Category Archives: Upcoming Events

‘Cooking With Scraps’ dinner Nov. 15th with author Lindsay-Jean Hard at Reserve

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Food, How-To's, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By Jenn Galdes, Grapevine

 

As committed advocates to sustainability in the kitchen, the team at Reserve Wine & Food is thrilled to announce a special dinner with author Lindsay Jean-Hard, whose new book Cooking With Scraps will be released Oct. 30th, and is the #1 new release in the Budget Cooking section on Amazon.

 

“We make every effort we can in the kitchen to reduce waste, and through this dinner hope to share ideas and tips on how the home cook can do the same,” says executive chef Luke VerHulst.

 

The six-course paired dinner begins at 6:30pm on Thursday, Nov. 15th with a book signing and reception; seating is limited and the cost for the dinner is $75 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity) and signed books will be available for a special price of $15.95 plus tax for purchase.

 

Call 616.855.9463 to reserve, or go here to purchase tickets.

 

The kitchen statistics are startling: roughly one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption gets lost or wasted, and Americans waste about a pound of food per person each day, with 40 percent of food in this country going uneaten. Lindsay-Jean Hard’s Cooking With Scraps provides 80 creative, delicious, and inspired recipes to help home cooks make use of their scraps.

 

By learning the basics behind transforming food waste into treasure, readers can take advantage of ingredients such as aging produce, cheese rinds, stale bread, and other oft-discarded foods to create budget-conscious, sustainable, and highly satisfying meals.

 

The menu, inspired by recipes in the book and prepared by chef Luke VerHulst follows:

  • Vanilla Glazed Beets & Greens, candied pecans, bleu cheese
    • Beet greens used, and peelings and trimmings from finished beets used to make a glaze
  • Roasted Winter Vegetable Galette, herb stem and cheese rind pesto
    • Pesto made from herb stems and cheese rinds
  • Glazed Pork Belly, tempuraed maitake mushroom, coddled egg, mushroom tea
    • Mushroom tea made from mushroom trimmings
  • Leek Top Cacio e Pepe*
  • Roasted Prime Rib, dill pickle brine potato salad*, wilted greens, roasted bone marrow demi
  • Fennel Panna Cotta, preserved lemon rind
    • Fennel tops and lemon rinds used

      Cauliflower mac and cheese

*indicates item made from recipe in book

 

Lindsay-Jean Hard received her Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. Her education and passion for sustainability went on to inform and inspire her work in the garden, home, and community. The seeds of this book were planted in her Food52 column of the same name. Today she works to share her passion for great food and great communities as a marketer at Zingerman’s Bakehouse. She lives, writes, loves, and creates in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Tickets for Jeff Lynne’s ELO July 23rd concert go on sale today, Oct. 29th

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Hilarie Szarowicz, SMG

 

After returning this summer with their first extensive North American tour since 1981, Jeff Lynne’s ELO is set to bring their outstanding live show to even more audiences with a 20-date summer 2019 tour. The trek, produced by Live Nation, will travel to SMG-managed Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 8pm.

 

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Oct. 29 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of six (6) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

 

Anticipation was at an all-time high surrounding their 10+ date North American tour this summer, with fan and critical acclaim pouring in:

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO revives ‘70s symph-pop greatness… a brilliant catalog returns to U.S. stages and gives the strings-starved people what they want. The ELO catalog speaks for itself… and it was a glorious thing to behold… in a 19-song set that reprised the closest thing to truly Beatle-level pop the 1970s had to offer.” – Variety

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO proves timeless & spectacular… When Lynne came out with the group, the crowd went wild. The show was loaded with virtually every top hit the band recorded. Every musician on stage was fantastic while the arrangements and sound quality almost made the audience forget they were watching a live performance and not listening to their old LP records.” – Glide Magazine

 

“Jeff Lynne, ELO deliver night of magic memories… the band’s 20-song set proved to be well worth the long wait… Lynne led his band through some 90 minutes of glorious Electric Light Orchestra classics in front of a sold-out crowd. ELO’s music still sounds light years ahead of most of the bands heard on pop music radio today.” – San Jose Mercury News

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO prove that spacy pop rock is still a livin’ thing… one of the most flawless and visually stunning arena shows I’ve seen in a long time. Complete with monstrous lights, lasers and the mandatory ELO spaceship hovering behind the band on video screens, the show was as grand and engrossing as a blockbuster movie — a ’70s blockbuster movie, that is.” – LA Weekly

 

“Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra put on a dazzling display chronicling a war chest of classic rock hits for a sold out crowd.” – Martinez Tribune

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO is practically a religious experience for rock ‘n’ roll disciples.” – Houston Press

 

“For all the gifted musicians that helped achieve Lynne’s perfectionist vision, ELO was always his creation, a neon-hued Frankenstein’s monster built from bits of early rock-and-roll, symphonic themes, Beatles harmonies, and disco beats. All of those pieces came together flawlessly… played to perfection.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Known as one of the most iconic forces in music history, Jeff Lynne’s ELO has spent the last two years with a critically acclaimed and chart-topping album, a sold out run of UK and European shows, as well as an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has always been known for their epic live shows and with a distinct style that seamlessly and innovatively blends rock, pop and classical, ELO has had more than 20 Top 40 Hits across the U.S. and the U.K., making Lynne’s sweeping productions some of the most recognizable music of the last forty years and helping sell over 50 million records worldwide.

 

Widely agreed upon as one of the greatest record producers in music history, Lynne was a co-founder and member of The Travelling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, as well as a producer and collaborator with some of the biggest names in music including The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and most recently, Bryan Adams.

Four Wyoming, Kentwood teams preparing to make deep playoff runs

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports, , ,

 

By Micah Cho, WKTV Sports Intern

ken@wktv.org

 

Four area teams are going to the playoffs this year, including Tri-unity Christian, South Christian, Godwin Heights and East Kentwood. Although the first round of the playoffs can be a door to something bigger, all four coaches are taking a “back-to-basics” approach this week.

 

“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” Godwin Heights head coach Brandan Kimble, echoing his fellow coaches, said to WKTV.

 

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Kimble and his team are taking on the South Christian Sailors Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m., at East Kentwood High School. Godwin Heights finished the regular season 6-3, while Mark Tamminga’s South Christian Sailors gained the playoffs as an at-large team with a 5-4 record.

 

For Kimble, this week comes with excitement and uncertainty. The Wolverines started off the season 1-3, but as players became more comfortable with their coach and started buying into the system, Kimble says that’s when things started to take off. Now their hoping their kids can keep with the system a little longer.

 

“We’re just trying to keep things consistent,” said Kimble. “We’re just going to change a few things so they can understand the importance of the week, tweak some things and then add a little bit more intensity to practice.”

 

Curt Copeland, assistant coach and athletic director for South Christian, is trying to help head coach Mark Tamminga win their first playoff game since 2014, the year they won their last championship.

 

“We’re trying to retrain our kids and get them back to understanding what it takes to make a deep run and it starts with the first week of the playoffs,” said Copeland.

 

All you need to know about the Wolverines vs. Sailors matchup

 

Also at East Kentwood High School this weekend is East Kentwood’s opening round playoff game. The Falcons (8-1) will be hosting Brighton High School. Located towards Eastern Michigan, the Bulldogs went 7-2, with their only loses coming twice to Belleville.

 

East Kentwood won their final game last week against Rockford, giving them the OK-Red title. And head coach Anthony Kimbrough couldn’t be more excited for his kids.

 

“I coach because of them,” said Kimbrough. “I come out everyday seeing these kids wanting to get better. One of our goals was to be OK-Red champs, and beating Rockford Friday, for that to come true is tremendous for our program.”

 

In 8-man playoff action, head coach Tim Heath and his Tri-unity team have gone 9-0 this season, beating No. 2 ranked Colon in Week 9. They will be hosting Webberville at Grandville Middle School,m also Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Colon finished their season 4-5, another at-large team sneaking into the playoffs.

 

Coach Heath doesn’t plan on changing anything in preparation of his Defenders. For his undefeated team, Heath’s mantra for this week is “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

 

“We don’t do anything different,” said Heath. “… The same preparation that goes into every game we’re taking into this game.”

 

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This week’s WKTV Featured Game and other sports events are cable broadcast either live, immediately after the event and/or in rebroadcast, on Comcast WKTV Channel 25 and on AT&T U-Verse Community 99.

 

WKTV’s featured football games are rebroadcast on the night of the game (Thursday or Friday) at 11 p.m. and Saturday starting at 11 a.m. See WKTVjournal.org/sports for complete schedules.

What you need to know about Godwin Heights vs. S. Christian playoff game

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Entertainment, Sports, Upcoming Events, WKTV Featured sports,

 

By Mike Moll, WKTV Volunteer Sports Director

sports@wktv.org 

 

WKTV’s Featured Game this week is a Division 4 football playoff game at East Kentwood Friday at 7 p.m., with Godwin Heights (6-3 overall, 5-1 and 2nd place in O-K Silver) facing South Christian (5-4, 3-3 and 4th place O-K Gold).

 

This will be the pre-District game for Region 2 District 1 in Division 4.

 

Both teams earned the same number of playoff points, 57.667.  The victor will face the winner of Otsego (5-4, 49.111 points) against Holland Christian (6-3, 63.444 points), with the game being played at the team with the highest playoff points earned.

 

This will be the 13th meeting between these two schools with South Christian leading 8-4 overall, but it’s the first meeting since the fall of 1983 when both teams were in the O-K White. That was the last of those 12 consecutive games as conference opponents.

 

South Christian Notes

 

This is the 22nd time that South Christian has qualified for the playoffs, their 3rd consecutive, 7th in the last 8 years, and 17th of the last 20.

 

South started 2-0 this season but then only were 3-4 the rest of the season, highlighted by their Week 7 win when they defeated conference co-champ Grand Rapids Christian, 24-10, which was Christians only conference loss and one of only two on the season.

 

That game was the only win South had against an above .500 team.

 

Souths wins were by an average margin of just under 24 points a game while their defeats were by 5 to Wayland (4-5), 14 to Unity Christian (7-2), 13 to EGR (6-3 and conference co-champs with Christian), and 1 to Middleville (7-2); so their losses were by an average of just over 8 points a game.

 

They faced 4 teams that qualified for the playoffs and were 1-3 against them.

 

Their defense has given up just 154 points for an average of just over 17.11 points a game which will keep you in many games.

 

Their last playoff win was in the fall of 2014, which was their Division 4 State Championship (24-23 over Lansing Sexton). That also was their 3rd consecutive year being in the state championship game, having lost to Marine City in 2013, 49-35, and won in 2012, 40-7, over Detroit Country Day.

 

They also played for state championships in 2002, winning, 42-13, over Riverview; in 1999, losing to Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s, 34-13; in 1986 (Class B), losing to Marysville 38-15; and in 1984 (Class C) losing to Detroit DePorres, 38-26. Their overall playoff record is 40-18 (.690).

 

Godwin Heights Notes

 

Godwin Heights started 1-3 but closed on a 5-game winning streak highlighted by a Week 7 win against Belding (7-2), 25-21. That was their only win against a team with above .500 record.

 

Unlike last year, when Godwin was known for their offense after scoring 395 points on the season, this year’s team is known for its defense as they have only given up 155 points (17.2 average per game). That is the lowest total allowed since 1987 when they gave up just 84 points, so the game could be a low scoring battle led by the two defenses.

 

This is just the school’s 5th playoff appearance but is their 4th consecutive. However, they are still searching for their 1st playoff victory, having lost in 1989 to Muskegon Catholic Central (Class C), 46-20; in 2015 to Catholic Central (Division 4), 55-0; in 2016 also to Catholic Central, 43-0; and last year to Kelloggsville, 49-7.

 

Their only conference loss was to conference champ Hopkins 27-8, in Week 4.

 

Following that loss, they scored at least 23 points each game and a total of 143 for an average of just under 29 a game.

 

They played three games against playoff teams this season and were 1-2 against them (Unity Christian, Hopkins, and Belding).

 

One common opponent with South Christian was Unity Christian, which Godwin lost to 38-18 and South Christian lost to 28-14.

 

WKTV Note: Because of the MHSAA usually taking over Week 2 playoff broadcasts, this will be the final WKTV football coverage of the season. But should local teams still be alive, we will be producing online/print stories. Stay tuned.

 

GR Symphony celebrates Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday in musical salute, Nov. 2-3

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, ,
Leonard Bernstein in 1955

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk, Grand Rapids Symphony

 

The music of Leonard Bernstein, who composed the music for West Side Story, has graced concert halls and theaters, radios and televisions in homes all across America. This year, the centennial of his birth, the world remembers the life and legacy of the great American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator.

 

The Grand Rapids Symphony joins in the worldwide celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial with a concert featuring his Overture to Candide, his Symphony No. 2 “Age of Anxiety,” and selections from his Broadway hit, West Side Story among others.

 

Guest conductor Carl St. Clair will lead the Grand Rapids Symphony in Bernstein’s 100th  on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall. The performance in the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical series concert will feature pianist Benjamin Pasternack in “Age of Anxiety” and soprano Celena Shafer in selections from West Side Story and other vocal works. Guest artist sponsor is the Edith I. Blodgett Guest Artist Fund.

 

Leonard Bernstein first came to the world’s attention with his impromptu conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1943. Bruno Walter was meant to lead the orchestra in a radio-broadcasted performance, but came down with the flu. The 25-year-old assistant conductor was called upon to conduct in his stead.

 

Bernstein remembers that fateful day in a 1991 interview with his brother, Burton Bernstein: “When it came to the time – that very day – all I can remember is standing there in the wings shaking and being so scared. There was no rehearsal. I had just come from seeing Bruno Walter, who very sweetly and very quickly – wrapped up in blankets because he had the flu – went over the score of Don Quixote with me.”

 

With few hours to prepare and no rehearsal, Leonard Bernstein stepped up to the podium in Carnegie Hall to conduct a successful performance, broadcast to the entire nation, launching him into stardom.

 

Bernstein wrote several orchestral, choral, chamber, and operatic works over the course of his lifetime, but his music also ventured into the realms of theater, ballet, and musicals. The line between the classical and theatrical in Bernstein’s music was often blurred. He once said, “If the charge of ‘theatricality’ in a symphonic work is a valid one, I am willing to plead guilty. I have a deep suspicion that every work I write, for whatever medium, is really theater music in some way.”

 

Bernstein’s enthusiasm for music was contagious, and it spread across the country with his starring role in the memorable CBS television program, Young People’s Concerts, with the New York Philharmonic.

 

Carl St. Clair, music director of the Pacific Symphony and guest conductor for the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Bernstein’s 100th, was one of many who benefitted from Bernstein’s mentorship.

 

Leonard Bernstein in 1973

St. Clair first saw Bernstein on his television set at his childhood home in Texas. He was waiting for friends to pick him up to go to a country and western dance when Bernstein appeared on the TV, leading the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. St. Clair was mesmerized both by the music and Bernstein. Needless to say, he missed the dance.

 

Bernstein and St. Clair didn’t cross paths until the summer of 1985 while Clair was studying under Gustav Meier at Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in western Massachusetts.

 

“I was very nervous,” St. Clair recalled. “He comes into the room, and there’s a big double door and we’re all standing in total respect. He greeted Gustav, of course they had known one another… But almost immediately he said, in this kind of Texas accent, or, in a Bostonian/Texas accent, ‘Where’s that cowboy from Texas? I’ve never met a cowboy from Texas who’s also a conductor.’”

 

During rehearsals for a concert at Tanglewood in 1990, complications with his health left Bernstein unable to conduct his new version of his Arias and Barcarolles, which was to be premiered the next day. The suggestion was made that St. Clair could conduct that piece, allowing Bernstein enough energy to lead the rest of the program.

 

“I’ll never forget,” St. Clair says. “He looked over at me, and even as sick as he was and as disappointed as he was, it just shows how quick he was — he looked over at me and in a mock Texas accent said, ‘Cowboy, you got it in ya? You got it in ya?”

 

St. Clair agreed to conduct Bernstein’s piece in what was Bernstein’s last concert appearance. He retired from conducting and passed away nearly two months later at the age of 72.

 

Bernstein no longer is with us, but his music lives on in performances such as the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Bernstein’s 100th on Nov. 2-3.

  • Inside the Music, a free, pre-concert, multi-media presentation sponsored by BDO USA, will be held before each performance at 7 p.m. in the DeVos Place Recital Hall
  • The complete Bernstein’s 100th program will be rebroadcast on Sunday, March 24, 2019, at 1 p.m. on Blue Lake Public Radio 88.9 FM or 90.3 FM.

Tickets

Tickets start at $18 and are available at the Grand Rapids Symphony box office, weekdays 9 am – 5 pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across the street from Calder Plaza). Call (616) 454-9451 x 4 to order by phone. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)

 

Tickets may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place ticket office, weekdays 10 am – 6 pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours before the performance.

 

Full-time students of any age can purchase tickets for $5 on the night of the concert by enrolling in the GRS Student Tickets program, sponsored by Calvin College. Discounts are available to members of MySymphony360, the Grand Rapids Symphony’s organization for young professionals ages 21-35.

Kentwood police deputy chief explains importance of this week’s Drug Take Back Day

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Local Faces, Senior Living, Upcoming Events

 

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 16th opportunity in 8 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

 

WKTV asked Kentwood Police Department Deputy Chief Richard Roberts why the take back effort is so important.

 

Pills for disposal can be brought to the Kentwood Police Department at 4742 Walma Ave SE Kentwood. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. The event cannot accept liquids or needles, only pills or patches.

 

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 27 Take Back Day event, please contact Vicki Highland at highlandv@kentwood.us or 616-656-6571.

 

More information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is available at takebackday.dea.gov.

 

Jane Fonda to speak on economic justice at Fountain Street Church this Friday

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Election, Non-Profits, Politics, Upcoming Events, ,
Jane Fonda’s social and political activism dates from the 1960s. (Historic File Photo)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

As part of her efforts to promote race, gender and economic justice in Michigan and across the nation, activist/actress Jane Fonda will talk about her life as an activist in a free-to-the-public event at Grand Rapids’ Fountain Street Church on Friday, Oct. 26.

 

The event — billed as “An Evening with Jane Fonda to Support One Fair Wage” and hosted by Michigan One Fair Wage Protect and Defend Campaign — is scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

 

Fonda has long been a visible political activist, beginning during the Vietnam War and later in advocacy for women’s issues, workers rights, and other social issues.

 

Jane Fonda (Supplied)

“Fonda will share information on her life as an activist, the recent work that she has been doing in Michigan and across the country to promote race, gender and economic justice for low-income workers, and the importance of building multi-racial alliances to create a more just society for all,” as stated in an event flyer supplied to WKTV by Michigan One Fair Wage.

 

Fountain Street is located at 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids. While the event is free and open to the public, they ask for an RSVP at bit.ly/fscofw .

 

One of the Michigan issues Fonda has previously advocated for is the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase Initiative, which gained enough signatures to be on the Nov. 6 ballot and was adopted by the legislature in September — a move which would allow lawmakers to make changes to it with a simple majority instead of a higher threshold should the voters have approved it in November.

 

The legislature’s action was seen by some as giving lawmakers the ability to weaken the law’s requirements during a lame-duck session later this year, or in 2019.

 

One of the groups which advocated for the Michigan Minimum Wage Increase, and now advocates for it not being altered by the Michigan lawmakers, is the Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN).

 

“My statewide faith group … supports raising the minimum wage to $12/hour for all Michigan workers,” Randy Block, director of the MUUSJN, said in an email to WKTV. “It’s a moral issue: all workers deserve to earn enough to take care of their families.”

 

The MUUSJN is a statewide faith network that advocates for social justice policies, including raising the minimum wage and supporting a policy of earned paid sick time for all workers. It is part of an Economic Justice Alliance of Michigan (EJAM) coalition that supports both of these policy goals. According to supplied information, the network includes thousands of justice activists from 26 Unitarian Universalist congregations, including one in Grand Rapids.

 

For more information on the event call 517-588-9646. For more information on Michigan One Fair Wage visit MIOneFairWage.org .

 

For more information on Fountain Street Church, visit fountainstreet.org or visit the church’s Facebook page.

 

Grammy-laden Kenny Barron brings his quintet to St. Cecilia jazz series

Entertainment, Upcoming Events,

 

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Kenny Barron knows his way around the jazz piano keyboard, and he knows his way up to the Grammy Awards stage as well.

 

Barron has earned 11 Grammy awards, beginning in 1992 for Best Jazz Album with “People Time”, his duet with the legendary Stan Getz, and most recently in 2017 for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

 

The Kenny Barron Quintet will make their way to the Royce Auditorium stage at St. Cecilia Music Center on Thursday, Nov. 1, for a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are still available.

 

The Los Angles Times has called Barron “one of the top jazz pianists in the world” and Jazz Weekly to call him “The most lyrical piano player of our time”; the first being  probably an understatement and the second hard to argue with.

 

Barron will come to St. Cecilia after releasing his latest recording this year, Blue Note recording titled “Concentric Circles” with his quintet.

 

Barron’s history of performance sounds like a Who’s Who of the American jazz world.

 

Kenny Barron will be part of the St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2018-19 season. (Supplied)

Born in 1943 in Philadelphia, while still in high school, Barron worked with drummer Philly Joe Jones and at age 19 he moved to New York City and freelanced with Roy Haynes, Lee Morgan and James Moody. According to his official biography, upon Moody’s recommendation Dizzy Gillespie hired Barron in 1962 without even hearing Baron play. After five years with Dizzy, Barron had played with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, and Buddy Rich. The early seventies found him working with Yusef Lateef, whom he credits as a key influence in his art for improvisation.

 

Barron balanced touring with studies and earned his B.A. in Music from Empire State College and then joined the faculty at Rutgers University as professor of music. He held this tenure until 2000, mentoring many of today’s young talents including David Sanchez, Terence Blanchard and Regina Bell.

 

On the recording scene, in 1974 Barron recorded his first album as a leader for the Muse label, entitled “Sunset To Dawn.” This was to be the first in over 40 recordings as a leader. Throughout the 1980s, Barron collaborated with the great tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, touring with his quartet and recording several legendary albums including “Anniversary”, “Serenity” and the Grammy nominated “People Time”.

 

Barron’s own recordings for Verve have earned him nine Grammy nominations beginning in 1992 with “People Time”, followed by the Brazilian influenced “Sambao” and most recently for “Freefall” in 2002. Other Grammy nominations went to “Spirit Song”, “Night and the City” (a duet recording with Charlie Haden) and “Wanton Spirit” a trio recording with Roy Haynes and Charlie Haden.

 

In 2018, Barron celebrated his 75th birthday and mark the 50th year of a remarkable recording career that shows no signs of slowing down.

 

He has been honored by The National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master. In 2005 he was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2009 he was inducted into the National Academy of Arts and Sciences.

 

He was named Best Pianist in 2017 by the Jazz Journalists Association, marking a record seven times he has won the award.

 

For more information on Kenny Barron, visit kennybarron.com .

 

After the Kenny Barron Quintet, the remaining Jazz Series concerts are Joey DeFrancesco on Feb. 7, 2019, and Benny Green Trio & Veronica Swift on March 7, 2019.

 

Tickets for jazz series concerts range from $35-$45.

 

St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. For tickets or more information call  616-459-2224 or visit www.scmc-online.org.

 

Tickets on sale Oct. 26th for Disturbed’s EVOLUTION world tour with March 7 Van Andel Arena concert date

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , ,
Photo supplied

 

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

Two-time Grammy nominees Disturbed have announced the Evolution World Tour, an extensive international arena tour that kicks off Jan. 9 in San Diego, CA, and will see the multi-platinum-selling rock band headlining SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 7:30 PM with Three Days Grace.

That run will be followed by an overseas trek that’ll see the band bringing their incendiary live show to Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the UK.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 26 at 10am.Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.
Disturbed (vocalist David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer) is touring in support of much-buzzed-about new album Evolution—which arrives tomorrow(!)—and lead single “Are You Ready,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart and has maintained that position for 4 consecutive weeks. The song, which is the band’s 12th No. 1 single and the fastest chart-climber of their career, has over 5 million Spotify streams and a companion video with more than 5 million YouTube views.
Evolution has been early drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with Billboard declaring it, “their most diverse album ever and one of their best, on par with their 2002 hit album Believe.”
Classic Rock wrote, “the title says it all…the band have embraced their own instincts, and as a result their credibility has soared on arguably their most convincing album since 2000’s The Sickness.”
The Chicago Sun-Times said, “Evolution takes some of the biggest leaps of Disturbed’s career, with the unpredictability in David Draiman’s vocals, Mike Wengren’s drumming patterns, Dan Donegan’s dimensional guitar work and John Moyer’s low-down bass lines fully embodying the album’s title.”
Music Week proclaimed, “Disturbed are ready to go stratospheric on their new album Evolution,” Metal Hammer wrote, “without a doubt the most diverse record in Disturbed’s catalogue,” and Power Play gave it a 10-star review, gushing, “Disturbed have evolved into a superbly mature rock act, who, with this album, fully transcend from pure metal into pure greatness. This is a career-defining release. Nothing less.”
The Evolution World Tour will see the band playing an exhilarating mix of classic hits like “Down With The Sickness,” Inside The Fire” and “The Sound Of Silence” along with new tracks such as “Are You Ready” and the recently released “A Reason To Fight.”
The tour announcement follows last week’s intimate hometown show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre (a special performance that airs today on SiriusXM’s Octane and Turbo Channels) and this past weekend’s set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on a bill that featured Metallica, Lil Wayne, Justice and more.
On Oct. 23 and 24, Disturbed will partner with the USO to perform for the Airmen at Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases in Indian Springs and Las Vegas, respectively.In addition to the performances, the band will take part in USO morale engagements to visit Airmen where they work and learn more about the important missions at each base.
Disturbed recorded Evolution in Vegas with Kevin Churko, who produced their previous release, 2015’s Immortalized. That album became the band’s fifth consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, earned a platinum certification, and yielded the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence.” The latter earned a GRAMMY® nod for “Best Rock Performance.” Additionally, the band took home “Best Rock Artist” at the iHeartRadioMusic Awards and received acclaim from The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and more.
About Disturbed
Simply put, Disturbed are one of the most successful rock bands in modern history. The multiplatinum-selling quartet accomplished the rare feat of achieving five consecutive number one debuts on the Billboard Top 200. That accolade historically elevated them to rarified air alongside Metallica, the only other hard rock group to do so in the history of the chart.
Immortalized (2015) received a platinum certification and spawned the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence,” which garnered a nomination at the 2017 GRAMMY® Awards in the category of “Best Rock Performance.” Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold 16 million albums globally and scored twelve No. 1 singles at Active Rock Radio.
Their quadruple-platinum 2000 debut, The Sickness, formally announced their arrival as hard rock leaders, with that status solidified by subsequent  GRAMMY® Award nominations as well as gold-, platinum- and double platinum-certified records, as well as countless sold-out shows around the globe.  Named “Best Rock Artist” during the 2017 iHeartRadioMusic Awards, Disturbed continue to boldly forge ahead with the release of their aptly titled seventh offering, Evolution.

 

 

 

On Tap: Harmony Hall goes political, Brewery Vivant eyes Kentwood expansion

3-bottom, Beer, City of Kentwood, Election, Local Entertainment, Politics, Upcoming Events,
Harmony Hall will host a night of political discussion focused on the highly anticipated upcoming midterm election as Michigan Radio’s next installment of “Issues & Ale”. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Harmony Hall will host a night of political discussion focused on the highly anticipated upcoming midterm election as Michigan Radio’s next installment of “Issues & Ale” will take place in the hall on Wednesday, Oct. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m., 401 Stocking Ave. NW, Grand Rapids.

 

According to supplied material, Issues & Ale is an ongoing event series designed to get the public talking about issues in Michigan in an informal environment. The events take place throughout Michigan Radio’s listening area and are always free to attend.

 

“We’ve been talking to so many people who are feeling desperate for constructive, respectful dialogue about politics and the issues that impact all of us,” Heather Van Dyke-Titus, co-owner of Harmony Hall, said. “We wanted to provide a forum for that conversation to happen. … I’m also excited that the theme of the night is a preview for the midterm elections. I can’t remember a time when an election felt more important.”

 

Michigan Radio’s It’s Just Politics co-host Zoe Clark will host the panel of Grand Rapids political experts. On Nov. 6, Michigan voters will elect a new governor and attorney general, candidates in a number of contested races in the U.S. House of Representatives and one Senate race, and vote on three statewide ballot proposals.

 

Audience members will also have the opportunity to pose questions about the election to the panel.

 

For more information visit harmonybeer.com .

 

Brewery Vivant owners eying Kentwood as futures pub/brewery

 

While not written in stone at this time, Jason and Kris Spaulding, co-owners of Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids, have gained initial City of Kentwood approval to opening a new microbrewery after action by the City Commission last month.

 

The Spauldings’ yet-unnamed microbrewery will be housed in a commercial building at 2855 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. Plans were given special land use and site plan approval, as well as a recommendation for a state liquor license, by commissioners at a meeting on Sept. 18.

 

Filed plans for the microbrewery call for 13,400 square feet for production and 3,600 square feet for the tap room and a small retail space, while the remaining 7,300 square feet of the building will continue to house a clothing retailer.

 

For more information on Brewery Vivant, see their website.

 

Kentwood invites community to enjoy South Kent Community Expo

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South Kent Community Expo is this week.

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The City of Kentwood is the new home of the annual South Kent Community Expo, an annual effort of the Cutlerville-Gaines Chamber of Commerce, the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce and the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department.

 

With a timely, football/sports theme, there will be more than 60 booths offering products and services for consumers’ needs, many of them sports themed, as well as food trucks, police and fire vehicles, and other kids activities.

 

The expo will be held at the Kentwood Activity Center, 355 48th St. SE, on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

“The 3rd annual South Kent Community Expo is excited to host this community event in its new location, the Kentwood Activities Center — we will have something for everyone,” Lorraine Beloncis, assistant director of City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, said to WKTV. “This year the expo has a football theme, so wear your favorite team’s gear and check out the fun football themed vendor booths.”

 

Beloncis said the event is an ability to learn about the businesses in our community and what services they have to offer including home improvement, home financing, home services, senior services, library services, colleges, fitness, health and wellness, pet care, banks, retail, hospitality, transportation, volunteer opportunities and employment services.

 

“We will have several food trucks on site to satisfy your hunger with a variety of delicious options,” Beloncis said. “Families can check out fire trucks, police and sheriff department patrol cars, go through the smoke house to learn about fire safety and participate in a variety of kids activities. As always, there will be lots of freebies, give-a-ways and a chance to win door prizes.”

 

Flu shots will be provided by Walgreens from 10: a.m. to noon. The cost for a flu shot will be $41 for individuals without insurance.

 

“With 60-plus businesses attending, there’s sure to be a product or service for everyone,” Bob O’Callaghan, president/CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, said in supplied material. “The expo is a family-friendly event designed to showcase the broad range of businesses and organizations who make their home in Southern Kent County.”

 

The family-friendly nature of the event was stressed by Drew DeVries, executive director of the Cutlerville-Gaines Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

“We’ll have fire and sheriff’s departments onsite with football-themed games, along with a smoke house simulation for the kids,” DeVries said in supplied material.

 

As of Friday, Oct. 19, vendor space was still available. Interested businesses/groups should contact Beloncis at 616-656-5278 for last-minute registration.

 

For more information on the event visit southkent.org or the Kentwood Parks and Recreation events page.

 

Saugatuck/Douglas ‘Kids and Pets Costume Contest & Parade’ Oct. 27 at Wicks Park

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Travel, Upcoming Events,

By Saugatuck/Douglas

 

Boolieve it or not, Halloween is just around the corner and it’s time to get creative! The Saugatuck/Douglas “Kids and Pets Costume Contest & Parade” event is happening on Saturday, Oct. 27 at Wicks Park.

 

Judges will determine the winners and will distribute cash prizes at the end. There will be four costume categories for both kids and pets:

  • Cute
  • Funny
  • Scary
  • Most creative

Here’s the lineup:

  • 3:30pm – Costume judging and parade lineup @ Wicks Park
  • 4pm – Parade begins

Stick around after the parade at Wick’s Pick for the awarding of cash prizes, goodies from Doughrunts Doughnut Truck, horse-drawn wagon rides through town, a puppet show and more!

 

For more information go here or email staff@saugatuck.com.

Haunted attractions in West Michigan

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By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

Scary movies have swept the mainstream, and while you may be safe watching from your couch with popcorn in hand, there’s always an opportunity to come face to face with a ghost, mutant, ghoul, or zombie this time of year. Not only does West Michigan have stellar haunted houses, but there are also ghost tours, haunted corn mazes, and real ghost sightings around every corner. You may not want to visit these haunted attractions alone, so bring some friends and see if you can survive.

Actually Haunted Locales

Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo is said to have a handful of ghostly guests. Among these spirits are the castle’s original owners, Frank and Mary Henderson, a Spanish-American War veteran, a little girl, and even a dog. These ghostly figures often interact with guests, speaking to them, opening cabinet doors, even appearing as apparitions.

 

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s also the time of the year when unseen things go bump in the night. Visit Coldwater for the Historical Paranormal Penlight Tour on Saturday, October 20th. Following a presentation by local paranormal experts, the Paranormal Penlight Tour will kick off on the south side of Oak Grove Cemetery.

 

“Jack” is the nickname given to the legendary ghost of a lumberjack who was killed in a barroom knife fight in 1847 at what is now the Grill House in Allegan. Occasionally, lights, radios, and television go on and off at odd times. Doors unexpectedly open and close. Faucets turn on by themselves. Sometimes, you can hear footsteps at night. His blurry presence has even shown up in photos taken at the restaurant. Jack’s legacy lives on over 170 years later.

 

Shadowy figures, strange noises, and mysteriously shifted objects have all been witnessed at the Mitten Brewing Company in Grand Rapids. One night during the second week of operation, owner Chris Andrus was the last person to leave the Engine House, heading home at 2am after mopping the facility. He was also the first one to arrive early the next morning. As he prepared the taproom for opening, he checked the front lobby and noticed a few footprints left from the wet mop water the night before.

 

At first, Chris thought nothing of it, but after a few minutes, he realized no one else had been in the building between his leaving and return, and that the prints were made by bare feet. He returned to the footprints and made a perplexing discovery: they were the footprints of a child. More footprints would show up over the following years, along with shadows, silhouettes, and noises.

Spooky Attractions & Haunted Houses

The Zombie Escape Room in Mt. Pleasant is great fun with friends and family. The escape room is open on Oct. 19th and 20th, so get a group together and test your skills.

 

Now in its fourth year, the Michigan Maritime Museum is transforming into a maze of terrifying thrills and chills that are not for the faint of heart. This event is part of South Haven’s annual Haven Harvest Festival and will be open on October 19th and 20th.

 

The Tri-Cities Museum in Grand Haven is hosting their haunted museum event on Saturday, Oct. 20th. This free event focuses on education and fun while visitors learn about how Halloween was celebrated in the past. The Victorian House exhibit in the museum will remain decorated for Halloween through Oct. 31st.

 

Every fall, the SS City of Milwaukee is transformed into the Manistee Ghost Ship. Explore this enormous ship, but look out for the ghosts and ghouls that lurk around every corner. This experience is available every Friday and Saturday in October.

 

The Haunt in Grand Rapids has been West Michigan’s choice for fear since 2001, and they’re bringing new scares to a new location in 2018. Make your way through dark hallways and zombified nightmares inside the 50,000 square feet indoor facility. Your ticket gets you into each of the four terrifying attractions. The Haunt is open from now until the end of October.

 

The largest haunted attraction in southwest Michigan, Niles Scream Park, continues their mission to terrify everybody that enters the grounds. Visit all five of their main attractions, each of which is uniquely themed and professionally redesigned each year to scare you and your friends. Almost as popular as the Niles Haunted House is the outdoor Field of Screams attraction. It is full of mazes to disorient you and special effects that will dazzle and confuse your senses. Once they have you where they want you, the characters in the field will make sure to maximize the scare effect. Parking and entry to the midway are both free.

Haunted Events & Exhibits

The Haunted Hall in Muskegon, open Fridays and Saturdays in October, is a fun haunted event to check out with your friends and family.

 

It may not be as scary as a ghost or ghoul, but the Hotel Frankfort’s Murder Mystery nights will get your blood pumping. Join them on either Oct. 26th or 27th for an interactive murder mystery dinner, and see if you can solve who shot the sheriff. This elaborate evening can only be solved by you, so put on your thinking cap and see if you can figure out who the murderer is.

 

Promote Michigan’s president Dianna Stampfler is hosting a series of free programs at libraries around the state to promote her upcoming book Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses. The state has more than 120 historic beacons and nearly three dozen are rumored to be haunted. Lighthouse keepers were known to be extremely dedicated to their profession and it seems that many were never able to give it up, even after death. More than 30 lights in Michigan are rumored to be haunted.

 

Discover the magic of Victorian Halloween traditions and superstitions this fall at the Cappon House Museum, part of the Holland Museum. Tour the dimly lit rooms of this historic home to learn how Halloween was celebrated 100 years ago. Then, partake in spooky parlor games and broom races, listen to classic ghost stories, have your fortune told, and carve a mini pumpkin to take home. This is a family-friendly event great for families with kids and costumes are encouraged!

Scary Trails & Hayrides

October is a month full of scares and family fun in Mecosta County. The area offers corn mazes and haunted trails all month long. The Haunted Corn Maze is open every Friday and Saturday in October, while the Haunted Fish Hatchery is open on Oct. 19th, 20th, 26th, and 27th.

 

Don’t miss an eerie night of history’s most terrifying and gruesome moments as Michigan’s Heritage Park hosts their Annual Haunted Trail in Whitehall on October 26th and 27th. This after-hours event will examine the bone-chilling legends, myths, and tales from the 1600s through the early 1900s. With 10,000 years of horror, nothing is off the table during this two-night event.

 

Get scared and help a local charity with the Forest of Fear in Grayling. The forest is open every Friday and Saturday in October. This event has grown over the past 13 years, and this year is no different.

 

Located in Belmont, Cannonsburg’s take on a haunted hayride includes zombies and paintball. Zombie Paintball is an interactive spooky, action-packed experience designed for all ages. Ride through the Cannonsburg woods blasting zombies with paintballs along the way.

 

Cornwell’s Turkeyville in Marshall has haunted activities for the entire family. A scary barn will keep you guessing around every corner and the hayride through an alien trail is not as quiet as it may seem. See if you can make it through the corn maze, but beware of the signs that you may find along the way! When you’re done, stop by the Turkeyville restaurant and ice cream parlor for a bite to eat.

 

MyNorth is selling tickets for a terrifying haunted house in L’Anse. Teens and adults wander aimlessly through a maze of terrifying rooms and hallways with a scare at every turn.

 

The Michigan City LaPorte area in Indiana is hosting the Hesston Ghost Train every weekend from now until Oct. 28th. The train will take you through a haunted woods, where you may see a ghost or two.

GVSU’s Fall Arts Celebration spotlights the arts during multiple free events

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , , , ,
Kariamu and Company: Traditions — A Celebration of African Dance (photo supplied)

By Matthew Makowski, Grand Valley State University

 

For the past 15 years, West Michigan audiences have enjoyed a series of six free events every fall at Grand Valley that celebrate the positive impact of the arts. President Thomas J. Haas said these events are offered as gifts to the local community that has supported the evolution of the university.

 

“Each year, these six diverse and free events provide us with the opportunity to thank the West Michigan community for its continued support of the performing arts at Grand Valley, and the university as a whole,” said Haas. “The arts lift us up, make us think and provide an endless variety of entertainment and enrichment, and we hope others will join us in celebrating the richness of the worlds of poetry, dance, art, music and more this fall.”

 

Here are the upcoming Fall Arts Celebration events for November and December. For more event details, go here.

 

Kariamu and Company: Traditions — A Celebration of African Dance

  • Nov. 12, at 7:30 pm
  • Location: Louis Armstrong Theatre, Haas Center for Performing Arts, Allendale Campus

Kariamu Welsh is a Guggenheim award–winning dance scholar, choreographer, educator and the founder of the Umfundalai technique. For the past 40 years, Welsh has developed Umfundalai as a contemporary dance technique that seeks to articulate the essence of African-oriented movement while highlighting the cultural and aesthetic continuity found in the rhythm and artistic sensibilities that cover the full range of African dance. As an “artivist,” Welsh feels that one of her responsibilities is to tell the stories, myths, legends and histories of the marginalized, invisible, forgotten and oppressed. Welsh is currently a professor of dance in the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University.

 

Photo supplied

Celebrating Holiday Splendor: Craig Jessop Conducts “The Many Moods of Christmas”

  • Dec. 3, at 7:30 pm
  • Location: Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids

Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas” meshes pieces of 18 of the most traditional carols combined with music from composers such as Handel, Bizet and Bach. Renowned choral conductor Craig Jessop will lead the GVSU Arts Chorale and local high school students for this special holiday celebration concert. Jessop, professor of music and founding dean of the Cain College of the Arts at Utah State University, is the former director of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He led the ensemble as a featured conductor during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Hackley Historic Site hosts Obituary Tour to explore deaths, autopsies, and funerals

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Hackley House

By Aaron Mace, Lakeshore Museum Center

 

How much do you know about the deaths that happened in the Hackley and Hume Houses?

 

The Hackley and Hume Historic Site (484 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon, MI 49440) will host an Obituary Tour event on Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 with two sessions each night running from 7-8pm and 8:30-9:30 pm. Visitors are invited to travel back in time as they tour the houses by candlelight and explore the funerals, autopsies, and deaths that occurred on site during the Victorian Era.

 

Attendees will also have the opportunity to experience a reenactment of Julia Hackley’s funeral service and become immersed in the practices and traditions of death and dying spanning from 1949-1994.

 

Erin Schmitz, the Historic Site’s Program Manager, explains, “With all the excitement of Halloween just around the corner, we’re looking forward to having the community come out and enjoy this event! It was a huge success last year, and we know our visitors will love learning more about the history surrounding the Hackley and Hume Houses.”

 

The candlelit tours are given twice each night, the first session running from 7-8pm and the second from 8:30-9:30 pm. Due to the elements involved, the event is recommended for adults only.

 

The Obituary Tour takes place inside the Hackley and Hume Houses. Admission to the event is $20 for non-members and $15 for members. Registration is required. To RSVP, contact Aaron Mace at aaron@lakeshoremuseum.org or call 231-724-5534.

Special Halloween-themed organ concerts at the GRPM Oct. 19 & 20

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is hosting Halloween-themed Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Concerts with the silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligarion Friday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 20.

 

Internationally known silent film organist, Dennis Scott, will be playing the GRPM’s 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer Organ accompanied to the silent film, for a thrilling, family friendly event.

 

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 German thriller silent film. The plot twists when a group of friends visit the carnival and watch showman Dr. Caligari who uses hypnotism to control to his victims. When Dr. Caligari brings hypnotized Cesare out of a sarcophagus, Cesare predicts Alan will be dead by morning. When this predication comes true, Francis and Jane are left to find out answers. Considered one of the first chilling silent films, it has been praised by modern film critics and historians alike.

 

Dennis Scott first began accompanying silent films in the 1970s, when he started playing theatre pipe organs installed in pizza parlors in the Midwest and on the West Coast where he would accompany a couple of “two-reel” comedies every evening. His style has been compared to that of his legendary mentor, the late John Muri, who recorded numerous silent film scores for Blackhawk Films.

 

Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of the comic genius Harold Lloyd, dubbed Dennis the “Master of Magic Notes.” Scott is the house organist at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre, playing weekend intermissions, the annual Sing-Along Sound of Music, the annual Music Box Christmas Sing-Along, as well as several themed film festivals and special events.

 

Shows are being held at 7pm on Friday, Oct. 19 and at 2pm on Saturday, Oct. 20 in the Meijer Theater at the GRPM.

 

Tickets for individual concerts are $8 for Museum member adults, $4 for Museum member children, $10 for non-member adults and $5 for non-member children. Tickets are available by visiting the website here or by calling 616.929.1700.

 

The second concert of the series will feature Brett Valliant playing classic “pizza parlor” organ music including Maple Leaf Rag, In the Mood, Phantom of the Opera andRock Around the Clock on Friday, Nov. 16 at 7pm and Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2pm.

 

The third and final concert of the series will feature Lance Luce performing holiday songs, which includes favorites such as White Christmas, Silver Bells, and Let it Snow, on Friday, Dec. 21 at 7pm and Saturday, Dec. 22 at 2pm.

 

The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ

The Wurlitzer Company of North Tonawanda, New York, manufactured and shipped Opus #1836, a “3 manual special”, to the Stanley Theater of Jersey City, New Jersey, on Feb. 9, 1928. The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ spent two decades entertaining customers at the Roaring 20’s Pizza Parlor on 28th Street in Grand Rapids, before it was moved to its current location at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

Tickets on sale TODAY for Weezer and the Pixies, March 20th at Van Andel Arena

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events,

 

By Hilaire Carpenter, SMG

Weezer to Hit the Road Again with the Pixies This Spring

Following a rapturously received summer tour, Weezer will be returning to the road with Pixies this spring for a run of highly anticipated North American arena dates. Produced by Live Nation, the 21-city tour will kick off March 8th in Louisville, KY and make stops in Montreal, St. Louis, Portland, and more, before wrapping April 12th in Las Vegas, NV. The tour comes to Grand Rapids at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at 7pm.

 

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, October 19 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to all orders and prices can be found on Ticketmaster.com.

 

Today, Weezer revealed the first song from their forthcoming, long-anticipated record, The Black Album, set for release in 2019 via Crush Music/Atlantic Records. The song — entitled ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’ — was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, with whom the band worked for the first time. The song premiered this morning via iHeartRadio at 8am EST, and follows the band’s smash hit cover of ‘Africa’ by Toto.

 

A video for the song, starring Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz as a rideshare driver taking the longest drive of his life, and produced by Jerry Media, is also up now. Click HERE to watch it. Also, check out HastaLuegoAdios.com for some classic Weezer fun.

 

Weezer are: Brian Bell (guitar/vocals), Rivers Cuomo (vocals/guitar), Scott Shriner (bass/vocals) and Pat Wilson (drums). For more information, connect with Weezer: Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram.

 

 

Arts & Eats 2018 is this weekend in Southwest Michigan

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Travel, Upcoming Events,
Photo supplied

By Michelle Frank, Arts and Eats

 

Learn about locally owned businesses and rural life as part of this weekend’s Arts and Eats fall tour.

 

More than 60 new and returning West Michigan artist studios, galleries, locally-owned eateries, farms, and farmers markets are participating in the 8th Annual Arts and Eats. This free, self-driving, back-roads tour is Saturday, Oct. 20th and Sunday, Oct. 21st throughout rural portions of Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren counties. The tour map is online at ARTSandEATS.org.

 

Visit with local artisans in their studios, and see working farms featuring specialty food crops, fiber, and heritage animals. Should hunger strike, stop at one of the area’s local gems which serve food made with ingredients from area farms and producers.

 

Sites are generally open both days from 10am to 5pm. Food and drink places are open during normal business hours, and many will kick-off the tour the night before on Friday, Oct. 19th.

 

Photo supplied

Arts and Eats also hosts a “Best Drinks” contest. Patrons may taste and vote for their favorites in the categories of “Best Hot,” “Best Cold,” and “Most Unique” Drink at ARTSandEATS.org.

 

Arts and Eats raises awareness and appreciation of the region’s human and natural resources. The tour reminds us about the benefits of buying and consuming locally-grown foods and supporting Michigan artists as entrepreneurs. The tour is an opportunity to contribute to a sense of place and to support local economies.

The 22nd — and FINAL — Annual Grand Awards to honor theater excellence Oct. 21st at Fountain Street Church

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By WKTV Staff

 

A lot of talent has been fêted over the past two decades as the Annual Grand Awards have celebrated and rewarded inspired performances from top productions of a given year, from children’s theater to community and college musicals and plays. This event, comparable to the Tony Awards, is complete with performances, awards, and most importantly the handing out of scholarships to young students pursuing a career in theater.

 

After reveling 22 theater seasons with the Grand Awards, this will be the last year that it continues under its current format. Stay tuned in the coming years because something new and revamped will take its place highlighting the scholarship recipients.

 

The night will celebrate the scholarship recipients, enjoy some repeat performances from the 2017-2018 theater season, acknowledge stand-out performances from the year with awards and enjoy the company of some of Grand Rapids’ MOST talented all under one roof. 

 

This year’s Grand Awards ceremony will be held at Fountain Street Church (24 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503) in downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 6pm. Following the ceremony, there will be an after party in the fellowship hall of Fountain Street Church complete with a DJ, food, drinks, and fun going until 11pm.

 

Tickets for the 22nd Annual Grand Awards can be purchased here using credit cards for $40 (general admission and seating). General admission tickets at the door will be cash only. All ticketing for students (with proper ID), nominees, and Grand Awards event performers will be handled at the door the night of the event (cash only):

  • Grand Awards event performer: $30
  • Students: $20
  • Nominees: $10 (must be an individual nominee)

And, the nominees are…

Outstanding Play

  • The Whale at Actors’ Theatre
  • A Few Good Men at Circle Theatre
  • Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • All the Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • Fool for Love at Heritage Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

  • Jason Stamp as ‘Charlie’ in The Whale at Actors’ Theatre
  • Todd Lewis as ‘Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep’ in A Few Good Men at Circle Theatre
  • Spencer Tomlin as ‘Leo’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Jon March as ‘Lyndon Baines Johnson’ in All The Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Shane German as ‘Arnold Beckoff’ in Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

  • Isaac Thornson as ‘David’ in Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • David Houseman as ‘Butch’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Jason Stamp as ‘Florence’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • GM (Bud) Thompson as ‘Senator Richard Russel’ in All The Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Eddie Stephens as ‘Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’ in All The Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

  • Chelsea Pummill as ‘Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway in A Few Good Men at Circle Theatre
  • Liz Brand as ‘Meg’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Brooke Bruce as ‘May’ in Fool for Love at Heritage Theatre
  • Lori Jacobs as ‘Olive’ in Olive and The Bitter Herbs at Jewish Theatre
  • Mary Brown as ‘Toinette’ in The Imaginary Invalid at Master Arts Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

  • Madeline Jones as ‘Ellie’ in The Whale at Actors’ Theatre
  • Emily Wetzel as ‘Audrey’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Margi Hankins as ‘Ladybird Johnson’ in All the Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Shavonne T. Coleman as ‘Wendy’ in Olive and The Bitter Herbs at Jewish Theatre
  • Bernice Houseward as ‘Mrs. Beckoff’ in Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

  • Isaac Thornson as ‘David’ as Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • David Houseman as ‘Butch’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Jason Stamp as ‘Florence’ in Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • GM (Bud) Thompson as ‘Senator Richard Russel’ in All The Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Eddie Stephens as ‘Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’ in All The Way at Grand Rapids Civc Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Play

  • Fred Sebulske for The Whale at Actors’ Theatre
  • Tom Kaechele for Leading Ladies at Circle Theatre
  • Bruce Tinker for All the Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Rachel Finan for Fool for Love at Heritage Theatre
  • Michelle Urbane for Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Musical

  • If/Then at Actors’ Theatre
  • Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • On the Town at Circle Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

  • Nathaniel Beals as ‘Narrator’ in Passing Strange at Actors’ Theatre
  • Jason Morrison as ‘Bruce’ in Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Matt Tepper as ‘The Baker’ in Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • Scott Mellema as ‘Shrek’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Jason Morrison as ‘Daddy Warbucks’ in Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

  • David Houseman as ‘Lucas’ in If/Then at Actors’ Theatre
  • Darius Tq Colquitt as ‘Mr. Franklin’/’Joop’/’Mr. Venus’ in Passing Strange at Actors’ Theatre
  • Charles Hutchins as ‘Alfred P Doolittle’ in My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Titus Hankins as ‘Donkey’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Kyle Cain as ‘Lord Farquaad’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Cullen Dyk as ‘Pinocchio’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

  • Molly Jones as ‘Elizabeth’ in If/Then at Actors’ Theatre
  • Evangelie Vander Ark as ‘Small Alison’ in Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Kelly Carey as ‘The Witch’ in Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • Carly Uthoff as ‘Princess Fiona’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Alyssa Bauer as ‘Eliza Doolittle’ in My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

  • Caitlin Cusack as ‘Helen’ in Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Madeline Jones as ‘Medium Alison’ in Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Morgan Anding as ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’/’Gingy’ in Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Kira Alsum as ‘Grace’ in Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Darla Carrier as ‘Madame Dilly’/’Little Old Lady’/’Club Singer’ in On the Town at Circle Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

  • Jolene Frankey for Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Todd Avery for Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • Bruce Tinker for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Allyson Paris for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Penelope Notter for On the Town at Circle Theatre

Outstanding Choreography

  • Torrey Thomas for Passing Strange at Actors’ Theatre
  • Torrey Thomas for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Melissa Sefton for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Erin Kacos for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • William Schutte for On the Town at Circle Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction

  • Scott Patrick Bell for If/Then at Actors’ Theatre
  • Brendan Hollins for Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • Charles Hutchins for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civc Theatre
  • Charles Hutchins for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Wright McCargar for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

  • Sam Johnson for Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • Sam Johnson for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Sam Johnson for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Steven Nardin for Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • Sam Johnson for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

  • Catherine Marlett-Dreher for Fun Home at Circle Theatre
  • Catherine Marlett-Dreher for Into the Woods at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Catherine Marlett-Dreher for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Catherine Marlett-Dreher for Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • Catherine Marlett-Dreher for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design

  • Bill Dunckel & Kelly Lucas for On the Town at Circle Theatre
  • Robert Fowle for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Robert Fowle for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Karen Larabel for The Book of Job at Master Arts Theatre
  • Robert Fowle for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

  • Don Wilson for Into the Woods at Circle Theatre
  • David Len for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Christian Poquette for Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre
  • David Len for All the Way at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • David Len for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • David Len for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

For Outstanding Properties Design

  • Michael Wilson for Shrek at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Jennifer Smith for A Few Good Men at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Michael Wilson for Annie at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Michael Wilson for My Fair Lady at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Camille Hickade for Torch Song Trilogy Act III: Widows and Children First at Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Theatre for Young Audiences

  • Seussical The Musical at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • Akeelah and the Bee at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre
  • School of Rock at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

Outstanding College Production

  • Equivocation at Aquinas
  • Rhinoceros at Aquinas
  • A Year with Frog & Toad at Aquinas
  • Detroit ’67 at GRCC
  • Oklahoma at GVSU

Outstanding Lead Actor in a College Production

  • Casey Huls as ‘Curly’ in Oklahoma at Grand Valley State University
  • Brock Gabbert as ‘Berenger’ in Rhinoceros at Aquinas
  • Kaeleb Cogswell as ‘Toad’ in A Year with Frog & Toad at Aquinas
  • Michael Francis as ‘Lank’ in Detroit ’67 at GRCC
  • David Dekens as ‘Warren’ in This is Our Youth at GRCC

Outstanding Lead Actress in a College Production

  • Bryanna Lee as ‘Minnie’ in The Terrible Girls at Aquinas
  • Trisha Bond as ‘Penelope Sycamore’ in You Can’t Take it With You at Cornerstone University
  • Marqea Lee as ‘Chelle’ in Detroit ’67 at GRCC
  • Lindsey Normington as ‘Sally Bowles’ in Cabaret at GVSU
  • Alyssa Veldman as ‘Ado Annie Carnes’ in Oklahoma at GVSU

For Outstanding Direction of a College Production

  • Randy Wyatt for Rhinoceros, at Aquinas
  • Kathy Gibson for A Year with Frog & Toad, at Aquinas
  • Sammy A. Publes for Detroit ’67, at GRCC
  • Carrie McNulty for This is Our Youth, at GRCC
  • Christopher Carter for Oklahoma, at GVSU

Merrell invites Grand Rapids residents to celebrate fall hiking and hit the trails

3-bottom, Health, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Urban-thru-hiker Liz Thomas

By Lauren King

Merrell

 

The Merrell team will be out and about on local urban and traditional trails this Saturday, Oct. 20 with the goal of surprising Grand Rapids residents along the way. As part of their “Merrell Magic” campaign that’s been happening across the nation this year, hikers that come across the Merrell crew at parks and trails including, but not limited to, Ada Seidman and Fallsburg, will be delighted to receive items such as swag, gift cards and more.

 

Merrell believes in the profound power of the trail and is looking forward to celebrating the fall trails in their own backyard here in greater Grand Rapids.

 

Coinciding with the Merrell team dispersing around the city and surrounding areas to spread “Merrell Magic” on the trails, the brand has also teamed up with Liz Thomas, the queen of urban thru-hiking, to hike West Michigan’s “Ale Trail” starting Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Cedar Springs (North Country Trail) and ending Saturday, Oct. 20 in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

Liz’s four-day urban hike will make stops at 25 breweries in and around Grand Rapids and showcase that hiking can be done in an urban setting with the added experience of exploring the local beer scene.

 

Liz Thomas’ Urban Thru Hike Schedule:

 

Wednesday, October 17 (14 miles, 3 Breweries)

  • Start: Cedar Springs Brewing; End: Comstock Park
  • Breweries: Cedar Springs Brewing Company (11 a.m.), Rockford Brewing Company (2 p.m.), Bier Distillery (4:30 p.m.)

 

Thursday, October 18 (24 miles, 9 Breweries)

  • Start: Comstock Park; End: East Grand Rapids
  • Breweries: Perrin (11 a.m.), Hideout (1:30 p.m.), Creston (3:40 p.m.), The Bob (5 p.m.), Fountain Hill (5:45 p.m.), ELK Brewing (6:45 p.m.), Brewery Vivant (7:30 p.m.), East West (9 p.m.), Harmony (9:40 p.m.)

 

Friday, October 19 (21 miles, 4 breweries)

  • Start: East Grand Rapids; End: Grand Rapids near Brass Ring
  • Breweries: Thornapple (11 a.m.), Schmolz (12:30 p.m.), Jaden James (2:30 p.m.), Brass Ring (5:45 p.m.)

 

Saturday, October 20th Team Merrell Magic Day (13 miles (2.5 miles to Outside Coffee Co.), 9 breweries)

  • 9 a.m. Start at Outside Coffee Co. @ Woosah Outfitters (Merrell Ambassador Erica Lang’s place).
  • Breweries: Grand Rapids Brewing Co. (10am), HopCat (10:30am), Founders (11:25 p.m.), Atwater (1:20 p.m.), City Built (2:30 p.m.), Greyline (3:20 p.m.), The Mitten (4:10 p.m.), Jolly Pumpkin (5:10 p.m.), New Holland Knickerbocker (5:40 p.m.). Times may vary based on the Michigan-Michigan State game.

 

Godwin Heights football joins HQ to help youth facing housing crisis

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Non-Profits, Sports, Upcoming Events,
HQ is a drop-in center for youth ages 14 to 24 who are experiencing housing crisis. (Supplied/HQ)

By Godwin Heights Football and HQ

 

As a special feature of Friday night’s football game at Godwin Heights High School, the Night to End Youth Homelessness, Godwin Heights will admit attendees to the game for a donation of vital items for youth facing housing crisis.

 

On Oct. 19, when Godwin Heights host Lee, the two teams will be facing off with more than football on their mind. They will also be supporting local youth who are struggling to find safe and stable housing.

 

Staff and students at Godwin Heights saw that there are youth in Wyoming, and across Kent County, that are struggling with safe and stable housing, including at their own school.  This is an opportunity for the team and the community to step up and make a difference.

 

You can gain entry to the game with a donation of any of the following items:  liquid body soap, natural/urban hair products, deodorant, boxes of cereal, men’s and women’s underwear, packages of socks, white undershirts, toothpaste/toothbrush, winter hats, gloves/mittens, scarves.

 

“At Godwin Heights Public Schools, we have a number of students and families currently experiencing homelessness. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with HQ to help raise awareness and bring additional resources to this community issue,” according to a spokesperson for the school.

 

Godwin Heights High School currently has over 650 students and strives to build a legacy by building strong relationships with parents, students, staff and community partners.

 

HQ is a drop-in center for youth ages 14 to 24 who are experiencing housing crisis — staying in a shelter, a car, a tent, with friends or in a home environment that no longer feels safe. For each of these youth, access to resources, safety, and support from caring adults is no longer a given. This is where HQ comes in.

 

HQ exists to help young people find a place to rest, build connections, and receive support through relationship and professional skill building. We are a transformative space where everyone is welcome and diversity is celebrated. Youth are the experts of their own lives, and are encouraged and supported, with no strings attached, as they realize and achieve their goals and dreams.

 

For more information on HQ, please visit www.hqgr.org. To learn more about Godwin Heights high school, visit https://www.godwinschools.org/ .

 

One weekend: Three amazing women authors! Oct. 20-22

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Travel, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By Anne Stanton, National Writers Series

 

The National Writers Series of Traverse City, a pre-eminent year-round book festival, is excited to announce its Amazing Women’s Weekend, Oct. 20-22. Coming up are:

  • Amy Goldstein, whose book Janesville: An American Story tells the tale of a Wisconsin town’s resiliency at a time of cataclysmic economic stress. It hit the 2017 best book lists of the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Business Insider, and The Economist.
  • Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage, an instant New York Times bestselling novel and a top book pick by both Oprah and former President Barack Obama.
  • Alice Walker, the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Color Purple. This legendary author will be here to talk about her new book of poetry.

Interlochen Public Radio is producing the show.

 

SEASON TICKETS

  • All events take place at the City Opera House, downtown Traverse City
  • 6pm – Reception with cash bar, live music, and Morsels
  • 7pm – The author/guest host interview is followed by a Q and A and book signing.
  • Purchase tickets online at cityoperahouse.org, calling 231-941-8082, ext. 201, or in-person at The City Opera House. Ticket fees vary by method of purchase.

An Evening with Amy Goldstein  

Janesville: An American Story  

Oct. 20, 2018

Amy Goldstein

TICKETS

  • $15 – Reserved
  • $25 – Premium Reserved
  • $5 – Students (K-12 and College)

How does a heartland city pick itself up after the oldest General Motors plant in the country is shuttered during the Great Recession of 2008?

 

The plant, located in Janesville, Wisconsin, is also home to U.S. Representative Paul Ryan. Using the city as a microcosm of a larger national struggle, Goldstein brings fresh insights and possibilities to the discouraging story of the struggles of the working classes.

 

Goldstein has been a staff writer for 30 years at The Washington Post, where much of her work has focused on social policy. Among her many awards, she shared the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. She has been a fellow at Harvard University at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Janesville: An American Story is her first book. She lives in Washington, DC.

 

Guest host: Shannon Henry Kleiber, a producer for To the Best of Our Knowledge, a public radio show from Wisconsin Public Radio and PRX. She is a seven-year veteran of The Washington Post, where she wrote for just about every section of the paper. Shannon is the author of The Dinner Club: How the Masters of the Internet Universe Rode the Rise and Fall of the Greatest Boom in History and On My Honor: Real Life Lessons From America’s First Girl Scout.  Shannon lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

An Evening with Tayari Jones  

An American Marriage  

Oct. 21, 2018

Tayari Jones

TICKETS

  • $15 – Reserved
  • $25 – Premium Reserved
  • $5 – Students (K-12 and College)

Tayari Jones’s new novel, An American Marriage, tells the compelling story of a couple at the crossroads of love and injustice. An instant New York Times bestseller and a 2018 Oprah’s Book Club selection, it tells of newlyweds Celestial and Roy arriving in Atlanta to start their lives together. They appear to be on a straight track to success in their respective careers and domestic bliss. But all their hard work and right decisions are put on hold when Roy, a young executive, is found guilty of rape, a crime both he and Celeste know he did not commit. He is sentenced to twelve years of prison, forcing the couple to reconcile their relationship with a broken criminal justice system.

 

The author of four novels including The Silver Sparrow, Jones’s books exhibit a deep understanding of human struggles large and small. Her powers of observation will make this a night of insight and inspiration that is not to be missed.

 

Guest host, Aaron Stander has worked in the literary vineyards for more than five decades. He has been a college English professor, educational consultant, and teacher trainer. He has published numerous articles, stories, reviews, and ten crime novels. Aaron is also the host/producer of Interlochen Public Radio’s longstanding program, Michigan Writers on the Air.

An Evening with Alice Walker  

Arrow Out of the Heart  

Oct. 22, 2018

TICKETS

  • $30 – Reserved
  • $40 – Premium Reserved
  • $5 – Students (K-12 and College)

While Walker hardly requires an introduction, her genius bears repeating. One of America’s most cherished writers, she has brought us novels, poems, and nonfiction works of the utmost artistic and social importance. In 1983 Walker received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel The Color Purple, becoming the first African-American woman to receive the honor. The book has since been adapted into an Academy-Award nominated film and a Broadway musical.

 

Her staggering capacity for truth and warmth feature centrally in her work. Her latest book of collected poetry, Arrow Out of the Heart, is no exception. Presented in both English and Spanish and comprising almost 70 poems, each lush and lucid word brims with passion and power. The collection proves, once again, the tendency of Walker’s wisdom to sear into readers’ hearts, leaving its mark far beyond the last page.

 

Guest host Rochelle Riley, who always works with two phones, is a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, where she has been a leading voice for children, education, competent government and race since 2000. She is the author of The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery (Wayne State University Press, 2018). She makes frequent television and radio appearances, including on National Public Radio and local television. She has won numerous national, state and local honors, including a National Headliner Award for local column writing.

About the National Writers Series

The Writers Series of Traverse City (NWS) is a nonprofit dedicated to holding great conversations with today’s best authors and building the writing and reading skills of youth. NWS believes in the power of storytelling to enrich and transform lives and whole communities.  NWS is made possible by our generous donors, as well as our major sponsors Cordia and West Shore Bank. We are also generously supported by grantors Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Each NWS event is taped and broadcast to a wide and enthusiastic audience by Land Information Access Association’s Community Media Center and Interlochen Public Radio.

 

For more information on the National Writers Series, visit www.nationalwritersseries.org, contact NWS Executive Director Anne Stanton, or call the National Writers Series at (231) 631-1551.

Indie Fest 18: Fabulous food, mix of music & spirits, art, on Oct. 20th

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , , , , , ,

By West Michigan Tourist Association

 

The Mendel Center delivers a new take on the local music festival scene by bringing the party indoors. Indie Fest 18 celebrates original music, local beers, wines, and art on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 4–10pm.

 

The festival is anchored by three, nationally touring bands – Switchback, The Accidentals, and The Hunts. Each band will perform a full, 90-minute concert. Attendees can also enjoy mouthwatering culinary variety from some of the area’s favorite food trucks, an inviting selection of Michigan craft beers and local wines, and creations on display and for sale from up to 20 local artists!

The schedule includes:

Switchback

Switchback – 4pm
As seen on PBS, SWITCHBACK’s music is energetic, soulful, and versatile, combining elements of Americana, country, rock, and Celtic. Music Connection Magazine said: “The words ‘American Roots & Celtic Soul’ only begin to describe this unusual act, whose vocal prowess is as pure as it is unique. There is no denying the stunning vocal blends that are achieved by this duo.”

The Accidentals

The Accidentals – 6pm
THE ACCIDENTALS have affirmed their place among contemporary music’s most original and adventurous new bands. This Michigan-based band has crafted a genre all their own, fueled by their uniquely limitless approach to musicality and songcraft. “Musically, their songs sift together folk, bluegrass, alt-rock, and even classical music.” 10 Artists to Watch in 2017 – Yahoo Music.

The Hunts

The Hunts – 8pm
Known for their harmony-laced take on alt-folk, THE HUNTS are seven siblings from Chesapeake, Virginia, who’ve been playing music together almost their entire lives. That unified approach infuses their music with an irresistible richness of spirit. Their songs reveal their sophisticated sense of melody and undeniably dreamy innocence while capturing heartache and wonder with a wide-eyed but wistful elegance.

Indie Fest tickets are available at www.TheMendelCenter.com, through the box office at (269) 927-8700, option 1, and at the door. Indie Fest 18 is sponsored by swmichigan.org, 98.3 The Coast, and The Livery.

The Mendel Center is located on the Lake Michigan College campus at 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan, one mile east of I-94 (Exit 30) and one mile west of the US 31 Bypass (exit 24).

Kentwood holiday season to start with disc golf tournament, Ugly Sweater 5K 

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Community Health, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events,
Disc golf is big in West Michigan and is now on WKTV cable television. (U.S. Air Force photo)

By City of Kentwood

 

The City of Kentwood is hosting two events in November to say farewell to fall and kick off the holidays: Fall Fling at Old Farm Park, a disc golf tournament, on Saturday, Nov. 10, and an Ugly Sweater Cross County 5K run on Saturday, Nov. 17.

 

Community disc golfers of all levels are invited to join in the Fall Fling at Old Farm Park (2350 Embro Dr. SE), a doubles disc golf tournament and food drive. On-site registration begins at 9 a.m. The first round of the tournament starts at 10 a.m. The cost to pre-register online is $40, along with one canned food donation per team.

 

Proceeds raised will go towards the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Youth Scholarship Fund, which allows recipients to receive up to 50 percent off of one program per season. Food donations will go to Kentwood’s Little Free Pantry, where area residents are encouraged to take or donate food and household supplies for community members in need.

 

“We had a great turnout for the first disc golf tournament we held last February, called, Freeze Fest. Participants from that event expressed an interest in doing another, and we were happy to oblige,” said Val Romeo, Kentwood Parks and Recreation director. “In addition to being a fun way to soak up fall weather before winter comes, the Fall Fling is for a good cause.”

 

The Freeze Fest disc golf event held last February included over 120 participants. In addition to restocking Little Free Pantry with canned goods, the event raised nearly $2,300 for the Youth Scholarship Fund and an additional $235 for the pantry.

 

The Ugly Sweater 5K run will feature a route that showcases two Kentwood parks and a portion of the Paul Henry Thornapple Trail. Check-in, on-site registration and packet pick-up will all take place at 10:30 a.m. the morning of the race at East Paris Nature Park, located at 5995 East Paris Ave. SE. The race will begin at noon.

 

“We’re looking forward to seeing people flaunt their best ugly sweaters on the cross-country course” said Romeo. “The race route will allow runners to enjoy the beautiful fall scenery and weather. Most of the course will be on a paved path that weaves through two of our 14 parks.”

 

While the 5K is intended to be a fun run, volunteers will be timing participants. Results will be online after the event is complete. Water stations and medical aid services along the course.

 

Registration costs $25 until Oct. 31, after which the price will increase to $30. Proceeds from the race will also support the Youth Scholarship Fund. Individuals interested in racing can register online.

 

Behind Door K: Tanglefoot artists open studios for community to explore

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Our Cities, Upcoming Events, , , , , , , , , , ,
Tanglefoot artists celebrate 27 years

By Tanglefoot Artists

 

Join the artists of the Tanglefoot studios on the near West side as they celebrate the cultural legacy they’ve built throughout the years: a testament to the power of beauty, the necessity of art, and the importance of gathering community around you. This year marks the 27th annual open studio sale in the historic warehouse, making it the longest-running open studio event in the greater Grand Rapids area.

 

In a yellow brick warehouse on the near West Side, a former flytape factory has been taken over by some of the city’s most well-known working artists. Nearly 30 years ago, as spaces in the building began to be rented as studio space for artists, early artists like Elaine Dalcher, Michael Pfleghaar, and Nikki Wall decided to welcome the public into their working creative “homes” for an intimate, celebratory chance for friends and family to purchase artwork, right before the holiday gift-giving seasons began. That was just the start of what was to become one of the Grand Rapids art scene’s most important events of the year.

 

This fall, on Friday, Nov. 16 and Sunday, Nov. 18, artists will open their studios once again for the 27th Annual Tanglefoot Artists Open Studio event. Full of chances to meet accomplished local artists, sip a glass of cheer, and find just the right piece of art for yourself or a loved one, the yearly event is known for its hospitality and its variety of price points, allowing for all to support their local artists in meaningful ways.

 

The longest-running open studio event in the greater Grand Rapids area began in 1990, with artists Elaine Dalcher and Michael Pfleghaar opening their studios and inviting fellow artist Nikki Wall, who would soon be a resident artist at the Tanglefoot building herself, to join them. The event was so popular it became a yearly tradition.

 

Tanglefoot building (Credit: Tiffany Szakal)

“We Xeroxed the hand-drawn announcement, folded it in half and sent it out to our friends, families, colleagues and clients,” said Dalcher.

 

Nearly 300 people showed up that first year, and as word spread the event grew to welcome thousands upon thousands of art lovers over the years.

 

This year, the event promises to include some new surprises for regular attendees, as resident artists are welcoming in select guest artists to participate in the annual open studio event.

 

“It’s the truth: every year is special. Why? Because we consciously try to add new things to the show,” said Jason Villareal, long-time resident and participant in the fall event. This year, resident artists are inviting guest artists to join them in their space.

 

“We’ve had guest artists in the past but not this many. It’s a lot of new additional work to enjoy!” said Villareal

 

Visiting artists like Deborah Rockman, Holly Bechiri, and Sung Yi will help eight of the year-round residents fill room after spacious room within the rambling old warehouse with beauty.

 

Over the years, the annual celebration of artists and community has built a legacy for itself as a leading example of how to support local artists, creating an intimate and welcoming opportunity to build community. With artwork for sale, starting as little as $3, from some of the most well-established artists in the area, attendees may want to bring their pocketbook for a chance to support their local creatives while taking home quality work for themselves or for upcoming holiday gift needs.

 

Available for purchase will be paintings, prints, large-scale sculptures, greeting cards, and photo-based art. Just as important as the chance to purchase art, though, these artists recognize the importance of finding chances to reconnect with their community as the holidays approach.

 

“Winter’s settling in, and people are ready to be festive,” said Dalcher. “If people are interested in the community of artmaking and the process of artmaking in our community, then this is a place to come and see working studios, and get a chance to talk to the artists.”

 

”We also have a reputation for good snacks,” she said.

 

The event is open and free to the public Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Tanglefoot Artists Open Studio Event 2018
  • Show Dates and Times: Friday, Nov. 16, 5-9pm
    Sunday, Nov. 18, Noon-5pm
  • Location: 314 Straight Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Follow Tanglefoot
2018 Participating Resident Artists include:
2018 Guest Artists include:

**Watch for additional guest artists to be announced**

 

 

 

Next Kentwood’s Drug Take Back Day set for Saturday, Oct. 27

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Community Health, Crime Prevention, Health, Senior Living, Upcoming Events,
Kentwood will hold its drug take back day later this month. (WKTV)

 

By Kentwood Police Department

 

On Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Kentwood Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 16th opportunity in 8 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

 

Bring your pills for disposal to the Kentwood Police Department at 4742 Walma Ave SE Kentwood, MI 49512. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

 

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

 

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else’s medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet.

 

In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines — flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash — both pose potential safety and health hazards.

 

According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

 

The last Drug Take Back Day brought in nearly 1 million pounds of unused or expired prescription medication. According to the DEA, this is the largest amount collected since the national program began in 2010.

 

The total amount of prescription drugs collected by DEA since the program’s inception is 4,982 tons.

 

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Oct. 27 Take Back Day event, please contact Vicki Highland at highlandv@kentwood.us or 616-656-6571.

 

More information about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is available at takebackday.dea.gov.

 

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood weekend news you want to know

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Food, Going Local, Holidays, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, ,

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Quote of the Day

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."
  
                                                 ~ Stanley Horowitz

Pumpkin Path in Wyoming

The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the 15th annual Pumpkin Path, a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies. Not only should children expect to receive treats, they should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, jumping in the bounce house and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes. Read more here.

 

Woodland Mall’s Fall Fest

Woodland Mall will feature 12 local artisans and other vendors at its first-ever Fall Festival, slated for Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shoppers will have the opportunity to explore handcrafted goods, face painting and kids’ craft activities inside the mall, and enjoy live music by Lana Chalfoun, a 13-year-old singer-songwriter from Grand Rapids. Also featured at the festival will be a free petting zoo on the outdoor plaza, which is located between Celebration! Cinema and Barnes & Noble. Read more here.

 

And on a more serious theme

What is bravery? How can one person make a difference? These are a few of the questions this Newbery Medal award-winning novel, “Number the Stars,” asks its readers and now its audience.  For the first time on Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s stage, this powerful story of a young Christian girl’s willingness to risk her life to save her Jewish friend is told. Set in Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II, the story reflects our world’s dark history in an effort to remind us all, good and light continues to be found. Grand Rapids Civic Theatre presents “Number the Stars” Oct. 12 – 21 at its theater, 30 N. Division Ave.  Read about it here.

 

Fun Fact:

In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding “gros melons.” The name was translated into English as “pompions,” which has since evolved into the modern “pumpkin.”
And some still think they are 'gross' to eat. Source.

Harry Connick Jr. to play DeVos Performance Hall Nov. 26

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, ,

By Hilarie Szarowicz

 

Join Harry and his amazing band as they celebrate New Orleans’ three hundredth birthday and the influences that shaped his career. Enjoy the evening as Harry toasts this beloved city and also performs a selection of holiday favorites, when the “A New Orleans Tricentennial Celebration… Holiday Edition” tour comes to SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018, at 7:30pm.

 

Harry Connick Jr. has exemplified excellence in every aspect of the entertainment world. He has received recognition with multiple Grammy and Emmy Awards as well as Tony nominations for his live and recorded musical performances, his achievements on screens large and small and his appearances on Broadway as both an actor and a composer. The foundation of Connick’s art is the music of his native New Orleans, where he began performing as a pianist and vocalist at the age of five.

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all prices and availability. A purchase limit of 8 tickets will apply to every order.

 

For more information, please visit HarryConnickJr.com.

Tickets for Bob Seger’s Jan. 5th show go on sale TODAY, Oct. 5th

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events,
Bob Seger (file photo)

By Hilarie Szarowicz

 

Thanks to the tremendous response from fans, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s show at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, has SOLD OUT. As a result, a second show has been added for Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at 8pm.

 

Tickets for the Jan. 5 date will go on sale Friday, Oct. 5 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

 

Bob Seger fan club members will have special access to purchase tickets in advance of the scheduled on-sale dates. To become a Bullet Club member, visit BobSeger.com/bulletclub. For additional information on Bob Seger, please visit BobSeger.com. Stream your Bob Seger favorites, here.

 

 

Lecture series will focus on ‘Shifting Sands in the Arabian Peninsula’

3-bottom, Education, Politics, Travel, Upcoming Events, ,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Perhaps there is no region of the world about which Americans “know so much, yet so little” than the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, that according to the World Affairs Council of West Michigan.

 

In response, the Council’s Fall Lecture Series will feature four presentations about four distinctly different Middle Eastern nations in a series titled “Shifting Sands in the Arabian Peninsula”, beginning Thursday, Oct. 18, with a free-to-the-public opening program. The series will take place at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids.

 

In the series, the public can learn why Oman is on many “safest countries to visit” lists, how Qatar is coping with the blockade instituted by its neighbors, what the loosening of long-standing cultural laws means for Saudi Arabia, and if there is any hope for an end to the war in Yemen.

 

 

“What happens in this part of the world impacts us,” a World Affairs Council release states. “Let’s be informed global citizens.”

 

The Oct. 18 lecture will focus on Oman and will be presented by Dr. Fahad Bishara, University of Virginia.

 

Fahad Bishara (UVA photo by Dan Addison)

According to his supplied biography, Fahad Bishara specializes in the economic and legal history of the Indian Ocean and Islamic world. His  book, “A Sea of Debt: Law and Economic Life in the Western Indian Ocean, 1780-1950”, is a legal history of economic life in the Western Indian Ocean, told through the story of the Arab and Indian settlement and commercialization of East Africa during the 19th Century.

 

He is currently working on a history of the Arab dhow trade between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a project which takes on issues of global capitalism, international law, empire, mobility, and scale in historical writing.

 

The remaining lectures will be Wednesday, Oct. 24, focused on Qatar, with Ambassador Chase Untermeyer (ret.), U.S. ambassador to Qatar; Tuesday, Nov.13, focused on Saudi Arabia, with Dr. Abdullah Alrebh, Grand Valley State University; and Tuesday, Nov. 20, focused on Yemen, with Dr. Gamal Gasim, Grand Valley State University.

 

The cost to the public to attend the series is $10 per evening or $25 for a series pass. However, the Oct. 18 lecture is free and open to the public thanks to support from the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center and the World Affairs Councils of America.

 

All programs are 7-8:15 p.m. and a special reception will kick off the series on Oct. 18 starting at 6:15 p.m. The Seidman College of Business’ Multi-purpose Room is  located at 50 Front Ave. SW. Free parking in Fulton Street Lot. No RSVPs necessary.

 

For more information visit worldmichigan.org .

 

‘The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture’ at DeVos Place Nov. 12

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, , , ,
Photo supplied

By Hilarie Carpenter

 

SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall, DeVos Place®, and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Community Inclusion Group (CIG) has announced “The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture,” and its first event the Dance Theatre of Harlem, which brings their 50th Anniversary Tour to DeVos Performance Hall on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018 at 8pm. Additional events in The Series will be announced in the near future.

 

“We are pleased to announce the launch of The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture,” said CIG Chairman Darius Quinn. “The Series is a program of the CAA and CIG that is designed to provide consistent, high-quality programming for members of the West Michigan region who have an interest in the various forms of arts and entertainment inspired by African-American culture. We are committed to ensuring that the series is entertaining, empowering, educational and inspiring.”

 

“We strive to guide the venues in bringing diverse and inclusive entertainment to West Michigan,” added Joe Jones, CIG Member and President/CEO of the Urban League of West Michigan. “The Series follows in line with this vision, and we are excited to bring a set of excellent events to Grand Rapids that both celebrate and reflect the rich and vibrant African-American culture.”

 

Photo supplied

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institute of unparalleled global acclaim whose mission is to maintain a world-class school that trains young people in classical ballet and the allied arts. They provide arts education, community outreach programs and serve as positive role models for all. The Dance Theatre of Harlem presents a ballet company of African-American and other racially diverse artists who perform the most demanding repertory at the highest level of quality. Now a singular presence in the ballet world, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company tours nationally and internationally, presenting a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century.

 

The 16-member, multi-ethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and resident choreographer Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate African-American culture. Through performances, community engagement and arts education, the Company carries forward Dance Theatre of Harlem’s message of empowerment through the arts for all.

 

Tickets for Dance Theatre of Harlem are on sale now. Tickets are available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.

A Drag Queen Christmas ‘The Naughty Tour’ to play GR on Nov. 24

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By Murray Hodgson, SMG

 

The holidays were never this naughty! Hosted by Miz Cracker, tickets are now on sale for this must-see annual holiday spectacular with your favorite contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1), set for Saturday, Nov. 24 at 8pm at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall. Drag Queen Christmas: The Naughty Tour will feature Drag Race contestants Latrice Royale, Naomi Smalls, Thorgy Thor, Raja Gemini, Miss Vanjie & Farrah Moan and hosted by the one and only Miz Cracker.

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for pricing and availability. Super Fan packages are also available in the first few rows with a first-in-line meet and greet pass, official tour poster and laminate with lanyard. This is an all-ages show.

 

Michigan State Police next citizen’s academy has spots available

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Upcoming Events

By WKTV Staff

 

The Michigan State Police (MSP) Rockford Post recently announce the 3rd Annual Citizens’ Academy, which will start Oct. 22 and end Dec.17. There are a limited number of positions available at this time.

 

The 8-week academy will give citizens the opportunity to become familiar with the mission and operation of the MSP, understand the procedures troopers follow, increase their awareness of law enforcement’s role in the community, and get to know personnel at the Rockford Post.

 

This academy will be focused on the Michigan State Police patrol efforts in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties; and is open to the adult residents of the post area.

 

The eight week academy will meet at the Michigan State Police Rockford Post., 345 Northland Dr. NE, Rockford, MI, 49341, on Monday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  A graduation ceremony will be held on Dec.17, following the final night of instruction. Individuals who are interested in attending the 2018 Citizens’ Academy, Session III, should contact Trooper Martin Miller of the Rockford Post at (616) 312-5137 or via email at millerm36@michigan.gov to receive an application.  Applications should be submitted as soon as possible, and the class will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

 

TreeRunner Grand Rapids releases October event schedule

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Upcoming Events
Courtesy TreeRunner Grand Rapids

By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

TreeRunner Grand Rapids released their fall events schedule filled with special themed glow nights, promotions for students, and pumpkin hunting. If you are looking for something unique and different to experience this fall, look no further.

 

“We host many fun and themed events throughout the season, including our ever-popular Glow Nights every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night where we play upbeat music and climb under the LED lights in the park,” says Amanda McClellan, Business Manager. “This year, we have added various themed glow nights where climbers can dress up, participate in contests and earn prizes, and enjoy themed decorations throughout the park.”

 

The fall events extravaganza begins on Oct. 5th with Superhero Glow Night, followed by Alien Invasion Glow Night on Oct. 12th, Pirate Glow Night on Oct. 19th, and Zombie Apocalypse Glow Night on Oct. 26th. TreeRunner also has The Great Pumpkin Hunt going on every Sunday in October where climbers can search for a pumpkin in the park for a $5 add-on.

 

Alongside these exciting Fall events, TreeRunner also rolled out a couple new promotions; Thrifty Thursdays and Student Sundays. Thrift Thursdays will occur every Thursday and climbers can purchase all three-hour climb tickets for $30 and all last-call tickets for $20. Student Sundays will occur every Sunday throughout the rest of the season where students can purchase a climbing ticket all day for $25.

 

Courtesy TreeRunner Grand Rapids

TreeRunner Grand Rapids is built on two acres of rolling terrain and features seven zip lines, a Junior Park, seven main-level aerial trails, three levels of climbing difficulty, and 55 challenge elements to navigate through. TreeRunner Adventure Parks do not feature just one single aerial treetop trail but a variety of color-coded aerial trails. Each trail has a unique challenge level, beginner through expert, that climbers choose from depending on their age or climbing experience. These trails consist of platforms installed in the trees which are connected by various configurations of cable, wood, and rope to form crossings of different kinds including the ever-popular zip lines. Climbers wear harnesses which are secured to safety cables using the park’s “always locked on” system of interlocking safety clips. Before venturing onto the trails climbers receive an interactive orientation and practice session.

 

TreeRunner Grand Rapids Adventure Park is located on the Knapp’s Corner Mall Campus at 2121 Celebration Drive Northeast. The park’s season will end late November.  Reservations are now available for climbing and group appointments.

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Upcoming Events, , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

 

Quote of the Day

“It’s relatively easy to act nice and normal in front of a crowd, or in public. The tricky part is doing it in private.”
  
                                                  ~Robert Black

Where are they coming from?
Where are they going?

We really want to know.

 

After serving more than a quarter-million passengers in the month of July, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) topped that with an August that served close to 300,000 passengers.

 

August marks the eighth record-breaking month in a row for 2018, and the airport has seen growth in 61 of the last 68 months. August 2018 was the busiest August ever, with passenger numbers up 17.8-percent year-over-year.

 

Through August 2018, GFIA has already surpassed its annual total reached in 2012, with 2,176,525 passengers served in 2018. Read more here.

 

It’s about time:
Kent County appoints
first female sheriff

Kent County administration announced Thursday that Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young has been appointed Sheriff to fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Larry Stelma, who retires on Nov. 1 of this year.

 

Two individuals applied for the position — Undersheriff LaJoye-Young and Lt. Marc Burns. Kent County Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski chaired the statutorily mandated selection appointment committee and served along with Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus-Lyons. The committee’s decision was unanimous. Read more here.

.

Secrets revealed

Manufacturers throughout West Michigan are holding  community open houses and student tours that  showcase their facilities and career options. The tours are part of Manufacturing Week 2018, which runs through Oct. 5, 2018. More than 100 manufacturers are hosting more than 1,000 students during this year’s event.

 

According to Talent 2025’s 2017 West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook, manufacturing is the largest industry in West Michigan, accounting for more than 20 percent of all jobs in the region. Manufacturing has added more than 38,000 jobs since 2009, a growth rate of 33.3 percent. Read about it here.

 

 

Fun Fact:

51% of people think stormy weather affects cloud computing.

You mean... it doesn't? Source.