By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Godwin Heights defeated Fruitport 15-12 Friday to improve to 2-1 in the OK Silver, 2-3 overall, Fruitport fell to 1-2, 2-4.
The Wolverines visit Kelloggsville for a big rivalry game next Friday.
Category Archives: City of Wyoming
City of Wyoming to infuse new life into land sitting vacant for 15+ years
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
The Wyoming City Council recently approved a $150 million investment project that will bring new life to the long-vacant former General Motors stamping plant.
The GM plant opened in 1936, closing operations in 2009. Over the years, the city worked to prep the land for redevelopment. Benteler Automotive’s proposal to build a new battery components assembly plant on Site 36 was approved at a recent City Council meeting. The plant will focus production of a battery tray, tray cover and charging modules weld vent for the V801 Ford Transit Van.
“We are really excited to have them,” said Nicole Hofert, Director of Community and Economic Development for Wyoming. “It’s a huge investment in the community. They already have a location in Wyoming, and it’s always great to see a local business grow.”
City documents show the project includes a 299,845-square-foot facility and an additional 17,120-square-foot single-story office area. Site plans include access off 40th Street and Stafford Avenue, a shared drive off Buchanan Avenue, and loading docks adjacent to the railroad.
City officials estimate the Benteler plant will generate 150-170 new jobs.
But wait – there’s more!
The Benteler plant is one of three developments coming to the 75-acre parcel of land that was sold to commercial real estate investment company Franklin and Partners in 2022.
In March 2024, the Wyoming City Council approved Corewell Health’s proposal for a 296,515-square-foot consolidated service center.
“All of their medical supplies for all their hospitals throughout the region will have a centralized location, and that will take place here in Wyoming,” said Hofert.
The development project will provide space for Corewell Health’s supply chain offices, document and mail services, a 36,000-square-foot shell space and a dedicated parking area for lab courier fleet vehicles. EV charging stations will also be included.
This development will generate an estimated 240 new jobs.
Corewell Health will also develop a non-motorized path along the east edge of the property to provide residents a direct path to the new 36th Street Marketplace.
The third and final section of Site 36 has garnered notice by other businesses.
“Franklin Partners still retains ownership of this third parcel, but they are in conversations with a business,” said Hofert. “We’re hoping that we’ll be able to hear some good news about that shortly.”
Turning the page…
City officials have seen an abundance of support for the Site 36 revitalization.
“It’s no secret that when the GM stamping plant closed, Division Avenue and that surrounding neighborhood suffered because a lot of the people who worked at the plant lived in that neighborhood and patronized the shops on Division Avenue,” said Hofert.
Hofert went on to say that when she spoke with city residents during the Wyoming master plan efforts, she noted enthusiasm and support for bringing more industry to Site 36.
“What we saw during the Corewell approval process and the Benteler approval process is that the community is really excited for these developments, and excited to be turning the page into something new,” said Hofert.
Hofert believes the infusion of Corewell Health, Benteler Automotive and additional area developments will also bring more business investments along the Division Avenue corridor.
“I see a very positive trajectory based on the types of development that we’re seeing in Wyoming,” said Hofert.
Though the former GM plant property sat vacant for 15 years, Hofert said city officials have never stopped striving to develop Site 36 and the City Center project. That dedication, she said, is the product of Wyoming’s city leaders.
“We really believe in this community and want to continue to see advancement,” said Hofert. “Some of these projects take time, but now we’re seeing something happen.
“We’re really lucky to be a community that’s a little bit more forward-thinking and wants to make sure that we’re making investments into our community.”
Though Benteler Automotive has not revealed a construction timeframe for the new plant, they hope to break ground this fall.
Stay in the know
For more information on Wyoming happenings, visit the city website.
The Sunday Night Funnies Kingpin of Comedy competition enters its semifinal round Oct. 6
By WKTV Staff
The Sunday Night Funnies Kingpin of Comedy (SNF) competition enters its semifinal round with just 21 of the original 98 comedians.
The contest began May 12 with its first of 14 qualifying rounds, followed by six quarterfinal rounds. Three semifinal rounds run Oct. 6, 13, and 20 with finals held Oct. 27.
Competition details
Seven comedians are given eight minutes to perform in each round. The line-up order is drawn as the show progresses, with comedians unaware of when they will be performing.
Audience members are given a ballot before the show begins. Following all performances, the audience votes for three out of the seven comedians they feel should advance to the next round. Once collected, the ballots are tabulated while a non-competing comic performs, with the three finalists announced at the closing of the show.
“We have a very diverse lineup of comedians going into the semifinal round,” says Brian B. (Brian Borbot), creator & MC of the SNF. “Of the 21 moving on, there are eight comics of color, four women and one senior citizen!”
Kingpin prize package
The competition winner will receive $500 cash and prizes from Wyoming businesses: Craig’s Cruisers, Spectrum Entertainment Complex, Midtown GR and Gilda’s LaughFest. The winner also receives a Kingpin bowling pin trophy, a customized bowling shirt and the opportunity to close the Sunday Night Funnies LaughFest show in 2025.
The total prize package is worth over $1,000 in value.
“Seeing that Wyoming is the 14th largest city in Michigan, I thought the winner deserved a prize package worthy of the title, Funniest Person in Wyoming,” said Brian B.
About the SNF
The Sunday Night Funnies is the creation of Grand Rapids stand-up comedian Brian B. The weekly live stand-up comedy performance is free admission and features a variety of comics from around the Midwest. Each show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Spectrum Entertainment Complex in Wyoming.
Kent County Department of Public Works releases fall recycling guide for residents
By WKTV Staff
The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has released its annual fall recycling guide, which shows residents how to properly dispose of common household items.
The fall recycling guide highlights items that are commonly used in the fall – like disposable coffee cups, soup cartons, jugs, foil and cans – that can be recycled, but are often thrown away and are placed in a landfill. It also shows items that are not recyclable but can still be disposed of in a way that avoids landfilling.
“Each year we are proud to help Kent County residents take steps to reduce their landfill waste with the Fall Recycling Guide,” said Dar Baas, director of the DPW. “We can all do our part to protect our land, air and water and have more sustainable fall season for the benefit of our whole community.”
Online waste disposal resources
The DPW’s recycling guides are a helpful tool for Kent County residents to learn how to do their part to reduce landfill waste.
Beyond common fall items, the DPW has an online Recycling & Waste Directory that allows users to search virtually any item and find ways to dispose of it through donation, composting or the safe disposal of hazardous waste.
View the 2024 Fall Recycling Guide online
The Kent County DPW provides municipal solid waste disposal services to ensure the effective removal, storage and disposal of residential and commercial solid waste through various facilities and programs, including Waste-to-Energy, the Recycling and Education Center, North Kent Transfer Station and South Kent Landfill.
Lee Middle School partners with Affinity Mentoring, provides youth safe, inclusive space
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
“I see you, I hear you. You are valued, and I know things you have to say right now are things that need to be heard by all of us.”
This is the value Affinity Mentoring provides youth in our local schools, says Lauren Enos, Affinity Mentoring Program and DEI Director.
Lee Middle School in Wyoming has rekindled their partnership with nonprofit Affinity Mentoring after a two-year hold due to necessary school roof renovations.
Focusing on schools facing disadvantages, Affinity supports students in K-8th grade by matching them with a caring adult role model and striving to create a safe space for local youth to utilize their voice.
Small commitment = big impact
Affinity mentors journey alongside students for one hour each week.
“All of our mentors have said it’s the smallest commitment they’ve ever made for the biggest impact on their life,” says Enos. “We have a 90% retention rate. Mentors come back year after year to work with the same student because they become friends. It’s a true relationship.”
Holly Kroeze, mentor and Mars Hill Bible Church staff member, is entering her seventh year mentoring Lee Middle School student, Eternity. During that time, Eternity was adopted by her foster mother – and Kroeze has built a relationship with Eternity’s entire family.
“I have found that developing a relationship with [her] mom has been helpful because she gives me insight into things that are going on in Eternity’s life,” says Kroeze.
Kroeze went on to say that she has enjoyed partnering with other adults in Eternity’s life to give more extensive care and support.
“It’s fun to see kids like Eternity get care from multiple adults,” says Kroeze, adding that kids need support from five adults in order to thrive. “I’m grateful I get to be one of those people for her because she has grown a lot. It’s been so fun to watch her journey.”
Lee Middle School is Affinity’s third partnership in the Godfrey-Lee School District (also Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center and Elementary), and their sixth school partnership overall (Burton Elementary, Burton Middle School, Southwest Elementary – Academia Bilingüe).
“We’re really excited to be back in Lee Middle School,” says Enos. “We’re now able to follow the kiddos from early childhood into middle school.”
Lee MS Principal Adrianne Rose echoes Enos’ enthusiasm.
“We wanted to rekindle that partnership because this is an incredibly important piece to the whole child in our academics,” says Rose. “Our 6th graders, they’re excited to see their mentors. They ask about them, they want them to be here, and that to me tells me the mentors are doing what they’re here to do.”
A safe and inclusive space
While Affinity’s mentoring program has seen positive results such as increased school attendance and class engagement from students and a decrease in truancy, bullying and behavioral concerns – there are also personal benefits.
“We really hone in on our mentor centers to be a safe, inclusive space for our mentees to be able to share their difficulties,” says Rocio Moreno, Executive Director at Affinity Mentoring. “Some of it might be home-related or life-related, and we can tailor our program to that.
“Behavioral concerns tend to decrease because they’re able to engage in those hard topic conversations with their mentor as to why they might have made a particular choice throughout that time.”
An overall improvement in self-esteem comes from knowing that one-on-one support is available.
“[Students] feel more confident,” says Enos. “They’re willing to take risks and make mistakes because there’s someone there to say, ‘I was in that same place, and I made those mistakes too,’ normalizing all the everyday things they go through.”
That support can often go both ways.
Since beginning her journey as a mentor, Kroeze and her husband became foster parents.
“Eternity was the first person to give me the best advice about what to do and what things she liked,” says Kroeze.
“Our relationship has been mutually beneficial because I’ve learned a lot from her. Learned how to be a good parent, and learned how to relate to foster kids. For Eternity, she’s [gained] some stability and accountability in her life.”
100+ students are waiting…
Affinity Mentoring is always in need of new community volunteers who are willing to donate an hour of their time once a week.
“One hour a week eating your lunch, hanging out and making slime will go by so fast,” said Moreno with a smile. “But the need for volunteers is high as we currently have over 100 students on our waitlist that desire a mentor.”
Kroeze recommends joining the mentoring program with a spouse or partner.
“My husband and I do it together, and we’ve done it together since Day One,” says Kroeze. “It’s fun to put faces to names when you talk about what your day was like with your mentee.
“Mentoring together makes things a little bit crazier – but a lot of fun.”
Eventually, Moreno would love to expand Affinity’s mentoring program to Lee High School as well. “Because this is a middle school-high school, it would be an easy transition to continue for the students we currently work with.”
For more information about Affinity Mentoring services, click here.
Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 5
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
A mound of dirt instantly changed Jocelyn Dettloff’s life; a recent guest speaker at The Vibe fundraiser
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
While sledding down a sand dune in Sub-Saharan Africa back in 1997, Jocelyn Dettloff hit a mound of dirt which instantly changed her life.
“I don’t remember flying through the air, but I definitely remember as soon as I hit I could hear people calling my name,” Dettloff recalled. “I looked fine; you couldn’t tell that I was injured in any way. So when I woke up and I couldn’t feel anything, I knew that was a bad sign. I broke my back at thoracic 5 which is about bra line, mid-chest. I have what’s called a complete spinal cord injury. I have no feeling or movement from the point of injury down.
“This trip that I was on, they have you take out this evacuation insurance where they’ll fly you home from anywhere in the world and cover you up to a certain amount. So I actually had a nurse and a paramedic fly down from London to fly back with me to Kalamazoo.
Dettloff said she did quite a bit of traveling after college.
“I went on a trip to Europe, I spent a year backpacking through Australia and New Zealand, and I decided that Sub-Saharan Africa was going to be my next destination. I signed up for a company in England that did overland trips and we started in Kenya, and we were supposed to end up in South Africa. It was a very rustic trip. You just brought your sleeping bag, clothes and a roll mat and the truck had all the equipment that you would need.”
After the accident, she waited 3-1/2 hours for an airplane to get her because they were “literally in the middle of nowhere.”
“One of the drivers had to drive back to the campground, radio for a plane, and I was flown to the capital city of Windhoek (Namibia) and spent three weeks in the hospital there. They did surgery and stabilized my spine, and then I flew home to Kalamazoo and then went to Mary Free Bed for my rehab. And then just stayed in Grand Rapids.”
How long did it take to sink in that this was your new life?
“I say not long because when I got to the hospital my doctor was looking down at me and flicking sand off of me, and even before I knew his name, the very first thing he said to me is, ‘I want you to know you’ll probably never walk again.’ So there was just a little voice inside me that said, okay. But I’m good at compartmentalizing things, too, but it’s just focusing on the next thing to move on.”
Dettloff, now a Major Gift Director with the Mary Free Bed Foundation, was the guest speaker at the City of Kentwood’s Adaptive Recreation Programs fundraiser last Thursday called The Vibe, held in the courtyard of the Kent District Library — Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch.
About 10 years ago, Dettloff wrote a memoir entitled, “It Rained in the Desert: One Woman’s Story of Spirit and Resilience,” and recently recorded it through audible.com. You can find it HERE.
A passion for wheelchair tennis
She discovered wheelchair tennis and began playing competitively on a USTA local travel league. Her love for being active led her to trying a variety of other sports, including participating in Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s water ski program.
“Water skiing is one of the first adaptive activities that I did,” Dettloff explained. “They did that in partnership with Mary Free Bed. They do a few things in partnership with Free Bed, and then they have their own programming. But they partner together on downhill skiing clinics, water skiing, archery and golf.
“I still think that I should be able to do everything that I used to be able to do in a semi-similar way,” continued Dettloff, who talked about the effect and value wheelchair sports has had in her life.
Whatever happens in life, you can move on
“I mean, just to show that whatever happens in your life you can move on, you can,” Dettloff said. “I always say, I hit a mound of dirt and it changed my life. Many people have their version of a mound, whether it’s an illness, a different kind of accident, losing a job, divorce. I mean, the list could go on.
“But there is moving on from any kind of tragedy.”
Amongst the hors d’oeuvres and live music provided by Main Street Dueling Pianos, a silent auction was held and many adaptive equipment displays and videos could be seen at the 6th Annual Vibe.
All money raised at this year’s event will help purchase new equipment for Kentwood’s adaptive recreation program, which includes active sports such as archery, kayaking, bowling, water skiing, rock climbing, downhill skiing and pickleball as well as social opportunities such as leisure club and dances.
Parks and Rec newcomer Brennan Carroll, a recreation program coordinator, talked about why he enjoys working in the Adaptive Recreation Programs.
“I gravitate to it because it’s a population of people that I love working with,” Carroll said. “It’s just very cool to see how many people love and keep coming back to the same stuff that we’ve got going on, that I could be a part of that.”
Ann Przybysz, recreation program coordinator, spoke about who the Adaptive Rec Program serves.
“We do serve all sorts of disabilities and abilities, we have all sorts of diagnoses, people with physical disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities, so there’s really no cut off for who can participate in our programs,” Przybysz said. “We accept everyone and try to help everyone be successful in whatever that looks like for them.”
What do you enjoy most about the program?
“I love being able to connect families of people with disabilities to other families because, really, no one knows what their lives are like except for people in similar circumstances,” Przybysz explained. “I love seeing those connections and that socialization piece, not just with our participants, for their families as well, and really feeling connected, and involved and not alone.
“It can be really hard to know where to start for a lot of families, and so being able to connect them to just one resource here, and share more resources, that’s what I love about it.”
Kentwood’s adaptive recreation program is open to individuals of all abilities in Kentwood and beyond. Learn more and sign up for the various offerings HERE.
Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 4
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
Get ready for a spook-tacular time at Wyoming’s Trick-or-Treat Trail Oct. 5!
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
The Wyoming community is invited to an afternoon of free Halloween fun on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 4-6 p.m. at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW!
The spooky season is almost upon us, and the City of Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department is excited to host its annual Trick-or-Treat Trail.
Little ghouls and goblins are invited to participate in this trick-or-treating adventure where local businesses and organizations will be passing out candy and goodies.
Treats, bounce houses, and fun surprises can be found along the way!
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Trick-or-Treat Trail,” said Krashawn Martin, Director of Wyoming Parks & Recreation. “Our goal is to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for families to celebrate the season together.
“It’s a wonderful alternative to traditional Halloween festivities, and we’re excited to see the community come together to enjoy all the amenities of Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
In previous years, the event has welcomed over 50 local businesses and organizations, and more than 4,000 attendees.
Get ready for a fang-tastic time of family fun!
Wyoming Fire Department continues garage fire investigation
By WKTV Staff
At approximately 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 21, the Wyoming Fire Department responded to several reports of a garage fire located near the area of 44th Street and Oriole Avenue SW.
The first arriving fire units observed a garage that was fully involved and quickly spreading to nearby homes and garages. Explosions were noted, likely from tires within the garage. The fire had already spread rapidly throughout the garage, causing significant smoke that could be seen from several miles away.
The fire also involved a Consumers Energy power pole and power lines above the area. Consumers Energy was contacted for an emergent response to cut power to this area while the fire was being extinguished.
The fire was extinguished, preventing it from fully spreading to the nearby house. A neighbor’s garage adjacent to the structure fire also sustained damage, along with nearby homes that suffered melted siding from the intense heat of the fire.
There were no injuries or fatalities, as the occupants were able to evacuate safely.
Importance of fire safety
The Wyoming Fire Department was notified of this fire due to the actions of observant neighbors and passers-by who saw smoke and flames arising from the garage. Notifying 911 quickly helped Wyoming firefighters get on scene and successfully extinguish the fire and limit damage to nearby properties.
The Wyoming Fire Department would like to thank the many local and municipal partners involved with this fire either directly or indirectly to include: Wyoming Police Department, Kentwood Fire Department, Byron Township Fire Department, American Medical Response for standby for firefighter safety, Grandville Fire Department for covering other emergency calls during this incident, Consumers Energy for their quick response, and DTE.
Additional information regarding fire welcome
This fire is currently under investigation for origin and cause. Anyone with additional information regarding this fire is asked to contact the Wyoming Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office Fire Investigator at 616-257-9764.
Ford International Airport achieves global airport carbon accreditation
By WKTV Staff
Gerald R. Ford International Airport has been certified through the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. The program is recognized internationally, with airports across the globe participating.
ACA includes a framework that helps airports identify, manage and ultimately reduce carbon emissions. The program comprises seven levels of certification, each of which represents a unique phase in carbon emission identification and reduction.
The Ford International Airport was certified at “Level 2,” which recognizes ongoing reductions in carbon emissions and sets goals for future carbon management. To date, the Ford International Airport continues to transition light fixtures to LEDs throughout the terminal and on the airfield. In addition, the terminal lighting system integrates efficiency measures such as light sensors in all the restrooms, private offices and passenger space in Concourses A and B. The Ford International Airport’s newly expanded Concourse A includes energy efficiency design as well. The design of Concourse A focused on leveraging building performance to enhance energy efficiency; there is a 70% energy reduction goal from 170 kBTU/sf/year down to 51 kBTU/sf/year.
“The Ford International Airport is committed to environmental and sustainable leadership,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “This is just the beginning of ongoing efforts as we continue our journey to reduce our environmental footprint in the West Michigan community.”
As a part of the ACA program, the Ford International Airport has developed and is implementing a carbon management plan to continue reducing emissions from sources under its control. The Ford International Airport has published its carbon reduction policy commitment with a goal of 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions per passenger (measured in kilograms per passenger) by 2035 compared to 2021 levels.
“We are thrilled to receive this certification as it underscores our commitment to sustainable aviation and responsible carbon management,” said Michelle Baker, environmental manager for the Ford International Airport Authority. “Our team has worked incredibly hard over the past three years to reduce emissions.”
Recognition of the Ford International Airport’s certification took place during the Airports Council International – North America’s (ACI-NA) 2024 Annual Conference in Grand Rapids in September 2024. It is one of only 57 commercial airports in North America to successfully become certified through this program.
“Congratulations to the Ford International Airport,” said Kevin M. Burke, president and CEO of ACI-NA. “This achievement will contribute to our industry’s shared vision of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with airports to further reduce our collective carbon footprint.”
Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 3
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
Wyoming mobile food pantry to be held Monday, Sept. 23
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
Wyoming Public Schools (WPS) has partnered with Feeding America Mobile Pantry to host a Mobile Pantry once a month.
*WHS September Mobile Food Pantry will be held Monday, Sept. 23 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
What to expect
Though the selection of food varies each month, there are always a variety of fresh and frozen items available at the Mobile Pantry.
The Mobile Pantry is drive-thru style, and families are asked to remain in their vehicles for safety.
Cars enter at the main entrance to WHS (1350 Prairie Parkway). Volunteers will direct traffic in the parking lot to help with efficiency.
Once in line, a volunteer will approach each car to record the name, address, number of people in the household, and the reason the food is needed for each family. Once a car has reached the front of the line, volunteers will load a box of food into the trunk.
Resources
To learn more about Feeding America West Michigan and the services they offer, click here.
For the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry schedule, click here.
RiverTown Crossings acquired by Poag Development Group: Redevelopment plans in progress
By WKTV Staff
Poag Development Group CEO, Josh Poag, recently announced the acquisition of RiverTown Crossings, a 1,267,272-square-foot enclosed mall in Grandville, MI.
“We always start with location, and in this case, we love the site in Grandville and its strong position within the greater Grand Rapids area,” said Poag, adding that he began looking at the mall as a potential acquisition upon the suggestion of a friend.
After visiting the Grand Rapids area last summer, Poag was impressed with the Grand Rapids MSA, Grandville in particular.
“This property has so much potential for redevelopment given its great location and proximity to rooftops,” said Poag. “We are energized about the opportunity to deploy our redevelopment expertise to reimagine the property, both inside and outside, and its role in the greater Kent County area.”
The Poag CEO was also impressed with Grandville’s passion for the area – and for the future.
“There is a lot of growth in the area, and we walked away very impressed and encouraged,” said Poag.
Revitalizing through creating experience
Though RiverTown Crossings boasts five anchors including Macy’s, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Celebration Cinemas and Dick’s Sporting Goods, the two-story enclosed super regional shopping mall has seen a decline in patronage over the last several years.
Poag believes the reason for the decline in mall patronage is twofold.
“Online shopping is certainly one cause over the past 15 years,” Poag said. “The operations of a mall are another. When a mall or any property is neglected, the customer sees that and feels the decline. They are less encouraged to come back.
“Our history is about creating experience. Our first mission is to take care of the property, from filling in potholes to trimming back overgrown landscaping to getting the carousel working again.”
Poag aims to revitalize the mall through redevelopment by adding new uses and activating underutilized parking fields, though the planning process is in early stages.
“While we know we want to add new uses and leverage underutilized real estate, we can’t yet say what that will look like just yet,” said Poag. “It could be multifamily, hotel or more retail.
“Until we take the necessary steps to understand what changes and additions the community would most like and what would be most viable, we can’t share anything definitive just yet.”
A team effort
The Memphis-based developer will work with JLL, its strategic management and leasing partner, to maximize the potential of the property.
Poag will also be consulting the Grandville community.
“We believe it’s a team effort,” said Poag. “We know that we do not know the community better than the folks that live there. We are not the type of developer to come in and tell the community what they need.
“We actively involve local community leaders and members, city representatives and nearby business owners in the early planning process to get an understanding of what works and doesn’t work currently, what they feel is missing, and what folks think would resonate well in the local community.”
The retail developer adds RiverTown Crossings to its portfolio on the heels of its acquisition of Oak Court Mall, an 800,000-square-foot enclosed mall currently undergoing redevelopment planning in Memphis, TN.
55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana expecting 30,000 people between Sept. 13 and 15 at Calder Plaza
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
Be sure to check out the 55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana this weekend at the Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids, featuring everything from awesome music and food, karaoke, kids activities, arts and crafts, a Lowrider Show, and believe it or not, a cash prize soccer tournament.
“Typically, we expect between 25,000 and 30,000 people,” said Leticia Perez, Co-President of the Board for the 55th Annual Fiesta Mexicana, held Sept. 13-15 at Calder Plaza, 250 Monroe Ave. in Grand Rapids.
“This is our big event; planning definitely takes a whole year,” Perez added. “Our Board consists of nine very dedicated people. We do have a lot of volunteers and committee members that help, too.”
Many, many bands will grace the festival, including Los Morros del Norte headlining from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13. Check out the below poster for the entire weekend of bands and special events.
“On Friday we kick things off at noon … and with kids activities throughout the day in the ‘Kids Zone,’ and music from local bands,” Perez said. “We’re expecting a big attendance for the kickoff night.”
On Saturday the music, dancing, food and Kids Zone continues, along with karaoke from 4 to 5 p.m. and a cash-prize soccer tournament.
“We’re going to have the front of the Calder Plaza right on Ottawa Ave. shut down from Noon to 4 for the soccer tournament,” Perez said. “The kids putting it on are very talented.”
There also will be El Grito De Independencia (The Cry for Independence) from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, commemorating the actual day of Sept. 16 with the raising of the flag.
According to the Mexican Heritage Association’s website, it’s the oldest ethnic festival celebrated in Grand Rapids. “Founded in 1969, a group of Mexican women shared a vision of celebrating their cultural heritage with the wider community. Thanks to her and the countless others who have planted the seeds over the past 52 years, we can now look beyond the struggle to validate the richness of our culture in the mainstream mindset.
“This vision eventually evolved into the modern-day Fiesta Mexicana.”
Perez added, “As an organization, we do other cultural events like Cinco De Mayo, bringing our culture to the community.”
Lowrider Show from Noon to 8 Sunday
Wrapping things up on Sunday, there’ll be more bands, another Kids Zone and a Lowrider Show from noon to 8 p.m.
“Last year was our first time having the Lowrider Show back; it used to be a staple,” Perez said. “It will be all along Ottawa Ave. with a category for Classic Cars, Fifties Cars, New Lowriders and Muscle cars. It’s going to be a very nice selection.”
For more information log on to the Mexican Heritage Association of West Michigan.
Check out our WKTV Friday Night Highlights show from Week 2
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
Check out the exciting clips above from our latest Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
As a bonus, we’ll occasionally have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and have them join us in studio for a live interview.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
Female Wyoming resident dies after shooting, investigation ongoing
By WKTV Staff
One person is dead after a shooting that occurred in the 3400 block of Bluebird Avenue.
At approximately 12:40 pm on Sept. 8, officers from the Wyoming Police Department responded to the 3400 block of Bluebird Avenue Southwest on the report of a shooting that had just occurred. Upon arrival, officers located a 25-year-old female resident of Wyoming who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The female victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment and later died as a result of her injuries.
A suspect is in police custody, their name is being withheld pending arraignment.
Wyoming Police Detectives and Forensic Services Unit continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police detectives at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345; or https://www.silentobserver.org.
Significant police presence near Clyde Park Avenue and Oakcrest in Wyoming
By WKTV Staff
At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 5, a suspect wanted for assault fled on foot from Wyoming Police near Clyde Park Avenue and Oakcrest Street SW. A significant police presence could be seen in the area as police attempted to locate the suspect.
The hours-long search for the suspect concluded when police apprehended him in the 3900 block of Clyde Park around 2:45 p.m.
As a precaution, schools in the area were notified of the search for the suspect.
Wyoming Police thank the public for many tips regarding the suspect’s location and area police departments for their assistance in searching for the suspect.
Young talent looks to lead Godwin into future, falls short in tight game
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
Last year’s Godwin Heights Wolverines began the season with several players sidelined due to off-field issues, resulting in an 0-5 start to the season.
Coach Brandon Kimble has brought a sense of stability to the head coaching position that he hopes will lead to on-field success. Kimble was the coach from 2018-2020 before taking over as the school’s athletic director, and again as head coach, one week before the 2022 season.
“Last year left a sour taste in our mouths,” Kimble said. “Nobody was comfortable or happy with what took place last year on and off the field. I feel like this group has really bought in.”
The Wolverines lost a handful of senior leaders, including last year’s All-Conference running back Jeff Zelaya.
“We will miss the leadership of Miguel Ocampo, Jeff Zelaya, and Tellios Moore,” Kimble said.
However, the Wolverines also boast a roster full of young talent that logged crucial snaps last season.
Godwin will reload across the offense. Senior middle linebacker Patrick Knight also will play tight end on the offensive side of the ball, along with his brother junior Taisjon Allen. Juniors Kares Harris and Mikyius Witherspoon will rotate at the running back position.
Wyoming transfer junior quarterback Antwan Brown Jr. will lead the Wolverines’ offense.
“He’s fit in well,” Kimble said. “With the schools being so close, a lot of the players know each other and grow up with each other. There are players in our team he already knew and was comfortable with, so it has been an easy transition.”
It’s about more than just winning
Although winning on the field is always the goal, the top priority for Coach Kimble and his staff is to build outstanding men who can make a positive impact on their community.
“I have tried to put together a staff of good men who are doing the right things in their family lives and careers,” Kimble said.
“I want to win for sure, win a conference, eventually a state title, but I wouldn’t want to do that and sacrifice who they are going to become, and what they will become, in the community. It’s more important about who you are. You can win in football, but if you are losing in life, what success are you really having?”
Season opener delivers close score
The Wolverines were stuffed on a 4th down conversion in the red zone during the game’s closing moments, suffering a 16-14 loss to Mason County Central in the Aug. 29 season opener.
“We are still excited despite the loss,” Kimble said. “When I took over, there were some discipline issues, so several players had to sit out. We wanted to clean that up and set that groundwork.
“I believe that has set us up to be successful this season and that we will have a different look and get back to the level of making the playoffs regularly as the program has in years past. We’ve had a great summer and off season to put us on a trajectory to accomplish those things.”
Looking ahead
Godwin (0-1) travels to former OK-Silver rival Kent City (0-1) on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
Check out our first WKTV Friday Night Highlights show of the season!
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
Check out the exciting clips above from our first Friday Night Highlights show of the season featuring many of the local high school football teams in Kentwood and Wyoming.
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
As a bonus, we’ll occasionally have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and have them join us in studio for a live interview.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
Thursday, Sept. 5: Northview at Wyoming
Friday, Sept. 13: Belding at Kelloggsville
Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
Kelloggsville football team poised for improvement this season
By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
Improvement is the name of the game for the Kelloggsville football team this season and after the first game the Rockets are poised to blast off into the winning column.
The Rockets, who return an experienced core of players from last year’s squad, opened the season dropping a 38-22 decision at Grant. Kelloggsville looks to break into the win column this Friday when it hosts Battle Creek Pennfield.
The Rockets fell behind early in the opener at Grant, but came on strong during the second half.
“We fumbled the opening kickoff and at the half we were down 24-0,” Kelloggsville Coach Brandon Branch said. “We rallied back from there and tried to make a game out of it. The kids kept fighting and they made a game out of it in the second half.”
Kelloggsville scored three touchdowns in the second half as it cut into the Grant lead. Cameron Dunbar scored a pair of touchdowns for the Rockets on runs of three and four yards and Danyel White added a nine-yard touchdown run.
“We started out the game like a team that didn’t have a good week of practice,” Branch said. “We had an interesting week of practice with the heat and I think that set us back in the first half. We were stagnant in the first half. I was not pleased with the first half, but then we played a lot better in the second half. We definitely battled them and didn’t give up.”
Kelloggsville was led on offense by Dunbar who is the Rocket quarterback. Dunbar completed 11-of-17 passes for 186 yards with no interceptions and a long pass of 48 yards. Dunbar also rushed for 36 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns.
White finished with 13 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Paul Shannon led the Rockets in receiving with four receptions for 84 yards, while Jaylen Phillips hauled in two passes for 57 yards.
On defense, the Rockets were led by linebackers Terrell Jones and Isaak Kowel and the defensive line rotation of Myrece Moore, Prince Baraka, Joaquin Hill, Elijah McKinney, Zane Hendricks, Alberto Estrada, Andrew Bacon and Gliore Bahome.
“Our defensive line played pretty physical across the front,” Branch said. “Our linebackers Terrell and Isaak also had pretty good games.”
The Rockets are looking for the strong effort in the second half against Grant to carry over into this week’s game against Pennfield. The game is a rematch of last year’s game in week eight that saw Pennfield win.
“We played them last year and it was tied at the half,” Branch said. “They (Pennfield) pulled away in the second half. They had some big kids last year and a pretty good running back. We expect a tough game, but we are going to line up and play football and be physical.”
Kelloggsville entered the new season with a more experienced roster.
“We have a pretty even split between seniors and juniors,” Branch said. “We have a fairly experienced team and that is nice to have. We have five or six guys who have three years of varsity experience. We also have two or three juniors who have two years of varsity experience.”
Along with experience, this year’s team is more physical on both sides of the football.
“We are a more physical team than in the past,” Branch said. “I want us to be the more physical team when we play on Friday. Our depth is also going to help us out. We have 20 guys who are going to play a lot. I like our depth and physicality and we are also pretty fast across the board. We have above average team speed.”
Offensively, the Rockets look to have a balanced attack with Dunbar at quarterback and a strong group of running backs.
“Cameron is an athletic quarterback,” Branch said. “He can pass when he sees the opportunity and he also does a good job of making his reads and finding the open guy.”
On defense, the Rockets are led by their linebackers.
“Terrell is a tough linebacker in the middle that likes to hit and get after it,” Branch said. “Isaak does a good job of setting the edge and likes to get physical.”
Overall, Branch likes the direction the team is headed in.
“We definitely had a much better offseason,” Branch said. “We have a lot of guys who played key roles for us back this year. I like the progress we are making.”
Step into the world of imagination at first annual Fantasy and Fiction Gala
By WKTV Staff
Prepare to be transported to a realm where imagination reigns supreme at the Fantasy and Fiction Gala, a dazzling evening that celebrates the worlds of fantasy books, movies, TV shows and anime.
Hosted by JCI South Kent, this event will take place Thursday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the CityFlatsHotel Ballroom on Monroe Center.
The Fantasy and Fiction Gala offers a unique opportunity for attendees to celebrate their favorite characters and stories in a formal setting.
With a focus on creativity and community, the event will feature a variety of activities, including a DJ-led dance floor, a costume contest, and interactive experiences designed to engage and entertain guests.
Attire is formal with a twist of fantasy: Imagine Princess Leia in a full formal white gown, Hermione at the Yule Ball or Mr. Darcy in a Star Trek uniform.
All ages are welcome. Alcoholic beverages will be available for guests ages 21 and older.
Whether you’re an experienced cosplayer or simply a fan of fantasy and fiction, this gala promises a memorable evening filled with fun and excitement.
Click here to purchase Fantasy & Fiction Gala tickets.
It’s not just a gala!
This gala is not just a celebration of fantasy and fiction, but also a fundraiser for JCI South Kent, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing leadership skills in young adults through community service and events.
Catering to young professionals between the ages of 18 and 40, JCI South Kent provides its members with opportunities to enhance their skills, network, and make a positive impact in their community.
Sponsor this event!
We are currently seeking community sponsors to support this exciting event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor and supporting our mission, please contact JCI South Kent at jcisouthkent@gmail.com.
Lee loses quarterback, game in season opener against Sacred Heart
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Managing Editor
Lee Legends’ 2024 football season got off to a rough start Thursday, Aug. 29. They lost their quarterback, Anthony Blok, to injury and suffered a 41-18 defeat to Sacred Heart in WKTV’s Game of the Week.
Blok left the game after a hard hit on the opening drive of the third quarter.
“Anthony is doing much better,” said third-year coach Lamar Marshall. “Resting, [but] most likely won’t have him next week for Homecoming.”
Lee defeated Sacred Heart 42-30 during the 2023 season, with Blok throwing for 253 yards and four touchdown passes.
Starting strong, losing momentum
Legends’ senior quarterback Blok threw touchdown passes of 46 and 51 yards to Jaden Potts and Aidan Merriweather, respectively, in the first quarter.
“We started off well, then lost momentum and missed a ton of tackles,” Marshall said.
Will Hyland, sophomore quarterback for Sacred Heart, was a one-man wrecking crew in the team’s first-ever varsity football victory. He scored all 41 points, including five rushing touchdowns, an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and five PATs.
Hyland finished the first drive of the season with an 18-yard touchdown run to open up the scoring in what would be a high-scoring first quarter.
Sacred Heart had a 20-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both teams scored an additional touchdown, and Lee senior defensive back Jayden Pena intercepted a pass in the end zone. Sacred Heart led 27-18 at the end of the second quarter.
Finding their rhythm
Sophomore Jaden Sanchez replaced Blok after the third-quarter injury, but was unable to get the Legends’ offense in rhythm. Coach Marshall is confident they have found a strategy that will best fit Sanchez.
“I believe we’ve found a formula that will work, running the ball and getting it out quickly,” Marshall said of his squad. “Our game plan going forward is fundamentals; we have to preach doing the fundamentals correctly.
“We missed a few opportunities such as not capitalizing after half, leaving yards and touchdowns on the field.”
Lee (0-1) will look for their first win Homecoming night, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m., against Calvin Christian (1-0).
The Power of Friendship: Two local women celebrate 70+ years of friendship with book launch
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
deborah@wktv.org
The friendship of Wyoming women, Marilyn Emery and Carol Jennings, began in the late 1940s as they walked to kindergarten each day. That bond has only strengthened over the past seven decades, culminating in a book written by both Emery and Jennings.
Titled The Power of Friendship: Lessons Learned from Lifetime Friends, the book follows the lives and friendship of Emery and Jennings – and the lessons they have learned along the way.
The two lifelong friends recently celebrated the story of their friendship with a presentation and book signing at The Bookman in Grand Haven.
“It is our hope that many readers will receive our positive message of love, hope, and the importance of lasting friendship,” Emery and Jennings state in their book.
It is not a passive message. The women hope their story inspires others to actively seek out the kind of friendship they share.
“We want this for other people too, so they can experience what we experienced,” said Emery.
The start of forever
Both Emery and Jennings grew up in West Michigan, eventually ending up on the same block of Delwood Avenue in Wyoming. They walked to and from school together, and would often play at each other’s houses after school.
“I liked her house,” Jennings said with a laugh. “Marilyn had a big family.”
But Emery preferred playing at Jennings’ house.
“I loved to go to Carol’s because she was an only child and there was peace at her house,” said Emery.
Part of the Godfrey-Lee school district, Emery and Jennings formed the Draco Horizon Club in 8th grade. Ten of those 12 members remained forever friends.
“We were known as the group who had fun,” said Emery. “That camaraderie stayed with us throughout our whole life.”
The Draco girls were adventurous, renting a cottage overlooking Lake Michigan each summer, joyriding in Carol’s boyfriend’s car past curfew – and more.
Their adventures earned Emery and Jennings the nicknames Thelma and Lou in honor of the show Thelma and Louise.
“I loved that show,” said Jennings. “It was a friendship and a bond these two ladies had. They reminded me what Draco meant to me. The Draco’s are always there; we still get together every month in the summertime, and we talk about life.”
On the same beat
Emery said similarities in their lives (school, marriages, etc.) played a role in the women becoming such good friends. Jennings believes the Draco group was also a contributing factor, as was writing The Power of Friendship.
Together, they share a deeper connection resembling that of family.
“You can talk to other friends, but who are you going to call when you’re in need, or if you want to celebrate something together?” said Emery. “She’d call me, and I would do the same. Like you would a sister.”
Emery and Jennings cared for each other when their parents died. When Emery’s first husband passed away in his early 50’s, Emery was left with three children to raise on her own.
“I was alone for 10 years,” said Emery. “Carol was there for me during that time.”
It comes as no surprise then, that when asked to describe Jennings in one word, Emery said: caring.
“You can’t really explain it, but you’re on the same beat with each other,” said Emery. “We figure we’re sisters. Not blood sisters, but we are sisters because we know each other so well…We just get each other.”
That deeper connection allows the women to pick up where they left off, no matter how long they might be apart.
Tragedy – and a promise
It was shortly after Emery remarried that she received a phone call that Jennings had an ischemic stroke. Emery rushed to Jennings’ side.
“All the way there, the word promise kept going through my mind, and it just wouldn’t stop,” said Emery.
Jennings’ right side was paralyzed and she struggled to walk. She could only speak one or two words in isolation due to aphasia.
But when Emery walked into her hospital room, Jennings grabbed her hand.
“A tear came down the left side,” said Emery. “And I kept thinking: promise. She didn’t look quite the same as what she did, but it didn’t matter because she was still alive.
“I said, ‘Carol, the word promise keeps coming to me, so I think we should write our life story.’ She grabbed my hand.”
Park benches, hats – and ice cream
Jennings attended therapy at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, but Emery also worked with Jennings on her speech and comprehension.
“When you have aphasia, you just don’t know what the word is,” said Jennings. “I knew what I wanted to say, but it didn’t always come out.”
“She’d be telling you something and then stop,” said Emery. “I would try to make her tell me more. She made so much progress.”
Emery and Jennings would meet on park benches at various parks. Jennings would say one or two words and Emery would write them down, then expand on them.
“She really has a knack for writing and putting the right words to what I want to say,” said Jennings.
“One of the first things I said to her was: God,” said Emery. “She said: center. So that has guided us throughout this whole book. That God brought her through the stroke, and He is the center of our lives.”
The Promised Piece, an inspirational journey of two lifelong friends, was published in 2017.
But wait – there’s more!
Shortly after The Promised Piece was released, Diane Jones, retired owner of the Carnevale Jones Group consulting firm, read it and approached Emery and Jennings.
Jones said she enjoyed the book – but knew there was more to tell.
“In meeting with the ladies, they had such a great story to tell and I thought, there’s so much missing,” said Jones. “So I asked them if they would consider doing a longer version of the book.”
Shortly after, The Power of Friendship began taking shape.
Emery and Jennings met often to discuss the book. Their meetings always included park benches, hats…and ice cream.
“I could tell when she was ready to have ice cream,” said Emery, noting that Jennings would become restless. “Then I could get more out of her while we were eating because she was happy she was having ice cream.”
Jennings added, “[The book] gave me a new purpose. I think I needed that to get better.”
Loving through friendship
When talking about her friend, Jennings describes Emery as spiritual, and has watched Emery put her faith into practice throughout their friendship.
Emery explained, “I like to say it’s a God thing. God wants us to love Him, and He also wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
And they choose love through friendship.
“It’s not just about Carol and me, it’s about everybody,” said Emery, adding that she loves to hear when a reader has passed on The Power of Friendship to someone else. “We want everybody to find old friends, new friends and to keep friends. That’s our story.”
To find out more about The Power of Friendship, click here.
Coming soon to this space: Lots of local high school football action!
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor/Sports Director
Close your eyes and imagine the sounds of shoulder pads popping, marching bands playing, stadium announcers calling touchdowns, fans loudly cheering.
Can you smell the hotdogs, pizza and popcorn floating through the air?
Imagine the youngsters playing catch behind the goalposts imitating their favorite player.
Sit tight. Local football games under the bright lights are just about here, which means our in-depth coverage of WKTV Truck Games of the Week, WKTV Journal web stories and our exciting Friday Night Highlights show will all be here shortly as well.
The first game of the season is Thursday, Aug. 29, and we’ll be there! Our WKTV Game of the Week is Sacred Heart at Lee at 7 p.m. Thursday. We also will get highlight clips from Hartland at East Kentwood, Mason County Central at Godwin Heights and Wyoming at Sparta on Thursday. On Friday, South Christian hosts Grand Rapids Christian at East Kentwood.
As always, WKTV plans to bring you another great season of local high school football coverage of your favorite area teams, including East Kentwood, Wyoming, Godwin Heights, Wyoming Lee, Kelloggsville and South Christian. Tri-unity Christian cancelled its season due to a lack of players.
WKTV Game of the Week
Year after year, our high-tech WKTV Truck Game of the Week covers one matchup per week, which includes two play-by-play announcers, an occasional field announcer and various camera angles with slow motion replays to capture all those great plays for your viewing pleasure.
You can count on our very experienced, exciting game announcers for both football and basketball to guide you through your local team’s games. If you are interested in volunteering at WKTV Sports for our Truck or Studio productions, please email me at greer@wktv.org
Game of the Week airs every Friday night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 & AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 at 11 p.m. with a rebroadcast on Saturday at 11 a.m. If you don’t have cable, visit our website at WKTV.org to watch the livestream. You also can watch these games on our WKTV YouTube Channel.
WKTV Truck Game of the Week Sked
- Thursday, Aug. 29: Sacred Heart at Lee
- Thursday, Sept. 5: Northview at Wyoming
- Friday, Sept. 13: Belding at Kelloggsville
- Friday, Sept. 20: Wyoming vs. South Christian (at East Kentwood)
- Friday, Sept. 27: Hudsonville at East Kentwood
- Friday, Oct. 4: Zeeland East vs. South Christian (at Byron Center)
- Friday, Oct. 11: Godwin Heights at Kelloggsville
- Friday, Oct. 18: Jenison at East Kentwood
- Friday, Oct 25: Catholic Central vs. South Christian (at East Grand Rapids)
WKTV Friday Night Highlights coming soon!
Just like during basketball season, every week we’ll bring you most of the local high school football home stadium action from the Wyoming and Kentwood varsity teams, highlight some top performers and their stats, give final scores, and show a snapshot of the latest conference standings in an exciting 30-minute Friday Night Highlights show.
As a bonus, we’ll occasionally have a reporter on the field at the Game of the Week to interview coaches and players for the show and have them join us in studio for a live interview.
Look for our fast-paced local highlights show every Tuesday! Thanks for tuning in.
WKTV Journal Website
And don’t miss our large footprint of local high school football on the WKTV Journal website.
Continuing from last season, we’ll have a huge presence with local high school football and boys and girls basketball. Beyond our fantastic Game of the Week Truck coverage, every week our sports staff will post football game stories, features, roundups and final scores and stats on most teams in the Kentwood/Wyoming area on our Journal website. You can plan on our local football coverage! Thanks for tuning in.
Click HERE for your school’s season football schedule.
FOUND: Wyoming Police locate endangered missing person
By Wyoming Public Safety
Patrick Mateo was located alive and is receiving medical treatment.
Grandville Police Department responded to a welfare check of an individual lying in the grass near Wilson Avenue and Indian Mounds Drive. Upon arrival, police recognized the individual as Patrick Mateo. Patrick was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment.
Wyoming Police would like to thank the public and area law enforcement agencies for assisting with the Patrick Mateo search.
Original Press Release
The Wyoming Police Department is asking for assistance in locating 67-year-old Patrick Mateo.
Patrick was last seen near 28th Street and De Hoop Avenue SW in the City of Wyoming on Aug. 24, 2024, at approximately 2 p.m. Patrick suffers from Alzheimer’s and left this area on foot to an unknown destination. He has not been heard from or seen since.
Patrick is a Hispanic male with gray hair, approximately 5’8” tall and has a thin build. He was last seen wearing a black hat, gray sweater, green dress shirt, blue jeans and sunglasses.
Wyoming Police continue to search for Patrick. Anyone in the area of 28th Street and De Hoop Avenue SW is asked to be on the lookout for Patrick; if he is located or seen please contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or 911.
Wyoming football team will lean on seniors entering a new conference
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org
The slate is wiped clean, and optimism fills the air as a new season begins at Wyoming High School.
The Wolves, who went 1-6 in conference play, exited the OK-Green and formed the new OK-Gold with Forest Hills Central (D-3 state champion last year), Unity Christian and perennial state title contender South Christian, along with Zeeland East and West.
Wyoming finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 1-8 under fourth-year Coach Carlton Brewster. The Ferris State University product will look to get his squad on track for the 2024 campaign.
“It will be a very competitive league with Forest Hills Central and South Christian,” Brewster said. “We have our hands full, but we are looking forward to getting better daily.”
The Wolves return quarterback Jay Johnson and bruising running back Jack Terveen to an offense that averaged 12.4 points per game.
Terveen averaged 6.5 yards per carry and looks to build off of his junior season which was marred by an early injury.
Terveen will be led by his offensive line anchored by senior duo CJ Anderson and Jackson Lamrouex.
Johnson only attempted 17 passes last season as he split time with Antwan Brown Jr., but also will use his legs in the run-first Wolves offense.
“These seniors are the heart of this team,” Brewster explained. “We also have others that are looking to step up.”
Junior Moses Brown looks to form a one-two punch with Terveen in the Wolves backfield. Senior receiver Julian Toscano also will be a key to the offense.
“Our goal is to focus on the everyday grind to get better each day,” Brewster said. “We need to focus on the small things. We’ve been getting better daily.”
Wyoming travels to Sparta for its season opener Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m.
Frankie V’s included in the Wyoming City Center development
By WKTV Staff
After more than 40 years serving the Grand Rapids community, restaurateurs Frank and Wanda Vitale announce plans to semi-retire. Their plans include downsizing their restaurant to a catering kitchen and possible takeout for their next generation of Vitale children.
The property will be enfolded into development plans for the Wyoming City Center project spearheaded through a public-private partnership between the City of Wyoming and Magnus Capital Partners, a privately held real estate developer.
“Although it is bittersweet, we feel strongly that this is the right time,” Frank Vitale said. “We’ve had an amazing 23 years running Frankie V’s with our children and grandchildren growing up here.
“We have also been a part of so many of the families that grew up with us. There have been countless birthdays, showers, retirements, anniversaries, celebrations of life and even four weddings within these walls. It was truly an honor for us to host so many families and their special occasions.”
Magnus and the Vitales had been in discussions for a couple of years about incorporating Frankie V’s into plans for the surrounding area. Terms of the sale have not been disclosed. The property will be integrated into a third phase of HōM Flats at 28 West, the award-winning housing community that serves as a central piece to the vision for the City Center development.
“The more we thought about it, with the struggles that came with hiring and retaining employees in the industry, we realized the time had come to let go,” Vitale said. “We are forever thankful to our community, but take comfort in knowing the future of Wyoming starts at a place where our roots go deep.”
Frankie V’s – A family tradition
Described as being cut from the same cloth, Frank and Wanda come from families who immigrated from Sicily in the early 1960’s and owned pizza shops. Since their early years, they worked in their families’ respective shops, coincidentally named Vitale’s Pizza Queen and Joe’s Pizza King.
They married in 1985 and bought their first pizzeria in 1988 before opening Frankie V’s in 2001. Located at the former Sound Stage Café, the large space challenged the Vitales, who were accustomed to smaller takeout operations.
The space soon became a bustling restaurant for all ages. With the Vitales’ children attending Wyoming Public Schools, the community soon rallied behind them. They employed many of their children’s friends, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Team dinners were continuously supplied to sports teams. Donating catering services for community funerals, hosting banquets for various occasions and various other supportive activities were a call the husband and wife team happily answered.
The Vitales noted the community was just as supportive to them during the loss of their oldest son, Joey Vitale.
“We will never forget the support we received through this tragedy in our lives,” Vitale said.
The recession and COVID-19 pandemic also put an incredible strain on their business. Once again, the community stepped up and kept the take-out business flowing to support the business through the mandatory shutdowns.
“The incredible clientele of regulars who are an everyday staple will be forever part of our family,” Vitale said.
The Vitales will be forever grateful to their children, who have taken on various jobs in the restaurant. Joey, Jonny, Sera and Frankie contributed their time and talents to make Frankie V’s what it is today. Jermaine Jones, who worked side-by-side with Frank in the small takeout beginning in 1988, continues to have the restaurant’s best interests at heart.
“We are so appreciative of our staff staying on to the end,” Vitale said.
“Frankie V’s and the Vitale family have been a cornerstone of the Wyoming community for decades,” said Wyoming City Manager John Shay. “We are immensely grateful for all their contributions over the years.
“It will be difficult saying goodbye to this place, but we are assured knowing Frank and Wanda are ready for what comes next in their lives.”
Family, friends, former employees and customers are encouraged to dine in and reminisce with the Frankie V’s team during the restaurant’s final weeks this summer. Their Metro Cruise party will be one of their final events.
Wyoming City Center – A vision for the future
Magnus and the City of Wyoming have been working together for over six years on a public-private development partnership to create the Wyoming City Center. The public investment in the project will provide an ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge, connection to 4.6 miles of paved trails and a public plaza.
The private side of investment consists of HōM Flats at 28 West, the flagship workforce housing development led by Magnus.
“We look forward to continuing our journey of reimagining Wyoming,” Shay said. “The public investments we are making alongside our partnership with Magnus elevate our excitement for the possibilities ahead. We share a commitment to creating a space everyone can access, engage with and be proud of.”
Magnus and the City are consolidating existing information related to revitalization plans to create a comprehensive vision of vibrant mixed-use developments, pedestrian-friendly public spaces and increased community engagement in Wyoming City Center, per the City’s Master Plan.
Magnus will submit the project plans for the next phase of development to the City in the coming months.
“Each day this project proves what is possible with a strong public-private partnership,” said Vishal Arora, CEO and Founder of Magnus Capital Partners. “Its success has catalyzed the opportunities for a revitalized Wyoming.
“We look forward to sharing plans for additional development at HōM Flats at 28 West soon.”
Lee eyes conference title, returns to 11-Player football in 2025
By Ty Marzean
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org
When Lamar Marshall came on as coach of the Lee football team, he had a goal to bring the Legends back to playing 11-Player football by his fourth season. Now in his third year at the helm, Marshall will accomplish just that as the Legends return to the traditional game in 2025.
“Our ultimate goal by year four for me was to get back to 11-man, and we have a great opportunity to do so,” Marshall said.
A return to the traditional
Marshall has been working his team in 11-on-11 camps since last year in preparation for the return of the 11-man game.
“This summer has been strictly 11-man reps,” Marshall said. “We have actually been repping 11-man since last year to get ready.”
The varsity team will have close to 30 players this season, with a middle school team adding to the program numbers.
“We are starting to integrate the middle school guys on varsity football and how we do things around here.”
2024 will be the Legends’ fourth and final year playing 8-Player football.
Building from the ground up
The Lee football program has been undergoing reconstruction since Marshall arrived before the 2022 season. In the first year, the Legends went winless with an 0-9 record. However, the tough lessons learned and game experience propelled Lee to their first winning record since 2006 with a 5-4 record in 2023.
This summer, Coach Marshall has emphasized the importance of building on the team’s improvements from a year ago.
“It’s like building a house,” Marshall said. “What are we going to add to the foundation we’ve built over the past two years? We have the cement foundation and exterior up, so what will we build now?”
Due to exceeding the enrollment limit, the Legends will again be ineligible for entry into the 8-Player tournament. The team’s goal for the season is to win the Southwest Michigan 8-Player Football League Blue Conference Championship.
“Our ultimate goal is a conference championship,” Marshall said.
Two Lee legends return to the field
Two huge building blocks from the 2023 Legends will return to the field.
Senior quarterback Anthony Blok is set to build on last season, where he broke a school record with 29 touchdown passes while adding 2,500 yards passing.
“He’s been dedicated since the final game last year,” Marshall said of his senior signal caller. “He’s put on a lot of muscle this year with his work in the weight room.”
Junior wide receiver Aidan Merriweather led the Legends with 48 catches, over 900 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“Anthony and Aidan have a great relationship on and off the field,” Marshall said. “They are always on one another about practicing and getting better every day. They are two glue guys we will be counting on this year.”
The Legends: A force to be reckoned with
Blok and Merriweather will be joined on offense by a trio of juniors. Emmanuel Ramos and Jaden Potts will play wide receiver, and Issac Kibbe will slot in at tight end.
“Emmanuel was one of the most improved players this summer,” Marshall said. “He has soft hands and runs very crisp routes. He’s been a pleasant surprise.”
Potts will now play both ways after being a strong force playing the “Rebbie” position in defense last season.
Kibbe, a 4.2 GPA student, stands out at six feet playing tight end for the Legends.
Marshall also will have the opportunity to coach his son, freshman wide receiver Joseph Marshall.
Sophomore Jayden Sanchez will replace the departing Clarence Lewis as running back. Senior cornerback Jayden Pena will join Potts on the Lee defense, significantly reducing points allowed from 2022.
“Jayden was invited to Bowling Green’s prospect camp, so he’s out there making a name for himself,” Marshall said.
Legends featured in WKTV’s Game of the Week
The Legends will host Grand Rapids Sacred Heart in the first WKTV Game of the Week of the 2024 season at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Back-to-School Jitters: Tips to help your child prepare for school
By Deborah Reed
WKTV Managing Editor
Many students feel anxiety as a new school year approaches, no matter their age.
Board certified behavior analyst Katrina Newman of Wedgwood Christian Services (WCS) has developed a 10-point tip sheet to help parents and children prepare for the upcoming school year.
Due to her prior experience as a teacher and currently part of the after school program of the WCS Autism Center for Child Development (ACCD), Newman recognizes that children with autism often struggle with change more than most.
The carefully crafted tip sheet aims to ensure that parents and children – with and without autism – start the year off in comfortable fashion.
Alleviating back-to-school jitters
“Most kids on the spectrum, or even not on the spectrum, feel anxious about going from summer to school,” said Newman. “It’s a big change.
“Anytime there’s a change in routine, it’s really important to have a plan and to practice. That really makes your child more comfortable and helps them to know what to expect.”
Much of the anxiety that comes with starting a new school year can come from not knowing what to expect when they walk in the school doors for the first time.
Some common questions youth have are: Where do we enter the school? Where do we line up? What’s the routine? Did anything change over the summer? Other questions may revolve around getting on the bus for the first time, carpooling for the first time, or having to walk down to the lunchroom.
Having the answers to those questions before the first day of school, Newman says, is really important.
Practice makes perfect
Many schools offer open houses the week before school to help alleviate some of that anxiety. However, there are several other options for parents with anxious children.
“It’s really important to stress that walking through the parking lot and walking through the hallways can be really intimidating, so you want to make sure you practice for safety and that kids know where they’re supposed to go,” says Newman.
Setting up a station at home for notes and permission slips that parents can check regularly also helps. “Have a folder so everybody knows where to put them and parents can check that folder,” Newman says.
Having kids practice their school sleep schedule in advance is also beneficial because it takes 2-3 weeks for our bodies to get used to the change. Even practicing that change a few days in advance can be worthwhile.
“Being consistent, that’s really important,” says Newman. “Whenever you do start it, just keep it going so that their body and their rhythms can get used to getting up a little earlier and going to bed a little earlier then in the summer.”
For children who struggle more with social anxiety, role-playing can be beneficial.
“It’s important to practice introducing yourself and role-play making friends,” Newman says, adding that it can be as simple as telling someone your name, asking for that person’s name, and trying to find something in common with them.
“You might point out something like, ‘You have a Minecraft shirt on – I love Minecraft. What’s your favorite way to play?’” says Newman. “Just looking at those visual cues and trying to connect with people, that’s an important skill.”
Gaining perspective through books
There is also value in reading books to younger children that focus on back-to-school jitters.
Kids might relate to the main character who also feels anxiety or is unsure what to expect. They may also simply feel excitement.
“As they read, they’ll have a pretty good idea of what the first day will look like,” says Newman. “[The book] has a lot of details that they might not bring up, but then after reading the book you can discuss that. It’s really good to open up that conversation.”
How to start a conversation with your child
For parents who are unsure how to approach their child about whether or not they feel anxious, Newman says to keep it simple.
“Just have a simple conversation where you ask them, ‘What do you think about going back to school? We’re going back next Tuesday, what are you thinking about?’” Newman says. “That way it’s more that they can tell you if they’re excited, they can tell you if they’re worried. They get to tell you how they feel instead of you saying: ‘Are you worried?’”
Is routine necessary?
Humans, regardless of age, lifestyle, or background, thrive on routine and benefit from having an established schedule.
According to the Blue Sprig website, routines are key to helping us thrive because routine comes naturally, provides stress relief and brings order to an otherwise chaotic world.
Routines are particularly helpful for children with autism due to the repetitive patterns of behavior, activities, and hobbies. The adherence to an established routine can be a powerful tool in bringing stability and comfort to any child’s life.
Daily routines can:
- Build a stronger caregiver-child connection
- Reduce power struggles and stress
- Improve cooperation
- Foster a genuine sense of ownership over their day
- Create an environment of security and comfort
Removing any routine in a child’s life can be stressful. Newman says the most important thing is to talk about all changes in routine with kids, emphasizing what they can expect during that season of change.
Asian American Small Business Association: From dangerous journeys to America to business success
By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
greer@wktv.org
Nearly every board member of the local Asian American Small Business Association has endured suffering and pain well beyond what most humans have felt, but have turned that into success later in life.
For Phillip Nguyen, Founder and General Secretary of the AASBA, he was 15 years old when he crammed into a 25-by-6 wooden boat with 57 others to start a wild, dangerous journey to a new life away from Vietnam.
“We packed them on; that boat was barely an inch over water,” said Nguyen, who has produced a show called “VietSong” at WKTV and is President of Digital Marketing Solutions, LLC.
He was fortunate to survive the very perilous boat trips. Many Vietnamese people risked their lives to escape their war-torn country and seek a better life elsewhere, but did not survive the high seas.
“This isn’t a fiction novel, this is real,” Nguyen explained. “My brother-in-law told me his mother sent him and his two brothers on separate boats every couple of months because she feared if their boat would be lost, they would all die. His brothers never made it; they were completely gone. He was the only one to survive.”
Nguyen and his four other AASBA board members held an Office Grand Opening of their nonprofit organization on Aug. 19 (located at 4140 Division Ave. S.) dedicated to promoting and advocating for Asian American small businesses.
Nguyen said he founded AASBA “because we need a reputable national association dedicated to advocate, facilitate and support small businesses of Asian Americans, especially in the growing nail salons and restaurants services that plays such a critical role in our asian American Community today.”
He also noted, according to the Michigan Office for New Americans, that “Asian American-owned businesses contributed $492.4 million in sales and provided jobs to 2,941 employees. Despite this, when we surveyed Asian American small business owners in west Michigan — where over 20 organizations receive millions in federal and state funding to support small businesses — over 97% reported they had never received any assistance.”
“The mission here is that we want a strong community,” Nguyen continued. “And to have a strong community, we want to do everything we can to help the small business owner in whatever way we can. We want to build a very dynamic, very committed, well-run 501C3 nonprofit with a mission to help small business.”
Nguyen said he plans to expand as well.
“The next stop we will open in Florida and then after that we’ll open in every stat,” he said. “Anyone from small business can get help from us. Let’s say tomorrow we have an African American, we have a Mexican American who wants our help. We won’t close the door. Because overall we want to help a strong community. It’s just that we happen to focus on Asian Americans, but anyone who needs our help, if we can do it, we’ll do it.”
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said it’s important that new business owners aren’t walking down this path alone.
“Any association, especially something that is small business affiliated, there are so many rules and regulations, it’s daunting,” he said at the grand opening. “To have an organization that has others that have gone before you, to be able to help you, to say this is how you do it is paramount, a necessity to be successful especially in this day that we live in.”
“There are constantly new laws that come out and you’re sort of scratching your head and saying what do we need to do now so that you’re in compliance? The second thing is an advocate. Those who maybe English is not their first language, and they’re trying to pursue the American dream and they need someone to advocate for them. It could be the government, a utility or other service providers … to say this person needs help and how can we help? Relationships help.”
Kepley also said the special part of Kentwood is its diversity.
“East Kentwood High School is the most diverse high school in Michigan and I think ranked third or fourth in the nation representing over 90 different countries and 115 different languages, which is absolutely amazing,” he explained. “The world has come to the City of Kentwood with dreams and visions. The dream of what America can provide because of the freedoms and wanting to start your own business. A lot of them are from Asian countries. To have this here in Kentwood is such a blessing because those students who are now maybe at East Kentwood High School who want to graduate and start their own business, now can come to a place where they can get some help.”
Tommy Brann, who’s running for State Representative in House District 83, talked about his more than 50 years of business experience that could help new small business owners such as in the AASBA.
“I owned this restaurant right across the street called Branns, so I know what small business goes through,” Brann said to the AASBA gathering. “Small business is the backbone of our country. We supply over 68% of the jobs.”
Charlie Quy Ton, Special Advisor to the AASBA, is another successful Asian business owner who survived coming to America at a young age and then significantly prospered down the road.
“I escaped from Vietnam at the age of 14 by myself because my mom didn’t have enough money to get four children on the boat,” said Ton, one of the founders and CEO of Regal Nails with 700 locations across the United States and owner of Alfalfa Nail Supply. “I was a child, but my mom bravely pushed me on the boat and I escaped from Vietnam.
“When I arrived in the United States, I thought it was heaven, but no it wasn’t, it was hell. I lived on the street, finding food for myself.”
But before long, things started looking up after connecting with family in Louisiana. He later got a degree in chemical engineering from Louisiana State University, but couldn’t find a job, so he decided to pursue business.
“I opened my business and I learned from scratch,” explained Ton, who has 60 employees on the manufacturing side and 25 in his franchise division. “I learned everything by myself.”
“We service over a million beautiful nails per month”
As for his salon businesses throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico, he said, “We service over a million beautiful nails per month.”
Quoting legendary NFL Coach Vince Lombardi, Ton said, “Leaders are not born, they’re made.”
Ton went on to say, “And being a leader is not about you, it’s about the people and how we can help them be successful.”
As an advisor to the AASBA, Ton has committed to share insights and expertise with small business owners.
“My vision is that we give back to the community,” he explained. “We try to help facilitate the businesses. People need a leadership program. We want to open their mind to a different level so they can run a better business, which in the end will help the American economy and generate more jobs.”
U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten, from Michigan’s 3rd congressional District, presented the AASBA with a congressional certificate in recognition of their grand opening and dedication to the Asian American entrepreneurs.
“Did you know that out of all the businesses in Michigan, close to 99% are considered small business?,” said Scholten at the grand opening. “A disproportionate number of those businesses are started by first generation Americans who are entrepreneurs, job creators, the fabric of our community.
“When I was elected to Congress, you have a choice of the committees that you want to serve on and I chose to serve on the House Committee on Small Business because I know how important it is to serve our small business community here in West Michigan, which is the fabric of our society.”
For more information on the AASBA or if you want to join, click here asianamericansba.org
28th Street Metro Cruise returns with more activities and fun
By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Contributor
If you find yourself suddenly surrounded by some classic cars such as a 1957 Chevy Belair or a 1969 Dodge Charger this weekend, you have not traveled back in time: it’s the 28th Street Metro Cruise.
The popular car event kicks off this Thursday with the 14th annual Cascade Metro Cruise Warm Up, which is located in the parking lot of the Cascade Retail Center, 6250 28th St. SE.
The kick-off event runs from 4-8 p.m. with The Kennedy Affair performing from 5-7:30 p.m. and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office hosting meets and greets and K9 demonstrations.
Cruising into new events
Activities start to rev up on Friday and Saturday as the annual car event of West Michigan drives into full gear with plenty of cars and a few new twists.
“We’re excited to start bringing Metro Cruise back to its roots, with official events up and down 28th Street,” said event director Brandon Simmons.
“When the Cruise first started in 2005, there were over a dozen event sites. That was narrowed down over the years and eventually became just one site, Rogers Plaza. But now we are on the upswing with adding other event sites.”
Pit Stops
This year’s event has double the number of Pit Stops located in Wyoming, Grandville and Cascade. New this year are Baker Street Auto Group, 2901 28th St. SW; Car City, 1515 28th St. SW; and Sheraton Hotel, 5700 28th St. SE.
Returning Pit Stop locations are Oakestown-Borgman, 3000 28th St. SW; Grandville Plaza, 2905 Wilson Ave. SW; and Cascade Village, 6797 Cascade Rd. SE.
The Pit Stops, which will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, will feature collector cars, food vendors and a unique auto-related entertainment feature, some of which are monster truck displays, a 40-foot by 60-foot RC car race track, antique fire engine displays, an exotic and luxury car collection, and a car smash area.
Parking at the Pit Stops will be free with free reserved (temporary) collector car parking areas for those with a classic or collector car who are cruisin’ 28th Street.
Rogers Plaza
Activities at the 28th Street Metro Cruise main event site, Rogers Plaza, located at 972 28th St. SW, will kick off at 1 p.m. Friday and continue through Saturday. Hours are 1-9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday.
At Rogers Plaza, there will be 10 bands on the GRNCDA Main Stage. The GRNCDA Main Stage also will feature the Miss Metro Cruise finale at 3 p.m. Saturday followed by the West Michigan Sound Off, where six bands compete for a $10,000 prize.
Also at Rogers Plaza will be 24 vendors at the Honor Credit Union Food Court, the Cumulus Media Kids Entertainment Tent, a 30-foot climbing wall, Lucky’s Self Serve DYNO testing, a scavenger hunt with gift card giveaways and the official Metro merchandise collection.
Perfect weather + Fun events = A dynamic Metro Cruise!
Simmons said the weather forecast is looking good for the weekend with estimations of attendance being around the event’s usual 80,000-plus. So people should plan ahead if they are attending this year’s Cruise, he said.
“Your favorite restaurant, lot or event site will probably fill up faster this year,” Simmons said. “People know summer is coming to a close and we don’t get many perfect weekends like this.”
For more information and schedule of events, visit metrocruise.org or the 28th Street Metro Cruise Facebook page (f/metrocruise) and Instagram (@metrocruise).
Beverly Vanderwood, wife of Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood, was swept into the arms of Jesus on Aug. 13
Obituary written by Dignity Memorial
Beverly Vanderwood, age 70, was swept into the arms of Jesus on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, with her family at her side.
She was preceded in death by her son, Matthew Vanderwood. She will be lovingly missed by her husband, Kent Vanderwood; sons Bryan, Timothy, and Bradley; the mothers to her grandchildren April Gurganus and Maria Vanderwood; grandchildren Alex, Molly, Vayda, Marley Vanderwood; sister, Barbara (Dave) Walker; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Celebrating Beverly
Bev was born in Chicago and moved to Cutlerville, MI when she was 10. She graduated from South Christian High School in 1972, and attended GRCC until she unexpectedly met Kent. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 9. A weekend getaway was planned, but God had a much better, eternal plan for Bev.
Bev was a woman of faith. Her life was one of trusting God and serving others, right up to the end. She loved God first, then her family, and finally, her many friends. She was passionate about everything she did: worship, the Word, being a friend, helping those less fortunate, shopping, taking vacations, and even work. She was a servant with a very generous heart.
Bev, along with her husband, Kent, were one of the founding families of Tri-unity Christian School in 1980, where all four of her sons attended. She was very active in their schooling; you could call her a stay-at-home mom, or “soccer mom,” and she took it as an honor. She operated a house cleaning business for the past 35 years. If you asked her clients, they would say she was the best. Her four grandkids were the joy of her life. She would do anything for them.
Bev loved gardening, all types of flowers, the beach and anywhere near water, walks in the park, seeing sunsets, watching fireworks, reading, traveling with Kent and the family, and being with friends. Bev was often called the life of the party, as those who knew her would agree. She could light up a room with her presence. She was an eternal optimist who would encourage you when you were down and always had a smile on her face.
Life celebration details
A celebration of Beverly’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m., at Resurrection Life Church (Doors E and H), 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville, MI 49418. You may join the service with the following livestream link: https://youtube.com/live/SqksC5Fk7-I?feature=share.
In lieu of flowers and in honor of Beverly, contributions may be made to Tri-unity Christian School or Potter’s House School.
The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guest book online.
Summer Surge: Is COVID-19 here to stay?
By WKTV Staff
Cases are rising across the United States and many people have experienced the uptick over the past few weeks. They’ve either tested positive themselves or know someone else who has.
In fact, U.S. health officials now consider COVID-19 an endemic disease which essentially means that COVID is here to stay in fairly predictable ways.
“COVID-19 is one of those viruses that behaves differently than other respiratory viruses like flu and RSV. COVID-19 infections are driven more by human behavior and immunity than weather patterns or seasons,” said Andrew Jameson, MD, an infectious disease specialist with Trinity Health Medical Group in Grand Rapids. “We’re going to have to learn to live with it.”
According to Dr. Jameson, a reason why COVID-19 cases are starting to rise: the virus has evolved to be a very good spreader, allowing it to infect people even if they have several layers of protection from past infection, vaccine, or booster. People become susceptible to an infection again not all that long after their most recent infection or booster shot.
“Despite immunity to new infection waning, most of the recent cases that result in hospitalization are in people who did not get the most up to date vaccine” said Dr. Jameson. “We do find, however, that protection with the vaccine against severe illness does hold up over time for most people.”
Are there new COVID-19 variants this year?
Since the original Omicron variants emerged back in 2021, the virus has continued to evolve and mutate – this is what viruses do.
Currently, the CDC is monitoring a trio of variants — called KP.3, KP.2, and LB.1 — that are on the upswing.
What are the symptoms now, and have they changed?
Many COVID-19 symptoms have stayed the same since 2020: fever, sore throat, coughing.
Other symptoms have shifted: it used to be common for people to lose their sense of taste and smell when they got sick, but that now seems to happen less frequently.
If you’ve been infected before, it’s important to understand that symptoms can vary from one infection to the next. It may actually feel like an entirely different illness. Or, you may experience the same symptoms, but in a different order.
COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
“No two COVID infections behave exactly the same,” said Dr. Jameson. “In general, the more immunity a person builds up – from infections or vaccinations – the symptoms of another infection tend to be milder. But there’s no guarantee.”
How long do test kits last?
If you’re not feeling well and have trouble finding new at-home tests to purchase at your local pharmacy, you may wonder if you can use older test kits you may have.
The FDA says that tests should not be used beyond their expiration date.
I may have COVID. What should I do?
The CDC recommends treating COVID-19 just like other respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV:
- Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have symptoms that aren’t better explained by another cause.
- CDC guidelines say people should isolate for five days from their first symptoms, after which they can be around other people if they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours and wear masks inside.
- Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness.
- Treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness.
For people whose immunity is impaired by disease or transplantation, there is a new treatment available: a monoclonal antibody called pemivibart (sold as Pemgarda) provides a similar level of protection as vaccines do for everyone else. However, it is expensive and given by infusion.
When should I get a COVID-19 booster shot?
Vaccines and boosters continue to be the go-to protections against severe illness from the virus.
“For those who are at high risk for severe illness – the very elderly, the elderly with comorbidities, and those who are immunocompromised – go ahead and get a booster vaccine now. The vaccines are still active against some of the circulating variants,” Jameson said.
“By the time the new vaccine comes out in a few months or so, you’ll be eligible to get another shot toward the late fall.
“For those whose risks are a bit lower, you can wait until the fall boosters come out.”
If you have any questions about COVID-19 as it relates to your health, or when it’s best for you to get a booster vaccine, talk to your doctor.
Sunday Night Funnies sixth annual Kingpin of Comedy competition enters quarter-final rounds
By WKTV Staff
Ninety-eight competing comedians have been whittled down to 42 as the sixth annual Sunday Night Funnies (SNF) Kingpin of Comedy competition enters its quarterfinal rounds.
The Kingpin of Comedy competition began May 12 with the first of 14 qualifying rounds. Qualifying rounds wrapped up on Aug. 11, and six quarterfinal rounds will run Aug. 18-Sept. 29, with the exception of Sept. 8. Three semifinal rounds will be held Oct. 6, 13 and 20, with finals held Oct. 27.
“Seeing that Wyoming is the 14th largest city in Michigan, I thought it deserved its own stand-up comedy competition with the overall winner getting a prize package worthy of the title Most Humorous Human in Wyoming!” says Brian B., Founder and MC of the SNF.
Competition details
The seven quarterfinal comedians are given eight minutes to perform each week, with the line-up order drawn as the show progresses.
Audience members are given a ballot before the show begins. After the last comedian performs each night, the audience will pick three comedians they feel should advance to the next round. The ballots are counted while a non-competing comic performs. The comics moving on in the competition are announced at the end of the show.
The competition winner receives $500 cash, prizes from Spectrum Entertainment Complex and Craig’s Cruisers, gift cards from LaughFest and Midtown GR, a bowling pin trophy and a personalized “Kingpin” bowling shirt. The winner will also headline the SNF 2024 LaughFest performance.
The total prize package is worth over $1,000.
About the Sunday Night Funnies
The SNF is the creation of Grand Rapids stand-up comedian Brian B. (Brian Borbot). The weekly live stand-up comedy performance features a variety of comics from Michigan and around the country.
The free admission show beings at 8:30 p.m. at Spectrum Entertainment Complex/Woody’s Press Box in Wyoming. In September, the show will begin at 7:30 p.m.
