Category Archives: Local Faces

Wyoming’s ‘Chief’ Carmody, Republican house candidate on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Election, Local Faces, Politics,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is James Carmody. After an award-winning career spanning more than four decades, Wyoming Director of Police and Fire Services Chief Carmody retired a few weeks ago. Before he did so, WKTV’s Joanne Bailey-Boorsma walked with “The Chief” as he talked about his career and the Wyoming department he led.

 

Also on the episode, In Focus is Jennifer Antel, currently a Wayland City Councilor who is running in the Republican primary for the 72nd District state representative seat currently held by fellow Republican Steven Johnson. The 72nd district includes parts of Allegan and Kent counties, including the city of Kentwood.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, June 12, and will again air on Thursday, June 14, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of June 4. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Snapshots: Fun news you need to know from Wyoming and Kentwood

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WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Wyoming: Delilah Dewylde’s Rockabilly sounds at Lamar Park on June 12

 

Delilah DeWylde (Photo by Tyler Steimle)

Delilah DeWylde and her band the Lost Boy brings a high-octane rockabilly sound to the next Wyoming Concerts on Tuesday, June 12, starting at 7 p.m., at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The performance is free.

For the complete story, click here.

 

Kentwood: Adams Family will kick off summer concert series June 14  

 

The Adams Family (Facebook)

The Adams Family will be the first of a summertime full of music as the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series offers free concerts and family entertainment on select Thursday nights from June to August. All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Road SE.

For the complete story, click here.

 

WKTV Voices: You love Marge’s donuts, and you will love her and her sisters stories

The WKTV Voices trailer is at Marge’s Donut Den the second Saturday of each month. In March of this year, Marge and her sister Marilyn sat down to record their oral history. Hear what these marvelously mischievous siblings had to say about the various pranks they pulled during their childhood.

To see the video, click here.

 

Safe Resources for LGBT Seniors

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Health, How-To's, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Senior Living, , ,

By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan (AAAWM)

 

While society has taken great strides toward acceptance of LGBT citizens, what remains invisible are the issues and challenges that LGBT adults face as they begin to age. Too often, LGBT seniors have felt the need to go back ‘into the closet’ in order to receive services or deny themselves much need care in order to avoid having to do so. The LGBT Initiative, funded by the Michigan Health Endowment grant, is seeking to change that for LGBT seniors throughout the state of Michigan, by creating safe channels for LGBT older adults to seek services.

 

West Michigan is one of the three regions where this effort is taking place. Kendrick Heinlein, AAAWM Contract Administrator, is heading up this project for Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan.

 

“Right now, the LGBT initiative is looking at different outreach strategies to reach members of the LGBT community” Heinlein states. Working with the other two regions: the Upper Peninsula and the Bay City/Saginaw region of the state, committee members recognize what works for Grand Rapids doesn’t necessarily work for the U.P., so finding the best methods for each region is the current focus.

 

Heinlein says, “We want to provide resources and reduce isolation for LGBT seniors and we’re working on the best strategies to go about that.”

 

There are currently about 1.5 million people age 65+ who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. There are also many aging LGBT people who live alone, without family to help with the aging process. This puts many LGBT seniors in the position of requiring income-based aging services available in their communities. Needing to ask for help though is often a difficult experience for these seniors.

 

Older adults who are LGBT don’t often find a warm welcome when they begin to participate in aging services. Sometimes this is due to the discrimination they encounter when seeking services; most times though, it is not hostility but cultural assumptions that can cause LGBT seniors to be reluctant to ask for help. An intake form might ask questions about marriage and children, but not about same-sex partnerships. A senior might be asked about their racial identification or religion, but not gender or sexual orientation.

 

Many older LGBT seniors carry with them memories of a time when they lost jobs, homes and family for being gay and could be jailed or committed to an asylum for being different. Because many seniors don’t want to “go back into the closet” but fear discrimination, they will avoid asking for help, which can result in a health crisis. This is what the LGBT initiative is working to alleviate. Through outreach to community service providers, AAAWM in partnership with the Grand Rapids Pride Center is in the process of creating a resource guide of senior service providers in West Michigan who are LGBT-friendly.

 

Anyone can call themselves LGBT-friendly, but what this means in terms of the LGBT initiative is that each provider in the LGBT Senior Resource Guide will be vetted to insure they will provide equal services to LGBT older adults that they would to any other seniors,

 

“A majority of providers are open to serving LGBT clients,” Heinlein highlights. “A lot of providers have been serving the LGBT community and consider being part of the guide recognition for services they have been providing all along.” By creating this resource guide, the committee hopes to provide safe avenues for LGBT older adults to find the services they need to age gracefully like their peers.

 

The debut of the LGBT Senior Resource Guide will occur at the Grand Rapids Pride Festival on June 16, 2018, beginning at 12 pm. AAAWM will have the guides available at their vendor table and they encourage people to stop by and take a look.

 

If you’d like to learn more about this project, contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan at (888) 456-5664 or email aaainfo@aaawm.org.  To learn about their services, you can visit their website: http://www.aaawm.org.

 

Radical hope at Handlon

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Fifteen inmates in the inaugural Calvin Prison Initiative class earned their associate’s degrees at Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan. (Photo courtesy Calvin College)

 

By Matt Kucinski, Calvin College

 

A gymnasium filled with moms and dads, sisters and brothers, administrators and teachers. Men seated in a couple of rows, dressed in black caps and gowns. Their smiles only contained by their ears. The room filled with jubilation, and hope.

 

It’s a familiar scene this time of year. But, not here. At least, not yet.

 

Peer out a small rectangular window and you quickly realize why. Twenty yards from the podium stands a 20-foot tall fence, wrapped in barbed wire.

Open doors

“We’ve embarked on a lot of firsts these past few years, we know it, those who work here know it, you guys certainly know it,” said Heidi Washington, the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections.

 

This first? A commencement ceremony inside Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan. And it’s part of another first – the Calvin Prison Initiative—a program that offers 20 inmates each year an opportunity to begin pursuing a bachelor’s degree in ministry leadership. It’s the type of program not happening anywhere else in the state, and in few places across the country. On Monday, 15 students from the first cohort earned their associate’s degrees.

 

“This first group behind me, literally took the stonings and they made the sacrifices to get this program up and running,” said DeWayne Burton, warden at Handlon Correctional Facility, during Monday’s Commencement ceremony. “Remember, when we started this program there was no manual to refer to. Basically you [graduates] helped us develop a blueprint for how to run a college program inside a prison.”

A blueprint, and a vision

That blueprint was developed through collaboration among Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary faculty and staff, students at Handlon, and leaders in the Michigan Department of Corrections.

 

That blueprint has unleashed a powerful vision, replacing despair with hope … radical hope.

 

“We humans are sustained by hope. It is the link between our past and our future, and when there is no future, there is no hope,” said Cheryl Brandsen, provost of Calvin College during the 2018 Commencement Address at Handlon.

 

“The book of Jeremiah tells the story about a despairing people who had lost hope,” said Brandsen. “Jeremiah wrote them a hard letter: Look, you are going to be here for a long time. 70 years, in fact. Don’t listen to false prophets who are trying to make you feel good by promising a speedy release. It’s not going to happen. So, what should you do? Settle down. Build houses. Plant gardens. Make a life. You will die in captivity but your children will not. Yes, you will weep when you remember your former lives, but don’t weep as those who have no hope. In fact, pray for this strange country, and seek the welfare of this city. I do have a plan for your future that will give you hope. But the plan is not one of going home right now. It is to stay put and prosper. If you know the rest of the story, the exiles did that, they formed new lives in strange places, grasping onto the radical hope that God had in mind: a future for their nation and their children.”

Promoting the welfare of the city

Brandsen then shared a poignant line from Calvin’s new vision statement, approved by the board of trustees earlier this month, which intentionally echoes the Jeremiah passage: “Calvin University will be animated by a Reformed Christian faith that seeks understanding and promotes the welfare of the city and the healing of the world.”

 

The inmates in the Calvin Prison Initiative program—many of whom are serving life sentences—have now found purpose through a Christ-centered education; they’ve found hope as the antidote to despair.

 

“I was arrested eight months after graduating from high school,” said Michael Duthler, who provided the student reflection at the ceremony. “I had an idea of what education was but I didn’t connect it to vocation, this idea of being a prime citizen. The two ideas were as far apart as heaven was from earth, but now are very much a part of how I understand my role on earth on my way to heaven. “

 

And when students like Duthler understand that God’s Kingdom is not confined by anything, that all square inches of creation are in play, it opens doors that aren’t limited by physical space.

 

“What began for me with an acceptance letter to CPI has formed me into the man who I am today and is inextricably bound with how I see myself in the future, someone who desires to break in God’s Kingdom, be that agent of renewal, to restore shalom, by sharing my education with others, by living out my vocation in a way that glorifies and magnifies God and allows his presence to be known in whatever sphere I touch,” said Duthler.

Living as prime citizens

Living as prime citizens takes courage, and as Duthler says, it is understood and developed within community. He cites examples of professors volunteering to teach two classes (instead of the required one) to allow for more interaction with students, or one professor driving up to Handlon on Christmas Eve to deliver semester grades; he recalls tutors patiently pouring over papers and providing correction or simply words of encouragement; and fellow peers who organize study groups and make themselves available to answer questions and have deep conversations.

 

“Since you guys have taken the lead, others have followed and guess what, others will continue to follow,” said Burton. “You graduates have also displayed the ethics that support the values that Calvin College has. People look at what you do and not what you say. Values are words, ethics are actions. As you continue to demonstrate values through your actions, the ethical culture at this facility will continue to change. One of the other things you gentleman are displaying is a solid reputation for Calvin College and the Michigan Department of Corrections … If you guys continue with this not only will this program be the best in the country, you guys will be successful and will be the best versions that you can be of yourselves.”

Reimagining what’s possible

While the program was started inside one correctional facility, with one group of men, the vision for its impact goes well beyond the fences of Handlon.

 

“I was listening to the provost and that wonderful speech,” said Washington. “She talked about how Calvin changed its vision statement and talks about the welfare of the city … and I thought how as the director of the department of corrections I should be concerned about the welfare of the department, the welfare of that city, the big department of corrections. And I’m here to tell you that this department of corrections and this administration is very concerned about that. So, whether it’s the Calvin initiative or the vocational village or the second vocational village or the third one or the many of the other things that we are doing to help people be successful, to help give people hope that there is a future for themselves when they leave here and even if they aren’t leaving here to help make this city a better place, we are committed to doing that, and we are committed to doing that with our partners.”

 

As the 15 graduates move their tassles from right to left, hear their names read from the podium, shake hands and receive their diplomas, those barbed-wire fences sitting 20 yards to their left are no longer barriers to hope.

 

“When I think of radical hope I think of you students, perhaps thinking at one time that your current status limited what you hoped for, until now, when the unimaginable is proving itself imaginable,” said Brandsen.

 

“When I think of radical hope, I think of Warden Burton and other administrators here who had the courage to imagine a different kind of future. ‘Unimaginable, until it isn’t.’”

 

Reprinted with permission from Calvin College.

Employment Expertise: Meet the employer: Haworth

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By West Michigan Works!

 

Haworth, furniture manufacturer headquartered in Holland, Michigan, is hiring! We sat down with one of their recruiters, Valerie Reimus, to hear more about the company and open positions.

 

Thanks for joining us today! Can you introduce yourself?

I am Valerie Reimus and I am a recruiter at Haworth.

 

How would you describe Haworth to someone who doesn’t know what you do?

I would tell them that we manufacturer things inside a building, like tables, chairs, different office spaces and office rooms, that are comfortable and enjoyable for people in an office to be in.

 

Why is Haworth different?

We are committed to West Michigan and keeping manufacturing and our jobs in West Michigan. We have a really diverse culture.

 

We’re focused on our members. Everyone at Haworth is called a member no matter what their job title is. We focus on our values. We want every member to live out our values while on the job, interacting with our customers and interacting with one another while working.

 

What does success look like in an employee?

As a successful team member, you would be able to learn a variety of jobs in a variety of work areas. And develop consistent attendance and work quality. You would have the opportunity to learn every day and master new things. You would have opportunities to advance and move into different roles.

 

What do you wish everyone knew before they applied for a job?

We’re family owned; our members and culture are very important to us. So, we want to make sure we’re finding the best candidate fit for all our opportunities. We want to bring people in who can learn and grow with us and be part of our wonderful family.

 

And, we want people to know it’s important to establish consistent and attendance history.

 

Sound like a place you’d like to work? Haworth is hiring for:

See all their open positions.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

 

Summer Festivals in West Michigan

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By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

With summer comes a slew of festivals in West Michigan, each entirely unique and memorable. We’re talking about festivals centered around food, beer, art, culture, and more throughout the next few months. With events taking place nearly every week throughout the summer, there’s always something right around the corner for you to experience with these West Michigan festivals.

June Festivals in West Michigan

The Festival of the Arts is a three-day community celebration in downtown Grand Rapids offering art, food, entertainment, and fun activities for all ages. This year’s event is June 1st to 3rd, and will continue the tradition of bringing together the Grand Rapids art community for a summer kick-off. Ongoing for over 40 years, the Festival of the Arts is one of the longest-running festivals in the state.

 

The Mecosta area is home to festivals throughout the summer. The Lilac Festival is a chance for families to come out and do something fun, as a hometown, family-friendly event from June 1st to 3rd. Return for a summer of festivals, including the Morley Celebration on the Pond, Remus Heritage Days, and Mecosta County Agricultural Fair.

 

The Charlevoix Craft Beer Festival is a celebration of Michigan craft beer, local food, and entertainment on Saturday, June 2nd. The aim of the festival is to provide patrons the opportunity to enjoy a varied selection of high-quality Michigan craft beer while mingling with friends at the beautiful waterside venue. Attendees are encouraged to venture out and explore downtown Charlevoix’s culinary and retail offerings prior to and after the event.

 

The band Moxie Strings is set to appear at Cogdal Vineyards in South Haven on Sunday, June 3rd for the Cogdal Vineyards Wine Lovers’ Festival. Attendees can expect a fun experience of high-energy, original, and traditional tunes performed on five-string fiddle and electric cello while enjoying a glass of delicious wine.

 

Plan a summer fun Girls’ Night Out with Divas Uncorked, the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula Divas Uncorked event on Friday, June 8th. This evening is devoted entirely to women, wine, food, and fun. Enjoy wine and food pairings, giveaways, shopping, and pampering. Bring your entourage, relax, and be fabulous!

 

Whether you’re looking for a fun and easy family getaway or a big night out on the town with friends, Mt. Pleasant offers a little bit of everything. They have a wide variety of events this summer, kicking off with the Back to the Bricks car show on Friday, June 8th. The following day, craft beer enthusiasts gather for the Mt. Pleasant Craft Beer Festival, showcasing some of Michigan’s greatest brews. There won’t be a dull moment during your trip to Mt. Pleasant.

 

Feast of the Strawberry Moon is June 9th and 10th in Grand Haven. The event includes reenactments, a kids day, live entertainment, and more as they explore the middleground world that evolved between Europeans and the Native Americans in the Great Lakes Region during the pre-1800 fur trade era.

 

Grand Haven hosts some of West Michigan’s fan-favorite festivals every summer. The Spring Lake Heritage Festival is June 11th to 16th, and has family fun like no other. The following week is the Grand Haven Art Festival on June 23th and 24th. The event seeks to provide the community and visitors with a unique opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind art, directly from the artists.

 

Music, boating, arts, and culture are all happening in River Country. Some of the area’s most popular annual events include the Three Rivers Water Fest from June 14th to 16th and Sturgis Fest from June 23rd to 30th. More events include Covered Bridge Days and the Magic Get-Together later in the summer. They have a full event calendar on their website, so check that out if you need to fill your time in southwest Michigan!

 

The Michigan Maritime Museum presents the 37th Antique & Classic Boat Show on Saturday, June 16th, during Harborfest weekend in South Haven. This event celebrates all kinds of antique and classic small craft from power boats to paddle boats. Woodworkers and collectors alike will show their boats, demonstrations on boat building techniques will be featured, and toy boat building will be available for kids. The aim is to help perpetuate the building, restoration, and use of classic boats and small craft to give participants and the public an entertaining and informative learning experience.

 

Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids is pleased to present to you Founders Fest 2018: A Celebration of Beer and Music on Saturday, June 16th. In its 11th year, Founders Fest continues to marry the finest beer with the tastiest artists from around the country and the world.

 

Located at the scenic Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer, the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival brings together the members of the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail for a spectacular day in the sand on Saturday, June 16th. The festival will feature fantastic regional live music, food trucks, and local restaurants to pair with the world-class wines produced right in southwest Michigan.

 

Whitehall is home to the 40th Annual White Lake Area Arts & Crafts. The festival is expected to draw thousands of people this Father’s Day weekend on June 16th and 17th. Creative artists will participate in this very popular juried art show, and attendees can purchase a variety of hand-made art and crafts such as jewelry, wood furniture, birdhouses, ceramics, and more. A great lineup of musicians will entertain the crowds throughout the weekend.

 

The 9th Annual Traverse City Wine & Cider Festival is Saturday, June 24th. Come celebrate local wine, food, and culture. The festival brings together a true taste of the region with great wines, art, food trucks, and live musical entertainment all in one location!

 

Visit Lansing for the 19th Annual Common Ground Music Festival from June 28th to July 1st! See some of the best rock, pop, country, and hip-hop stars in the world take the stage in downtown Lansing along the Grand River in a setting unlike any other.

 

June in Battle Creek means it’s time for the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival from June 28th to July 4th. Balloon launches or fly-ins take place every night (weather dependent) and air shows take place at noon.

 

The Soo Locks Engineers Weekend begins on Friday, June 29th in Sault Ste. Marie. This fun weekend offers exclusive access to some of the area’s historic and interesting attractions such as the Locks and the Cloverland Electric Hydroelectric Power Plant.

 

The 60th annual South Haven Art Fair hosted by the South Haven Center for the Arts is a two-day juried festival held one block from the Lake Michigan shore in picturesque Stanley Johnson Park on June 30th and July 1st. This year’s unique blend of talent includes works in acrylic, oil, watercolor, pastel, drawing, sculpture, photography, glass, wood, clay, and wearable art. Admission is free for this two-day event.

 

The National Cherry Festival brings people from all over the world to Traverse City for a week-long celebration surrounding the cherry. Not only that, it attracts people from all over Michigan, the five-county area, and even just across the street to participate in activities. Come celebrate the Cherry Capital of the World from June 30th to July 7th for another year of food, drink, entertainment, and tradition!

 

New Wyoming city councilor, local medical expert on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Local Faces, Senior Living, , ,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Sheldon DeKryger, the City of Wyoming’s newest city councilor, who talks about his efforts of service to the city was and why becoming a councilor was the right thing for him to do at this time in his life.

 

DeKryger was appointed recently to fill the 1st Ward seat vacated by the resignation of Bill Ver Hulst. The ward covers most of the eastern edge of the city. He is no stranger to the city, or city governance. He and his family have lived in Wyoming for more than 20 years, and he has served on the city’s Construction Board of Appeals for nine years. He studied at Calvin College, and he owns and manages a custom home building company, Sheldon DeKryger Builder.

 

Also on the episode, In Focus is Dr. John Mulder, M.D., a hospice and palliative care physician, and medical director of the Grand Rapids based Holland Home senior health care provider. He is nationally recognized in his field, so much so that earlier this year he testified before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee as part of discussions on a national crisis focused on opioid pain medications. He is also the director of the Trillium Institute, a Western Michigan group focused on improving the quality of life, all the way through the end of life.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, May 29, and will again air on Thursday, May 31, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of June 4. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Calvin engineers take second place at Disaster Shelter Design Competition

3-bottom, architecture, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, design, Education, Local Faces, Our Cities, Tech Trends, Volunteers, , , ,
Courtesy Calvin College

By Matt Kucinski, Calvin College

 

Calvin College placed second at the 7th Annual Disaster Shelter Design Competition, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse International, April 19-21, and hosted on John Brown University’s (JBU) Siloam Springs campus. Nine teams from eight universities designed and constructed a rapidly-deployable emergency and disaster shelter, which a panel of judges with expertise in emergency management, engineering, logistics, and manufacturing, evaluated for possible implementation in relief efforts worldwide.

 

“It was a lot of fun. We got to test our prototype against other schools and other designs, simulate a lot of scenarios, and ultimately we got to see how well our process and ideas came to light in physical form,” said Kyle Sutton, a senior civil-environmental engineering major at Calvin.

 

Sutton, along with fellow senior civil-environmental engineering majors, Kyra Black, Cameron Carley, and Nate Veldboom, made the 13-hour drive south for the competition. The group, known as Team Dwell, brought with them their handiwork–a project they’ve been working on for their senior design project this year.

 

The competition scenario they participated in was based on the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 that affected more than a million people in Nepal. The shelters were required to address the local climate in Nepal, as well as their mountainous terrain, by retaining heat and transporting easily as well as by being water resistant, cost effective and culturally appropriate. The shelters were also required to be able to house a family of four.

 

“This competition gives Samaritan’s Purse access to some of the region’s most innovative engineers, construction management and architects, as students provide practical solutions to real-world problems,” said Mark Terrill, associate professor of construction management at John Brown University, and competition coordinator. “Not only does the competition combine classroom learning and real-world application, but it’s also really fun to watch.”

 

Team Dwell (Courtesy Calvin College)

Each team’s disaster shelter prototypes endured durability testing – including earthquake sustainability, heat retention, overnight habitability, wind turbulence, and water resistance. In addition, teams competed in an emergency shelter construction test, where they were evaluated on their ability to quickly design and construct emergency shelters from given materials.

 

Teams were scored based on their shelter’s performance in individual events and on their presentations detailing their shelter’s schematics, design, and materials. In addition to Team Dwell’s second place overall finish, they also took top honors in the Best Camp Plan, Best Report/Presentation, and Lightest Shelter categories.

 

A team from LeTourneau University took first place overall and John Brown University took third place. Other universities who participated this year include: Dordt College, Pittsburg State University, Gyeongsang National University, Murray State University, and University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

 

Reprinted with permission from Calvin College.

Kent County judge named among 2018 Leaders in the Law 

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Kent County Circuit Court Family Division Judge Kathleen A. Feeney. (Supplied)

By Kent County

 

Kent County Circuit Court Family Division Judge Kathleen A. Feeney was recently named one of the Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s 2018 Leaders in the Law Class. This honor comes shortly after Judge Feeney was named Chief Judge Pro Tem of Kent County Circuit Court and the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section named her as the recipient of its Justice Marilyn Kelly Outstanding Judicial Service Award.

 

This is the tenth year that MLW’s Leaders in the Law has recognized outstanding leaders and mentors within Michigan’s legal community. Thirty winners in all were selected from across the state for their efforts, including:

 

Significant accomplishments or achievements in law practice;

Outstanding contributions to the practice of law in Michigan;

Leadership in improving the justice system in Michigan;

Seeking improvements to the legal community and their communities at large;

Setting an example for other lawyers.

 

Judge Feeney is co-chair of the Family Law Committee for the Michigan Judges Association and has helped draft several significant amendments to the Michigan Court Rules. She serves on the Michigan Supreme Court Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions and is active in her church and community having spent 15 years on the Board of Directors for the Wolverine World Wide Family YMCA.

 

Judge Feeney took the bench in March 2000. She practiced family, employment, and insurance law and worked at the Court of Appeals in the first part of her legal career. She also is extremely accomplished in what was once a very male-dominated field.

 

“The biggest challenge I face in my legal career is being a woman,” Judge Feeney said. “I’ve competed with men in everything from swimming to basketball to softball to lawyering to judging. I’m the first woman judge on the Kent County Circuit Court and the first Chief Judge Pro Tem from the Family Division. I’m a woman who is a judge. I have been surprised and continue to be surprised, that litigants, lawyers, and sometimes judges still throw up barriers because of my gender. I do revel in overcoming these barriers.”

 

Judge Feeney’s approach is fair and honest, often providing counsel to those before her or pointing people in directions that may not be to their liking.

 

“I am trying to help them do what is best for them or their families but they do not always see it that way,” Judge Feeney told MLW. “Sometimes they take it to heart and reunify with their children and stay sober. Sometimes kids find their inner strength and succeed. We all celebrate! Every once in a while someone comes back and thanks me. In those circumstances, I know I have had a positive impact.”

 

While the last 18 years have brought much change and expansion to the Kent County Circuit Court, Judge Feeney believes that those within the courts should find opportunities to make the system better.

 

“That’s what drives me now; I am committed to improving the court system and continuing to find better ways to serve the families and children we see every day,” she said.

 

Calvin making history at Handlon

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During the Commencement ceremony, President Michael Le Roy recognized the students who received their associate’s degrees. (Courtesy: Arrae Photography)

By Matt Kucinski, Calvin College

 

On Monday, May 21, 2018, 15 inmates from Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility (1728 Bluewater Hwy) in Ionia, Michigan, received an associate’s degree from Calvin College. The students are the first in the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) program to earn a degree behind bars.

 

The program, launched in 2015, provides up to 20 inmates each year with an opportunity to begin pursuing a bachelor’s degree in ministry leadership. The partnership between Calvin College, Calvin Theological Seminary, and the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) provides inmates with their only bachelor’s-degree option behind bars in the state. The program, funded entirely by private donations and grants, seeks to improve prison culture and curb recidivism rates by equipping prisoners with an education.

Collaborating for success

“When I did my masters, I did thesis work on how education reduces recidivism. That’s what made me actually pursue trying to get Calvin to be here at the Handlon facility,” said DeWayne Burton, warden of the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility.

 

“Those partnerships are absolutely essential, critical to our success as a department and to our ability to help create successful people,” said Heidi Washington, director of MDOC.

 

Students in this year’s class have taken hold of this opportunity. The class has a cumulative GPA above 3.6, has created an award-winning prison reform conference (with another one in the works), and has started a community garden—their efforts resulting in a $2,500 donation to Safe Haven Ministries.

 

While the practical examples of success are significant, leaders of the program see the impact being far greater, and in missional alignment with both the college and seminary.

Restoring hope, human dignity

“It fits with the mission. Like every square inch, a prison is certainly a space where God’s light needs to shine,” said Chris DeGroot, co-director of CPI. “We take with us the understanding that everyone is created in the image of God, he wants all people to flourish, and wants justice to happen. So making education possible for the least of these absolutely fits with our Christian calling.”

 

“This is what we believe Christ calls us to do. It’s a living illustration of our own lives. In our sin, we are without a hope, and yet God out of his abundant grace and love comes to us anyway,” said Todd Cioffi, co-director of CPI.

 

“There aren’t parts of creation we give up on, that’s not the God we serve,” said David Rylaarsdam, professor of historical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary. “We believe all people are made in the image of God. We believe when God’s light shines in the darkest places of life, renewal is possible.”

 

The Calvin Prison Initiative currently enrolls 55 students. Inmates from any of the 30 men’s prisons in the Michigan Department of Corrections system can apply to the program, and each August about 20 admitted students are transferred to Handlon. To date, more than 30 faculty members and dozens of students from Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary have served in the CPI program. A few professors from other area colleges and universities have also taught courses in the program.

Grateful students

“This program has changed my life. It’s given me an opportunity to be the person I feel like I was always meant to be. College in prison is something that’s becoming almost non-existent. For an institution to come in here and offer a fully accredited bachelor’s degree is unbelievable.” – Dustin

 

“Everyone wants their humanity affirmed, nobody wants to be judged for the worst of life. We have PhD profs coming in and they’re tutoring us. Only in God’s kingdom.” – Michael

 

“Every person has the potential to affect, as Kuyper calls it, God or Christ’s every square inch. So we might not be able to change a lot of things, but there’s a sphere of influence that each one of us has.” – Raymond

 

“Calvin College coming into the Handlon campus, bringing in the CPI program, has been such a tremendous blessing in my life, one that I will be forever grateful for, one that I will be paying forward for the rest of my life.” – Dustin

 

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the week

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Our Cities, , , , , ,

WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

 

More than 1,700 students set to graduate from schools in Wyoming, Kentwood

More than 1,700 students will be graduating from high schools in Kentwood and Wyoming during the next couple of weeks. Go here for a breakdown of when some of the local graduation ceremonies are taking place.

 

Ford Airport leader welcomes Sen. Peters’ introduction of bill to fund airport security

The bill allows airports to use Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds on state of the art surveillance cameras in public areas such as baggage claims or pick up and drop off areas. Go here for the complete story.

 

 

Glue-in, souvlaki: Festival of the Arts is all about making memories

The VOICES vintage Airstream trailer, which is a a local and regional oral history project that collects, preserves and shares stories form everyday residents of West Michigan, will be at this year’s 49th Festival of the Arts, set for June 1, 2, and 3. The trailer will be there to collect stories from Festival volunteers and participants. Go here to read the story.

 

Evolution of Meijer Gardens summer concert series a bit of a surprising success

The venue and the mix of musical genres and audiences has not only been a success, the summer concert series has benefited Meijer Gardens on several levels: promotional, financial and patron inclusiveness. Click here to read the story.

 

Wyoming High School presents its spring Alpha Wolf 11 awards

Started in 2016, the Alpha Wolf 11 Champion of Character award recognizes six students each semester and one teacher each year for character and treating others by “being kind, compassionate, and gracious”. Read more here.

 

Godfrey-Lee Board of Education appoints new member/nuevo miembro

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Godfrey-Lee Public School’s newest Board of Education member, Josephine (Jo-C) Coleman was sworn in May 14. (Supplied)

By Godfrey-Lee Public Schools

 

On Monday, May 14, the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Board of Education appointed Josephine Coleman as Trustee to the Board of Education.

 

Board President, Eric Mockerman, said that Mrs. Coleman was selected because of her “dedication and commitment to the students and families of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools over a long period of time.”

 

Superintendent Kevin Polston praised “Coleman’s selfless service to the district, and her commitment to the community.  She is an excellent choice, who will represent our school district with pride.”

 

Josephine and her husband Donald are the parents of two children, Donald and Chance, both graduates of Lee High School.  Josephine and her husband are also veterans of the United States Army, where she rose to the rank of Specialist.  She is currently employed at Tower International as an IT Business Analyst.

 

She has served as Secretary for the Parent Teacher Committee (2002-2004), Band Boosters (2007-2015), and Athletic Boosters (2010-2016).  She currently serves as Co-Treasurer for the Lee Soccer Alumni Association.

 

When asked why she wanted to run for the position, she said she wants “to serve the community and our students.  Our students appreciate the quality education from the caring adults at Godfrey-Lee, and it’s rewarding to serve them.”

 

Coleman will serve on the Board for the remainder of 2018.  The seat was held by Rebecca Kibbe, who had to give up the position due to her family moving out of the district.  The seat, with a six year term, will be up for election in November.

 

Spanish language version

 

Junta de Educación de las Escuelas Públicas de Godfrey-Lee nombra nuevo miembro

 

El lunes 14 de mayo de, 2018, la Junta de Educación GLPS designó a Josephine Coleman como Fideicomisario a la Junta de Educación. El Presidente de la Junta Eric Mockerman comentó que la señora Coleman fue seleccionado debido a su “dedicación y el compromiso hacia estudiantes y las familias de las Escuelas Públicas de Godfrey-Lee durante un largo período de tiempo.”

 

Josefina y su esposo Donald son los orgullosos padres de dos hijos, Donald y Chance, ambos graduados de la Escuela Preparatoria Lee. Josephine y su marido también son orgullosos veteranos del ejército de Estados Unidos, donde alcanzó el grado de Especialista. Actualmente ella trabaja en la Torre Internacional como analista de negocios de IT.

 

Ella sirvió como Secretaria de la Comisión de Padres y Maestros (2002-2004), Band Boosters (2007-2015), y Athletics Boosters (2010-2016). Actualmente se desempeña como Co-Tesorera de la Asociación de Graduados de fútbol Lee. Cuando se le preguntó por qué quería correr para el cargo, dijo que quiere “servir a nuestra comunidad y estudiantes. Nuestros estudiantes aprecian la calidad de la educación de los adultos interesados en Godfrey-Lee, y es gratificante servirles.”

 

La señora Coleman servirá en la Junta el resto del 2018. El puesto lo tenía Rebecca Kibbe, que tuvo que renunciar a la posición debido a que su familia se mueve fuera del distrito. El Puesto con un mandato de 6 años será puesto para elección en noviembre, 2018.

 

Democratic challenger to Rep. Huizenga, Kentwood commissioner on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Election, Local Faces, Politics,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Dr. Rob Davidson, Democratic candidate for Michigan’s District 2 U.S. House seat currently held by Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga. That district includes both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.

 

Davidson was born and raised in Michigan, and is married with 3 children in Spring Lake Public Schools, were he is a school board trustee. As part of his discussion with In Focus host Ken Norris, Davidson talks about being an emergency physician for 20 years, currently at a small hospital in Newaygo County, and why it is no surprise he believes that health care is a right not a privilege.

 

Also on the episode, In Focus is Kentwood City Commissioner Emily Bridson. Bridson won a seat on the commission last year, but she is no stranger to city governance as she previously served on the Planning Commissioner, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Kentwood 50th anniversary Celebration Committee, as well as at the Kent County level and for local non-profits. Bridson talks about her first months on the job and why she is committed to public service.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, May 15, and will again air on Thursday, May 16, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of May 21. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the week

Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Education, Health, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Senior Living, Tech Trends, Upcoming Events, , , , , ,

By WKTV Staff

victoria@wktv.org

Kentwood Fire Department annual report highlights funding, manpower, emergency calls

Kentwood Fire Department Chief Brent J. Looman presented, and the City Commission accepted, the department’s 2017 annual report at the commission’s April 9 regular meeting, with highlights including funding, manpower and last year’s emergency calls.

 

For the complete story, click here.

 

School News Network: Wyoming Public Schools selects one of its own for top spot

“Dream big, work hard and make it happen”: That’s the mantra of Craig Hoekstra, a familiar face in the district, who this week was selected as the new superintendent.

 

For the complete story, click here.

 

Kentwood to hold Community Clean-Up Day this week
Kentwood Public Works Department oversees the city’s recycling center.

The City of Kentwood is sponsoring a Community Clean-Up Day for residents wanting to spring clean their homes and yards. The Community Clean-Up Day, scheduled for Saturday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will allow residents to bring general debris, gently used items for donation, household hazardous materials and electronic devices to be recycled.

 

For the complete story, click here.

Good mental health habits for kids

May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Children can have mental health challenges just as adults can. As a matter of fact, over 2 million children in Michigan experience mental health challenges such as ADHD, anxiety and depression.

 

For the complete story, click here.

Employment in the Digital Age — free computer literacy workshops available

West Michigan Works! is now offering a free workshop to help individuals gain basic computer skills. Computer Literacy helps attendees become comfortable using a computer, accessing the internet and using email — all of which can help you find, apply and qualify for a new job.

 

For the complete story, click here.

Proudly conservative state senate candidate, local author on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Election, Health, Local Business, Local Faces, Politics, , ,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

Keith St. Clair (WKTV)

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus, new volunteer host Keith St. Clair, an instructor at Grand Rapids Community College, talks conservatism and the state of Michigan state politics with  Bob Genetski, a Republican who is running for the 26th State Senate district seat currently held by Tonya Schuitmaker.

 

Genetski served the Michigan House of Representatives from 2009 through 2014, when he was elected as Allegan County Clerk. He is both a one-time public school teacher and was named one of the Michigan House’s most conservative elected officials.

 

Also on this episode of In Focus today is Kathey Batey, a key volunteer with the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, a domestic relations mediator, and accomplished author and sought-after speaker, as well as corporate trainer specializing in conflict communication. She talks with In Focus host Ken Norris about her work with the chamber, in the community and a new book she has written.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, April 24, and will again air on Thursday, April 25, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of April 30. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Feel Like You Belong: Fred Lessing–Lessons from the Holocaust

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By Alan Headbloom, Feel Like You Belong

 

As a boy, young Alfred Lessing was like most other children in his native Netherlands. He played with friends and loved his family. But there was one difference: he was Jewish. So when the Nazis overran his country in 1940, his mother sprang into action. Her one goal: save the family from extermination. In this three-part interview, Dutch immigrant Fred Lessing talks of love, hiding, and what we can learn from human atrocities. Interview: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Local expert on Mideast political struggles, Christian veterans group on latest WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, Area Education, Education, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Veterans, , , , , ,

 

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Keith St. Clair, who has been teaching national and international political science at Grand Rapids Community College since 2002 and is frequently asked to discuss Middle East issues.

 

He has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East including a recent trip to Qatar — a small county strategically located between feuding regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran. He talks with In Focus host Ken Norris about Qatar’s importance to U.S. foreign policy and current military presence in that often-troubled region.

 

Also on the episode, is Steve Prince, the director of Warriors Set Free, which is a veterans support program of Set Free Ministries, a Christian-based ministry run by veterans for veterans.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, April 10, and will again air on Thursday, April 12, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of April 16. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.

 

Employment Expertise: A New Future for Anna

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, , , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

Anna Trujillo was referred to West Michigan Works! after returning to Michigan from California in August 2017. Anna was worried about finding employment; she didn’t have a credential, interview clothing, transportation funds or a Michigan driver’s license and registration. She needed a way to support herself and her three children.

 

Anna was interested in a career in the health care field. Through West Michigan Works!, Anna received a scholarship to attend CNA (certified nurse aide) training, a high-demand occupation in West Michigan. Anna’s CNA training and exam as well as CPR and basic life support training were paid for. She also received support services including interview clothing and mileage reimbursement.

 

Anna excelled in all of her trainings and soon found employment with Thornapple Manor as a CNA. She is also attending Kellogg Community College, taking pre-requisite classes with hopes of starting the nursing program in January 2019. After she completes her first year of the program she will be eligible for a promotion as a licensed practical nurse. After her second year, promotion as a registered nurse.

 

“I fell into Michigan Works! at a time when my life was turning upside down. I had moved to Michigan with my three young children and no idea what I was going to do, except that I needed to find a job,” Anna said. “Michigan Works! didn’t help me find a job; they gave me the tools I needed to find a career. A career that I am passionate about, that I believe in and that is truly fulfilling. The employees built me up and gave me confidence in a dark time. I have a new future for myself and my children now.”

 

According to Anna’s Michigan Works! career coach, “You never know what life is going to throw at you and there are no guarantees. No matter what challenges come her way, Anna tackles them head on!”

 

See the West Michigan Works! Hot Jobs list for all of the high-demand jobs that are available to scholarships at westmiworks.org.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

And the 2018 Eclipse Awards nominees are …

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Movie Review, Upcoming Events, , ,
Nominees for the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards were announced LIVE on Monday, April 2, and round two of judging has begun!

By WKTV Staff

 

Local personalities Aaron Noble and Jessie Hollett announced the 2018 Eclipse Award nominees on WKTV and Facebook LIVE Monday, April 2.

 

Each year, the Eclipse Awards celebrate West Michigan filmmakers and the films they create. Filmmakers can enter in several main Categories, such as Cinema Trailer, Documentary, and Narrative Short. There are also craft Categories focused on the expertise in creating a film, such as Acting, Directing and Original Score.

 

“The Eclipse Awards is a one-of-a-kind event in Michigan,” said Tom Norton, WKTV general manager. “Now in its seventh year, the Awards continue to recognize outstanding content and content creators right here in our state. The quality of the work submitted continues to be top-notch, proving that the Michigan production community continues to develop and retain incredible talent and skill.”

 

Aaron Noble and Jessie Hollett announced this year’s Eclipse Awards nominees on April 2 (photo courtesy of Jessie Hollett)

After an intense screening process, judges from across the country have narrowed the field down to the nominees listed below.

 

Nominees and their guests may attend the Certification Reception Monday, April 30, and winners will be announced at the Excellence in Craft Eclipse Awards Presentation LIVE, Thursday, May 3, from The Ballroom at McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids.

 

CONGRATULATIONS to the 7th Annual Eclipse Awards nominees!

 

Categories

 

Documentary Feature nominees are: Co-Operatively Yours–Kristin Ojaniemi, Jim Kurtti, producers; Newcomer Legacy: A Vietnamese-American Story–Alan Headbloom, producer.

 

Music Video nominees are: Nottingham–Jacob de la Rosa, Kathryn Postema, Joshua E. White, producers; Never One Thing–John Hanson. May Erlewine, DJ Viernes, producers; Small Town–Zachary Clark, Nick Turske, Andy Westra, producers; Flight School: Don’t Know–Chris Mac, producer

 

Narrative Feature nominees are: Into A Dark Mind–Harley Wallen, producer; Moving Parts–Harley Wallen, producer; Return of the Scarecrow–Adam Mikrut, Walt Lodes III, producers; Kid Brother–Bryce Cameron producer; The Incantation–Dan Campbell, producer; Thaw of the Dead–David Marek, Matthew Von Dayton, producers.

 

Narrative Short nominees are: Model No. Human–Harper Shecter, producer; Mino Bimaadiziwin–Carese Bartlett, producer; Drilling Dad–Jeff Vega, producer; Frankie— Josh Martin, producer; Four-Ninety–Scott Magie, producer; The House on Oak Street–Kyle Misak, Don Chase, Jesse Charles, producers; Deadbolt–Michael McCallum, William C. McCallum, Patric J. Arnold producers.

 

Promotional segment in television or online nominees are: Challenge Day 2017–Caleb Carson, producer; Memphis the Musical–Angela Peavey, producer; Benjamin’s Hope – Welcome Home–Eric Schrotenboer, Sara Hogan, producers.

 

Television and online Programming (30 min) nominees are:  Mind Games – Tea & Sympathy–Jeff Vega, producer; The Michigan Experience: Vietnam Veterans–Rodney Brown, William Redwine, producers; Verify--Eric Schrotenboer, David Bailey, Emma Nicolas, producers; The Chaplain–Rhodes Short, Heather Fairbanks, producers.

 

Cinema Trailer nominees are: Death Island Paranormal retribution–Chris Penney, producer

 

Documentary Short nominees are: Stories of Us–Angela Peavey, producer; Ten Years Later–Nathan Roels, producer; Everything Happens Somewhere-Joppa–Eric Schrotenboer, producer

 

6th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony

Crafts

 

Acting in a Supporting Role nominees are: Amanda Buhs–Dylan; Peter Herold–Kid Brother;  Dean Cain–The Incantation; Michael McCallum–Deadbolt; Johnny DeMarc —Deadbolt; Brie Roper–Deadbolt; Matthew Dennis–White Hair; Rico Bruce Wade–Four-Ninety; Michael Gordon–Finding Home; Heather Fairbanks–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Screenplay Feature Length nominees are: Bryce Cameron, Devin Cameron–Kid Brother; Ryan Webber, Brett Christiansen–Finding Home.

 

Screenplay Short Subject nominees are: Scott Magie–Four-Ninety; Kyle Misak, Jesse Charles, Don Chase–The House on Oak Street; Justin Muschong–Deadbolt.

 

Direction in Narrative short nominees are: Kyle Macciomei–Closeted Hemispheres; Shane McSauby–Mino Bimaadiziwin; Nabil Nona–Consequences; Josh Martin–Frankie; Scott Magie–Four-Ninety; Kyle Misak–The House on Oak Street; Michael McCallum–Deadbolt.

 

Cinematography in Documentary nominees are: Angela Peavey–Stories of Us;  DT Kofoed–REACH Teen Open Studio 2016 Spring Mural Project

 

Animation nominees are: Garrett Bleshenski–Clearing the Smoke; Josh Reed–DoseDr.

 

Sound Design nominees are: Adam Mikrut–Return of the Scarecrow; Roy Wallace–Frankie; Andre Bottesi–Four-Ninety; Roy Wallace–Deadbolt.

 

Direction in Narrative Feature nominees are: Devin Cameron–Kid Brother; Jude S. Walko–The Incantation; Ryan Webber, Brett Christiansen–Finding Home.

 

Original Score nominees are: Gregory De Iulio–The House on Oak Street; Eric Schrotenboer–Cultures in Conflict.

 

Acting in Lead Role nominees are: Rhodes Short–The Chaplain; Michael McCallum–Angela; Jimmy Doom–Four-Ninety; Michael Empson–Finding Home; Elizabeth Moore–Deadbolt; Brad Stocker–Deadbolt.

 

Cinematography in Narrative Feature nominees are: Derek Street–The Incantation; Matthew Von Dayton–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Cinematography in Narrative Short nominees are: Dane Covey–Frankie; Travis Hayward–Four-Ninety; Erin Hughes–The House on Oak Street;  Andrew K. Tebeau–Deadbolt;  Dane Covey–Small Town.

 

Editing in Narrative nominees are: Kyle Misak–The House on Oak Street; Scott Baisden, Michael McCallum–Deadbolt; David Marek–Thaw of the Dead.

 

Hyperion Award — Mark Adler. The Hyperion Award acknowledges the contributions of unique individuals who maintain high standards in their craft while inspiring others to do so as well. At the same time, that individual works to expand the opportunities that benefit the entire creative and production community.

 

Winners will be announced live on Thursday, May 3rd on WKTV, Comcast channel 24, starting at 7:30 pm, hosted by Joe Anderson. The Eclipse Awards show also will be streamed live at theeclipseaward.com. WKTV News will be providing complete coverage of the entire event.

 

The annual Eclipse Awards are made possible by Sony, Key Code Media, Ferris State University, Compass College of Cinematic Arts and WKTV Digital Cinema. The Eclipse Awards seek to elevate content creators throughout Michigan by honoring their works through regional, national and international voting on entered works in film, television and on-line production. The Eclipse Award is given for story telling and production excellence in the production community.

 

Listen to the nominee announcements here:

 

The alchemy of silver and carbon monoxide? Hint: it’s a riddle

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local Faces, Our Cities, , , ,
Joseph Cramer, a/k/a the Wyoming Riddler

By Victoria Mullen, WKTV VOICES

 

For 33 years, Joseph Cramer sent area residents on mind-bending treasure hunts. Not for the short on patience, each hunt began with a nebulous riddle and ended with a prize: a silver medallion from Cramer’s vast collection.

 

One riddle went like this: Riding my bicycle fast enough to almost soar; seeing plastic shredding from my shoelaces. I think not but doggone. I stop at the first just for safety’s sake. There you go. It’s there.

 

Yup. That’s it. But there was a method to this madness — a curious combination of silver and carbon monoxide.

 

First, the silver: Cramer grew up idolizing the Lone Ranger, who was all about silver. (Think: silver bullets. Even his horse was named Silver.) So, Cramer began collecting silver. To this day, he prefers it to gold.

 

But it was exposure to carbon monoxide in an industrial accident in the late 1970s that changed Cramer’s life forever and put him on the path to creating riddles. The poison affected Cramer’s memory, and he didn’t know who he was. He also lost his social skills.

 

“It caused amnesia for two years,” said Cramer. “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. And I had no feelings. And then in 1980, I started to come out of it but I was confused. I thought in very strange ways. It was difficult.”

 

A friend suggested that Cramer create riddles that mirrored his thoughts. He did, and in this way, exercised his mind. The process helped him recover. It took months, years to get his memory back.

 

“The riddle is a fun way for people by chance or by intent to learn about carbon monoxide poisoning and what it can do,” said Cramer, who became known as ‘The Wyoming Riddler’. “I’ve never wanted anybody or their family to go through what my family and I did. And it brought me out of my shell.”

 

The riddles were designed to be difficult. And what better way to reward a hardworking riddle-solver than with a silver medallion?

 

But how could Cramer possibly foresee the immense popularity of his riddle-making? Well, he couldn’t. From a mere few folks at first, to hundreds of people from across the globe requesting riddles, the venture took on a huge life of its own.

 

But still, what remained at the heart of the matter was Cramer’s wish to warn people about carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

Ken DeHart listens as the Wyoming Riddler reveals his secrets on March 17 with WKTV VOICES

“When I talk about carbon monoxide poisoning, I want each and every person to get a little bit of an idea what it was like for me not to have any past,” said Cramer. “Without a past, you can’t create a future. And these riddles — nobody’s ever read anything like that before, so they didn’t have anything to go by. And so I kind of brought them in a little bit.”

 

Listen to Cramer’s entire conversation here.

 

VOICES, a personal and family history project collects, preserves, and shares the narratives and memories of West Michigan people from all backgrounds, beliefs and experiences. It’s absolutely free. The only cost is your time and your story, whatever that may be. VOICES offers a comfortable portable video recording studio within a relaxed atmosphere.

 

Know a few people who’d like to share their personal or family stories and experiences at your location? VOICES will come to you! VOICES is the perfect vehicle for collecting stories from retirement communities, schools or similar organizations where people are motivated and interested in preserving their memories for posterity.

 

It’s a great way to commemorate significant milestones, enrich relationships, and connect with people who are important to your organization.

 

To learn more, call 616.261.5700 and ask for VOICES, or email Victoria at victoria@wktv.org .

 

To reserve a time to share your memories, go here .

Stories from Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan: Bringing Home Sam

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Local Faces, Non-Profits, , ,
Photo credit: Sydney Kelley Photography

By Erica Bode, Ada

 

“I want to adopt a child,” I told my husband over the phone while running errands. “I want to adopt a child with Down syndrome. Actually, there is this beautiful boy on the Reece’s Rainbow adoption site who I am in love with.”

 

I have replayed this conversation many times since adopting our sweet Armenian, Sam. Sam was born in Armenia, given up at birth, and lived in an orphanage for four years before we brought him home in 2016.

 

Before we started the adoption process I knew nothing about Down syndrome. My heart always gravitated towards the beautiful Down syndrome children with almond eyes, chubby fingers, and a gap between the big toe and the rest of the toes. I knew nothing more about Down syndrome than what meets the eye. I knew nothing about raising a child with special needs. And I knew nothing about what it meant to become a parent of a special needs child. And here’s a little secret I’ll share with you — after having Sam for almost two years, I am still learning what all this means.

 

My husband and I had great aspirations of bringing Sam home and changing the life of this little boy. But we never realized just how much we would change. We never realized how much we needed to change to raise this little boy. Sam has made great progress since April 2016, but our parenting had to change to help him be successful. We soon realized that we needed a team of people to help us. We couldn’t do it alone. This new parenting style required us to be vulnerable, humble, and intentional. We surrounded ourselves with some great therapists, enlisted family to provide us with much needed respite, and thanked our lucky stars for some amazing teachers and teaching staff who loved our kid even when he was hard to love. And lastly, we sought out an adoption counselor who helped change our mindset on what it means to be a parent, an adoptive parent, and a special needs parent to a boy who didn’t ask for any of this.

 

We are still learning, we don’t have all the answers. But the great thing  is — we don’t have to.  We are grateful for the other parents who share their stories and life lessons. We can only hope to one day pay it forward to the couple who is considering adopting a beautiful child with Down syndrome.

 

Reprinted with permission from Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan.

Kent County’s new top administrator (and Wolverine), woman’s health advocate on WKTV Journal: In Focus

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Local Faces, Non-Profits, , , ,

WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

 

On the latest episode of WKTV Journal: In Focus is Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt, who has been serving as Interim County Administrator/Controller starting in July 2017 before  being named to the county’s top management position in January.

 

While Britt’s impressive resume includes positions at Steelcase, Inc. and Michigan National Bank before joining the county — and management oversight for the Health Department, the Community Development and Housing Department, and Veterans Services with the county — he also played basketball for the University of Michigan, and was part of the school’s National Championship runner-up in 1976.

 

Given this week’s Wolverine return visit to the Final Four, In Focus host Ken Norris just had to ask Britt about the lessons he learned on the basketball court and how that impacts his management style today.

 

Also on the episode, Christine Mwangi, founder and president of the Grand Rapids based Be A Rose non-profit, which advocates for and educates on women’s health issues. She was born in Kenya, immigrated to American when she was 11, gained a bachelors degree in the United States and a masters in the United Kingdom. Now, while she is now firmly rooted in West Michigan, Be A Rose’s name and inspiration returns, again, to Africa and to Mwangi’s paternal grandmother.

 

 

The entire episode of “WKTV Journal: In Focus” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel.

 

The episode will debuted on WKTV cable channels on Tuesday, March 27, and will again air on Thursday, March 29, also at 6:30 p.m., and will continue on the same days and times the week of March 19. But all interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal: In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVVideos.