Category Archives: Recreation

Halloween Fun in West Michigan: Northern Michigan

October 23, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Travel, Upcoming EventsChateau Chantal, Crystal Mountain Spooktacular Saturdays, Halloween, Mackinac Island, Northern Michigan, Shorts Brewing Company, St. Ignace, Traverse CityJoanne

There is so much to do in West Michigan to kick off the Halloween fun! This three part series will dive into different Fall and Halloween activities all throughout the West side of this Marvelous State. Northern West Michigan finishes the series. If you missed part one or part two on Southern Michigan and Central Michigan, be sure not to let it Fall to the wayside!

As Halloween approaches, all the little ghouls and goblins have one thing on their minds: Trick-or-Treating! To keep the kids’ minds off candy just a bit longer, kick off your Halloween fun early in West Michigan! Whether it’s family fun at the corn maze, or Halloween-themed pub crawls for the grown up ghouls, there are plenty of Halloween activities for all ages around West Michigan to get you in a Halloween mood!

Northern Halloween Fun in West Michigan

Chateau Chantal’s Naughty Apple Hard Cider

For those adults looking to pair their Halloween fun with a seasonal brew, you’ll want to check out Chateau Chantal’s Naughty Apple Hard Cider. Their brand new & wonderfully tantalizing Naughty Apple Hard Cider is fermented from a duo of Michigan Golden Delicious & Gala apples. Slightly sweet, serve chilled. Purchase in their tasting room or online at the Chateau Chantal web store.

While you’re visiting Chateau Chantal, enjoy a beautiful & elegant 7-course meal perfectly paired alongside a Chateau Chantal wine & created by the talented in-house chef. Learn from their knowledgeable staff about food & wine pairings while savoring exquisite creations & making new friends. Bring an eager palate, an inquisitive mind & an empty stomach! Your experience begins with an informative winery tour at 6pm with dinner seating in the winery’s beautiful dining room, with panoramic views of both bays, at 6:30pm. Seating is limited so book yours before it’s too late! Reservations & payment are required at least a day in advance. Reserve online here or call (231) 223-4110.

Short’s Brewing Company

Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire is hosting a Halloween Party on October 31st. The Private Stache bottle release will start at 11:00 am with other events like the costume contest taking place in the evening. You’ll also get to enjoy Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers play live on the pub stage (beginning at 9:00 pm), spooky food specials, a costume contest, Halloween themed draft beer, and a Bourbon Evil Urges Private Stache bottle release.

St. Ignace

St. Ignace puts a unique spin on Halloween fun at the annual St. Ignace Trunk or Treat on October 24, 2015. Parents decorate their ghoulish vehicles and dispense candy to those in costume directly from the trunk of the car. It’s tailgating for Halloween! Afterward, ride the hay wagon to the Haunted Woods and take a tour if you’re brave enough, or simply enjoy games and music. It all starts at the lot behind the Quality Inn. Prizes awarded for best costume, scariest costume and most original costume. Everyone’s invited!

Crystal Mountain Spooktacular Saturdays

Take in the autumn air during Spooktacular Saturdays on October 24th at Crystal Mountain. The whole family is sure to have a good time with activities for all ages to enjoy. Take advantage of specialty Fun Pass prices that provide a bundle of activities at a discounted rate. Participate in apple bobbing, wagon rides, face painting, and unlimited marshmallows at the campfire! Take in the leaves from the chairlift, or carve pumpkins to get into the Halloween mood. Bring your best costume for the Costume Parade at 5pm, with free entry and candy for all participants! If you’re feeling brave, head over to the Haunted Forest at the end of the night (recommended for ages nine and up).

Downtown Traverse City

October closes with a parade of little ghosts and goblins as Downtown Traverse City hosts costume clad children and their parents to trick or treat at participating stores throughout the Downtown area on Halloween. The event kicks off at 3:30 until 5 pm. For more information call (231) 922-2050 or visit www.downtowntc.com. While you’re there, watch out for running zombies, as the Zombie Run takes place that morning!

Mackinac Island

In the Celtic world, Samhain marks the end of summer and the beginning of the new year and a time to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead. With the rise of Christianity, it was changed to Halloween and remains a joyous time of family reunion.

On Mackinac Island, they celebrate both traditions with their Halloween Weekend October 23rd through 25th. Have fun with the kids Trick or Treating downtown, take the Haunts of Mackinac Tour and then gear up for some great grown up Halloween parties at the downtown pubs. This is also the time of year that the Island shops work hard to clear out their inventory with great discounts and sales. Be sure to browse on Main Street, Market Street and at the shops at Grand Hotel. This makes a perfect weekend to skip out on Black Friday and get a head start on holiday shopping.

For up to the day room availability, just call the Tourism Bureau 906.847.3783, and they hope to see you join in their tradition to pull out all the stops and celebrate the end of the Island’s main season.

West Michigan’s Best Color Tours

October 23, 2015Our Cities, Recreation, TravelColor tours, West Michigan Color Tours, West Michigan Tourist AssociationJoanne

The West Michigan Tourist Association compiled a list of the 26 best color tours in West Michigan. If you’re looking to get away and enjoy our beautiful State in its colorful state of mind, give these color tours your full attention!

Just how many ways are there to view this splendor of autumn’s pallet? West Michigan travelers have an abundance of ways to enjoy the show, either by car, train, boat, bicycle, hot air balloon rides, at festivals, hiking, on golf courses and luxury resorts, or historic highways. Many of these “old roads” cut through great forests of hardwoods and pines and make perfect color tours, and some are state-designated scenic routes. From 40 miles to 140 miles, there’s a day trip perfect for everyone. Read on to view a listing of 26 scenic driving routes and print detailed directions for each.

Color Tour One: Directions Starting from New Buffalo

Red Arrow Hwy north to Bridgman. I-94 north to Benton Harbor, M-63 north to Coloma Rd, east to Watervliet. I-94 east to Paw Paw (Exit 60), M-40 south to M-216 east in Marcellus, US-131 south to Three Rivers. M-60 west to Cassopolis, M-62 north to Dowagiac. West on M-62, south on M-140 to Niles, M-60BR to US-12, west to New Buffalo.

Color Tour Two: Directions Starting from Centreville

Klinger Lake Rd north (becomes Covered Bridge Rd) across Langley Covered Bridge. Covered Bridge Rd then becomes Silver St. North to M-60. East on M-60 through Mendon (becomes M-60/M-66) to Clarendon. South on 22 Mile Rd (becomes Clarendon Rd in Branch Co). Right on Jonesville Rd 1/2 mile, south on Quincy Ray Rd to California, then west on Southern Rd to Angola Rd. Turn left, then right to return to Southern. West through East Gilead to River Son Rd, right on Southern, right on Orland, then left to Southern. Left on Dutch School Rd, right at Round Lake Rd past Round Lake (becomes Fawn River Rd in St. Joseph Co). Left at second intersection to continue on Fawn River Rd. North on Klinger Lk Rd to return to Centreville.

Color Tour Three: Directions Starting from Jackson

South on M-50, west on Meridian, south on Stonewall. South on Horton Rd, south on Jackson Rd to Liberty. West on Hanover Rd, north on Pulaski Rd to M-60 heading northeast. West on Michigan Ave, north on Parma, north on Country Farm Rd, north on Rogers Rd, east on Benn Rd. North on Stepladder Rd, north on Springport Rd through Minard Mill where it becomes Minard Rd. South on M-50, south on US-127, east on I-94. North on Route 106 to Munith. South on Coon Hill Rd, east on Waterloo Munith Rd through Waterloo Recreational Area in the State Park. South on Clear Lake Rd (turns into Francisco Rd south of I-94). West on Michigan Ave back to Jackson.

Color Tour Four: Directions Starting from Lansing

M-43 west through Grand Ledge, then south to M-89. East to Gull Lake Rd, north to C Ave. East to 40th St (becomes Kellogg Ave in Barry Co), north to Hickory Corners. East on CR-400 (Hickory Rd) to M-37, south to M-89 (W Michigan St), east to Raymond, north to Verona, east to McCallaster, north to ÒNÓ Dr to 16 Mile Rd (becomes 16-1/2 Mile Rd). South on Old US-27 to Marshall, east on Michigan Ave to Albion. North on M-99 through Springport (becomes M-50/M-99) to Lansing.

Color Tour Five: Directions Starting from South Haven

Phoenix Rd (CR-388) east to 46th St. Turn south, then east to return to CR-388 in Bloomingdale. CR-655 south to CR-380 east, 38th St north, then CR-388 east through Kendall. North to 12th Ave (CR-388, becomes D Ave in Kalamazoo Co). D Ave east to US-131, south to M-43, west to South Haven.

Color Tour Six: Directions Starting from Allegan

M-40/89 north to Monroe Rd (118th St), west to Allegan Dam Rd north (circles back east around Lake Allegan). Cross M-40/89 to head north on 36th St, east on Dumont Rd, then north on 122nd Ave. East on 127th Ave, east on 128th Ave through Hopkins to 12th St north. East across US-131 on 129th Ave (becomes CR-430 in Barry Co) around Gun Lake through Yankee Springs Recreation Area, then south on CR-611 to CR-428. West to CR-623, south to CR-426, west at Orangeville. South on Dennison Rd to 116th Ave (M-22), east across US-131 to Allegan.

Color Tour Seven: Directions Starting from Holland

BR-31 south to US-31. Take first exit (Saugatuck), then south on Blue Star Hwy (A-2) to 118th Ave. East to 62nd St, north to 122nd Ave. Wind east, then north to M-89 (124th Ave), east through Fennville to Old Allegan Rd north (parts are unpaved but maintained), east to 60th St north. East on 140th Ave, north on 66th St, west on Ottagan St to S Shore Dr, east to downtown Holland/US-31.

Color Tour Eight: Directions Starting from Grand Haven

Robbins Rd east to Mercury Dr past Grand River bayous to Riverside Park (becomes Green St, then North Cedar Dr). South on 104th Ave, east on Osborn St (becomes Warner). South on 68th St, east on M-45. South onto 48th St, east on Fillmore (becomes Cottonwood Dr). In Jenison, left on Baldwin, left on Chicago Dr. In Grandville, left on Wilson to M-11/28th St, left onto M-11 northbound. Left on Fennesey St (becomes Luce St, then Linden Dr). Left on Leonard St through Spring Lake to Grand Haven.

Color Tour Nine: Directions Starting from Grand Rapids

North on East Beltline (M-44), turns into Northland Dr through Rockford to Cedar Springs. West on M-46, south on CR-B35 (Ravenna Rd) through Ravenna to Coopersville. Left on Randall Rd, right on 48th Ave. I-96 east back to Grand Rapids.

Color Tour Ten: Directions Starting from Ada

M-21 east, south on Ada Dr, east on Bronson to view Ada Covered Bridge. Left on Thornapple River Dr, right on Ada Dr to M-21 east. North on Hudson (becomes Lincoln Lake Ave). East on Fallasburg County Park Rd, follow signs to cross Fallasburg Covered Bridge. Right on McPherson (becomes Potters Rd), north on Whites Bridge Rd (becomes gravel) across Whites Covered Bridge. East on Belding Rd (also M-44), north on M-91, east on M-46. South on M-66 to Ionia, west on M-21 to Ada.

Color Tour Eleven: Directions Starting from Big Rapids

Northland Dr north through Paris to Reed City. East on M-10BR to M-10 east to Evart. South on Main (becomes 85th Ave then curves to become 80th Ave) to Hill Corner. East on 20 Mile Rd, south on M-66, east on Taft Rd (becomes Airline Rd in Isabella Co). South on Coldwater Rd, east on Weidman, south on old US-27 (Mission Rd) to Mt. Pleasant. West on M-20 (High St then Remus Rd). South on Winn Rd, west on Blanchard Rd (becomes Jackson Rd in Mecosta Co). North on M-66 to Remus, west on M-20 (9 Mile Rd), south on 90th Ave, west on Buchanan Rd through Canadian Lakes. South on 130th Ave, west on 5 Mile Rd (CR-548). North on Northland Drive through Stanwood and back to Big Rapids.

Color Tour Twelve: Directions Starting from Fremont

M-82 west to M-120 north through Hesperia, east on M-20 to Dickinson Ave. North to 11 Mile Rd, east to Woodland Park, north on Bingham Ave to Bitely. West on Cleveland (13 Mile Rd), north on Osborn Ave, east on Coolidge Dr, north on Star Lake Tower Rd, west on Star Lake Dr (becomes Evergreen) around Big Star Lake. East on Carrs Rd (56th St) to Baldwin. South on M-37 (Woodbridge Dr) to White Cloud. East on Base Line Rd, south on Elm Ave. East on 36th St past the Hardy Dam, west on Hardy Croton Dr (becomes Croton Dr) to Newaygo. Left on Mason Dr (M-37), east on M-82. South on Cypress Ave to Ensley Center. West on 120th St to Ashland Center. North on Wisner Ave, west on 112th St to Bridgeton (becomes Warner Ave, then M-82) to Fremont.

Color Tour Thirteen: Directions Starting from Muskegon

US-31 north to westbound Whitehall-Colby St exit (US-31BR). Left on Mears, left on Main, right on Benston, right on Durham, right on Lakewood Rd. Left on Weber, right on Michillinda. Left on Nestrom, right on Duck Lake Rd, then left on Scenic Dr along Lake Michigan to Muskegon State Park. Left on Memorial Dr to Whitehall Rd/US-31BR (Seaway Dr). South to Laketon Ave (becomes Lakeshore Dr after curve) to Pere Marquette Park. Follow shoreline. Right on Beach St, left on Sherman Blvd, right on Lincoln, right on McCracken, left on Seminole. Right on Lake Harbor Rd (becomes Pontaluna Rd) to US-31 north to Muskegon.

Color Tour Fourteen: Directions Starting from Montague

North on US-31BR, north on Whitehall Rd through Rothbury. East on Cleveland Rd, north on 90th Ave, west on Arthur Rd, north on Oceana Dr through New Era, Shelby and Hart. West on Monroe Rd (becomes US-31BR) to Long Bridge Rd along Pentwater Lake. South on Ridge Ave (becomes Hazel Rd, then Silver Lake Rd at Silver Lake). South on 18th Ave, west on Buchanan, south on 16th Ave (becomes Scenic Dr, then Webster Rd). South on 48th Ave (becomes Lehman Rd in Muskegon County), east on Meinert Park Rd, south on Chase Rd, west on Hancock Rd and south on Old Channel Trail. East on Prospect Rd and follow the shoreline back to Montague.

Color Tour Fifteen: Directions Starting from Ludington

US-10 west, north on Lakeshore Drive to Hamlin Lake. East on Dewey Rd, north on Jebavy then right immediately on Angling Rd. East on Fountain Rd to Fountain. South on Reek Rd, east on Sugar Grove Rd, south on Benson Rd to Walhalla. East on M-10, then first right south onto Wallhalla Rd. West on Hawley Rd, south on Scottville Rd, west on Marrison Rd, south on Stiles to Bucks Corner. West on Washington Rd to West Oceana Dr, north on Lakeshore Dr past Bass Lake to Buttersville Park and Pere Marquette Memorial. Go back south on Lakeshore Dr, east on Iris Rd to US-31 north. Exit west on M-10 back to Ludington.

Color Tour Sixteen: Directions Starting from Clare

US-10BR northwest through Farwell. Northwest on M-115, east on M-61 to Harrison, south on Old US-27BR to Clare.

Color Tour Seventeen: Directions Starting from Cadillac

M-55 east to M-66 north through Lake City. West on M-42 through Manton to US-131 south. West on Boon Rd to Harrietta, south on 11-1/4 Rd. West on M-55, south on 7-1/2 Rd (becomes 48th Rd). South on 11-1/4 Rd to State Rd into Lake Co. East on Five Mile Rd, north on Skookum, east to Eight Mile (becomes 20 Mile Rd in Osceola Co), east to US-131, north to Cadillac.

Color Tour Eighteen: Directions Starting from Manistee

US-31 north to M-110 (Lakeshore Rd) to Portage Lake. East on Crescent Beach Rd, north on M-22 through Onekama. West on Potter Rd through Pierport, west on 13 Mile Rd to Lake Michigan. Backtrack 200 feet east. North on Lakeview Rd, east on Shaef Rd, north on M-22 through Arcadia. (Scenic Hwy), east on Grace Rd. South on M-31, south on M-115 past Thompsonville. South on Yates Rd, west on Nine Mile Rd, south on Highbridge Rd. West on M-55 (Caberfae Hwy), south on US-31 back to Manistee.

Color Tour Nineteen: Directions Starting from Frankfort

East on M-115 to Benzonia, northeast on US-31 through Interlochen. North on M-37/US-31 to Traverse City. To tour Old Mission Point, follow M-37 north. Backtrack to Traverse CIty via US-31 west. M-22 north through Suttons Bay to Northport. South on M-22 through Leland to Glen Arbor. South on M-109 through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. South on M-22 to Empire and back to Frankfort.

Color Tour Twenty: Directions Starting from Grayling

I-75 north to M-93 (exit 259) north past Hartwick Pines State Park. East on CR-612 to Lovells, south on CR-F97, south on M-18 through Roscommon. West on M-55 to Houghton Lake. North on Old US-27 back to Grayling.

Color Tour Twenty-One: Directions Starting from Kalkaska

North on US-131/M-66 to Mancelona. South on CR-571 (Tillie Rd in Antrim Co, Darragh Rd in Kalkaska Co) to Darragh. East on CR-612 (Manistee Lk Rd) around Manistee Lake to Frederick. South on Old US-27 to Grayling. West on M-72, north on US-131 back to Kalkaska.

Color Tour Twenty-Two: Directions Starting from Elk Rapids

North on US-31 to Eastport. East on M-88 toward Central Lake. North on CR-65, east on Mohrmann Bridge Rd, south on Rushton Rd (becomes Intermediate Lake Rd), south on Derenzy Rd to CR-620 through Bellaire. South on East Torch Lk Dr (CR-593) through Alden (becomes Crystal Beach Rd) and north to Kewadin (becomes Cherry Ave) then south again (becomes Cairn Hwy) back to Elk Rapids.

Color Tour Twenty-Three: Directions Starting from Gaylord

West on M-32 to East Jordan. West on Ellsworth Rd (CR-626) to Ellsworth. West on Atwood Rd (CR-48) to Atwood. North on US-31 through Charlevoix, Bay Harbor & Petoskey on to Alanson. East on M-68 to Indian River. South on I-75 back to Gaylord.

Color Tour Twenty-Four: Directions Starting from Petoskey

US-31 north to M-119, north through Harbor Springs to Cross Village. Left on Lake Shore Dr to Lakeview Rd (becomes Gill Rd at Sturgeon Bay). Left on Cecil Bay Rd, right on Wilderness Park Dr north to Mackinaw City. Pass under I-75 at the base of Mackinac Bridge. South on US-23 (Cheboygan Co. Scenic Route) through Cheboygan. South on M-27 through Indian River. East on M-68 to US-31 south to Petoskey.

Color Tour Twenty-Five: Directions Starting from Mackinac Island Ferry Docks

Left on Market St to Cadotte Ave, right to Huron Rd behind Ft. Mackinac to Arch Rock. Left on Rifle Range Rd, right on Sugar Loaf Rd, back to Rifle Range. Right to Garrison Rd past Skull Cave, left on Annex Rd to Cadotte, right to Market, left to docks.

Color Tour Twenty-Six: Directions Starting from Beaver Island Ferry Docks

Starting at the ferry dock in “downtown” St. James, turn right at the Ace Hardware. Turn left at the top of the hill onto The Kings Highway heading south out of “town”. Turn left on McCauley’s Road. Turn right on East Side Drive. At the south end of the island it becomes West Side. Don’t forget to stop and visit the Lighthouse just before Iron Ore Bay. Cross the 4-way intersection onto Paid Een Ogs Road. Turn left onto The Kings Hwy back to “town.”

Halloween Fun in West Michigan: Central Michigan

October 22, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsBlandford Nature Center, Central West Michigan, Chocolates by Grimaldi, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Children's Museum, Halloween On Ice, Halloween West Michigan, John Ball Zoo, LowellArts!, Opera Grand Rapids, Our Brewing Company, Pentwater, Play Bytes by PlaywrightsJoanne

There is so much to do in West Michigan to kick off the Halloween fun! This three part series will dive into different Fall and Halloween activities all throughout the West side of this Marvelous State. Next up is Central West Michigan. If you missed part one on Southern Michigan, be sure not to let it Fall to the wayside!

Central Halloween Fun in West Michigan

Opera Grand Rapids

Opera Grand Rapids is ramping up for its annual Night With The Opera fundraiser on October 30 surrounding the company’s season opening concert of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem.” Opera Grand Rapids invites the public to participate in an evening of unique cuisine and libations, live performances, and plenty of ghosts and ghouls at this year’s Halloween-themed event. All proceeds from the event support Opera Grand Rapids’ mission year-round, to foster and fulfill demand for high quality, live opera in West Michigan.

In keeping with tradition, Night With the Opera will treat guests to a festive evening packed full of live performances, along with the opportunity to join other advocates in support of live opera in the community. More information can be found here.

Pentwater

Pentwater has a number of opportunities to get outside and enjoy the Halloween season! October 31st heralds Halloween on the Green & the Spooktacular Parade! From 1pm through 5pm, bring the kids out in costume for fun activities, trick or treating with downtown merchants, the parade, and more Halloween fun.

Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

Bring your little ghouls and goblins in for a night of Trick or Treat fun at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum! Visit on Thursday, October 29th, from 5:00-8:00pm to create Halloween art, decorate a treat bag, and trick or treat throughout the museum! Entry is just $1.75 per person, and don’t forget your costume!

LowellArts! King Gallery

On display in the LowellArts! King Gallery is an exhibition titled “Things That Go Bump in the Night.” The exhibit is a group show of dark and mysterious themed artwork that was submitted through an open call for artists. Artwork on display embraces the concept of darkness, mystery, and fear in a thoughtful way. The show was juried to ensure that artwork fit the theme, and is appropriate for all viewing audiences. The exhibit will be on display October 1st through 31st. The gallery is open Tues-Fri 10am-6pm and Sat 1-4pm.

Frederik Meijer Gardens

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is getting in the Halloween mood with “Hallowee-Ones”! Hallowee-Ones takes place on Friday, October 23, from 10 am through 12 pm. Dress your child in costume and enjoy this special event designed for the youngest visitors. Children are invited to join in a costume parade and listen to Halloween-themed stories. This event is included with admission to Meijer Gardens.

Chocolates by Grimaldi

Few things can compare to a crisp autumn apple grown in Michigan’s fertile glacial soil, but if you’re the kind of person that likes your Halloween apples dripping in an extra layer or two, of deliciousness, then Chocolates by Grimaldi has the treat for you.

For a limited time the Grand Haven-based chocolate factory, is offering a special chocolate caramel apple. Their chocolatiers use complementary ingredients that allow the customer to experience layers of flavors. They start with crisp, hand-picked apples and drench them in their buttery, and creamy caramel. Next they coat them with their own delectable chocolate. Finally, the apples are dusted them with a layer of crunchy nuts or other toppings.

If you want one, you had better hurry, because the apples won’t last long. The limited edition apples will only be available through the fall at Chocolates by Grimaldi in Grand Haven or on their website.

Our Brewing Company

Our Brewing Company is hosting their annual Anniversary/Halloween Party on Friday, October 30, 2015. This will be their 3rd Anniversary party, as they opened November 1 of 2012. There will be live music, great beer, everyone dressed up in costumes, and great merchandise for sale, including their custom Anniversary shirts which will only be sold at this time! Party will start around 8:00 and go until Midnight.

John Ball Zoo

Visit West Michigan’s favorite trick-or-treat spot at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, where you’ll find over 20 booths, over-the-top decorations, and costumed characters! Your visit will include games, prizes, magic, music, special animal activities, and so much more. Bring your bees, pirates, princesses, and bears to Zoo Goes Boo on October 23rd-25th!

Play Bytes by Playwrights

Play Bytes by Playwrights is a production and competition of a collection of eight 10-minute plays written by playwrights and performed by emerging and established actors at LowellArts! Either drama or comedy, all the plays fit the theme: Things That Go Bump in the Night. A panel of judges will select one of the competing playwrights to win a $500 cash prize. Audience members will be invited to vote for their favorite short play, and the playwright winner of the People’s Choice and Juried Cash Award will be announced at the final production.

The Dinner Theater productions are held at Larkin’s Other Place, 301 W. Main Street on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6:30pm–October 23, 24, 30 & 31 with a Sunday matinee at 1:30pm–October 25. Show only tickets are available–play begins at 7:30pm on Fri & Sat and 2:30pm on Sunday. Advanced tickets are required for Dinner Theater ($25), and show only tickets ($13) can be purchased in advance or at the door. For ticket information, call 897-8545. More info here.

Lowell

What could be more fun than Lowell in October! They have a host of activities for you and the family to enjoy. Put on your walking shoes and enjoy the autumn air while visiting all the events throughout Historic Lowell! Participate in or view the Harvest Hustle 5K Run/Walk or the Outdoor Chili Madness Chili Cook-off at Larkin’s Restaurant, plus join them at the fairgrounds for the Autumn Marketplace, which will feature Arts and Crafts, Farmers Market, Flea Market, Pet Expo, Scarecrow-Building hoedown and live entertainment!

Halloween On Ice

Nancy Kerrigan’s Halloween On Ice is coming to Van Andel Arena on Friday, October 30th at 7:00 PM. Get ready for a night of family fun with Halloween-themed figure skating performances by a star studded cast of Olympic, World, and US National medalists including Nancy Kerrigan, Kurt Browning, Johnny Weir and many more!

The line-up of skaters is subject to change. Tickets are on sale now at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Groups of 12 or more save by calling 616-742-6185, emailing GroupSales@smggr.com or online.

Blandford Nature Center

Celebrate Halloween and the great outdoors at the same time at Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids. Visit on October 29th at 6pm for the “Beasts of Blandford” program. As the sun sets and the night animals become active, come creep through the enchanted Blandford forest. Enjoy a Halloween treat and participate in a craft.

Make sure to check out part 3 on Friday for Halloween activities in Northern West Michigan!

Halloween Fun in West Michigan: South Michigan

October 21, 2015Beer, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Recreation, Travel, Upcoming EventsColdwater Country, Cornwells Turkeyville, Crane Orchards & U-Pick, FireKeepers Casino hotel, Franke Center for the Arts, Gilmore Car Museum Spooktacular, Henderson Castle, Journeyman Distillery, Michigan Maritime Museum, South Haven, Stokes Homestead Farm Market, The Inn at Harbor Shores, West Michigan, West Michigan Beer ToursJoanne

There is so much to do in West Michigan to kick off the Halloween fun! This three part series will dive into different Fall and Halloween activities all throughout the West side of this Marvelous State. Part one and Southern Michigan comes down as the first leaf to hit the ground.

South Michigan Halloween Fun

Stokes Homestead Farm Market

Stokes Homestead Farm Market in Grand Junction is kicking off fall fun this season with their Shadow Hollow Haunt, a one-of-a-kind haunted trail, that will run every weekend in October! They’ll be throwing in some new twists, turns and scares this year. Check out all the details at stokeshomestead.com.

Cornwell’s Turkeyville

Cornwell’s Turkeyville in Marshall is preparing for their family friendly Fall season of fun, frights, and memories. Every weekend in October, Cornwell’s holds their family friendly “Haunted Adventures,” open from 12pm-8pm on Saturday’s and 12pm-5pm on Sundays. Some of the activities include a pumpkin patch, spooky hay ride, and Haunted Barn. Each year the owners alter the theme of the Haunted Barn to explore all of the aspects Halloween has to offer.

This year’s theme is reminiscent of the things that caused your imaginary night time fear of monsters: shadows! All of the walls have spooky shadows thrown across them; but participants be warned, there are things lurking in the shadows, so prepare to be spooked. The haunts found in the barn are appropriate for even young children, and employees willing to help out the most scared of kids. Wristbands last all day and include all activities. The cost for a wristband is ten dollars per person – excluding babes in arms. Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre will be performing Abra Cadaver, an interactive murder mystery, on October 30 and 31 for more spooky, entertaining, & delicious Halloween fun!

Franke Center for the Arts

Plan to visit the Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall on Saturday, October 24th at 8pm for a performance by Mind Reader & Illusionist Christopher Carter. Carter is recognized as one of the world’s greatest “mind-readers,” but he’s not psychic. He’s just an incredibly skilled observer of human behavior.

Starting at the age of eight, when an uncle allowed him to sit in on a poker game, Christopher began to realize that people broadcast their thoughts in ways beyond words. This led to a lifelong interest in non-verbal communication and ‘people reading.’ Although he pursued dual interests in psychology and theater in college, it wasn’t until he was doing graduate work that Chris finally put it all together: he blended his fast-paced, humorous theatrical style with stunning displays of psychological ability. The ovations and accolades have been coming ever since.

As an entertainer, Christopher has earned feature appearances on “The Martin Short Show” and the “Donny and Marie Show.” As one of the most popular performers on college campuses, he has been awarded the highest honor in the Campus Activities industry: Entertainer of the Year. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance and $22 at the door.

West Michigan Beer Tours

Get in the Halloween mood with West Michigan Beer Tours and their spooky tour featuring a brewery with a haunt, and of course, some great fall seasonal beers. Be prepared for a night of frights, flights and fun.

The Halloween tour will begin at Shakespeare’s Pub in downtown Kalamazoo where pumpkin ales, hard ciders, and other autumn classics will be on tap. The group will then make the short jaunt west to Paw Paw Brewing Co. where the crew will get you in the spirit of the season with fall ales and perhaps a few scary surprises.

From there, you’ll make way to Psycho Ward & Nightmares, one of Kalamazoo’s best haunted attractions tucked into the woods behind the Kalamazoo Speedway. Enjoy steeply discounted prices and VIP access to the freak fest. You’ll then conclude with a quick ride north to Plainwell’s Old Mill Brewpub. Owner and brewmaster Scott Zylstra plans to serve some of his first beers and offer a tour of the more than 100-year-old building known to be inhabited by a few ghosts. The Halloween Beer Tour takes place on October 30th and lasts for five hours. Book your spot directly through West Michigan Beer Tours.

Journeyman Distillery

Journeyman Distillery will be hosting the Three Oaks Pub Crawl on Halloween (October 31st) from 2-10. Tour the town’s drinking establishments and compete for a chance to win coveted Pub Crawl t-shirts. Costumes are encouraged and the best ones will be rewarded. Watch out for the spirits this Halloween!

Henderson Castle

Prepare for an evening of intrigue, lies, and deception at Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo as you try to unravel all the clues and solve a case of murder. All this while socializing with the cremé de la cremé of this city’s high society, friends, loved ones.

During the dinner, you get to know everyone, share what you know and find out what you can… you will need this to establish a motive… for murder. Who knows, you may be the murderer and not know it! The October Murder Mystery Dinner takes place the night before Halloween, on October 30th at Henderson Castle. The cost is $69 per person.

Michigan Maritime Museum

The Michigan Maritime Museum will host a free trick-or-treating event at the Museum for children ages toddler to 10 years on October 31st from 4pm-6pm. The event will have trick-or-treating stations around the Museum campus and aboard tall ship Friends Good Will. Children must be in costume to participate. Bring out the whole family! All children must be accompanied by an adult for this event.

FireKeepers Casino Hotel

Join FireKeepers Casino Hotel this Halloween for a weekend of fun and entertainment, including the annual Halloween Costume Contest, Here Come the Mummies Concert, and Halloween Slot Tournament!

The festivities start Friday, October 30th with the Halloween costume contest at 7pm on the casino floor. All those interested in participating in the costume contest will need to join the parade line beginning at 7pm. At 7:45pm the Top 10 will be announced and asked to come to the Money Keepers Mainstage for the next round of judging, where the top 3 will be selected for audience voting. All of the top 10 costume participates will receive a prize.

The 1st place winner will walk away with a cash and Red Hot Credit prize of $5,000! Continue the Halloween excitement with Here Come the Mummies. The concert will begin at 9pm in the event center and ticket are just $25. The Halloween Slot Tournament will begin at 10am on October 31st. To qualify, simply earn 31 points on your Red Hot Rewards Club Card starting at 9am on October 31st. The tournament will run from 10am-3pm with the top 4 from each hour advancing to the final. The top 20 finalist will share a total prize pool of over $40,000 in prizes, with the 1st place winner receiving $20,000 cash!

The Inn at Harbor Shores

The Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph invites you to celebrate this Halloween with them in a variety of ways! Visit the weekend of Halloween for Happy Halloweekend at The Inn, which will incorporate a series of frightening events for all ages, beginning with pumpkin carving and ending with a costume bash to end all others!

On Wednesday, October 28th, the local library will present Scary Stories, and Artist Pumpkin Carving Begins. Vote for your favorite pumpkin in person or on The Inn at Harbor Shores’ social media. On Halloween, the pumpkin carving winners will be announced, and the Costume Ball will kick off at 8pm! Enjoy dancing, a DJ, snacks, a cash bar, and prizes for the best costume! Tickets are $20, or can be included in your overnight stay package.

Crane Orchards & U-Pick

Crane Orchards & U-Pick in Fennville offers a 20-acre Corn Maze through October 30th. A lot of creative energy goes into this project every year to make it the best corn maze anywhere! Adults are $7, Ages 6 years to 10 years are $5, and kids 5 years old and below are free! This is a family friendly corn maze, and be sure to catch a hayride or Cowtrain ride while you’re there!

South Haven

If you’re in the South Haven area on Halloween, dress up, come out and join all the witches, goblins, vampires, superheroes, princesses, skeletons, and all the scariest costume in between for a fun filled candy gathering extravaganza! South Haven Trick-or-Treating will take place from 5:30pm-7:30pm on Halloween. Be sure to have a big container to hold all your candy, and don’t forget the three magic words: “Trick-or-Treat!”

Coldwater Country

Celebrate Halloween in Coldwater Country with costumes, scares, and a parade! Adventure out for a spook-tacular time in the Haunted Forest at Rotary Park in Coldwater on October 29th. The younger crowd will enjoy the less scary time from 6pm-7pm for the true Haunted Forest, scare time is 7pm-9pm. Don’t miss out on the Haunted Halloween Parade on October 31st! The theme changes every year, and you’ll see entries from organizations, businesses, and individuals.

Gilmore Car Museum Spooktacular

The 4th Annual Gilmore Car Museum Spooktacular will take place at the Museum on Thursday, October 29th from 4:00-7:00pm! Fun for the whole family, the Spooktacular will feature cool cars throughout the Museum, trick-or-treat throughout the galleries for children 12 and under, a featured film in the theater, and special treats and samples from local businesses! Costumes are encouraged! Kids 12 and under are FREE – Adults $5.00/person (children must be accompanied by an adult at all times).

Make sure to check out part 2 on Thursday for Halloween activities in Central West Michigan!

Special Family Fun Fest at the DeltaPlex

October 14, 2015Community Health, Education, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Recreation, Senior Living, VolunteersDelta Plex event, Family Hope Foundation, Special Needs Fun Fest, Special needs respite, volunteer opportunitiesJoanne

Children with special needs create special families. Five years ago, some of those family members got together to create the Family Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting not only their own children, but all special families. They’ve hit on a sure thing: the Special Families Fun Fest, returning for its 4th year at the DeltaPlex Arena on Saturday, October 17 from 10am-4pm. Lara Kitts is in charge of the event. “Some of us who have special needs family members know how hard it is to get the family out the door together. This is fun and there’s nothing else like it.”

Admission $5 per person, which includes 10 carnival game tickets (ages 2 and under free!). Tickets are available here.

Kitts says the Fun Fest provides a wide variety of events set up to provide physically and emotionally safe environments without stress, including carnival games, crafts, a petting zoo and a number of other activities—all without waiting in line. Even better, no one has to stay behind to take care of the special needs family member. “We have amenities such as a sensory room to provide family support if a child is overstimulated,” says Kitts. “We have volunteers who cover every exit to make sure a child doesn’t dart away. We’ve pretty much thought of everything.”

Those concerned that the Special Families Fun Fest may not have anticipated their particular need are invited to call in advance at 616-780-3839. Visit the Family Hope Foundation to learn more about this very special organization. For more information about Fun Fest activities, check out the event. If you would like to volunteer, Kitts says she would be pleased to find you a special role to fill at the event, sure to fill a special place in your heart.

Looking for a new taste sensation?

October 13, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Non-Profits, Recreation, Upcoming EventsChinese food, Dim Sum, GlobalConnections, Wei Wei Palace, World Affairs Council of WMJoanne

How about Dim Sum? If you have no clue what it is or what it tastes like, and especially if you do, you’ll want to schedule lunch at Kentwood’s Wei Wei (pronounced “Way Way”) Palace, on Saturday, October 17, 2015, at 4242 South Division.

Similar in concept to the tapas style of presenting a number of dishes to a group, Dim Sum is a shared meal of traditional Cantonese small plates. Attendants push carts from table to table to make your choice easy. The cuisine is placed in the table center on a revolving tray for diners to sample. Options feature steamed, baked, and fried variations of Dim Sum. “There’s a little bit of everything,” says Ashley Kassuba, Marketing Assistant for the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan. “Shrimp, vegetables, and rice are often mixed together, but there are some meat dishes and some veggie dishes, too.”

The cost is $20 per person, and includes tea and a selection of Dim Sum options brought to your table.

Reservations must be paid in advance by credit card or check. RSVP online or call the World Affairs Council office at 616-776-1721 by Tuesday, October 13.

The event is an adventurous concept in furthering cultural understanding, says Kassuba. Ping Liang, former Board President of the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, will be on hand to explain the history of Dim Sum, along with chopstick etiquette and other fun facts.

Sponsored by GlobalConnections, the newest group for young professionals (and “the young at heart”) at the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan, the luncheon is the first of planned interactive events scheduled throughout the upcoming year.

More social networking is planned at the end of November through December 4 to encourage fair trade shopping. Global Gifts, a non-profit specialty-item store that sells Fair Trade products, will host at 2055 28th St. (Located in the Grand Central Plaza).

But for now, the focus is on food. We understand that “Wei Wei” is a fun way to claim “the best, the VERY best” taste awaits you. Check it out at the Wei Wei Palace!

Haunted West Michigan

October 13, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsForest of Fear, Halloween, Haunted Houses, Haunted West Michigan, The Haunt, West Michigan HauntsJoanne

Watching a scary movie is one thing, but the real horror begins when you live it. To safely help you live the scary movie experience, the haunted houses of West Michigan have you covered! Enjoy terrifying scares as you cautiously check around every corner, making sure that there isn’t somebody – or something – following you.

Central

The Haunt

The Haunt has been generating screams for 15 years and they’re excited for another year! Their 20,000 square foot land is filled with all things scary! Expect even more Hollywood level sets, lighting, and special effects as you run from ghosts to clowns to everything in between. New features and side attractions help The Haunt continue to serve Michigan with their annual Halloween of scares!

Forest of Fear

The Forest of Fear is West Michigan’ premier outdoor haunted attraction which has been frightening and entertaining thrill-seekers of all ages for years! Located just south of Grand Rapids in Caledonia, the Forest of Fear is an interactive, self guided walk though tour through five chilling acres of haunted woods and swamps inhabited by ghosts, monsters, and other terrifying creatures. As you walk along the dimly lit and winding trails of the Forest of Fear you will face one spine-tingling jolt after another in an experience unlike any other haunted house!

South

Haunted Campus at Michigan Maritime Museum

The Haunted Campus event at the Michigan Maritime Museum takes place October 30 and October 31 from 8pm to 11pm. This event transforms the entire campus into a terrifying new locale and challenges visitors to navigate through the horror around them. This event is only for those ages 14 and up and all minors must be accompanied by an adult.

If learning about ghostly spirits is more your speed, make sure to check out the Michigan’s Ghostly Beacons presentation at the Michigan Maritime Museum! Nearly two dozen lights in Michigan are rumored to be haunted by their previous keepers. The stories of these lights will entertain all ages! Dianna Stampfler, who has contributed to a plethora of publications, will present with all the proceeds benefiting the Save the Light campaign.

Haunted Trail at Stokes Homestead Farm Market

Hop on a wagon at Stokes Homestead Farm Market and take a ride on the haunted trail highlighting the history of the “Shadow Hill Asylum.” The haunted forest and apple orchard are inhabited by the patients of Shadow Hollow so watch out! They may even climb onto the wagon and try to bring you back with them!

Haunted Forest and Temple Coldwater Country CVB

Take an adventure around the Haunted Forest at Rotary Park in Coldwater! Taking place October 26, 27, 29, and 30, kids will enjoy the less scary 6pm to 7pm activities while the real scary things come out from 7pm to 9pm!

The basement of the Masonic Temple gets real scary on October 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30, and 31! Filled with all the things that go bump in the night, don’t miss a chance to experience Halloween scares in this building that is over 140 years old.

Niles Scream Park

Offering five unique main attractions that are carefully and professionally designed, Niles Scream Park is here to scare the “yell” out of you! This years feature attraction is an homage to Steven King featuring a clown in your sewer, escaping the wrath of Johnny, and seeing first hand Carrie’s prom night! This is in addition to four other great haunted attractions that you don’t want to miss!

Haunted Adventures at Cornwell’s Turkeyville

Every weekend in October, Cornwell’s holds their family friendly Haunted Adventures from 12pm to 8pm on Saturdays and 12pm to 5pm on Sundays! Activities include a pumpkin patch, spooky hay ride, and Haunted Barn. The theme for the Haunted Barn this year is “shadows” so watch out for what is lurking about!

Haunted Forest at Covert/South Haven KOA

Enjoy two weekends of Halloween fun with Covert/South Haven KOA! On the weekends of October 2 and 9, enjoy some great family activities including trick-or-treating, a haunted forest, games, pumpkin decorating, and more! With all these great things to do, you may want to come back for both weekends!

Haunted Corn Maze & 3D Barn at Crane Orchards

Prepare yourself for Crane Orchards’ Haunted Corn Maze and 3-D Barn! The 20-acre corn maze features plenty of spooky interruptions and terrifying surprises as your navigate through it. New to this year’s fall preview is the 3-D Barn which begins at dusk to 10pm.

The Haunted Hallow at Olde World Village

The Old World Village’s largest annual event, The Haunted Hallow, is right around the corner! Supporting the regions charities, The Haunted Hallow features everything scary on a half mile trail going through the woods with over 25 scenes. All this and the Maze of Despair are set up to make sure that you are properly scared! Open every Friday and Saturday night during the month of October form 8pm to midnight. This is not recommended for those under 17.

North

Haunted Forest at Crystal Mountain

Are you brave enough to make it through Crystal Mountain’s Haunted Forest? Hang out by the fire where you’ll hear the screams surrounding the mountain. Carefully maneuver down the haunted trail and watch out for what lurks around every corner. Tickets available at the Park at Water’s Edge on October 17, 23, 24, and 30!

Haunted Trail at Grand Hotel

See the Grand Hotel as you’ve never seen it before! The weekend begins Friday, October 30 with a Welcome Reception, five-course dinner, and Haunted Trail! A scary movie will be presented Friday evening as well! Saturday includes a Bloody Mary bar, pumpkin carving contests, free admission to the Haunted Theatre downtown, and Haunted Afternoon Tea. Another five-course dinner will be served Saturday evening followed by the Grand Halloween Party! There will be live music and all beer, wine, and snacks are included at the party.

Haunts of Mackinac Island Tour at Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island is going to be filled to the brim with great activities! Don’t miss the kids Trick or Treating downtown, Haunts of Mackinac Island Tour, and Halloween parties at the downtown pubs! This a great mix of family fun and grown up entertainment!

SCA’s Real to Reel Series Features an Oscar Nomination

October 12, 2015Local Entertainment, Movie Review, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsReal to Reel Series, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, Sebastião Salgado, The Salt of the EarthJoanne

The Oscar nominated documentary The Salt of the Earth is coming to the big screen at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (400 Culver Street) on Thursday, October 15, at 7:00 p.m. The documentary is being shown as part of the Real to Reel Series.

For the last 40 years the photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the earth’s continents, in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed some of the major events of our recent history; international conflicts, starvation and exodus.

From stunning images of the gold mines of Serra Pelada (“I had travelled to the dawn of time”), to the horrors of famine in the Sahel and genocide in Rwanda (“We humans are a terrible animal… our history is a history of war”), and ultimately to the rebirth of the “Genesis” project, The Salt of the Earth finds Salgado revisiting and confronting his turbulent past.

In this lush, moving film Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and Wim Wenders co-direct a look at the career of Juliano’s father, Sebastião, as he embarks on the discovery of pristine territories, of wild fauna and flora, and of grandiose landscapes as part of a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet’s beauty.

Juliano says the film, “tells the story of an entire cycle, of a living land that dies and is then reborn. That is also more or less the story of Sebastião, who reached a breaking point and had to reinvent himself, so it was a very powerful thing. And to tell the truth, we only realized that in the editing room.”

The Salt of the Earth was named as an official selection at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and the 2014 Telluride Film Festival. General admission is $5/Members; $7/Future Members.

Prohibition is Still Alive at the Grand Rapids Public Museum

October 11, 2015Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, RecreationAmerican Spirits, Dianna Higgs Stampfler, Grand Rapids Public Museum, ProhibitionJoanne

By: Dianna Higgs Stampfler

American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition graces the galleries of the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) through January 17, 2016. This exhibit explores America’s most colorful and complex constitutional hiccup, spanning from the inception of the temperance movement, through the Roaring ’20s, to the unprecedented repeal of the constitutional amendment.

The world of flappers, bootleggers, temperance lobbyists, and organized crime legends comes to life in the American Spirits exhibition. This extensive collection will showcase over 100 rare artifacts, including: temperance propaganda, flapper dresses from the Roaring ’20s, Carry Nation’s hatchet used during her barroom-smashing raids, and authentic items used for making moonshine and other illegal potent liquors.

Interactive elements and immersive environments will bring to life the sights, sounds, and experiences of the time period. Visitors have the chance to take a quiz to find out if they are a “wet” or a “dry,” learn the Charleston in a re-created speakeasy and play the role of a federal Prohibition agent chasing rumrunners in a custom-built video game.

At the end of the exhibition visitors will explore the legacy of Prohibition in today’s regulatory landscape. Displays will show why and how laws differ from state to state and how the idea of drinking responsibly evolved.

American Spirits is a national touring exhibition created by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and curated by Daniel Okrent, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. The exhibition includes 17 artifacts on loan from the Collection of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

The GRPM will offer a variety of engaging community and educational programs to complement the exhibition. Programs vary from free with admission to an additional cost to participants.

Bathtub Gin Kit

Long Road Distillers, Grand Rapids’ first craft distillery, has created a special Prohibition-themed “bathtub gin” kit to commemorate the exhibition, which will be available at the distillery located at 537 Leonard Street NW, Grand Rapids (while supplies last). The kit includes a bottle of Long Road’s signature vodka, crafted from Michigan grain, botanicals for infusing, a second jar with a special edition Prohibition label, and instructions for infusing your gin at home. Long Road Distillers opened in early June of 2015 and is the first craft distillery in the history of the City of Grand Rapids.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the Grand Rapids Public Museum on this exhibit commemorating such a unique period in American history. The rise and ultimate fall of prohibition changed the landscape for American distilleries and breweries, and only now, over 80 years later, are we seeing the resurgence of the local, craft beverage makers. The Long Road Bathtub Gin Kit is a great way to honor the ingenuity of those who tried to make the most of what they had available at the time” said Kyle Van Strien, owner, Long Road Distillers.

Long Road Distillers is proud to be part of the exciting revitalization that is taking place in the West Side neighborhood they call home, as well as being an active member of the thriving craft spirit culture around Michigan. Staying true to its name, Long Road takes no shortcuts in crafting their spirits, using thousands of pounds of grain each week from a family farm located less than 25 miles from the distillery to produce vodka, gin, whisky and other uniquely Michigan spirits.

Long Road’s spirits can be enjoyed by the taste or in one of their carefully crafted cocktails and paired with a farm-fresh meal in their bar and restaurant. If seeing the production area through the floor to ceiling windows from the bar doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, distillery tours are offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Cocktail Classes

For the first three Tuesdays in October (October 6, 13, and 20), join the GRPM and New Holland Brewing for hands on cocktail classes in the Museum. Each class will be themed around a different Prohibition era spirit. Tickets are $10 and include general admission (Members receive discounted price).

Budweiser Clydesdales

The famous Budweiser Clydesdales will visit Grand Rapids in October in conjunction with the exhibit, on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 from 11 am to 1 pm on the grounds of the GPRM and the Holiday Inn Downtown parking lot. Guests can interact with the hitch team and take photographs with the iconic horses. Seeing the Budweiser Clydesdales is free of charge. The appearance is weather permitting. The event will take place as part of the partnership with Anheuser-Busch for the exhibition; the exhibit also includes Anheuser-Busch artifacts from the Prohibition era.

Legacy Awards Gala

Join the GRPM for the 7th Annual Jay & Betty Van Andel Legacy Awards Gala on Thursday, November 12 starting at 5:30 pm. In celebration of the exhibition “American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition” this event will be set in the era of flappers, bootleggers, temperance lobbyists, and organized crime legends. As the GRPM’s annual fundraiser, the community comes together to recognize three individuals for their dedication and commitment to bettering the quality of life in the region. Attire is roaring 20s fashion. Co-chaired by Dave & Carol Van Andel and Jim & Sue Williams. Tickets may be purchased by calling (616) 929-1754.

“Spirited Women” a Presentation by the Grand Rapids Women’s History Council

On November 17 at 6 pm join the Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council at the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a presentation, “Spirited Women: Grand Rapids and the Push for Temperance.” Presented by council members Ruth Van Steele and Julie Tabberer, this program will take a look at the local scene during 13 years of speakeasys and bathtub gin, reviewing the role the area women during the massive national temperance movement and the long push for women’s rights.

Repeal Day

December 5, 2015 marks the 82nd anniversary of the 21st Amendment, repealing the laws of Prohibition. Visit the Museum to take part in special Repeal Day activities including meeting characters who were important in passing the first and only amendment to repeal another amendment ever. The Museum’s Galleria will be filled with adult and children hands on activities to both celebrate and learn about our country’s history.

Join the Museum for a special soda making workshop from 10 am to 11:30 am for a special Repeal Day activity, also on December 5. This workshop will take place in the demo lab at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and can accommodate up to 20 people. Pre-registration is required, all ages welcome, recommended for ages 6-12. The workshop is $12 per person and includes general admission to the Museum.

Extra Events!

“Party Like it’s 1933” Repeal Day party at SpeakEZ

Step back in time to the first legal drinks after Prohibition at the Speak EZ Lounge on Saturday, December 5. Starting at 9 pm the Lounge will turn into 1933 with guests and staff partying to celebrate the 21st amendment. The event will include a live band, as well as ticket giveaways to the GRPM’s American Spirits exhibition! No advanced tickets necessary.

Prohibition style beer and food pairing dinner – exclusive tickets!

On January 12, 2016 in conjunction with the GRPM’s American Spirits exhibit, join Brewery Vivant for an exclusive prohibition beer and food pairing dinner. Tickets are limited and will go on sale later this year.

Last Call! Closing Weekend

Join us first the last call and last chance to see the exhibit on January 16 & 17, 2016. January 17 marks the 95th anniversary of the 18th amendment. On this weekend meet historic figures such as Wayne Wheeler and Carry Nation who helped bring about this constitutional amendment. As you journey through the history of Prohibition in American Spirits, hear in depth talks about the era, the culture and the changes that were seen in 1920. Saturday, January 16, join Speak EZ Lounge in the Meijer Theater at 3 pm for an exclusive mixology presentation.

1920s Era Family Activities:

Make your own marbles at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on November 14 from 10 am to 11:30 am. Learn how to make your own marbles out of clay, and while they bake play some of the original marble games that were popular in the 1920s! This workshop will take place in the demo lab at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and can accommodate up to 20 people. Pre-registration is required, all ages welcome, recommended for ages 6-12. The workshop is $12 per person and includes general admission to the Museum.

This holiday season, visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum for a variety of family friendly crafts and events during the annual Snowflake Break. Make your own themed snowflakes and punch tins, play a variety of board games, dress paper dolls in the Museum’s 1920’s fashion straight from our Collections. Activities are free with general admission. Visit the Museum on December 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30 and enjoy late nights in The Discovery of King Tut and American Spirits!

For a full schedule of events, please visit grpm.org.

Admission to American Spirits; The Rise and Fall of Prohibition will be included with general admission to the GRPM. This exhibit is free to Museum members.

This article was republished with permission from Dianna at Promote Michigan. We do our best to help with the promotion of the great State of Michigan!

A Cornucopia of Halloween Activities Offer a Fun-filled Bounty

October 9, 2015Holidays, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsFall Activities, Halloween, Victoria MullenJoanne

‘Tis the season for really bad autumn references, and we apologize. As writers, we’re expected to be witty (or die trying).

But it’s with the spirit of sharing in mind that we’re here to tell you about several fun Halloween- and autumn-themed events. Consider it a consolation prize for the shorter days and colder nights. Heads up: These events span the spectrum of activities, from music to a Zombie Beer Fest, to hayrides… perfect for adults. And kids. And sometimes both.

In order of appearance:

Now through October 31 – Haunted Hall
Haunted Hall at Muskegon Fairgrounds, 6621 Heights Ravenna Road, Fruitport, Mich., Fri. and Sat. 7 pm. Go here for more information.

Now through November 7 – Post Family Farm Activities
The 80-acre Post Family Farm is overflowing with pumpkins, squash, gourds and more. U-pick pumpkins, hayrides, bonfires, homemade (peanut-free) pumpkin donuts, corn mazes, the list goes on. Fun Farm Days are Monday-Thursday, noon-7 pm; Friday noon-6 pm through Nov. 7. Fall Festivals are every Saturday 10 am-6 pm through October 25. 5081 Bauer Rd. Hudsonville. Call 616.669.1964 or visit the website for info.

Now through winter – Hayrides and Sleigh Rides
Fruit Ridge Hayrides and Sleigh Rides (courtesy of Zeke & Zoey, the team of Belgian draft horses), 11966 Fruit Ridge Ave Kent City. Fall hayrides* are $7/person. Call 616.887.5052 or visit the website for more info. *Hayrides are wheelchair accessible.

October 9 – Opening day of The Haunt
Celebrating 15 years of fear at 2070 Waldorf NW! New themes, the latest technology and one of the largest casts in the state. Visit the website for dates and times. General admission is $20. NOT recommended for kids under 12. Children 5 and younger will not be allowed in any attraction.

October 9-22 – ‘Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon’
Biography/comedy. The film screens at 8 pm each evening at the UICA.

October 9-31 – ‘Forest of Fear’
Fundraiser for the Kentwood Jaycees. Are you afraid of the dark? This West Michigan haunted attraction has been entertaining thrill-seekers for over ten years. Interactive, self-guided walk through five chilling acres of haunted woods and swamps. Tickets: $15/person. Fast Pass: $5/person. Go here for dates and times. 8758 Patterson Ave. SE, Caledonia, MI.

October 10 – Music at Pyramid Scheme
Pentagram, Electric Citizen, and Satan’s Satyrs perform at the Pyramid Scheme, 68 Commerce SW, 8 pm.

October 17 – Backroads Barry County Bike Ride
Saturday from 8 am to 1:30 pm. The ride begins and ends at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W. Cloverdale Rd. Hastings. Visit the website for more info.

October 17 – Second Annual Zombie Beer Fest and Costume Contest
At the Calder Plaza, 250 Monroe Ave. NW. The fun starts at 4 pm. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning costumes. Tickets are $39-$49. Call 616.485.6637 for more info.

October 17 – Ballpark Ale Fest
At Fifth Third Ballpark, 1-5 pm, 4500 West River Dr. NW. More than 80 craft beers will be featured.

October 20 – Meanwhile Movie, “The Exorcist”
At the Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE at 8 pm. Go here for more info.

October 22-24 and October 29-31 – Horror-themed Musical Parody: Halloween!
The Stark Turn Players’
7^th Annual Halloween Classic Horror-themed Musical Parody: Halloween! based on the 1978 John Carpenter independent thriller at Dog Story Theatre, 8 pm Oct 22-24 and 29-30; 3 pm Oct 25 & 31. 7 Jefferson SE. Tickets: $12/adults, $8/students and seniors. For more info, call 616.425.9234 or visit the website. BONUS: There’s a Halloween party and costume contest following the October 31 show!

October 24 – Bissell Howl-O-Ween Hoof and Woof
A howlin’ good time for the whole family. Get ready for an afternoon of wag-worthy fun to raise awareness for animal adoption and celebrate the special bond between dogs and families. FREE 12-3 pm, Gainey Athletic Field, 1661 East Paris Ave. SE. Go here for more info.

October 27 – Meanwhile Movie, “The Shining”
At the Wealthy Theatre, 8 pm.

October 30 – Casino Parade and Costume Contest; “Here Come the Mummies”; Photo Contest
Firekeepers Casino parade and costume contest, 7 pm. Top 10 costumes win a share of $9,750 in cash and red hot credits. 1^st place $2,000 cash and $3,000 in red hot credits. 11177 East Michigan Ave., Battle Creek, MI. Get the rules here.

“Here Come the Mummies” at Firekeepers Casino. Doors open at 8 pm, show begins at 9 pm. Purchase tickets here.

Firekeepers Photo contest Oct 30-Nov 1. Upload your best shot taken at Firekeepers for a chance to win $500 in red hot credits. Get the rules here.

October 30 – Dia de los Muertos
The Grand Rapids Main Library at 111 Library St. NE, observes the Mexican tradition “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead). Community members will honor deceased loved ones with altars that will be on display for three days at the library.

October 30 – Monster Bash
Monster Bash: Ferrysburg Fire Department, 6-8 pm, 17290 Roosevelt Rd., Ferrysburg, MI. Call 616.843.5028 for more info.

October 30 – Museum Trick or Treat – Booseum Center
Kids, come in your Halloween costumes and trick-or-Treat at the Museum. Lakeshore Museum Center, 430 W. Clay, Muskegon, 4-5 pm. Visit the website for more info.

October 30 – Glow in the Park
Glow in the Park, 7-10 pm in Beery Field, Downtown Douglas, Mich. Music, food, drink, plenty of glow-in-the-dark activities for the kids. Come in full glowing costume or get your glow on when you get there with face painting, glow balloons, black light areas, and a merchandise booth. Proceeds go to City of Douglas Halloween Fund to pay for the big parade and other Halloween activities.

October 31 – Founders Halloween Party
9 pm at Founders Brewing Co., 235 Grandville Ave SW.

October 31 – Douglas Nighttime Halloween Parade for Adults
Leave the kids with the sitter and don’t miss the rise of the Pumpkin King from the ashes at 10 pm! This event draws thousands of people from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. Get your freak on at the Halloween Parade for Adults, 9:30 pm. Downtown Douglas, 35 South Main St., Douglas. Visit the website for more info.

12th Annual Pumpkin Path on the Horizon

October 8, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsLamar Park, Pumpkin PathJoanne

The changing leaves and cool wind can only mean one thing; it is time for the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department´s annual free Pumpkin Path event for kids and families.
Pumpkin Path will be held on Oct. 10 at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. This year the event will be held from the spooky hours of 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will haunt spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.

“The Pumpkin Path was developed as a safe family focused celebration for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”

While attendees may come for the treats, they should make sure to save time to get a temporary tattoo, jump in the bounce house and play life sized games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or come as they are.

At the 2014 Pumpkin Path event, 70 local businesses and organizations served approximately 5,000 children and parents.

Wyoming Now-Kentwood Now citizen Journalist Douglas Broek visited last year and had a blast!

Orchards and pumpkins at your fingertips

October 5, 2015Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, Senior Livingcider mills, corn maze, orchards, pumpkin patch, you pick fruitJoanne

If your mouth is watering for fresh apples, cider and doughnuts; the kids want pumpkins bigger than beach balls; and/or you want something to do on the weekend while we enjoy this fabulous fall weather, here’s a list of where to look.

Michigan’s most important commercial apple growing region, the area west of Grand Rapids, features orchards of apple trees in all directions. The slope of the land up from Lake Michigan make this area perfect for apple production. It’s not bad for pumpkins, either!

Blok Orchards

6365 4 Mile Rd NE Ada, MI 49301

(616) 676-1153

Fruit Ridge Hayrides and Fall Fun

11966 Fruit Ridge NW Kent City, MI 49330

616-887-5052

Hill Bros. Orchards and Cider Mill – Pumpkin Patch

6159 Peach Ridge Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49544

(616) 784-2767

Klackle Orchards

1466 W Carson City Rd, Greenville, Mi 48838

(616)754-8632

Orchard Hill Farm – Pumpkin Patch

2934 68th St SE Caledonia, MI 49316

(616) 698-6308

Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery

3142 4 Mile Rd NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525

800-400-8100 – Toll Free

Sietsema Orchards & Cider Mill – Pumpkin Patch

8540 2 Mile Rd NE, Ada, MI 49301

(616) 676-5584

Muskegon celebrates slapstick comic genius in weekend film fest

October 1, 2015Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Movie Review, Our Cities, Recreation, Senior LivingBuster Keaton, International Buster Keaton SocietyJoanne

“The best summers of my life were spent in the cottage Pop had built on Lake Muskegon in 1908.” Buster Keaton in his autobiography, “My Wonderful World of Slapstick”

How did actors survive hot summers a 100 years ago, when theaters without air conditioning shut down for the season? About 200 of those performers chose to head to Muskegon where an artist colony of vaudeville performers flourished in the 1900s. Buster Keaton and his performing parents joined their fellow artists in card-playing, fun in the sun and the bracing waters of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan.

Those glory days are celebrated this weekend with the return of the International Buster Keaton Society to the city Buster Keaton claimed as his hometown. The group numbers between 400 to 500 members, some from as far away as the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Annual attendance for the convention is usually between 50-100. 88 people are registered for the convention this year!

Society member Ron Pesch, who lives in Muskegon, will conduct a private tour for convention-goers to explore the neighborhood where Keaton lived, and other areas in the Bluffton community where the big names of the vaudeville circuit partied and sunbathed during their off-season.

1924: American comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966) sitting in the funnel of a ship in a scene from the film 'The Navigator'. — 1924: American comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966) sitting in the funnel of a ship in a scene from the film ‘The Navigator’.

If you’re inclined to ask, “Who’s that?” when you hear Buster Keaton’s name, you can probably be forgiven. His star shone most brightly after vaudeville waned in the 1920’s. As a major star of silent film, Keaton’s comic routines and deadpan expression landed him equal billing with comic geniuses such as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd–and if you’re still saying, “Who?” you probably like video games more than movies.

But Pesch says Keaton’s influence is cited by a number of major stars including Johnny Depp, Jackie Chan, and even Drew Barrymore. Pesch added, “The first ten minutes of the Pixar classic ‘Wall-E’ are filled with references to Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.”

On Saturday night, October 3, 2015, at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30), two Buster Keaton films will be screened for fans, “The Railrodder” and “Battling Butler” at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. Director Gerald Potterton will attend, who actually directed Keaton in his film “The Railrodder.” Potterton is best known for directing the cult classic, “Heavy Metal.” Dennis Scott will perform on the Barton Theater Organ, and Pesch notes, “Anyone who experiences a silent film in that theater with the organ accompaniment will be a Keaton fan forever.” Tickets are $8 per person or $21 for the whole family. For more information, visit www.frauenthal.org .

For more information about the artist colony in Muskegon.

Editor’s Note: Lake Muskegon was changed to its proper name of Muskegon Lake.

Missing bride mystery pursued in WKTV Digital Cinema Guild tonight

September 29, 2015Area Education, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Recreation, Tech Trends, WKTV ProjectsJoanne

Grandpa Havens holding his first great grandson

My earliest memories of my Grandpa include climbing into his lap so that he could read the “funny papers” to me out of the “Kalamazoo Gazette.” He smelled like Old Spice aftershave, Prince Albert pipe tobacco, and Clove or Teaberry gum – my choice, he always had sticks of both to offer me. He was balding with blue eyes that defined the term “twinkly,” hands that curved to fit naturally around any tool or the curve of an infant, a never-ending smile for his family, and a huge secret. I think my grandpa was a bigamist.

It’s true that I don’t know for sure, but all the evidence my mother found cleaning out his home after his death, years after my grandma had passed on, points to that conclusion.

Here is what I know about my grandfather. His name was Lyman Adelbert Havens and all our relatives called him “Del.” He was born in Byron Center, Michigan on September 27, 1898 and he died shoveling snow off his front walk on January 30, 1978 in Grand Rapids. He was 79 years old. I knew from childhood that he had grown up on a farm, because he had stories about bringing in hay, handling teams of horses, the hard winters. He loved to fish and hunt, and he taught me how to put a worm on a hook.

I knew that in 1919, he was 21 years old when he took a troop ship to Europe at the end of the First World War and changed his life. He went from simple farm boy to man of respect carrying precious cargo in an elegant machine.

-General_John_Joseph_Pershing_headshot — General John “Black Jack” Pershing

He was a chauffeur for a number of officers, including (he claimed) General John “Black Jack” Pershing, who led the American forces to victory over Germany, a point of considerable pride for both him and the family. I know I loved him very much, and still do.

Here is what we found out about my grandfather long after he had died. While he was in Europe, he met a woman named Dora Gallner. Tucked away in a box long untouched, my mother found five pictures of Dora, one hidden in a frame behind a photo of himself. One of the Dora photos had words in German written on the back that shocked the family. Translated, they read “For my dear Dell – your abandoned bride, Dora.” One of the other Dora photos shows her staring mournfully at the camera. The text on the back reads, “A picture of myself in the month where I received my sad news from you. I nearly died from the heartache. Your lost bride, Dora. It is very sad.”

In addition, my mother unearthed three postcards written by Dora to my great-grandmother Grace, Del’s mother. The postcards are dated cryptically. One is headed “Frastang, 11. X 21.” It reads in English, “Dearest Mother! I shall fortnight ago of Bern to travel. It is excellent. Many greetings and loving kisses Dora” and something else we can’t read. Another reads, “Dearest Mother! From Feldkird, many greetings and loving kisses. Dora.”

So it seems he was indeed married. In May 1922, he was honorably discharged from the Army and returned home to Michigan from Europe, without Dora. One year later, he married my grandmother Ethel. In two words, what happened? But of course, a multitude of questions are huddled under that umbrella; was he denied permission to bring her home? Did my grandmother know about Dora? Could we have family in Germany we have never known?

Del Ethel Wedding Picture — Del and Ethel Havens Married May 1923

This is the story my sister, Lynette, and I have decided to research. We are using the resources of the WKTV Digital Guild, which meets Tuesday, September 29 and continues every 2^nd Tuesday thereafter from 7pm-9pm at WKTV, 5261 Clyde Park Avenue SW, Wyoming. If you have a story to tell, come check out this program. Get all the support you need as you think about how to tell your story and how to use the equipment you need. WKTV awaits!

Meet the Voices Behind the Audiobooks at the Grand Rapids Public Library

September 28, 2015Education, Local Entertainment, RecreationAmy McFadden, Audiobooks, Grand Rapids Public Library, Kate rudd, Tanya EbyJoanne

Three familiar voices will share their experiences making audiobooks at the Grand Rapids Public Library on Wednesday September 30. Audiobook superstars Kate Rudd, Tanya Eby and Amy McFadden have together narrated over 800 books. They will read from their most popular works and give a behind the scene look at the audiobook industry.

Kate Rudd narrated the massive hit and Odessey and Audie-award winning “The Fault in Our Stars,” by John Green. She is a multiple Audie award finalist and recipient of Audiofile Magazine Earphone awards. Kate has narrated over 250 titles over a variety of genres.

Tanya Eby is the voice of the Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen. She’s recorded over 200 audiobooks, including romance series for Lisa Kleypas, Susan Mallery, Elizabeth Reyes, and Sheryl Woods. She is an Earphone winner and has been nominated for an Audie award.

Amy McFadden is known for her comedic timing and was nominated for an Audie for “Amy Falls Down.” She has narrated over 150 titles in many different genres, with a focus on comedic fiction, romances, and young adult fiction. Amy has been praised for her character work, and finding the emotional truth in comedy.

Voices Behind the Books will be held from 7:00 – 8:30 pm on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 in the Ryerson Auditorium at the Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library St. NE. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 616-988-5400 or visit our website at www.grpl.org. The Grand Rapids Public Library connects people to the transforming power of knowledge.

Celebrate the Harvest in West Michigan

September 25, 2015Local Business, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Travel, Upcoming EventsCidel Mill, Fall, West Michigan, West Michigan Travel AssociationJoanne

As Autumn approaches in West Michigan, it’s time to start celebrating the harvest! West Michigan offers a wide variety of ways to celebrate, whether it’s stopping by a cider mill, attending a special harvest dinner, or heading out to the local fall festival. However you like to get into the feeling of fall, West Michigan has you covered.

South: West Michigan Harvest Celebrations

Fenn Valley Vineyards believes that wine should be approachable, and their tours have been designed to help take the mystery out of making world class wine. Fenn Valley is offering fall vineyard tours on Saturdays and Sundays through October 18th. They aim to strike a balance between education and entertainment. Luckily, the subject matter always keeps things interesting! Their tours are pretty in-depth. They run about 1:45 in length, and involve wine tasting throughout to illustrate the various points being made.

In the fall, the tours go into the vineyard where the emphasis is on how wine grapes are grown and the kinds of operations that Fenn Valley performs to grow their premium grapes. Reservations required and accepted on the Fenn Valley website.

This fall South Haven has a variety of events to offer for young, and slightly mature audiences. South Haven boasts a 20-acre Corn Maze; a lot of creative energy goes into this project every year to make it the best corn maze anywhere! The corn maze is open through October 30th, from 10am-6pm on weekdays and from 12pm-6pm on weekends.

September is apple time at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm in Eau Claire Michigan. Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm has over 250 different varieties of apples on their farm, and many of the heritage varieties date back to the 1700s. The market is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays after Labor Day from 10am to 6pm. Plan to stop by for some free apple tasting! You can sample all of their varieties on hand, and then go to the orchard and pick your own fruit. Enjoy one of their cherry waffle boats, apple pie squares, taffy apples, or hot apple cider, or bring your own picnic to enjoy in the family picnic area with playground.

St. Joseph is a must-stop if you’re looking for fall fun in West Michigan! Kick things off with a visit to the Farmers Market in Lake Bluff Park, and then head downtown on September 25th and 26th for their Fall Festival! Plan on a weekend filled with fun events for all ages, including the Great Bed Race! Downtown shops will also be hosting a block party on Friday, and Saturday will see a Critter Barn petting zoo, a musical instrument petting zoo, and the Great Pumpkin Festival!

Central: West Michigan Harvest Celebrations

Not quite ready to say goodbye to the summer days of ice cream yet? Welcome fall in summer style with the limited edition ice cream flavor of Cider Mill Donut from Hudsonville Ice Cream. Apples are the largest and most valuable fruit crop in Michigan, and with apples, come donuts and cider. “This flavor starts off with apple cider flavored ice cream, with a spiced-apple swirl throughout and real donut pieces,” says Ray Sierengowski, director of product development for Hudsonville Ice Cream. “All the flavors of your local cider mill are delivered to you in one delicious scoop. You’ll FALL for this tried-and-true combination.”

Look for Cider Mill Donut and other “Limited Edition” flavors—distinguished by the red packaging—in grocery stores throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois from mid-September through early November (while supplies last).

Learn some new ways to bring the harvest into your home this fall with an apple cooking class from Downtown Market Grand Rapids! This family cooking class is titled “Bushels of Apples,” and will focus on this classic fall snack. You’ll learn how to make an Overnight Baked Oatmeal, Apples Bavaria, and an Apple-Butternut Squash Soup, all of which are filled with bushels of flavor! The class takes place Saturday, October 17th from 10am-12pm and registration is available on the Downtown Market’s website.

Post Family Farm is the place to be this fall, with their annual Fall Festival taking place every Saturday from through October 31st. They offer hayrides out to the u-pick pumpkin patch, corn maze, kid’s activity area with crafts and games as well as a new and improved play area for 2015. Their famous homemade pumpkin donuts are available Monday-Saturday starting at 8:00 am and can be pre-ordered.

What better way to welcome fall than by spending some quality time in the great outdoors. Nothing beats a float trip in a drift boat during the Salmon run on the Pere Marquette River in the Fall. The Fall colors and watching the Salmon spawn are something you can’t find anywhere else, whether you like to fish or not. If you do like to fish, it’s the best time of the year to wet a line.

There are few fish that live up to their name, but the King Salmon in the Pere Marquette River certainly do! Red Moose Lodge is located right off the river, and is the perfect place for a fall weekend fishing trip, whether you’re simply looking for a place to stay, or want to book a guided fishing trip down the river.

Rockford’s 39th Annual Harvest Festival is September 25, 26 & 27th, 2015. The Harvest Festival will feature a classic car show, chili cook-off, Rotary Pork Barbeque, children’s activities including Trick or Treating & Costume Contest, crafts, an antique tractor show and parade, and much more. There is also a Farm Market, Museum Auction, Make-it and Take-it Scarecrow Building (which continues the following 2 weekends), Entertainment Tent, and Outdoor Movie. Find more information on the Rockford Chamber’s website.

North: West Michigan Harvest Celebrations

Castle Farms in Charlevoix invites you to celebrate the harvest with them at their upcoming annual Harvest Festival on September 27th! Visit the ‘Mini Farmer’s Market’, with vendors exhibiting and selling homemade items, including maple syrup and caramel popcorn. Take home a snapshot from the photo booth! Horse-drawn wagon rides, arts & crafts, games and prizes, face painting, magic show and fire spinning are just some of the spectacular activities for the whole family. Enjoy free cider and donuts with additional food available for purchase. $10 admission includes full access to the Castle, plus family friendly activities for all ages. Purchase your tickets at the door or in advance on the Castle Farms website.

Pentwater is holding their annual Fall Fest on the Village Green on September 26th and 27th this year. Experience the beauty of fall at their annual Arts & Craft Festival, where over 100 vendors provide hand-made crafts, a special skill or art, a skilled trade, or antiques on the Village Green. Enjoy live music on the green as well. This is a fall weekend in Pentwater not to be missed! Fall Fest runs from 10am through 5pm on Saturday, and 10am through 3pm on Sunday.

Share the excitement of the harvest with Chateau Chantal at their 16th Annual Harvest Day on October 3rd from 12pm-4pm. Mark & Brian’s cellar and still will be open to smell wines, stomp grapes, and tour. Stop by at 1pm for a Mini Slurpin’ Seminar where you can learn the basics of wine tasting, at 2pm for some good old fashioned grape stomping, and at 3pm for a distillation seminar. The tasting room staff will be serving wine tastes and taking private label orders. Also take advantage of special pricing on full case orders of any one varietal of wine!

The Traverse City area knows how to get in the mood for Fall, and has plenty of options if you’re looking to kick off the autumn season. Head to Bellaire for their 17th Annual Harvest Festival & Scarecrow Extravaganza on September 26th, and enjoy a Short’s Beer tent, live music, a craft and flea market, and hands-on educational booths for the kids.

The Acme Fall Festival falls on the same day (September 26th), and features a farmers market, bake sale, craft show (with live demonstrations), kids activities, Michigan children’s offers, and more fun for all ages. Then get your taste buds ready for a family-style feast at Harvest@theCommons on October 10th. Your feast will be prepared by Traverse City’s own Harvest restaurant using the finest local ingredients honoring the farmers of the region. Enjoy local libations and authentic bluegrass tunes by Billy Strings and Don Julin during your meal as well.

Michigan is special because it fully experiences all four seasons. Make sure you take advantage of fall and the beautiful change in color and temperature around West Michigan!

Time is Running Out on Pinery Park Little League

September 24, 2015Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, RecreationLittle League, Mayor Jack Poll, Mike DeWitt, Pinery Park Little League, Wyoming City CouncilJoanne

By: Mike DeWitt

It’s every little leaguer’s dream, that perfect game-ending situation that runs through a ballplayer’s mind: At the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, the bases are loaded with your team down a score. Three balls and two strikes, a full count and it’s do or die.

There’s nowhere to hide. It’s just you at the plate. A chance to be the hero.

For Pinery Park Little League (PPLL), the game is winding down and it’s time for the league to step up to the plate so that its contract with the City of Wyoming and Pinery Park isn’t terminated.

After 60 years of organizing youth baseball here in Wyoming, the PPLL is in jeopardy of losing its home.

The problems started back in 2011 when the PPLL lost its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the IRS due to a lack of transparent bookkeeping and financial information. Since the loss of 501(c)(3) status, the City of Wyoming has asked the PPLL to take the necessary steps to get the nonprofit title back with the IRS.

Four years later that still has not been accomplished. That’s just the tip of the iceberg for an organization that has proven to be run very inefficiently.

Electrical and maintenance bills haven’t been paid on time. Board meeting dates are flimsy with sometimes only a couple of days’ notice before a meeting. Board election positions are posted with the minimal amount of notice (two weeks) mandated by the league’s bylaws. Umpires are paid in cash out of the concession stand register with no paper trail to follow. And the League has been unable to present their financials at the request of the Wyoming City Council.

“This league is extremely, extremely unorganized,” exclaimed Mayor Jack Poll in a heat of passion and disappointment at the City Council Meeting on September 14. “And, if they can’t have the leadership to run this league on our fields with the requirements that we have, then it’s time to change direction.”

The Wyoming City Council had a very long discussion about what to do with the PPLL and whether or not the contract should be terminated. By the end of the meeting, they decided on a few next steps:

The PPLL must turn over all financials, bank statements and loose pieces of paper
The PPLL lawyer and the City lawyer will draw up a new contract that has some teeth
The new contract will designate the Community Resource Alliance as the fiduciary for the finances of the PPLL
The PPLL will form a separate committee to field complaints from league participants

The new contract must be submitted by September 30 so that it can be placed on the October 5 meeting’s agenda. If no agreement is reached, the contract will be terminated on October 5, and the Parks and Rec Department will charter youth baseball.

Thunder Over Michigan Air Show

September 23, 2015Citizen Journalism, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, RecreationAircraft, Blue Angels, Katelyn Kohane, Thunder over Michigan, UH-1 HueyJoanne

By: Katelyn Kohane

Thunder Over Michigan is an amazing experience. I went on Sunday, which happens to be the final day. The event took place at the Detroit Metro Willow Run Airport. There was an incredible line up of military air planes and helicopters.

Of course, they saved the best for last, the United States Navy Blue Angels.

The entire days was chalked full of events to keep you busy and occupied. The total number of aircrafts was jaw-dropping.

To mention a few of the planes: the Heavy Hitter Avro Lancaster, which made its debut in 1942 as the strategic bombing in Europe began during World War 2; The End All Be All Fifi B-29 Superfortress, this was one of the planes to drop nuclear bombs during World War 2 and was also used in active duty during the Korean War; Patrolling the skies Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was a patrol bomber for the United States Navy during World War 2 and the Korean War.

They had a number planes on the ground that you could take a tour through, but I wound up skipping out on the plane tours and took a slightly more adventurous experience. I ended up going for a ride in a UH-1 Huey Helicopter.

The tour in the Huey required a signed waiver and $75. It was worth every penny!

I sat in the gunner seat on the outside of the Helicopter. The view, and the entire experience, was incredible. If you’ve never taken a ride in a helicopter, I would highly recommend it. The air show makes for an easy and comfortable environment to give it a try.

The helicopter ride took one thing off the Bucket List; what will I ride in next year!?

As I mentioned, the show was great and the ride was amazing but they saved the best for last; the United States Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squad.

The Blue Angles makes their home in Pensacola, Florida and they perform across the country throughout the year. They are on the road from the middle of March until late November putting on a showcase in aircraft handling. After November, the Blue Angels head back to Florida for the winter.

The US Navy Blue Angels began in 1946 as a desire to keep the public interested in Naval Aviation. The original Blue Angels team flew a Grumman F6F Hellcat aircraft. The team now flies an F/A 18 Hornet.

Maintenance crews for the Blue Angels fly with them in the US Marine Corps C-130 also known as “Fat Albert.” This year the team is lead by their Flight Leader/ Commanding Officer Captain Tom Frosch, who is from Michigan. Another cool tidbit about the team this year, they now have their first female pilot. Her name is Katie (not me though! I wish!).

The team puts on a highly choreographed, high-octane performance with a lot of stunts. They have the four-plane Diamond Formation and also the six-jet Delta Formation where the planes fly as close together as 2 meters.

Performing with massive machinery with such as eloquent grace is a slight to behold. The Blue Angels keep getting better every time I see them. At the end of their show, the team came out the field where everyone was sitting and talked to the audience and signed autographs. It’s always fun to go and talk to the pilots. They really do put on a high-octane performance in the air and with the fans afterwards.

I have been fortunate enough to experience their demonstrations at the Air Base in Pensacola many times, and would highly recommend this. The Blue Angels are a true marvel in the sky.

Make sure to check out Thunder Over Michigan next year. You won’t be disappointed!

Katie works in the film industry as a camera operator and has worked on films like ‘All You Can Dream’, ‘Set Up’ and a TV show called ‘American Fallen Soldier.’ She loves helping WKTV with the Citizen Journalism team and working as a tech at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Katie loves working in the film industry and loves watching movies just as much!

Longing for a place to screen your short?

September 22, 2015Local Entertainment, Movie Review, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming EventsCash Prizes for Film Shorts, Film shorts competition, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, SCA Saugatuck ShortsJoanne

How about winning up to $1,000 on top of the excitement of seeing your film short (five minutes or less) on a big screen? If those are the kind of thrills you seek, the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (SCA) has just the contest for you. The SCA is registering filmmakers for the third annual “Saugatuck Shorts” film competition. Registration is open now until October 9th, and can be completed online at the link below. Winners will be screened on November 7, 2015 at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, located at 400 Culver Street, Saugatuck.

If you’re young enough, your entry is free. However, keep in mind your short has to include some sort of Michigan “flavor,” whether the film is set in Michigan or simply contains a reference to a unique Michigan feature such as “Yoopers.”

The two basic filmmaker categories come with different entry fees:

Student—Age 18 and Under; Film Entries are Free
Adult—Age 19 and Up; Film Entries $15.00

“Saugatuck Shorts” is the only film competition in West Michigan that offers a cash prize for short film submissions in three categories: one for adults and one for students where winners are determined by a panel of judges; those ten shorts will be shown at the November screening of “Saugatuck Shorts.” A separate prize will be awarded at the end of the evening to recognize the “Audience Favorite” out of both juried categories. Winner of the “Audience Favorite Prize” will be awarded $1,000. Another $1,000 prize will be awarded to the Adult Winner and $500 goes to the Student Winner.

“Over the past three years, the SCA’s “Saugatuck Shorts” competition has brought in filmmakers from across the state for a wonderful night of engaging entertainment on the big screen,” said Kristin Armstrong, SCA Executive Director. “The competition is a great way for students and professionals alike to get their work in front of the community. We are very excited to bring this special competition back!”

More information and registration details for “Saugatuck Shorts” can be found at Saugatuck Center for the Arts or by calling 269-857-2399.

ArtPrize Announces Hospitality Spaces

September 17, 2015Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsAnila Quayyum Agha, ArtClub, ArtFan, ArtPrize Seven, Intersections, The HUBJoanne

ArtPrize has revealed details for its 2015 hospitality spaces. Provided by CWD Real Estate Investment, the ArtPrize Clubhouse, ArtPrize HUB, Hospitality Center and Access Art Lounge are designed to serve as beacons within the ArtPrize district, providing visitors with places to meet, relax and gather information throughout their ArtPrize journey.

ArtPrize Clubhouse
The ArtPrize Clubhouse, presented by Wolverine Worldwide and located at 9 Ionia Ave, will once again serve as a key downtown resource for ArtClub and ArtFan members as well as credentialed Artists, Venues, Sponsors and Media throughout the 19-day event. Hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

ArtPrize HUB
The ArtPrize HUB provides the perfect starting point for visitors to ArtPrize Seven. Located at 41 Sheldon Blvd, The HUB will serve as the flagship ArtPrize retail space and central meeting place. The HUB Theatre will house all Critical Discourse programming, including “Why These Finalists?” — a two-part, televised event taking place October 5 and 6, during which art experts will compare and speculate upon the Jurors’ Shortlist and Public Vote Final 20 artist entries. Photo of The HUB by Joel Bissell | MLive.com

At The HUB, ArtPrize visitors can register to vote, get comprehensive assistance from on-site ArtPrize concierges, browse the ArtPrize Seven retail store and view the stunning realization of Anila Quayyum Agha’s ArtPrize 2014 winning piece Intersections.

“I am thrilled to show Intersections at the HUB for ArtPrize Seven. It will be a wonderful homecoming!” said Anila Quayyum Agha. “Over the past year, I have often thought of the deep and lasting impact this art competition has had on my career, and I feel heartfelt gratitude — and am still slightly stunned.”

ArtPrize Retail
The new ArtPrize retail line, designed in conjunction with Conduit Studios, includes Michigan-inspired designs, with a vintage feel. Merchandise will be on sale at the HUB starting September 19 and at 11 additional locations throughout the ArtPrize district during the 19-day event.

Pop Up Park
Returning for ArtPrize Seven is the Pop-Up Park designed and provided by Landscape Design Services. The Pop-Up Park will be located outside the ArtPrize HUB and will take over the West side of Sheldon Blvd. Created to provide visitors with a fun, temporary green space to relax in during the event, the Pop-Up Park will also host a variety of daily education programming, including scavenger hunts and after-school activities.

Access Art Lounge
The Access Art Lounge at 50 Monroe Avenue has been designed, in partnership with Disability Advocates of Kent County, to ensure that visitors who need a wheelchair, a quiet space, or resources to accommodate their individual needs, have an easy access point to the event. The Access Art Lounge is equipped with resources to help visitors with specialized mobility needs make the most of ArtPrize Seven. Hours are September 23 to October 11, from 12-8 p.m. Monday – Saturday, and 12-6 p.m. on Sunday and ArtPrize Awards day.

ArtPrize Hospitality Center
The ArtPrize Hospitality Center located at 40 Pearl (entrance at 130 Ottawa) is where credentialed ArtPrize visitors including Artists, Sponsors, Venues and Media, will go to pick up their pre-printed badges. Hours are 12 – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 12 – 6 p.m. on Sundays and ArtPrize Awards day, starting September 19 and running through October 11.

Michigan House
Following a successful residency in Austin, Texas at SXSW, Michigan House is coming to ArtPrize Seven — located at 40 Pearl and highlighting Michigan creativity across a wide variety of disciplines. The brainchild of Creative Many — a Detroit-based statewide economic development organization for the arts, culture and creative and design industries — Michigan House will provide visitor experiences including concerts, speakers and panel discussions as well as a variety of classes including yoga and photography. Michigan House will be open September 23 to October 11 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.

Important Dates
ArtPrize Seven: Sept. 23-Oct. 11, 2015
Round 1 Voting: Sept. 23 at Noon – Oct. 3 at 11:59 p.m.
Final 20 Announcement: Oct. 4 at 1 p.m.
Round 2 Voting: Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. – Oct.8 at 11:59 p.m.
ArtPrize Awards: Oct. 9 at 8 p.m.

For detailed information, visit the ArtPrize website.
Images courtesy of ArtPrize, except where noted.

ArtPrize Releases Mobile App for its Seventh Edition

September 16, 2015Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Our Cities, RecreationArtPrize, ArtPrize App, ArtPrize Seven, ArtPrize VotingJoanne

ArtPrize, the radically open international art competition decided by public vote and expert jury, today launched the ArtPrize Seven mobile app, developed in partnership with Atomic Object for both iOS and Android. Combined with a streamlined and newly updated website, the ArtPrize suite of technology-based audience engagement tools will deliver a seamless user experience, with the voting module as its centerpiece. The ArtPrize Seven mobile app is now available for download via the Apple and Google Play stores, allowing visitors to begin planning their experience for the 19-day event.

The intersection of art and technology is central to the way that ArtPrize was founded and continues to run to this day, powering the public vote and the artist-venue connections process, as well as influencing the way that artists make and share their work. Since the close of the 2014 event, ArtPrize has worked to refine both the mobile app and website, ushering in a sleeker, leaner design and surfacing the most sought-after content, features and functionality on both platforms.

“This year we really focused on presenting our app and website users with a more streamlined experience, not only in terms of aesthetics but in functionality,” noted Jonathan Hunsberger, ArtPrize Director of Technology. “Our hope is that these tools will become a focal point for visitors throughout the event, enhancing and informing their ArtPrize journey.”

The popular List feature returns to the ArtPrize mobile app and artprize.org, allowing everyone to browse the 1,550 artist entries competing in ArtPrize Seven and create unlimited lists of the artwork that they most want to see. Lists are easily shared via social media, text message and email, and ArtPrize-goers can browse and follow Lists that have been made available to the public. The mobile app easily generates detailed walking directions between venues, encouraging visitors to explore more of the event and form their own experiences off the beaten path.

Also returning to the mobile app are the ArtPrize event and blog integrations, keeping visitors in the know about what’s happening around the event. The continuation of the interactive map feature at artprize.org and within the mobile app gives greater context to the location of venues, events, restaurants and brewpubs that are in their vicinity. The mobile app will be continuously updated throughout the 19-day event, providing users with real-time useful information to plan their visit.

And of course the public will cast their votes, and ultimately decide the winners of $250,000 in prizes, via the mobile app, at artprize.org, and by text message (SMS). Voters will be able to register while downtown via the mobile app, skipping the lines at designated voting sites — and then cast their votes either from within the event boundaries or wherever their day may lead them.

ArtPrize Seven will take place from September 23 to October 11, 2015 when three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan will become an open playing field where everyone can join the conversation about art, and where the public decides the winners’ circle.

Have a Grand Ol’ Time at ‘Fun With Grandkids!’

September 15, 2015Area Education, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsDIY Spa, Grandkids, Grandparents, Kent District Library, Nostalgic Gaming, Zentangle ConnectJoanne

For kids and the kids at heart ages 6 to 96, Kent District Library is proud to introduce the new series Fun with Grandkids!. The series includes three programs:

DIY Spa — where participants make their own pampering products to take home
Zentangle Connect — a class on creating intricate, black and white, abstract art through the Zentangle method intended for children ages 8 and up
Nostalgic Gaming — where we provide the classic games like Jacks, marbles, checkers and more.

“We’ve created hands-on programming, aimed at an intergenerational audience and scheduled for the weekend hours so that out-of-town grandparents, as well as local grandparents, can participate in fun, library-centered activities with their grandkids,” said Lynda Austin, Youth Services Paraprofessional at KDL.

The program is open to children with a parent, grandparent or guardian. Pre-registration is required for DIY Spa and Zentangle Connect and can be completed by calling (616) 784-2007.

Schedule

DIY Spa

Saturday, October 3, 10:00 AM – Gaines Township Branch
Saturday, October 17, 2:00 PM – Comstock Park Branch
Thursday, October 22, 4:00 PM – Tyrone Township Branch
Saturday, November 7, 1:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Saturday, November 14, 1:00 PM – Englehardt (Lowell) Branch
Saturday, November 21, 10:30 AM – Nelson Township/Sand Lake Branch

Nostalgic Gaming

Saturday, September 19, 10:30 AM – Nelson Township/Sand Lake Branch
Saturday, October 3, 1:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch
Saturday, October 24, 1:00 PM – Englehardt (Lowell) Branch
Wednesday, November 18, 4:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Saturday, November 21, 1:00 PM – Walker Branch
Saturday, November 28, 10:00 AM – Cascade Township Branch

Zentangle Connect

Saturday, September 19, 1:00 PM – Englehardt ( Lowell) Branch
Saturday, September 26, 1:00 PM – Grandville Branch
Wednesday, October 7, 4:00 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch
Saturday, October 24, 1:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch
Monday, October 26, 6:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch
Saturday, November 14, 10:00 AM – Alto Branch
Saturday, November 28, 1:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch

Kent District Library is a public library system comprised of 18 branch libraries in 27 governmental units throughout Kent County, Michigan. It is supported by millage dollars and private donations. KDL serves 395,660 people in all areas of Kent County except the cities of Grand Rapids and Cedar Springs, the village of Sparta, and Solon and Sparta townships.

20th Annual Bluegrass Camp and Jam

September 15, 2015Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, RecreationBluegrass, Fallfest, Fallfest Bluegrass, Jamfest, Music FestivalJoanne

Bluegrass music is American music, pure, honest and beautiful in its simplicity. It came out of the mountains of Appalachia from a rich musical heritage of Scotch/Irish immigrants and was passed down from generation to generation.

Come, celebrate and enjoy this most American music at Fallfest 2015. Join us on September 18-19, 2015 at the Kent County Youth Fairgrounds in Lowell, Michigan for a music festival that the whole family can enjoy. We will have instrument workshops, food vendors and lots of campsite jammin’.

Actually, jammin’ will be the main focus for this entire festival. Bring your instrument and join in. There will be something for all levels of ability.

Also, there will be an open stage on Friday and Saturday for bands and/or individuals that want to perform before an audience. Be sure to bring lawn chairs for the great show inside our concert building. It’s Bluegrass music, come rain or shine.

The great news, admission for the festival is just your donation! Campsites are available for just $15 per night.

Just the Facts:

Fallfest Bluegrass Music Festival Camp & Jam Event
September 18-19, 2015
Kent County Youth Fairgrounds, Lowell MI
West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association
Dave Simmonds-Promotion and Publicity Chairman
Phone (616) 897-6220

Fallfest 2015 is sponsored/produced by the West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association. For more information or interview, call WMBMA President Lee Strassburger at (616) 891-8825 or visit our website at www.wmbma.org

YMCA and LIVESTRONG Restore Cancer Survivor Health

September 14, 2015Community Health, Non-Profits, Recreationcancer survivors, LIVESTRONG Program, restoring health, YMCA programsJoanne

Adult cancer survivors have a new program available to them through local YMCA centers and the LIVESTRONG program to help reclaim health and fitness. The LIVESTRONG program at the YMCA is offered for free to help turn around the effects of the disease, which take a tremendous physical and emotional toll on those affected.

According to the National Cancer Institute, chances are that someone you know, maybe even you, will be diagnosed with cancer during a lifetime. The numbers may seem shocking – one out of two men and one out of three women.

The good news is that figures show the number of people living beyond a cancer diagnosis reached nearly 14.5 million in 2014 and is expected to rise to almost 19 million by 2024. Coping with cancer, and the return to normal life, is more manageable with a network of support. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA supports cancer survivors, while emphasizing a survivor’s health, rather than the disease.

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a 12 week program with free membership at the YMCA, reintroduces participants to a variety of physical activities in a safe and supportive environment. Activities include: weight training, cardiovascular exercise, water aerobics, yoga, and Pilates. YMCA LIVESTRONG instructors are trained to meet the needs of cancer survivors with exercises and supportive care, and work with participants to develop a program that meets their specific needs.

Research shows that moderate levels of appropriate physical activity reduces fatigue, boosts self-esteem, improves muscle strength, and increases physical endurance in individuals after cancer treatment.

Cancer survivors are encouraged contact one of the YMCAs offering the LIVESTRONG program. Check below for locations, next session schedules, and possible late sign ups.

Wolverine Worldwide Family YMCA

616.363.3000 6555 Jupiter Ave Ne, Belmont, MI 49306

September 13 – December 1, 4:30 – 5:45pm

September 13 – December 1, 11:00am – 12:15pm

Lowell YMCA (616) 897-8445

35 YMCA Drive Lowell, MA 01852

January 11 – March 30, 2016 (Mondays/Wednesdays), 5:45 – 7:00pm

January 11 – March 30, 2016 (Mondays/Wednesdays), 10:45am – 12:00pm

September 12 – November 30, 2016 (Mondays/Wednesdays), 5:45 – 7:00pm

Spartan Stores YMCA

616.885.5500 5722 Metro Way SW Wyoming, MI 49519

September 27 – December 15, 3:00 – 4:15pm

Shorter Summer? Shorter Christmas Break? Tweaks Being Considered

September 11, 2015Area Education, Recreation, TravelErin Albanese, Longer school year, School News Network, Summer programs, Team 21Joanne

Wyoming, Kelloggsviile, Godwin Heights and Godfrey Lee Public Schools students fill their summer days with fun and activities through TEAM 21, which blended summer school and recreation

By: Erin Albanese – School News Network

In recent years, Michigan school children have enjoyed a three-month summer break, by law not returning to the classroom before Labor Day. But as administrators work to add days to the school calendar, that soon may change.

Paradoxically, the state prohibits schools from starting before Labor Day unless they are granted a waiver, but it is also bumping up the required number of school days. Districts must be in session 180 days and 1,098 hours for the 2016-2017 school year. That’s up from 170 last year and 175 this year.

Kent County superintendents are meeting in mid-October to fit more days into the schools’ common calendar for the 2016-2017 school year, with several ideas on the table: a pre-Labor Day start (by applying for waiver county-wide unless the law is changed), a shorter winter break and eliminating mid-winter break. The common calendar aligns winter, spring and mid-winter breaks so area children have the same days off.

Kent ISD Superintendent Ron Caniff said adding days to the school calendar in June may mean an overall benefit to tourism dollars created by the Labor Day mandate may no longer hold true. Students are already involved in sports, band and extracurricular activities before Labor Day. Most of all, starting school earlier makes sense for many schools.

“At the elementary level, a compressed summer schedule also could be beneficial to prevent regression of learning that occurs over the summer months,” Caniff said.

Wyoming Public Schools’ calendar has stretched from late May or early June until the Tuesday after Labor Day for several years. That will soon change, and Superintendent Tom Reeder, who is on the committee, said starting before Labor Day would align the start of school with extracurriculars.

“I would like to start earlier than Labor Day, when things are back with band and sports and the students have had a break,” he said.

For Kelloggsville Public Schools, the added days won’t change anything, said Tammy Savage, the district’s director or instruction. The district’s school year goes later into June than surrounding schools.

Wyoming students meet a goat during Team 21

“Kelloggsville has 180 student days in their school year and always has,” Savage said. “It is our belief that in addition to the academics, being in school provides social and emotional support as well as numerous after school activities.

“Additionally, with a high (number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch) we are able to provide two healthy meals each day,” she said, noting that she would like to see the Labor Day law reversed so school can start a week or two prior to the holiday.

Bill Passage Would Change the Law

House Bill 4396 would allow Michigan’s school boards to set their own start date instead of a mandated start after Labor Day. The bill is co-sponsored by Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids. The bill would lock in a four-day holiday weekend, giving students Friday before the holiday off.

For this school year, 100 of the state’s 900-plus districts have applied for waivers to start early anyway, including Greenville Area School District.

Former Superintendent Pete Haines, now Ottawa Area ISD superintendent, said he applied for the waiver because many of the high school students are dual-enrolled at Montcalm Community College, which starts classes before Labor Day. Many other Montcalm County schools also received waivers. Greenville Area School District opened its doors Aug. 31.

Aligning the calendars makes sense, Haines said, but there are other reasons an earlier start works better.

“Frankly, kids are ready to get back,” he said. “They are just ready.”

The issue of snow days also factors into fitting in school days and hours, he said. The last two years have been especially snowy.

Students in TEAM 21 spend a summer day swimming

“There is a concern over summer slide,” Haines said, referring to learning lost during vacation. “This does open the dialogue for what a more balanced calendar would do.”

More or Less School? History Shows Different Trends

As a way to buoy tourism, the post-Labor Day start law was enacted in 2005 to give families one last summer hurrah before school. This year, with the holiday falling as late as it possibly can on the calendar, most students don’t start school until Sept. 8, following more than three months off.

At the time the law came into effect, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm said it would not affect children because districts will continue to spend the same number of hours at school, with wiggle room for vacation days and how late in the spring districts remain in session.

The change is another about-face for the state. Michigan increased its school calendar requirements through the 1990s, bumping the mandated minimum classroom hours from 900 to 1,098, with a minimum of 180 days in session, according to the report, “School Daze: Michigan’s Shrinking School Year,” created by The Center for Michigan, an Ann Arbor-based think tank.

The goal was to incrementally increase the minimum-day requirement until it reached 190 days in 2006-07. Instead, legislators dropped the day requirement completely as of the 2003-04 school year, leaving a 1,098-hour mandate in place. Lansing told districts that they could shorten the school year by making each school day a few minutes longer, according to the report.

“Eliminating the days requirement coincided with single-state and then the national recession, and some districts dropped back to as few as 145 days a year in their efforts to save money,” according to The Center for Michigan report.

Across the country, many states require 180 days of instruction, and many are in school well before Labor Day. Minnesota and Virginia also have the post-Labor Day start-date law.

Another thing to consider is the oft-cited problem of summer slide, when students who aren’t engaged in dune climbs or museum tours slip back reading levels and forget their math. Many districts already work to make summer more enriching for students through various summer programs.

Godfrey-Lee Superintendent David Britten said the reasoning behind the Labor Day law is “stupid,” but students experience learning loss as a result of not receiving instruction in an in-depth, meaningful way. As for the Labor Day start, he’s not convinced it’s much of a factor.

“I don’t think it matters,” Britten said. “I think it’s what we do during the school year that makes the difference, and that’s what we want to focus on.”

Be sure to check out School News Network for more stories about our great students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan!

National Hispanic Heritage Month Features Festivals

September 9, 2015Area Education, Holidays, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming EventsFestival, HIspanic, Hispanic Heritage Month, Latino, MexicanJoanne

National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes Hispanic and Latino American heritage and culture. The month long celebration begins each year on September 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days during this period and Columbus Day (Día de la Raza) is October 12.

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. The month long celebration was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The 2015 theme is “Honoring our Heritage.”

In keeping with the theme, there are several events taking place around the neighborhood, most free to attend. Check out the list below compiled by the Diversity and Inclusion Office for the City of Grand Rapids. For more information call 616‐234‐3390.

Hispanic Festival 2015 – September 11, 12, & 13, 2015

Celebrate the diversity our region has to offer with the Hispanic Festival benefiting the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. The Festival features an exciting mix of culture, music and food from different Latin American countries with three days of stage performances, traditional and artisan wares, children’s activities and food vendors. Calder Plaza Downtown Grand Rapids. For more information check with the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan.

Fiesta Mexicana – September 18‐19, 2015 from 11am to 11pm

One of the largest and oldest festivals in the region. Fiesta Mexicana celebrates the Mexican community and has been celebrated for over 45 years. Calder Plaza Downtown Grand Rapids. For more information find details at http://mexican‐heritage.org/

Latino Culture & Identity Lecture – September 23, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Henry Muñoz III will present a lecture on Latino Culture and Identity as part of the Diversity Lecture Series, intended to give insight and understanding of multicultural issues to the West Michigan community, helping audiences consider perspectives other than their own, encouraging civil debate and promoting cultural understanding. Held at Fountain Street Church on 24 Fountain Street, Grand Rapids.

The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce meets every Tuesday from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at 1167 Madison Avenue SE, Suite 102, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 . Walk‐ins welcome or call 616‐452‐3960. Find more information at the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce website.

A Man’s Passion Becomes a World Famous Collection

August 18, 2015Local Business, Local Faces, Recreation, WKTV ProjectsCorvette, Duntov Mule, Ken Lingenfelter, Lingenfelter Collection, Mike DeWittJoanne

Before the number could reach 250, it had to start at 1.

When Ken Lingenfelter thinks back to when his collection truly started, it began with a car he no longer keeps around. “They’re beautiful cars, although, they don’t tend to work very well all the time,” describes Lingenfelter as he reminisces on his old Jaguar XKE, “They’re pretty special, as you know. Made those cars in the 60’s and a little bit into the 70’s.”

This is the beauty of Ken and the Lingenfelter Collection, if it doesn’t work, why keep it around? Cosmetics and aesthetics can only take you so far.

With 250 cars in the collection, 190 of which are housed in a jaw-dropping 40,000 square-foot garage in Brighton, Michigan, there’s enough variety to fill every appetite.

American muscle cars from the 60’s and 70’s fill 30 percent of the garage. Ken lived his teenage years with these cars, so they all have a special place in his heart. El Caminos, Cougar Eliminators, Mustangs, Shelby GTs, and Camaros are some of the muscle packed into a garage with more than enough horsepower to go around. A Pontiac Fiero – a car that seems out-of-place in one of the greatest car collections in the world – even makes an appearance! It helps that Ken owned one ‘back in the day’ and loved it.

While the collection has a solid muscle foundation, the Lingenfelter name is synonymous with Corvettes. With 75 Corvettes, the Lingenfelter Collection could transition easily to a history museum.

The Duntov Mule, named after Chevrolet engineer Zora Arkus Duntov, may be the most historically significant car in the collection. It was the first Corvette to be outfitted with a V-8 engine, and the rest is history. Back in 1954, the Duntov Mule could reach speeds of 163 mph. A number that makes you cringe out of fear for the driver when taking a look at the vehicle. The Corvette hasn’t looked back!

The third and final area of the garage is filled with exotic cars. These cars are rare, limited, powerful, and carry massive sex appeal.

LaFerrari – Italian for The Ferrari – is currently the biggest draw in the collection. It wasn’t as simple as showing up with a check ready. No, Ferrari had to personally invite you to buy the car! According to Ken, “Ferrari liked the charity work we do and that we share our cars with the public at events.”

In the exotic garage also sits a Lamborghini Reventon (one of 20 made in the world), a Bugatti Veyron and all the horse power that comes with it, and the Ferrari Enzo. The last of which happens to be Ken’s personal favorite in the entire collection, and one of only 399 in the world.

“That Enzo is special to me because I set a business goal for myself, and I reached it,” recalls Lingenfelter with passion oozing from his pores. “I worked hard to achieve a goal, and the Ferrari Enzo was the final goal at the end of that road. I’m a Corvette guy, but that Enzo is very special to me.”

The Ferrari Enzo, Ken's favorite car in the collection — The Ferrari Enzo, Ken’s favorite car in the collection

For Ken, the collection has always been something special. However, it wasn’t until the Lingenfelter Collection started participating in charity events that Ken realized he possessed something the rest of the world thought was special as well. It’s the people who keep on coming back that remind Ken of the gift he possesses, and Ken wants to share it with the world.

“I just have a pure passion for cars, especially Corvettes!”

Ken will be sending two cars from his collection to showcase during WKTV’s DreamWheels! red carpet television event at the 28th Street Metro Cruise. It all takes place outside in the old Klingman’s parking lot across from Rogers Plaza. The show goes live on Friday, August 21 from 8 to 10 p.m. and again with new cars on Saturday, August 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. Best of all – admission is free!

Adventures at San Diego Comic-Con International: The Arrival

August 14, 2015Recreation, ReviewsComic-Con, Hall H, Katelyn Kohane, San Diego, SupergirlJoanne

Let me take you on an adventure right into the middle of the most famous Comic-Con around.

The Adventure, my adventure, began as I was traveling out to San Diego. The plane flew out on a Tuesday, the day before Comic-Con, and I had a layover in Texas. As I was sitting there waiting for my flight, I overheard a man behind me talking about Captain America for a good 10 minutes on the phone.

When he was finished, I couldn’t contain the excitement and introduced myself to him. We wound up talking for a good hour. As it turns out, the man was a vendor headed to the same location I was… Comic-Con!

I bought this purse from Bioworld. The symbol on the purse is of the Empire from Star Wars and has stormtroopers.

We exchanged cards as we got on the plane. I made it a destination to visit their booth, called Bioworld, on Friday of the convention. Star Wars memorabilia made up their entire inventory! They had adjoining booths with all things Star Wars, one example, was Her Universe.

Comic-Con started on Wednesday, which included picking up your badges and attending a preview night. The entire event takes place over 4 days at the San Diego Convention Center. In order to get a badge, you have to buy one online at the San Diego Comic-Con website.

As Press, I was able to get a 4-day Press badge. I went at 4pm and got in line to pick up my badge in Hall D, but, as it turns out, I needed to be in line at Hall B! I chalked that little mishap up to excitement and nerves!

Comic Con press badge — My registration and press badge for Comic-Con

Lines. Long lines everywhere. With the San Diego Comic-Con being so popular, long lines are to be expected and anticipated. It’s not as bad as one would think though. With the convention being held annually since 1970, the committee has had many years to work out the kinks. The event is very well organized and lines generally move quickly.

My first line of the event went relatively quickly, only taking about a half hour!

As soon as I received my badge I decided to find the hall for preview night. The preview night specials had a presentation for 5 brand new shows airing this fall on TV.

The first preview shown was called Supergirl. A brief synopsis – it’s about Superman’s cousin who comes to Earth to protect him. The show start October 26!

Next was a preview called Blind Spot. It’s about a woman who lost her memory but has interesting and unique tattoos all over her body. The tattoos are used to help the police track down the events that drive the blot. Blind Spot airs on September 21.

Preview number three was for a show called Lucifer. It’s about the devil going on vacation from hell. That airs sometime in 2016. Some of the shows they talked about did not have an actual start date; they were just starting sometime in 2016.

The fourth preview was Legends of Tomorrow. That is about a young Justice League joining forces together. The final preview was for a cartoon called Teen Titans. That is just an updated version of the older cartoon.

San Diego Comic-Con is a huge event visited by people from all over. This year’s estimated attendance was 130,000! Just an insane amount of people, and it was insane being there, I loved every minute.

I still cannot believe that Comic-Con is done already. Even though the event last five days, it doesn’t seem like enough time. It’s fanboy central. There is so much to do and see everywhere. On top of all of it, there is the famous Hall H. If you know anything about Comic-Con, it’s that Hall H is Mecca. It’s the biggest venue, but it only holds 65,000 people. Getting into Hall H is an accomplishment in itself for Comic-Con.

For the next few weeks I will be going into details about what happens inside Hall H, on the floor with the vendors, a fashion show, a couple interviews, and of course, some of the major movies coming up this fall and throughout 2016.

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” is to stay tuned and see what I was able to experience on Thursday inside Hall H. As a quick hint, The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 is ramping things up. “May the odds, be ever in your favor.”

West Michigan Tourist Association Announces its Annual West Michigan Photo Contest

July 21, 2015Recreation, Travel2016 Carefree Travel Guide, Pciture Contest, West Michigan Tourist AssociationJoanne

With so much beauty found in West Michigan, the West Michigan Tourist Association (WMTA) wants you to show off what you love most about this beautiful side of the state and have your photo featured on the cover of WMTA’s 2016 Carefree Travel Guide!

The West Michigan Tourist Association’s Carefree Travel Guide is a longstanding travel publication dating back to 1918, with 150,000 copies printed and distributed throughout the Midwest every year.

Along with having their photograph published on the cover of the 2016 Carefree Travel Guide, the photographer of the winning photo will receive a getaway package to St. Joseph/Benton Harbor!

The getaway package will include a two night stay at The Inn at Harbor Shores, as well as a prize package from St. Joseph Today and a wine basket from 12 Corners Vineyard (must be 21+ to receive wine basket).

Contest Details:

Accepted Photo Formats: High res .jpeg (300 dpi +) , .pdf, .tiff , .dng. Must be CMYK.

Photo Size: Keep in mind that photos will be cropped to 8.75 in width x 11.25 height if chosen for the cover.

How to Enter: E-mail all photos to PhotoContest@WMTA.org by September 9th, 2015.

Include With Entry:

Full Name
City that the photograph was taken in
Short description of the photo

Deadline: September 9th, 2015

By entering the West Michigan Carefree Travel Guide Cover Photo Contest, entrants agree to the rules and the decisions of the judges and further agree to allow the West Michigan Tourist Association to use their names and photos for marketing purposes without compensation.

Entrants must be at least 18 years old.

After 33 Years, Scoreboard Show Still Honoring Little League Success

July 2, 2015Local Faces, Recreation, Sports, WKTV ProjectsDistrict 9, Little League, Scoreboard Show, WKTVJoanne

The year was 1982 and Little League’s District 9 needed an effective and convenient way to release its tournament schedule and results to the rest of the public. The internet didn’t exist, phone calls left much to be desired, and snail mail slowed the spread of information to a crawl.

Scoreboard Show Kids — Players giving shout outs to their parents

The solution ended up being more successful than anticipated, the District 9 Scoreboard Show, a television show three decades in the making.

Little League is a massive organization that manages youth baseball and softball throughout the country. In 1982, officials reached out to WKTV with an idea, create a show geared towards the Little League playoffs. The show would air the game schedule and results, interview players and teams, and keep the league updated during the hectic playoff schedule!

While the main purpose of the show was to disseminate information regarding the league, the Scoreboard Show allowed the Little League participants their shining moment, and shine they did.

Teams, complete with full roster and coaching staff, are given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the community on WKTV. The players and coaches are interviewed and give insight into their team and season. Players talk about themselves and take time for shout outs to family and friends!

With the prevalence of the internet, and technology as a whole, the Scoreboard Show’s initial responsibility has lost its muster. League schedules and results can now be found online.

It’s quick and easy, just like everything in the internet age.

The Scoreboard Show has had to adapt with the changes in technology. While the scores and schedules are still reported, it’s the focus on the players, the kids, that keep the show alive.

“As a community media station, we’re here to serve the community,” explains WKTV General Manager Tom Norton, “The Scoreboard Show is a perfect example of what we’re here for. People now go to the internet for the scores, but the internet doesn’t build the community. The internet can’t showcase the players and their coaches. The Scoreboard Show can.”

When a show’s been on the air for over three decades, some evolution is necessary, but it’s important to keep the soul of the broadcast. That soul is what people come back for. The Scoreboard Show has kept its soul – every Little Leaguer in District 9 who has stepped onto the diamond.

Friends go to Olympic Measures to Raise Money for Charity

June 9, 2015How-To's, Local Faces, Non-Profits, RecreationFamily Life Today, Spring OlympicsJoanne

Team Yellow wins the gold, Team Orange takes the silver and Team Purple claims the bronze - all for a good cause! — Team Yellow wins the gold, Team Orange takes the silver and Team Purple claims the bronze – all for a good cause!

by Mike Endres

Neighborhood Spring Olympics put the "fun" in fundraising. — Neighborhood Spring Olympics put the “fun” in fundraising.

Olym 2 — Participants play for big bucks!

For the seventh year in a row, a group of local residents held their Spring Olympic games to raise money for charity. These ‘backyard’ Olympics consist of eight teams of two players each. Each team represents a charity that they are passionate about and pay a buy-in to compete in the games. The team that wins the Olympics has the total purse donated to their favorite charity.

Prior to the big day, the teams vote on which games will be played. This year the players chose bowling, ladder ball, washers, hockey, miniature golf, Nerf archery, pool, corn hole and ping pong. Although it rained the day of the event, participants couldn’t help but have an amazing time!

All participants are entitled to a cookout following the games.

By the end of the competition, the Yellow Team (Jason and Ashley Martin) won it all for their charity, Family Life Today. And just like in the traditional Olympics, the top three teams win gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

In addition to overall winners, some individual events featured prizes thanks to generous local sponsors including Marge’s Donut Den, Park Center Lanes, Debbie’s Twist & Shake, Waste Management, blueVortex.net, and EP Adventures.

The coolest thing about this effort is that YOU too could plan a similar event as a means to have fun with friends and make a contribution to a good cause. For information on how, contact event organizer Mike Endres at mike@blueVortex.net

Anglers Encouraged to Monitor Bait to Spot Juvenile Asian Carp

June 6, 2015Recreation, SportsJoanne

by The Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers to monitor their live bait purchases to look for juvenile Asian carp during the entirety of the fishing season.

The DNR is taking many steps to prevent adult Asian carp (bighead and silver) from entering the Great Lakes, but many people don’t realize that juvenile Asian carp pose a threat to the state’s waters, too.

Juvenile Asian carp can be confused with common baitfish – such as gizzard shad, emerald shiner, spottail shiner or golden shiner. Because bait often is transported across state lines, including from areas with breeding populations of Asian carp, it would be possible for juvenile Asian carp to make their way into the bait supply without anyone realizing it.

A video is available online to assist anglers and the public in identifying juvenile Asian carp. It showcases five characteristics that viewers can use to distinguish between juvenile Asian carp (bighead and silver) and common baitfish, including:

*Body color.
*Scale pattern, shape and size.
*Eye size and location on the head.
*Mouth shape and location.
*Presence or absence of keels on the bottom side of the fish.

The video can be viewed on the DNR’s Asian carp website at michigan.gov/asiancarp.

The video also describes what an angler should do if he or she thinks there is a juvenile Asian carp – or any odd-looking fish – in the bait bucket. Anglers are encouraged to keep the questionable fish alive or freeze the fish and contact the DNR to correctly identify the fish in question. The DNR does not want questionable fish to be used as bait. Once anglers are done fishing, remaining baitfish should be disposed of in the trash.

This video is one of several items the DNR has developed to increase public awareness about Asian carp. For more information, visit michigan.gov/asiancarp.

Wyoming Memorial Day Ceremony in Pictures

June 4, 2015Our Cities, Recreation, VeteransCity of Wyoming, Harriet Sturim, Memorial Day, Veteran's Memorial GardenJoanne

This past Memorial Day, the City of Wyoming held a ceremony at the Veteran’s Memorial Garden (2300 DeHoop SW). The Lee High School band performed along with the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard, Bronson Swan. The newest arch for the Veteran’s Memorial Garden was recognized and couldn’t have been made possible without the Community Development Block Grant Funding.

“Our Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day Ceremonies are a tribute to the services of the armed forces. We are grateful to have a place in Wyoming where we can not only hold these ceremonies, but where people can honor and reflect, on any time, on those who have protected, and continue to protect, our freedoms,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services in the City of Wyoming.

WKTV’s Harriet Sturim, also the 5th District Auxillary Chaplain, was a guest speaker for the event. She gave an address entitled “Voice for our Veterans” and also took pictures to capture the essence of the ceremony.

Stay Safe While Enjoying the Water this Summer

June 1, 2015RecreationBoating Safety, Michigan Summer, Summer Boating, Summer on the waterJoanne

With the Memorial Day holiday marking the unofficial start of the boating season, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson reminds all watercraft owners to make safety a priority when enjoying Michigan’s many lakes, rivers and other waterways.

“Michigan has so much to offer when it comes to great water recreation,” said Johnson, who herself is an avid boater. “Don’t let anything mar your boating experience this summer. Take time to plan for safety for you and your passengers.”

Life-or-death situations most frequently arise when passengers aren’t wearing a personal floatation device. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of death in boating accidents, and of all drowning deaths reported to the U.S. Coast Guard in 2013, 84 percent of victims were not wearing a floatation device. Michigan law requires that each boat have enough life jackets for every person on board.

The Coast Guard also reports that alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, when the primary cause is known. Boaters should be aware that a new Michigan law lowers the limit for bodily alcohol content for watercraft operators from 0.1 percent to 0.08 percent, similar to automobile drivers. People age 21 or younger may not operate a boat with any bodily alcohol content. The law also prohibits the use of certain drugs and any Schedule 1 controlled substances when boating.

“Alcohol and boats are a dangerous mix,” Johnson said. “Why risk possible death, personal injury or damage to your watercraft? Keep yourself and your passengers safe by obeying the law.”

While on the water, the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that boaters:

Take extra precaution near boats towing skiers or tubers.
Never reverse the boat to pick up someone out of the water but instead circle around to the person.
Examine the boat’s stern to make certain no one is near the propeller before the engine is started.
Be especially alert when operating in congested areas and never enter swimming zones.
Don’t allow passengers to ride on the bow, transom, seatbacks or other locations where they might fall overboard.
Stop immediately if someone falls overboard and slowly turn the boat around while keeping the person in sight as you apprach.
Learn to recognize scuba diver makers.

Residents interested in taking a boating safety course may find one from the searchable online list maintained by the Department of Natural Resources at www.dnr.state.mi.us/recnsearch. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (www.cgaux.org), the U.S. Power Squadron (www.usps.org) and many county sheriff’s offices also offer courses. A boating safety course is required for anyone born after 1978 who operates a personal watercraft and for anyone born on or after July 1, 1996 who operates a motorboat.

Additionally, state law requires that a boat pulling a skier or tuber must have another person besides the operator to observe the person being towed.

Johnson’s office oversees the registration and titling of more than 915,000 watercraft. Michigan is third in the nation for sales of watercraft, boat trailers and accessories, behind Florida and Texas, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Boaters are reminded that they can renew their watercraft registrations online at www.ExpressSOS.com as well as order a replacement watercraft title, a convenient service if a boat is being sold this summer and the title can’t be found. The Recreation Passport, which is available for $11 when renewing a vehicle plate, provides boaters with access to any of the boat launches found in state parks across Michigan.

Smart Gardening Starts Now

April 14, 2015Area Education, How-To's, RecreationMetro Health Gardening 101, MSU Extension, Rebecca Finneran, Smart GardeningJoanne

Metro Health and MSU Extension present ‘Gardening 101’

Any one who’s tried it knows that the beauty of gardening is seeing your hard work pay off with a bounty of colorful blooms or fresh vegetables for the dinner table. Whether your green thumb is seasoned or just slightly tinted, a successful growing season starts now with Smart Gardening.

What’s so smart about Smart Gardening as compared to ordinary gardening?

“Balance!” says Rebecca Finneran, a 28-year horticulture educator with the Michigan State University Extension program.

“We create so many of our own problems with too much or too little watering, using too many chemicals and not understanding our soil.

“What’s smart is understanding what does the plant needs and then try to adjust our behaviors so that it fits with the plant’s – that’s Smart Gardening,” Finneran told a room full of local gardeners at a free “Gardening 101′ seminar hosted by Live Healthy at the Metro Health Conference Center.

It’s a ‘ground-breaking’ idea that the MSU Extension team put into action about three years ago, educating the public on how to be environmentally savvy when planning, preparing and maintaining your vegetable garden. Smart Gardening, explains Finneran, “has long been a hallmark of what we do [at MSU]. We help people connect with the real world of horticulture and to do that in an environmentally healthy way to save time, money and energy.”

The ‘Gardening 101’ seminars run about an hour and half. During that time, participants get an overview of Smart Gardening techniques such as preparing the soil, how to reduce the chemical input of both fertilizers and pesticides, how to determine the size and location of the garden, deciding what variety of plants to grow and the best way to water it all. And because vegetable gardens are as unique as the individual gardener, there and many creative options to consider when planning it out.

Yet before any plans are drawn, soil tilled or seeds planted, Finneran’s first words to the wise gardeners is to be realistic. For the new gardener, she suggests starting small.

“Too many times gardeners get over excited at the start of the season and plant too much. Then by July, what happens? You want to go on vacation but who’ll take care of the garden? It’s too hot, there’s too many mosquitoes and taking care of a garden is just dreadful. So you let it go. Then you’re ashamed of it.”

She suggests considering sharing a common gardening space with neighbors, community groups or coworkers.

“I did this with a group of my coworkers. We wanted a little vegetable garden at work. So we each worked one lunch hour per week, about 30 minute five days a week. And guess what?” Finneran asked the crowd. “Many hands made light work! We had a nice crop of vegetables every day for lunch.”

Although she is an ornamental horticulturist with a background in landscape design, Finneran grew up with a farm background and had vegetable gardens all her life. As a result and over time, she creates vegetable gardens that look like masterpieces!

“Vegetable gardens can be useful and beautiful. I think that’s an important thing to consider. There’s no reason we can’t enjoy our vegetable gardens regardless of their size and usefulness. How you plan it out is something to think about,” she suggests.

LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!

When it comes to having a successful garden, it’s all about location! First and foremost, Finneran says, is to consider the accessibility to a water source. “You won’t want to be lugging 90 feet of house across the yard on a 90 degree day,” she points out. With that said, your garden location may be as close as your patio or deck. Whether you’re picking fresh vegetables from a garden out in the yard or a patio container, it’s still rewarding. Here are some tips to consider when choosing a ‘smart site’ for your garden:

* Convenient your home and close to a water source.

* Where the soil is good and free from toxins.

* Sunny, level spot (eight to 10 hours of sunlight depending on the vegetable).

*Avoid north-facing slopes and low areas.

*Stay away from trees and shrubs.

“We really miscalculate this one a lot,” Finneran points out. “Where’s the neighbor’s tree going to be casting its shadow by August?” She suggests to consider the garden’s location over the course of time.

“Think about it and then plant early harvest plants in the areas where shade will dominate from August on. Plant your later harvest plants on garden’s edge where there’s more sunlight on a daily basis,” she says.

Don’t Guess – Soil Test!

There’s more to having healthy soil than earthworms. In fact, it’s mostly about things we cannot see. Understanding how these components all work together is known as soil biology and it’s considered the new frontier of science and the gardening world.

“Have you ever hear of the term soil biology?” Finneran asks. “We hardly every think of soil as being a living, breathing thing. It’s either sand, silt or clay and you walk around on it. But in fact there are billions of micro-organisms that live in your soil. The way they live together is they consume each other and eat the organic matter. They are the ones responsible for releasing the nutrients that the plants need.

“These micro-organisms have an amazing, living, reciprocity with the plant root to allow it to have the nutrients that it needs to live. So if there is a reduced living component, plants are not going to do so well.”

Before the first seed is planted, Finneran encourages getting the soil analyzed by the Michigan State University Extension to determine the nutrients needed in your garden as well as the pH and organic content of the soil. Soil test kits can be purchased online at the MSU Extension Bookstore (search for E3154), or your local MSU Extension office. The kits come with a postage-paid mailer and a re-closable plastic bag to fill with a soil sample. The postage-paid mailer can be placed in your mailbox for pick up and sent to MSU for analysis. The results take up to two weeks and will tell you what amendments to make and in what proportions to add for the best results in the vegetable garden. A Smart Garden starts with a healthy soil and to achieve that:

*Add organic matter to your soil every year.

*Only add the recommended amounts of fertilizer based on the soil test results. Over application of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers is a known contaminant of surface and ground water.

*Prepare your garden soil for planting by tilling (lightly) to break apart aggregates and mix in organic matter. “The less manipulation, the better,” says Finneran.

MSU Extension offers the community a wealth of free information on horticulture. For more information on Smart Gardening, including helpful articles, videos, classes and events, visit www.migarden.msu.edu. For more information on other topics, or to contact an expert in your area visit www.msue.msu.edu or call the toll free hotline Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 1-888-678-3463.