The Grand Rapids Ballet team has produced a virtual hug video “to honor and salute our healthcare and essential workers for all they’re doing to keep us safe.” (From the video)
Grand Rapids Ballet artistic director James Sofranko and his troupe of dancers, after the cancellation of the remainder of their 2019-20 season, are abiding by the state’s “stay at home” restrictions like most of the rest of us.
But dancers will be dancers, everybody needs a hug every now than then, and the 2020-21 season is not far away. (And, BTW, season subscriptions are available now.)
So in the short term, the ballet team has produced a virtual hug video “to honor and salute our healthcare and essential workers for all they’re doing to keep us safe,” according to an email from the ballet.
“It’s our hope this special message will offer them — and you — a healthy dose of strength and encouragement. The dancers (who are all wearing blue in a sign of solidarity with healthcare workers) volunteered their time and talents for the cause.”
The piece was produced by James Sofranko and Cindy Sheppard Sofranko, and edited by Joe Sofranko and Lili Fuller.
The dancers are Jimmy Cunningham, Steven Houser, Ingrid Lewis, Celeste Lopez-Keranen, Madison Massara, Alexandra Meister-Upleger, Yuka Oba-Muschiana, Emily Reed, Gretchen Steimle, Nigel Tau, Julia Turner, Adriana Wagenveld, Matthew Wenckowski and Nathan Young.
Cellist Jeremy Crosmer of Grand Rapids’ ESME (Eclectic String Music Ensemble) appears on the video playing the prelude from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major.
“Our mission is to uplift the human spirit through the art of dance and we hope you’ll keep the momentum going by sharing this video with your friends and family, too,” the email concludes.
And about that 2020-21 season …
James Sofranko. (WKTV)
“The 2020-21 season (our 49th) will take Grand Rapids Ballet to a new level of artistry and production,” James Sofranko says of the coming season on the ballet’s website. “In addition to The Nutcracker, I am proud to be returning the company to DeVos Performance Hall a second time in the year for Ben Stevensen’s Cinderella, featuring grand sets and costumes and live music from the Grand Rapids Symphony.”
Other programs include works by Andy Blankenbuehler, the 3-time Tony Award winning choreographer of Hamilton, and Christopher Wheeldon, also a Tony Award winner and former resident choreographer of New York City Ballet.
St. Cecilia Music Ceners’s final Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) chamber music concert of the 2019-20 season — “From Prague to Vienna”, was set to feature CMS co-artistic directors David Finckel and Wu Han, along with Arnaud Sussman and Paul Neubauer. (CMS)
St. Cecilia Music Center has expressed extreme disappointment that, due to COVID19 restricting, it had to cancel the final Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center concert on April 30 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
And West Michigan’s chamber music devotees were certainly eagerly anticipating St. Cecilia’s final and sold-out chamber music concert of the 2019-20 season — “From Prague to Vienna”, featuring CMS co-artistic directors David Finckel and Wu Han both on Royce Auditorium stage, along with Arnaud Sussman and Paul Neubauer.
Alas, fans will have to wait until the 2020-21 season to catch the chamber music power couple in a live chamber music concert. But they can still catch the program they were going to perform at St. Cecilia tonight, April 30.
As provided by St. Cecilia this week, there are videos available of the pieces to be performed on the program (some personnel have been changed for some pieces).
And for those who love to dig deeper into the music, St. Cecilia also provided the program page from the SCMC program book, as well as program notes. A lecture on the Brahms Quartet No. 1 in G Minor for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello is also available here.
The Muskegon Museum of Art this week announced to members the rescheduling of several events postponed due to COVID-19 related “Stay at Home” restrictions, most notably that the MMA’s annual Gala has been moved to Saturday, Aug. 29.
“As you know, we are a program heavy organization and, disappointingly, have had to cancel and reschedule dozens of events,” Kirk Hallman, executive director of Muskegon Museum of Art, said in an email to members. “The Muskegon Museum of Art will emerge from this a stronger institution. We have weathered many crises since 1912 and we will get through this together as well thanks to your support! We still have big plans for the future.”
Among the other schedule changes announced were: the J2B2 Concert will be held on Sept. 4; On Tap has been moved to Sept. 25; and the Postcard Salon “will be held this fall.”
In detailing the plans for the museum’s exhibits, the summer Permanent Collection Exhibitions, including a planned major Glass Exhibition, will not open as planned on May 14.
“We will open these shows as soon as possible … It will be worth the wait!” Hallman said. “These shows will now run into November. We are disappointed at having to place the 92nd Annual Michigan Contemporary on hiatus for a year. It will return better than ever in 2021.”
Currently, the staff has been “putting volumes of content and activities online including a virtual preview tour of three galleries from this summer’s upcoming exhibitions.”
The USA Masters Games and the State Games of Michigan, the organizers for the 2020 USA Masters Games originally scheduled to be held this June in Grand Rapids, jointly announced this week the postponement of the games to 2021.
At the same time, however, the State Games of Michigan organizers said it was still possible that some of the planned state games would take place later in the year.
The national games had previously been scheduled for June 19-21 and June 26-28, but will now be held June 24-27, 2021, still in Grand Rapids — and still set to be called the “2020 USA Masters Games”.
“On behalf of the USA Masters Games, and our Grand Rapids Host Organization, the State Games of Michigan, we want to emphasize that our number one priority is the health and well-being of all participants in the USA Masters Games,” Hill Carrow, CEO of the USA Masters Games, said in supplied material. “With that objective in mind, and given the great uncertainty and concern surrounding the current worldwide coronavirus pandemic, it has been determined that it is in the best interests of the safety of Games athletes for the Games to be postponed for one year.”
As far as the name of the games … “We’re following the example of the International Olympic Committee,” Carrow said. “When they decided to keep it the ‘2020 Summer Olympic Games’ in 2021, we said to ourselves, ‘That’s a good idea’, so we are doing the same thing with the USA Masters Games.”
The local sponsors of the national games are also still committed to the event, and the State Games of Michigan leaders are still hopeful their signature games can be held this year.
“As one can imagine, rescheduling a large 24-sport event is a major undertaking, and we will collaborate closely with the (USA Masters) Games rights-holder and our great local event partners as we transition to these new dates,” Mike Guswiler, President of the West Michigan Sports Commission in Grand Rapids, said in supplied material.
Eric Engelbarts, who serves as the Executive Director of both the State Games of Michigan and the Local Organizing Committee for the 2020 USA Masters Games, also discussed the status of the state games in the announcement.
“First, I want to assure participants in the 2020 State Games of Michigan, that those games are not being postponed, but the timing of the sports competitions are all in flux now as we shift the schedule and location of events to dates, likely throughout the summer, that will hopefully allow this year’s events to take place,” he said in supplied material. “ … We ask for patience as we work through the large number of details while our … staff is having to work remotely under state and local government lockdown restrictions.”
“In Between the Trees”, Rose Hammond’s 2019 documentary film about the historic African-American resort towns of Idlewild and Woodland Park, was more than simply a community project supported by WKTV Community Media.
It is a prime example of a community-led project which WKTV prides itself in being an advocate for and a partner with. And the film will be on display next week as it begins a short cable-television run on WKTV Community Channel 25.
“As Rose went through he process of producing this documentary, we all found it fascinating that she was uncovering this amazing story of local history,” said Tom Norton, general manager of WKTV Community Media. “WKTV is happy and proud that she chose to use this facility to realize that storytelling goal.”
WKTV will air “In Between The Trees Monday, April 20, at 9:30 a.m.; Tuesday, April 21, at 7 p.m.; and Friday, April 24, 10 a.m.
Idlewild was started in 1912 by white investors who created a resort for black vacationers during the Jim Crow era — when most resorts would not allow blacks to book stays. Woodland Park came a few years later.
Rose Hammond at WKTV Community Media for the premiere of her film “In Between the Trees”. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
The film about the history of the towns — produced, substantially filmed, and edited at WKTV by Hammond — is based on her 1994 book “Idlewild & Woodland Park, Michigan (An African American Remembers)”.
“I was attracted to the story when coming home and our family went up north to visit our grandpa’s old house,” Hammond said to WKTV. “While in Woodland Park all I heard were the stories of how it used to be. I then decided that someone needed to put a collection of interviews together to maintain the historical value of the community.
“No matter what becomes of the two communities they will always be known as an outlet for thousands of African Americans to entertain and vacation like their counterparts. It will always be Idlewild and Woodland Park.”
For the complete WKTV Journal story, visit here. The trailer for the documentary can be viewed here and another here. For a WKTV video interview with Rose Hammond while the film was in process, visit here.
Feeding America West Michigan’s mobile food bank operation is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard to provide Mobile Food Pantries for those facing hunger. The weekly food distribution is open to the public but aims to serve unemployed service industry workers. (Feeding America WM)
There has always been hunger in the Wyoming and Kentwood area — and across the region, state, country and world, in fact. And there is a long list of groups big and small working to be part of the solution to the problem.
From the City of Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry to the Kent County Community Action, from local school districts to Wyoming’s United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) and a score of other area churches and other private non-profit organizations, many groups have done their part and continue to do their part in this time of a COVID-19 unemployment surge.
Feeding America West Michigan is providing weekly Mobile Pantries in Woodland Mall’s parking lot. The Michigan National Guard is helping to distribute the food each week. (Feeding America WM)
The most far-reaching single group, however, is Feeding America West Michigan, which with the aid of the Michigan National Guard and Woodland Mall began weekly food distribution at the mall April 1.
The next Woodland Mall mobile pantry food distribution, from Feeding America’s Service Industry Workers Mobile unit, will be Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m., at 3195 28th St., Kentwood.
“Hunger is not new,” Molly Kooi, communication manager for Feeding America West Michigan, said this week to WKTV. “Before COVID-19, 1 in 8 people in our 40-county service area faced hunger. Now, many more people are in need of food assistance due to unemployment, school closings and a variety of other factors.”
Feeding America West Michigan (WM), part of Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks, not only collects and directly distributes food but also works with many religious and non-profit groups. And they have some sobering statistics about the impact of COVID-19 on the food assistance need.
“We’ve seen a 235 percent increase in people searching for food assistance on our website,” Kooi said. “We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the amount of food requested by our partner agencies. We’re spending $100,000 each week to keep up with the increased demand for food.”
The new distribution site at Woodland Mall is just one part of the group’s efforts, and one part of a much wider spectrum of emergency food providers. In the Wyoming and Kentwood area alone, food pantries supported by Feeding America include the East Paris Community Food Pantry, located at At-Tawheed Islamic Center and Mosque, on East Paris Avenue; Faith Reformed Church Food Pantry, on 44th Street SW; and Family Network, also on 44th.
What to expect if you’re seeking assistance
The first step for persons seeking food assistance — especially persons new to the system such, maybe recently out of work and seeking to support families — could be the regional Feeding America WM webpage FeedWM.org/findfood, Kooi said.
Feeding America West Michigan is working with Woodland Mall and the Michigan National Guard, to provide weekly food distribution at the mall parking lot in Kentwood. (Feeding America WM)
“There they will find a map making it easy for them to locate our partner agencies (red icons) and mobile food pantry sites (blue icons) near them,” she said. “If they don’t have access to the internet, they can call 2-1-1 or our office (616-784-3250) for assistance.”
And how does a person new to the system qualify and register for food assistance?
Some traditional food pantries have income limits, some have geographical limits and most have visit frequency limits (say, once a month). However, many may be changing how they are doing things due to COVID-19, Kooi said.
“I would tell a neighbor in need to first locate a food pantry near them and then reach out to that pantry’s director, or search their website, to learn what the requirements are,” she said.
Feeding America WM’s mobile pantries are hosted by organizations such as churches or schools, and provide fresh produce and other food to those in need, farmers’ market style, Kooi explained. All attendees are required to fill out a form asking for basic information like household size.
“Anyone in need can attend mobile pantries at any time and no one is turned away,” she said. “Due to COVID-19, all mobile pantries are providing drive-thru service at this time.”
Woodland Mall food distribution part of large network
The new mobile food pantry at Woodland Mall is a prime example of diverse organizations working together.
During the recent COVID-19 crisis, Feeding America has gained assistance from the Michigan National Guard at various locations including at the Woodland Mall mobile distribution.
One reason for the National Guard assistance is that Feeding America WM’s regular volunteer force, often older retired persons, has been directly impacted by safety concerns and stay-at-home orders.
But the local work is just a small part of the scope of Feeding America WM’s food bank collection and food distribution work.
Feeding America West Michigan currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. (Feeding America WM)
The food bank currently owns 30 trucks, that drove about 418,000 miles in 2019, according to the organization. So many trucks and trips are needed because of the way our the organization works: “We reclaim safe, surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, distributors and retail stores, and then distribute it to more than 800 partner agencies throughout West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula,” they state in supplied material.
Typically, more than 100 mobile food pantries are held each month across our 40-county service area. More than 99 percent of the donated food collected and distributes comes from large-scale food donors, with a small amount from community food drives.
Feeding America WM also delivers thousands of pounds of various food items to fixed food pantries and other hunger-relief agencies each month.
Where to go for support, to be part of the solution
During the COVID-19 pandemic, two things have defined the American — and the world’s — job market: rampant unemployment and the explosion of work-from-home. That, and the already emerging changes due to interconnected world job markets and automation in the workplace, are profoundly changing the future of work.
So the World Affairs Council of West Michigan’s now virtual-only spring lecture series is perfectly timed as it looks at “The Future of Work” with three Tuesday evening lectures discussing the future workforce and workplace changes in a changing world.
“The Future of Work” series, presented in partnership with the Kent District Library, will start with the reality that “COVID-19 creates a ‘new normal’ in all aspects of our lives, including the economy and work,” according to World Affairs Council statement.
Set to start the series on Tuesday, April 14, Kristin Sharp, a partner with Entangled Solutions, out of Washington, D.C., will speak on “Global Trends Shaping the Future of Work”.
Following discussions will be April 21, as a panel led by moderator Attah Obande, “Director of Dream Fulfillment” at Spring GR, discuses “Entrepreneurs’ Experiences in the Changing Economy: Local Perspectives”.
Grand Rapids Community College President Bill Pink (GRCC)
Finally, on April 28,Dr. Bill Pink, president of Grand Rapids Community College, will discuss “Working Together for Growth in West Michigan: Industry and Education”.
The premier of each discussion will be 6:30-7:30 p.m. each Tuesday and can be attended for free via the World Affair’s Council’s YouTube page for an “interactive conversation” as there will be the ability to send questions during the live presentations. All the discussions will be available afterwards as archived videos.
“Globalization. Automation. Underemployment and the gig economy. What are the trends that have been shaping patterns of work?” the World Affairs Council states about the series. “How will government, industry, and educators respond to the new opportunities and challenges created by change? Just as importantly, how do people imagine new possibilities in their local roles as workers and citizens in a global and tech-driven economy, so that we can positively affect the future of work?”
Details of the discussion leaders
Kristin Sharp. (Supplied)
Kristin Sharp, as a partner with Entangled Studios, is “focused on building out the future of work, automation, and ed/workforce technologies portfolio,” according to her company’s webpage biography. Prior to joining the company, she co-founded the Shift Commission and launched the ShiftLabs and Work, Workers, and Technology projects at New America, examining the impact of automation and AI on the workforce. Earlier in her career, she worked in technology, innovation, and national security policy in the U.S. Senate, working in senior staff roles for senators and committees on both sides of the political aisle.
Attah Obande, of SpringGR. (Supplied)
Attah Obande works for Spring GR, “a grassroots business training experience that uses the business model canvas (think of it like a road map for starting a business) to help entrepreneurs develop their business idea or business,” according to the company’s website. Over the course of 12 weeks, the group brings people together in small groups, teach the business process, and provide coaching. … For two years following graduation, SpringGR “acts as a bridge to connect graduates to other resources throughout Grand Rapids to further grow and develop their businesses.”
Dr. Bill Pink is the tenth president of Grand Rapids Community College, starting in 2017. He has been an educator for over 25 years, including as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma City.) and he has taught and/or coached in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Oregon. He has an Associate’s Degree from York College (Nebraska), a Bachelor’s from Oklahoma Christian University, a Master’s from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.
“A virtual exhibition was our solution to Michigan’s shelter in place directive by Governor Whitmer,” said Michelle Stempien, KIA Director of Museum Education, adding that opening weekend for the annual exhibition would typically draw thousands of visitors.
“We are approaching 40 years for this exhibition, and of course this is the first time we have shared it online. But we weren’t going to miss the opportunity to offer something so positive to the community — and to honor the hundreds of young artists showing work on the walls,” she said.
She added that education curators turned into videographers early this week, after installing the hundreds of artworks in two of the museum’s first floor galleries. Art teachers from more than 50 public and private elementary and middle schools chose and submitted artwork by their K-8th grade students.
“We hope everyone is inspired by the color and expressiveness of these young artists to bring more art into their own lives,” Stempien said, adding her thanks for the exhibition’s lead sponsor The Tyler-Little Family Foundation, and co-sponsor PLAZACORP.
“We always love seeing the student artwork come in each year; it puts a smile on the faces of everyone who is involved in producing this exhibition,” Stempien said, adding “and we look forward to welcoming the community back to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts very soon.”
The KIA is planning to present a virtual exhibition for upcoming spring exhibitions as needed. This will likely include the juried West Michigan Area Show (April 10) and High School Area Show (April 24).
If you’re feeling a little cooped-up — and who isn’t? — and longing for a community concert featuring local talent, we have good news and good news.
First, WKTV has been told that the people behind Cutlerville’s Sounds of Summer July concert series are already looking past the current COVID-19 restrictions and planning for 2020 summer series.
The Brena Band. (Supplied)
And if you can’t wait that long for a community concert, WKTV has a bunch of recent concerts in Wyoming and Kentwood covered by WKTV Community Media and available on-demand at WKTVlive.org. For example, check out the great August 2019 City of Kentwood Summer Concert Series concert by Brena. Don’t know the band? Check here for a 2019 WKTV story.
Patty Williams and crew. (Supplied)
“It’s a go,” Patty Williams, of P. Williams Productions, said to WKTV on March 26. Sounds of Summer series “music will fill the park … A variety of bands from country, rock, jazz, and Bluegrass, will be setting the stage to entertain the community.”
Williams, who is a longtime WKTV Community Media volunteer, said the concert series, at Cutlerville’s Cutler Park, has gotten the go-ahead to schedule concerts every Thursday night in July, starting July 2, with concerts starting at 7 p.m.
This popular concert series by P. Williams Productions, and LW Studios, has been entertaining the local community for more than five years at Cutler Park, located at 6701 Cutler Park Drive, just off 68th St., near Division Avenue.
To keep up on news of Sounds of Summer, visit their Facebook page @soundsofsummerculterville, or call P. Williams Productions at 616-818-9874.
It may not exactly be business as usual for the Kent County Board of Commissioners during the COVID-19 emergency, but the work of conducting the public’s business, in public, continues — and the community is invited to attend and offer comment while maintaining their social distance.
“Pursuant to Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-15, the Kent County Board of Commissioners in order to protect the public health will conduct its (March 26) meeting via electronic communications,” according to a statement from the county administration. “Any member of the public wishing to listen to the proceedings or provide public comment” can do so.
While the March agenda is fairly short, it does — rather appropriately, given the current social restrictions — offer action on Kent County outdoor recreation issues and future projects, including Dwight Lydell Park and Thornapple River Trail Landing. For a complete agenda, visit here.
“It is critically important, especially during this public health crisis, that government maintains its ability to conduct essential business in an open, accessible, and transparent manner while protecting the health and safety of all residents,” Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter said to WKTV. “With the use of technology, residents will be able to participate remotely in our meeting to nearly the same extent as if they were present.”
The means to provide the public comment include an internet connection and phone access with pass code, as follows:
The answer to that question could determine how you feel day-to-day.
If you’ve found meaning in your life, you’re more likely to be both physically and mentally healthy, a new study reports.
On the other hand, people restlessly searching for meaning in their life are more likely to have worse mental well-being, with their struggle to find purpose negatively affecting their mood, social relationships, psychological health and ability to think and reason.
“We found presence of meaning was associated with better physical functioning and better mental functioning,” said senior study author Dr. Dilip Jeste. He is senior associate dean for the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine.
“Many think about the meaning and purpose in life from a philosophical perspective, but meaning in life is associated with better health, wellness and perhaps longevity,” Jeste continued. “Those with meaning in life are happier and healthier than those without it.”
This conclusion comes from a three-year study of more than 1,000 people aged 21 and older living in San Diego County.
All participants were asked to fill out a battery of questionnaires that assessed their physical and mental health, as well as how sharp their brains function.
They also filled out a questionnaire aimed at determining the amount of meaning they’d found in life, as well as their continued search for meaning.
Meaning in life is a very individualized concept, Jeste said. It could be drawn from your faith or from your family, from your work or your community service, or your role in society.
Jeste and his colleagues found that as people get older, they tend to follow along a U-shaped curve in their search for meaning in life.
The search for meaning is high in young adulthood, as people make decisions about career and education and family that will shape the rest of their lives, the study reports.
“That’s a period of considerable anxiety. You are desperately searching for meaning, but you haven’t found it,” Jeste said of people in their 20s.
As people grow older and settle into their lives, they are more and more likely to discover the things that give their lives meaning, the researchers found.
But then, as people enter their old age, the search for life’s meaning again starts to roil within them, results show.
Physical and mental infirmity challenges their notion of themselves—and the increasingly frequent deaths of family and friends force them to contend with grief and their own mortality, Jeste said.
“They start questioning the meaning that they’d found in life at an earlier age and they start searching again,” Jeste said. “The purpose at 75 cannot be the same as that at 35.”
These big questions—and whether you’re still looking for the answers, at whatever age—are associated with your personal health, results show.
Contentment with life was associated with better physical and mental health, while a continuing search for meaning was associated with poorer mental health and less effective brain function, the study showed.
You could imagine that a doctor finds meaning in their life because they help people who are suffering, and that provides them with satisfaction and a solid base for happiness, said Dr. Philip Muskin, a professor of psychiatry with the Columbia University Medical Center, in New York City.
On the other hand, a doctor suffering from burnout who questions whether they’re really helping others isn’t going to be either happy or healthy.
“If you are still searching for meaning as a physician, that is likely to make you unhappy,” Muskin said. “Not necessarily depressed, but if you are still searching for meaning that is likely to make you uncomfortable in life.”
So what can you do to provide yourself with a firmer understanding of your life’s purpose?
Jeste suggests that the Serenity Prayer provides one blueprint—accepting the things in life you can’t change while working to improve the things you can.
“You can find the things that you can do that make you happy and that are useful to others,” Jeste said. “By doing that, you create your own value to society.”
Thoughtful conversation also can help, Muskin said, either with your friends or your family, or a religious figure or a therapist.
“Ask yourself the hard question. What is it I want to get out of this?” Muskin said. “Meaning comes from many different sources, and if you truly feel you don’t have meaning, you should sit with someone and have that conversation. What are we doing?”
Middle-aged people can help maintain the meaning they’ve found in life by making solid plans for what they will do in retirement, Muskin added.
“I see this all the time in my practice—people who retire into nothing,” Muskin said. “They have made no plans. They were professionals for years and decided to retire and their lives are empty. Now they’re searching for meaning in life because what they did and who they were never much separated.”
The new study was published online recently the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Michigan voters are starting a busy election with the just-completed presidential primary, so on the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus we offer a review of how the State of Michigan in general — and Kent County in specific — handle elections so that they provide voter accessibility, ballot security and accurate results.
With us is Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds, who was elected to the position in 2016 after serving three terms as a Republican in the Michigan House of Representatives. Also with us is county elections director Gerrid Uzarski, who was appointed by Ms. Lyons in late 2017 and, previously worked for ElectionSource, a local company which, along with Dominion Voting Systems, is contracted by the state to provide election hardware and software.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan’s 2020 Great Decisions series of local discussions has already tackled issues such as the current political unrest in “The Philippines under Duterte”, the unfolding idea of “Green Peacebuilding” and “Human Trafficking: Global and Local Perspectives”.
But over the next few weeks, the series will continue it global issue informational efforts with more “issues of national an international importance,” including the India and Pakistan powder keg, China’s power in the Americas, and the present and future of American immigration policy.
The discussions are held Monday evenings and Tuesday noontimes, and will continue through the week of March 30. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these presentations will be available live on YouTube, with the typical World Affairs Council ability to send in a question of the speaker-experts. Presentations will be archived as well. Go to World Affairs Council YouTube channel link at one of the two times listed above to participate: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz_-CQkZ3VwjGkysvMu-P3g.
Coming lecture dates, titles and speakers are:
March 16-17, “The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and National Security”, with Lindsey Sheppard, fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
March 23-24, “China’s Road into Latin America”, with Margaret Myers, director of Asia & Latin America at Inter-American Dialogue.
March 30-31, “Central American Immigration and U.S. Foreign Policy”, with Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer-winning journalist and author of “Enrique’s Journey”.
For more information on the Great Decisions 2020 series visit here.
Editor’s Note: This concert has been rescheduled for Sept. 11.
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The last time Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Marc Cohn took to St. Cecilia Music Center stage, in early 2017, he “received a resounding standing ovation after totally captivating the audience with his powerful voice and emotional lyrics,” according to one in the audience.
On March 19, Cohn will return with new music and, of course, his classics including the timeless “Walking in Memphis”, and tickets remain available.
“Since he was last here in Spring 2017, Marc has spent time on the road with legendary Michael McDonald, worked closely with David Crosby and other American music greats including soul survivor William Bell, who won his first Grammy at age 78 with Marc’s help in creating Bell’s celebrated album, “This is Where I Live”, Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia Music Center Executive Director, said in supplied material. “With his latest work with the gospel legends Blind Boys of Alabama, we can’t wait to hear his new concert repertoire.”
In August 2019, Cohn released a soul/gospel/pop album “Work to Do”, along with Grammy Award winners Blind Boys of Alabama. The album’s collection “combined Cohn’s unique vocal and songwriting talents with the sanctified genius of these veteran gospel stars,” according to supplied material.
Cohn originally rose to musical fame when he won the Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” and since that time he has solidified his place as one of this generation’s “most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man.”
No less of a singer/songwriter than Bonnie Raitt reportedly said, “Marc is one of the most soulful, talented artists I know. I love his songs, he’s an incredible singer, and I marvel at his ability to mesmerize every audience he plays for.”
The final St. Cecilia Music Center Acoustic Cafe Folk Series for the 2019-20 season is Shawn Colvin, who also returns returns for her second appearance at St. Cecilia Music Center, on May 19, when she will be performing her newly released album Steady On Acoustic in its entirety. Her original 1989 album Steady On became her first Grammy Award winning album and brought her significant acclaim and a large devoted fan base.
Marc Cohn concert tickets are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org.
A post-concert “Meet-the-artist” reception with a cash bar will be offered to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to possibly meet Marc Cohn and obtain signed CDs of his many releases.
Dr. Adam London, Administrative Health Officer for Kent County, right, and Brian Hartl, county epidemiologist. (Supplied/Kent County)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
There is a lot of information flying around the internet and the airwaves — if not in your household — about the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus), so the Kent County Health Department, led by Dr. Adam London, Administrative Health Officer for the county, continues to offer videos with up-to-date information.
In today’s video — travel. London and Brian Hartl, county epidemiologist, discuss what you need to know and how COVID-19 may impact your travel plans. To view the latest video, visit here.
For complete information from the Kent County Health Department on the local news dealing with the COVID 19 virus, and to view all the videos visit here.
According to the health department, public information will be distributed “as the situation warrants it.”
According to the county, here are some basic facts:
COVID-19 is caused by a new respiratory virus. In December 2019, the virus began circulating in humans. Health experts are concerned because little is known about this new virus and it has the potential to cause severe illness and pneumonia.
State level information is updated daily at Michigan.gov/coronavirus. Also available are the total number of people who may have been exposed to the virus who are referred to local public health for monitoring or assessment.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus, and they include: fever, cough and shortness of breath Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death.
Health experts are still learning about how this new coronavirus spreads. Other coronaviruses spread from an infected person to others through the air by coughing and sneezing; close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands; touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.
The same steps you would take to prevent spread of flu and the common cold twill also help prevent coronavirus disease, including: wash your hands with soap and water, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing, avoid contact with people who are sick, and stay home if you are sick and contact your healthcare provider.
The 2019-20 East Kentwood High School boys basketball team. (Supplied/East Kentwood)
By Mike Moll, WKTV Sports Director sports@wktv.org
The boys basketball District opener for Division 1 played at Caledonia High School showcased the true meaning of March Madness. OK Red foes East Kentwood and Caledonia split their regular season meetings with a win apiece and Monday was just as even. So much so that it not only went into overtime, but double overtime before the Falcons would advance to Wednesday with a 68-67 victory.
Caledonia finishes the season at 9-12 while East Kentwood, now 12-9, will face one of the area’s top teams, the 19-2 Wyoming Wolves at Middleville T-K, after Wyoming defeated the host Trojans Monday, 93-49.
EK would score the first basket of the game, but the Scots then went on a 9-0 run, and finish with a 14-9 lead after the first quarter buzzer. The Falcons leading scorer on the season, Ja’moni Jones would lead all scorers with 5, followed by Caledonia’s Luke Thelen with 4, along with Koby VanderWoude and Carter Thomas with 3.
While the Fighting Scots would hit an early 3-pointer by Thelen to take a 17-11 lead, the Falcons would quickly come back with the next six, led by the combination of Jones and Jordan Jackson to tie the game at 17, which was the second of twelve ties on the night. Caledonia would outscore East Kentwood 8-6 the remainder of the quarter to hold a slim 25-23 lead. Jones would lead the way with 11 and Jackson had 8, six of which were in the second quarter, while Caledonia was being paced by Thelen with 9.
The intensity would continue after halftime, as East Kentwood would take their second lead of the night 32-30 following back to back offensive rebounds by Urim Sahitolli and his made basket at the 3:35 mark. However, the Scots would score the final five points of the stanza, with the last being another triple by Thomas to head into the fourth with a 35-32 lead. Jones was still the leading scorer with 13 and Caledonia’s Thomas had 10 followed by Thelen with 9.
Caledonia would open the fourth with a basket by VanderWoude, who would have twelve in the quarter by himself, but the parade to the charity stripe would begin for East Kentwood as they would hit four in a row to cut the deficit to just one, until Jackson would connect at the 6:10 mark to mark the fourth of six total lead changes on the night, 38-37 East Kentwood. That was the start of the Falcons trying to take control of the game as they would increase their lead to 47-40, but simply couldn’t shake Caledonia, who would keep fighting being led by VanderWoude and Andrew Larson. After a foul by Caledonia with just 10.7 seconds remaining, Jones went to the line for two shots that could have given EK a three-point lead, but he went 1-for-2 to make it 53-51. Caledonia had a shot blocked but was able to get the offensive rebound by Thelen who scored with 1.7 seconds remaining. On the ensuing in-bounds pass, Jones tossed a shot from half court that was no good to send the game into the first overtime.
The OT was controlled by EK early as Ja Shon Large, who had 5 points in regulation, scored the first four, but that lead was cut to one after a 3-pointer by Larson. After another Large score, the next three were scored by Caledonia’s Aaron Henry and VanderWoude, but he too missed one of two free throws. EK’s Kalil Strange would make it 61-59, but with 41.1 seconds left, Caledonia’s Thelen would knot it again at 61 where it would stay, and a second overtime was needed.
As so often is the case, free throw shooting is the difference in back and forth games and this was no exception in the second OT as EK would make 3-of-4, all by Strange, whereas the Scots would be 2-of-4 on their last two trips down the floor, but that was good enough to take a 67-66 lead with 21.5 seconds left. After a series of timeouts, EK’s Large would make a driving basket with just .9 seconds remaining, after which Caledonia could only get a shot off as the buzzer sounded trying to force a foul but to no avail.
Caledonia was led by VanderWoude with 21, Thelen 13, and both Thomas and Larson with 11, but the Scots were 7-of-15 from the charity stripe. The Falcons were led by Jones with 23, Large and Jackson 13 each, and Strange 9, but the victory went to them by hitting 15-of-21 from the strip on the night as a team.
Angie Morthland-Timan as “Rosie the Riveter”. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
This month’s meeting of the Kentwood Women’s Club, set for Wednesday, March 18, will host an evening with Angie Morthland-Timan as “Rosie the Riveter” as part of Women’s History Month. The meetings, open to the general public, are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., at the Kentwood Public Library, 4950 Breton SE in Kentwood.
Morhtland-Timan is a native of Grand Rapids, now lives in Mackinaw City part of the year, and attended Central Michigan University. She has taught physical education and home economics in five different states and two countries. She “has a real passion for the World War II stories and the Rosie The Riveter women who kept the factories going during the war,” according to supplied material. She is currently the Indiana State representative for the American Rosie the Riveter group.
“Morthland-Timan will give us great insight into this important time in history,” according to the Kentwood Women’s Club announcement. “She will provide a framework showing the enormous part women made during the war effort and their contributions to our economy during that time in history.”
The KWC event will begin with a 6:45 p.m. social time with the group meeting starting at 7:15 p.m. and the discussion to follow shortly.
The purpose of KWC is to enhance the cultural, civic, educational, and social opportunities of Kentwood area women. KWC encompasses women in Kentwood and the surrounding area.
WKTV sports crew airs the annual Golden Gloves tournament each year. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
It’s Golden Gloves Boxing time!
WKTV has been covering the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament for more than 25 years. Again this year, we will be at the Grand Rapids DeltaPlex Saturday, March 14, for the West Michigan Preliminaries, with replays of the bouts on our cable channels the next day as well as on select days and times, and they will also be available on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
We will continue coverage through the State Finals in April.
The Deltaplex Arena is located at 2500 Turner Ave NW, Grand Rapids.
The tentative coverage days/times and replay plan includes: West Michigan Preliminaries, Saturday, March 14; West Michigan Semi-Finals, Saturday, March 21; West Michigan Finals, Saturday, March 28; the State Semi-Finals, Friday, April 17; and the State Finals, Saturday, April 18.
WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse 99 will show with tape-delayed airings of each evening’s bouts on the following day. For future broadcast schedule, check out our On-air Schedule.
Chuck and Stella Royce. (St. Cecilia Music Center)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
The term “patron of the arts” is name-dropped often, but there are few people who it more aptly applies to than the late Stella Royce. With her late husband, Chuck, Stella spent decades generously advocating for and directly supporting arts and culture in West Michigan.
One of those arts organizations to benefit from the couple’s patronage was St. Cecilia Music Center — as evidenced by the beautiful renovated Royce Auditorium at the center, to name only the most obvious contribution.
So it is appropriate that St. Cecilia’s 2020 Helen DeVos Legacy Award will honor Stella at its 2nd annual gala, a sold-out event to be held at the music center Saturday, March 7, during Women’s History Month — also appropriate as St. Cecilia came into being in 1883 under the leadership of several local women.
Chuck and Stella Royce. (St. Cecilia Music Center)
“Stella was a vital force in the leadership and vision of St. Cecilia Music Center for over 60 years, and she and her husband, Chuck Royce, consistently promoted and supported St. Cecilia Music Center,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in announcing the award. “Stella and Chuck Royce also generously supported other arts organizations including the Grand Rapids Symphony, Opera Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Ballet, as well as many others. … Stella was truly one of the great patron saints of St. Cecilia Music Center and led a life of service to the arts.”
St. Cecilia held the first annual Helen DeVos Legacy Award Gala in 2019, honoring the first recipient and namesake of the award, the late Helen DeVos. The award is now presented each year during Women’s History Month “to a woman who has helped expand the cultural life of our community and has shown exemplary service to the arts.”
Hearing stories of Stella, both from Holbrook and Charlie Royce, one of several relatives of Chuck and Stella who will be in attendance at the gala, it is clear the woman appreciated the arts and enjoyed life.
“I believe that Stella immediately fell in love with St Cecilia from the first day she visited,” Charlie Royce said to WKTV. “Since she passed away, I have spent a lot of time discovering how Stella became an artist in the first place. Because of her childhood I do not believe music or art was even an option for her. Only in high school did she become exposed to music through singing in the choir at Greenville High School.
“I tend to think this opportunity was perhaps her first place to escape to from a turbulent past into something beautiful. By the time she got to St. Cecilia, she knew that music could provide this same beauty to others that maybe struggled like she did. Thus all the programs for children and support for anyone that wanted to pursue their talent. And to have the means to provide it at a place like SCMC made for a perfect match.”
Royces’ long history with St. Cecilia
Chuck’s history with St. Cecilia actually predates Stella’s.
“Chuck’s mother and grandmother had been involved at SCMC since 1913,” Holbrook said to WKTV. “Chuck grew up roaming the halls of the building while his mother and grandmother performed, went to committee meetings and helped organize various events. So, you could say that SCMC was in Chuck’s blood.
Chuck and Stella Royce, with Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, and visiting musician Frederica von Stade. (St. Cecilia Music Center)
“When Stella met Chuck, her own love of music naturally drew her to the organization that his family had been so involved in for so many years and she took up the cause as wholeheartedly as his mother and grandmother had done. Chuck and Stella were at all events and concerts (at St. Cecilia). In fact, as their health declined and they were not attending events at SCMC regularly any longer, it definitely felt like something was ‘missing’. … We all wished that she could be here to receive it herself but, both Charlie and Maria are musicians themselves and recognize the impact that their parents had on this organization.”
And Chuck and Stella’s “impact” on St. Cecilia goes far behind the perfect acoustics of the renovated auditorium.
“During the renovation in the (19)70’s, the decision was made to make the auditorium handicap accessible,” Charlie said. “My folks turned this into an opportunity by suggesting the Great Artist Series. The series featured world renowned artists and opened with Izsak Perlman, who was at the time the most recognized violinist in the world who also happened to be handicapped.
“Also, after my folks retired and moved to downtown, they became a kind of welcoming committee of two for whomever just moved to Grand Rapids to head a corporation or take over as a president of a bank or college,” he said. “Through casual conversation my folks would learn of their interests, be it in architecture, the arts, cultural history, education … (and) every tour involved a stop at St Cecilia … Chuck and Stella totally recognized the importance of connecting people with something they could participate in and since they were new in town, St. Cecilia became the first place they connected with”
Proceeds from the Helen DeVos Award Gala honoring Stella Royce will help support St. Cecilia Music Center’s artistic performances, its varied music education programs for youth and adults, as well as preservation of the center’s historical building.
St. Cecilia Music Center is the oldest performing arts organization in West Michigan, according to supplied material, began in 1883. Nine women, led be Ella Matthews Pierce, gathered that year to form a society to promote the study and appreciation of music in all of its branches, and to encourage the development of music within the community. They chose to name the new organization after Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
In the late 1880’s the members began planning for a building of their own, designed by prominent Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, who was a protégé of Carnegie Hall’s architect, William Burnet Tuthill. The building, which currently stands at 24 Ransom Ave., in downtown Grand Rapids, opened to the public in 1894, and is the only building in the United States built by women and has operated solely for the purpose of music.
For more information about St. Cecilia Music Center visit scmc-online.org.
The Listening Room’s jazz series featuring the Robin Connell Trio with guests will continue Saturday, March 7, with singer Mary Rademacher and saxophonist Laurie Sears as guest performers.
The venue is located at Studio Park at 123 Ionia Ave SW. The jazz nights start at 7:30 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12, with open seating, drinks available for purchase, and a parking garage attached.
Pianist and singer Connell’s “house trio” will usually have with Rob Hartman on bass and Keith Hall on the drums. For a video of “Taking a Chance on Love” from last month’s gig, with Hartman on bass and Ethan Bouwsma on drums, visit here.
Robin Connell
“If you’re from west Michigan you know Mary,” Connell said in supplied material. “I know she’s looking forward to performing in an intimate setting without all the talk and clatter, where she is able to connect with listeners and perform tunes she doesn’t often get to sing.”
But audiences “might not know the fabulous Laurie Sears. She makes her home in Traverse City but travels all over for performances, often at DeVos concert hall when touring artists perform there and hire top pros to back them up,’ Connell said. “Laurie and I have played together for several years, mostly up north.”
For more information on the jazz series and all concerts at Listening Room, visit listeningroomGR.com or call 616-900-9500.
For more information on Robin Connell, visit robinconnell.com. Next month playing with Robin Connell Trio at Listening Room is Carl Cafagna, on April 1.
Online ticket sales are available but with a handling fee. The movie box office downstairs has tickets for all shows, available in advance. Parking is available in attached garage and is free if patrons purchase drink or food in the restaurant downstairs before or after the show.
East Kentwood High School girls basketball in January 2020 District action. (WKTV)
By WKTV Sports Staff ken@wktv.org
With the local high school girls basketball regular season completed, WKTV has jumped into our prep March Madness featured game coverage this week as the state playoffs begin with girls District tournaments across the state.
WKTV’s Featured Game crew will be following the Division 2 District tournament at South Christian High School starting Wednesday, March 4, and continuing with that districts final on Friday, March 6. To read about the Monday game at South Christian featuring the Sailors, see Mike Moll’s story here.
But the best Monday, March 2, opening-round game involving area teams was the Division 1 clash with Byron Center at East Kentwood, so WKTV was there.
Byron Center entered the game at 19-1 overall and 12-0 in OK-conference Green with a title in hand. East Kentwood was 17-3, 11-1 in OK Red with a shared title with Hudsonville, and on a 10-game winning streak. The two teams met to open the season; EK won on the road 48-43.
In the Monday game between the two, the Falcons (now 18-3) won by almost the same score — this time winning 50-43 — as three East Kentwood players scored in double figures: sophomore Deyonce Thompson led with 15 points including three 3-pointers, while juniors Alexis McCully and Kabriana Hallman each added 12.
“That was one of the better high school basketball games we’ve seen in a long time,” WKTV Featured Game announcers Ron Schultz said after the game. “These teams … match up really well and the played really well. … Kentwood dropped some threes when they had to have them.”
The East Kentwood game will be available on WKTV Community Television Channel 26 (for complete schedules of programs on WKTV channels, see our Weekly On-air Schedule) and on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
WKTV also has a special video discussion on local teams playing in District tournaments with WKTV Sports Director Mike Moll and WKTV sports announcer Cory Dalton on the inaugural WKTVJournal Sports Connection program. See the YouTube video here.
As East Kentwood game will now travel to Caledonia for the District semifinals, starting March 4, the WKTV Featured Game crew will move to cover a doubleheader at South Christian.
In one game at South Christian, Wayland (13-8, 5-7 OK Gold and the winner of Monday’s game Hopkins) will play Kelloggsville (16-4, 10-2 and a shared title in OK Silver).
In the other game at South Christian, the Sailors (11-10, 7-5 OK Gold and the winner of a Monday game against Kentwood Grand River will play West Michigan Aviation (7-13, 1-6 Alliance).
Other local teams playing in District tournaments
In Division 1, Wyoming (7-14, 3-9 OK Gold) won a Monday opening round game against tournament host Caledonia and now will challenge the tournament top seed, East Grand Rapids (19-1, 12-0 and a title in OK Gold), on Wednesday.
In another Division 2 tournament involving local teams, Godwin Heights (10-11, 4-8 in OK Silver) played Monday at the Forest Hills Eastern District tournament but lost to Grand Rapids Christian (18-3, 9-3 in OK Gold) to end the Wolverines season. On the other side of the same tournament bracket, Wyoming Lee (0-19, 0-12 OK Silver) will open play on Wednesday against Catholic Central (7-14, 4-8 in OK Blue) and the winner of a Monday game with Wellsprings Prep.
In a Division 4 tournament hosted by Wyoming Tri-unity Christian, Wednesday games will have Tri-unity (6-14, 2-5 in Alliance) playing Martin (19-1, 9-1 and a title in Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore), and Wyoming Potter’s House Christian (8-12, 5-2 Alliance) against Byron Center Zion Christian (9-11, 3-4 Alliance). The winners will play for the district title Friday at Tri-unity.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Former Major League Baseball player Darryl Stawberry has four World Series Titles, was the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year, was an 8-time All-Star, and hit home runs like few players before or since.
But he also struggled with substance abuse and colon cancer that ultimately ended his career but, according to supplied material, “it was through these challenges that Strawberry became a Christian and his become passionate about sharing his story of hope, redemption and restoration.”
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) will feature Strawberry and his story as the West Michigan Pro Athlete Breakfast on Saturday, March 14, from 8-10 a.m., at Calvary Church, 707 East Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids.
The breakfast is open to the general community, sports teams, FCA huddles, churches and youth groups. Seats and tables are still available but seating is limited.
“The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is excited to welcome former MLB All-Star Darryl Strawberry to West Michigan,” is states in supplied material. “He has an inspiring story of redemption and grace in a world of temptation and high pressures.”
And Strawberry’s story fits in perfectly with the “Core Values” of the FCA, according to its website, which states that “Our relationships will demonstrate steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence.”
Among other activities of the FCA are Huddles, a certified small group bible study/devotion for coaches and athletes; camps, certified ministry events that use the annual theme and scripture for athletes and coaches to develop athletic skills, create influential relationships and encounter Jesus Christ; the FCA Coaches Ministry, which is the ministry program to coaches through huddles, events, training and resources; and a variety of international trips with FCA staff and other partner organizations around the globe.
To register for a individual seats, at $50 per seat, or for table and sponsor opportunities, visit here. For more information on the Michigan Fellowship of Christian Athletes, visit here.
Shanika Carter’ will discuss her new book “To Lead or Not to Lead” and will sign books Thursday, March 5, at the Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch Kent District Library. (Supplied by the Author)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Author Shanika Carter’s new book “To Lead or Not to Lead” has the appropriate subtitle of “Breaking the Glass Ceiling Using Lessons from Your Past Experiences”.
In the book — which she will be speaking on and signing copies of at the Kentwood KDL Branch Library March 5 — Carter makes the case that while people can be helped on their personal and career journeys by other people, the best help may well be understanding and learning from one’s own positive and negative experiences.
Shanika Carter. (Supplied)
“I share not only my experiences, but those of others who have emphasized a lack of mentorship and encouragement to move up the ladder in their fields,” Carter said to WKTV. “For me, though, although I did experience a lack of the mentorship along the way, I learned quite a bit about myself and how to overcome obstacles I encountered.”
Carter’s discussion and book signing will take place Thursday, March 5, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch Kent District Library, 4950 Breton SE, Kentwood. The event is free and open to the public.
Carter’s talk, and book signing with snacks, will be followed at 6:30 p.m. by a library equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) community conversation. And while the author will not be directly involved in the discussion, she strongly supports the inclusion efforts.
“I plan to support and participate in (the EDI conversation) on the 5th,” Carter said. “When I lived in Grand Rapids, before starting my writing/editing business … and getting back into teaching, I was employed part time in KDL’s circulation pool, rotating to the various locations to assist.
“That was over five years ago, so my relationship with KDL began then, and continued as I got my writing up off the ground, having participated as a guest speaker for one of KDL’s annual writing conferences … I appreciate everything that they have done with me on this journey.”
Carter’s journey includes graduating from Muskegon Heights High School, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in advertising from Michigan State University and her Master of Science degree in communications from Grand Valley State University.
Carter has worked as an adjunct instructor at ITT Technical Institute and Jackson College’s Prison Education Initiative program. She currently works in the writing center at Muskegon Community College, also teaching for the Communications and College Success Center departments, and is also an adjunct instructor at Montcalm Community College, where she teaches interpersonal communications and speech.
Carter is also a big supporter of the need for all persons — students, reformed prisoners, everybody — have the ability to communicate to be successful in life and careers.
“It is highly important to be able to communicate both verbally and in written form, particularly in a time where we, and so many of our youth, are in a social media world where even the communication is so different,” Carter said. “I’ve heard from teachers (and) parents over the years about how basic handwriting was no longer a requirement, like it was when I was growing up. Also, with social media, we find more people communicating in other ways outside of face-to-face contact and even using a more condensed language to exchange messages.
“As an instructor at this level of education, I am amazed at how many students I do encounter who do have difficulties with basic writing and grammar, let alone social and interpersonal skills. With the combination of losing some of the basic writing and communication requirements that were available in the past, and then dealing with those who allow their social media interactions to lapse over into their regular, face-to-face or written communications, the importance of communications and writing is just as relevant and important to continue in education.”
For more information on Shanika P. Carter’s book “To Lead or Not to Lead: Breaking the Glass Ceiling Using Lessons from Your past Experiences”, visit here. For more information on her The Write Flow and Vibe project, visit here.
For more information on the KDL Kentwood event, visit here. Follow the Kent District Library on various social media platforms — Facebook: facebook.com/KentDistrictLibrary and Instagram: @kentdistrictlibrary and Twitter: @KDLNews.
Kids of all ages and butterflies mix at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition — reportedly the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the nation — will bring more than 7,000 tropical butterflies to West Michigan beginning Sunday, March 1.
This year’s exhibition highlights Nathaniel Ward and the invention of the Wardian Case.
In 1827, Ward accidentally invented terrariums while studying caterpillars and moths by placing them in jars. He noticed that plants were flourishing in these sealed jars and discovered that plants and insects better survived the harsh conditions in London, a city known for heavy pollution at the time, if they were enclosed in sealed containers. This discovery led to horticulturists being able to transport items around the globe and these early “fern cases” paved the way for modern terrariums, greenhouses and conservatories.
“Step Into the glass house during this year’s Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition and discover how the invention of the Wardian case changed the world,” Lisa Roo, project manager, said in supplied material. “This year’s theme offers our community a sense of wonder with magical glass houses from four feet tall to our iconic fifty-foot-tall Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.
“We offer our guests the unique experience of stepping into glass houses to see butterflies soaring, caterpillars munching, and learn how the Wardian case paved the way for modern terrariums and greenhouses.”
A new Wardian case will be located in the adjacent Earl and Donnalee Holton Victorian Garden Parlor.
Approximately 60 colorful species of butterflies and moths journey from butterfly-rich regions of Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines and Kenya to fly freely in the five-story tall, 15,000 square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory. At 85 degrees and 70 percent humidity, this balmy environment mimics the tropical regions that the butterflies call home.
Butterflies and flowers will be on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)
Species of butterflies expected to arrive include the blue common morpho, whose iridescence impresses in flight, as well as brushfoot varieties such as the Clearwing, Lacewing and Zebra Mosaic. Likewise, the longwings captivate with distinctive wing patterns as seen on the Small Blue Grecian, Doris, Postman and Tiger butterflies. Gliders like the Emperor, Ruby-Spotted and Orchard Swallowtails will also add to the diverse assortment.
More than 1,000 pupae arrive at Meijer Gardens weekly from around the world. Guests can watch as delicate chrysalides and cocoons are placed in the Observation Station, where these unique and fascinating creatures then transform and spread their wings for the first time.
The Caterpillar Room, located within the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)
The Caterpillar Room, located within the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse, features monarch caterpillars. Here guests will have the opportunity to learn more about how plants, butterflies and moths live in and under glass. Caterpillars hungrily feed on milkweed host plants mixed in with the flowering spring plantings and ferns that encompass the perimeter of the seasonal display greenhouse.
A docent will be present to help guide guests and enhance the experience. Volunteers are also “Wanted. Needed. Appreciated.” with various jobs and shifts. Contact Valerie Maciejewski at vmaciejewski@meijergardens.org or 616-974-5221.
There will be extended hours during Spring Break (Monday to Friday, April 6-10, 9 a.m. top 9 p.m.) and There are several special exhibition activities also set for the show. For more information visit meijergardens.org.
St. Cecilia Music Center Jazz series continues Thursday, March 5, when Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Luciana Souza comes to the Royce Auditorium Stage with a program called “The Book of Longing”, performing alongside Chico Pinheiro and Scott Colley for “a night of sultry Brazilian jazz.”
Souza according to supplied information, “transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles, offering solid roots in jazz, sophisticated lineage in world music, and an enlightened approach to new music.”
“We are thrilled to have the multi-talented Luciana Souza on stage at St. Cecilia Music Center ,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive director, said in supplied material. “To quote Billboard Magazine, ‘Her music soulfully reflects, wistfully regrets, romantically woos, joyfully celebrates …’ All of us are looking forward to hearing her amazing voice and discovering her joyful, soulful and heartfelt music.”
As a jazz vocal leader, Souza has been releasing acclaimed recordings since 2002, including her six Grammy nominated records Brazilian Duos, North and South, Duos II, Tide, Duos III, and The Book of Chet. Her debut recording for Universal, The New Bossa Nova, was produced by her husband, Larry Klein, and was met with widespread critical acclaim.
Souza’s recordings also include two works based on poetry — The Poems of Elizabeth Bishop And Other Songs, and Neruda.
From 2005 to 2010, she was the Jazz Artist in Residence with the prestigious San Francisco Performances. In 2005 and 2013 Luciana was awarded Best Female Jazz Singer by the Jazz Journalists Association.
For more information about Luciana Souza visit her website at lucianasouza.com.
Concert tickets for Luciana Souza are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org.
A pre-concert reception for $15 at 6:30 pm, with wine and hors d’oeuvres, is available by reservation in advance (reserve by Friday, February 28). A post-concert party with dessert, coffee and wine is open to all ticket-holders to meet the artists, obtain autographs and CD purchases.
The Australian Pink Floyd Show (supplied/Ben Donoghue)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
Ah, another sign of spring coming — Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park giving us a little taste of the 2020 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts series line-up, with the first four acts announced recently.
Meijer Gardens’ annual concert series features “an eclectic mix of alternative, indie, blues and classic rock,” according to the announcement, and the first four cover that spectrum: Gregory Alan Isakov on June 7, Squeeze on July 9, Michael Franti & Spearhead on Aug. 16 and The Australian Pink Floyd Show on Aug. 30.
The complete lineup will be announced in mid-April.
Members of Meijer Gardens will have the first opportunity to purchase discounted tickets during an exclusive members-only pre-sale, April 25 through May 8. During the pre-sale, members receive a $5 discount per ticket.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on May 9. More information on prices and purchasing options will be available following the release of the full lineup in mid-April.
Michael Franti & Spearhead. (Supplied)
Brief, supplied information on the four concerts is as follows:
Gregory Alan Isakov was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and now calls Colorado home. He is a horticulturist-turned-musician and “has cast an impressive presence on the indie-rock and folk worlds.” Isakov has toured internationally with his band and has performed with several symphony orchestras across the United States. He also manages a small farm which provides produce to over a dozen local restaurants.For more information on Gregory Alan Isakov, visit gregoryalanisakov.com.
Squeeze first formed in 1973, shortly after Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook had begun their songwriting partnership, brought together by an ad in a sweetshop window. By 1977 they had made their recording debut and enjoyed a string of hits which lasted until 1982 on the back of New Wave. Over the years there have been solo careers and occasional separations, but the Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriting duo reunited in 2007 to relaunch Squeeze and have been touring, writing and recording together since.For more information on Squeeze, visit squeezeofficial.com.
Leading Michael Franti & Spearhead, Franti is a musician, humanitarian, filmmaker, and activist who is recognized as a pioneering force in the music industry. He believes that there is a great battle taking place in the world today between cynicism and optimism, so he made his most recent album, Stay Human Vol. II, to remind himself — and anyone who’s listening — that there is still good in the world and that is worth fighting for.For more information on Michael Franti & Spearhead, visit michaelfranti.com.
The Australian Pink Floyd Show performs the music of Pink Floyd “with note for note perfection” and “this critically acclaimed show has been astonishing audiences worldwide for more than three decades.” Always striving to reproduce the complete Pink Floyd experience and bring the music to new audiences, the show continues to include a stunning light and laser show, video animations, state of the art, high resolution LED screen technology and other special effects. In addition, and in true Pink Floyd fashion, there are several huge inflatables including a giant pig and their own unique Pink Kangaroo.For more information on The Australian Pink Floyd Show, visit aussiefloyd.com.
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23, named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma, will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23 — named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma — will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. The public is invited to the celebration.
The official reading of the proclamation will take place a special dedication ceremony Saturday, Feb. 29, with a long list of state and local public officials, as well as veterans organization leaders.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 4 p.m., with guest speakers and a POW/MIA Ceremony. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., with the meal prepared by the Blue Star Mothers and a per-plate cost of $7. The Frank Eimer Band (with full brass) will provide music starting at 8 p.m.
Government leaders expected to be in attendance include City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley, State Sen. Aric Nesbitt and State Representatives Steven Johnson and Tommy Brann.
The City of Kentwood’s AMVETS Post 23, named in honor of 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma — will turn 70 this year and is being honored by a special State of Michigan proclamation. (WKTV)
Local and state veterans organizations expected to be represented include, according to supplied material: Chuck Petch, state AMVETS Commander; Lenny Hogan, past state AMVETS Commander; Donald Torr state Sons of AMVETS President; Bertha Lema state Auxiliary President; Richard DeVoe, state AMVETS 1st Vice Commander; Lora DeVoe, state AMVETS District 5 Commander; Eric Nelson, United Veterans Council of Kent County Commander; Bob Green, AMVETS State Man of the Year; and Denny Gillem, Frontlines of Freedom.
The AMVETS organization (American Veterans Organization) was started in 1947, by action of the Congress and President Harry Truman, and is open for all veterans who served between 1940 and current day without regard to specific wartime assignment.
AMVETS Post 23 was chartered in 1950, and is dedicated to 2nd Lt. Lawrence Sybesma, who attended Kelloggsville High School and was killed in action as part of a crew of a B-29 Superfortress which crashed while on mission in Manchuria in 1944.
AMVETS Post 23 “was started by World War II veterans who didn’t feel that some organizations met some of their needs,” according to a statement from the Post. “So they started their own group, and it’s for all veterans … we are very, very inclusive.”
To find out more about AMVETS Post 23, located at 98 SE 52nd St., visit AMVETSPost23.org, check out the AMVETS Post 23 Facebook page, or call 616-531-5438.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week. The Featured Game coverage schedule for the last week of February includes Tuesday, Feb. 25, with girls and boys basketball featuring Tri-unity Christian High School at Grand River Prep; and Friday, Feb. 28, with girls/boys basketball with Tri-unity Christian again on the road at Wyoming Potter’s House.
WKTV’s girls and boys basketball District Tournament coverage to be begin March is still being determined, but should be announced by the end of this week.
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Feb. 24 Girls Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 25 Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep — WKTV Featured Event Potter’s House @ Wellsprings Prep Zion Christian @ Muskegon Catholic Central NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian South Christian @ FH Eastern Middleville T-K @ Wyoming Kelloggsville @ Holland East Kentwood @ Grand Haven Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Grand River Prep — WKTV Featured Event Zion Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran Potter’s House @ Wellsprings Prep Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Calvin Christian @ Godwin Heights South Christian @ FH Eastern Middleville T-K @ Wyoming Kelloggsville @ Holland Grand Haven @ East Kentwood
Wednesday, Feb. 26 — no events
Thursday, Feb. 27 Girls Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Holland Black River Zion Christian @ West Michigan Aviation Fruitport Calvary Christian @ Grand River Prep Boys Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Holland Black River Grand Rapids Adventist @ Grand River Prep Boys Diving East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – Conference Prelims Boys Hockey East Kentwood/West Michigan Aviation @ West Ottawa – MHSAA Regionals
Friday, Feb. 28 Boys/Girls Bowling Tri-Unity Christian @ TBA – MHSAA State Team Regionals – Boys Wyoming Lee – MHSAA State Team Regionals @ Park Center Lanes Godwin Heights – MHSAA State Team Regionals South Christian – MHSAA State Team Regionals @ M-66 Bowl Wyoming- MHSAA State Team Regionals East Kentwood – MHSAA State Team Regionals Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event Kalamazoo Phoenix @ West Michigan Lutheran Covenant Christian @ West Michigan Aviation Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville Christian @ South Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern East Kentwood @ Caledonia Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event West Michigan Aviation @ West Michigan Lutheran Calvin Christian @ Wyoming Lee Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville Christian @ South Christian Wyoming @ FH Eastern East Kentwood @ Caledonia Boys Swimming South Christian @ Hastings East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – Conference Prelims Boys Wrestling MHSAA Team State Finals
Saturday, Feb. 29 Boys/Girls Bowling Tri-Unity Christian @ TBA – MHSAA State Individual Regionals – Boys Wyoming Lee – MHSAA State Individual Regionals- @ Park Center Lanes Godwin Heights – MHSAA State Individual Regionals South Christian – MHSAA State Individual Regionals @ M-66 Bowl East Kentwood – MHSAA Individual Regionals Boys Swimming South Christian @ Hastings East Kentwood @ Hudsonville – Conference Finals Girls Cheer Wyoming – State Regionals
“Time flies whether you are having fun or not. Your choice.”
Anonymous
(Supplied/Grand Rapids Symphony)
Inside in GR, with a wizard
The Harry Potter Film Concerts Series returns to DeVos Performance Hall with “Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince” on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22, with the Grand Rapids Symphony performing the live score while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. Go here for the story.
The start of the 2019 Freeze Fest disc golf event. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)
Inside and outside in Kentwood
The City of Kentwood will have two community events this Saturday, including the Annual Freeze Fest Disc Golf Tournament, and a Hawaiian Luau-Themed Family Dance, both on Feb. 22. Go here for the story.
Outside in Grand Haven
On Saturday, Feb. 22, from 2 to 4 p.m., downtown Grand Haven businesses will be showcasing their favorite Nursery Rhymes during the tenth annual Frozen in Time. Frozen in Time is a window display competition, complete with live mannequins and an Oscar-style awards ceremony. Go here for the story.
Fun fact:
It will not be -13 (we hope)
That record low temperature in Grand Rapids was set in 1966 with a low of -13 degrees, which we tied Feb. 19, 2015.
Raul Midón brings stunning guitar work and hypnotic vocals to his music, but he politely declines to step into any musical-genre box. (Courtesy of the artist)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Raul Midón, according to no-less a critic than the New York Times, is “a one-man band who turns a guitar into an orchestra and his voice into a chorus.” So while stunning guitar work and hypnotic vocals are the focal point of the singer-songwriter’s music, he politely declines to step into any musical-genre box.
So, he just happens to be scheduled as part of the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café folk series of concerts, with a debut appearance scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27. Tickets are still available.
Raul Midón. (Courtesy of the artist)
“My only link to the folk genre is acoustic guitar,” Midón said to WKTV in a recent email conversation. “I’m a jazz trained singer songwriter guitarist with a black and Latin heritage. But I write and sing songs accompanied by acoustic guitar.”
His unclassifiable versatility is evidenced by his having released 10 studio albums as a solo artist, being dubbed “an eclectic adventurist” by People magazine, having collaborated with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg, and contributed to the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s film “She Hate Me.”
And now, on his latest album, If You Really Want, released in September 2019 and arranged by Vince Mendoza, Midón’s voice and guitar blend with an actual orchestra — the equally diverse Metropole Orkest, a multiple Grammy winning ensemble orchestra based in the Netherlands often called a “hybrid orchestra” due to its ability to float between jazz, big band and symphony orchestra music.
But, Midón said to WKTV about the recording — and re-recording — of If You Really Want, the artist is a bit of a musical perfectionist and tinkerer.
“Once the ensemble parts were tracked, I took the recordings home, taking my time to re-cut the vocals and guitar so that they were as nuanced as possible,” he said in supplied material.
“In today’s climate, time is money, more than ever, unless it’s in the comfort of your own home studio,” Midón said to WKTV. “The budget did not allow for me to sing with the orchestra in the studio. But it’s a nice compromise, plus I have the skills to achieve that.”
Musical talent, musical editing skills and musical confidence, are clearly in abundance with Midón, despite the fact that he is blind — evidenced by the title of Midón’s 2017 release: Bad Ass and Blind.
And that blindness also does not stop him from being at home with a live audience, feeding off the unseen audience, in fact.
“Energy isn’t visible, so what would blindness matter,” he said to WKTV. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years or so, I can read an audience in my own way. Applause is just one way. But if you are in Japan, silence and attentiveness would be another.”
For more information on Raul Midón — and his new album, The Mirror, due out March 13 — visit his website at raulmidon.com.
Two other St. Cecilia Acoustic Café concerts remain for this season, both with tickets available, include Grammy-award winning folk/Americana singer and songwriter Marc Cohn — he of “Walking in Memphis” but so much more — returns to St. Cecilia on March 19.
Then Shawn Colvin returns for her second appearance at St. Cecilia, on May 19, performing her newly released album Steady On Acoustic in its entirety. Her original 1989 album Steady On became her first Grammy Award winning album.
Tickets for Raul Midón on Feb. 27 are $40 and $45 and can be purchased by calling St. Cecilia Music Center at 616-459-2224 or visiting the box office at 24 Ransom Ave. NE. Tickets can also be purchased online at scmc-online.org. A post-concert “Meet-the-artist” party with a cash bar will be offered to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to possibly meet Midón and obtain signed autographs of his CDs.
African-American legends will “appear” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month thanks to reinactors from New Hope Baptist Church. (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
By Woodland Mall
African-American legends will “appear” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month thanks to reinactors from New Hope Baptist Church. (Supplied/Woodland Mall)
Jay Z, Tina Turner, Coco Gauff and Congressman John Lewis will be among the African-American legends “appearing” at Woodland Mall during Black History Month — thanks to a special partnership with New Hope Baptist Church.
Woodland Mall and New Hope Baptist Church are partnering to bring a “live museum” to the mall on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. The one-day only exhibit will feature actors portraying notable and important African-American figures in politics, sports, science, arts, entertainment and other areas.
Ranging in age from 10 to 72, the actors are all volunteers from New Hope Baptist Church in Grand Rapids.
“We are proud to partner with New Hope Baptist Church for the eighth year of this great event,” said Cecily McCabe, marketing director for the Woodland Mall. “The live museum gives our guests the opportunity to learn through personal connections. We look forward to the talents of the volunteers who work so hard to create a memorable event.”
During the live museum, actors and volunteers will portray African-American figures in history and current culture. The performers bring their persona to life by adopting mannerisms and speaking from a script. Interaction will be limited to the script so performers can fully immerse themselves as the people they are portraying.
“The performers work hard for the weeks leading up to the event each year,” said Rev. Dr. Howard Earle, Jr., senior pastor at New Hope Baptist Church and visionary of the African-American live museum. “The community looks forward to this event as an opportunity to help educate our community and to share the wonderful talents of our volunteers.”
The event, Earle said, impacts everyone in the community, generating a sense of pride that spans generations.
“Events like the live museum demonstrate the importance of diversity in our country,” Earle explained. “African-Americans are an integral part of all professions and have made significant contributions to our cultural identity – from science to politics to entertainment. We’re confident everyone will not only learn something at this event, but enjoy it as well.”
The live museum is free inside the Woodland Mall, and everyone is welcome to attend. Throughout the history of the event, no figures have been repeated, with one exception. Former President Barack Obama was first seen early in his administration and again in 2017 as he exited office.
WKTV offers on-demand viewing of the Wyoming and Kentwood high school sports, community events, and government meetings. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
WKTV has your weekly high school sports schedule, and our coverage crew will be out twice the week.
The Featured Game coverage schedule for the remainder of February includes the following:
Tuesday, Feb. 18 — Boys Basketball Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee
Friday, Feb. 21 — Girls/Boys Basketball West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Tuesday, Feb. 25 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Grand River Prep
Friday, Feb. 28 — Girls/Boys Basketball Tri-unity Christian @ Potter’s House
Where and when to see the game
Featured games are broadcast the night of the contest and then at least once later in the week.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; Channel 26 is the Government Channel, where local government meetings and events are shown. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All Featured Games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvlive.org.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and feature stories on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/.
Following is this week’s schedule:
Monday, Feb. 17 Boys/Girls Bowling South Christian @ FH Eastern Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Wellsprings Prep Girls Cheer Wyoming @ Comstock Park Kelloggsville @ Comstock Park
Tuesday, Feb. 18 Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Fennville Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran West Michigan Aviation @ Zion Christian Grand River Prep @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Muskegon Catholic Central @ Potter’s House Hopkins @ Wyoming Lee — WKTV Featured Event Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian @ Middleville T-K Wyoming @ Hudsonville Kelloggsville @ Belding Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Fennville Algoma Christian @ West Michigan Lutheran West Michigan Aviation @ Zion Christian Grand River Prep @ Fruitport Calvary Christian Potter’s House @ Muskegon Catholic Central Wyoming Lee @ Hopkins NorthPointe Christian @ Godwin Heights Middleville T-K @ South Christian Hudsonville @ Wyoming Belding @ Kelloggsville Rockford @ East Kentwood Girls Cheer East Kentwood @ Comstock Park
Wednesday, Feb. 19 Boys/Girls Bowling Wayland @ South Christian Byron Center @ Wyoming East Kentwood @ Grand Haven Boys Wrestling East Kentwood – MHSAA Team Regionals
Thursday, Feb. 20 Boys/Girls Bowling Grand River Prep @ Tri-Unity Christian East Kentwood @ Caledonia Boys Basketball West Michigan Lutheran @ Kalamazoo Phoenix West Michigan Aviation @ Barry County Christian Girls Basketball Barry County Christian @ Grand River Prep Boys Swimming South Christian @ Ottawa Hills
Friday, Feb. 21 Boys Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian Wyoming Lee @ Belding South Christian @ Wayland Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian Grandville @ East Kentwood Girls Basketball Tri-Unity Christian @ Holland Black River West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House — WKTV Featured Event Zion Christian @ Calhoun Christian Wyoming Lee @ Belding South Christian @ Wayland Wyoming @ East Grand Rapids Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian Grandville @ East Kentwood Boys/Girls Bowling Godwin Heights @ TBA — O-K Silver Post Season Tourney Boys Hockey South Christian @ Christian Girls Cheer Wyoming – TBA – MHSAA State Districts
Saturday, Feb. 22 Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian South Christian – OK Green-Gold Tournament @ Park Center Lanes Wyoming @ Christian East Kentwood – Post Season Conference Tournament Girls Cheer Wyoming Lee @ Comstock Park – Districts @ East Kentwood – MHSAA Districts Boys Hockey Catholic Central @ South Christian Boys Wrestling East Kentwood – MHSAA Individual Regionals
Monday, Feb. 24 Girls Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys Basketball Wellsprings Prep @ West Michigan Aviation Boys/Girls Bowling Wyoming Lee @ Potter’s House
A sea of boats will be on display at the Grand Rapids Boat Show. (Supplied)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Grand Rapids Boat Show not only turns 75 this year but is also Michigan’s longest running show. And it will return to DeVos Place in Grand Rapids this week, running Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 23.
The Grand Rapids Boat Show started in 1946 as the West Michigan Sportland Boat Show in the Welsh Auditorium, with less than 25,000 square feet of space, according to supplied material. It is now 250,000 square feet (5.74 acres) of display space throughout the main exhibition halls, Steelcase Ballroom, Grand Gallery and Grand River Overlook where more than 400 boats from over 100 manufacturers and 35 dealers are displayed side-by-side.
Classic and antique boats are also part of the Grand Rapids Boat Show. (Supplied)
“The boaters of the Great Lakes State have embraced this grand tradition every winter for 75 years and this year they’ll find everything from aluminum fishing boats and personal watercrafts, to pro style ski and bass boats, luxury pontoon boats, runabouts, deck boats and big boats like yachts and cruisers … including the 42’ Regal Grande Coupe, recognized as this year’s ‘Queen of the Show’,” event promotional material states.
Other special features at the boat show include:
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel, performing daily.
Appearances by Pro Wakeboarders & Wakesurfers.
Vintage & wooden boats from Water Wonderland Chapter of Antique & Classic Boat Society.
The pop-up Lake Life Boutique featuring specialized food, drinks, live music and kids’ activities.
An opportunity to suit up and try out the SCUBA Dive Tank presented by Great Lakes Dive Locker.
A Boater Safety Certification (Saturday only) presented by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division.
Gizmo D. Robot as he strolls the show, visiting with kids of all ages.
DeVos Place is located at 303 Monroe St. NE, Grand Rapids. Ticket are $12 adults, $5 children aged 6 to 14. Kids 5 and under are admitted free.
There is close-by parking beneath DeVos Place, across the street and connected by skywalk. There is also a complimentary trolley available; park in the Dash Lot Area 9 on Seward ($2 total) and hop aboard the trolley which will be making runs on an 8-minute loop for an hour before the show opens to an hour after the show closes each day.
The Listening Room is attracting artists, plugged-in and unplugged, to Grand Rapids. (Supplied/Listening Room)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Its almost universal: music fans, and artists, love an intimate sound space, one where the audience truly becomes part of the music and the artist can make a visceral connection with the audience. Listening Room, one of Grand Rapids newest music houses, is rapidly becoming known as one of those music venues.
Listening Room, which opened late last year and is located at Studio Park at 123 Ionia Ave SW, has already build a reputation with local audiences as a “jazz club” in the classic style, a folk stage where an un-amplified guitar and voice can be heard and appreciated, a place where up-and-coming bands can fill the house as they hone their sonic skills.
The “Room” is also getting known by national touring acts as a place to unwind if not unplug from the impersonal stadium and festival stages, and get back in contact with the audience — Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Los Lobos and Loudon Wainwright III are only three scheduled examples.
The reasons for the venue’s buzz — with national acts and local audiences — are several fold, according to Quinn Mathews, general manager and talent buyer for the Listening Room.
Los Lobos an their acoustic tour line-up. (Supplied)
“We’re lucky to not only be situated between the cities of Detroit and Chicago, but situated between very well known venues on the east side of Michigan and in Chicago, for instance The Ark in Ann Arbor and City Winery in Chicago,” Mathews said to WKTV about his booking national acts.
“The artists agencies in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles have been sending talent around here for years. … Grand Rapids, as a city, is really growing and making national news. People are here, music fans are here, the artists and agents know it.”
While having national acts stopping by is great, Matthews is just as happy with the steady bookings of local acts … such as The Crane Wives on Feb. 28 and Mid Life Crisis on March 23, to name only two.
The Crane Wives (Facebook)
“This was extremely important to me, to have local, regional, national, and international talent. To have music 4 to 5 if not 6 to 7 nights a week,” he said. “Some nights are free or $5 or $10, some nights have international touring acts with tickets $40-$50. I wanted everyone to feel welcome, not to just book one style for one type of audience.
“There was a weekend a few weeks ago where Friday night was Hip Hop, Saturday night was Jazz, and Sunday night was local songwriters. … It was so great to see the place packed out each night with different people in our community.”
And, after all, a 200-seat venue known for as a music “listening room” is clearly focused on the audience experience.
“I think we’re in an interesting time with music in so many ways,” Matthews said. “The industry really changed in the early 2000’s, music became so easily accessible. Everyone listens to music all the time, it’s easy. You can listen for free within seconds. I always laugh in the grocery store walking around, there will be a kid, 12-years-old, with earbuds in listening to music on one aisle. The next aisle, a 85-year-old with earbuds in.
“Everyone is listening. The trick is do they attend concerts? Many more people are downloading and streaming music, but does that translate to ticket sales for live music? Sure Elton John and Bruce Springsteen sell out arenas, but who attends concerts in rock clubs, coffee shops, breweries, etc?
“I think whether I agree with it or not there seems to need to be another factor for folks to attend a concert. … We wanted to build a place that was comfortable, seated, nice atmosphere, like the old jazz clubs, servers bringing you bourbon, etc., a place that feels really great even before the music starts.”
For more information on all concerts at Listening Room, visit listeningroomGR.com or call 616-900-9500.
The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball team, from an early season game. (Curtis Holt)
By K.D. Norris ken@wktv.org
Wyoming High School will be hosting its annual Hall of Fame Basketball Community Night Friday, Feb. 14, with the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 honored, special coverage by ESPN radio and the WKTV video crew, and two special performances by Wyoming’s Dance Team.
Oh, and ya, there will be also be what will likely be the OK-Conference Gold’s boys basketball game of the season as Wolves boys team hosts Grand Rapids Christian for the conference lead.
The Wolves boys (13-1 overall, 7-1 in OK Gold) will seek to tie for the conference lead and avenge their only loss of the season as they host the Eagles (14-0 and 7-0) in an 8 p.m. game. On the girls side, Wyoming (5-10 and 2-6) will try to spoil the conference title chances of Christian (13-2 and 5-2) in a 6 p.m. game.
Both games will be WKTV Sports Featured Games, which will be available on cable television and on-demand at WKTVlive.org.
“These are great games for the team and the community,” Wyoming boys coach Thom Vander Klay said to WKTV. “Wyoming has always had tremendous support for our kids and respecting the countless hours of training and practice it takes to develop their skills.
“The boys been working since elementary school to play in games like this one … and next Tuesday at Hudsonville, etc.,” he said. “Our kids will battle.”
This pack of Wolves led by seniors
One of those kids who will battle is senior Menalito McGee, who will be honored between the two games for scoring his 1,000th point in a Wolves uniform during a game in January.
The Wyoming High School Wolves boys basketball fans were into this Dec. 13 home game; this week’s game will be even more exciting. (Curtis Holt)
“Menalito is a great leader and is one of the best communicators we have ever coached,” Vander Klay said. “He leads the team in assists and rarely turns the ball over, particularly given the amount of time he has the ball in his hands.”
McGee is averaging an impressive 26.4 point per game this season, including shooting 47-of-82 from 3-point distance and 45-of-54 from the free-throw line, with 61 assists and only 15 turnovers.
“He has one agenda,” Vander Klay said. “ … to help us win. In his case that means he may have to score.”
But the Wolves are not a one-man team, as their record indicates, and have gotten great play from fellow seniors Marion Parks, Diego Ledesma, Monte Parks and Quincy Williams.
Marion Parks was a honorable mention All-Conference player last year and this season is averaging 12 points and nearly six rebounds a game.
“He had 27 against GR Christian in the first game to lead all scorers,” Vander Klay said. “He is a great athlete and competitor.”
Ledesma is second on the team in scoring, averaging 15 points per game, while Monte Parks is averaging eight points and five rebounds per game.
Wyoming High School basketball coach Thom Vander Klay, coaching. (Supplied)
“Ledesma is a very skilled player that continually works on his game to improve and loves the big games,” Vander Klay said. “Monte Parks is a great athlete and is fearless regarding competition. He can board, defend and score.
“Quincy Williams (leading the team in rebounds per game with just under seven per) is our role player that will continually battle and emerge with big plays on both ends of the floor even though he is perpetually undersized,” Vander Klay added.
Other players on the team include seniors TJ Chandler, Carlo Bass and Deion Parks, and juniors Jeremy Barber, Payton Lee, Joshua Anstey, Sam DeYoung, Mahki Matthews and Seth DeYoung.
Big night of basketball and ceremony
And, it if playing at home on a special night is not motivation enough, there is that matter of the Wolves only loss coming at Christian.
“Obviously, we believe we can improve one possession since the January 17 game,” Vander Klay said. “Certainly motivation is high for both teams to play well and we have been working on things for a long time.
“We emphasize our pace including making sure our opponent plays fast for as close to 32 minutes as possible. The faster the pace, overall, the better opportunity we have to win games. We hope Grand Rapids (Christian) will have to play 32 minutes at our pace to give us the best opportunity for victory.”
The planned Hall of Fame Ceremony — the induction of Joslyn Narber, Micah Bell, Craig Chappell, Rich Friberg, Sue Peterson, Paul Agema — is also set for between the two games.
The night will also be Wyoming Dance Senior Night, with performances at halftime of both games. There will also be a performance by the school’s honors choir and pep band, special student section t-shirts and an effort to set a student section attendance record, and the Wyoming Wolf Mascot bounding around.
WKTV broadcasts on Wyoming and Kentwood cable channels. On Comcast cable, Channel 25 is the Community Channel, where sports events and other community events are shown; On AT&T cable throughout the Grand Rapids area, viewers go to Channel 99, and then are given the choice to watch Wyoming (or Kentwood) Community (Channel 25) or Government (Channel 26) channels.
