Category Archives: Local Faces

Veterans History Project at GVSU helps veterans process and share military experiences

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James Smither (left) interviews World War II Navy veterans David “Goldie” Goldsboro and Sid Lenger (Courtesy, WKTV)

By Deborah Reed

deborah@wktv.org

Capturing information and details not officially recorded anywhere else is a job James Smither, Professor of History and Director of the GVSU Veterans History Project (VHP), has undertaken for 15 years.

With well over 1,000 military veteran interviews under his belt, Smither continues to seek out anyone who was in military service from World War II onward who are willing to share their experiences, whether they have seen combat or not.

“If you have been in the U.S. military, we want to talk to you,” said Smither.

All ages of veterans welcome

WWII Navy veteran Don Morell spoke with Smither in 2018 (Courtesy, WKTV)

Smither said he has noticed a trend of veterans wanting to make sense of their military experiences approximately 40 years after the conflict.

“WWII veterans really began talking a lot about it in the 80s, Vietnam vets mostly in the past 20 years,” said Smither. “But a lot of the (veterans) who have been through Iraq or Afghanistan, for a lot of them it is probably still too soon.”

Many recent veterans also don’t consider their experiences as part of history, or consider what they did as important.

“They don’t think of what they did as being part of history, but when I get them, it’s great because they remember a lot of stuff,” said Smither. “And those who say they ‘didn’t really do anything,’ after a few questions, it quickly becomes apparent that a story is there.”

More than just fact-finding

But Smither views the VHP as more than just a fact-finding mission.

“We see our job as giving veterans a way of telling their story, and telling it in the way they want to tell it,” said Smither. “The whole story, or as much as they want to tell.”

Air Force veteran Mike Sutton shared his military experiences with Smither in 2019 (Courtesy, WKTV)

Smither said that veterans are not required to talk about things they don’t want to talk about. They have full control over their own content.

“We do our best to make it as easy for them as possible, and to treat everybody and their stories with respect,” said Smither. “For a lot of them, they are working through their experience. Sometimes I am the first person they have told the whole story to.”

Interviews range from veterans who have previously held back from talking about their experiences, and some who have told bits and pieces but never tried to put their entire story together.

Smither said that veterans appreciate talking to someone who understands military language and with reasonable knowledge of wartime events because the veterans often remember things but don’t know why those things happened (the context of the situation) or how they wound up that particular situation.

Gaining background information from Smither, or having him bring a different perspective, has often helped veterans find clarity.

“People who haven’t talked about it, I can help them tell their story,” said Smither. “And even people who do talk about it sometimes, I can help them put it together and make sense.”

Smither has encountered veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who have said the interview process was helpful and that they found peace and healing by telling their stories.

“You help them get control over their stories, and [for] some of them, it helps them process the trauma,” said Smither.

A view rarely seen

Capturing veterans’ experiences yields multiple benefits.

“On a basic level, it’s a teaching tool,” said Smither. “You can imagine what warfare is like, but unless you are in it yourself, you tend to have a more abstract or sanitized view of the reality of how bad it is. It doesn’t ever really sink in.”

Hauenstein Center GVSU Ford Museum Veterans Day 2021 (Courtesy Photo)

With the VHP interviews, viewers get a very different picture of a soldier’s experience than would be portrayed in journalistic reports and official records.

“There’s this whole layer of human experience that you get in these interviews that doesn’t have a place otherwise,” said Smither.

Another value to the VHP’s interviews is preservation of historical information.

“There is a huge amount of historical information out there that gets lost if you don’t [record it] that can help people get a better understanding of reality,” said Smither.

Fully invested in a career path he never saw coming

“I originally trained as a conventional European historian,” said Smither. “I was the Renaissance Reformation guy at Grand Valley when I got there in 1990. But I always had an interest in military history and developed a course in military history.”

In 2003, Smither was contacted by an oral historian working with a local group to establish a military museum. The intent was to record interviews with local veterans and post them online in conjunction with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

Grand Valley State University Professor James Smither, head of the GVSU Veterans History Project, has dedicated 15 years of his life to telling veterans’ stories (Courtesy, GVSU Veterans History Project)

The hope was to “catch up” with World War II veterans before they were all gone.

“I met [the oral historian] in the summer of 2003, and a couple of months later he had me onstage with four DDay veterans, helping them tell their stories in front of a live audience,” said Smither.

One of those veterans was Ralph Hauenstein, part of Eisenhower’s intelligence staff.

When the museum group folded in 2005, Smither – as chairman of the GVSU History Department – was tasked with continuing the interviews and archiving all completed interviews. Smither knew a lot of background facts about the veterans’ stories and realized he could apply that knowledge.

Things really began moving in 2007 when Smither was contacted by the Kentwood Historic Preservation Commission. They offered to help recruit veterans for interviews and recommended WKTV Community Television to help with the recording process.

Since 2008, Smither has completed over 100 veteran interviews at WKTV.

“I have been all over the place for interviews, but WKTV has been a regular home for the project and does good quality studio shoots,” said Smither.

WKTV General Manager Tom Norton said, “WKTV Community Media is pleased to have played a role with Dr. Smithers, GVSU, and the Library of Congress for all these years, and to be the resource for recording the oral history of our veterans.”

A life-changing experience

Being part of the Veterans History Project has had a profound effect on Smither.

“On a basic level, doing this transformed my own career,” said Smither. “When I was doing 16th French history, there was always something missing. I was never quite sure what it was. I didn’t have a really good feel for the significance of what I was doing.

Veterans’ stories have a lasting impact (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)

“Then,” Smither continued, “when I started working with veterans, I realized that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Smither has also noticed he now has a form of PTSD.

“You absorb a lot of the trauma and psychological damage that these people suffer because you are listening to the telling of these harrowing stories,” said Smither. “You are living it while they are telling it to you.”

Smither admitted that some things he once found appealing, such as action/adventure movies and game simulation warfare, are no longer of interest to him.

“It does take its toll in a certain sort of way, and changes your perspective on certain things,” said Smither.

But Smither has no plans to back away from helping veterans tell their stories.

“If we don’t record these things and make them available, then all of that knowledge and all of that information is lost,” Smither said. “What (veterans) did, did matter.”

If you are a veteran and would be willing to share your experiences, please contact James Smither at: smitherj@gvsu.edu or 616-331-3422.

Local poet Becci Schumaker overcomes adversity, finds solace and healing in the written word

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Throughout her life, Becci Schumaker found solace in poetry (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

By Deborah Reed

deborah@wktv.org

Grand Rapids resident and poet Becci Schumaker has always been drawn to words and the power within them – so she made words her refuge during difficult times.

Though she classifies herself as an introvert and a loner, Schumaker’s soft voice and kind countenance are the hallmark of a woman who navigated hardships and reached her dreams despite opposition.

Writing poetry was one of those dreams.

Falling in love with words

Becci Schumaker looks through her collection of poems (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“I love working with words,” said Schumaker. “I think words are fascinating. Words can be serene but they can be powerful, they can be enigmatic. It just opens up a whole new world.”

Writing poetry has been part of Schumaker’s world since she was 12 years old.

Coming from an emotionally and physically abusive family background, Schumaker immersed herself in reading and writing to escape the real world.

“It was a means of escape for me,” Schumaker said as she gently touched a binder containing several pages of her written works. “That was my safe place.”

Overcoming struggles and hardship

Words did not come easily for Schumaker at first.

In first grade, a teacher noticed Schumaker struggled with reading and provided extra instruction. By third grade Schumaker was reading college-level works.

“I haven’t stopped reading since,” said Schumaker with a smile.

Young Schumacher was immediately drawn to the genre of poetry, the words and prose a direct contrast to her hostile home environment.


Becci Schumaker’s poems have been published in several compilation poetry books (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Schumaker said she is grateful for the stable presence of an aunt and uncle with whom she spent summers while growing up.

“If it wasn’t for me having that Christian background through them, and getting my morals and values of what a good person is supposed to be, I don’t know if I would have even done this,” said Schumaker, touching the stack of poetry books in front of her.

Schumaker later took an evening American Literature class, writing a short story that her teacher urged her to publish.

However, Schumaker had to put her writing on hold as she focused on raising her four children, working two jobs for several years to support her family.

Reigniting the flame

Meeting her husband Don reignited Schumaker’s creative spirit, and she once again picked up her pen and put it to paper.

“I’ve actually woken my husband up in the middle of the night, jumping out of bed to grab pencil and paper and start writing,” said Schumaker with a grin.

“I will get a thought and will have to write,” Schumaker continued. “Nine times out of ten, the result is a poem.”

When she noticed an ad about submitting original poems to a poetry contest, Schumaker thought she would give it a try. “I Love You Lord” became Schumaker’s first published work of poetry, printed in 1997 under the name Becci Campbell. The poem was included in a Poetry Guild compilation titled By the Light of the Moon.

Everything around Schumaker inspires her writing.

At church, the pastor’s words sparked Schumaker’s imagination and she completed a poem within minutes titled “The Trinity,” now published in Forever Spoken.

Challenged by her husband to write a poem about something as ordinary as a card game, Schumaker immediately put pen to paper. The subsequent poem, “Cards,” can be found in the poetry book Memories of Tomorrow.

With several published works under her belt – the most recent being Schumaker’s poem titled “Carpet of White” in 2022 – the local poet continues to write.

Submission of her poem “The Lonely Man” is next for Schumaker’s publication goals. The poem stems from personal experience of her husband’s struggle with rehab and the beginnings of dementia.

A legacy of words

Becci Schumaker reads one of her poems aloud (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

When asked how many poems she has written over her lifetime, Schumaker responded, “Oh gosh, probably hundreds and hundreds.”

When asked if she ever threw one of her written works away, Schumaker quickly replied, “I keep them all. Even if I don’t think it’s good, I’ll fold it up and tuck it away somewhere. Maybe someday I’ll go back to it, and reread it, and write it a different way.”

Though she loves poems, Schumaker said her main reading genre is science fiction, and her favorite movies are “ones that put you on the edge of your seat.”

Schumaker freely acknowledges the incongruity between the lighter, lyrical prose of her written works and the darker genres of her favorite movies.

“Even though I like those kinds of movies, [poetry] is my stress relief, my go-to outlet that brings me into the light,” said Schumaker, looking at the binder of poetry. “This is my sanity.”

A powerful responsibility

The power that words contain is always at the forefront of Schumaker’s mind, especially words wielded with harmful intent.

“People don’t realize words really do hurt,” said Schumaker, admitting that, at 71 years old, she still struggles with hurtful things spoken to her as a child. “The scars are there forever.”

“I have had to survive on my own since I was sixteen,” Schumaker continued. “You learn about life. That’s what a lot of this writing is.”

The poet regularly encourages people to carry a notebook and write down any idea that comes to them.

“You never know what’s going to come of it,” said Schumaker, gesturing toward her own poems laid out before her.

Staying active and looking ahead

Along with writing, Schumaker stays active by participating in mission trips with her church and volunteering for WKTV Community Media.

“I’ve got to be doing something, and this gave me an outlet,” said Schumaker about WKTV, adding that she fell in love with the camera work at the station.

When asked what is next for the active poet, Schumaker shrugged. “From here, we’ll see what life brings,” she said with a smile.

A passion to teach brings two new faces to Wyoming High

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Meet Art Teacher Cassandra Lawson

Regan Mead
WKTV Contributor

Cassandra Lawson (Courtesy, Wyoming Wolf Pack Press)

Cassandra Lawson loves art, but she loves teaching even more. For her, enjoying the job is the most important thing.

“If you want to be an art teacher you have to love teaching even more than you love art because it’s even more important,” Lawson said. “I think there are a lot of people that go into education who do it cause they love the art, they love science or social studies.

“Still, they don’t love teaching as much and you have to love teaching, which I do you have to be a people person. You have to talk to people all day and you’re using your brain all day long.”

Lawson went to Macomb Community College for a year and then finished off her schooling at Grand Valley State University. She majored in art education and minored in ceramics. She student taught at Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Coit Creative Arts Academy and teacher assisted here at Wyoming High School.


Lawson wanted to be a teacher originally but she added art to the title as well. She talked about the WHS’s welcoming student body.

“I love it,” she said. “I really like the student body I feel like everyone here has a sense of community and family. Everyone is really friendly. I’ve worked in other schools where everyone is pretty self-sufficient but I feel like here everyone leans on each other in a good way.”

Regan Mead is a junior at Wyoming High School. Regan is a journalism student and member of the cheer team.

Meet English Teacher Elizabeth Schoof

By Matthew Czurak
WKTV Contributor

Elizabeth Schoof (Courtesy, Wyoming Wolf Pack Press/Elizabeth Schoof)

To get to know her students, English teacher Elizabeth Schoof spent the first week of school playing fun games and activities such as the Soup-Salad-Sandwich game, where students not only learned a little about each other but also about Schoof such as her favorite book is the “Twilight”series.

“It was a good week it’s good and it was nice to get to meet and know and learn about each other,” Schoof said..

A graduate of Aquinas College, Schoof strides to be nice to all of her students and is always helpful if they are stuck or confused.

Everyone has role models and Schoof’s was her English teacher. Schoof herself not only was a student teacher, but she was also at one point a student who wanted to be a teacher. I asked her her opinion on the best first steps to becoming one.

“Pay attention to what teachers now are dealing with in the classroom cause you will deal with it too,” she said as advice to those wishing to pursue teaching as a career. “And when you are in the classroom pay attention in college.”

Before entering the field, most teachers start as student teachers, studying under other teachers. From the experience, they understand how students will think and act. I asked Ms. Schoof what her experience was like as a student teacher and if she thinks “it’s better being your own teacher.”

“It has been fun. it’s nice to be able to teach my own way without someone else controlling the classroom I like the freedom” was her reply to the question she also was a student teacher under her English teachers.

I asked Ms.Schoof what she would like people to know about her this was her response.”I like to have fun I like to talk I like to have conversations about what is going on in the world, cultures, movies all sorts of stuff”

Matt Czurak is a freshman journalism student at Wyoming High School. Matt enjoys French class.

Running in Silence; an All-American runner’s battle with an eating disorder

Citizen Journalism, Health, Local Faces, ,
(Courtesy, Rachael Steil)

By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor
greer@wktv.org


Way back in kindergarten, accomplished distance runner Rachael Steil’s life path became extremely clear.

The future cross country and track star said it all began with a quarter mile field day race at age five. She remembers her mom cheering her on as she ran down the home stretch to a second-place finish.

“My mom was a runner at the time, so I grew up watching her compete in large road races,” Steil said. “Her enthusiasm for running, plus my excitement for taking second in my class, made me eager to improve and continue running.

“With my mom’s gentle guidance, I asked for a training plan. By first grade, I ran every other day, one to three miles at a time. I learned pacing, the joy of running, and how to race. I thrived off my mom’s excitement and joy for me.”

Making mom proud

Steil said she loved making her mother proud, and fell in love with the way running made her feel — “free and special.”

“I felt special because I could do this tough thing that took discipline and hard work,” she continued. “I loved that the sport represented these admirable qualities.”



Much later, at Grandville High School, Steil earned All-State recognition in cross country her junior and senior years, taking 29th and 26th, respectively. She also was a two-time cross country captain, cross country MVP, and was All-State in the 1600-meters in track her senior year.

“I was proud of my accomplishments, but disappointed that I put in so much work, heart and time into running, and never ended up placing in the top five in the state, which I’d imagined doing as a kid.”

All-American at Aquinas College

She would later become an All-American cross country runner at Aquinas College. As a freshman, she was sixth place All-American in cross country and seventh place All-American in track, and broke the school record for the 5k in cross country and track.



Rachael Steil was an All-American runner at Aquinas College. (Courtesy, Rachael Steil)


“I was very excited and proud of these accomplishments, but deep down, I felt I only achieved these results by losing weight and cutting out certain foods,” Steil explained. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was struggling with an eating disorder. The eating disorder was difficult to recognize because no one talked about this issue in athletics, and I was performing well in my sport.”


Steil said Aquinas College was exactly where she needed to be, especially while suffering with an eating disorder.


“My eating disorder continued to worsen going into my sophomore year of college when I started a raw food diet. I was bingeing and restricting, constantly injured, and felt that I would never achieve my goals in running if I gained weight. 






“The eating disorder and recovery made for some very low points, but I had incredible family and team support, professional help from an eating disorder therapist and dietitian, and other parts of my college academic experience where I could thrive outside of running.”

Realization happened slowly

Steil said realizing she had an eating disorder happened gradually, in multiple moments over the years, often followed by denial.

“I tried to hide my behaviors for about three years,” Steil said. “Going into my sophomore year, I wondered if I’d had an eating disorder when I saw someone else struggling and realized we had very similar behaviors. Then when I began bingeing and hearing from others online about their restricting and bingeing experiences, I started to come to terms with it.

“I fully recognized that I’d had an eating disorder after a few appointments with an eating disorder therapist and dietitian, but I didn’t think it was ‘bad enough’ because I was no longer restricting, but bingeing. I was also at a weight many would deem ‘healthy,’ so I thought that I was recovered and just didn’t have ‘discipline’ or ‘willpower’ anymore. I probably had my eating disorder for about five years total.”

Recovery began with a therapist and dietitian

Steil said her recovery began when she started seeing her therapist and sports dietitian, but it wasn’t easy, and definitely didn’t happen overnight. 

“I thought I’d just spend a few months working with them and then be on my way, again, because I didn’t think that my eating disorder was ‘bad enough.’ It ended up taking years of therapy and working with the dietitian to understand that my body was never ‘broken,’ and that my identity with running was all-consuming to the point that I was hurting myself.

“I solely depended on running fast for my value, worth and happiness. Recovery was an up and down struggle, with bingeing and restricting, crying, and coming to terms with who I was, where my body was at physically, and what my relationship with running would look like going forward.

“I’m fully recovered today, but forever changed by the experience.”

Running in Silence

Steil founded and now manages the Running in Silence 501c3 (www.runninginsilence.org), where she helps coaches and athletes recognize eating disorder signs, and teaches how to assist someone with getting professional help, and about recovery so they can achieve their potential in both health and athletic performance.

“This is mostly done through engaging, inspirational talks at coaching clinics, conferences, schools and universities,” said Steil, who wrote the book, Running in Silence: My Drive for Perfection and the Eating Disorder That Fed It (available on Amazon and runninginsilence.org).

“Having struggled with an eating disorder as an athlete, and as someone who now coaches (cross country and track at Grandville High School) and is very aware of how prevalent and devastating eating disorders can be, I want to make sure fewer athletes struggle with this alone and that they get the professional help they deserve. 

“I want coaches to understand the important role they have in helping to prevent eating disorders or better support someone who is struggling.”

Grand Tap Media on WKTV

Steil was recently featured on a show called Grand Tap Media Business TV, hosted by Pamela Keim, who has produced shows on WKTV since 2017.

A local artist uses her creativity to give back

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By Maddy Visscher
ArtRat Gallery

Journeè Evans’ passion for Grand Rapids art, poetry and community gained new perspective in January 2022, when she relocated downtown from the city’s southeast side.

“I wanted to know my surroundings more, to expand,” she told ArtRat. “That’s why I love living in Grand Rapids: You’re always going to run into a different crowd and new culture that you can explore and bring in knowledge and connections. We have something special, something a lot of people are searching for.” 

Bringing communities and cultures together is central to Journeè’s work. In our neighborhood alone, Mama Sol’Ja has performed at 106 Gallery’s Thing to Do Thursdays, at GRNoir’s Vino & Verses reading series, and at The Hai-Cuu Experience and Saturday Musicians’ Co-op here at ArtRat. On Nov. 4, she co-hosted Pass the Mic GR at the Wealthy Theatre at the invitation of co-founder Shayna “Akanke” Marie.

At ArtRat, she has sourced West Michigan artists and artisans for ArtRat’s Holiday ArtMart, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 3 and noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 4. Also during ArtRat’s Third Thursday event Dec. 15, she will host a poetry paint-and-pour as part of her new Sol’s Sessions performance series.

“I met some of the most loving, caring and amazing people” at Pass the Mic, Journeè said. “It was one of those opportunities that you don’t get unless you know that this is something you’re supposed to bring to the world. There’s so many amazing things that come through Grand Rapids, and a lot of people don’t get to see them.”

Journeè has also become an ambassador for C4 (the Community Collaboration on Climate Change),a grassroots organization that is working to make Grand Rapids a model city for climate-change mitigation, adaptation and climate justice for its residents.

In her role with C4, Journeè will work closely with the residents of Grand Rapids to learn the specifics of what our community needs to move forward. (You can download more information on C4 here and here.)

Sol’s Sessions

Her experience at Grand Rapids’ art venues inspired Journeè’s latest project: Sol’s Sessions, a collaborative forum for the city’s emerging artists, poets, singers and dancers that she plans to host throughout the city. “The idea was actually born out of the idea for a dance group,” she said, “but I fell back in love with writing poetry. So it became a space for everything: You can come and speak, listen, cry, dance, even paint or sketch!

“Creativity doesn’t take from anything, or anyone — it simply gives. When you gain creativity, you gain freedom and independence. It gives you the courage to live on without fear.”

Mama Sol’Ja will host a “Sunflower World” edition of Sol’s Sessions on Nov. 18 at the Wealthy Theatre Community Media Center. The event begins at 6pm with performances by six West Michigan poets, leading into an open mic. “I want anybody who has a talent to come and show it so they can get their flowers and that love,” she said. “That’s what the Sunflower World is about.” To keep the flame lit as we head into dark winter months, you’re invited to dress in yellow and join the celebration.

Bringing it all to ArtRat

In December, Journeè will apply her community-building talents to ArtRat, introducing new vendors to the gallery at the Holiday ArtMart, then hosting a Sol’s Session that features poetry alongside participatory painting. “I get to bring in this great community of people who became entrepreneurs in their own right,” she said. “They went out and they actually did something! It’s so amazing to me to see that grit.

“COVID really just stopped a lot of things. Now that people are up and running, I want to really encourage us to gain as much as we can gain because we all went through so much. I was thrilled to be able to give people that opportunity, whether it’s local artists, or younger people who want to pursue creative endeavors.

“I’m thrilled that I get to be able to bring people a new, positive way,” Journeè said, “just to show themselves and be able to express whatever thoughts they have on their mind. We’re definitely going to change it over here. It’s important to give voice to change — and that’s what we’re doing here.”

This article provided by ArtRat, located at 46 Division Ave. S. For more about ArtRat, visit the gallery’s website at www.artrat.us. To join ArtRat Gallery’s mailing list of events and exhibits, email matthew@artrat.us.

New 49507 Project piece reflects hope for its community

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, , ,

By Renee Karadsheh
WKTV Contributor

Alynn Guerra’s mural for the 49507 Project adorns the side of Cisneros Tire Service located along Division Avenue. (WKTV)

On a pleasant day in September, the smell of warm tortillas and the music playing at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Division Avenue probably left some drivers and pedestrians wondering what is being celebrated at the parking lot of Cisneros Tire Service. Then again, one look at the shop’s wall along Division Avenue and it did not taking much to figure out the reason for the celebration.

Sept. 3 was the unveiling of one of the newest pieces in The 49507 Project, which is a public art project coordinated by the non-profit The Diatribe. The 49507 Project is designed to bring together Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ artists to paint murals and emulate how underserved residents in the 49507 area are.

Redlining, the practice of denying a person a loan because the area they live in is deemed poor, is one of the issues reflected in Alynn Guerra’s piece, “Flight,” which is featured at Cisneros Tire Service, 800 Division Ave. S.

According to Guerra, the mural has a literal and metaphoric meaning. The red on the far left represents redlining, a practiced started in 1933 when the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation began redlining in major American cities. On the far right is a shade of green to represent green lining, an advocacy that seeks to advance and empower communities with people of color. In the center of the background is a sunny yellow tone with a grinning skeleton swinging forward on a swing as white birds fly the opposite direction over the red paint in the background. The birds represent white supremacy reversed as Guerra describes it. The skeleton is  a traditional Mexican symbol of rebirth.

“We don’t need to  glorify our struggles,” said as she presented her mural to the public. “We can look into the mural and be hopeful.”

Taking on this dynamic form of activism through art, Guerra is a believer her art can create change. Whether you are on the stuck in traffic on the busy street of Division or a customer who needs a tire changed at Cisneros Tire Service, you cannot escape curiosity when studying her mural. This vivid, humorous, and truthful work of art shows immense hope for Grand Rapids to think outside our redlines and educate ourselves on social injustice. What Guerra believes about public art is it communicates a message in a constant way in the present day and future generations to come.

The 49507 Project was launched in 2021 with seven artists completing pieces. For 2022, the project had eight artists complete murals in and throughout the area. Those locations are:

  • Samaria J’s Salon Suite, 701 Grandville Ave SW 
  • Load A Spud, 1721 Madison Ave SE 
  • Farmers Insurance, 2435 Eastern Ave SE 
  • Mr. B’s Party Store, 1216 Kalamazoo Ave SE 
  • Aleman Auto Repair, 1801 Division Ave S. 
  • Cisneros Tires, 800 Division Ave S. 
  • 1956 Eastern Ave. 
  • 1935 Eastern Ave.

The project has been well received. In fact, as part of it, Peterson Research Consultants conducted a survey of the community attitudes both before and after starting to assess whether perceptions of the neighborhood might change. After the first year, that survey showed residents felt the art represented how “we see things – colorful, vibrant, and a beautiful side of our culture.”

Funded by a coalition of nearly a dozen businesses, foundations, neighborhood groups and city organizations, The 49507 Project is scheduled to go through 2023.

WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma contributed to this article.

Museum celebrates Day of the Dead with exhibition

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Holidays, Kent County, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Local History, Recreation, , , , ,

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

Artist Margaret Vega’s ofrenda for her father, Francisco Vega. (WKTV/Renee Karadsheh)

Veronica Quintino-Aranda’s brother died before her younger sister was born yet her sister has a connection to him because of the family’s tradition of honoring the brother’s memory during Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos).

“We remember who he was,” said Quintino-Aranda, a member of the Latino Community Coalition which has collaborated with the Grand Rapids Public Museum on a Day of the Dead exhibit. “We share stories. We share memories. We share his favorite food.

“Even though my sister has never meet him because he died before she was born, she still knows who he was and how important he was to our family.”

A tradition that dates back to the Mayans and Aztecs

Running through Nov. 27, the Grand Rapids Public Museum is featuring the Field Musuem’s “A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico.” Through 26 photographs, the exhibit explores the significance of the Day of the Dead celebrations in Oaxaca, a southern region of Mexico.

Traditionally observed on Nov. 1 and 2, Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos is an indigenous holiday that originated in southern Mexico and celebrates the remembrance of family members and friends who have died. Part of that celebration includes the creation of an ofrenda, or a home alter, honoring the deceased.

The tradition and symbols date back to the Mayans and Aztecs, who had a whole month dedicated to the dead, according to Quintino-Aranda. The expansion of catholicism in Mexico altered some of the symbols but the the focus on celebrating the dead remained.

Veronica Quintino-Aranda and Javier Cervantes (WKTV/Renee Karadsheh)

“On my home alter, and we have a catholic tradition, we have the candle that symbolizes we are the light of the world,” Quintino-Aranda said. “We have the arch toward heaven and incense that indicates that our prayers are going up to him. We also have soil that symbolizes that we are dust and are destained to return. We also have items that represent (my brother) and of course, his picture.”

Exploring local history and culture

Almost 600,000 Hispanics live in West Michigan with the Hispanic population making up about 16 percent, almost 16,000, in the Grand Rapids area. As the Hispanic community grew, many brought their traditions to the West Michigan area with the Day of the Dead having become a community celebration. In fact, the Grand Rapids Public Library for several years has hosted a Dia de los Muertos event (this year Oct. 30 – Nov. 3) that includes alters created by community members and activities.

The Latino Community Coalition’s Nuestra HERencia ofrenda. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)

Noting that the Grand Rapids Public Museum is not just about dinosaurs and artifacts but also history and culture, Dustin Tyler, director of marketing and customer service strategy for the Museum, said the Public Museum is excited to be able to partner with local organizations such as the LCC to present a Day of the Dead exhibition.

“Anytime we get the opportunity to include community partners to help paint a story, its a win for Grand Rapids, a win for the museum and a win for our members and visitors,” Tyler said.

The local connection

As part of the exhibition, the GRPM joined with community partners to add ofrendas to the exhibition display. Local professor and artist Margaret Vega created one display honoring her father Francisco Vega (1922-2021), who was a leader in the Latino community of West Michigan and a grassroots organizer for civil rights.

The LCC’s offenda focuses on the organizations Nuestra HERencia project, which honors the history and legacies of women here in Grand Rapids.

“It is an immersive experience,” Tyler said. “it is kind of a window into how another culture does things different but also learning about the history of Mr. Vega and learning about our partners over at the Latin Community Coalition and what their mission and purpose is.”

Started in 2006, the LLC serves as a unifying force for the equitable advancement of Latinos in West Michigan.

“I chose LCC because at the time I was working for the infant health program at Cherry Street Health and so I wanted to learn more about what are the resources out there to help my clients and patients and the LCC was a great opportunity for me to network and learn what programs and classes other nonprofits were offering so I could give back and give those resources to my community,” she said.

Celebrating ‘HER’

The Nuestra HERencia project features women who have not necessarily received awards or been recognized but because of their values that they instilled in their family members, they have helped the Hispanic community grow through business and leadership.

 

“My aunt, who passed away last year, she owned a small chain of bakeries,” said Javier Cervantes, another LCC member. “She instilled in us hard work and dedication. I saw how she treated everyone with respect. That is what I will not forget.

“Todos parejos — everyone is equal.”

For both Cervantes and Quintino-Aranda, they hope through the exhibition and the LCC display to help residents understand the symbolism and why Day of the Dead is important to the Hispanic community.

“I want people to know that we have a presence here in Grand Rapids and we are not going anywhere,” Cervantes said. “Those Latinos have been able to be trailblazers and in a unique way transform the lives of families as well.”

“A Celebration of Souls: Day of the Dead in Southern Mexico” is included with general admission to the Museum and is free for Museum members. Kent County residents do receive a discount and Kent County children 17 and under are free. To reverse tickets, visit grpm.org. 

WKTV Contributor Renee Karadsheh contributed to this story.

Kentwood teacher only one in state to receive NEA fellowship

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Education, Hard News, Local Faces, , ,

By Tim Hargis
Kentwood Public Schools

East Kentwood High School art teacher Olivia Miller works with students in class. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schols)

East Kentwood High School art teacher, Olivia Miller, is a lifelong learner and self-described explorer. She has a passion to experience other parts of the world, other cultures, and that passion spills over into her classroom. It is also taking her places.

Recently, Miller was named a 2023 National Education Association (NEA) Global Learning Fellow. She is the only teacher in Michigan to receive this honor. According to the NEA Foundation, Miller will join colleagues from states across the country to immerse themselves in a year-long study that involves online coursework, webinars, readings, and reflections. Eventually, the group will travel to South Africa this summer as part of this experience.

The goal, Miller says, is to return to the classroom, enriched from the learning, to create a global learning experience for her students. This work, she feels, also helps her to connect with her students.

Recently, East Kentwood art teacher Olivia Miller was named a 2023 National Education Association Global Learning Fellow. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)

“For me, the biggest way that I can learn is experiential, through traveling,” Miller explained. “It’s so different walking into a school in a different country and seeing how things are done there….It’s a different level of experience that I can connect with and then maybe better understand my students who come from different countries.”

This is not the first time Miller has been part of this type of opportunity. Prior to the pandemic, she was accepted as part of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program. This enabled her to work with teachers from across the nation and to travel to Morocco as part of this learning experience.

Part of Miller’s motivation is rooted in her own heritage. Her mother’s family immigrated to the United States from Ukraine. Growing up in West Michigan, she says she did not see much of her own family’s history and culture represented in the school curriculum. This made her wonder about representation for the students she serves today.

This is Miller’s third year teaching in the Kentwood Public Schools and her tenth year of teaching overall. Kentwood is where she wants to be. “This has been my dream school to come to,” Miller says of East Kentwood High School. “There are so many layers and good things to our EK community and environment. This place is such a cultural hub that many people may not even know about. You can learn about so many different ways of life, different cultures, different people here in Kentwood.”

East Kentwood is definitely glad to have Miller on its team. “Ms. Miller is one of the most culturally sensitive and equity-minded teachers that I’ve had the pleasure to work with,” says EK Assistant Principal Lindsay Kimbrough. “She brings a perspective that goes much deeper than the beautiful art she elicits from her students. She promotes social emotional development, and through her whole-child approach, helps to mold true global citizens.”

East Kentwood art teacher Olivia Miller helps a student on an art project. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)

Kimbrough adds that the relationships Miller builds with her students are so important. “Her innate ability to build relationships with students is the bridge that leads students to taking academic and artistic risks, reaching heights they may have never dreamed of.”

The trip to South Africa this summer will be a rewarding culminating activity for Miller as part of her role as an NEA Global Fellow; however, there is work to be done between now and then. This work includes a trip next month to Washington, D.C. where she will collaborate with the other NEA Global Fellows from around the nation at a conference in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education.

While Miller is focused on her current students and how the NEA Global Learning Fellowship will positively impact them, she is also looking ahead, and dreaming about possibilities to benefit KPS students and staff in the future.

“I want to someday have funding to take KPS teachers to the countries that our students are primarily from,” Miller explains, “to do a teacher tour. To go into the countries and learn.” She adds, “I think that would really make a big impact. It would close a gap in the relationships between teachers and students because students would be like, ‘Oh my gosh. You cared enough that you went and traveled to where I’m from.”

Reprinted with permission from the Kentwood Public Schools.

Cross Creek’s new school song is made for speed

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Education, Kids Activities, Local Faces, ,

By Cory Olsen
National Heritage Academies

The band plays in unison as it marks its way through a staccato, ascending theme while their director guides them down a path, all the while envisioning the pinnacle of auto racing: Formula 1.

The piece titled “F-1” may not move as fast as the race cars, but the feel of the music portrays the sense of anticipation when played by the Cross Creek Charter Academy symphonic band, directed by David Steketee.

Check out the Cross Creek symphonic band performing “F-1” by clicking here.


Commissioned by Steketee for the school’s 25th anniversary, the song begins with the entire band building anticipation for the coming percussion breaks. Trumpets and woodwinds then pair for climbing runs, preparing for the song’s melody. It’s a noble and celebratory piece of music that promotes feelings of pride and security – themes held strongly by the school.

David Steketee directs the Cross Creek symphonic band. (Courtesy, Cross Creek Academy/National Heritage Academies)

“It’s the 25th anniversary, so I wanted to do something that’s unique,” Steketee said. “Commissions are done a lot but they’re expensive, so it’s not done often by any one school, so this is our one and only for a while.”

Composer Randall Standridge was hired to write the piece to fit the instrumentation and ability levels of the seventh/eighth grade symphonic band. The band debuted the piece during a performance in May. The $3,000 cost for the composition was quickly covered with a fundraising effort by school supporters.

“I was excited, our whole administration was excited, the Cross Creek family was excited, it was great,” Steketee said.

Band students experienced challenges because of COVID-19, not being able to play as freely due to most instruments requiring breath to make sounds. Steketee said the song provides a lot of room for his students to play together, which helps with their comfort levels.

“Anytime where they’re playing by themselves, the kids don’t like it so much,” he said. “COVID has really brought our ability level down, so when the music is fast and full instrumentation, it’s much better for their confidence.”

Being able to direct students through the song proved to be a joy for Steketee and being part of something that will live on into Cross Creek’s future adds to the director’s sense of pride.

“I just wanted to do something cool and having our name on the masthead of that piece is pretty rad,” he said. “It’ll be there forever.”

Cross Creek Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Byron Center, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes 98 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

East Kentwood students earn honors from national program

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Education, Local Faces, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Left to right: AP Coordinator Yara Barbosa, Ebise Tarekegn, Kyle Sanders, Luisa Orozco, and Principal Omar Bakri. (Courtesy, Kentwood Public Schools)

Kentwood Public Schools recently announced that four of our East Kentwood High School students earned honors from College Board’s National Recognition Program, helping them stand out in college admissions. Congrats to the following students: Chisom Okogbue, Ebise Tarekegn, Kyle Sanders, and Luisa Orozco. The students were recognized as national awardees in two of the four recognition categories – the National African-American Recognition Program and National Hispanic Recognition Program.

The students earned this recognition by excelling on AP exams and in the classroom. Students who may be eligible: have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams.

Annually the College Board announces recipients of its National Recognition Programs for achievements in school and on College Board assessments. Students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior years, and are awarded at the beginning of the following school year.

Live discussion designed to raise awareness on local issues

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Hard News, Local Faces, Our Cities, ,
The Diatribe hosted a live Facebook stream on issues facing the 49507 zip code. (Supplied)

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Community Contributor

If the community poured as much money into the public health crisis of racism as it poured into the public health crisis of COVID-19, what might the result be?

That question and many more were discussed in a Facebook Live event recently hosted by Marcel ‘Fable’ Price and G. Foster II from The Diatribe, an organization that uses performing arts to raise awareness of social issues.

Fable and Foster posed questions about health care, community and life in South Grand Rapids neighborhoods to a panel that included social workers, health care workers, and community organizers.

Racism has been declared a public health crisis in Grand Rapids, Fable said, but since the city government made that declaration nearly a year ago, what has been done about it?

“We responded to COVID in many ways. Money, pop-up clinics, stimuluses, billboards, millions of dollars in marketing campaigns,” he said. “What would a response to racism as a public health crisis look like if we took it as seriously as COVID?”

“It would mean people are reacting to racism like their lives depend on it,” said Aarie Wade, director of education at Baxter Community Center.

“Like if they don’t attack this, they will die. And their families will die. And generations will die.”

Listening to the community

In addition to Wade, participants on the panel included Chinyere Aririguzo, LMSW, client services supervisor at Health Net of West Michigan; Ashlie Jones, senior program coordinator for the Grand Rapids African American Health Initiative; Nirali Bora, MD, medical director of the Kent County Health Department; Kelsey Perdue,  a project director with the Michigan League for Public Policy, and Lee Moyer, director of community programs at Spectrum Health Healthier Communities.

Questions posed in the forum were based on listening sessions hosted by The Diatribe as part of its 49507 Project, an anti-racist project by and for people of color that involves the creation of public murals, writing, and community listening sessions.

Fable said during listening sessions, they were able to listen to more than 400 individuals from the 49507 neighborhood.

“Many residents didn’t feel like our downtown belongs to them, which makes it even more important that we pour into our communities, our neighborhoods,” he said.

Creating more home ownership opportunities

Obstacles to home ownership in the 49507 zip code are a big problem, many of the panelists said, as well as the difficulty of people being able to afford housing in general.

Fable noted that nonprofit organizations own hundreds of homes in the 49507 zip code. He questioned why those couldn’t be given to families, bringing home ownership and stability to those neighborhoods.

Investors and developers buying up properties bring another obstacle, according to Fable.

“How do community members obtain equity if developers are constantly taking control of neighborhoods, and our politicians and community leaders continue to align with them?” he said.

Aririguzo said the requirements for subsidized housing are keeping a lot of people from even being able to live in the neighborhood, such as rules requiring people to be able to come up with three times the amount of the rent to be eligible for assistance.

“If I could make three times the rent, I wouldn’t be looking for subsidized housing, right?” she said. “I would like to see changing the requirements that are supposed to be helping us stay in our neighborhoods.”

 

Using your vote to get local leaders to listen

The difficulty getting city leaders to listen to the concerns of Black and Brown residents was another topic of discussion. Panel members said that when conversations with city or county leaders did happen, they felt as if leaders were just waiting for them to finish talking so they could give their prepared rebuttals.

Panelists agreed that it’s important to get informed on local candidates running for office in the city of Grand Rapids and Kent County.

“Do your research on candidates, not only when it comes to their political stance but what they’ve done in the past. What does your track record say you’ve done for the city to improve it?” Moyer said. “That will speak volumes.”

“We get wrapped up with the news about Trump vs. Biden, but it’s wildly important to care about these smaller elections,” Fable said.

Real Talk: The Diatribe Livestream can be viewed on the organization’s Facebook page.

Wyoming’s Two Guys is ‘Big City Dining’ with a personal touch

Beer, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Food, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Owners Tom and Amy Payne. Amy works in her garden every morning to pick vegetables for their kitchen. (John D. Gonzalez)

TwoGuys Brewing thinks of itself as “Big City Dining,” but without the hassles of driving and parking downtown.

Even when they put together a business plan in 2006 – 12 years before they opened – the owners always planned to offer quality, locally sourced dining for the community of Wyoming.

“Upscale is not even the word,” said former homebrewer-turned-head chef, Tom Payne.

It was always meant to offer a “downtown restaurant feel and quality of food for our neighbors here in Wyoming.”

Tom and wife/co-owner Amy are doing exactly what they set out to do, and they’re doing it in a remodeled 7-Eleven store at 2356 Porter St. NW. It’s a no-frills location, just great food and beer.

Quality that doesn’t break the bank

The quality of dining is what you might find in downtown Grand Rapids or other metropolitan cities, they said, but not at the same cost. Plus, they have free, on-site parking in Wyoming.

Burgers at Two Guys start at $11. (John D. Gonzalez)

“Pricing downtown is just exorbitant, and I understand, their rents are also much higher than ours in some cases,” Amy said.

“But we’re Gen-exers,” she added. “We don’t park six blocks away from where we’re eating.”

“I worked 16 hours today; I don’t want to walk,” said Tom with a laugh.

A burger downtown, for example, might cost as much as $18.

At TwoGuys, where burgers are ground fresh every day, it will cost $11, unless you customize it with a lot of add-ons, like one online customer who built a half-pound burger with multiple toppings that came in at $19.

One of Tom’s priciest creations, a Poutine Burger, which was a special in July, cost $14. It was Prime rib, ground fresh from English cut roast shoulders.

It might cost a little extra, “but we touched every part of that burger, from the condiments on it, to the grinding of the beef,” Tom said.

“And it had hand-cut fries on it,” Amy said.

Foodies and others are taking note

Since opening in 2018, TwoGuys has established itself as “a great place for delicious eclectic food and great Michigan beers. Family-friendly with a great neighborhood feel!,” which it says right on their Facebook page.

That’s where most of their 13,000-plus followers keep up to date on food specials, new beer releases and community causes.

Two Guys Brewing is located in a remodeled 7-Eleven store at 2356 Porter St. NW. (John D. Gonzalez)

Just take a look at their food photos online, and you will immediately have a craving for one of Tom’s creative creations.

Along with a team of dedicated employees, they’re hard work is paying off and putting Wyoming on the map. Foodies everywhere are taking notice.

With a national tourism conference in town last week, Experience GR had some nice things to say about them in a blog post offering a “Locals’ Guide to Breweries with Great Food,” saying TwoGuys is a “must visit” for craft beer and food enthusiasts “due to its decadent food, dessert and craft beer selections.”

It added:

“TwoGuys makes most of its items in house, to the extent of house-smoking beef, corned beef and turkey, hand-dredging chicken and hand-cutting potatoes for fries. The menu emphasizes shareables, from tacos, fried pork rinds and wine-braised mushrooms to cheese curds, charcuterie boards and chorizo fundido, a sausage-and-beer cheese combo.

You can also count on a tantalizing special or two, always made with the freshest local ingredients.”

The silver lining of COVID

The praise is heart-felt by the couple, who work countless hours, but always put their staff and customers first.

“There are some weeks we don’t take home a paycheck,” Amy said. “And we’re OK with that.”

They were humbled during Covid when locals flocked to their restaurant to pick up pre-packaged, family meals that Tom said was “real honest food that you didn’t have to do the hard part.”

To borrow a couple of overused words at the height of the pandemic, they learned to “pivot” and make the best out of an “unprecedented” period in our country’s history.

In a weird way, it was Covid that put TwoGuys on the map outside of Wyoming.

“We have regulars now who would not have come in here except for that,” Tom said on an episode of our radio show “Behind the Mitten with Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez.” “So although COVID has been a pain in the ass, it’s been a blessing.”

Feeling the love of its community

They were humbled again this summer when a smoker caught fire and caused damage to the exterior of their building, which led to a GoFundMe Page. On Facebook they posted:

Damage from the smoker fire that took place earlier this summer. (John D. Gonzalez)

“We could use your help if you’re so inclined.

“We DO have insurance. Anything donated above the deductible and immediate costs to repair, replace, and clean up will be donated to a local charitable organization supporting women, pregnancy, and infants. It has always been our mission to support our local community and we will do that through this as well!”

They asked for $2,500, which the community nearly doubled in less than a month.

It wasn’t an easy ask for a couple that, like the community itself, prides itself in hard work and pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.

They were overwhelmed.

The extra money will go to charities they support and align “with our values.” But they’ll do it quietly without making a big deal about it.

“When you do something good, sometimes you just have to shut up and let people notice,” Amy said.

“There are a lot of good restaurant owners in this community, but you’re never going to miss the fact they are doing good. That takes a little bit away from (the fact) you’re doing good if you’re using it as a marketing plan.”

More than a family affair

Married in 1990, the couple met in 1988 at Village Inn Pancake House on 28th Street (now New Beginnings). He was 18. She was 16.

Seeing their restaurant full is one thing that keeps Two Guys Brewing owner Tom Payne going. (John D. Gonzalez)

Today they are the parents of three adult daughters (Meghan, Zoe and Abigail). They live only a few blocks away from TwoGuys.

As local business owners, the couple just wants to make an honest living, support the community, and make great food and beer.

Amy works in her garden every morning to pick vegetables for their kitchen. When he needs a little “alone time,” Tom creates beautiful tie dye shirts across the street in the production facility to sell in their merchandise shop.

What keeps them going every day?

“Seeing this place full every night,” Tom said.

“Coffee and Ibuprofen.” Amy said.

‘Just be good’

In all seriousness, they hope popular beers, seltzers, sangrias, along with hand-cut fries, New Orleans-inspired food, burgers, tacos and other specialties will keep people coming back. It’s been a dream of the couple “forever.”

“But it’s never been a selfish dream,” said Tom, referring to the jobs they’ve created for their family and employees.

“We’ve got 20-some families of those that work here whose lives are better because we’re here,” he said.

That fits with their core values, which is to make a difference and “just be good.”

“Be better than you were yesterday,” Amy said.

“Change the world one pint at a time,” Tom said.

“We’ve really worked hard to try to make this corner of Wyoming better,” Amy said. “We’re hoping that ripples into other corners of Wyoming.”

Learn more about TwoGuys Brewing at https://twoguys-brewing.com/.

To make a charity contribution: https://gofund.me/69d17608 

Listen to the TwoGuys Brewing interview on “Behind the Mitten with Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez.”

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

With help from friends, local business expands in new direction

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, , , ,

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

Malamiah Juice Bar owners, from left, Jermale Eddie, Kris Mathis and Randy Otterbridge pose for a photo at the Studio Park location of Malamiah Juice Bar. The mural behind them features Eddie’s three sons – Malachi, Nehemiah and Josiah. (Supplied)

With a little help from some friends, Jermale Eddie has taken his business, Malamiah Juice Bar, to the next level.

After bringing in two new owners this spring, Malamiah Juice Bar opened its second location on July 11.

 

The new juice bar in the downtown David D. Hunting YMCA, 475 Lake Michigan Drive NW, will serve up made-to-order items like smoothies and bowls, as well as a variety of juices and grab-and-go items. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Until now, the business had been operating one retail juice bar and eatery in the downtown Studio Park development, 122 Oakes St. SW, while also distributing their juices to about 20 grocery stores in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Kalamazoo.

But Eddie said he had been thinking over the past couple of years about adding some business partners.

In the beginning, there was two

He started Malamiah Juice bar with his wife, Anissa, in 2013, taking the name for the business from the names of the couple’s three sons – Malachi, Nehemiah and Josiah.

The two operated the business togther for a while, then Eddie became a “solopreneur” after his wife returned to work in a different job, he said.

“I knew at one point that we had taken this business as far as we could by ourselves,” he said. “I had to think about what are the elements that are missing? What do we need? Who do we need to come in to help us get to the next level? We didn’t want to plateau.”

A little help from his friends

Malamiah Juice Bar opened a new location in the downtown YMCA on July 11. Pictured, from left, are owner Jermale Eddie, area manager Adam Smallman, who manages both Malamiah Juice Bar locations, owner Kris Mathis and owner Randy Otterbridge. (Supplied)

That’s where his friends Randy Otterbridge and Kris Mathis came in. Both had backgrounds in marketing, and Eddie had known them for a long time through business connections and community events.

“I knew their business savviness, I knew their care and love for the community and their honesty and integrity, which is big,” Eddie said.

Mathis, the new chief of operations, is a self-described “serial entrepreneur.” He owns Raise a Glass Wine and Beer tours, coaches at SpringGR, and owns Blue Water Lake House, a short term vacation rental.

Otterbridge, the new chief marketing officer, has been teaching entrepreneurship at SpringGR for the past eight years and previously worked in the nonprofit sector for the Grand Rapids Urban League. He said he saw “massive opportunities” in the e-commerce and digital marketing space for the business.

An eye toward the future

In addition to opening more locations, the three are focused on growing the company in terms of the customer experience, the staffing experience and the community experience, Eddie said.

“Those are three areas of importance to us,” Eddie said. “It boils down to having the right systems in place and growing our systems.”

“The other part of our business model at both locations is, who do we take along with us on the journey? How do we support local as a local business? So you’ll find products from local entrepreneurs such as Ferris Coffee and granola bars from Granola Goddess,” Eddie said.

As they look to open more locations, Otterbridge said they’re focused on finding places with good synergy.

“We think about where can we place ourselves that already has foot traffic where we can be of service to the clients there,” he said.

Mathis said they’re also hoping to increase their retail footprint in their existing locations where things are already going well, as well as selling their products in more stores. They have a few other ideas in the works, such as after-hours activities for entrepreneurs, he said.

“If there is anyone interested in working with us in collaboration or partnership, or even opening another location of Malamiah, just reach out to us,” Mathis said. “Send us an email. We’re always open to entertaining ideas and possibly collaborating and seeing where it can take us.”

Malamaiah Juice Bar can be reached at juicy@malamiahjuicebar.com.

Wyoming to attend open houses for National Night Out

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

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

During a recent summer market, a Wyoming firefighter sends a message about safety. (WKTV)

Former Wyoming resident Nancy appreciated that her neighbors cared enough to come over and tell her that they saw people taking stuff out of her garage while she was at work.

“It turned out to be OK because I had given the charity group permission to do so, but I appreciated knowing that my neighbors were watching out for me,” she said.

Knowing your neighbors and being familiar with your neighborhood is a key component to fighting crime. Neighbors who are aware of each others activities, such as when they work or go on vacation, are able to identify when something or someone looks suspicious.

“It is not only nice to know your neighbors but it gives you a responsible feeling for your community,” said Lt. Brian Look with the Wyoming Public Safety Department. “With that connection to your community, you notice when things are out of place or when someone may need help.”

Getting to know your neighbors and building that connection to community is what National Night Out is all about. Always the first Tuesday in August — this year it is Aug. 2 — the annual event encourages people to “turn their porch lights on” and come out to meet their neighbors.

A rundown of activities

Give me five: A residents gives a Wyoming police officer a high-five. (WKTV)

Several of the Wyoming neighborhoods will have block party events, Look said. The Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be attending as many as possible Tuesday evening as well as several events that will be be open to the public.

The Department will join the Consumer’s Energy annual kick off event which starts at around 5:30 a.m. at Consumer’s Energy Grand Rapids Service Center Grand Rapids Service Center, 4000 Clay Ave. SW. Along with Wyoming, departments from Grand Rapids, Walker, and Kentwood will be in attendance. Consumer’s Energy staff will be handing out free energy efficient light bulbs to passersby. At 7:15 a.m., the mayors from Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Walker, and Wyoming will present a proclamation to commemorate the day.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will join the Kent County Sheriff’s Department at the RiverTown Celebration! Cinema, 3728 Rivertown Parkway, in the RiverTown Mall. There will be children’s activities and safety information.

From 5 – 7 p.m., officers and firefighters will be at Grace University, 1011 Aldon St. SW. This event is open to the public and will include food, games and an opportunity to check out the SWAT vehicle, firetruck, police vehicles and meet members of the K-9 unit. Bonus, there is usually a large waterslide as well.

Officers and firefighters will be traveling to other neighborhood parties throughout the city.

Mayor Jack Poll offers a few words about the 2021 National Night Out event and its importance to the community. (WKTV)

Rebuilding after COVID

National Night Out was introduced in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch and is now observed throughout the United States and Canada. The recent COVID pandemic did have a toll on the event as people were not able to host events, however several Kent County police organizations hosted National Night Out parades during that time to remind residents the importance of keeping in touch with each other.

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, which has been participating in National Night Out since the mid-1990s, hosted two public open houses. Due to interest in having neighborhood block parties, the department’s community resource division decided to do a hybrid event this year of open houses and attending neighborhood parties.

“Like many things after COVID, the program fluctuated as we dealt with pandemic,” Look said. “We are in the process of rebuilding.”

Learning about community resources

For the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, the annual event also gives residents the opportunity to meet the officers and learn what resources are available to the the community, Look said.

“It never hurts for community members to get to know who the police officers are out there patrolling your roads and the firemen who are out helping residents,” he said. “Learning more about who is out there in your community can help when there is a need and helps us be able to serve them better.”

For anyone who is hosting a neighborhood party on Aug. 2 and would like fire and police to stop by the event, email Sgt. Dave Hunt at huntd@wyomingmi.gov.

Gezon is featured as 2022 park and rec highlight

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Recreation, , ,

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

Earlier in the summer, the splash pad equipment was delivered to Gezon Park. (Supplied)

If you follow the tweets of Wyoming Director of Community Services Rebeca Rynbrandt, you know excitement is building for Gezon Park.

When construction started on the park, Rynbrandt noted that the opening of the park increases the city’s ability to provide equitable recreation and leisure services to one of its more populate areas. That reality comes true on Aug. 27 when the park will have a grand opening.

 

The redevelopment of Gezon Park is also one of the 2022 highlighted accomplishments of the Parks and Recreation Department, which Rynbrandt oversees, as the city marks National Parks and Recreation Month. Always in July, the month is designed to bring attention to how important parks and recreation are to a community.

The importance of parks

In fact, according to the National Recreation and Park Association’s 2022 The Economic Impact of Local Parks Report, local public park and recreation agencies in the United states generate nearly $218 million in economic activity and supported almost 1.3 million jobs that boosted labor income by more than $68 billion from their operations and capital spending in 2019. 

In the city’s proclamation read by Mayor Jack Poll at the July 5 Wyoming City Council meeting, it was noted that the “park and recreation promotes health and wellness, improving the physical and mental health of people who visit parks increasing personal well-being, and alleviating illnesses such as depression, attention deficit disorders, and Alzheimer’s.”

The proclamation also notes how the park and recreation proves physical activities such as softball, baseball, biking, walking, hiking trails, playgrounds, and fitness trails along with the Wyoming Senior Center and the after school program TEAM 21. It also noted that “parks and recreation increases a community’s economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of local tax base, the attraction and retention of businesses and crime reduction.”

Lamar Park was one of four to receive new playground equipment this year. (Supplied)

What Wyoming offers

The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department oversees 21 parks that contain almost 700 acres of property and a diverse array of recreational amenities, natural settings, wildlife, and plant life. In its 2021 Annual report, it was noted that about $575 million were directed toward the parks with almost half of the money, about $3 million, toward facilities, capital improvements, and maintenance. 

Rynbrandt has noted in the past that parks are in a state of maintenance and repair with her team working to keep those parks in top-top shape for residents. In fact this year, four of the city parks, Pinery, Hillcroft, Frog Hollow and Lamar park, all received new playground equipment.

There is also the challenge of meeting the evolving interests of residents which is reflected in the decision by the Parks and Recreation Commission to allow dogs at all parks. In 1998, the city had made Pinery Park a dog-free park. In the spring, the commission, with the support of residents, decided to end that policy.

Expanding special events

Residents also have wanted more special events that engage the community with the Parks Department has heard that call adding a number of special events.

Wrapping up next week will be the Concerts at the Park at Lamar Park. Performing on Aug. 2 is Latin soul group Grupo Latin.

But the park events have expanded beyond the popular concert series, which have included a summer market and Chalk the Park at Pinery Park earlier this month, the upcoming Aug. 20 Food Truck Rally (from 11 a.m to 5 p.m.) and the Oct. 8 Trick of Treat Trail at Lamar Park.

“Each day, our team worked hard, smart, and more innovatively to deliver programs and services to the residents of the Wyoming community,” said Rynbrandt in the 2021 Park and Recreation Commission Annual Report. “From reopening parks to honoring veterans in annual celebrations, helping seniors with meals and everyday necessities, and keeping Wyoming youth active and engaged through virtual programs an academic achievement, our parks and recreation team strives to bring the community together.”

Par-llo brings ‘old school’ to the Kentwood concerts

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Par-llo Connection performs on Thursday in Kentwood. (Supplied)

After a brief break for the Fourth of July holiday, the Kentwood Summer Concert Series is back with Par-llo Connection show band. A band with a message.

PAR-LLO stands for “Peace All Races – Live Love Others.”

“Who would have thought 40 years later it’s what the world needs today,” said original drummer Phil “Tapp” Morrow, in an email to WKTV Journal. “We always wanted our name to mean something.”


It also means “fun”!

The group performs at 7 p.m. Thursday (July 14) on the lawn behind City Hall. Admission is free.

READ: Summer revs up with Kentwood concerts, farmers market combo

A little band history

Morrow said the band performed from 1979 -87 in the heyday of the local music scene and opened for local band Switch, which featured Bobby and Tommy DeBarge of the famous DeBarge family in Grand Rapids, as well as the Bar-Kays at the Civic Auditorium. Par-llo even opened twice for Zapp at the DeVos Performance Hall, Morrow said.

“(We) got back together in 2017 not knowing what direction we were headed, more less just to catch up. Although we stayed in touch with each other,” Morrow said.

Influenced by Earth Wind Fire, Cameo, Prince, Kool & the Gang, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Gap Band, Commodores, and so many others, the group might even surprise with a little Bruno Mars or Mary J. Blige.

They love to entertain.

The band performed from 1979-87 and reformed in 2017. (Supplied)

“(We) give a show,” said Morrow, which means several sets, changed outfits for each set, a fog machines, flash boxes, etc.

They want to “create a one of a kind experience,” Morrow said.

What to expect

The band performed from 1979-87 and reformed in 2017. (Supplied)

Although the Kentwood show is an outdoor concert, which is a little different than a nightclub, he said “people can expect energized ‘Old School’ with a new twist R&B Funk Band.”

“Playing outside is like being at a free, old-school style concert,” he said. “Outside creates natural energy to share your gift.

“The reason I love playing in this band, because we are family on and off the stage, all self-taught. We just have fun because we know we are blessed to be able to get back together.”

The current band line up includes:

Phil Morrow (Tapp) Drummer, Vocals, Original Member

Leonard Burney (Toot) Bass, Vocals, Original member

Anthony Jones (Ant) Guitar, Vocals, Original Member

Tone Mosley (Tone) Lead Vocals, trumpet, trombone, Original Member

Dana Mosley (Dane) Keyboards, vocals Original Member

Isaac Rogers (Ike) Sax, Vocals Original Member

Chuck Johnson (Chuck) Keyboards, Guitar

Tina Flowers (Tina Marie) Lead vocal

Concerts take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Admission is free. A variety of food trucks also will be on hand.

Kentwood summer concert info

Parking for shows will be limited at both City Hall and the Library, according to the city’s website. Additional parking is available at the Kentwood Justice Center (4740 Walma SE), Kentwood Public Works (5068 Breton SE), Kentwood Baptist Church (2875 52nd St), and there is street parking in nearby neighborhoods.

The Kentwood Farmers Market takes place next door from 4:30-7 p.m. in the parking lot behind City Hall. 

Get more information at kentwood.us.

This remaining lineup includes:

All concerts will be live streamed by WKTV Community Media. Watch the events live at: https://www.wktv.org/live25.html. If you miss a show you can watch it here at WKTV On Demand.

July is busy with food trucks, music, and more

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

How’s the summer treating you?

I’ve been enjoying the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City with fireworks, concerts and cherries, of course.

If you still want to make the trip up north, the festival continues with many activities like the cherry pie eating contest, and the big Cherry Royale Parade at 11:15 a.m. Saturday. The remaining concerts feature 1964 The Tribute on Thursday (July 7), ZZ Top on Friday (July 8) and Boyz II Men on Saturday (July 9). Learn more at cherryfestival.org.

What are you doing this weekend?

If you’re staying close to home, here is my Top 5 of things to do, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here we go!

Gonzo’s Top 5

5. “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers,” Barn Theatre

Summer is a great time to take in a play. Whether it’s community theater or a Broadway touring musical, you can usually find something taking place in the region. One unique destination is the Barn Theatre School in Augusta, about 50 miles south and just east of Kalamazoo. In its 76th season, the school’s advanced theater training program promotes the concept that artists, performers, designers, technicians, stage managers, and everyone should have broadly based experiences through an apprentice program. And each summer they put on a variety of shows where the students produce every aspect of the experience. They are parking attendants, ushers and even the bartenders. Along with celebrity guest actors, the school has also featured future stars such as Jennifer Garner, Dana Delany, Lauren Graham and many more. My lovely wife Pam and I recently saw the first show of the season, “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers,” a musical based on the classic MGM 1954 film about settlers in 1850 Oregon. The show was great, but so was the whole experience of a show set in a barn. Get a pizza or drink before the show or stay after each performance for a special “Shed Bar Show” where the actors and guest actors come to entertain in the Rehearsal Bar. Advance reservations are encouraged for those productions. Performances of “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers” continue through Sunday (July 10). More details at barntheatreschool.org/events. Some of the other shows this season: “Cinderella,” “GroundHog Day,” “Rock of Ages,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Misery,” “Escanaba in da Moonlight” and “Doubt.”

4. LAUP Fiesta, Holland

Another great weekend destination is Holland for the annual LAUP Fiesta at the Holland Civic Center. It always features great food, car show, and Latino musical acts. There will be activities for children, a bar for adults and mercado (artisan market). It always ends with a big baile (dance). The party begins at noon. Check out the festival’s Facebook Event page for more information.

Food Truck Friday at Riverside Park

3. Food Truck Friday, Riverside Park

Have you been out to the popular “Food Truck Fridays” at Riverside Park this summer? Every week from 5-9 p.m. (through Sept. 2) you can expect anywhere from 12-17 food trucks. In its 6th season on the north side of Grand Rapids you can expect some of the area’s best-loved food trucks, as well as new ones, too. New this year is a Frequent Fridays Card that will offer you the chance to win prizes based on how many FTF you frequent. More details at https://www.facebook.com/GR8FoodTruckFridays/.

Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park return Tuesday, July 12. (WKTV)

2. Randy McAllister, Lamar Park

Blues and Soul artist Randy McAllister will headline the next Wyoming Concerts in the Park show, which takes place each week at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Lamar Park in Wyoming. Admission is free. The remaining shows include folk artist Monty Pride (July 19), country singer Bernadette Kathryn (July 26) and 13-piece Latin soul band Grupo Latin (Aug. 2) More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page. Can’t make it to the show? You can still enjoy the bands by watching WKTV-Channel 25 for the weekly airings at 5 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday. More info at wktv.org/concerts.

READ: Wyoming Concerts in the Park return this summer

1. Downtown Concerts

It’s another busy weekend in downtown Grand Rapids:

Death Cab for Cutie, the popular indie band from the early 2000s is back on the road and releasing a new album this fall. You can check them out Friday (July 8) at GLC Live at 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids. Ticket information at livenation.com.

The Doobie Brothers, the legendary band from the ‘70s and ‘80s, are on their 50th anniversary tour with Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons and John McFee on the road together for the first time in nearly 25 years. The band has sold nearly 50 million albums worldwide. The show is at 7:30 p.m.Sunday (July 10) at Van Andel Arena. Fans can expect to hear “Listen To The Music,” “Takin’ It To The Streets,” “Long Train Running,” “Black Water,” “What A Fool Believes,” “China Grove,” “Minute By Minute,” “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “Jesus Is Just Alright With Me” and many more. More details at vanandelarena.com.

That’s it for now.

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

Have a great, safe weekend.

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

Wyoming police, fire honored during annual ceremony

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Local Faces, Our Cities, , , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Using GPS tracking on phones to recover stolen merchandise and vehicles. Pulling trace evidence from the inside of a driver door’s handle to identify a suspect. Risking their lives by entering into the flood waters of Buck Creek to save a civilian. Making sure a vulnerable resident has a safe place to stay at a local hotel.

These were the stories – the ones often not told – that were shared at the annual Wyoming Department of Public Safety Employee Recognition Ceremony last week as the department recognized about 80 officers and civilians for their actions in crime prevention, recovery, and rescue.

Office Brady Heckman was named the 2021 Office of the Year. (WKTV)

“In light of all the events that have taken place over the past few years that have impacted not only our profession but our personal lives, I think it is more important than ever that we celebrate each other,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief Kim Koster. “It is imperative that we acknowledge all of the accomplishments of our fellow police officers and firefighters. We can not let the stories of our compassionate service and heroic actions go untold. The work we do matters and it does make a difference.”

An officer whose work certainly has made a difference is that of Officer Brady Heckman. A five-year veteran on the force, Heckman received a number of accolades, including a certificate of merit and individual commendation for his work in locating illegally possessed firearms, taking violent criminals off the streets, and his care for victims. For his dedication, Heckman, who is a field training officer, a tackle bike team member, and operator on the tack team, was named the 2021 Officer of the Year, which is chosen by a panel of sworn officers.

“Heckman has earned a reputation as an outstanding police professional with a keen ability for catching criminals and a heart for serving this community,” said Capt. Timothy Pols who with Fire Deputy Chief Dennis Vantassell served as master of ceremonies. “He is valued by co-workers and supervisors alike as a consistent teamplayer. He is an outstanding representative of the law enforcement profession in general and the Wyoming Police Department in particular.”

From his peers, it was noted that Heckman “makes being proactive a priority and sets an example for young officers to do the same,” as well as for his work in locating stolen vehicles, seeking out criminals and making arrests, and volunteering to help new recruits.

Celia Rhodes was named the 2021 Civilian of the Year. (WKTV)

The department’s civilian employees also form a panel to select a civilian of the year, which for 2021 is Celia Rhodes. Rhodes, who has served as a forensic science technician with the department for four and half years, has become an expert in evidence storage and operating the BEAST (Bar Coded Evidence Analysis Statistical Tracking) evidence management system.

“Celia is well known and respected for her upbeat attitude and true passion for helping others in need,” Pols said. “No matter what she is working on, Celia never turns away from aiding someone else, whether it be explaining policy or procedure to a fellow employee or talking to a citizen about their case. She always does so with a smile and genuine care for whomever she is working with.”

Another officer recognized for his investigation work on child sexual abuse was Det. Dan Vlietstra, who received the Chief’s Award of Professional Excellence. For the past two years, Viletstra has been the department’s liaison with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Kent County, where he works with a multidisciplinary team and coordinates the investigation of abuse allegations.

“Through his work, Dan has been able to stop the abuse, identify the perpetrators, hold them accountable, and support the victim and their family on a path of recovery and healing,” Koster said.

Also receiving the Chief’s Award of Professional Excellence were Fire Inspector Brad Dornbos, Lt. Chris Velzen, Equipment Operator (EO) Brandon Travis, and firefighter (FF) Matt Frazee, for their work in recruiting, interviewing and training new firefighters.

Also honored was Mayor Jack Poll, who received the Chief’s Award of Excellence for his dedication to the Public Safety Department during the past 13 years he has served as the city’s mayor. Poll will retire from public service at the end of this year.

“I have lived in Wyoming now for 67 years and I can tell you that I have never gone to bed at night that I was concerned about my safety because we have such stellar leaders in our community,” Poll said.

Police officers receiving the individual commendation award. (WKTV)

Koster said what was presented at the recognition ceremony is only the tip of the iceberg as to what officers and firefighters have done.

“There is not a day that goes by that someone doesn’t tell me a story about a way a police officer or a firefighter has served them in a capacity that amazed them,” Koster said. “There are a lot of stories that officers don’t tell about what police officers do and firefighters who go above and beyond.”


Award Recipients

Life Saving Award

Ofc. Tony Jacob

Ofc. Russ Kamstra

Lt. Chris Velzen

EO Bradley Bennett

EO Brian Ilbrink

EO Tom Marsman

FF Ken Eppink

FF Matt Frazee

FF Jason Hanlon

FF Andrew Johnson

FF Michele Kelly

FF Jesse May

FF Alex Parsons

FF Dan Rettig

FF Jason Richardson

FF Dan Royce

Police officers and community members being recognized during the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Employee Recognition Ceremony. (WKTV)

Certificate of Merit

Sgt. Julie Haverkamp

Sgt. Corey Walendzik

Det. Aaron Gray

Ofc. Jake Bylsma

Ofc. Jason Caster

Ofc. Marc Donker

Ofc. Aaron Freeman

Ofc. Brady Heckman

Ofc. Rus Kamstra

Ofc. Ryan Patterson

Ofc. Daniel Sanderson

Ofc. Blair Shellenbarger

Ofc. Adam Sherman

Ofc. John Westra

Ofc. Logan Wieber

Ofc. Tyler Zbikowski

EO Tom Marsman

FF Zach Johns

FF Matt Young

United Commendation
Accident Investigation Team

Lt. Mark Easterly

Sgt. Aaron Brooks

Det. Rachel Clore

Det. Dan Vlietstra

Ofc. Jen Eby

Ofc. Pam Keen

Ofc. Erich Staman

Field Training Officer

Ofc. Marc Donker

Ofc. Kelsey Eisen

Ofc. Brady Heckman

Civilian Commendations

Ian Carmichael

Richard Hungerford

Tom Norton (WKTV)

Individual Commendation

Cpt. Eric Wiler

Lt. Brian Look

Sgt. Aaron Brooks

Sgt. Andrew Koeller

Sgt. Michael Nachtegall

Ofc. Christian Bomer

Ofc. Anthonee Carringer

Ofc. Jason Caster

Ofc. Kelsey Eisen

Ofc. Gavin Filkins

Ofc. Eric Grunewald

Ofc. Brady Heckman

Ofc. Ben Hecksel

Ofc. Zachary Jackson

Ofc. Brandon Knowling

Ofc. Chad Lynn

Ofc. Kesha McConaha-Schultz

Ofc. Shad McGinnis

Ofc. Ryan Patterson

Ofc. Scott Rittenger

Ofc. Dan Sanderson

Ofc. Adam Sherman

Ofc. Jack Tromp

Ofc. Logan Wieber

Julie Coon

Kasey Kaufmann

Todd Masula

Monzerrat Perez

Marcy Schaller

Outstanding Police Administrative Service Award

Kate Gardner

Top Shot Award

Ross Eagan

Sounds of Summer is set to return with a packed line-up

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,
  • Schlitz Creek performs July 7
  • That Beatle Thing is July 14
  • Frantic Kingdom is July 21
  • Brena performs July 28

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

With everything from bluegrass to music of the Beatles, this year’s Sounds of Summer concert series at Cutler Park in Cutlerville will feature “a little something for everyone,” according to organizers.

“Not everybody likes the same kind of music,” said organizer Patty Williams. “We try to hit every genre we can in the four-week period. We try to do something for everyone.”

This year’s series includes:

Concerts begin at 7 p.m. Cutler Park is located just east of U.S. 131 off 68th Street.

Patty Williams with her son Lare Williams (left) and a guest. (Supplied)

“The best part about all of these shows is the price tag,” said Lare Williams, Patty’s son whose company LW Studios helps produce the shows each summer. “They are all absolutely free thanks to our friends at Byron Township.”

It’s a great family event, he added.

“Bring your lawn chairs, bring you blankets, bring the whole family,” Williams said. “Kids are welcome. There’s a big playground there, and they can run around and play ’til their heart’s content.”

“The series has brought fun and livelihood to Cutler Park,” he added.

The Sounds of Summer concert series started in 2008 at Bicentennial Park in downtown Byron Center by Patty Williams, who is a WKTV producer and volunteer and runs her independent P. Williams Productions.

They migrated to Cutler Park in 2015, Lare Williams said.

Lare Williams handles the sound board during one of the Sounds of Summer concerts. (Supplied)

The shows have gathered a following, he added.

“The picnic setting has brought up to 500 guests from the neighborhood and other states to the concerts,” he said.

What’s the reason for its success?

Patty Williams said it’s because they know a little bit about the entertainment business being part of The Williams Family, a local group popular in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s known for its bluegrass music.

She said Lare, for example, is a well-seasoned musician who has recorded CDs of his own. and has been on stage since he was 2-years-old.

It’s the reason why locals love Sounds of Summer, she said, because they always add “a personal touch to each week’s concert.”

“You are entertained from the moment you set up your lawn chair,” she said. “There’s not a dull moment. There is always something going on.”

They might play Sounds of Summer trivia, give away CDs and interact with the audience.

“People love that. It really puts a personal touch on it where they actually feel like they own this concert series. When people come here they say, ‘This is ours.’”

Participants often bring a picnic meal to the popular Sounds of Summer which is at Cutler Park in Cutlerville. (Supplied)

Other highlights: Ken’s food cart will be vending beverages and hotdogs this summer, and “we have the local ice cream truck make an appearance,” Lare Williams said.

Already looking ahead to next year, Patty Williams said they hope to expand the series and include the month of August, possibly back at Bicentennial Park. The concerts in Cutler Park would remain in July.

Regardless, she’s proud of what she started 14 years ago. She remembers the idea came to her when she was touring with The Williams Family band.

“We used to perform at these little town festivals, and I would say ‘Why doesn’t Byron Center have anything like this? We’re a wonderful community. We have beautiful parks.’” 

It’s been good for the community, she said.

“It brings a lot of people out, and families, too,” she said. “People love it!”

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

Meijer Gardens’ Holocaust memorial designed as a place to remember, reflect

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Recreation, West Michigan, , , ,

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributing Writer

Alissa VanderKooi said that her grandfather, Henry Pestka, would not often speak of his past life as a Jew in Nazi-occupied Germany.

 

“On that rare occasion that he would speak of this dark period of his life, his focus was never on the darkness but always on the light. His ability to see the light through the darkness is something that we pass on from generation to generation,” VanderKooi said. 

“Ways to Say Goodbye”by Ariel Schlesinger. (Photo by D.A. Reed)

One such story Henry chose to tell his granddaughter was of a paint store worker who would offer him a piece of bread when he was brought in by Nazi soldiers to buy paint. Even after a soldier threatened to kill her, the worker worked out a signal with Henry so she would know if, depending on who his guard was that day, it was safe to give him the bread.

“This memory that my grandfather chose to share with me was one of the kindness of a stranger during the darkest of times,” said VanderKooi.

In honor of Pestka and the millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park through a partnership with The Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids recently dedicated the Holocaust memorial Ways to Say Goodbye. The piece, which was made possible through a donation from Pestka family, was created by artist Ariel Schlesinger in 2019 and was originally on display in the United Kingdom.

“As time goes on and memories of the Holocaust fade, it is important to remember the barbarity human beings are capable of,” said Steve Pestka, son of Henry Pestka. “It is equally important to contemplate the strength of the survivors and their ability to continue and rebuild their lives. It is our hope that this work of art will promote an appreciation of our shared humanity and a reminder that hatred and intolerance continue to this day and the consequences of the ultimate dehumanization of human beings.”

Henry’s Story

During World War II, the Pestka family were prisoners of Auschwitz, a concentration camp in Poland. Both of Henry’s parents and all of his siblings perished during the Holocaust. Henry was the sole survivor of his family and attributed his survival to being given a job as a painter.

Henry Pestka’s son, Steve, speaks to the crowd during the June 30 dedication. (Photo by D.A. Reed)

After surviving the Holocaust, Henry lived for a short time in Paris before joining his only living relatives, an aunt and uncle who had moved to New York City before the war. He was not a fan of the big city and remembered one of his father’s friends, Sam Weissman, who had moved to America from Poland before the war and came to live in Grand Rapids. Henry wrote a letter to Weissman and asked if there would be any work for him in Grand Rapids. Weissman assured Henry he would be able to make a living in West Michigan.

It was in Grand Rapids that Henry found the family and community he previously lost.

“He felt embraced by the people here and the sense of community he so desired,” VanderKooi said. “He never spoke of the hardship of learning a new language or being an outsider. Instead, he always spoke of the warm embrace he received from his community and the opportunities made available to him.”

Henry married Weissman’s niece Beatrice Bergman and began a family. He built a very successful real estate development business becoming known as a pillar of the community. Henry passed away in 2013 at the age of 93, and the sense of belonging he found in Grand Rapids is what prompted the Pestka family to choose West Michigan as the place to honor his memory and those of the six million Jews lost in the Holocaust.

“We are deeply grateful for this gift adding such an important work of art to our permanent collection,” said David Hooker, President & CEO of Meijer Gardens in supplied material. “Our community will forever benefit from this extraordinary gift which serves to educate and promote peace.”

Saying Goodbye

Artist Ariel Schlesinger speaks to a guest after the June 30 dedication. (Photo by D.A. Reed)

Ways to Say Goodbye, a 20-foot-tall aluminum cast of a fig tree with shards of glass inserted among the branches, can be found in the Garden’s outdoor Sculpture Park and is considered an exceptional work of contemporary sculpture dealing with themes of profound loss and grief. Modeled after a living fig tree in northern Italy, Schlesinger chose this metaphor of the Jewish people and their history because of its symbolism of the Jewish struggle for survival both during and after the Holocaust. While appearing fragile and clinging to life, the fig tree is also representative of great endurance.

The shards of glass in the tree represent Kristallnack, or Night of Broken Glass, which took place on Nov. 9-10, 1938. On those nights, the Nazi regime encouraged Germans to riot against Jews and nearly 100 Jewish people died.

During the ceremony, Schlesinger, who is most known for his public sculpture outside the Jewish Museum in Frankfurt, posed the question: “How is it possible to relate to complete horror through artistic representation?” The artist admitted the weight of his task, “which is (to) acknowledge traumas, grief, and losses in the form of public remembrance.”

“While this is not an act of representation, but rather recognition…of an important aspect of our beings,” Schlesinger continued. “To celebrate humans’ resilience even after catastrophe. Here, people will come, look, and survey this dream. The images reflected in the viewer’s eyes will also include sky, clouds, the trees around. Everyone sees what their heart and soul see. With our past, imagining a better future for all.”

A place to remember, reflect

Frederik Meijer Gardens CEO David Hooker with Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids Executive Director Nicole Katzman (Photo by D.A. Reed)

Meijer Gardens and the Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids see Ways to Say Goodbye as a gathering place for the Jewish community of Grand Rapids, offering a place to reflect, pray, and remember, while also being a teaching tool for educators both locally and nationally to address the Holocaust and its legacy.

“For our generation, (the Holocaust) is unfathomable,” said Pestka family friend, Shannon Gales. “So it’s wonderful that they are doing this and honoring the memory to continue to remember.”

David Alfonso, MD and JFGR Board Chair said, “It is incumbent upon us, as well as the generations that will follow us, to tell their stories so that we may embody the saying, ‘Never Again.’ We hope that this sculpture will serve as a beacon of light, a means of inspiration and education, for future generations that will view it and carry on its message of hope and remembrance.”

VanderKooi agreed: “History, the good and the bad, has a way of repeating itself and it is our responsibility, not just as Jews, but as a society, to educate ourselves about the bad in order to prevent it from being repeated or denied.”

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz ended the ceremony with these inspirational words: “Let the pain of our memories and the love of those lost spur us to educate and inspire, to mourn and to hope, and to do all that we can to ensure the voracity of our words when we say, ‘Never Again.’”

To learn the stories of Henry Pestka and other West Michigan Holocaust survivors, visit West Michigan Holocaust Memorial, a Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids website made possible by the Finkelstein Brothers Endowment.

Join Kentwood for its annual 4th of July celebration

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Fourth of July parade is set for 9:30 a.m. and will start at Crestwood Middle School. (Supplied)

The City of Kentwood has a day filled with activities for all ages planned on Monday, July 4 for its annual Fourth of July Celebration, including a pancake breakfast, 5K race, parade, carnival and fireworks show.

“Celebrating our nation’s independence by participating in Kentwood’s Fourth of July festivities has been a favorite family and community tradition for many decades. People of all ages enjoy these events, from pancakes and parades to 5Ks and fireworks,” Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said. “Come out and join us for a day filled with festivities when memories are made, and community is strengthened.”

The events will begin with a pancake breakfast at Kentwood Fire Station 1, 4775 Walma Ave SE. The $5-per-person breakfast will be served 7-9:30 a.m. and include pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. It’s free for ages 5 and younger.

At 7:30 a.m., racers of all ages will gather next door at the Kentwood City Hall parking lot, 4900 Breton Ave. SE, for registration and packet pickup for the NN Mobile Solutions 5K Race & Fun Walk. The chip-timed race will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the start and finish in front of City Hall. Participants will loop through nearby neighborhoods before coming back on the paved East West Trail to finish. For the safety of all participants, roller skates, dogs and bicycles will not be allowed on the course. All participants will receive a finisher medal and shirt for this race. Shirts are only guaranteed for those who register before June 21.

Following the race will be a parade at 9:30 a.m. The parade route will start at Crestwood Middle School, 2674 44th St. SE, travel south on Walma Avenue SE to Breton Avenue SE, then turn west on 52nd Street SE and end at Challenger Elementary School, 2475 52nd St. SE. Organizations who would like to participate in the parade can visit kentwood.us/july4 and fill out the online form to register.

From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., there will be a carnival behind city hall featuring rides and carnival games. (Supplied)

From 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., there will be a carnival behind City Hall featuring a variety of rides and carnival games for all ages. Individual tickets will cost $1 each. Wristbands will be available for $20. Tickets and wristbands will only be available at the event. The number of tickets required for each attraction will vary.

City Hall will also be the hub for the evening celebration 4-10 p.m., which will include community booths, a beer tent, food trucks and a fireworks show. A variety of bands, including Project 90, The Stone Soul Rhythym Band and Serita’s Black Rose, will take the stage to perform live music leading up to the fireworks show at dusk. The fireworks will be viewable from City Hall and surrounding areas.

A section of Walma Avenue near City Hall from Fire Station #1, 4775 Walma Ave. SE, to the roundabout will be closed all day to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street and take part in the activities. Guests who are parked at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch can take the roundabout out to Breton Avenue heading north or turn left out of the library’s parking lot onto Breton heading south.

A section of Breton Avenue in front of the library to the roundabout will be closed for the fireworks display. It will close 15 minutes before the show and reopen 30 minutes after the fireworks are done.

Fireworks will be at dusk. (Supplied)

The Kentwood Police Department and volunteers will be on-site to help direct traffic.

The City is seeking volunteers for its Fourth of July Celebration. Individuals who are interested are encouraged to sign up online or call 616-656-5270. More information about Independence Day activities in Kentwood can be found at kentwood.us/july4.

Other area July 4th activities:

July 2

Grand Rapids: Starting at 6 p.m., there will be family-fun activities, games, food, vendors, and live entertainment which will lead up to the firework show at 10:30 p.m.

Gun Lake: Fireworks are scheduled for July 2 with a rain date of July 3. Fireworks began at dark.

July 2 and 3

LMCU Ballpark: The West Michigan Whitecaps will have fireworks for both games against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Game times are 6:35 p.m July 2 and 6 p.m. July 3.

July 3

Caledonia: The Caledonia Independence Day Celebration will include a parade at 11 a.m. Fireworks will be at dusk and can be seen from Duncan Lake Middle School, CalPlex, or Holy Family Catholic Church.

July 4

Grandville: The Grandville July 4 Celebration will be include a pancake breakfast, parade with flyover, life music and fireworks at dusk.

Dorr: As usually, the Dorr July 4th Celebration will be the entire weekend, July 2-4 with the the parade and fireworks being on July 4.

For more area July 4th celebrations and activities, visit Experience GR’s website.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Summer is supposed to be fun any day of the week

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

I love being in downtown Grand Rapids on a Tuesday night when it feels like the weekend.

That’s what happened for the opening of Broadway GR’s “Mean Girls.” The city was buzzing with activity with people out and about for a variety of events, including a very funny show. More on that in a moment.

The truth is, as we get closer to the Fourth of July, summer is supposed to be fun, any day of the week.

If you’ve been reading my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal, I often talk about events Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But throughout the summer I’ll add other weekday events, too.

Here we go!

Gonzo’s Top 5

Whorled (courtesy)

5. Deos Ballet, Wholred at The Stray Cafe

Check out this cool collaboration event at 7 p.m. Friday (June 24) when Deos Contemporary Ballet performs featuring live music from award-winning band Whorled! Deos works to uplift artists through a culture focused on diversity, wellness and empathy by partnering with community-based organizations. And Whorled! – a recent winner of a Battle of the Bands competition at The Stray – offers a unique World Fusion sound with a blend of Celtic, bluegrass, French Café and jazz influences. There is no cover charge, but donations will be accepted. More info on The Stray Facebook event page. The Stray is located at 4253 Division Ave S Suite A, Wyoming.

The Soul Syndicate performs at The Ballpark Series and then heads over to the Kentwood Summer Concert series on June 30. (Soul Syndicate)

4. Ballpark Series: The Soul Syndicate, Shimmie Pearl

You will love this old, historic ballpark that dates back to 1937, and located on the West Side of Grand Rapids. The Ballpark Series at Sullivan (formerly Valley) Field is one of many events spearheaded by a group called Fans of Valley Field. On Friday (June 24) you can check out two great acts, The Soul Syndicate and Shimmie Pearl. In fact, we interviewed “classic soul, R&B and funk” band The Soul Syndicate earlier this month about shows in Wyoming and Kentwood. Founder and guitarist Mike Coon said their music is meant to keep your toes tapping and the young at heart dancing. “It’s a party!,” said Coon, who leads the 10-piece band through a long list of songs everyone knows and loves. “It’s a fun band. You don’t sit in chairs and watch us.” The show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $15. Learn more on the Fans of Valley Field Facebook page.

By the way, The Soul Syndicate also performs Thursday (June 30) as part of the Kentwood Summer Concert series.

READ: Summer revs up with Kentwood concerts, farmers market combo

READ: The Soul Syndicate performs at Wyoming Concerts in the Park

3. Last Sundays Outdoor Market, Grand Rapids

Doing something on Sundays makes the weekend last so much longer! That’s why I love the concept of “Last Sundays,” which is a monthly outdoor market at Bridge Street Market in Grand Rapids. It features a variety of local makers, vendors, farmers, food carts, samplings and more. It takes place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday (June 26) on the corner of Bridge Street and Seward Avenue. Other dates: July 31, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25. More info at https://www.bridgestreetmarket.com/blog/2021/6/3/last-sundays-outdoor-market.

2. Van Andel Arena

As I said earlier, the weekends are busy in downtown GR, especially when the Van Andel Arena is hosting big events.

  • On Saturday (June 25): It’s the Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson and Family, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Jason Isbell, Charley Crockett, Brittney Spencer and more. Doors open at 3 p.m. Particle Kid kicks it off at 3:50 p.m., followed by Brittney Spencer at 4:30 p.m.
  • On Sunday (June 26): The first-year Cheer Live 2022 stops in for a truly, one-of-a-kind live show from Emmy Award-winning Netflix docuseries “Cheer.” The live performance features 14-time National Champion coach and best-selling author, Monica Aldama alongside cheer stars such as Gabi Butler and Morgan Simianer. The show brings together fan favorites from the two most successful rival cheer programs in the country, Navarro College and Trinity Valley Community College.

More info on both shows at vanandelarena.com.

Get into the spirit when “Mean Girls” comes to DeVos Performance Hall next week. (Supplied)

1.”Mean Girls,” DeVos Performance Hall

Yes, I lived under a rock in the early 2000s. How else do you explain the fact that I never saw the popular 2004 film “Mean Girls”? Well, now I know what I missed: A truly hilarious, comedic and sometimes too-close-to-reality depiction of life in high school. Now an award-winning Broadway musical, “Mean Girls” opened Tuesday at DeVos Performance Hall as part of a national tour with performances through Sunday (June 26). Get all the details at https://broadwaygrandrapids.com/mean-girls. Earlier this week, WKTV Journal published my interview with Ann Arbor native Nadina Hassan, who plays the Queen Bee of Mean, Regina George, in the musical.

READ: Wearing pink, ‘Mean Girls’ take charge of the DeVos stage

Check out the full interview in my podcast “Then By All Means, Lead the Way.”

Listen to “Nadina Hassan says ‘Mean Girls’ is ‘pure joy'” on Spreaker.

That’s it for now.

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

Have a great, safe weekend.

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

Wearing pink, ‘Mean Girls’ take charge of the DeVos stage

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

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

“Mean Girl” rules: Regina, played by Nadina Hassan (second from right) lays down the rules. (Supplied)

“Mean Girls” is such an iconic movie that just about everyone has seen it or has heard lines from the film without even knowing it.

That’s what makes it so much fun.

Everyone can relate.

Whether it’s flashbacks to high school days or even in your current work environment, “Mean Girls” draws you in.

“This show is so relatable because every single person can see themselves in this show,”  said Ann Arbor native Nadina Hassan, who plays Regina George in the Broadway touring musical that stops June 21-26 at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids.

“You don’t even have to be a girl. …You find somebody that you relate to, that you may have been in high school or knew somebody in high school or even in your workplace now, you recognize these behaviors.

“Everyone leaves connecting with one or more of the characters.”

“Mean Girls” is a hilarious hit musical from an award- winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey – yes, that Tina Fey, from hit movies and the “30 Rock” TV show, as well as composer Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (“Legally Blonde”) and director Casey Nicolaw (“The Book of Mormon”).

It tells the story of Cady Heron, who grew up on the African savanna, but now has to adjust with life in suburban Illinois. She falls prey to a “trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung,” according to the show notes.

The hardest part for Cady is that she “has to navigate all these clicks,” Hassan said.

And her character is at the center of the “mean.”

“Regina is head of the Plastics and they basically rule the school….They are untouchables,” Hassan said. She is the “meanest of the mean girls.”

Get into the spirit when “Mean Girls” comes to DeVos Performance Hall June 21-26. (Supplied)

If you loved the movie, which was released in 2004 and starred Lindsay Lohan as Cady and Rachel McAdams as Regina, then you’ll love the musical, Hassan said.

All the classic lines from the movie “we keep in the show,” she added. “And we’ve updated things to include social media, which is a big part of our lives these days.”

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Hassan fell in love with theater while acting in productions at the Pioneer Theatre Guild and attending Skyline High School. After graduation she picked up her studies in theater performance at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, near Cleveland. She graduated in 2020.

“I’m glad I went away to college,” she said. Baldwin Wallace “is a small liberal arts university where you have no choice but to stay super focused. I feel I left college ready to take on this kind of job.”

She did some Regional theater, performing in “Tick, Tick… BOOM!” (Susan), “West Side Story” (Maria) and “Be More Chill” (Brooke).

But “Mean Girls” is her first major Broadway tour. She actually auditioned during the pandemic from her bedroom while in Ann Arbor.

She calls landing the gig “a dream come true.”

“I’m so lucky, I never expected this. It happened so fast,” Hassan said.

Her advice to those who are on the same path?

Stepping out on the DeVos Performance Hall stage is “Mean Girls.” (Supplied)

“I know it sounds cheesy, but doing material that you genuinely like performing makes all the difference,” she said. “It opens up a lot of creative avenues for you.”

Right now she loves being in her home state of Michigan where “Mean Girls” wraps up on Sunday at the Fischer Theatre in Detroit before heading to Grand Rapids.

Along with having family and friends come to almost every show, she was able to visit on her day off some of her favorite foodie places like Café Zola, Blank Slate Creamery and Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor.

“I brought back sandwiches for the cast,” she said.

It’s a great cast, she added, and people will enjoy the show.

“I can guarantee you will laugh, you will cry, and you will be cheering,” Hassan said. “It is the most fun you’ll have at a theater performance. It’s 2 ½ hours of straight joy. You will leave much happier than when you arrived.”

Listen to “Nadina Hassan says ‘Mean Girls’ is ‘pure joy'” on Spreaker.

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

First Wyoming Summer Market to open on Saturday

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Food, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Faces, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The first of four Summer Markets will be taking place this Saturday at HŌM Flats at 28 West, 1401 Prairie Parkway SW. The event is from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

At last year’s event, a customer looks over a flower arrangement from Wyoming-based Periwinkle Flor Co. (WKTV)

“We are excited to bring this opportunity back to the city,” said Brianna Peña, communications specialist for the City of Wyoming.

Last year, HŌM Flats had approached the city about hosting a public market, which city officials were also considering. The two groups decided to partner hosting two fall events which met with success.

Building off of that, it was decided to host four markets, all through the same partnership of the City of Wyoming and HŌM Flats.

“It is in preparation for the community to host and establish a consistency for these local markets in Wyoming,” Peña said for the reason of expanding the number of markets to four this year.

One of the goals of city officials is to establish a public market within the city limits. Some discussion has centered on using the northern portion of the Site 36, which the city retained after the sale of the property to Franklin Partners.

At each the markets there will be food trucks and artisan vendors offering an array of items such as handmade clothing, jewelry, keychains, and art.

At this Saturday’s event, the food trucks are Curry in a Hurry, which will be offering food selections form India such as Butter Chicken and Traditional Curry with Rice, and Simply Sweet Confections, which will be featuring a selection of its popular macarons.

Also on Saturday, there will be free ice cream to the first 200 attendees and face painting.

The remaining Summer Markets are set for:

July 16, 10 a.m. – 2 p.,. Pinery Park, 2301 DeHoop Ave. SW

Aug 19, 3-7 p.m., 28 West Parking lot, 1345 28 West Place, (near the former Lindo restaurant)

Sept. 16, 3-7 p.m., Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW

Musician Max Lockwood excited about returning to Kentwood

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

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Max Lockwood opens the Kentwood Summer Concert series on Thursday. (Photo by Pia Lu)

At an early age, singer/songwriter Max Lockwood knew the stage was his calling.

It came when he was on stage at his 8th grade talent show.

His band, The Wealthy Homeless, played an original song and Green Day cover.

“I was extremely excited for (the talent show), and I have been playing ever since as much as I can,” said the 32-year-old Lockwood.

He’s not joking.

At age 16 he was playing with the local band Sweet Japonic, and after two years of upright bass performance classes at DePaul University, the Wayland native took time off to tour with Michigan band the Ragbirds.

He eventually went back to school to get a creative writing/literature degree from the University of Michigan. His debut record, “Outrider,” served as his senior thesis at the University of Michigan for his degree in creative writing.

“I guess you could say that 50 percent of my lifetime has been playing professionally,” Lockwood told WKTV Journal. “…At this point I feel very comfortable and natural. I enjoy performing very much.”

Max Lockwood will be performing original music at Thursday’s concert. (Photo by Pia Lu)

Lockwood and his band will kick off the Kentwood Summer Music Series on Thursday (June 16) on the lawn behind City Hall. The concert is at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

READ: Summer revs up with Kentwood concerts, farmers market combo

All concerts will be live streamed by WKTV Community Media. Watch the events live at: https://www.wktv.org/live25.html. If you miss a show you can watch it here at WKTV On Demand.

Lockwood will perform his original music, which is “rooted in songcraft and heartfelt lyricism and bound with elements of rock and roll, folk and pop,” according to his website bio. 

His musicianship, songwriting and experience will shine through, whether playing original or cover songs.

Those originals explore the themes of “love, adversity and growth,” in a powerful voice, akin to the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen.

In fact, he’ll play a couple new songs that were just released, including “Nothing to Fight” and “Lonely Gods.”

Both were recorded in Grand Rapids and feature many local musicians, including members of his side project band, The Insiders, a Tom Petty tribute band that he fronts.

He’s excited to return to Kentwood where he has performed with another band he used to front, psychedelic folk-rock band Big Dudee Roo.

“It’s fun, out on the lawn,” he said of the outdoor series. “Hopefully the weather will be great.”

The Max Lockwood Band consists of Max on guitar and vocals, Justin Dore on guitar, Eric O’Daly on bass and Daine Hammerly on drums.

Learn more about Max Lockwood, including new releases and tour schedules at https://www.maxlockwoodmusic.com/.

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

‘Star Wars’ author, Grand Rapids native set to release memoir trilogy

Books, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , ,

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributing Writer

Having sold two million Star Wars books for kids (Darth Vader and Son and Jedi Academy) and considered a pioneer of 21st-century graphic memoir, award-winning author and Grand Rapids native Jeffrey Brown is inviting readers to explore the intimate and timeless tales that first launched his career.

Arthur Jeffery Brown (Supplied)

Loved And Lost: A Relationship Trilogy, produced by Top Shelf Productions, is set to debut Tuesday, June 14. These three honest and adult-oriented memoirs, written 20 years ago and now compiled into one work, capture timeless insights into love, intimacy, and vulnerability that make them authentic and relatable to readers.

“(I wanted) to make work that expressed whatI was feeling,” Jeffrey Brown told WKTV in a recent interview. Creating works that related to everyday life was important to Brown. “I thought to myself: The complete opposite of something super-conceptual would be to write something about real life and be as brutally honest as I could possibly write.”

While attending the School of the Art Institute, Brown began doodling comics in his sketchbooks about everyday awkward moments. “There was something about making those that felt very full-filling,” Brown said. The author went on to say that those comics, when he showed them to friends and family, were what seemed to connect with people.

Brown began recording his memories of a recent long-distant relationship in a sketchbook, revealing the emotional frailty of young lovers in writing and art. That first book, Clumsy, struck a chord with readers and prompted Brown to create his second and third graphic memoirs, titled Unlikely and Any Easy Intimacy.

The response to his work, Brown revealed, was unexpected. “These things I was writing about were more universal than I realized,” said Brown. “It’s comforting to know that other people can read something and tell you, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve been there,’ and appreciate that you’ve been there too. It’s a two-way street of connecting with readers.”

Putting himself in a vulnerable position by divulging aspects of his personal life didn’t come easily but was worth it to Brown. “As an artist, I’m trusting people with myself, with my stories,” Brown said. “By and large, that trust is rewarded. I find that when someone opens up and is vulnerable, people’s instinct…is to be empathetic and return that vulnerability with their own vulnerability.”

Collected into one volume for the first time, Love And Lost: A Relationship Trilogy reminds readers of real life joy, heartbreak, and humor that marks every life.

Brown revealed that he is curious to see what readers think of the memoirs 20 years after they were written. “It’s interesting to look back. Obviously,the world is very different,” Brown said, “but hopefully there’s still something in there for people to find value in.”

Over the last 20 years, the author and artist has released numerous titles and won several awards, including the Ignatz Awardin 2003 in the category of Outstanding Mini-Comic for I Am Going To Be Small, and back-to-back Eisner Awardsin the category of Best Humor Publication for Darth Vader And Son (2013) and Vader’s Little Princess (2014).

When asked what is next for the author, Brown said that he does have a few projects in the works, but that he has also begun an epic fantasy adventure book, something he has always wanted do. “I try not to overthink how I’m approaching things and just follow what I feel like I what I want to make next,” said Brown. 

To find out more about author and artist Jeffrey Brown, click here: Jeffrey Brown Comics. To order a copy of Loved And Lost: A Relationship Trilogy, click here: Top Shelf Productions.

Rare, unique automobiles on display Saturday at Downtown Market

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , ,

By WKTV Journal
joanne@wktv.org

Cars & Coffee Grand Rapids returns to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market for the seventh year, hosting the season’s first event on Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Cars and Coffee returns to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market on Saturday. (Supplied)

Show cars will be in the Downtown Market parking lot adjacent to Ionia Avenue, and under the covered Market Shed. Spectators can stroll through the impressive array of automobiles from around the region during the event.

Vehicles on display will include sports cars, exotics, tuners, muscle cars and classics.

The Downtown Market will be open from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Saturday for a variety of food and beverage options from Market Hall merchants. Parking is available on-site, and in the nearby McConnell Ave. lot during the event.

East Kentwood graduate receives $15,000 scholarship from Northwood

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Local Faces, , ,
Kelsey Depault (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org


An East Kentwood High School graduate has been awarded the Northwood University Presidential Scholarship.

Kelsey Depault is the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, which awards $15,000 per year for four years for students living on campus, and $13,500 for those residing off campus.

Depault, play softball at East Kentwood and the club team Caledonia Chaos, signed to play softball at Northwood University last fall. She was a shortstop and on the outfield. Depault also tied the school record for most hits in a season. She got 75.

The Presidential Scholarship recognizes leadership, determination, personal freedom/responsibility, and academic excellence along with experience in volunteerism, resilience, entrepreneurship and/or cross-cultural impact.

Students are selection for consideration based on the information they provide in their Northwood application.

Northwood University is a private institution in Midland, Michigan. It opened in 1959 and has had more than 33,000 graduates. Among some of its most notable graduates are Dick DeVos, former U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller. current U.S. Congresswoman Lisa McClain, and the first African-American woman to be named Miss USA, Carole Gist.

Division Avenue hosts first annual festival on June 18

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , , , , ,

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributing Writer

The Division Avenue Business Association (DABA), will be hosting the Division Ave. Art & Culture Festival on June 18, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Craft vendors will be part of the upcoming Division Ave. Arts & Culture Festival. (Courtesy The Stray)

This family-friendly event will be held in the neighborhood surrounding Division Avenue and 43rd Street, and will include food and craft vendors, live music, Pacific Island dancers, interactive art, a colorful dragon parade, fun prize giveaways, and more.

The Art & Culture Festival was brought into being after a study was done by Division United and in cooperation with The Rapid.

“They were looking at what this neighborhood would need to grow and better the people who live here and the people who work here,” Hunter VanKlompenberg, music and arts manager of The Stray, a coffee house participating in the Festival. “We thought it would be cool to have an annual summer festival that is for the local neighborhood and supported by local artists and gets the involvement of all the different businesses.”

Along with independent artists, musicians, and vendors from the greater Grand Rapids area, several local Division Avenue businesses will be participating in the Festival, including The Stray, Café Boba, Quest Fitness, and Natural Maya. A portion of 43rd Street will be closed down to accommodate the Festival.

Pacific Island dancers will be part of the entertainment at the Festival. (Courtesy The Stray)

“We are going to have artist tents outside,and space for live music,” VanKlompenberg said. “We have the support of Wyoming and Kentwood city governments, and they are putting in a temporary crosswalk so that it (the Festival) is easy for people to access.”

While it isn’t the most well-known area of Grand Rapids, the Wyoming and Kentwood areas are vastly multi-cultural with specialty shops, including the Kim Nhung Superstore, that are sought out by West Michigan community members.

“A lot of people will drive over an hour to come visit because there are ingredients you just can’t get anywhere else,” VanKlompenberg said of the Asian grocery store across the street from The Stray.

Owners of Café Boba, Yiuli and ted Bonarski are also excited to be part of the upcoming Festival.

Cafe Boba is known for its bubble tea and other delights. (Supplied)

“We’re so happy to be involved in planning and participating n this event,” the couple said in a recent interview. “It’s not widely known that South Division is a hotbed of hole-in-the-wall, diamond-in-the-rough small businesses, but it truly is the place in Grand Rapids for authentic food and art from a huge variety of cultures around the world. We’re thrilled to be helping to promote small, owen operated businesses; they are the lifeblood of a healthy community for people, by the people.”

Café Boba offers customers a wide selection of boba tea, smoothies, slashes, coffee drinks, and sweets treats — and will be offering a new summer menu.

Ray Shonk, owner of Quest Fitness on Division Street, will also be participating in the Art and Culture Festival and looks forward to the opportunity to meet more members of the community.

“Fitness isn’t meant to be for the super-wealthy,” Shonk said. “It should be for everyone.”

Ray Shonk, owner of Quest Fitness, said fitness should be for everyone. (Supplied)

Shonk has experience training many different levels of fitness enthusiasts, from those stepping into a gym fo rat first time, to professional athletes and Olympic competitors.

To help raise awareness and encourage fitness discussions, Shonk will be offering free fitness assessments throughout the entire Festival where community members can meet Quest Fitness trainers and discuss their goals. “Fitness is not one-size-fits-all. It has to be custom-fit to each person,” said Shonk.

Shonk is a firm believer in offering affordable fitness options for everyone while also providing unique experiences. “I am having to draw on 30-plus years of martial arts experience to put that together,” Shonk said with a laugh.

The Stray also hopes to bring the Wyoming an dKentwood area something unique and virtual to West Michigan.

A family-owned café, The Stray’s goal since conception has been to bring diversity and community to a place of comfort and creativity. They accomplish this by offering a relaxing venue for both coffee enthusiasts and artists of the surrounding area. The Stray’s own unique blend of creative talent and delicious coffee helps cultivate the welcoming atmosphere The Stray strives to bring to Grand Rapids.

The Stray is a family-owned business that opened last fall. (Supplied)

“There is a definite deficit of accessible venues for music and arts,” said VanKlompenberg of the Grand Rapids area. “Having an (accessible) place was definitely needed.”

Included in the live music line-up are American Folk band Wilderlove, and musician Kevin Murphy, and Jeff Troutman and the Parachute Adams Band.

Division Avenue store owners invite adults and children alike to explore the Division Ave. Art & Culture Festival on June 18 and experience all the community has to offer.

For full Art & Culture Festival event information and updates, visit the event’s Facebook page.

There is still availability for vendors who would like to get involved. Those who would like to participate can fill out the Involvement Interest Form or send an email to the team@thestraycafe.com.

Wyoming Concerts in the Park returns June 7

Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, Upcoming Events, ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

The Soul Syndicate kicks off the Wyoming Concert series on Tuesday, June 7. (Supplied)

The Wyoming Concerts in the Park kicks off with Soul Syndicate, which is one of the most recognizable bands in the area known for its horn section that cranks out classic soul, R&B and funk tunes meant to keep those toes tapping and the young at heart dancing.

“It’s a party!,” said founder and guitarist Mike Coon, who leads a 10-piece band through a long list of songs everyone knows and loves. “It’s a fun band. You don’t sit in chairs and watch us.”

Soul Syndicate opens the Wyoming weekly concert series at 7 p.m. June 7 at Lamar Park. Admission is free.

The Tuesday night series continues through Aug. 2. See the list of shows below. All will be recorded and aired on WKTV.

Coon said performing in front of fans at outdoor concerts like Wyoming, Meijer Gardens (June 28) and Kentwood (June 30) really brings out a wide range of ages. That’s the great thing about these classic songs by Aretha Franklin, Sam and Dave, KC and Sunshine Band and Chicago, he said, everyone knows them.

“These songs seem to transcend over a lot of ages, particularly in the outdoor shows like Kentwood and Wyoming where you got, literally, all ages,” Coon said.

Younger people know these songs from parents and grandparents or they’ve heard them in advertisements.

The Soul Syndicate performs at the Frederick Meijer Gardens June 28 followed by a summer performance at Kentwood on June 30. (Supplied)

“The younger people are like ‘Yeah, I know that song,” he said. “And the older people remember it when it was on the charts.”

“These songs just sort of resonate…. Nobody is hearing that old classic rock song that’s been in their head for 30 years. (Our show) is different. It’s refreshing.”

That was the goal when the band started in 2013. Even though the beginnings of the band had started, it was the urging of friend Juliet Dragos of WZZM-TV (Channel 13) who reached out to Coon, asking if he could put a group together for a Special Olympics event.

From there they started doing special events, corporate shows, outdoor festivals and casinos.

The premise has always been the same: To entertain crowds with music they know and love and keep them dancing and clapping along.

Their popularity took off because not a lot of bands had horn sections playing these classic songs, he said.

“I couldn’t think of anybody that really did that,” Coon said. “A lot of other bands had one Stevie Wonder song in their set. We had four of them. It set us apart, and the horns made it snap.”

The group consists of: Mike Coon, guitar; Tom Taylor, drums; Katie Sarb, vocals and backup; Matt Fouts, bass; John Neil, keyboards; Tim DenBesten, trumpet (horn leader); Nate Hansen, sax; Jeff Carroll, trombone; and Colin Tobin, lead vocalist.

They also have a couple other musicians who play sax and rotate through the band, Coon said.

They perform about 50 shows a year, which might not seem like a lot, but Coon emphasized that they’re not a “tavern band.”

“We’re all pros.” he said. “No matter the venue we’re given we seem to be able to adapt quickly and make it work.”

But it’s the horn section that really distinguishes the band from others.

“When they’re all in sync it adds that energy to the show, and the audience really responds to them,” Coon said.

“Everybody in the band is an accomplished soloist. Anybody, whether keyboards, bass, drums, anybody in the section can step up and rip your head off on a solo….When the horns  are on and in sync, it just blows your hair back. It’s cool.”

Learn more about Soul Syndicate and see a list of shows at https://www.thesoulsyndicate.com/shows.

Wyoming Concerts in Park 2022 are all at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park. Admission is free. More info: Wyoming Concerts in the Park Facebook page.

Concerts Lineup

June 7 – Soul Syndicate – Covers – Rock 

June 14 – Serita’s Black Rose – Funk, Rock, Blues 

June 21 – Nathan Walton Band – Soul, Rock 

June 28 – Jordan Hamilton – Cellist 

July 12 – Randy McAllister – Blues and Soul 

July 19 – Monty Pride – Folk 

July 26 – Bernadette Kathryn – Country 

August 2 – Grupo Latin – Latin Soul (13 piece band)

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

Storytellers weave their tales in third event for WKTV VOICES

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Local Faces, ,

By Aaron Robins
WKTV Community Contributor

A California trip that led to a hike into Mexico, an adventure to find Bigfoot, and a close call with a crime syndicate were just some of the stories shared at a recent WKTV Voices storytelling event.

WKTV Voices held its third public speaking event at Wyoming’s The Stray Café on Friday, May 6. Storytellers, Cody Dewindt, Sherryl Acey, John D. Gonzalez, Steve Zaagman and Timothy Kelly graced the stage to share their tales with cafégoers. Close to 20 people listened as the participants told them about some of their life experiences.

The WKTV Voices event was hosted by WKTV contributor John D. Gonzalez. Each speaker had about six minutes to share their unique and personal stories. The goal of the event is to reconnect us all in a shared storytelling experience. 

“There’s been all sorts of stories short, long, sentimental, you know, funny and different things like that,” said The Stray Music Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg said. “And some people definitely try and put there like, the moral of at the end, and some people just kind of tell you what happened and that’s what their story is. And I enjoy both when they’re done right.”

Steve Zaagman
Timothy Kelly
Sherryl Acey
Cody Dewindt
The storytellers

Dewindt, of Wyoming, was the first to speak, telling the crowd a comedic story about when he was a wedding DJ and had a close encounter with a local crime syndicate. Acey, also from Wyoming, was the second speaker, recounting a time she landed a big job and almost got in trouble because she was told she made a mistake (she approach the accusation head-on to find a solution). Gonzalez, of Comstock Park, spoke third, about a time when he was in Upper Penisula and a man brought him and his wife to a cottage to see bigfoot (he said he never saw him while there). Zaagman, of Byron Center, a former journalist, spoke fourth, sharing four unique stories about a snow globe, a woman losing her hearing, a child selling a rabbit and an organ. Kelly, of Grand Rapids, spoke last, talking about a time when he visited a friend in California and ended up going on a hike that led him to visit Mexico. 

The storytellers had several things they wanted to impart to cafégoers from their tales of life. Some wanted people to have a good time while others wanted them to not give up and take the bull by the horns when challenges arise. 

John D. Gonzalez, a WKTV contributing writer, was the host for the May 6 event. (WKTV/Aaron Robins)

“So say yes more than no, and an opportunity comes, if you see an opportunity to do something, to tell a story – I just say just take the leap and do it. It’s so easy to say no, but I’m telling you the best parts of life are when you say yes. So say yes to the opportunity if some says tell a story because I truly believe everyone has a story,” Zaagman said. 

To watch the performance and learn more about WKTV Voices, visit wktvvoices.org. The Stray Café is located at 4253 Division Ave S Suite A in Wyoming.

Navy officially changes status of 13 USS Indianapolis sailors lost during World War II

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Local Faces, Senior Living, Veterans, ,

By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org

The USS Indianapolis sank on July 30, 1945 after being struck by two Japanese torpedoes. One of the sailors, Seaman 2nd Class George David Payne, was from Grand Rapids.

The Navy has officially changed the status of 13 sailors lost when the USS Indianapolis (CA 35) was sunk in 1945 from “unaccounted for” to “buried at sea,” Navy Casualty announced on May 27.

The change in status is the result of extensive research between Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Casualty Office, the USS Indianapolis Survivors Association, the USS Indianapolis Legacy Organization, and the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation.

The announcement helps bring closure to the families of these sailors who lost their lives at the end of a secret mission which helped end World War II.

The USS Indianapolis sank on July 30, 1945, after being struck by two Japanese torpedoes.

The sailors whose status changed are:

Seaman 1st Class George Stanley Abbott – Bedford, Kentucky

Seaman 2nd Class Eugene Clifford Batson – Kansas City, Kansas

Gunner’s Mate 1st Class William Alexander Haynes – Homedale, Idaho

Seaman 2nd Class Albert Raymond Kelly – Cleveland, Ohio

Seaman 1st Class Albert Davis Lundgren – Washington, D.C.

Fireman 1st Class Ollie McHone – Mars Hill, Arkansas

Seaman 2nd Class George David Payne – Grand Rapids, Michigan

Storekeeper 3rd Class Alvin Wilder Rahn – Hamlet, North Carolina

Ship’s Cook 3rd Class Jose Antonio Saenz – Edinburg, Texas

Coxswain Charles Byrd Sparks – Birmingham, Alabama

Radioman 2nd Class Joseph Mason Strain – Creston, Iowa

SSML3 Angelo Anthony Sudano – Niles, Ohio

Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Floyd Ralph Wolfe – Turner, Oregon

Approximately 300 of the ship’s 1,195 Sailors went down with the ship, and some 900 men were set adrift. Only 316 survived. Due to administrative errors, many Sailors who were recovered from the ocean and buried at sea from responding vessels were misclassified as “missing in action “or “unaccounted for.”

According to Rick Stone, who previously served at NHHC, he initiated the USS Indianapolis Burial at Sea Project to determine if any Indianapolis casualties met this criteria. Following his retirement from government service, he established the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation to continue the project and located documentation proving the 13 Sailors were misclassified.

According to the foundation’s USS Indianapolis Burial at Sea Project web page, “recovering a lost sailor, giving their loved ones and family closure, is the greatest gift we can imagine and the greatest way to celebrate and thank the sailors who lost their lives aboard the USS Indianapolis.

“One of my favorite quotes is ‘Poor is the nation that has no heroes but shameful is the nation who, having heroes, forgets them,’” Stone said. “Our foundation will never forget the heroes of the USS Indianapolis and are proud of our role in helping 13 families learn that the Navy went to great lengths to honor them soon after their deaths.”

Capt. Robert McMahon, director of the Navy Casualty Office, said bringing closure to families of those lost at sea is a “solemn duty and obligation” he takes to heart.

“Nothing is more important to me than giving families that knowledge when the unthinkable happens,” he said. “No amount of time lessens the loss, however, if we can bring some certainty to loved ones, even seven decades later, we are keeping faith with those we lost.”

One of those family members, William Baxter, nephew of Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Wolfe, was notified April 26 of the change in status. Sailors from Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command Beaufort, South Carolina, arrived at his door with a certificate and flag to recognize Wolfe’s sacrifice.

Baxter, an Okatie, South Carolina, native, said while he did not know his uncle, “it’s nice to finally have some closure to what actually happened to [him]. Thank you all for going above and beyond for me and my family. I wasn’t expecting all of this, but thank you.”

Change of Topic: Tune in on Memorial Day to our special annual program involving the USS Silversides ceremony titled, “The Lost Boat Ceremony at the USS Silversides in Muskegon.”

MEMORIAL DAY AIR TIMES:

WKTV 25: 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

WKTV Government 26: 6:30 p.m.

Local band Whorled starts off year with being crowned first Battle of the Bands winner

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Recreation, , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Whorled won the March Battle of the Bands at The Stray. (courtesy)

Playing a style of music they call “World folk” has paid off for Whorled.

The critical praise has been huge, and the band won a Battle of the Bands in March at The Stray Café in Grand Rapids.

Local Spins recently described Whorled (pronounced “world”) as follows:

“The world folk band stole the stage with a set that was less of a performance and more of an experience. Many of its songs weaved through various genres — starting as an Irish highland tune, then transitioning to a traditional Japanese song and ending with a bluegrass swing.”

That makes sense when you consider the trio draws from celtic, gypsy jazz, Brazilian, bluegrass and classical influences, said Thom Jayne of Whorled. The group is known for playing a variety of instruments, including violin, accordion, guitar, banjo, whistles, and occasionally a didgeridoo, which is a wind instrument.

The band also consists of multi-instrumentalist Keala Venema and accordionist Marika Venema.

Jayne answered a few questions from WKTV.

WKTV Journal: How did you come up with your band’s name?

Jayne: The name signifies the diverse backgrounds and musical influences that each of us bring to create our signature “Whorled” sound.

WKTV: When did you form?

Jayne: 2020. We formed during the Covid period and have only been playing out in public during the past year.

WKTV: What do you hope to accomplish with your music?

Jayne: To create a unique sound that is both true to the traditions that we draw from and also to integrate them together in fresh ways.

WKTV: Has it been easy or difficult to break into the West Michigan music scene?

Jayne: We’re just starting out, so still finding out.

WKTV: What makes you stand out, outside of playing all those instruments?

Jayne: We have a strictly Celtic set, but most of our material features a variety of styles sprinkled with spontaneous improvisation so that no two Whorled shows are the same. Our show is high-energy, good-feeling, and crowd-interactive.

Upcoming Performances:

We’re playing at Meijer Gardens on July 12, opening for the Accidentals at the Saugatuck Jump into Summer Festival on June 17, and are being featured in the Sparta Irish Music Festival on August 12-13.

Learn more about the band at https://www.whorledband.com/videos.

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

A leap of faith started music source Local Spins, which marks its 10th anniversary

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Amy Sherman, John Sinkevics, and John Gonzalez. (John Gonzalez)

Ten years ago, John Sinkevics took a leap of faith.

As the former music critic for The Grand Rapids Press, he knew there was a “robust” music scene in West Michigan, and he also knew he had the connections, credibility and drive to build a website dedicated to music news, interviews, album releases and concert coverage.

He started LocalSpins.com, which this week is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a series of seven shows over six days.

Sinkevics, who is based in Rockford, and also performs with his band the Honeytones with another Press alum, former religion editor and features writer Charley Honey, said starting the website was a pretty scary endeavor.

“When I started this it was like jumping off a cliff,” he said on our radio show and podcast Behind the Mitten, which aired this weekend. (Listen to the whole show below or here.)

But he also had support from the local music community, including musicians and venues such as Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill and The Intersection. “They spurred me on,” he said.

It was the scene’s quality of music that also made him confident he could start something new in West Michigan.

“I knew this music scene was a robust scene. It was growing. It had incredible talent from Traverse City to Kalamazoo to the Lakeshore to Grand Rapids, and it really felt good. I knew there was something happening here that needed to be covered.”

It didn’t take long before he was hiring photographers, freelance writers and other journalists to help him out.

The line up for the celebration. (John Gonzalez)

“Before you knew I was careening along at 60-70 hours a week, just making it happen. But because there was so much to cover and there was so much beautiful music being made here that it paid off in the long run.”

The pandemic changed things for musicians, obviously, who didn’t have venues or crowds to support them. That also had an impact on publications like Local Spins.

“A lot of readers stepped up and before you knew it I could still keep things rolling, and we found ways to cover the albums that were being released,” he said. “Musicians didn’t stop, they just couldn’t perform live.

“Now we’ve reached that 10-year milestone…, I’m ready to celebrate.”

In addition to the series of upcoming concerts, Local Spins has special merchandise to commemorate the anniversary and a collaboration beer release with Rockford Brewing Company called the Local Spinsation Ale. It’s on tap now.

Get more details at LocalSpins.com.

Local Spins Fest concerts are through May 21. Details provided by LocalSpins.com:

• TUESDAY, MAY 17 – Listening Room: A special Local Spins edition of “Songtellers, Stories & Songs” hosted by Nicholas James Thomasma with rock multi-instrumentalist Patty PerShayla, hip hop cellist Jordan Hamilton, punk rock guitarist Julio Gomez and singer-songwriter Eric Engblade, 7 p.m., $10, tickets on sale here.

• WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 – SpeakEZ Lounge: Earth Radio and the return of The Concussions, 8 p.m., free. Donations accepted.

• THURSDAY, MAY 19 – The Pyramid Scheme: Local Spins 10th Anniversary Hip Hop Showcase with Les Creatif, J. Rob & Bedrock and Wuzee & Samil, 8 p.m., $8 advance, available online here.

• FRIDAY, MAY 20 (Early Show) – Tip Top Deluxe Bar & Grill: Blues Night with Jake Kershaw and Hank Mowery & The Hawktones, 7 p.m., $10, tickets available online here.

The Accidentials perform May 21. (Photo by B. Hockensmith Photography)

• FRIDAY, MAY 20 (Late Show) – The Intersection: Desmond Jones and The Legal Immigrants at Elevation, 9 p.m., $10, tickets on sale now at sectionlive.com.

• SATURDAY, MAY 21 – LOCAL SPINS FEST AT STUDIO PARK (Downtown Grand Rapids)

2 p.m. – Doors open

3 p.m. – DJ SuperDre

4 p.m. – Cabildo

5 p.m. – Hannah Rose Graves

6 p.m. – Full Cord

7 p.m. – Public Access (wsg Emilee Petersmark of The Crane Wives)

8:30 p.m. – The Accidentals

Refreshments, merchandise and sponsor booths will be part of the event. General admission tickets are just $20 and on sale now at listeningroomgr.com.

Behind the Mitten

Listen to me and co-host Amy Sherman talk to John Sinkevics about his 10-year anniversary, as well the summer outdoor music concert season across West Michigan. We also learn more about Rockford Brewing Company through general manager Matt Valleau.

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

Annual Heritage Hill Weekend Tour of Homes is back and welcomes visitors

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Local History, Our Cities, Recreation, West Michigan, , , ,

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributing Writer

Jim Payne and Char Kruzich’s College Avenue home will be part of this year’s Heritage Hill Tour. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

The annual Heritage Hill Weekend Tour of Homes is excited to welcome visitors May 21-22 after a two-year hiatus.

One of the country’s oldest urban historic districts, Heritage Hill has been heralded by “This Old House” as one of the country’s “Best Old House Neighborhoods.” The Heritage Hill Association encourages guests to explore seven homes of families who have courteously opened their doors, as well as two public buildings recently restored by Grand Rapids Community College.

More than 1,300 homes dating from 1843 compile Heritage Hill, and represent nearly every style of American architecture, from Greek Revival to Prairie. Since 1969, a varying line-up of seven to eight private homes and two to three historic buildings have been opened to the public each year with guides who share each building’s unique story and special features.

“This tour is a great opportunity to take a walk back in time,” Jim Payne, owner of Heritage Hill home located at 27 College Avenue NE, told WKTV. “Visitors get to experience different types of architecture and art and reflect on another era.”

The wood in the home is reflective of the original molding and floors. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Jim Payne and Char Kruzich opened the doors of their Heritage Hill home to this WKTV writer, willingly giving a tour of their well-loved and rehabilitated house. Built in 1882 and sporting the American Craftsman Style, 27 College Ave. is on the must-see list of homes on the Heritage Hill Tour.

Both freelance artists themselves, Jim and Char had a hand in every renovated detail, working closely for the more than 14 years with architect Mitch Witkowski and carpenter Tim Karsen and incorporating their own unique designs and artwork into their home. A distinctive integration into the residence are two art studios on the third floor, allowing the owners to “create while living in a work of art.”

Though almost all of the interior is new, Jim and Char kept the original floors of the home and even the original newel post to the staircase leading to the upper floors. “We kept the post and modeled the rest of the room and staircase around its original design,” Jim said.

A unique piece of history was found inside the walls of their historic home during the renovation. “There was a piece of trim from 1909, signed by the carpenter, inside the wall,” said Jim. “He had taped coins from that year to the wood.”

“Our carpenter did the same,” Char said with a smile. “He signed a piece of wood and then taped current coins to it before closing up the walls.”

While the inside of the home has been drastically altered, allowing better movement from room to room and improved airflow throughout the residence, the exterior has been restored to its original architectural design. Dormers and gables provide a complex façade and emphasize the Craftsman Style’s natural materials and fine craftsmanship.

When asked about restrictions for renovating their home due to the historic nature of the residence, Jim and Char said the only boundaries the Historic Preservation Commission, (HPC),  imposes on homeowners is in regard to the exterior of the homes.

“Color of paint is not restricted, but things that would alter the exterior of the home like windows, doors and railings, require HPC approval,” Jim said. “That way construction of decks and sliding glass doors, things that aren’t true to the era of the homes, are avoided.”

  • The exterior of the home at 27 College Ave. NE
  • The entrance
  • The dining area
  • The living room
  • Living space
  • Office space
  • Living area
  • An original post and molding

While there might be restrictions on outside renovations, Jim and Char said HPC has no boundaries on the interior of the home. This allows historic homeowners to preserve the exterior architecture while creating an interior that suits their personal tastes.

“They want you to be able to rehabilitate these homes,” Char said. “They want you to be able to raise families here. To live here, not just reside here.”

Jim agreed. “The Historic Preservation Commission was a great help during the remodel.”

The homeowners revealed that their neighborhood is like a second family. Moving to College Avenue in 1981, they rented a home for five years before buying their current home in 1986, giving them 40 years in their current community.

“Owners or renters, it doesn’t matter,” said Char. “We are all treated like family and are all close.”

The neighborhood even formed the North College Block Club, with families gathering socially many times a year. “Our own kitchen has seen a lot of action,” Char said as she tapped the counter next to her.

Jim and Char urge community members to come out and experience the masterpieces compiling Heritage Hill.

 

Advance tickets are $18 and can be found at www.heritagehillweb.org. To obtain tickets by check, send to the Heritage Hill Association, 126 College SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Tickets purchased on the days of the tour are $25.

Proceeds benefit the Heritage Hill Association’s programs that support the historic preservation of this unique neighborhood and assist with land use, planning, engaging neighbors and community resources, and crime prevention.

More information about the annual tour and the homes and businesses opening their doors can also be found at www.heritagehillweb.org or by calling 616-459-8950.