Category Archives: Environment

Michigan farmers battle invaders as temperatures rise

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

By Sarah Atwood
Capital News Service

LANSING – As warmer-than-average growing seasons caused by climate change become more common, they bring new invasive species to Michigan.

Tar spot is a fungus that attacks corn and causes production losses. Credit: Michigan State University

“Insects that like warm weather are finding that Michigan is becoming more and more life-sustaining than ever before,” said Bruno Basso, a professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

 

And that requires new ways to fight them.

“These invasive species to Michigan are resistant to pesticides that farmers previously relied upon,” Basso said. “So farmers are looking for new ways to improve the ecology of their crops and improve their resistance.”

Identifying the threats

Two new threats are “tar spots,” in corn, and spotted wing drosophila, said Laura Campbell, a senior conservation and regulatory relations specialist at the Michigan Farm Bureau.

Tar spots are raised black dots on the ears of corn caused by a fungus called “phyllachora maydis,” Campbell said. An outbreak in a corn field causes production losses and economic disaster for the farmers.

Spotted wing drosophila is an insect that attacks soft fruits, a big problem for Michigan’s cherry orchards, Campbell said.

 

The female insects lay eggs inside the fruit, causing brown, sunken spots. As the larva eats the fruit it becomes rotten and non-consumable.

Using technology in the fight

Farmers attack new insects with technology, Basso said. Drones can pinpoint where an insect or weed is on their farms. Then they spray the specific area before it worsens.

Another example of emerging technology is the advancement of Enviroweather, a Michigan State -based weather service that can help farmers anticipate threats to their crops,  Campbell said. The site tracks invasion trends, warning farmers ahead of time if pests are headed their way.

“Preventative pesticide spraying is best, because it will deter the invasive insects and weeds from being able to attack the crops,” Campbell said. “This greatly reduces the amount of pesticides needed, which is good for the farmer and the surrounding land and water.”

Scientists are also making advances in the kinds of products used on farms, Basso said. Biodegradable plastic mulch is replacing synthetic mulch that does not decompose. More plant-based pesticides and herbicides are becoming available.

A local perspective from Ada

Heather Anderson, the owner of Green Wagon Farm, in Ada, uses all-natural products to combat insects and weeds on her certified organic farm.

 

Spotted wing drosophila is an insect that lays its eggs on the inside of fruit, like this raspberry, causing it to rot. Credit: University of Minnesota Extension

“We are constantly vigilant for new threats to our crops,” Anderson said. “We don’t do preventative spraying, instead we scout the farm ourselves, and pick weeds by hand.”

At 18 acres, Green Wagon Farm is much smaller than the average U.S. farm size of 211 acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Removing weeds by hand becomes more difficult on large farms.

 

“It’d be nice if all farms could be fully biodegradable and have no waste, but sometimes synthetic products are unavoidable,” Basso said.

This is not to say that farmers aren’t looking for more sustainable methods.

“Pesticides are incredibly expensive, and it would be more cost-effective to spray one small area than to have to spray an entire field,” Campbell said. “There’s a notion that farmers want to spray pesticides everywhere, and don’t care about the impacts on the land and water. But the land and water is their livelihood.”

Keeping the lines of communication open

A challenge is the communication between farmers and scientists, Campbell said.

 

Scientists lack the hands-on experience of being a farmer, and this makes it difficult for farmers to trust that their advice is best.

Money is also a big factor, according to Basso.

“Farmers have historically been more conservative when it comes to implementing new practices,” Basso said. “They have a financial risk, because if they change a way of doing something and it doesn’t work out, they lose that money that they would’ve made before.”

But as the weather gets warmer, farmers understand that their practices have to change or they will not be able to survive, Campbell said.

“Farmers want to do the right thing,” Campbell said. “I’ve never met a farmer who said they don’t care when it comes to the environment.”

ABOUT SARAH ATWOOD

Sarah is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Environment links to cancer focus of new Michigan study

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Environment, Great Lakes, Health, , ,

By Cameryn Cass
Capital News Service

A new University of Michigan study aims to understand how environmental exposures in Michigan contribute to cancer.

Sara Snyder is project director of the Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study, or MI-CARES. (Credit: University of Michigan)

The Michigan Cancer and Research on the Environment Study, or MI-CARES, is largely motivated by Michigan’s history of toxic environmental exposures and environmental injustice, said Sara Snyder, the project director.

Researchers are recruiting 100,000 ethnically diverse, cancer-free Michiganders ages 25 to 44. It’s a statewide survey, but they’ll focus enrollment on what they’ve identified as six major environmental injustice hotspots: the Detroit metropolitan area, Saginaw, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Flint, Snyder said.

Environmental injustice refers to people who belong to groups that are discriminated against and are disproportionately exposed to contaminants and other health hazards.

June 1 marked the soft launch to test the website used to recruit candidates. People enroll every day, but the study’s full launch was earlier this fall.

A first in Michigan

“Nothing like this has been done in the state of Michigan before, which is almost shocking if you know about the levels of environmental injustice that have taken place,” said Lilah Khoja, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan on the MI-CARES team.

“There isn’t a community in Michigan that hasn’t been impacted in some way by environmental injustice,” she said.

It dates back decades: the PBB contamination of dairy products in the 1970s, the Flint water crisis, industrial pollution in Detroit and now PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment, Snyder said.

The project, funded by the National Cancer Institute and the University of Michigan, will track participants through annual questionnaires for at least six years, Snyder said.

 

They’ll be asked about employment and residential histories, race, ethnicity, major health and life events and overall lifestyle to gauge participant health and previous exposures to industrial chemicals or other contaminants, Snyder said.

 

Beyond cancer, the surveys might also shed light on how exposures to chemicals in the environment cause heart disease, asthma or even Alzheimer’s disease, said Dana Dolinoy, the principal investigator of biomarker evaluations for MI-CARES.

Compiling the data needed for change

Such surveys have a proven track record. For instance, cancer rates are significantly higher in Flint compared to the rest of Genesee County and the state after lead contaminated the city’s water supply.

“My cousin, my aunt, my friend have all died of cancer,” said Arthur Woodson, a Flint resident and community activist. “People are dying in high numbers here of cancer.”

 

Community activists at the Pittsfield Farmers Market offer information about MI-CARES. Credit: MI-CARES.

Such anecdotal reports can be reinforced by hard data produced by health studies from the Genesee County Health Department proving elevated cancer levels in the area.

A study recently published in JAMA Network Open found that 1 in 5 Flint residents have presumptive major depression and another 1 in 4 have presumptive post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“They fixed the water, but they didn’t fix the people,” Woodson said.

Providing people with the data they need

A large goal of MI-CARES is to give people access to data that will help them advocate for a cleaner environment and a healthier life, Khoja said.

“You can’t advocate for change if you don’t have the numbers to show that this is why it needs to change,” she said.

Cancer-centric studies like this one, whether linking it to smoking, a lack of physical activity or poor diet, played a role in a 29% drop in cancer death rates between 1991 and 2017, according to the American Cancer Society.

 

MI-CARES’ data will help improve Michiganders’ health while informing policy to reduce environmental injustices and harmful exposures, Snyder said.

 

Researchers looked at what was going on in the state and narrowed the study’s focus to the most prominent of the 80,000 chemicals in the environment: exposure to metals, like lead, chemicals in personal care products, air pollution and PFAS, Dolinoy said.

Addressing the issues

Michigan has the highest known PFAS levels of any state.

To measure some contaminants like lead, participants from the six environmental injustice hotspots will send in blood and saliva. These measurements, called intermediate biomarkers, show if a past environmental exposure changed the epigenome – the instruction book telling genes how to behave – to make them more susceptible to cancer and other diseases, Dolinoy said.

The study focuses on a younger population so that researchers might recognize any diseases before they manifest, Dolinoy said.

 

“This gives us time to intervene and treat individuals, because when the disease is already on board, it’s really hard to reverse it,” she said.

There’s evidence, though, that relatively easier things like changes in lifestyle and diet might reverse changes to that epigenetic instruction book, especially early in life, Dolinoy said.

Building a better tomorrow

The hope is to inspire policy intervention with MI-CARES findings, forcing industry and other institutions responsible for poisoning the environment to change. That is a challenge that the health survey hopes to meet.

“It’s very difficult to translate some of this science in a way that will directly change the economics of a company,” Dolinoy said. “But studies like MI-CARES can provide a weight of evidence that shows our environment can negatively contribute to disease status.”

 

To apply to be part of the survey, visit https://micares.health and click “Join the Movement!” Applicants must be 25 to 44 years old and cancer-free.

Cameryn Cass reports for Great Lakes Echo.

An ancient building material could be the wave of the future

3-bottom, architecture, Citizen Journalism, Environment, Great Lakes, Local Business, Our Cities, Recycling, ,

By Cameryn Cass
Capital News Service

Michigan’s first mass timber building at Michigan State University, the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, stores nearly 2,000 metric tons of carbon in its timbers, the equivalent of not burning more than 2 million pounds of coal. (Capital News Service/Cameryn Cass)

LANSING – Michigan businesses interested in reducing their carbon footprint are looking to build with large wooden panels instead of steel or concrete.

  

Nationwide, demand for what is called mass timber tripled between 2018 and 2021.

There are different kinds of mass timber, but the term refers to multiple wood panels either nailed or glued together and that are strong enough to replace concrete and steel, which contribute 8% to greenhouse gas emissions, according to Canadian architect Michael Green.

Mass timber is more sustainable, Green said.

 

Nearly half of America’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the building industry.

Why mass timber is a good option

Since a little more than a cubic yard of wood can store 1 ton – about the weight of the Liberty Bell– of carbon dioxide, mass timber is a great way to reduce our footprint, said Sandra Lupien, the director of MassTimber@MSU, a research and education group promoting mass timber in the Great Lakes region.

 

Half of the weight of a tree is from stored carbon in its wood, and the rest is water, oxygen, hydrogen and a mix of other elements. In other words, wood is a carbon sink.

Building with it can prevent or delay carbon from being released into the atmosphere when a tree dies or burns, Lupien said.

 

Last year, Michigan State University opened one of the first mass timber buildings in the state, the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility. Already there are two more mass timber projects underway in the state, one at a K-12 school in Kalamazoo and another at the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville.

 

Another 27 projects in Michigan on the drawing board plan to incorporate mass timber. One of those was in Muskegon where Grand Rapids-based Leestma Management was scheduled to constructe a mass timber building at Adelaide Point this summer.

The biggest hurdle: Getting it

At minimum, the building in Cedarville will have a roof made of mass timber, though those involved with its construction are hoping to build the whole building out of it, said Nikki Storey, the president of the Great Lakes Boat Building School.

The only thing stopping them is funding.

 

“That’s part of the problem with mass timber: I don’t know that the economy of scales exists yet to be able to get good pricing on it,” Storey said.

Since mass timber comes in sheets that are easy to put together – Lupien equates it to building with Lincoln Logs – there’s a major time savings with using it. But since there are no mass timber manufacturers in Michigan – the closest is outside of Chicago – it’s not always easy to get it.

 

Typically, mass timber products are made from softwood trees – think coniferous, like evergreens – which make up 30% of Michigan’s forests. The remaining majority of the state’s trees are hardwood, meaning they’re deciduous and lose their leaves, Lupien said.

Using Michigan’s resources

Researchers at Michigan Tech University are experimenting with making mass timber out of hardwood instead, a niche that might provide economic opportunity.

Mass timber advocates hope that Michigan State’s STEM Teaching and Learning Facility will be a place where contractors can learn to build with the more sustainable alternative. (Capital News Service/Cameryn Cass)

It is an untapped opportunity.

“Michigan is a forestry state,” said Conan Smith, the president of the Michigan Environmental Council. “If we can advance the construction materials that are rooted in wood, it’s to our economic benefit.

“It’s not just a great environmental opportunity, it’s a great economic opportunity for the state of Michigan.”

Each year, the state removes 30% to 40% of the forest’s growth, said Brenda Haskill, a forest marketing and outreach specialist at theDepartment of Natural Resources. That still provides enough capacity to harvest for mass timber and manage forests sustainably.

“We’re at a really interesting place in terms of moving the forest industry forward,” Haskill said.

Meeting the demands

Talks of attracting a mass timber manufacturer to the state are underway. However, an aging workforce and the rising cost of diesel fuel mean a decline in logging firms, Haskill said.

Making sure we have loggers to harvest trees and get them to the mill is really the biggest concern, Haskill said.

“I’m hopeful, but there’s a lot of pieces that need to be addressed,” Haskill said.

Michigan is in the same boat as the other Midwestern states. There’s more mass timber manufacturing and interest out west, Haskill said.

Looking at the building codes

Another challenge is the states outdated building codes, said Brian Craig, the board chair at the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute.

 

Michigan State University revamped a power plant and added two mass timber wings to create a hybrid structure in the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility. (Capital News Service/Cameryn Cass)

The most recent version of the International Building Code is from 2021 and offers more flexibility and clarity for how high you can build and how much wood can be exposed with mass timber, Craig said.

Right now, Michigan follows 2015 codes, making it two cycles behind the current thinking on mass timber and fire safety, Craig said.

 

But mass timber doesn’t behave like a 2 x 4.

Instead, it behaves like a tree.

 

Think of an unsplit log in a fire pit, and how it chars on the outside: That’s what mass timber would do in a fire, Lupien said.

Craig said that timber can be even safer than steel when it burns.

 

“Think about what happens when steel gets hot. It sort of turns into spaghetti, whereas mass timber’s surface chars and then protects the rest of the timber,” Craig said.

 

Lupien said that even with the outdated building codes, builders in Michigan are still able to use mass timber, and they should.

Bringing the beauty indoors

People using the buildings – at least the one on MSU’s campus– express the aesthetic benefits of bringing nature indoors, Lupien said.

“There’s actually a word for that. It’s called biophilia,” Lupien said.

That’s a Greek word that translates to “love of life. ” It taps into our inborn desires of being close to nature. Biophilic design – like incorporating wood into buildings – has even been found to promote human wellness and productivity, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Putting the more sustainable, attractive alternative into Michigan buildings is a question of price and supply.

 

“It’s been used in Europe for better than a decade now,” Smith said. “It’s a product that’s far better for the planet than concrete.

 

“Why we’re not using it more, I don’t know.”

Wyoming, Kentwood to participate in drug take back event

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Environment, Kent County, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Kentwood’s Drug Take Back Day event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. (WKTV)

The fall National Drug Take Back Day has been set for this Saturday, Oct. 29, with both the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Kentwood Police Department participating in the event.

The annual event is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back initiative. The event is held in April and October as part of ongoing efforts to combat prescription drug misuse and overdose deaths. For the April Take Back Day, the Department of Drug Enforcement reported that about 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications were collected. Since starting the program in 2010, around 16 million pounds of unneeded prescription medications have been collected.

“By taking advantage of this free and anonymous Drug Take Back Day, residents can help save lives,” said Kentwood Police Chief Bryan Litwin. “Proper medication disposal prevents identity theft, accidental poisonings, drug addiction and overdose deaths. It can also help preserve the environment by reducing the amount of medications in landfills and sewer systems. Please gather unneeded medications from your home and join us Oct. 29 as we work together to keep our community safe.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, more than 107,000 people died as the result of a drug overdose last year. This figure means that someone in the United States is dying of a drug overdose every five minutes.

City of Kentwood

Residents may drop off unused, unwanted or expired prescription pills and patches from 10 a.m to 2 p.m at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Liquids, needles and sharp objects will not be accepted. For disposal of needles and other sharp objects, visit the Kent County Health Department’s reimaginetrash.org or click here.

The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

City of Wyoming

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave., has a SafeMed box at the station where anyone may properly dispose of medications throughout the year.

The department also partners with University of Michigan Health West, 2122 Health Dr. SW, on Drug Take Back Day. The event at UMHW will be a drive-thru from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. People are encouraged to stay in their car and a volunteer will come to the vehicle.

As with the Kentwood program, this program is free with no questions asked.

Kent County DPW hosting free tire collection event

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, Recycling, Upcoming Events, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Kent County Department of Public Works is hosting a tire collection event Nov. 12. (Pxhere.com)

Community members can safely recycle up to 10 passenger tires for free during an event hosted by the Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW).

 

Kent County residents can drop off their old tires from 8:30-11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Grand Rapids SafeChem location, 1045 Wealthy St. SW. DPW’s resource recovery specialists will be on hand to help unload vehicles and safely dispose of the tires for recycling.

“Whole tires are notoriously difficult to get rid of because they are not accepted by trash pick-up and cannot be disposed in a landfill unless they are shredded,” said Steve Faber, marketing and communications manager of the DPW. “We encourage Kent County residents to take advantage of this collection event to properly dispose of old tires.”

Tire disposal normally costs between $4-6 per tire depending on their size at Kent County DPW facilities. The last free tire collection event hosted by the DPW was in fall 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tires are often found in illegal dumping sites because they are difficult and costly to get rid of. Old tires also serve as breeding grounds for mosquitos and pose fire hazards. All the tires collected on Nov. 12 will be sent to a facility that will process and recycle them into new products, such as playground resurfacing material.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) recently launched a new state program to award grants for entrepreneurs looking to expand ways to reuse old tires. Information about the new Scrap Tire Market Development Grant can be found online.

Kentwood offers fall leaf and brush drop-off to residents starting Oct. 15

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Leaf and brush drop-off services will again be available to Kentwood residents this fall. (WKTV)


By WKTV Staff

The City of Kentwood will again offer leaf and brush drop-off services to residents this fall.

Beginning on Saturday, Oct. 15, residents may drop off loose leaves, brush, sticks, tree limbs, logs and grass clippings at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, located at 5068 Breton Ave. SE.

Drop-off will be available from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 3. The sites will be closed Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day, as well as Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 25 for Thanksgiving.

The services are available to Kentwood residents only, and proof of residency is required, via a a driver’s license, tax bill or water bill.

The following materials won’t be accepted

  • trash
  • paper and plastic bags
  • dirt
  • concrete
  • asphalt
  • tires
  • rocks
  • stones
  • construction materials
  • glass
  • metal

The drop-off services provide residents with a convenient way to keep their yards clear of leaves and debris as leaves begin to fall. The accumulation of leaves and debris on a property or in the right-of-way is prohibited in the City of Kentwood, as well as burning leaves and brush.

“Fall is a busy season for yard cleanup,” said Chad Griffin, Department of Public Works director. “We’re glad to offer these services to help residents keep their yards free of debris.

 “It also helps us keep roadways and storm drains clear, which contributes to making the City of Kentwood a beautiful place to live, work and play.”

After closing for winter in December, both drop-off sites will reopen in the spring.

More information about Kentwood’s leaf and brush drop-off services is available at kentwood.us/BrushLeafDropOff

Kent County has seven roads on the best Michigan roads for color list

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, Great Lakes, Kent County, West Michigan, , , ,

By Liam Jackson
Capital News Network

As Michigan enters peak color season, local officials across the state have nominated the best roads for motorists to enjoy the changing foliage.

Peak Michigan colors were predicted to start last weekend in the Upper Peninsula and end at the state’s southern border Oct. 29. The County Road Association of Michigan compiled the statewide list of “don’t miss” local roads.

For a complete list of the fall color list, click here.

The more than 120 roads span the state.

The County Road Association named more than 120 routes as best for fall color, including the Fallasburg covered bridge in Kent County. (Courtesy, Kent County Road Commission)

There are plenty to choose from.

Michigan has the nation’s fourth-largest local road system. County roads account for 90,000 miles of roads and 5,700 bridges. Although the road association puts the list together, it relies on county officials for scenic road nominations.

All county road commissions were asked what county roads they would recommend to people who are interested in breathtaking fall views, said Dustin Earley, the manager of communications and engagement with the County Road Association of Michigan.

The association asks local commissioners to say, “Look, here’s my favorite road in my backyard,” Earley said.

Fallasburg a favorite in Kent County

“I just think as Michiganders we are really lucky because I’m not sure there is another state that is more beautiful in the fall,” said Maura Lamoreaux, the communications director for the Kent County Road Commission. “You can travel and just enjoy the colors of the season.”

Kent County has seven roads on the “don’t miss” list. Fallasburg Park Drive in Vergennes Township, 15 miles east of Grand Rapids, is one that stands out, Lamoreaux said.

“Fallasburg Park is not only a gorgeous ride, but it is also a beautiful park to take in the fall colors,” she said.

The Fallasburg covered bridge in Kent County sits on a route that made the list of best fall color roads in Michigan. (Courtesy, Kent County Road Commission)

The park’s covered bridge is a registered historical site that celebrated its 150th anniversary last year.

“You kind of feel like you are traveling back in time a little bit,” Lamoreaux said. “There is a sign that says ‘You will be charged $5 for speeding,’ which is a replica of the original sign that was posted on the bridge.”

Kent County promotes a local route with fall scenic views that is hundreds of miles long, Lamoreaux said. The county picks a few stretches of road to add to the statewide list.

Other roads in Kent County

  • Honey Creek Avenue from Pettis Avenue to Cannonsburg Road
  • Bailey Drive from Vergennes Street to Lincoln Lake Avenue
  • 5 Mile Road from Lincoln Lake Avenue to Gavin Lake Avenue
  • Gavin Lake Road from 5-mile road to Belding Road
  • Wabasis Avenue from Belding Road to 12 Mile Road
  • Ramsdell Drive from 5 Mile Road to 11 Mile Road

Roads in Ottawa County

  • Lakeshore Drive from Grand Haven city limits to Ottawa Beach Road/Holland State Park
  • Hayes Street from M-11 intersection to Berlin Fair Drive/the Berlin Fairgrounds in Marne
  • Leonard Street from intersection on Leonard Street/S. Lake Avenue in Village of Spring Lake to Lamont
  • Mercury Drive/Green Street/N. Cedar Drive from Grand Haven to Riverside County Park

Pure Michigan lists peak color dates by region here: https://www.michigan.org/fallcolormap

Lakeshore Drive popular in the Upper Peninsula

Chippewa County in the northeast part of the Upper Peninsula has four roads on the list.

The all-star route is Lakeshore Drive that runs along Lake Superior through the Bay Mills reservation between M-123 and Brimley, said Stephanie Boileau, a road design engineer for the Chippewa County Road Commision. “It doesn’t matter what time of year, it’s gorgeous.”

The route features Lake Superior, a tree canopy, the Bay Mills reservation, the Point Iroquois Lighthouse and multiple access points to beaches.

 

“It’s fantastic,” said Boileau. “It’s a road that makes you think, ‘Yes, this is why people love the Upper Peninsula so much.’”

When suggesting roads for the “don’t miss” list, she thinks about people looking to do fall color tours, Boileau said.

“We are looking for those deciduous hardwood trees, the ones that do turn color,” she said. “I also look at what other scenic opportunities you have besides trees. Is there interesting topography? Are there places to pull off and access recreational areas like a beach or state park?”

She prefers more rural areas and avoids submitting commuter routes.

It’s all about getting the best views

“Peak color means that if you can make it to that area within that time frame, you are probably increasing your chances at getting the best views of that color,” Earley said. “Earlier, things are just coming on and near the end of that date the leaves are starting to turn brown and fall off the trees.”

The association lists the roads every year. It subtracts roads undergoing construction or if the county chooses to have it removed. But the list is growing, not shrinking, Earley said.

Tourists are not the only ones benefiting from scenic fall tours in Michigan.

“Most everyone benefits when we have a good fall color season,” said Tony Haller, the executive director of the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce. “Our restaurants benefit from it, our hotels benefit from it, all our convenience stores and gas stations get people filling up for gas while they make their tours.

“I couldn’t name a favorite, but that’s the beauty of this list. It’s really the experts of these areas that are helping us list these roads.”

ABOUT LIAM JACKSON

Liam Jackson is a journalist from Trenton, Michigan. He enrolled at Michigan State in 2018. His journalistic interests include feature stories and sports journalism. In addition to writing for Spartan Newsroom, Liam has also served as the News Editor and Sports Editor at Impact 89FM.

New mobile app helps ID potential Lyme disease-carry ticks

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Environment, Great Lakes, Hard News, Health, Pets/Animals, , ,

By Genevieve Fox
Capital News Service

An adult black-legged (deer) tick. (By Photo by Scott Bauer. – This image was released by the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, with the ID k8002-3 (next)., Public Domain)

Picture this: You’re walking through the woods when you brush up against some tall grass, or maybe you wandered off trail momentarily. You head home, but the next day notice a black speck on your arm.

It’s a tick. 

Beyond the gross-out factor, you wonder if it might make you sick. A new mobile app may help figure that out.

Emily Dinh, a medical entomologist with the Department of Health and Human Services, says encounters people are having with ticks are becoming more common.

That’s as the state’s tick population has been on the rise, including numbers of the American dog tick and the blacklegged tick, which can transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

“That blacklegged tick is something that we’re concerned about and seeing a greater distribution throughout the state of Michigan. That is the tick that can transmit Lyme disease,” Dinh said.

In 2021, the state health department reported nearly half of Michigan’s counties had a known risk of Lyme disease for people and animals.

Ticks like shady, moist areas

Ticks are typically found in wooded and brushy areas but can even show up in suburban yards.

“The most important thing to be aware of is where ticks are, so ticks like shady, moist areas in woody, grassy locations,” she said. “Especially in the warmer months of April through September, but sometimes into October as well because ticks can be active when the temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Barry OConnor is a tick expert at the University of Michigan’s Zoology Museum. He cites a rise in temperatures as a possible reason for the increased risk.

“We’ve certainly seen changes in the distribution of several species of ticks moving northward over the years as temperatures have become warmer,” OConnor said.

According to the state, average yearly temperatures have increased two to three degrees in the past two decades.

The Tick App

A group of researchers from universities across the U.S. decided to create a mobile app, called The Tick App. (Courtesy, The Tick App)

Because of growing concerns about the pests, both in Michigan and across the country, a group of researchers from universities across the U.S. decided to create a mobile app, simply called The Tick App.

Michigan State University professor Jean Tsao said the app allows scientists to learn more about where ticks are and what people are doing to keep safe from them. She is in the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife and is part of the group that helped develop the digital portal.

“It’s a mobile health app that is both a research tool as well as an outreach tool,” she said.

When people download it, they’re prompted to fill out a 10-minute survey about potential risk factors.

“We really wanted to understand, if possible, when and where and what kind of activities people are doing to expose themselves to ticks,” Tsao said.

She said users are also able to take a picture of a tick and submit it to the app. The research team is then able to identify it within 24 hours.

“They have a lot of reliable information all collated into one area that can tell you about what a tick is, what the various species of ticks are that you’re likely to contact in the area that you live and what are prevention measures that you can take,” Tsao said.

Tips on avoiding ticks

To avoid ticks, Tsao recommends wearing bug repellent and long clothing outside.

 

After returning home, a full-body tick check and shower is also ideal.

Tsao said the research team is working to use artificial intelligence to make tick identification faster and more accurate.

She said she hopes that with this advancement, the app may one day be used by health care workers as a diagnostic tool.

Genevieve Fox reports for WKAR Radio in partnership with the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism and Capital News Service.

Two local organizations to offer member reciprocal in September

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Environment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Grand Rapids Public Museum’s current exhibit is “Fashion + Nature.” (Supplied)

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and the John Ball Zoo (JBZ) announced a member reciprocal partnership during the month of September 2022. Members from both organizations will receive free admission at both locations during this time.

 

Through this partnership, GRPM members can visit the John Ball Zoo and receive free general admission, including access to their KoalaPalooza event over Labor Day weekend and Washed Ashore – Art to Save the Sea exhibit. JBZ members in return can visit the GRPM and receive free general admission to visit their newest exhibit A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico, opening Sept. 3, as well as the GRPM original exhibit, Fashion + Nature.

Exhibits at Both Locations

GRPM tickets can be reserved in advance at grpm.org, and John Ball Zoo tickets can be reserved at jbzoo.org.

 

‘We’re excited to continue our partnership with the John Ball Zoo to offer this special benefit to our members,” said Kate Kocienski, the GRPM’s Vice President of Marketing & PR. “This partnership allows members to maximize the value of their annual membership, and experience what each organization has to offer, all month long.”

The John Ball Zoo is currently feature The “Washed Ashore” exhibit. (Washed Ashore)

Kocienski noted that both organizations are currently featuring exhibits focused on sustainability, with John Ball Zoo’s captivating Washed Ashore exhibit and the GRPM’s Fashion + Nature exhibit, delivering immersive, eye-opening experiences suitable for all ages.

Opening this weekend at the Grand Rapids Public Museum is “A Celebration of Souls” Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico,” which features photographs and altars, known as offends, to capture a typical Oaxacan Day of the Dead celebration.

For additional details regarding Zoo hours and admission, along with education and conservation programs, visit www.jbzoo.org or call 616-336-4300.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, with its main location in downtown Grand Rapids, MI at 272 Pearl Street, NW. For additional information including hours of operation, admission fees, and exhibit/event listings, please visit www.grpm.org.

How to stay safe when caught by a rip current

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Environment, Great Lakes, Health, How-To's, Recreation, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org


It is finally nice in West Michigan, which means lots of beach time, but as the recent scare this week at Grand Haven beach reminded many knowing how to handle a rip current is key to water safety.

Grand Haven State Park does not have lifeguards but does utilize a flag system to let beachgoers know conditions.

Under a new land use order that allows the Department of Natural Resources shutdown the Grand Haven State Park on Tuesday, June 21, after water conditions prompted several rescues. Under the new order, the DNR can prevent or fine a person who enters waters under their jurisdiction when certain conditions are present such as harmful bacteria, dangerous weather conditions or rough waves, as was such the case on June 21.

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there has been 46 possible great lakes drownings so far in 2022, of which 19 have been in Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is considered the deadliest lake of all the Great Lakes and one of the deadliest lakes in the United States due to the number of drownings.

One of the leading causes of those drownings are rip currents, channelized currents of water flowing away form shore at surf beaches.

To help raise awareness about rip currents, WKTV will be again airing the special “Respect the Power,” on June 28 at 9:30 a.m. and June 30 at 5 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25. 

If caught in a rip current, relax and don’t swim against the current. Rip currents do not pull people under the water.

The video was produced by the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Force and was created in memory of Andrew Burton Fox and Daniel Reiss, both who were swept off the Grand Haven pier and drowned in Lake Michigan.

According to Grand Haven officials, rip currents and powerful breaking waves are common in the area of the pier. But education, including recognizing what a riptide looks like and what to do if you are caught in one, can increase the chances of a happy outcome.

From the “Respect the Power” website, it states that the Great Lakes are better understood as inland seas rather than lakes. Storms, not the lakes, can easily generate waves up to 30 feet in the most sever weather. However, even smaller waves can be dangerous.

When waves break, water is pushed up the slope of the shore. Gravity pulls this water back toward the lake. When the water converges in a narrow, river-like current moving away from the shore, it forms what is know as a rip current. Rip currents can be 50 feet to 50 yards or more wide. They can flow to a point just past the breaking waves or hundreds of yards offshore. You can sometimes identify a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current may be dirty from the sand being turned up by the current. The water may be colder than the surrounding water. Waves usually do not break as readily in a rip current as in adjacent water.

Moving at one to two feet a second, sometimes up to eight feet which is faster than any Olympic swimmer, a rip current can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from the shore.

According to both the “Respect the Power” and the National Weather Service websites, if caught in a rip current, try to relax. A rip current is not an “undertow” and will not pull you under. Do not try to swim against the current as this is very difficult, even for an experience swimmer. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim directly toward shore. If you are tired, tread water and float and call and wave for assistance. The current will carry you to the end or head of the current, where once rested you can swim back to shore.

Some other water safety tips:

1. Learn to swim.

2. Check with a lifeguard or with the park’s current conditions board before entering water.

3. Never swim alone.

4. Never dive headfirst into unknown waters or shallow breaking waves.

5. Piers are navigational structures and not designed as walkways, proceed at your own risk.

6. Do not jump or dive off pier structures.

7. Avoid piers when waves begin to spill over the pier surface.

8. To avoid rip currents, avoid swimming in areas that are discolored with sand and has a choppy or foamy surface.

9. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore (about 30-50 yards) to get out of the rip current before swimming to shore.

10. Protect yourself from the sun. Use sun screen.

Wyoming residents, it’s time to purge with city hosting annual community clean-up event

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Environment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Spring cleaning is what many have been doing as the weather warms up to summer. Now the question is what to do with all that stuff?

The City of Wyoming will be hosting its annual Community Clean-Up event on June 4 at the Grand Rapids First parking lot.

Well the City of Wyoming will be helping out its residents once again with the return of its popular Community Clean-Up Day which is set for Saturday, June 4. The event will again take place in the parking lot of the Grand Rapids First, 2100 44th St. SW. It will open at 8 a.m. with participants encouraged to be in line by 1:30 p.m. to drop off items.

The traffic flow will have cars entering Grand Rapids First through the right lane of the eastbound 44th Street. Once in line, drivers should follow the directions to the northeast entrance off 44th Street.

An array of unwanted items will be accepted such as recyclables, scrap metals, and car batteries. Items NOT accepted are household hazardous waste; kitchen garbage; liquid latex paint; seal drums; liquid, biological, radioactive waste; propane tanks; refrigerants; and explosives.

Yard waste may be dropped off at the Yard Waste Drop-Off, which is located at 2600 Burlingame Ave. SW. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The facility is also open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. Yard waste should be sorted by leaves and grass and brush pile.

E. Martin Hennings (American, 1886–1956). Two Summer Riders, c. 1930s. Oil on Canvas, 30 ¼ x 30 ¼ inches. Bank of America Collection.

At the Community Clean-Up event, there will be a fee for some items. While tires are $10 each, mattress or box springs are $15 each, tube and televisions that are 27 inches or smaller are $20, and tube televisions 27 inches or larger are $40.

To participate in the Community Clean-Up event, and to use the Yard Waste Drop-Off, residents must provide proof of residency which can be a photo ID, utility or credit card statement or bank statement within the last 90 days, a mortage, lease, or rental agreement, insurance policy, an issued license, or a Michigan vehicle registration.

The city started its Community Clean-Up in 2016 and it quickly became popular with the event averaging at least 300 vehicles coming through and disposing of items. 

For more information about the Community Clean-Up Day, visit www.wyomingmi.gov/cleanup. For more tips on waste and recycling, visit Kent County’s ReimagineTrash.org. 

Paddle Antrim hosts kick off to the paddling season

Entertainment, Environment, Great Lakes, Kids Activities, Sports, Travel, Upcoming Events, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Paddle Antrim kicks off the season with its June 2 event. (Supplied)

Paddle Antrim will kick-off the paddling season on the Chain of Lakes Water Trail with a special community paddle and gathering in Elk Rapids with Short’s Brewing Company.

On Thursday, June 2, Paddle Antrim and Short’s Brewing Company invite the community for a community paddle on Elk River launching from Elk Rapids Rotary Park followed by a gathering just up the road at the Short’s Pull Barn.

This special gathering is the celebration of the upcoming season on Northern Michigan’s only state designated water trail. A community paddle will take place from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. on Elk River followed by a gathering featuring live music, food trucks, and beverages at Short’s Pull Barn.

“In addition to this event, Paddle Antrim is thrilled to offer programming all season long. “After a couple years of uncertainty, we are thrilled to bring back our programming in full force this summer,” said Deana Jerdee, executive director of Paddle Antrim. “Our classes and community paddles are great ways for paddlers to connect with each other and the water in a fun and educational way.”

Paddle Antrim will host 15 kayaking classes for both adults and children. (supplied)

The non-profit organization will host seven community paddles, 15 kayaking classes, four stewardship classes and the beloved three-day Paddle Antrim Festival.

Community paddles are free and open to the public. These relaxed hour-long paddles take place along different sections of the Chain of Lakes and all paddlers are welcome – canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards. Paddlers are responsible for bringing their own paddle craft and personal flotation devices (life jackets) must always be worn when out on the water.

 

Adult classes teach paddlers the basics of paddling all types of kayaks in a fun and safe way. These classes are great for beginners but anyone who has never received formal instruction will benefit. Kids’ classes are a great way to introduce your child to the sport of kayaking. Designed with fun and water safety as primary goals, these classes teach students through a variety of games and exploration. All classes are taught by American Canoe Association (ACA) certified instructors.

 

Paddle Antrim has partnered with Grass River Natural Area, Tipp of the Mitt Watershed Council, Little Traverse Conservancy, Kalkaska Conservation District, Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy, and CAKE CISMA to offer four stewardship classes in three different counties in Northern Michigan – Antrim, Charlevoix and Kalkaska. These classes train paddlers to identify and report invasive species while preventing their spread.

The Paddle Antrim Festival will take place Sept. 15 -17. Sponsored by Short’s Brewing Company, the Festival is a celebration of the waterways with two days of paddling and three days of community events.

 

For more information on all the Paddle Antrim events and classes visit www.paddleantrim.com/events. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Kentwood Department of Public Works to celebrate National Public Works Week with open house

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Environment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

By City of Kentwood

A family learns about some of the work the Kentwood Department of Publics handles at a past open house. (Supplied)

Community members are invited to learn more about how local public works departments serve residents at the Kentwood Department of Public Works’ Community Open House on Wednesday, May 18.

  

The event will be hosted in partnership with the Kent County Road Commission in recognition of National Public Works Week, which is May 15-21. The open house will take place on Wednesday, May 18 4-7 p.m. at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility at 5068 Breton Ave. SE.

Community members of all ages will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the DPW facility and learn more about the department. They will be able to meet the public works team, learn more about services provided and explore vehicles and other equipment used by the department.

“From snow plowing and streets to police cruisers and parks maintenance, public works supports many areas of everyday life,” Public Works Director Chad Griffin said. “This event gives us an opportunity to demonstrate that work and connect with residents to share more about our role in the community and the equipment we use.”

The event will feature giveaways, hands-on activities, live maintenance, repair demonstrations and more. Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided. Free silver maple, river birch and blue spruce tree seedlings will also be available for attendees to take home.

Additionally, semifinalists and finalists of the Work Zone Safety Poster competition will be honored at 5:30 p.m. Sponsored by Kent County Road Commission and public works agencies throughout Kent County, the poster contest invited third-grade students from across the county to design a caution sign focused on safety tips for driving through a work zone. A gallery of entries will be displayed during the event.

The Kent County Road Commission will also have team members and equipment on site to share more about the work they do.

“Our crew members are excited to discuss different aspects of their work with the community and highlight how we can work together to maintain safer roads for everyone,” said Steven Warren, managing director of the Kent County Road Commission. ” We are dedicated to improving public infrastructure, and this event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase how we serve our communities.”

The Kentwood Department of Public Works has five divisions that work together to maintain the City’s infrastructure, which includes more than 150 miles of pipes underground and more than 155 miles of streets above ground, as well as City parks and grounds, buildings and fleet of vehicles. The five divisions are building maintenance, fleet services, grounds maintenance, streets maintenance and utilities (water and wastewater) services. To learn more about Kentwood DPW, visit kentwood.us/DPW.

Prior to the open house, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley will provide a proclamation for National Public Works Week during the May 17 City Commission meeting. 

Spring 2022 was one of the coldest on record. Here’s why.

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Environment, Great Lakes, , ,

By Micah Prior
WKTV Contributing Writer

Cold, rainy temperatures are part of the La Niña cycle. (pxhere.com)

Michiganders know that spring is usually late to arrive, yet we’re nearly two months past the Vernal Equinox and it has felt as though spring is still a few more weeks away. Luckily, temperatures are predicted to be much more favorable later this week, but this unusual cold spell has left many Michiganders curious as to why the frigid conditions that are typically characteristic of Michigan’s winter months have continued through March and April.

There’s a few factors that can explain why this has occurred. The first of which is the fact that we are in the midst of a La Niña year. La Niña is the cold water phase of a temperature cycle in the Tropical Pacific called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

According to the National Ocean Service, “During normal conditions in the Pacific ocean, trade winds blow west along the equator, taking warm water from South America towards Asia. To replace that warm water, cold water rises from the depths — a process called upwelling.”

During the infrequent La Niña years of this climate cycle, those trade winds are stronger, upwelling increases, and the prevalence of this cold water in the Pacific Ocean pushes the jet stream further north, which leads to colder temperatures and increased precipitation.

This time around, it seems as though La Niña is doing her a job a little too well.

“We have had a lot of precipitation, with an active storm track the past several weeks,” said Erin Ostuno at the Grand Rapids National Weather Service. “This has resulted in March and April being cloudy and much wetter than usual. The combination of March and April had over eight inches of rain/melted snow water. This ranks 11th wettest on record. April had 5.19 inches of precipitation, the 12th wettest April on record at Grand Rapids.”

La Niña has been working too well this season, bring an unusual amount of cold weather well into May. (climate.gov)

Talk about a great deal of precipitation. To make matters more intense, the jet stream that divides the northern and southern half of North America appears to have been pushed south this winter by high pressure zones that have formulated in the early spring near Greenland during a prolonged negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).

In a recent article from the Washington Post, “When the NAO is negative, the weather over the eastern U.S. tends to be colder than normal. Such a pattern was seldom seen during the core winter months, which resulted in generally above-normal temperatures.”

While we were fortunate enough to experience slightly warmer temperatures this past winter, it seems that inevitably, we would have to pay the price at some point, which we’ve been doing since late March. The tax for having such a mild winter and all that high pressure up north is the spilling of the jet stream further south, which is why we’ve seen frigid temperatures typical of January or February continue through March and April while the Pacific Southwest has experienced oddly higher temperatures.

Luckily for us, it’s not forecasted to continue this way for much longer. According to a 10-day forecast for Michigan Center from Weather.com, by the week of May 9th, we’ll see high temperatures begin to erupt into the 70s with lows persisting in the upper 50s, so it appears as though this wintry weather we’ve been experiencing will finally be behind us.

Paddle Antrim warns paddlers to take extra caution during early season outings

3-bottom, Environment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, Weather, West Michigan, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Paddle Antrim warns paddlers to take precautions to protect themselves from heightened dangers of sudden, unexpected cold-water immersion while on early season paddling outings.

It has been a slow start to spring in Northern Michigan and the water remains colder than usual this time of year. While paddlers and boaters are itching to get out on the water, Paddle Antrim warns paddlers to take precautions to protect themselves from heightened dangers of sudden, unexpected cold-water immersion while on early season paddling outings.

While spring is in the air and outside temperatures are warming, lake temperatures are much cooler. When water temperatures are below 70 degrees, paddlers should wear a wetsuit or a full immersion dry suit with insulating layers. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause gasping and inhalation of water and hypothermia, resulting in unconsciousness or swimming failure as muscles become numb. Wearing a life jacket may keep your head above water and support your body should your swimming ability fail, or you become unconscious.

“We encourage people to get out and enjoy the water, but we also want to make sure people are safe at all times,” says Paddle Antrim Executive Director, Deana Jerdee. “Changing winds, stronger than usual currents, equipment failure – these are just a few unexpected elements that can cause paddlers to end up in dangerous situations. No one is ever expecting to fall in while paddling but it happens, and paddlers need to dress for being in the water, not for the air temperature.”

Cold water claims the lives of experienced and inexperienced paddlers each year. Please take the extra precautions to ensure your safety. Here are the five steps paddlers need to take before heading out on the water for any period:

  • Always wear a properly fitted life jacket. Simply stated, life jackets save lives;
  • Dress for the water temperature;
  • Avoid boating alone and always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Have a cell phone or VHF radio accessible, in a watertight bag, should you need to call for help;
  • Carry essential safety gear, signaling devices and whistles; and
  • Refrain from using alcohol.

City of Kentwood’s community cleanup day set for Saturday, May 7

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Environment, Upcoming Events, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood will offer its annual Community Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 7, to help residents “spring clean” their homes and yards.

Residents unload trash into the dumpsters during a past community clean-up day in the Kentwood and Wyoming area. (WKTV)

Residents can drop off yard waste, trash and general debris for disposal and electronics for recycling 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.

 

After the cleanup event, the City’s brush and leaf drop-off sites, also located at Kentwood’s DPW facility, will remain open through May 27. Hours of operation for the drop-off sites are noon-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

 

“As many residents begin spring-cleaning efforts, our Community Cleanup Day offers resources to properly dispose of or recycle items,” said Department of Public Works Director Chad Griffin. “We encourage residents who are decluttering their homes this season to take advantage of these free collection services.”

The cleanup day and drop-off services are available to Kentwood residents only. Anyone wishing to participate is asked to enter the drive off Breton Avenue, where staff will check ID for residency and direct traffic flow.

Red Creek Waste Services will be on-site for Kentwood’s Community Cleanup Day to accept general debris and trash, including mattresses, for disposal. Tires cannot be accepted.

  

Comprenew will be at the event to recycle electronic waste, such as mobile phones, computers and fax machines. Individuals with questions about other electronics that can be accepted are asked to call toll-free 1-833-266-7736.

 

The City of Kentwood will accept yard waste at the brush drop-off site, including brush, sticks, tree limbs and logs as well as leaves and grass clippings. Leaves should be loose when dropped off, not left in bags.

Items for donation and household hazardous materials will not be accepted during this year’s cleanup event. Residents looking to safely dispose of household hazardous materials may utilize the Kent County Department of Public Works’ SafeChem program, which remains available to residents at the Kentwood’s DPW facility 1:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Wyoming’s Arbor Day event set to honor longtime resident with planting at Kelloggsville High School

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Environment, Recreation, , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Jim Park shares is passion for the environment at a 2019 Arbor Day celebration with Kelloggsville students. The event was hosted by the Wyoming Tree Commission/The Tree Amigos. (Supplied)

“He was a person who cared,” is how many would describe longtime Wyoming resident Jim Ward.

 

Ward died in October at the age of 71, but left a legacy that impacted both the community he lived in, Wyoming, and the school his children attended, Kelloggsville Public Schools. This Thursday, April 28, Ward will be honored for his contributions to the City of Wyoming in a special Arbor Day celebration at Kelloggsville High School, 4787 S. Division Ave. The program, which will include the planting of an oak tree, is set for 10 a.m.

“Some people would see something that wasn’t right and would say ‘Isn’t this horrible,’ and that would be it,” said Ward’s wife, Jane. “Jim would see it and say ‘There has to be something we could do,’ and then it would be let’s see who we can get to help.”

It was in 2014 at a National Night Out neighborhood event that Ward would meet Estelle Slootmaker, who along with Ward and Greg Bryan founded the Wyoming Tree Commission or The Tree Amigos.

“I was concerned about the health of our oak trees because of the spongy moth infestation so I got permission to set up a table with information on caring for our oak trees,” Slootmaker said of the National Night Out event. “Jim and Jane approached me and chatted with me as did Greg Bryan.

“I was so tickled pink to find other tree huggers in my neighborhood.”

That chance meeting would lead to Slootmaker getting a phone call from Bryan asking her to meet with him and Ward and thus The Tree Amigos was born. A couple of years later, the Wyoming City Council would officially establish the group as the Wyoming Tree Commission.

The goal of the group over the years has been to improve the tree canopy in the City of Wyoming along with getting a Tree City USA designation and through Ward’s dedication the Commission has accomplished many of those goals, according to Slootmaker.

Jim Ward

“Jim was our mighty oak,” Slootmaker said. “He was there to plant the idea of a tree commission when our little group of neighbors first met – and he was integral to every project we completed. We miss him so very much.”

Among the Tree Commission’s accomplishments was a Tree City USA designation for the City of Wyoming from 2016 to 2021, the 16-tree Beverly Bryan Community Orchard at Wyoming West Elementary School, and tree plantings in several Wyoming neighborhoods along with planting one of the oldest trees in the world, a Dawn Redwood, at Wyoming’s Regional Center.

 

Jane Ward said her husband always had cared about the environment and was instrumental in getting an Earth Day committee going at their church.

 

A Godwin Heights graduate, Ward also was active on the neighborhood watch and involved in the teacher union at Forest Hills, where he served as the first media specialist at Forest Hills Northern High School. Along with his environmental passion, Ward had a passion for education and children, serving as the Quiz Bowl team coach and advising the National Honor Society.

That passion was not only reserved to Forest Hills, where Ward taught, but also to Kelloggsville, where his daughters had attended.

 

Because of his background as a media specialist, Ward had served as a consultant on the Kelloggsville High School’s library during a 2016 renovation project. It was through his efforts that he helped bring a Kent District Library branch to the school to serve both the community and the students. It also was at the KDL Kelloggsville branch that Ward helped host a tree-focused book discussion.

 

“He cared about the kids and the community,” Jane Ward said. “He saw a need and tried to do something and get things done.”

Scheduled to be in attendance for Thursday’s program will be Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll, Kelloggsville High School Principal Jim Alston, Kelloggsville High School student groups, and The Tree Amigos/City of Wyoming Tree Commission. The program is free and open to the public.

A Kentwood business joins others in support of state’s climate controls

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Environment, Great Lakes, , , , ,

By Lindsay M. McCoy
Capital News Service

LANSING – Fifteen businesses across the state, including Ford Motor Co. and two West Michigan microbreweries, have written to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in support of her administration’s carbon neutrality goals.

Broad Leaf Brewery’s owner Kris Spaulding signed a letter in support of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer administration’s carbon neutrality goals. (WKTV)

The goal to be a carbon-neutral economy was laid out in a 2020 executive order that also created the Council on Climate Solutions.

The Whitmer administration’s newly released MI Healthy Climate Plan would generate 60% of the state’s electricity from renewable resources, phase out all remaining coal-fired plants by 2030 and build infrastructure to support 2 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2030.

“The companies that signed this letter know that climate action and statewide strategies are not only an economic opportunity for the state, but also a business imperative for them,” said Deana Dennis, the senior manager of state policy at Ceres.

Ceres is a Boston-based nonprofit that advocates for sustainability by working with investors and the companies that initiated this letter.

In Michigan, the organization works with companies to advocate policies to achieve a carbon neutral economy, which would reach zero net emissions through carbon offsetting practices and projects.

 

“We’re hearing regularly from our companies that they need supportive policies at both the federal and state levels that will help achieve their climate pollution targets,” she said.

It’s also important that these businesses’ goals be achieved as equitably and cost-effectively as possible, said Dennis.

Dearborn-based Ford is taking action to reduce emissions from its operations, according to its website. Previously, the company installed LED lights throughout its plants, updated its painting operations and reduced its emissions by 15.1%.

Climate solutions logo.
Asher FreedmanClimate solutions logo.

Ford plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and use 100% local renewable energy in all of its manufacturing by 2035, according to its website.

Dennis said the companies that sent the letter have ambitious climate goals and know they need to ramp up their own efforts and advocacy work.

“That’s why they want to see Michigan take the lead on statewide strategies, such as through the governor’s MI Healthy Climate Plan,” she said.

The plan’s goals include developing new clean energy jobs by putting the state on a path towards becoming carbon neutral by 2050. It also proposes to reduce emissions from heating homes by repairing and improving buildings, triple the state’s recycling rate to 45% and cut food waste in half by 2030.

The businesses’ letter to Whitmer said, “We are committed to locally sourcing our purchases, including agricultural inputs, both in support of our local economy and in an effort to reduce transportation.”

Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids signed the letter “to show that businesses are in support of the government taking action to address climate change,” said Kris Spaulding, who owns it and Broad Leaf Brewery in Kentwood.

They are the first microbreweries in the world to be certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, through their efforts to minimize waste and energy use.

The two microbreweries are also committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and energy intensity over the next decade, according to the letter.

Dennis said Crystal Mountain in Benzie County’s Weldon Township, which signed the letter, is working to become greener.

The resort has opened walkable and bikeable grounds, provided free electric vehicle charging for guests and invested in other energy-efficient infrastructure such as LED lights and energy-efficient water pumps.

 

“Respecting the environment is one of our core values, and we strive to ensure our resort is committed to more sustainable solutions,” the company said in the letter.

The signers are from diverse business sectors, and Dennis said one goal of Ceres is to show unified support from businesses.

“The state needs to consider sector-wide strategies,” she said. “That includes the power sector, how we generate electricity. That also includes transportation, which is nationally the sector with the highest amount of emissions.”

Spaulding said, “There is often a feeling that businesses are opposed to any additional regulation, but without us, we as a greater society won’t be able to tackle this pressing issue.”

 

The other companies signing the letter are Ben & Jerry’s, DSM, EILEEN FISHER, General Mills, General Motors Co., IKEA, JLL, Johnson Controls, Siemens, Uplight and Worthen Industries.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Theatre, rock ‘n’ roll, a book sale, and a party with Quillbur

Citizen Journalism, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Going Local, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, , , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Finally it feels like Spring, and just in time for Earth Day.

 

This weekend’s Top 5 includes theater, rock ‘n’ roll, a book sale and a special Earth Day Party with Quillbur?

Want to learn more? Check out my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Gonzo’s Top 5

Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish (Courtesy Photo/Paul Jensen)

Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish

Grand Rapids rock, blues and rockabilly duo Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, celebrates the release of a new album with a show Saturday at Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids. The new, self-titled album “is quite different from other releases as it has more instruments and attitude,” Jesse Ray said in an interview on John Sinkevics’ localspins.com. “Where (2016’s) ‘Angry’ was just angry for the sake of a young man’s anger, the new record is more complicated and emotional with the occasional outburst.” The bill also includes Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps and The Local Commuters. Tickets are $15 and available online. Doors open at 7 p.m. More info on the Facebook event page.

Van Andel Arena

Downtown Grand Rapids is going to be busy this weekend with a couple big shows at Van Andel Arena. Comedian Katt Williams ( “The House Next Door; Meet the Blacks 2,” “Meet the Blacks”) performs at 8 p.m. Saturday (April 23) and rock band Shinedown performs at 7 p.m. Sunday (April 24). More details at vanandelarena.com.

Both KDL Kenwood and Wyoming libraries are hosting book sales this Saturday.

Friends of the Library Used Book Sale

The Kent District Library Kentwood Branch and Wyoming Branch both feature book sales from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (April 23) where book enthusiasts will find bargains galore. The Kentwood Branch is located at 4950 Breton SE. The Wyoming Branch is located at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. More details at kdl.org.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Master Arts Theatre in Grand Rapids is presenting “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with shows April 21-23, April 28-30 and May 5-7. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. According to Master Arts, “Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.” Learn more at www.masterarts.org.

Blandford Nature Center hosts a birthday party for Quillber, a North American Porcupine. (Supplied)

Blandford Nature Center – Earth Day

As part of Earth Day Week, Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids is having a Birthday Party for two of its wildlife ambassadors – Archimedes, who is a long-eared owl, and Quillber, a North American Porcupine. In a program from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, you’ll hear their stories and learn about what makes each of them special. Organizers said you can “snap a close-up of silly Archimedes before heading out on the trails to take Quillber for a birthday stroll through the woods.” Admission is free this month to Blandford, but admission to the party is $7 for members, $10 for non-members and free to those ages 2 and younger. You can register at https://www.blandfordnaturecenter.org/events/earth-day-birthdays/?occurrence=2022-04-23.

Blandford Nature Center is located at 1715 Hillburn Ave NW. Learn more about Blandford nature trails an http://blandfordnaturecenter.org/

That’s it for now.

As always, I welcome your input and recommendations for events to include in my Top 5 list. If you have something for me to consider, just send me an email at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Have a great, safe Easter weekend.

John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.

Kentwood to again celebrate Arbor Day, Tree City USA Designation with event and free seedlings

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Community Health, Environment, Local History, Recreation, Upcoming Events, Volunteers, WKTV Projects, ,
City of Kentwood city leaders celebrate the city’s renewed designation as a Tree City USA, by planting a tree of course, in 2021. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff 

The City of Kentwood will honor Arbor Day — and its renewed designation as a Tree City USA — by giving away 250 tree seedlings during an Arbor Day Celebration and tree planting on April 29.

Residents of all ages are invited to join Kentwood’s Arbor Day Celebration at Veterans Memorial Park, 355 48th St. SE., according to an announcement from the city. The event will begin at noon with an Arbor Day proclamation, followed by a tree planting and a half-mile guided tree identification walk in the park. Complimentary refreshments will be available at the concession stand.

Arbor Day is an annual day of observance typically held in the spring to celebrate trees and encourage tree planting. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the holiday.

“A healthy tree population and canopy help improve quality of life and promote happier, healthier communities,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “The Arbor Day Celebration enables Kentwood to engage our community members in environmental stewardship to help make the city a more vibrant and beautiful place to live.”

Arbor Day, locally and nationally

The Arbor Day Celebration engages and educates the community in planting and caring for the city’s trees and is part of Kentwood’s participation in the Tree City USA program.

The City of Kentwood will honor Arbor Day — and its renewed designation as a Tree City USA — by giving away 250 tree seedlings during an Arbor Day Celebration and tree planting on April 29. (Supplied)

Kentwood was recently recognized with the 2021 Tree City USA honor for promoting and caring for trees within the community, the second time the City has received the designation. The first was in 2020.

To become a Tree City USA, cities must have an annual Arbor Day observance, a community tree ordinance, a tree board or department and spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry activities. The program provides the necessary framework for communities to manage and expand their public trees, celebrate the importance of an urban tree canopy and demonstrate their commitment to environmental change.

Residents invited to get trees, get involved

Leading up to the Arbor Day celebration, residents can pick up free red maple or white pine tree seedlings at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. The seedlings will be available during business hours Tuesday, April 26 through Friday, April 29 or until supplies are gone.

 

The City of Kentwood will honor Arbor Day — and its renewed designation as a Tree City USA — by giving away 250 tree seedlings during an Arbor Day Celebration and tree planting on April 29. (Supplied)

Residents are invited to post a picture of their planted seedling on social media using the hashtag #GreeningKentwood.

The Kentwood Activities Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. During Arbor Day week, residents can check on tree seedling availability by calling the Parks and Recreation Department at 616-656-5270.


Residents who are looking for more ways to get involved beyond Arbor Day are invited to join the Kentwood Park Stewards, an environmentally focused program that helps preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.

More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.

Shoreline shipwreck viewing predicted to be excellent this summer

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Environment, Great Lakes, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local History, Recreation, Travel, West Michigan, , , ,

By Jim DuFresne
Capital News Service

LANSING – Some trails break out of the woods at a lake. Some climb a dune to a sweeping view.

And many – more than you probably thought – lead to a shipwreck with a story on a beach.

This summer could be excellent for shoreline shipwreck viewing as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts that the water level of lakes Michigan and Huron could be almost 2 feet below the record highs set in 2020.

Michigan’s fascinating maritime history is not limited to old lighthouses or restored life-saving stations.

 

Remains of the Francisco Morazan off South Manitou Island at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Jim DuFresne, MichiganTrailMaps.com.Remains of the Francisco Morazan off South Manitou Island at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The state is blessed with accessible shipwrecks that don’t require an air tank or a wetsuit to view – only a pair of hiking boots, a paddle or a snorkel and mask.

The heart of shipwreck territory is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, but there are others, including a wreck in Thompson’s Harbor State Park in Presque Isle County and more off the shore of the Upper Peninsula’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Michigan’s shoreline wrecks are constantly evolving, depending on wave action, shifting sand and Great Lake water levels.

High and dry for easy viewing this summer will be one of Michigan’s newest exposed wrecks, the Jennie and Annie.

The 137-foot schooner, built in 1863, was rounding Sleeping Bear Point in November 1872 when gale-force winds pushed it into the shallows and reefs of Lake Michigan’s notorious Manitou Passage. The ship, its 10-member crew and a cargo of corn were driven aground 9 miles south near Empire. Only three crew members survived.

Gone forever? Hardly. For the past two summers, a substantial piece of the hull has been visible on a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore beach.

Here is a landlubber’s guide to other great Michigan shipwrecks:

City of Boston: Built in Cleveland in 1863, this 136-foot-long wooden steamer also featured a mast – and a history of bad luck.

In 1868, it collided with another steamer and sank in the Straits of Mackinac. When the steamship was raised 125 feet two years later, it was the deepest salvage ever attempted in the Great Lakes up to that time.

After being rebuilt in Cleveland, the ship returned to service as a stream barge, only to finally meet its end on Nov. 4, 1873, during a storm with blinding snow.

It was hauling flour and corn when it ran aground on a sand bar just off Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve in Benzie County. The raging surf quickly broke the hull, and the crew abandoned ship.
The ship’s remains are west of the preserve’s beach access stairway, 150 to 200 feet from shore, depending on water levels. It’s angled in 7 to 8 feet of water, with its stern buried in the sand bar and its bow occasionally less than 4 feet below the lake’s surface. It’s easy snorkeling, and visitors can see the outline of the bow in clear water from the preserve’s second observation deck.

James McBride: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a graveyard for shipwrecks, including this 121-foot brig built in 1848 and lost in October 1857. A November storm in 2014 washed up a 43-foot-long section of the James McBride, making it the largest shipwreck ever to appear on the park’s shoreline.

Francisco Morazan: On Nov. 27, 1960, this Liberian freighter left Chicago bound for Holland with 940 tons of cargo, a crew of 13, its captain and his pregnant wife.

Remains of a wreck at Lake Superior’s AuSable Reef as seen from a Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore trail.
Jim DuFresne, MichiganTrailMaps.com.Remains of a wreck at Lake Superior’s AuSable Reef as seen from a Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore trail.

The next day, the ship ran into 40-mile-per-hour winds, snow and fog that made for a virtual whiteout.

The captain thought he was rounding Beaver Island, more than 100 miles away, when he ran aground on the south side of South Manitou Island.

A Coast Guard cutter and helicopter rescued the 15 people, but left the wreck behind to be forever battered by Lake Michigan.

Today it’s the most popular destination for campers on the island. The wreck is also popular with kayakers who bring their boats over on the ferry.


American Union: This 186-foot, three-masted schooner was one of the largest sailing ships to work the Great Lakes when launched in 1862. Its size ultimately led to its demise when it encountered a fatal storm in 1894 that grounded it at Thompson’s Harbor State Park, northwest of Alpena. The crew was saved, and today the wreckage rests a quarter-mile from shore in 10 feet of crystal-clear Lake Huron water.

The remains of the hull offer viewing opportunities for snorkelers and kayakers.

AuSable Reef Wrecks: From Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s Hurricane River Campground, visitors can head east on the Lakeshore Trail and pass several wrecks, then end up at the AuSable Light Station built to protect the ships.

The first wreck, the Mary Jarecki, lies just outside the campground. The wooden bulk freighter was carrying iron ore and grounded on the AuSable Reef in July 1883. When other boats couldn’t tow it off, the ship was left to be battered by Lake Superior.

Its remains are just offshore and are challenging to see if there is a chop on the lake surface. 

But a hike further down the trail leads to timbers and ironwork from two wrecks half-buried in the sand.

The first is the Sitka, a wooden freighter that grounded and broke in half in 1904.

The second is the Gale Staples, built in 1881. The wooden freighter was loaded with coal when it beached itself on the sandy reef in 1918.

America: On June 6, 1928, this tourist ship was loaded with crates of fresh fruit and 48 passengers when it left a resort on Isle Royale National Park’s Washington Island and, within a half-mile, struck a reef.

It sank within sight of horrified hotel employees and guests back at the dock.
No deaths occurred, but bushels of fresh fruit washed ashore for weeks after the mishap.

Even more unusual, the ship sank in a vertical position, with one end lying less than 3 feet below the surface of Lake Superior.

Curious visitors can rent a canoe in Windigo and paddle out of Washington Harbor into the North Gap, where a buoy marks the ship’s location. Lake Superior is so clear it’s amazing how much is visible from a canoe seat.

Jim DuFresne is the editorial director at MichiganTrailMaps.com and an MSU Journalism School alum.

March is Reading Month: The Hummingbird King

3-bottom, Books, City of Wyoming, Environment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!

Today’s reading selection comes from Girl Scout Troop 8282. The troop, which is based in City of Wyoming, has seven active girls ranging in ages of 5 to 7. The girls in this troop have done cookie booths and are hoping to go on a troop trip. To learn more about Girl Scouts, visit www.gsmists.org.

Book: The Hummingbird King: A Guatemalan Legend
Author: Argentina Palacios
Genre: Fiction/folklore

The book tells the Guatemalan legend of a young Mayan chief who is protected from his enemies by a hummingbird and the chief eventually becomes a symbol for peace. According to troop member Valentina, “I liked how the nice king got rewarded for his good deeds at the end,” while troop member Adelina said “I like how others get to learn about my culture even if it is supposed to be the Quetzal bird.”

Citizens committee forms to launch ‘Yes’ campaign for Kentwood’s dedicated parks, recreation and trails millage

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Environment, Kids Activities, Recreation, We The People, WKTV Projects, ,
Kentwood’s Veterans Park would be one of the many parks and recreation areas to see improvement from a proposed millage. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


A Kentwood citizens committee — Yes For Kentwood — has formed and recently launched a campaign for public support of the City of Kentwood’s dedicated parks, recreation and trails millage, set to be voted on as part of the Aug. 2 ballot.

Yes For Kentwood, according to an announcement from the group, is “a committee of involved residents, families, and business owners working together to make the city a better place to live.”

The proposed millage would provide “sustainable funding to improve, operate and maintain Kentwood’s parks, trails and recreational programming today and for future generations,” according to the group.

The millage would also fund construction of a new multigenerational recreation center and community City Campus. If approved, property homeowners would pay 1 mill annually. For example, a residential home with a taxable value of $100,000, the cost of 1 mill would be $100 per year, according to supplied material.

“Investing in better public spaces builds a higher quality of life for Kentwood residents,” Dustin Moseley, Yes For Kentwood co-chair, said in supplied material.

For an earlier WKTV story on the millage, including specific work to be done, visit here.

The millage will, according to the city, allow for every city park and trail to receive improvements within the first 5 years, with the remaining improvements to be completed within 10 years and construction of the city campus and community recreation center beginning in the second year.

“This millage will guarantee a fulfilling future for our residents and their families,” Robert Coughlin, Kentwood City Commissioner, and Parks and commissioner on the city’s Parks & Recreation Commission — which recommends and oversees programs for parks, playgrounds and recreational areas within Kentwood.

During the coming months, the Yes for Kentwood committee will communicate the benefits of voting “Yes” For Kentwood Parks, Trails and Recreation in August, according to the announcement.

“Good parks, trails and recreational programing provide kid’s places to play, promote good health, increase property values, strengthen community, and make the city and its neighborhoods more attractive places to live and work,” Ed Kape, Yes For Kentwood co-chair, said in supplied material.

For more information about the campaign, and to learn about ways to get involved, visit YesForKentwood.com.

 

Two businesses approved to be ‘anchor tenants’ at Kent County Sustainable Business Park

3-bottom, Community Health, Environment, Local Business, Our Cities, Recycling, WKTV Projects, ,
Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Kent County)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


Kent County has announced that a Project Development Agreement has been approved for an “anchor tenant” at the county’s planned Sustainable Business Park in Kent County’s Byron Township, southeast of Byron Center, with the Department of Public Works set to “work with” Continuus Materials and Anaergia on “developing landfill alternative” businesses.

According to a Monday, March 7, statement, late last week the Kent County Board of Public Works approved a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with Kent County Bioenergy Facility, a joint venture between Continuus Materials and Anaergia, and the agreement is now fully executed.

The two companies partnered on a response to a Request for Proposals from Kent County for an “anchor tenant” at the Sustainable Business Park which is planned for 250 acres adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Township.

For a previous WKTV story on the planned Sustainable Business Park, visit here.

Dar Baas, director of the Kent County Department of Public Works, (center in yellow vest) discusses the proposed Kent County Sustainable Business Park in Byron Center with Liesl Eichler Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, (Center in orange vest) on a tour in October 2021. (Kent County)

According to the announcement, the PDA is the next step in developing a “multi-faceted mixed waste processing facility capable of handling 430,000 tons of municipal solid waste and recyclables each year to produce renewable natural gas, fertilizer, and recyclable commodities.”

Anaergia has a “proven track record” on four continents of turning organic waste into renewable natural gas and fertilizer using high efficiency anaerobic digestion, according to the announcement. Continuus Materials will produce a roof coverboard material, called Everboard, on site from low value plastics and paper. The plan calls for other recycling and waste processing companies to locate around the anchor tenant at the future Sustainable Business Park.

“We are excited to take the next step in a public-private partnership to help us achieve our goal of diverting 90 percent of trash from the South Kent Landfill by 2030,” Emily Brieve, chair of the Kent County Board of Public Works, said in supplied material/ “Approving the PDA is the culmination of several years of evaluation and due- diligence to find the right company that was a good fit for our community with proven technology. Now the real work begins to nail down costs, schedules and site plans.”

The PDA will guide the DPW and Kent County Bioenergy Facility over the next 18 to 36 months until the project can be fully contracted and financed. If all goes as planned, the facility could be up and running in about three years. The PDA process will also include “continued stakeholder involvement” in the project and to develop supporting policy.

The plan currently calls for Kent County to make a $70 million investment through a bond that would be repaid by tipping fees and shared revenue from materials produced at the park.

Kent County Bioenergy Facility would invest an estimated $280 million and operate the facility. The State of Michigan recently allocated $4 million in the 2021-22 budget toward an estimate $19 million of necessary site preparation and infrastructure.

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it — tooth paste tube & cap

3-bottom, Community Health, Environment, Health, How-To's, Recycling, WKTV Projects, ,
The soft plastic tube and hard plastic tip of toothpaste. (WKTV)

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org



What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.

In this post, we look at that soft plastic tooth paste tube and cap. Does the tube need to be cleaned — can it actually be cleaned? Or is it medical waste? And the cap; hard plastic but is it too small? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

The toothpaste tube and cap are both trash. Even though both the tube and the cap are plastic, neither are able to be recycled at the Kent County Recycling Center. Here’s why:

The toothpaste tube is considered a soft, non-rigid plastic. The Kent County Recycling Center only accepts rigid plastics because soft plastics will not process correctly through the sorting machinery at the facility. The toothpaste cap is considered a rigid plastic but is still not recyclable because of its size. Items that are smaller than about 2 inches by 2 inches will also not process correctly at the Kent County Recycling Center. 


Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

Others in this series:

Holiday Light Strings … https://www.wktvjournal.org/what-can-be-recycled-in-kent-county-and-how-to-do-it-holiday-light-strings/

At-home COVID tests … https://www.wktvjournal.org/what-can-be-recycled-in-kent-county-and-how-to-do-it-covid-19-at-home-tests/

Liquor bottles and their packaging … https://www.wktvjournal.org/what-can-be-recycled-in-kent-county-and-how-to-do-it-liquor-bottles-and-packaging/

Spring is around the corner as the butterflies bloom at Frederik Meijer Gardens

Entertainment, Environment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

By Anna Johns
WKTV Contributing Writer

An Emerald Swallowtail is just one of the many butterflies visitors will see at this year’s “Butterflies are Blooming.” (Supplied)

Bold butterflies are flying in for Spring! The Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park’s annual Fred and Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition is back.

Beginning March 1 through April 30 thousands of butterflies will be taking over the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. The 15,000 square-foot conservatory is set at 85 degrees with 70 percent humidity. New this year is the kokedama arch that is filled with colorful penta, lantana, bromeliads, and orchids. During the exhibition, several flowers will be blooming including orange plume, blue porter weed, jatropha, queen’s wreath, and bleeding heart vines.

 

This year’s exhibition highlights the power of flowers and the positive and powerful impact flowers have on butterflies, people, and the world.

“Our goal is to bring an awareness of the important relationships butterflies and humans have with flowers, and to show the positive and powerful impact flowers have on butterflies, people, and the world,” said Steve LaWarre, Vice President of Horticulture.

More than 60 species of butterflies reside in the warm, lush environment of the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. These creatures come from butterfly-rich regions around the world including parts of Asia, Africa, and Central & South America. Every week an average of 1,000 pupae arrive at the gardens and guests can view the new arrivals at the observation station. At this station, the conservatory staff collects and releases adult butterflies throughout the day.

The Caterpillar Room, in the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. The greenhouse is filled with milkweed host plants for the hungry caterpillars to feed on. 

At the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, young guests can participate in outdoor activities. The children’s garden has unique educational activities for all ages to enjoy. In the Log Cabin guests can perform their own butterfly-themed puppet shows or read about moths and butterflies. The garden features a special Treehouse Village hunt, a Butterfly Maze, and the Monarch’s Migration game. Check the Children’s Garden Information Center for activities and times, which vary daily.

Through the exhibition, the gardens will be putting on several special events and recurring activities including:

The Lena Conservatory will be filled with an array of different butterflies from March 1 to April 31. (Supplied)

Outdoor Children’s Activities

March 1 – Friday, April 30, daylight hours only

Lena Meijer Children’s Garden 

Included with admission 

Tuesday Night Lights

Included with admission

Bring your flashlight on Tuesday nights until 9 p.m. to search for butterflies and see the nightlife in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

SMART Gardening to Support Monarchs (Lecture)

March 13, 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Included with admission

Dr. Erwin “Duke” Elsner  Extension Educator, Michigan State University, will explore simple ways landowners and gardeners can support monarch butterfly populations in their own backyards. During his presentation he will highlight simple ways to create a significant “green space” in urban and residential areas.

Flower House Detroit (Lecture)

March 27, 2 p.m.

Included with admission

Lisa Waud, Botanical Artist, Flower House Detroit

In October 2015, 37 floral designers and more than 100 volunteers from across North America came together to fill an abandoned Detroit house with American-grown fresh flowers and living plants. In this lecture, botanical installation artist, Lisa Waud will be presenting virtually to the audience at Meijer Gardens. She will be sharing her project from idea to exploration along with her thoughts on beauty, blight, and nostalgia, and the themes of risk-taking, logistics, and collaboration through the lens of the large-scale installation.

Flower Power Exploration Stations

April 24, 2 – 3:30 p.m.

Included with admission

Learn about flowers and butterflies during a self guided drop-in program. Guests can use microscopes and IPads as they explore the connection between flowers and butterflies.

Night With The Butterflies – Family Parties

March 14, March 20, April 18, 6 – 8 p.m.

This party will include entertainment, an art activity, and a light snack. 

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB 

Morning With The Butterflies – Family Parties

April 10, April 24, 9 – 11 a.m.

This party will include entertainment, an art activity, and a light snack. 

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB

Night with the Butterflies – Member Adult Party

March 28, 7 – 8 p.m.

Members 18 and older can enjoy a night of entertainment, alongside art activities, a photo booth, and a cash-only bar with a light snack. 

Those visiting are encouraged to be courteous to others when taking photos. Tripods are not allowed during the exhibit. (Supplied)

To register, visit: https://bit.ly/FMGpartiesBAB

Extended Hours & Exhibition Activities: More information at MeijerGardens.org/calendar

The gardens request that all visitors wear a face mask in indoor public settings regardless of their vaccination status. During the exhibition, tripods are not allowed in the conservatory and monopods may only be used with courtesy around other guests. No butterfly or plant materials can be removed from the conservatory and guests are not permitted to touch the butterflies.

 
The exhibit runs through April 30. Members can attend the exhibit for free, while students and children receive a discount. For more details about the butterfly exhibition, visit www.meijergardens.org

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it — liquor bottles and packaging

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, Our Cities, Recycling, WKTV Projects,

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org

Laphroaig Scotch bottle and tube. (Laphroaig)



What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items to give you the answers.



In this post, we look at those sometimes expensive, but sometimes worth the cost, bottles of liquor. When the bottle is a dead solider, it’s glass, so that is easy. Or is it? But what about that tube it comes in, part cardboard and part metal? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

The empty and rinsed glass bottle can be placed into your commingled, single-stream curbside recycling cart. The old glass bottle will head to the Recycling Center and then off to a glass recycling facility where it may become a new glass container, fiberglass, highway beads, glass abrasives, or other specialty glass items like recycled glass countertops.
  

Laphroaig Scotch bottle cardboard and metal tube. (Laphroaig)

The tube that the bottle came in cannot be recycled unless you disassemble it first. Separate the metal base and metal top from the cardboard tube. Once these three are successfully separated, they may go into the curbside recycling cart. Once at the Recycling Center, the cardboard tube will be sorted with other cardboard and head off to a paper mill to become another box, tube, or similar product. The metal base and top will go to a metal processing facility and be made into metal containers, cans, or other metal products.

The cork and wrapper cannot be recycled through curbside recycling in Kent County.  Both can be placed in the garbage.

Others in this series:

Holiday Light Strings … Visit here.

At-home COVID tests … Visit here.

Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it — COVID-19 at-home tests

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Environment, Health, How-To's, Our Cities, Recycling, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
  • Box containing COVID-19 home test kit. (WKTV)
  • “Medical” pieces of a COVID-19 home test kit. (Chicago.gov)
  • Plastic holder for COVID-19 home test kit parts. (Kent County)

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org

What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.

In this post, we look at those at-home COVID-19 rest kits — part plastic, part cardboard packaging and paper instructions, part that nasty stick you stuck up your nose and other medical materials. Maybe you want to just toss everything in the nearest trash can, but should you? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

(If you received the kit in the mail, remember to look for a recycling label on the mailer.)

Does your mailer envelope have a recycling label? (Kent County)

Remove the test supplies from the paperboard box. Flatten the box and place it into your curbside recycling cart. The paper instructions can also go into your curbside recycling cart. The box and paper will head to the Recycling Center where it is sorted out from non-paper items, baled, and transported to a local paper mill to be processed into a new paper product that can be used again.

After performing your COVID-19 at home test, throw away the swab, the wrapper from around the swab, the test card, the test card’s soft plastic pouch, and the empty plastic dropper bottle.

The only piece remaining is the hard plastic piece that (possibly) held all the various test pieces. If this hard piece of plastic has a recycling symbol on it, then it may be placed into your curbside recycling cart. The plastic will be sorted with similar rigid plastics at the Recycling Center, shipped to a facility where the plastic is flaked or pelletized, and eventually remolded into a new plastic item.

Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it —  Holiday light strings

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, How-To's, Our Cities, Recycling, WKTV Projects, ,
The actual lights and wires cannot be directly recycled but properly disposed of in available receptacles they will not go into he landfill. (Pixere)

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org


What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.

In this post, we look at those annoying strings of holiday lights that no longer work. Packaging often does not have any recycling information. But what does that mean? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

Many part of the packaging for holiday lights are recyclable, but not all. (WKTV)

Holiday string lights are considered electronic waste.  They cannot be recycled through single-stream or curbside recycling collection programs.  Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has collection bins for holiday string lights at both North Kent Recycling & Waste Center and South Kent Recycling & Waste Center or they can be brought to our electronics recycling collection programs.  After Kent County DPW collects the string lights, they are taken to an electronics recycling company where the various component parts (types of metal, wires, plastics, glass, etc.) are separated and recycled accordingly. 

When you purchase new holiday string lights, there are a few different parts of the packaging to be aware of when it comes to proper disposal.  If the lights come in a box, empty the cardboard box, flatten it, and place it into your single-stream curbside recycling cart.  If you have any soft and flexible plastic packaging, tape, or twist-ties, place them into the garbage.

Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

Kentwood will ask for permanent dedicated parks, trails and recreation millage on Aug. 2 ballot

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  • Kentwood City Hall sign. (WKTV)
  • The City of Kentwood’s Glow in the Park event. (City of Kentwood)
  • Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department program coordinator Katelyn Bush and one of her Adaptive Recreation participants at 2021 The Vibe event. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • Everybody bonds over food — at the Kentwood Farmers Market. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The finish line at the City of Kentwood’s Valentine’s Day Dash 5K in 2020. (City of Kentwood)
  • Dress up is encouraged at 2019’s Trunk or Treat in Kentwood. (Supplied)
  • Kentwood celebrates July 4. (Supplied/2019)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The City of Kentwood announced Jan. 25 that it will ask residents in August to consider a permanent dedicated 1 mil millage that, if approved, would support the city’s parks, trails and recreational facilities and programming.

The millage would fund improvements to all trails and parks, as well as expand and enhance programming through increased capacity in space and staffing, according to the announcement. It also would fund the construction of a new multigenerational community recreation center and park amenities on the city campus, “transforming the area around City Hall into a community gathering space.

“Since celebrating Kentwood’s 50th anniversary in 2017, we’ve dedicated significant time and effort planning for the next 50 years of community growth through collaboration with our residents and other partners,” Mayor Stephen Kepley said in supplied material. “Available parks and recreation funding has not kept pace with increased residential demand, delaying repairs for the community today and significantly limiting future improvements.

“If approved, this millage would provide a permanent sustainable funding source to improve, operate and maintain parks, trails, and other amenities and services for generations to come.”

The proposed millage of 1 mill was recommended by parks advisory committees that included residents and other stakeholders, as well as extensive community engagement and an in-depth review of the city’s current parks, trails and programming, its projected growth and community needs.

The advisory committees also recommended the city contribute additional funds up to $22 million from other public and private sources to make the needed improvements.

The committees’ comprehensive plan was presented Dec. 7 to the City Commission, which unanimously approved the millage ballot proposal for the Aug. 2 voting day.

Kentwood has 15 parks that cover more than 400 acres and more than 13 miles of non-motorized trails that are used year-round by residents and visitors.

Numerous community events and more than 700 recreational programs are offered annually for people of all ages and abilities through the Parks and Recreation Department in the Kentwood Activities Center at 355 48th St. SE, on the City Campus, and at other locations.  

Specific parks and recreation projects

According to the announcement, the proposed millage would support Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades and a variety of other improvements and developments, including (listed by location and projects planned):

Bowen Station Park — Restroom, playground equipment, signage, landscaping and other amenities.

Burgis Park — Trail and sidewalk improvements and a new drinking fountain.

City Campus — Splash pad, playground, plaza, shelters, stage, event lawn, parking, restrooms and other amenities.

Community recreation center — Approximately 50,000 square feet of year-round indoor and multigenerational programming and recreation space on the City Campus.

Covenant Park Phase 1 — Trails, sports fields, event lawn, lighting and infrastructure to support future phases.

East Paris Nature Park — Trail improvements, signage and other amenities.

Home Acres Park —Skate park improvements, shade shelters, lighting, signage, landscaping and other amenities.

Jaycee Park — New restroom/program building, additional parking, disc golf improvements and other amenities.

Kellogg Woods Park — Restrooms, softball/baseball field improvements, new sports fields, lighting and landscaping.

Northeast Park — Restrooms, playground, splash pad, landscaping and other amenities.

Old Farm Park — Parking improvements, playground, shelter and other amenities.

Paris Park — Trail improvements and signage.

Pinewood Park — Splash pad improvements, pickleball courts, a new restroom, shade shelters, landscaping and other amenities.

Rondo Street Station Park — Playground, bicycle rack and repair center, signage, landscaping and other amenities.

Stanaback Park —Playground, parking improvements, signage, pickleball courts, landscaping and other amenities.

Stauffer Station Park — Kiosk, bicycle rack and repair center, signage, lighting, landscaping and other amenities.

Summerwood Park — Playground and landscaping.

Trails — Repairs, replacement and new connections.

Veterans Memorial Park — Shelter, additional parking and other amenities.

“Our extensive community engagement and planning process has shown our community needs have grown beyond available funding,” Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director, said in supplied material. “This has been reaffirmed by increased use of our parks, trails and recreational offerings throughout the past two years.

“The Parks and Recreation Department has exhausted current general funds, including a parks millage that expired in 2013. We have been able to make improvements only through grant opportunities, which are becoming more and more difficult to acquire. New funding is critical to support our growing community needs.”

Details of timeline, millage

If approved, the millage would be levied starting July 1, 2023, with all parks set to receive improvements to address the most immediate needs within the first five years, with all remaining improvements completed within 10 years, according to the announcement.

Trail improvements and construction planning would be prioritized in the first year, followed by ongoing trail repairs and expansion to enhance the trails for all users.

Construction of the City Campus park amenities and community recreation center would begin in the second year.

As detailed in the city’s announcement, a mill is 1/1000 of a dollar, or .001 cents. If a tax rate or millage rate is 1 mill, a resident is taxed .001 cents for every dollar, or $1 per $1,000 of the taxable value of the property. For example, for a residential home with a taxable value of $100,000, the cost of 1 mill would be $100 per year.

For more information on the proposed millage, visit kentwood.us/millage.

 

Kent County offers free radon test kits in January for National Radon Action Month

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The Kent County Health Department, responding to the month of January being National Radon Action Month, have a supply free radon test kits available to residents … while supplies last. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Kent County Health Department recently announced that during the month of January — National Radon Action Month — county residents can gain free radon test kits while supplies last. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is leading month-long the public information effort.

“You cannot see, smell, or taste radon but the radioactive gas can kill,” the county announcement stated. “Next to smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.”

Radon-caused lung cancer kills more than 20,000 Americans every year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

“Testing for radon is an easy and important step in protecting the health of your family,” Rusty Flewilling, Supervising Sanitarian with the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). said in supplied material. “The kit is easy to use. Simply hang a filter inside your house for a few days, then send it in a self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for testing.”

The KCHD recommends that all homes be tested for radon every few years. Testing kits are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the KCHD’s main clinic location at 700 Fuller Avenue NE, Grand Rapids.

Test results will be sent to residents and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. People can use the information when deciding on how best to pursue remediation, and the State gains a better understanding of the prevalence of radon in Michigan.

For help understanding the test results, residents should contact the KCHD Environmental Health Division at 616-632-6900.

Radon occurs naturally in the ground and seeps into buildings through cracks or openings in the foundation of floors and walls. It occurs in both new and old homes. The EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a map of risk zones for the United States which can be viewed by clicking here. Kent County is typically categorized as having a moderate to high levels of radon.

The KCHD podcast “A Matter of Public Health” recorded two episodes dedicated to educating people about the issue. In the first episode, residents will learn what radon is, how prevalent it is in Michigan, and how often testing should be done in homes.

In the second episode, the discussion focuses on how to get rid of the radon, how to select a contractor, and how to avoid getting ripped off by unscrupulous contractors. Guests include KCHD subject matter experts, Michigan’s top radon expert, the President of the National Radon Safety Board, and the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan.

For a link to the podcasts and more information visit here.



County public works’ GR center offers electronics recycling, ‘SafeChem’ drop-off — and new swap shop in multiple locations

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The opening of the Kent County Department of Public Works’ Grand Rapids administrative offices, including a SafeChem Swap Shop, on Wealthy Street Jan. 6. Addressing the crowd were, from left at podium, were Cynthia Janes, vice-chair of the Board of Public Works; Emily Brieve, Kent County commissioner; and Dar Baas, DPW director. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Operating by the often-used “3-Rs” recycling slogan of “reduce, reuse, recycle”, Kent County Department of Public Works opened its new Grand Rapids administrative offices on Wealthy Street Jan. 6 — a facility that also includes a soon-to-open recycling center, an education center, an electronics drop-off station and not only a SafeChem drop-of station but also a “SafeChem Swap Shop”.

Maybe it should be 4-Rs, with “reimagine” added to the slogan.

Continuing its efforts exemplified by its slogan “Reimagine Trash”, with the county’s Department of Public Works  (DPW) website actually being reimaginetrash.org, Kent County officials and DPW leaders held a facility ribbon cutting Jan. 6 to officially open the facility, with its returning and new offerings.

“The new administration center brings our team together and makes it easier for the community to connect with our department and services,” Dar Baas, DPW director, said in supplied material. “The facilities are designed to foster collaboration.”

And that collaboration is exemplified by the new dual SafeChem operations.

The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off cleaning chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)

“The SafeChem Drop-off station and Swap Shop are a real asset for our community,” Baas said. “Not only do they keep hazardous materials out of area landfills and the environment, they also provide people free products to avoid them being discarded in the first place.”

The “drop and shop” operation is offered all five of the county-managed chemical drop-off locations, including ones in the Kentwood and Wyoming area.

The Wealthy Street Recycling and Administration Center located at 1045 Wealthy St. SW, adjacent to the Recycling and Education Facility, the SafeChem Drop-off station, SafeChem Swap Shop and electronics recycling services. The DPW offices were previously co-located with the Kent County Road Commission on Scribner Avenue and the property was sold in 2021.

All of Kent County’s SafeChem stations — there are several, with varying days and hours, including one each in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming —  allow residents to drop off household waste like cleaners, garden or garage products. The Wealthy Street location also includes a Swap Shop where products that are in good condition can be offered at no cost.

(The reopening the residential recycling drop-off station on Wealthy Street, which has been closed during construction, will be announced soon on reimaginetrash.org, according to a DPQ statement.)

For more information on the DPW’s SafeChem program, visit here.

Also opening last week, on Jan. 8, at the Wealthy Street location, was its electronics drop-off station, planned to be open for drop-off during the same year-round operational hours as our SafeChem household hazardous waste drop-off and SafeChem Swap Shop. (For more information on the list of electronics accepted for recycling at DPW facilities, as well as other local electronics recycling locations, visit here.)

Kentwood, Wyoming, Byron SafeChem site information

According to the Kent County DPW website, the Kentwood location is 5068 Breton SE, Kentwood, with days and hours November-March, Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 p.m., and April-October, Tuesdays, 1:30-5:30 p.m.

The Kent County Department of Public Works SafeChem Swap Shop includes dropped off automotive chemicals still good for use — and free pickup by the community. (Supplied)

The Kentwood SafeChem site remained open after the closure of the city’s satellite recycling-drop off.

“A special thank you to City of Kentwood for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Kentwood for hosting this SafeChem collection site.”

The Wyoming area location is 2350 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville, with it open Mondays, 1-3 p.m., and Thursdays 7-9 a.m.

“A special thank you to City of Wyoming for their partnership,” the DPW website states. “We’re grateful to the City of Wyoming for not only hosting this SafeChem collection site but for staffing the SafeChem collections.”

The Byron Center location is 10300 South Kent Dr. SW, with its days and hours being November-March, Mondays, 8:30-10:30 a.m., and April-October, Mondays, 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Tiger at John Ball Zoo doing better, Artemis still on the loose

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Nika, the Amur tiger at John Ball Zoo, is reported doing much better after testing positive for COVID. (Supplied)

The John Ball Zoo had good news today in that its 16-year-old female Amur tiger, Nika, is doing well after testing positive for COVID-19.

“Nika continues to do well and has been symptom free since approximately five to seven days after her initial presentation,” said Dr. Ryan Colburn, John Ball Zoo’s veterinarian. “No other animals at John Ball Zoo have shown signs of or tested positive.”

In December, John Ball Zoo announced that the Amur tiger had COVID. It is believed that a pre-symptomatic, positive member of the animal care team exposure the tiger to COVID. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been worldwide reports of animals being infected with COVID by humans. At this time, it is believed that the risk of animals spreading COVID to humans is low.

People can spread COVID to companion animals such as dogs and cats. At zoos and sanctuaries, several types of big cats, otters, non-human primates, and hyenas have been reported being infected. Also white-tail deer in several U.S. States have been reported as being infected as well.

According to John Ball Zoo, Ryan and his teams have now successful administer vaccinations to many animals at the zoo who are considered high risk of COVID infection as well as continue to monitor Nika for viral shedding.

Still on the hunt

Blandford Nature Center continues to search for its missing Bobcat, Artemis.

Artemis, the female bobcat demonstrates her love for climbing at Blandford Nature Center. (Supplied)

Artemis escaped from the Department of Natural Resources’ approved enclosure on Dec. 31. Her brother, Apollo, had escaped earlier in December but was captured in a live trap by a neighbor and returned to Blandford on Dec. 20.

“We know our community’s been eager to hear good news about our missing bobcat, Artemis,” it states on the Blandford Nature Center Facebook page. “We want to thank everyone who has contracted us with sightings and leads on her location or reached out with kind words, we are so appreciative of the help we have received so far.

“We are sad to report there are no new developments at this time, but we remain hopeful that we will be able to find her and bring her home safely.

According to Blandford’s wildlife staff, Artemis has been on Blandford’s property in the past few days and has been spotted by Blandford trail cams. Blandford has received several reported sightings near or on its property which gives staff reason to believe she won’t be traveling far and are hoping to catch her in one of the many live traps that are being placed on Blandford’s property.

Blandford Nature Center got the sister and brother bobcats in the fall. The cubs were orphaned after their mother was killed by a car. Because they did not receive the survival training from their mother, it was determined by registered wildlife rehabiliators that the cubs would not be able to survive in the wild.

Apollo, the male bobcat, at Blandford Nature Center. (Supplied)

Blandford had an existing bobcat enclosure that was built for two but only housed its former bobcat, Bob, who died in 2020. The cubs were placed with Blandford.

Bobcats are solitary. Their prey is usually rabbits. rodents or similar in size small animals. According to Blandford, due to Artemis’s age and size, that of a large house cat, she is unlikely to be a threat to humans or most animals. The main concern is for her safety.

If a resident does spot Artemis, they should not approach her but should call the Grand Rapids Police Department’s non-emergency number, 616-456-3400. The GRPD will notify Blandford. The social media and phones at Blandford are not monitored 24/7 which is why residents should contact the Grand Rapids Police Department.

Apollo is currently being housed at the John Ball Zoo where he is doing fine. According to the Facebook announcement, Blandford’s bobcat enclosure is scheduled to have more reinforcements made next week.

Female space pioneer featured guest speaker at this year’s ‘Roger That!’ event

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Col. Eileen Collins is the featured speaker at this year’s “Roger That!” two-day program. (Supplied)

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University (GVSU) have announced the return of “Roger That!,” a multi-day event celebrating space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee.

In its sixth year, “Roger That!” will take place on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 with various components to the celebration, all themed around women in space — including remarks from pioneering pilot and astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to both pilot a spacecraft and command a space shuttle mission.

“After four in-person events and one virtual iteration of ‘Roger That!’ we’re excited to combine the best of both with a hybrid conference in 2022,” said Deana Weibel, event co-organizer and GVSU professor of anthropology.

The two-part event will feature speeches on both days by Eileen Collins, who made history in 1995 as the first woman to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight. In 1999, she was the commander for Columbia, making her the first woman to command a space shuttle mission. She ultimately logged 872 hours in space.

GVSU will host a free academy conference on Feb. 18 that is open to educators and the general public. Speeches will be available in person and virtually, over Zoom.

2022 speakers include: Computational Chemist Michelle Franci; Space Historian Catherine Newell; Planetary Scientist Louise Prockter; Space Educator Crzarina Salido; Bioastronautics Researcher and Spacesuit Technician Yvette Gonzalez; Space Media Archivist Megal Prelinger; Electrical Engineer Heidi Jiao and Space Historian and Eileen Collins’ Biographer Jonathan Ward. 

The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium is named after the Grand Rapids native who perished in 1967 on test of the Apollo 1 mission to the moon. (Supplied)

To attend the “Roger That!” Academic Conference, register at gvsu.edu/RogerThat. The events being held at GVSU this year will be free, as will the virtual talks, but guests must register. A reception with light refreshments will be held ahead of Collins’ talk at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Loosemore Auditorium on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The lecture is free through registration at gvsu.edu/RogerThat; it will also be livestreamed.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum will have activities both days centered around local astronaut Roger B. Chaffee, who died in 1967 during a NASA test flight, and space exploration. Hands-on activites include build stations where attendees can design their own rockets and paper airplanes, astronaut challenges, artifact interactions including meteorite samples, and tektite and more.

Collins will speak at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the GRPM. Tickets for this lecture will be available free of charge at grpm.org beginning Jan. 14.

Proposed eastern sandhill cranes hunt in breeding states stirs controversy

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A pair of eastern sandhill cranes keep a lookout for predators. These birds normally stay together unless one dies, in which case they’ve been known to start other family groups. Credit: Department of Natural Resources

By Nicholas Simon
Capital News Service

LANSING — Efforts by politicians to create a hunting season for eastern sandhill cranes in both Michigan and Wisconsin are stirring debates among hunters, farmers and birders.

A Michigan legislative resolution to encourage the Natural Resources Commission to explore the possibilities of issuing tags for cranes was introduced but not adopted. Wisconsin has gone further, with lawmakers introducing a bill in October to require the state Department of Natural Resources to issue permits to eligible hunters for the birds.

If either of these measures passes, it would be the first time the bird has been hunted legally in its breeding grounds since the species was nearly hunted to extinction in the early 1900s.

Advocates of a hunt in both states cited the agricultural damage caused by rising numbers of the birds, as well as increased opportunities for hunters as reasons to add the sandhill crane to their lists of state game birds.

However, hunting them is controversial for both birding groups and ornithological associations. They argue that the cranes’ unique ecology has historically made them vulnerable to overhunting.

“This bird wows and delights people,” said Heather Good, the executive director of Michigan Audubon, the state’s oldest conservation organization.

“It’s widely depicted in art, and it’s the oldest living species at more than 2.5 million years old. True conservationists do not take that history for granted,” Good said.

Sandhill cranes have the lowest juvenile survival rate of any game bird in North America, with only one in 10 nests producing a chick that survives to adulthood, according to the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. One reason is the time it takes for the birds to reach maturity, with pairs being an average of 4 years old before they can reproduce, it said.

Eastern Sand Hill Cranes have a low juvenile survival rate. (Wikipedia/http://www.birdphotos.com)

Their low birth rate, paired with increased habitat loss and overhunting during the early 1900s, led to its eradication from a number of Great Lakes states, including Illinois, Ohio and Indiana. By the 1930s, there were only 25 breeding pairs in Wisconsin, according to population counts at the time.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin, like Mark Berres, claim that near-extinction means that the eastern sandhill crane still has problems with genetic diversity, which makes it more susceptible to overhunting.

In an interview with the University of Wisconsin News, Berres said: “We have a pretty good understanding of why the birds are doing so well, but we’re really just starting to figure out the population’s breeding structure. To me it screams ‘don’t touch them.’”

Michigan DNR officials claim that the bird’s destructive behavior towards crops is a sign of resilience and adaptability.

 

The cranes tend to travel into cornfields from adjacent wetlands and eat the new shoots as they sprout out of the ground in the springtime. Farmers say they can leave large sections of their field bare.

 

“They’re an adaptable species and they’ve been able to take advantage of available habitats like wetlands and emerging wetlands,” said Barbara Avers, the waterfowl and wetland specialist at the Michigan DNR. “But they are now using agricultural products as an abundant food source, and we are really seeing their numbers take off.”

Despite the rising rates of agricultural destruction, ornithological groups say that’s not an issue because of existing solutions such as repellents that make new plants taste bitter so cranes stay away.

However, the cost of repellent ranges from $6 to $10 per acre, and some farmers are unwilling to take on the added cost and time to treat their crops. The federal government offers a permit to such farmers to kill cranes that are damaging their crops.

Federal regulations make it illegal for those hunters to consume meat from the cranes they kill. Instead, carcasses are left in the field to discourage other groups of cranes from coming to that farm.

 

Hunting groups in both states call that a waste of natural resources and argue that a hunting season would both reduce population numbers for farmers and provide an economic opportunity for the state DNRs.

 

At an appearance with Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin, Michigan musician and pro-hunting activist Ted Nugent called sandhill cranes “ribeyes in the sky,” referring to his desire to eat them.

In a presentation to the Natural Resources Commission, Nick Green, the public information officer for Michigan United Conservation Clubs, said hunters both understand population management strategies and provide funding for habitat restoration.

Green said, “Numerous game and no-game species have all flourished thanks to funding generated almost exclusively from hunting license sales and the tax on firearms and ammunition.”

At a commission meeting this fall, officials from Michigan Audubon and the Michigan Humane Society said DNR has focused too much on hunters in the past.

Good said, “Conservation is not a sport, it’s actually a science.”

Molly Tamulevich, the Michigan director for the Humane Society of the United States, said, “In conversations with commissioners, it’s clear that some of you believe that the primary role of the Natural Resources Commission is to serve the fewer than 7% of Michiganders who hold a hunting license.

“In fact, the lens through which the commission’s decisions are made frames Michigan’s wildlife entirely as a resource to be managed by being killed by game license holders,” she said.

Tamulevich said she was frustrated with the lack of representation for Michigan’s growing eco-friendly and non-hunting residents, saying that ignores economic benefits produced by birders and native Anishinaabe communities that consider the bird sacred.

“It’s time the decision-making bodies start to pay attention to the voices of Michigan citizens who are heavily invested in their outdoors land and wild areas but chose not to hunt, trap or kill for trophies, cash prizes and bragging rights,” Tamulevich said.