities for the citizens of Wyoming and the greater metropolitan area. For more information, please contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit the City of Wyoming’s Facebook fan page here.
As we creep ever closer to the snowy weather, the City of Wyoming has received a number of questions regarding which snow removal vehicles are authorized to use green flashing lights.
According to Michigan law, all vehicles engaged in the removal of snow are to be equipped with at least one (1) flashing, rotating or oscillating yellow or amber light. (MCL257.682c).
Last year, the Legislature enacted a change to MCL-257.698 that only allows state, county or municipal vehicles to use a green flashing, oscillating or rotating light — in combination with a yellow or amber light — while engaged in snow removal or other activities.
So, short answer: unless you’re driving a state, county or municipal vehicle, no green flashing lights for you.
Effective today, Nov. 4, Metro Health’s Heart and Vascular Holland office will have a new home.
The new office location, just around the corner from the previous site, signals the success of the practice which opened in February 2014.
The new office is located at 904 S. Washington, Suite 120 in Holland and offer the practice room for future growth of services to meet patient needs.
Dr. Rony Gorges is the lead physician at the Heart and Vascular Holland practice.
Metro Heart & Vascular Holland offers cardiovascular appointments, as well as diagnostic testing for cardiovascular disease, including peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. PAD is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries block the blood flow to arms and legs, causing numbness, leg pain, tissue damage and leading to amputation.
The hospital has developed a nationally recognized specialty in the treatment of PAD and amputation prevention, last year treating scores of patients from around Michigan, across the country and throughout the world. Led by Dr. Jihad Mustapha, Metro Heart & Vascular physicians utilize leading-edge technology to clear blockages and restore circulation in even the most challenging of cases.
Mike Faas
“We are listening to our patients on the Lakeshore,” said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “They want to receive health services near their home. Deciding where to locate services is a patient-driven decision designed to make it easy and convenient to experience care.
“Having Heart and Vascular practices outside the hospital has also been a satisfier for patients. As word spreads about the successes our physicians have had in treating cardiovascular conditions, we have seen increasing demand for our services. Whenever possible, we want patients to have choice in where they are seen.”
Metro Health & Vascular provides a coordinated approach to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, working with patients, coordinating care with their family physician and other specialists and educating family members.
Besides Holland, other satellite offices are located in Allegan, downtown Grand Rapids, Greenville and Sheridan.
Kentwood Community Church is set to host its last Community Job Fair for this year on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at its Wyoming campus, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW.
The Community Job Fair, which is from 9 a.m. to noon, has been around for three years and continues to draw employers from all trades, including healthcare, industrial, transportation, retail, sales and more. About 47 employers will be on site hiring for hundreds of locally available jobs. Many employers interview on the spot.
Employers registered to be at the fair cover a variety of fields from the building industry to the restaurant business. Some of the employers scheduled to be at the fair are Avalon Building Concepts, Avis Budget Group, Block by Block, Blu Perspective, Boardwalk Subs, Compass Point Labor Management, Dean Transportation, Diversified General Contracting Inc., Electro Chemical Finishing, Elwood Staffing, Enviro-Clean, FedEx Ground, Fettig, Genius Phone Repair/Tech Defenders, Grand Rapids Building Services, Griffin Transportation/Accurate Truck Service, Haworth, Kent Quality Foods, Life EMS Ambulance, Macy’s, Mercy Health, Manpower, Maxim Healthcare Services, Michigan Turkey Producers, MOKA, Morrison Industrial Equipment, Health Care Associates.Community Caregivers, New York Life, Notions Marketing, PineRest, Porter Hills, Snelling, Spectrum Community Services, Stratosphere Quality, Taco Bell, Tekton, Teleperformance, The Avon Shop, Thresholds, Tradesmen International, Two Men and a Truck, UFP Technologies, Unidine Corporation at Metro Health Hospital, Williamson Employment, and WSI
Job seekers are encouraged to bring several copies of their resume. Online registering is encouraged. Pre-registered participants will receive a packet upon arrival.
All job seekers who both pre-register online and attend the Nov. 9 Community Job Fair will be placed in a drawing for a $25 MasterCard/ Gift Card.
Several service and support organizations including: AARP, Disability Advocates of Kent County, GMSK Foundation (Veterans Services), Goodwill’s ACHIEVE Program and Celebrate Recovery will be on hand to assist job seekers who may need information regarding interpersonal and professional skill building, resume assistance and interview classes.
Cindy Obetts and Calvin Weeks are the drummers for two local classic rock ‘n’ roll bands – The 6 Pak and The Guiness Brothers Band, respectively – and they are also big believers in drumming up support for the area’s military veterans, especially the Grand Rapids Veterans Home.
So, after a successful first attempt putting on a benefit night of music last year with the assistance of the Wyoming Knights of Columbus, it is only keeping the beat that the two bands will be on stage again Veterans Day night for the second year of “A 6 Pak of Guinness” and continuing to support America’s heroes.
“A 6 Pak of Guinness,” a fundraiser for the Grand Rapids Veterans Home, will be held Friday, Nov. 11, from 7-11 p.m., at the Knights of Columbus #4362 hall, 5830 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The public is invited, but it is a 21 and older show. Doors open at 6 p.m. for best seating and dinner, if desired.
There is no cover, but a free will offering of support for the Veterans Home will be taken. There will also be food and libation available, as well as a 50-50 raffle and other raffles of donated items. (And they are still accepting donations of raffle items.)
“When we first talked about doing this, we thought ‘Let’s just donate the proceeds to a veterans organization,’” Obetts said this week. “But then we said ‘Hey, we have a group of veterans right here that we should be supporting.’
“We thought we’d make, like $1,000 last year, but we raised nearly $4,500,” she said. “The management of the home was very supportive, telling us we could designate the funds for whatever we wanted.”
Last year, and again this year, the proceeds will go for some “fun” activities the Veterans Home might not normally have funds to provide, such as ball games and fishing trips, Obetts said.
“Ironically, the simple pleasures in life like picnics, holiday parties, ice cream socials, are dependent on volunteer donations,” Rochelle Mudrey, also of The 6 Pak, said in supplied material. “Everyone needs to have some fun things to look forward to, and to share that joy with others. … As proud Americans and Michiganders we owe it to give back to those who stepped up and served our country on our behalf. This is our opportunity to do the right thing and say thank you for keeping us safe and free.”
Part of the reason for last year’s success, and the anticipation of another successful event, is the support of the Knights of Columbus and other community groups, according to Weeks, of The Guinness Brothers Band.
Lining up sponsors for last year’s event was the easy part, he said. Local business owners and other “movers and shakers” were anxious to get on board. Donors as diverse as the Cow Pie Music Festival, West Michigan Beer Distributing and Craig’s Cruisers “stepped up” to help make the event a success.
The musical schedule for the evening will have The 6 Pack bringing their 1960s-era music to the stage first, followed by the decade-spanning classic rock of The Guinness Brothers, with the two bands on stage for the final set of the evening. But the real star of the evening will be the people who turn out to support the cause.
“We live in a very generous community,” Mudrey said. “The Michigan Veterans Home is ours.”
For more information about the event, or to donate either items for raffle or to make a donation to the cause, call Obetts at 616-784-6389.
The Kent County Road Commission (KCRC) has some tips for making sure your mailbox is weather-ready. Shake your mailbox. Yes. It’s that simple.
KCRC is once again urging motorists to take advantage of the fall conditions and Shake Your Mailbox. Give the mailbox an aggressive shake; if the mailbox moves, it most likely needs maintenance to withstand the winter season and storm response efforts.
Over the years, a mailbox post can rot or become wobbly. By grabbing and shaking it, a resident can determine if it’s secure.
“The average speed of a snow plow is only 25 to 30 miles per hour, but a large enough amount of snow pushed off the road can damage a mailbox that is not in optimal condition,” said KCRC’s Deputy Managing Director of Operations Jerry Byrne.
Addressing necessary repairs now will help residents avoid the potential hassle of delayed mail or the need to make alternate mail delivery arrangements that a damaged mailbox can cause. The colder is gets, the greater the chance of below freezing conditions, and this makes it more difficult to install or fix a mailbox.
“Quick fixes like duct tape, bungee cords and string won’t last the season,” said Byrne. “Tighten screws and ensure that your mailbox post and receptacle are secure enough to endure large amounts of thrown snow.”
KCRC receives a number of calls from residents who believe road commission snow plows have hit their mailbox and caused damage. Byrne said that every complaint is investigated. “What we find, nine times out of ten, is that the snow coming off the truck’s blade, not the truck itself, made impact with the mailbox. We also find that, had the mailbox been in appropriate condition, it likely would have withstood the velocity at which the snow hit it.”
On Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, at approximately 12:50 a.m., a Wyoming Department of Public Safety cruiser was struck by a vehicle in the intersection of 28th Street and Buchanan Avenue SW. The crash occurred when a north bound vehicle driven by a 27-year-old male from Comstock Park failed to yield the right of way as it was turning west onto 28th Street. The cruiser was traveling east bound and had a yellow flashing light.
The 29-year-old officer was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and has since been released. The driver of the at fault vehicle was arrested at the scene for Operating While Intoxicated and has been lodged in the Kent County Correctional Facility.
Wyoming Public Safety personnel continue with their investigation into the crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616.530.7300 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.
A shooting around 3 am Saturday in the 1000 block of Chicago Drive in Wyoming has Wyoming police asking for the public’s help in finding the suspect described as a black male in his mid-20’s, 6 feet tall with a stocky build.
Wyoming police say the suspect and a 24-year-old Grand Rapids man got into a fight on a rented limousine bus, which pulled over because of the fight. Two to three shots were fired from a handgun, striking the victim in the hand. The suspect and all other passengers fled the bus.
The victim was found four blocks from the bus. Police say he tried to run from and fight officers who tried to help him. He and all witnesses provided vague details about the incident. The victim was taken to an area hospital.
If you have information, contact the Wyoming Police Department at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
There’s much more than just delicious vegetables and beautiful flowers to be gained by gardening — it can also improve your mental and physical well-being.
And although gardening season is just about over, it helps to know that there are three entities in the area that are actively involved in providing food to the community as well as patients and hospital staff.
Founded in 2014 and measuring approximately 1,380-sq.-ft. divided into 11 raised garden beds, the Community Garden is a partnership between United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM),Metro Heath Hospital and the City of Wyoming. Ten of the beds measure 4×8’ and one bed is raised up on legs, positioned near the front gate of the garden allowing mobility impaired gardeners access to fresh, healthy produce.
The Community Garden’s goal is to introduce fresh, organic produce into gardeners’ and their families’ diets. Over 150 lbs of tomatoes, radishes, lettuces, broccoli, collard greens, kale, spinach, carrots and beets are donated to UCOM’s food pantry each year, with much more produced and shared between gardeners, friends and family.
In addition to fighting hunger in the Wyoming community, UCOM helps neighbors build healthy lifestyles beginning with the food they eat. The organization operates one of the largest pantries in the city, Client Choice Food Pantry, located at 1311 Chicago Dr. SW in Wyoming.
People living in the UCOM service area are able to access the pantry once a month and receive a three-day emergency supply of healthful and delicious food. Committed to personal empowerment, UCOM has encouraged people to select their own food for over seven years.
Starting October 1st, 2016, the food pantry is open to those in need on Mondays from 9 am-12 pm, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 am-3 pm, and Thursdays from 2-8 pm. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am-5 pm.
Metro Health Garden works with its culinary team, master gardeners and community volunteers to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to be used in Metro Café’s patient and staff meals. The garden boasts an approximately 4,000-sq.-ft. area of rich, productive soil located east of the Hospital.
After being harvested, the produce is weighed and recorded. This information is used to track yields and productivity, as well as food costs saved by producing food on campus.
“Gardening helps relieve stress and improve mental health,” said Dr. Diana Dillman of Metro Health Jenison. “It is also a great way to get outside and get active. And of course the fresh fruits and vegetables are a healthy, tasty result of all that digging in the dirt.”
All-organic seeds and transplants are used to ensure that the produce is of peak flavor, nutritional value and integrity. A drip irrigation system allows efficient application of water, greatly reducing water waste.
Cooking classes, community presentations, and tours of the garden are open to the public and staff of Metro Health Hospital. Visit the Events Calendar or like us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information. If you are interested in volunteering time in the garden, please contact volunteer services.
The garden also offers educational opportunities for youth and community members. The teaching garden is located behind Metro Health Hospital, in Wyoming. To register for these classes, or any of the other free or low-cost Live Healthy programs, visit Metrohealth.net or call 616.252.7117.
The Metro Health Garden is managed by Metro Health’s Culinary Team and Master Gardeners.
With Halloween around the corner, we offer up a few haunted attractions to get you in the mood. So read on…if you dare.
Forest of Fear
Celebrating 15 years of haunting is the South Kent Jaycees’ Forest of Fear. Located in Caledonia at 8758 Paterson Ave. SE, just south of 84th Street, the outdoor attraction features a one-third mile path haunted by the undead, people you don’t want to meet in the dark and all sorts of other ghastly creatures. The attraction is open Friday and Saturday starting at dusk with the last ticket sold at 11 p.m. Tickets are $15 person with a a $5 per person Fast Pass available. For more information, visit, forstoffear.com.
Moonlight Manor
Moonlight Manor, 5420 Fieldstone Drive SW, Wyoming. Dusk until 10 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Oct. 30 and 31. $5 cash donation. Ages 10 and over
The Haunt
The Haunt is hosting its Sweet 16 and you are invited. Located at 2070 Waldorf NW, The Haunt is a 20,000-square-foot compound of fear…we mean fun…yeah, fun. Stumble through “Abandoned,” an outdoor attraction in which your only guide is the moonlight or holler your way through a half mile of heart-pounding haunted hallways. The Haunt states “chances are you’ll find your way out. But you won’t be the same.” The Haunt is open at dusk on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and will be open Oct. 31. Tickets are $21 with a speed ticket available for $31. For more information, visit the-haunt.com.
New Salem Corn Maze
It’s all sweet and innocent during the day at the New Salem Corn Maze, but the witches and zombies come out when it turns dark. Located at 4516 24th St., Dorr, the New Salem Corn Maze offers three different activities, the Witch’s Woods, the Haunted Corn Maze, and the Zombie Attrack, where the tables are turned and you get to hunt the Zombies. Haunted attractions are open Friday and Saturday from dusk until 11 p.m. and Oct. 31 from dusk until 10 p.m. Tickets are usually $20 per activity with special pricing for the more you do, such as $30 for two activities, $40 for three, and $50 for four. (Note the Witch’s Woods has two trails.) Daytime activities are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with ticket pricing being $7/per person and free/three and under. For more information, visit witchesofnewsalem.com.
Make your escape
Not a fan of creeping through dark woods to get the whatever scared out of you? Well for a different twist on thrill, how about using your wits to race against the clock to discover hidden clues and unlock challenges and secret compartments to get out of a locked room. You can head to the Great Escape Room Grand Rapids, located inside The Masonic Temple, 233 E. Fulton St. Prices vary with discounts for groups of 10 or more. Visit thegreatescaperoom.com.
Incorporating green living practices into your daily life may be easier (and more fun) than you think. Here are just a few of Metro Health’s favorite ideas:
Go Vegetarian Once a Week (Meatless Mondays)
One less meat-based meal a week helps the planet and your diet. For example: It requires 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. You will also also save some trees. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rain forest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed. Find some meatless recipes featured by our Farm Markets and learn how to make your favorite recipes more heart healthy.
Rethink Bottled Water
Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water, a great choice for the environment, your wallet and possibly your health. The EPA’s standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA’s standards for bottled water.
Make a Rain Barrel
Do your part to conserve water by taking a Rain Barrel Workshop. Rain barrels are effective in storm water usage and water quality. They can even help lower your water bill during those long, hot summer months.
Buy Local
Consider the amount of pollution created to get your food from the farm to your table. Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers’ markets, supporting your local economy and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas created when products are flown or trucked in. Click here to learn about the Metro Health Farm Markets.
Plant a Garden
Planting a garden is a great way to enjoy fresh produce at home! We are proud to supply our Metro Café with fresh produce and herbs from the Metro Health Garden. We also partner with the United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and the City of Wyoming to provide a Community Garden in a neighborhood where there is great need and limited access to healthy food. Watch for information about our gardens and tips on making your own garden come to life.
Community Clean-Up Day
Metro Health Village is home to a number of walking and biking trails and Frog Hollow Park, making it a great escape for the whole family. So every spring, we host a day to spruce up Metro Health Village, making it ready for another season of family fun. Please join us – this may be the most fun you ever had picking up trash! (High school students can also earn Community Service Hours by participating.) Check Metro Health’s Live Healthy Calendar to learn more.
At approximately 5:50 a.m. this morning, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was called to an apartment in the 1400 block of 44th Street SW on a check the welfare call. On arrival, officers located a 31-year-old female victim from Grand Rapids who was deceased inside the apartment. Investigators determine her death to be a homicide.
A male suspect who was also located inside the apartment was taken into custody as investigators believe that he is responsible for the overnight death of the victim. The identity of the victim is not being released pending notification of family.
The suspect was lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility pending formal charges from the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office. His identity is being withheld pending arraignment in court.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
The Nov. 8 presidential election is just around the corner. Voter turnout across Michigan is expected to be well above average – meaning the polling locations will be very busy places for most of the day.
City clerks from East Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Wyoming are providing the following tips to make Election Day go smoothly:
Avoid peak times: If possible, you may want to vote from 9 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 4 p.m. when the lines are usually shorter.
Be informed: The ballot is very long and has two sides, with more than 90 candidates running for 22 offices as well as ballot proposals to consider in most precincts. You can download a sample ballot at www.michigan.gov/vote by looking up your voter registration and then viewing your ballot. This will allow you to look everything over ahead of time and do any research you would like. If you print the sample ballot to record your choices and bring it to the polls to record your votes onto an official ballot, be sure to keep it in your purse or pocket until you are in the privacy of the voting booth.
“We often find the bottleneck in the precinct is that all the booths are full and people have to wait until a booth is open for us to issue their ballot,” said East Grand Rapids City Clerk Karen Brower. “Knowing ahead of time which offices are being decided and reading over the language on the proposals means less time in the voting booth and better moving lines for those waiting.”
Be prepared: Make sure you know where your polling location is so you don’t wait in line at the wrong precinct only to have to go somewhere else. If you’re not sure if you’re registered, or to find your polling location, check www.michigan.gov/vote or call your local government office.
Poll workers will ask you to show photo ID or sign an affidavit stating you don’t have an ID. If you have your ID with you, having your ID out of your wallet and ready to present can help make things go quicker.
“Knowing where your polling location is before Election Day will make it a lot easier when you go to vote,” said City of Kentwood Clerk Dan Kasunic. “The website makes it easy to find your polling location. You would hate to show up at the wrong polling location and wait in line to only be told you need to go to another location.”
Consider voting absentee: Absentee ballots are available now at your local municipality office. Ballots can be mailed until Saturday, Nov. 5. On Monday, Nov. 7, you can vote in person at your local clerk’s office until 4 p.m. Michigan law allows you to vote absentee if:
You are 60 years of age or older
You expect to be absent from the community in which you are registered for the entire time the polls are open on Election Day
You are physically unable to attend the polls without the assistance of another
You cannot attend the polls because of the tenets of your religion
You have been appointed an election precinct inspector in a precinct other than the precinct where you reside
You cannot attend the polls because you are confined to jail awaiting arrangement or trial
“I would highly recommend voting absentee to anyone who qualifies,” said City of Wyoming Clerk Kelli VandenBerg. “Absentee voters will avoid potentially long lines and will also be able to spend as much time as needed to read through, understand and vote for each question on the ballot without feeling rushed.”
You can receive your ballot early and vote prior to Election Day. All absentee ballots are kept sealed in their envelopes at your clerk’s office until Election Day when they are opened and fed through official tabulators so that your votes are counted. You can download the absentee ballot application form at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/AVApp_535884_7.pdf or stop by your local municipality.
If you have any questions about voting, registering to vote, polling locations or anything else, contact your local clerk’s office – Wyoming Clerk office is 616-530-7296 and Kentwood Clerk office is 616-554-0730 or visit www.michigan.gov/sos.
Wyoming Department of Public Safety is investigating two incidents – a shooting and a serious traffic accident – that took place over the weekend.
At around 10:43 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded to the report of shots being fired in the area of Francis and 36th Street SE. A second caller was able to give a description of the vehicle and reported seeding an occupant fire rounds toward a residence. Officers later confirmed that several rounds had been fired into an occupied residence in the 100 block of 36th Street SE.
While checking the area, an officer located a vehicle matching the suspect description. The officer attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle which had pulled into a driveway near the location of the initial shots being fired. At one point during the stop, the driver fled the scene by driving forward and through the backyard of the residence. The vehicle continued and, after crashing through a fence, was again located by an officer near 36th Street and Division. The driver refused to stop and eventually turned north on Jefferson Avenue from 36th Street. The officer observed the vehicle continuing at a high rate of speed across 32nd Street where it left the roadway, striking a tree near the 3100 block of Jefferson Avenue.
Two occupants were removed from the vehicle and the driver was extricated by Wyoming Fire personnel. All three occupants were taken to local hospitals where they were being treated for non-life threatening injuries. A loaded firearm was located in the vehicle. The incident remains under investigation.
In unrelated incident, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety responded around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, to a vehicle traffic crash on South Division Avenue and Avonlea Street SW. The crash occurred when a south bound vehicle driven by a 31-year-old male from Wyoming hit a 24-year-old male from Wyoming. The driver of the vehicle and two other witnesses stated that the pedestrian stepped off the curb directly into the path of the vehicle without looking. The 24-year-old male, identified as Carlos Moncrief, was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Wyoming Public Safety officers continue their investigations into both the crash and the shooting. Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
Metro Health has received approval from the state of Michigan to perform Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, or PCI, services in its cardiac catheterization laboratories at Metro Health Hospital.
Metro announced today that it has received approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to perform this life-saving service, restoring blood flow through heart vessels by using catheters with balloons and stents, without on-site Open Heart Surgery (OHS) services. The decision clears the way for Metro Health to expand services for its patients throughout West Michigan.
For more than a decade, Metro Health physicians have been performing the procedure on the most critical patients, those suffering a heart attack when they enter the hospital. Now, Metro Health will be able to offer this service to its patients who enter the hospital with chest pain or other conditions prompting diagnostic procedures which lead to elective, or scheduled non-emergent, PCI.
Previously, Metro Health patients requiring elective PCI had to be transferred to facilities that also offered back-up OHS services. A change in state regulations, prompted by quality data showing that PCI programs without OHS services in other states and Europe have quality indicators as high as those programs with OHS services and acceptance of the practice by the American College of Cardiology, made it possible for MDHHS to approve the Certificate of Need, or CON, request.
“Being able to offer elective PCI to our patients without transferring them to other institutions is a win for patient care and something patients have asked for,” said Paul Kovack, a cardiologist at Metro Heart and Vascular. “This decision will help us keep patients in their medical home and provides choice to patients. Additionally, it will cut down on unnecessary duplicate testing, costly ambulance transfers and delays in care, making care more timely and less costly.”
The MDHHS decision comes after a long effort to update Michigan PCI regulations to mirror those of other states and countries that have long allowed elective PCI without OHS backup.
“The CON process is valuable in holding down costs for Michigan residents, but it can be challenging to update regulations to reflect new medical research,” said Michael Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. “It is a delicate balancing act to keep up with medical advances and hold down healthcare costs. We are pleased with this patient-driven decision and know that Metro Health patients will benefit from this update and our ability to provide the services they need, when they need them.”
PCI, also known as angioplasty, is a non-surgical procedure that uses a thin flexible tube, or catheter, to access blood vessels in the heart which are narrowed or blocked by plaque buildup, or atherosclerosis, and reopen them. The procedure is performed by an interventional cardiologist who gains access to blood vessels in the heart through the femoral artery in the groin or the radial artery in the wrist. A small balloon is then inflated to push away the plaque, thus opening the blood vessel for blood flow, and a stent can be placed to keep the plaque pushed to the walls of the blood vessel, thus maintaining the blood vessel open for blood flow.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 600,000 deaths each year.
The PCI procedure lasts from 30 minutes to several hours and provides patients with a number of benefits:
On Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 12th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Kentwood Police Department at 4742 Walma Ave SE, Kentwood. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharp objects, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
For those in the Wyoming area, Metro Health Hospital also will be hosting a Take Back program Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at its lobby, 590 Byron Center Ave. SW. The hospital will be accepting mercury thermometers as well. For those who bring in a thermometer, you will receive a digital one while supplies last. For more information on the Metro Health Take Back, visit metrohealt.net.
Last April, Americans turned in 447 tons (over 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 11 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 6.4 million pounds—about 3,200 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information on the about the disposal of prescription and over-the-counter drugs or about the Kentwood Take Back Day event, contact Vicki Highland at 616-656-6571.
Recyclekent.org offers a number of resources on recycling for a variety materials such as medical equipment and supplies such as needles.
Needles: The recyclekent.org website recently added a program called Safe Sharps, where residents can sign up at the Kent County Health Department. For more information, visit recyclekent.org/material/sharps/. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) also has a list places to take needles. Click here for the list.
Medical equipment: Recyclekent.org has a list of places that either recycle or dispose of the equipment or you can donate medical equipment to them. For a complete list, click here. One place that does take medical equipment is Spring Lake’s International Aid. For more about that organization, visit internationalaid.org.
Eye glasses: The Grand Rapids Lions Club has several locations where you can drop off old eyeglasses. For a complete list, click here.
The Kentwood Parks and Recreation will host the “Bags & Bites” event Saturday, Oct. 15, at Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Rd. SE. The food truck rally, which will include a cornhole tournament, is from noon to 4 p.m.
The event will feature seven different food trucks including Gettin’ Fresh, Two Scotts Barbecue, Big Baby’s Bar-B-Que, Blue Spoon Catering, Patty Matters, Rix Stixs Pronto Pups, and Kentwood’s own River City Cup & Cake. There will be lots to choose fun and a great way to snag lunch or an early dinner.
They made the songs that everyone loves
Lee Shapiro, Jimmy Ryan, Larry Gates, Russ Velazquez and Steve Murphy are not names that are easily recognized but they are some of the people who helped to make some of the most well known songs, well, well known.
The Hit Men come to Van Singel Fine Arts, 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW, for a one night-only performance Sunday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The quintet will perform such hits as “Crocodile Rock,” “You’re So Vain,” “Lets Hang On,” Sherry” and “Who Loves You,” along with sharing stories about some of these hits including how “Oh What a Night” came about.
Tickets for the show are $45.50/adults and $25.50/students, high school and younger. For tickets, call 616-878-6800 or visit www.vsfac.com.
Also to the south of us
The Byron Center Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its “Best Community Expo” from 10 am. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Byron Center High School, 8500 Burlingame Ave. SW.
There will be a free photo booth, prizes, DIY demonstrations and a the Grand Raggidy Roller Derby Girls along with more than 100 exhibition booths. Also A Taste of Byron will be taking place with free food samples. The entire event is free.
The lure of the tango
Here’s a fun fact about the surreal, genre-bending opera “Maria de Buenos Aires”: Even though the international airport in composer Astor Piazzolla’s hometown of Mar del Plata is named in his honor, his biggest single work has hardly been heard there since its debut almost 50 years ago.
Luckily the Grand Rapids area has Opera Grand Rapids which will be presenting the “tango opera” at 7: 30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15, at the Betty Van Andel Opera Center, 1320 E. Fulton St. The story centers on the ill-omened Maria who was born “on the day God was drunk.” She is seduced by the music of the tango and heads down a path of darkness.
Tickets are $45 at the door and $40 in advance. Both shows include a pre-performance talk at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.operagr.org.
It’s Scrumdidilyumptious
Head over to Grand Haven where the Central Park Players are kicking off the first of two weekend performances of Ronald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka.”
The delicious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory will come to life on the stage of the Grand Haven Community Center, 421 Columbus Ave. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday Oct. 14 – 16 and Oct. 21 – 22. Tickets are $13/adults and $11 for children.
On a health kick
It’s not quite a weekend activity, but the Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s Fall Walking Club will certainly help to keep those weekend “pounds” from adding on.
Every Monday, the group meets at 6 p.m. at various locations to walk a trail through Nov. 7. This Monday, Oct. 17, the group will be at the East Paris Nature Trail at Endeavor School, 5757 E. Paris SE. The group meets again on Oct. 24 at the M-6 Trail at Celebration Cinema, skips Oct. 31 and meets again Nov. 7 at the East West Trail near the Kentwood Library, 4950 Breton Rd. SE.
Metro Health Hospital has announced it has come to a settlement agreement with a former employee that includes a one million dollar judgment in favor of the hospital.
In the consent judgment received and filed by the Kent County Circuit Court last month, Laura Staskiewicz agrees to the one million judgment against her and dismisses her complaint against Metro Health Hospital thus ending the countersuit filed by Metro Health against Staskiewicz.
In April of 2015 of Metro Health and President and CEO Michael Faas of illegal and unethical conduct in connection with the potential sale of Metro Health to an out-of-state for-profit company. That sale, involving, Tennessee-based company Community Health Systems, has since fallen through.
Staskiewicz eventually voluntarily dismissed all of her allegations against the organization and Faas. In a press release, hospital officials noted that Metro Health did not pay any money to Staskiewicz to give up her claims.
Metro Health countersued Straskiewicz for damages caused by her release of confidential and misleading information about the organization. Straskiewicz agreed to the one million judgment against her to settle the case, according to the press release.
“I am pleased that the truth in these matters has been revealed,” Faas said in a released statement. “We are focused on the future and growing Metro Health. Serving patients has always been and will always be our top priority.
I would like to thank our Board, leadership team and the many employees who invested a great deal of time and energy to defend Metro against these claims. Aggressively defending ourselves was not the easy thing to do, but it certainly was the right thing to do. Our reputation in the West Michigan community is critical to our mission of improving the health and well-being of our patients,” continued Faas.
The Staskiewicz judgment is the second seven-figure judgment awarded to Metro Health against former employees in the last several years. Both million dollar judgments awarded Metro Health damages incurred in defending itself from false claims.
“This is beyond a complete and total vindication, it’s also an indication of how we will defend the integrity of Metro from frivolous, vicious and unfounded attacks,” said Doyle Hayes, chairman of the Metro Health board of directors. “We cannot tolerate baseless claims that take away focus from our mission of improving the health of our community. Senseless attacks against the organization are attacks against the entire community.”
If you are planning to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 election you need to have registered to do so by today.
As voter registration comes to its final hours, both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming are reporting — a not surprising — increase in register voters.
“With a national election, we always see an increase in voter registration,” said Wyoming City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg. In an average election, the City of Wyoming usually has about 48,000 — 49,000 registered voters. This year, the city has about 51,500 registered voters in 30 precincts.
“We always see an uptick in the national election because there is a big push to get people registered,” VandenBerg said, adding that groups often canvas events like the recent ArtPrize in downtown Grand Rapids to help get people registered.
Kentwood City Clerk Dan Kasunic agreed with VandenBerg stating that the national election usually brings in a higher number of registered voters. As of Friday, Kasunic could not give specific voter numbers for the city since residents are able to register at a number of locations including the Secretary of State’s office. He said registrations from other locations will be coming in over the next several days.
Kentwood has seen an increase in voters over the past several years. Because a precinct is only allow to have 2,999 voters, Kentwood is beginning the process to split some of its precincts to form two more. However, this will not impact the Nov. 8 election with the city maintaining its current 16 precincts for this year.
As for absentee ballots, Kasunic said the city has about 3,600 and is well on its way to averaging the 4,000 — 5,000 it usually does for a national general election.
The City of Wyoming was more than 3,000 absentee ballots with VandenBerg saying the city is on track to hit the usual 5,000 it has had for a national general election as well. Absentee ballots can be mailed out up until Saturday, Nov. 5. Monday, Nov. 7, is the last day a person can vote on an absentee ballot in a municpality’s clerk’s office.
To receive an absentee ballot you must meet one of the following requirements: be 60 years or older; are physically disabled and as a result, you cannot vote on Election Day without another person’s assistance; you can not vote on Election Day because of the tenets of your religion; you can not vote on Election Day in the precinct where you reside because you are an election precinct inspector in another precinct; you are absent or expect to be absent from the township or city in which you live when polls are open; or you are confined in jail awaiting arraignment or trial.
You have until 5 p.m. today to register to vote as most offices close at that time. To register you need to be a U.S. citizen, 18-years-old by Election Day, a resident of Michigan and a resident of the city or township where you are applying to register to vote. To check and see if you are registered, visit www.Michigan.gov/vote.
Public Relations/Communications Coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan
Each year Medicare offers an Open Enrollment period for those who have a Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Open Enrollment begins Oct. 15 and lasts through Dec. 7 and is the time when Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to review their current plan and determine if it is still the best option to fit their current needs. This is the only time during the year that beneficiaries can make changes to their prescription coverage so it’s important that they review all the factors when making their decision.
In fact, the Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) which utilizes volunteers to help people make informed health care decisions, including choosing a prescription coverage plan, recommends people follow the five steps below during Open Enrollment.
Five Steps to Choosing the Best Medicare Part D Prescription Coverage:
Review your current plan. Experts recommend that everyone reviews their current plan, even if you are happy with the coverage you have received. Plan information can change each year resulting in changes to medications that are covered, premium prices and even the co-pay amounts. Just because your current plan has met your needs, doesn’t mean it will continue to for the next year. Make note of any changes you see in your current plan and if they don’t work for you be sure to look at the other options available. If you are still happy with your current plan after you’ve reviewed any updates, simply do nothing and you will remain enrolled in the same plan.
Consider ALL your medications. It’s not uncommon to be prescribed a medication that you weren’t taking at this same time last year. Be sure to have a current list of all the medications you are taking and check each one against the plan you are considering to see if it’s covered and what the cost will be. Don’t assume that just because it is a low cost medication or well known drug that it will be covered in all plans. A simple way to start is to visit www.medicare.gov and input all your medications. They will then generate a list of plans that will cover those prescriptions. Again, you need to review those plans for things such as premiums, co-pays and coverage amounts before making a final decision.
See if you qualify for help. Experts encourage those on a fixed income to see if they qualify for help through the Extra Help, Medicare Savings or the Medigap Subsidy Program. Extra Help is a Social Security program that helps to reduce or eliminate prescription plan premiums, deductibles and copays for covered medications. The income limit for the Extra Help program is $1,505 for a single and $2,023 for a couple (asset limits of $13,640 for single and $27,250 for a couple). The Medicare Savings Program is a Medicaid program that will pay the Medicare Part B premium, with income limits of $1,010 for single and $1,355 for a couple (assets must be below $7,280 for single and $10,930 for a couple). The Medigap Subsidy Program through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund will provide assistance with Medigap premiums if the beneficiary has a participating policy. The income limits for this program are $1,485 for a single and $2,003 for a couple, with no asset limit. The financial assistance plans can make prescription costs more affordable for those on fixed incomes. Experts say often people are unaware that these programs are available to help and can often make a big difference for those who qualify.
Don’t procrastinate! Even though Open Enrollment seems like a long time, experts encourage people not to procrastinate and to start researching early. “We encourage people to start right away, this way if they run into questions they have time to get their questions answered and they aren’t left scrambling,” said Bob Callery, Program Coordinator at MMAP. “During Open Enrollment, our volunteers across the state as well as those that work at Medicare receive a lot of phone calls and it may take a day or two to return calls and sometimes longer, depending on the call volume. Any technical glitches with the medicare.gov website can make people anxious, so we always encourage starting early.”
Ask questions! Changes to your Medicare Prescription coverage can only be made during open enrollment, which means if you make a mistake you will be stuck for the rest of the year. Mistakes can translate into increased costs and confusion about coverage. Experts encourage asking questions to make sure you understand your coverage. “Medicare and the Prescription Drug Plans can be confusing for a lot of people, which is why we have volunteers to help,” said Callery. “If you have questions, you can look at the Medicare.gov website, call Medicare directly or call MMAP. We just ask that you understand we may not be able to return your phone call the same day, depending on call volume, but we do everything we can to answer all the questions that come to us.”
Experts also encourage those with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Legacy Medigap plans to contact MMAP today as Blue Cross Blue Shield announced this summer that they are raising the monthly premium for these plans starting January 2017. For many people, these premium prices can be a significant increase to their monthly budget. MMAP volunteers can help individuals review their options if they are enrolled in one of the BCBSM Legacy plans and wish to find a better option.
The Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) is a free and unbiased statewide program made up of volunteers who can help you sort through Part D information. Volunteer counselors have gone through extensive training and can help navigate the maze of Medicare and Medicaid. To speak with a counselor, contact 1-800-803-7174.
Have questions on services for older adults and caregivers? Contact the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at 616-456-5664 or 888-456-5664 or visit www.aaawm.org for more information and resources.
Just in time for the hunting season, EP Adventures latest hunting video is set to air on WKTV
“Stars & Stripes,” is a video featuring 14 hunts, each of which is dedicated to a different member of the armed services, will air on the station Friday, Oct. 14, at midnight and Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
The show spans across an entire year, so there is no one hunting season, but rather several. The military do not do the actually hunting, per se, but the hunts are dedicated to them.
According to EP Adventures’ website “The EP Staff would like to thank all of the men and women of our armed forces this hunting season, and we are dedicating each hunt to them. There would be no hunting without freedom, and because of our entire armed forces we have the privilege to enjoy great hunting in this wonderful country. This video is dedicated to all who protect this nation, both foreign and domestic.”
Archery season in Michigan is already underway, running through Nov. 14 with the second archery season running Dec. 1 – Jan. 1. Regular firearm season is Nov. 15 – 30 with muzzleloading running Dec. 2 – 18. For details on the various hunting seasons, visit the DNR’s website.
EP Adventures is made up of a group of hunting friends who include Scott Wiseman, Gina Wiseman, Michael Endres, Jacob Elliott, Bryan Lape, Brayden Lape, Mike Lucchesi, Scott Haney, Brandon Cunnihgha, Rick Karel, Rusty Ackley, Dough Vandewater, Aaron Albrecht, Mathew Schmidt, and Nate Brown.
EP Adventures has a series of videos, each focusing more about the hunting action with some tips offered from time to time. For more about EP Adventures, visit epadventures.com.
It’s October and believe it or not, the 9th Annual Santa Parade is less than two months away.
This year’s parade is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and will head down S. Division Avenue from 33rd Street southbound to Murray Street. After the event, residents are invited to stop by Brann’s Sizzlin’ Steaks & Sports Grille, 4132 S. Division, for pictures with Santa immediately after the parade.
And there is still a lot to do in Wyoming and Kentwood in preparation for the arrival of the Big Guy. The Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce is looking for chamber members interested in helping with this year’s parade. The Chamber is looking for people who want to help in making this year’s event even bigger and better. If you are interested, contact the Chamber office at 616-531-5990.
It is never too early to book your spot in the parade. It is $25 for corporate/business participants for a float or fleet car and marchers in the parade. Company information must be included for the WKTV broadcast of the parade. It is $10 for any non-profit for a float or fleet car and marchers. It is also $10 for public participants.
For questions or more information including sign up forms for parade or Chamber membership, contact the Chamber office at 616-531-5990. The Santa Parade is sponsored by the Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce.
Former 90th District State House Rep. Joe Haveman and Kentwood District Court Judge William Kelly mark the second phase of the elimination of the driver responsibility fees.
You are pulled over by the police for a headlight being out on your vehicle. You receive a defective equipment ticket and you forget to pay the ticket, so your driver’s license gets suspended. You get pulled over again and this time you are cited for a suspended driver’s license and not only end up paying fines for the suspended driver’s license, but also, a few weeks later, receive a $500 driver’s responsibility fee. Then a year later, you receive another notice from the State of Michigan for a second $500 driver responsibility fee.
Now those fees are only one year as the second wave of phasing out the driver responsibility fees took effect on Oct. 1, 2016.
“A lot of people were calling the state and asking what the second bill was for,” said Kentwood District Court Judge William Kelly, who with former 90th District House Representative Joe Haveman, lead the charge to abolish the state’s driver responsibility fee.
“People would say “Didn’t I already pay this?’ and “Why I am getting hit again with this fee?’ It really became a punishment on a group of people who really could not afford it.”
On Monday, Kelly hosted a small celebration marking the second phase of the gradual elimination of these fees.
“When we brought this before the state government, there was some hesitation because it is such a revenue generator for the state,” Kelly said. Enacted in 2003 when the state was in an economic recession, the fines generate about $100 million for the state treasury. However, about $600 million in fees have gone delinquent or unpaid since the fees were put in place.
Kentwood District Court Judge William Kelly cuts the cake as former State House Rep. Joe Haveman watches.
“I have a woman who has come into this court and because of the vicious cycle the fees create, now has 56 driver responsibility fees,” Kelly said. This is because if a person does not pay the fee, his/her license can be suspended. If the person gets caught driving with a suspended license, they will get another driver responsibility fee and so the cycle goes.
“They can’t pay the fines unless they work, yet they can’t work because they have no way to get there since their license has been suspended,” Kelly said. “In the end, for many, the only way to get out from under these fines is to declare bankruptcy.”
Gov. Rick Snyder signed the driver responsibility fee reduction in 2014. Both Judge Kelly and Haveman were on hand for the event. (Supplied photo.)
In 2013, Kelly meet Haveman and the two decided to tackle the driver responsibility fees. The following winter, Haveman presented a bill to eliminate the fees and through a compromise, it was agreed that the fees would be gradually eliminated. The first phase took place last year, with fees being 100 percent the first year and 50 percent the second. On Oct. 1, that was reduced to just a one-year fee assessment. On Oct. 1, 2018, the fees will be reduced by 50 percent and on Oct. 1, 2019, the fees will be completely eliminated. Haveman noted that when he introduced the bill, he had the support of the entire house.
“There was some hesitation due to the revenue it generated but most were pretty much saying ‘Heck yes, this is the dumbest thing,’” said Haveman who is now the director of government relations at Hope Network. Haveman was forced out of the State House because of term limits but before leaving, Haveman said he made it clear that this was the one item at the top of his bucket list that he wanted to complete before leaving.
“We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” Kelly said. “We are very, very happy. Obviously, we wish we could have done it sooner, but we realize that a compromise was going to have to be made in order to get it done.”
So pleased is Kelly that he plans to celebrate each phase of the elimination. “So make sure to come back in October 2019. We should have a pretty big celebration then,” he said.
WKTV takes seriously its role as a communications provider. We want our community to be well-informed and more involved in local matters. Note: Wyoming City Council seats are nonpartisan.
2nd Ward
The City of Wyoming’s 2nd Ward Council area covers the northern portion of the City of Wyoming from Chicago Drive in the north to Prairie Parkway down Burlingame Avenue over 36th Street and up along 32nd Street on the south. The 2nd Ward western border is Wentworth and the eastern border is the city limits.
Richard Kent Pastoor – Incumbent
Occupation: Worked in sales and broadcasting. Has been on the Wyoming City Council since 2001
Residence: Wyoming
Why did you decide to run for the City of Wyoming 2nd Ward?
“Well, I was appointed to the 2nd Ward back in March of 2001 and liked it, so I decided to run again in 2003. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had and I’ve met some great people. I try to serve the people and I love being able to help them.”
With the announcement that the 28 West project is moving forward, how do you feel it will impact the City of Wyoming?
“Most of that area is in my ward and the people over there have always felt slighted and cheated that the City ignored them. That the business ventures stopped at Burlingame. I hope it’s something that takes off and benefits the businesses in the area. I would like to see all of 28th Street re-birthed.”
Marissa K. Postler
Occupation: Works at Costco Warehouse
Residence: Wyoming
Why did you decide to run for the City of Wyoming 2nd Ward?
“I was frustrated with Millennials engagement into politics. I want to bring more people into politics in order to give a more accurate representation of the community. With a median age of just over 30, the City Council needs more diversity to properly represent the City of Wyoming.”
With the announcement that the 28 West project is moving forward, how do you feel it will impact the City of Wyoming?
“I’d love it as long as we get the right types of businesses in. With young people taking advantage of the low housing market in Wyoming, we need to keep them here. A new 28 West has the potential to increase Wyoming’s appeal.”
3rd Ward
The City of Wyoming’s 3rd Ward Council area encompasses the city’s panhandle area that includes most of the western area of the city from Prairie Parkway on the north to 60th Street in the south. The 3rd Ward eastern border wraps around the city limits to Kenowa Avenue and its western border is Burlingame Avenue.
Rusty Richter
Occupation: Twenty-seven years as a commercial real estate broker and property manager Residence: Wyoming
Why did you decide to run for the City of Wyoming 3rd Ward?
“I’ve lived in Wyoming my whole life and so have my parents and their parents. In order to keep the solid foundation the city is built on, you have to be involved to make sure it remains sound and sensible. I’m looking to dew attention to the issues in the 3rd Ward as some people in the 3rd Ward feel left out and not a part of Wyoming.”
With the announcement that the 28 West project is moving forward, how do you feel it will impact the City of Wyoming?
“I think it’s an important project for Wyoming and will help Wyoming develop a downtown feel. It has to be competitive in growing business development and the project will help with that. It’s important to use the private sector to fill 28th Street.
Robert D. Postema
Occupation: Engineer / Part Owner of Richard Postema Associates PC, Architects & Engineers Residence: 36 years in Wyoming
Why did you decide to run for the City of Wyoming 3rd Ward?
“I am running for election because I believe I have the experience and critical thinking necessary to properly guide the decisions made by the City Council. I have consistently shown in my work the desire to fully understand an issue and make a thoughtful, common-sense decision on how to proceed. I grew up in Wyoming, raised my own family here and own a business in Wyoming. I want Wyoming to continue to be a great place to live, raise a family, and run a business. I am committed to limited government, being accessible and accountable, fiscal responsibility, strong public safety, and smart growth.”
With the announcement that the 28 West project is moving forward, how do you feel it will impact the City of Wyoming?
“The 28 West project is the catalyst that should help drive new development in Wyoming’s DDA. Redevelopment often is about momentum with new development driving more new development. The city needs to work promote the area and also needs to remain flexible enough to work with developers on concepts that may not have been envisioned in the 28 West plan but hold true to the plan’s ultimate goals.”
All candidates were contacted and invited to participate in sharing their message to the voters.
The 
