Category Archives: West Michigan

Three seek Wyoming mayor position along county and state candidates

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Our Cities, We The People, West Michigan, , , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Tuesday, April 19, was the last day for candidates to file for the upcoming fall elections with the residents of both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming have several new faces, and a few familiar ones, to consider for federal, state, and local government positions.

City of Wyoming

Wyoming City Hall. (WKTV)

With Mayor Jack Poll’s announcement that he would be retiring at the end of his term, three candidates have put their hats in the ring for the City of Wyoming’s mayor position, which is a nonpartisan four-year seat. Two of the candidates are long-time council members, Kent Vanderwood and current Mayor Pro Tem Sam Bolt and the third is a newcomer, Cliff Tompkins, who owns the Wyoming business Hair by Cliff.

The top two candidates from the Aug. 2 primary will face off in the Nov. 8 general election. Also in November, Wyoming residents will be selecting two Council Members at Large, four-year terms, from three candidates, Robert A. Arnoys, Renee Hill, and Robert Kilgo. First Ward Council Member Sheldon DeKryer is running unopposed for his four-year term.

City of Kentwood

While there are no City of Kentwood seats open for this year’s election cycle, the city is seeking a permanent recreation and trails millage of one mill in the Aug. 2 primary. If levied, the additional 1.0 mill is estimated to raise $2,345,537 in the first calendar year of the levy.

Kent County Commissioners

The Kent County Board of Commissioners (from a 2019 meeting). (Supplied/Kent County)

Like the federal and state governments, the Kent County Board of Commissioners also completed a redistricting.

The redistricting adds two new district to Kent County for a total of 21 districts. One of those new districts, District 20, would encompass the norther portion of the City of Wyoming (Godfrey-Lee Public Schools area) along with some southern portions of the City of Grand Rapids, such as Roosevelt Park, Black Hills, and Burton Heights. It has been indicated by officials that the goal was to create a largely Hispanic district (the area is more than 50 percent Hispanic) to provide a voice to the county commission of the area’s largest minority group.

There are five candidates vying for the 20th District spot, two Democrats and three Republicans. The Democrats are Ivan Diaz and Charles Howe. The Republicans are Elisa Rodriguez, Alan Bolter, and Walter Bujak.

Other Kent County Districts that will be on the Aug. 2 Primary will be the 10th District, which through redistricting now includes a portion of the City of Kentwood, will be Republicans Emily Post Brieve (incumbent) and Bill Hirsch. The winner of the Republican race will face Democrat Julie Humphreys in November.

In the 12th District, Republicans Lee White and Adam R. Palasek will face off in the primary with the winner then moving on to face Democrat Monica Sparks (incumbent) in November.

The other Kent County district races within the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood have only one Democrat and Republican which means all those races will go straight to the November ballot. Those districts are:

7th District, which includes a western portion of Wyoming along with Grandville. Candidates: Republican Stan Ponstein (incumbent) and Democrat Sue Merrell.

8th District, which covers most of Wyoming. Candidates: Republican Dan Burrill (incumbent) and Democrat Jennie Chatman.

9th District, which includes a portion of southern Wyoming along with all of Byron Center. Candidates: Republican Matt Kallman (incumbent) and Democrat Chip LaFleur.

For a look at the district map of state and county, click here.


State House of Representatives and Senate

Both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming will be under the 29th District for the state Senate. (Supplied)

Redistricting has changed both the state’s Senate and House of Representative seats for the two cities.

For the Senate, both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood will be part of the 29th District state Senate seat which also includes Grandville and East Grand Rapids along with portions of Grand Rapids Township and Grand Rapids east of the Grand River and south of Fulton Street. Two Republicans have put in their names, Tommy Brann, who is terming out this year from the 77th District state House seat, and Andrew Kroll. The winner of the Aug. 2 primary will face Democratic incumbent Winnie Brinks in November.

For the state House, the City of Wyoming is split between two districts. Most of the City of Wyoming will be part of the 83rd District along with a north portion of Grand Rapids (the Roosevelt Park area) and the Cutlerville area. There are three Democrats and one Republican vying for the seat. In the Aug. 2 primary, the Democrats, John Fitzgerald, Jose Flores, and Keith Courtade will compete to advance to the November election, where the winner will then run against Republican Lisa DeKryger.

A portion of the eastern border of Wyoming is part of the 82nd District of the House of Representatives. There are three Democrats and two Republicans seeking nomination in the Aug. 2 primary. The Democrats are Salim Mohammed Al-Shatel, Kristian Grant, and Robert Womack. The Republicans are William Alexander and Ryan Malinoski.

The City of Kentwood will join Cascade and East Grand Rapids for the 80th District House of Representative seat. Two Democrats will be competing in the Aug. 2 primary, Lily Cheng-Schulting and Phil Skaggs. The winner will then run against Republican Jeffrey Johnson in the Nov. 8 election.

Voter Information

For more information on voter registration, absentee ballots, voting locations and how to apply to be an election worker in Kentwood, visit kentwood.us/elections or contact the City Clerk’s Office at elections@kentwood.us or 616-698-9610.

In Wyoming, visit click here or contact the City Clerk’s office at clerk_info@wyomingmi.gov or call 616-530-7296.

More election information is available at michigan.gov/vote.

Shoreline shipwreck viewing predicted to be excellent this summer

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Environment, Great Lakes, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local History, Recreation, Travel, West Michigan, , , ,

By Jim DuFresne
Capital News Service

LANSING – Some trails break out of the woods at a lake. Some climb a dune to a sweeping view.

And many – more than you probably thought – lead to a shipwreck with a story on a beach.

This summer could be excellent for shoreline shipwreck viewing as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts that the water level of lakes Michigan and Huron could be almost 2 feet below the record highs set in 2020.

Michigan’s fascinating maritime history is not limited to old lighthouses or restored life-saving stations.

 

Remains of the Francisco Morazan off South Manitou Island at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Jim DuFresne, MichiganTrailMaps.com.Remains of the Francisco Morazan off South Manitou Island at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The state is blessed with accessible shipwrecks that don’t require an air tank or a wetsuit to view – only a pair of hiking boots, a paddle or a snorkel and mask.

The heart of shipwreck territory is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, but there are others, including a wreck in Thompson’s Harbor State Park in Presque Isle County and more off the shore of the Upper Peninsula’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Michigan’s shoreline wrecks are constantly evolving, depending on wave action, shifting sand and Great Lake water levels.

High and dry for easy viewing this summer will be one of Michigan’s newest exposed wrecks, the Jennie and Annie.

The 137-foot schooner, built in 1863, was rounding Sleeping Bear Point in November 1872 when gale-force winds pushed it into the shallows and reefs of Lake Michigan’s notorious Manitou Passage. The ship, its 10-member crew and a cargo of corn were driven aground 9 miles south near Empire. Only three crew members survived.

Gone forever? Hardly. For the past two summers, a substantial piece of the hull has been visible on a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore beach.

Here is a landlubber’s guide to other great Michigan shipwrecks:

City of Boston: Built in Cleveland in 1863, this 136-foot-long wooden steamer also featured a mast – and a history of bad luck.

In 1868, it collided with another steamer and sank in the Straits of Mackinac. When the steamship was raised 125 feet two years later, it was the deepest salvage ever attempted in the Great Lakes up to that time.

After being rebuilt in Cleveland, the ship returned to service as a stream barge, only to finally meet its end on Nov. 4, 1873, during a storm with blinding snow.

It was hauling flour and corn when it ran aground on a sand bar just off Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve in Benzie County. The raging surf quickly broke the hull, and the crew abandoned ship.
The ship’s remains are west of the preserve’s beach access stairway, 150 to 200 feet from shore, depending on water levels. It’s angled in 7 to 8 feet of water, with its stern buried in the sand bar and its bow occasionally less than 4 feet below the lake’s surface. It’s easy snorkeling, and visitors can see the outline of the bow in clear water from the preserve’s second observation deck.

James McBride: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a graveyard for shipwrecks, including this 121-foot brig built in 1848 and lost in October 1857. A November storm in 2014 washed up a 43-foot-long section of the James McBride, making it the largest shipwreck ever to appear on the park’s shoreline.

Francisco Morazan: On Nov. 27, 1960, this Liberian freighter left Chicago bound for Holland with 940 tons of cargo, a crew of 13, its captain and his pregnant wife.

Remains of a wreck at Lake Superior’s AuSable Reef as seen from a Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore trail.
Jim DuFresne, MichiganTrailMaps.com.Remains of a wreck at Lake Superior’s AuSable Reef as seen from a Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore trail.

The next day, the ship ran into 40-mile-per-hour winds, snow and fog that made for a virtual whiteout.

The captain thought he was rounding Beaver Island, more than 100 miles away, when he ran aground on the south side of South Manitou Island.

A Coast Guard cutter and helicopter rescued the 15 people, but left the wreck behind to be forever battered by Lake Michigan.

Today it’s the most popular destination for campers on the island. The wreck is also popular with kayakers who bring their boats over on the ferry.


American Union: This 186-foot, three-masted schooner was one of the largest sailing ships to work the Great Lakes when launched in 1862. Its size ultimately led to its demise when it encountered a fatal storm in 1894 that grounded it at Thompson’s Harbor State Park, northwest of Alpena. The crew was saved, and today the wreckage rests a quarter-mile from shore in 10 feet of crystal-clear Lake Huron water.

The remains of the hull offer viewing opportunities for snorkelers and kayakers.

AuSable Reef Wrecks: From Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s Hurricane River Campground, visitors can head east on the Lakeshore Trail and pass several wrecks, then end up at the AuSable Light Station built to protect the ships.

The first wreck, the Mary Jarecki, lies just outside the campground. The wooden bulk freighter was carrying iron ore and grounded on the AuSable Reef in July 1883. When other boats couldn’t tow it off, the ship was left to be battered by Lake Superior.

Its remains are just offshore and are challenging to see if there is a chop on the lake surface. 

But a hike further down the trail leads to timbers and ironwork from two wrecks half-buried in the sand.

The first is the Sitka, a wooden freighter that grounded and broke in half in 1904.

The second is the Gale Staples, built in 1881. The wooden freighter was loaded with coal when it beached itself on the sandy reef in 1918.

America: On June 6, 1928, this tourist ship was loaded with crates of fresh fruit and 48 passengers when it left a resort on Isle Royale National Park’s Washington Island and, within a half-mile, struck a reef.

It sank within sight of horrified hotel employees and guests back at the dock.
No deaths occurred, but bushels of fresh fruit washed ashore for weeks after the mishap.

Even more unusual, the ship sank in a vertical position, with one end lying less than 3 feet below the surface of Lake Superior.

Curious visitors can rent a canoe in Windigo and paddle out of Washington Harbor into the North Gap, where a buoy marks the ship’s location. Lake Superior is so clear it’s amazing how much is visible from a canoe seat.

Jim DuFresne is the editorial director at MichiganTrailMaps.com and an MSU Journalism School alum.

Real estate market still red hot, but could slow down

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Finances, Hard News, Local Business, West Michigan, , ,

By Sydney Bowler
Capital News Service

 by Redfin, a full-service real estate brokerage, found that 68.8% of home offers written by Redfin agents nationally faced competition in February. (pxhere.com)

LANSING – “Pretty much every offer I put was a shot in the dark, where you’d just cross your fingers and pray and hope that it gets accepted,” said Corbin Holwerda of Grand Rapids.

 

Holwerda is a first-time homebuyer who has been looking for a house in Grand Rapids since mid-January.

 

“I’ve put in seven or eight offers, and it’s really tough because half of those I’m losing to all-cash offers,” he said. “I’m still a young adult. I don’t have $250,000 in the bank that I can just front and put up for a house.”

A recent study by Redfin, a full-service real estate brokerage, found that 68.8% of home offers written by Redfin agents nationally faced competition in February. That’s the highest share reported by its agents since at least April 2020.

“Even if we are able to go above asking (price), there are still people waiving inspections and going $50,000, $60,000 or $70,000 above asking in some cases,” Holwerda said.

According to a new Congressional Research Service report, the main factor causing record-high home prices is that more people are looking to buy houses than there are houses for sale.

Cash offers can help the sale of a home move more quickly. (pxhere.com)

It’s a question of supply and demand, the report said.

“We have people selling homes with 40 offers on one home,” said Shirley Smith, the executive officer of the Hillsdale County Board of Realtors.

“There is a huge amount of competition right now, and the reason for that is because inventory is low. House prices have been going up the last few years and inventory has not increased appreciably,” Smith said.

“I think we’re also seeing more cash offers because those are the offers that get accepted more quickly,” she said.

Sometimes offers are contingent on the sale of the buyer’s current home, a bank loan or inspections to be done, and that can take more time, she said.

But cash offers move the process along more quickly.

“Generally, when we have high housing prices like this, it doesn’t go on forever. I think I, and most Realtors, expect that in the not-so-distant future there will be a change in the trend,” she said.

According to Smith, projections from the National Association of Realtors say housing prices may increase 5% in the coming year, which is much lower than several years past.

 

“That might be a tapering off in the market,” she said.

According to the Case-Shiller Detroit Home Price Index, home prices in Detroit have gone up about 8.6% per year since January 2012. But from January 2021 to January 2022, prices rose 13.9%.

That can be compared with neighboring states’ large cities, like Cleveland, rising 13.3% and Chicago, rising 12.5%. Nationally, home prices rose 19.1% from January 2021 to January 2022, according to Case-Shiller’s national data.

“The interesting thing here (regarding the increases) is that in traditional years, only 3 to 5% of the housing on the market is actually new houses,” said Wayne State University economics professor Allen Goodman.

“As a result, most housing supply occurs kind of above the middle of the market. We don’t allow people to build new, low-quality houses,” said Goodman, who specializes in housing and health economics.

He said some new houses are resold multiple times and “as a result, the housing gets toward the upper end of the market, and what’s left there is sometimes said to filter down to other buyers.”

“A lot of this goes back to COVID, in part,” said Goodman. “To keep the economy growing, the federal government and Federal Reserve banks have had what were historically low interest rates. What it meant was that people who wanted to buy houses were faced with mortgage rates of like 3%.”

A combination of low interest rates and a smaller-than-traditional supply lead to increases in the price of housing. (pxhere.com)

“A combination of low interest rates and a smaller-than-traditional supply lead to increases in the price of housing,” Goodman said.

Monitoring estimates of the value of his own Huntington Woods home over the years, Goodman said it lost half its value from 2007 to 2009.

 

The value can vastly change by month. In one recent month, his home’s value was estimated to have increased around $30,000, but in a previous month it was estimated to have dropped $20,000.

“But really over the past year, it’s pretty much been the same, at least according to Zillow,” he said, referring to the online real estate-market national company.


Capital News Service is provided by the Spartan News Room located at Michigan State University. CNS reporters cover state government for member newspapers and digital media outlets across the state of Michigan.

BHSH System and GVSU join forces to offer new nursing scholar program

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Health, Local Business, Our Cities, West Michigan, , , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Grand Valley State University and BCSH Systems, which includes Spectrum Health, have partner to offer a Nurse Scholar program. (Supplied)

Two of Michigan’s largest institutions have created what they hope will be a model for the nation in addressing the severe talent shortage in nursing. Leaders from BHSH System and Grand Valley State University have announced a partnership with the creation of the BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan Nurse Scholar program. The partnership is designed to increase the nursing talent pipeline by taking away financial barriers to college and smoothing the educational path to employment at BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan.

 

The health system is investing more than $19 million to provide infrastructure, start-up costs and resources for increased clinical placements, training and other support for students in the program. This includes grant dollars for all BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan Nurse Scholars. Grand Valley will increase infrastructure support for students in the areas of financial aid, curriculum enhancements, technology and equipment, student support services, simulation enhancements and clinical experiences.

The BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan Nurse Scholar partnership will create an opportunity for nearly 500 additional students to pursue a career in nursing over the next six years. The university will assume all future infrastructure costs and maintain a permanent increase in the number of students admitted to its Kirkhof College of Nursing, creating a lasting impact for our community, state and region. More than 92 percent of all GVSU graduates within the health professions stay in Michigan.

              

A federal workforce analysis shows Michigan currently has a nursing shortage for its population, and that shortage has been exacerbated by the burnout and stress caused by the pandemic. Leaders at BHSH System and GVSU say the creative solution they’ve designed will build a stronger talent pipeline, and the partnership can serve as a model and inspiration to enterprises, universities, communities and governments to solve the nation’s talent shortages.

“We challenged ourselves to be bold: What can we do, together with GVSU, to permanently increase access to education, strengthen nursing education programs and invest in talented, compassionate people who want to become nurses?” said Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO, BHSH System (formerly Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health). “Our teams delivered a joint, innovative proposal that expands opportunities for up to 500 future nurses and can be the model for others to emulate. We are incredibly excited about the nurse scholar program and the impact this will have in health care, for individual learners and for future generations.”

Grand Valley President Philomena V. Mantella said the agreement is a perfect example of how educational institutions and enterprises can partner quickly and efficiently to address talent shortages.

“These talent gaps hold us back or put us at risk,” said Mantella. “We have many dedicated and talented students who want to pursue nursing, but we needed the creativity and support of our partners at BHSH System to make the expansion of nursing possible and affordable for more talented and diverse students. This program is a huge leap forward and a model for other high need fields. I applaud the ingenuity and willingness of our teams to bring it to fruition.”

                                                                                                      

After all approvals and accreditation, the BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan Nurse Scholar program will be in place by January 2023. 

Gonzo’s Top 5: Butterflies, baseball, classical music, and comic-con

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez

WKTV Contributing Writer

Butterflies are back in the Top 5, and so is baseball, classical music and those who like to dress up.

Enjoy the spring-like weather on the horizon. It’s time for my weekly list of things to do, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal.

Here it is!

Chamber Orchestra of Grand Rapids performs at The Stray. (pxhere.com)

5. Classical Music at The Stray

Can’t wait for the next WKTV Voices Storyteller’s event at The Stray (7 p.m. April 15)? Well, it’s not quite a story, but another great opportunity to check out the local coffeehouse/event space. Come see members of the Chamber Orchestra of Grand Rapids perform 17th and 18th century works in smaller groups. The show is at 7 p.m. Saturday (April 9). Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. More info on the event Facebook page.

Butterflies and flowers will be on display at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s annual Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition. (Supplied/Meijer Gardens)

4. Morning With The Butterflies Family Party

Didn’t get a chance to do something fun for Spring Break? The Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition at Meijer Gardens remains open through April 30, with extended hours until 9 p.m. through Friday (April 8). Looking for a party with snacks and activities? One is planned for members on Sunday (April 10). This is a good time to consider a membership for special perks like this. (We love ours in the Gonzalez household).

More info at meijergardens.org/calendar/butterflies-are-blooming/.

An array of gems and minerals will be on display at this year’s Gem & Mineral Show at Rogers Plaza. (WKTV)

3. 45th Annual Gem & Mineral Show

Another fun activity for the family is checking out the popular Gem & Mineral Show this weekend at Rogers Plaza. It features treasures for everyone from beginners to seasoned collectors where you will find minerals, fossils, crystals, gems, jewelry, beads, stone carvings, equipment, books, and more. Nearly 30 vendors, club dealers and artisans will be on hand. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday (April 7-8), and from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday (April 9). More info on the event Facebook page. Admission is free.

The Grand Rapids Valley Railroad Train Shows offer fun for kids of any age.

2. Greater Grand Rapids Train Show

It’s back for another show from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (April 9) at the Home School Building in Wyoming. The show features more than 200 vendor tables, offering what organizers said is “everything imaginable for even the most discerning model railroader.” In addition, they will have model railroad layouts in different scales and sizes with accurately detailed engines and cars running down their tracks. There’s even a Lego play area for kids. Cost is $5 for adults and free for those 12 and younger. It is presented by the Grand River Valley Railroad Club. More info at grvrrc.org.

1. Grand Rapids Comic-Con

Another sure sign of spring is Comic-Con! Who wants to wear a coat over a Power Rangers costume? This weekend you can experience seminars, panels, vendors, comic books and more. The event runs Friday-Sunday (April 8-10) at the DeltaPlex Arena. Hours are noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 per day. Parking is $10 cash only. For more details on cosplay guidelines and more info, go to grcomiccon.com.

The West Michigan Whitecaps’ home opener is April 12. (WM Whitecaps)

Baseball

As for baseball, the Detroit Tigers are back in action for a new season beginning April 8 at Comerica Park against the White Sox. And our West Michigan Whitecaps open the season on April 8 in Midland, but return to LMCU Ballpark for the home opener on Tuesday, April 12. More info at whitecapsbaseball.com.

That’s it for now.

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

Have a great, safe weekend.


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

West Michigan native, Kentwood favorite, singer/songwriter to perform in Kentwood’s final Winter series concert March 31

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
Nicholas James Thomasma will bring his VW van full of music to Kentwood’s Winter Concert Series this week. (He won’t actually bring the van into the library!) (Supplied)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

Singer-songwriter Nicholas James Thomasma, no stronger to the stage of Kentwood city concerts, will bring his family-friendly mix of Americana, folk, country, and rock music to the final Winter Concert Series show this week.

The City of Kentwood’s free-to-the-public concert is set for Thursday, Mar. 31, at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

The songwriter, talking to WKTV, said he plans to combine stories and songs, creating an atmosphere that can be enjoyed by all ages.

“What we do, as musicians … everything centers around gathering people together for experiences,” Thomasma said. “My music is applicable to, and can appeal to, all ages.”

The concert will take place in the library’s Community Room, from 6:30-8 p.m., and guests are invited to bring their own beer, wine, or nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy during the show. Also available will be food from El Jalapeño, a local food truck featuring Mexican cuisine.

Though the singer frequently plays with a 6-piece band, The Bandwagon, Thomasma will be performing as a solo artist at the Kentwood show, incorporating acoustic guitar and harmonica into his performance, often playing both instruments at the same time.

Nicholas James Thomasma with his big band, Bandwagon. (Supplied)

A singer/songwriter’s journey

Thomasma’s journey into the music world began when the artist was in his twenties. Working as a radio DJ, Thomasma’s conversations with other musicians led him to the realization that he was on “the wrong side of the board.”

“What I really wanted to do was play music,” said Thomasma. “I started learning guitar. Almost as soon as I started learning how to play guitar, I started writing my own songs.”

When asked what inspires the songwriter and shapes his music, Thomasma said that he never forces his songs into a particular category.

“When I write songs, I try to treat them how they want to be treated,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a jazz song, sometimes it’s a folk song, sometimes it’s a country song, sometimes it’s a rock song. I just let that happen depending on what the song wants to be.”

Nicholas James Thomasma (Supplied)

Thomasma said he often jokes around at his shows that “This next song is a love song. Spoiler alert: they’re all love songs!”

Because of the emotions put into his work, Thomasma said there is a lot of love in all his songs.

“I’m writing songs from my heart, and whether they are love songs or not, they are often inspired by my real life.”

Keeping busy in unusual ways

Always looking for paying gig, Thomasma said he also creates custom songs upon request. And while he has written songs for various occasions, he said weddings are the most popular request.

“People will contact me shortly after they get engaged and say they want a song for their wedding,” Thomasma said, and that these songs create special moments that no one else has. “Other people can listen to it (the song), but the couple knows it is their song.”

Another unique service Thomasma offers music lovers and listeners are driveway concerts.

Nicholas James Thomasma, and his traveling VW van show. (Supplied)

“Driveway concerts are a pandemic pivot,” said Thomasma. “I’ve been playing house concerts as long as I’ve been performing, but during the pandemic we kind of switched to taking the house out of the equation.”

Thomasma said he doesn’t need a building to make music, traveling to outside venues and homes in his trademark orange 1973 Volkswagen Bus.

“I’ll pull up in your driveway, I’ll have the sound system, you invite your friends and your neighbors, and we’ll all sit in your front yard and have a good time,” said Thomasma, adding that the idea of driveway concerts has really taken off.

Finding various ways for community members to enjoy music isn’t the only way Thomasma honors his love of music. Future goals include helping other musicians find their footing in the music world as well.

Thomasma is currently enrolled in Grand Rapids Community College, working toward a degree in marketing.

“My goal is to help other artists survive similar to the way that I do,” he said. “I want to understand business and how the music business works so well that I can teach other artists how I do what I do in the hopes that they then can be successful on their own.”

To find out more about Thomasma and his music, visit nicholasjamesthomasma.com.

The public at Kentwood concerts are urged to follow current public health guidelines if attending the concert.

Gonzo’s Top 5: Big trucks, 80s music, pet, toys, and cottage living shows

Entertainment, Gonzo's Top 5, Recreation, West Michigan, , , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Spring is officially here, and if you’re getting out of town soon, consider this the last weekend before you have to start packing.

In my Top 5, which you can find exclusively on WKTV Journal, you’ll find a perfect way to get ready for Spring Break and warmer weather.

What are you going to do?

Gonzo’s Top 5

Mega 80’s returns to Grand Rapids this Saturday. (Facebook)

5. MEGA 80’S

I’ve been singing the praises of Michigan’s top ‘80s band for more than a decade. The Mega 80’s is the premiere cover band of an era that is most remembered for colorful clothes, synthesizer rock and musc videos. Get dressed up, gather a group of friends and relive some of the biggest songs and videos from the ‘80s on Saturday (March 26) at The Intersection. The Detroit area band always puts on a great show. Guaranteed. Ticket information and more at sectionlive.com.

Take a walk down memory lane was the Grand Rapids Toy Show. (Facebook)

4. Grand Rapids Toy Show

Speaking of nostalgia, this weekend you can experience the GR Toy Show from 9 a.m,-3 p.m. Saturday (March 26) at the Home School Building; 5625 Burlingame Ave SW, in Wyoming. You’ll experience more than 200 tables with antique toys, collectibles, pedal cars, dolls, bears, furniture, movie posters and more. Admission is $5 and free for those 10 and under. More info at midmichigansupershows.com.

3. West Michigan Pet Expo

Where are my pet lovers? Me, I’m warming up to the idea of getting a pet in the near future. This might be a good time for me to check out the West Michigan Pet Expo, a two-day event (March 26-27) with fun activities for animal lovers and families. Along with 50 pet-related vendors, you can enjoy entertainment from The Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show, which was recently featured on America’s Got Talent, as well as a petting zoo, pony rides, a reptile and amphibian exhibit, and more. Learn more at deltaplex.com/event/west-michigan-pet-expo-3/.

2. Monster Jam

One of my favorite memories as a dad is taking the kids to see Monster Jam at Van Andel Arena. It’s a fun, family activity where you get to see these incredible machines race for a championship, do stunts and make jumps. Plus, you have to love names like Grave Digger, El Toro Loco and Monster Mutt! In addition, you’ll be entertained by Freestyle Motocross exhibitions, too. Check out this weekend’s show, March 25-27, which is at Van Andel Arena. For ticket prices and show times go to vanandelarena.com.

1. Cottage and Lakefront Living Show

We’re all ready for spring, right? That makes this the perfect weekend to think about summer getaways to a family or friend’s cottage. At the annual Cottage and Lakefront Living Show, those looking to make upgrades or some remodeling can talk to designers, lakefront builders and realtors. Maybe you’re looking for a new dock or boat. This is the place to be. The show is Friday-Sunday (March 25-27) at DeVos Place. Times and ticket information at  devosplace.org.

That’s it for now.

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

Have a great, safe weekend.



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

Wyoming Chief Koster appointed to state law enforcement standards board

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Local Faces, Our Cities, West Michigan, , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Chief Kim Koster

Wyoming Director of Public Safety Kimberly Koster has been appointed to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Serving the residents of Michigan through the promotion of public safety since 1965, MCOLES provides leadership through setting professional standards in education, selection, employment, licensing and funding in law enforcement and criminal justice in both the public and private sectors.

Koster was selected to represent the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police on MCOLES for a nearly three-year term that ends Dec. 31, 2025. She succeeds recently retired Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne.

Wyoming Chief Kim Koster with former Kentwood Chief Thomas Hillen during a National Night Out event. (WKTV)

“I am honored to be appointed to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and to represent my fellow police chiefs on this esteemed board,” Koster said. “I look forward to continuing the exemplary work of MCOLES to ensure our communities are safe, our officers are well-trained and our criminal justice system is supported.”

Koster has been Wyoming’s director of public safety for nearly four years, leading a team of 151 full-time personnel that includes 99 sworn police officers and 29 full-time firefighters.

Before becoming chief, Koster served as a captain within the department for eight years. In this role, she assisted with the formation of the Public Safety Department through the administrative consolidation of police and fire services, created a new staffing model, facilitated dispatch operation transitions and led a collaborative effort in the development of the department’s five-year strategic plan.

Prior to that, she worked her way up through the ranks to detective, sergeant and lieutenant. A 26-year veteran of the department, she began her career with Wyoming as a school resource and community policing officer. In this role, she worked with neighborhood groups and organized community events to bridge gaps and build solidarity among neighbors.

Wyoming Chief Kim Koster reads “Valenstiens” by Ethan Long during the 2021 March is Reading Month celebration. (WKTV)

Throughout her career, Koster has been recognized with several commendations, including the Life Saving Award, Chief’s Award of Excellence and Outstanding Young Public Safety Officer.

She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has completed the Leadership Institute training hosted by Grand Rapids Police Department and the Police and Staff Command training hosted by Northwestern University.

Koster received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Ferris State University.

Final section of water trail along Grand River may become a reality

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Great Lakes, Our Cities, Recreation, Sports, Travel, West Michigan, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

LGROW Director Wendy Ogilvie (far left) reviews a map of the Grand River with participants of a public meeting about creating a water trail along the river. (WKTV)

The young girl walked into the room at GVSU’s Seidman Center, looked at a map with her mother and then turned to Wendy Ogilvie and asked “Why should we designate a water trail along the Grand River?”

Acknowledging that it was a good question and one that was often asked, the Lower Grand River Organization (LGROW) director said “We often think of up north as full of nature and beauty when there is that beauty here in the lower peninsula as well. By designating it as a water trail we create a sense of place and a destination. “

LGROW, which is part of the Grand Rapids Metro Council and designated with addressing issues and opportunities for the Grand River and its watershed, is moving forward on a plan to create a state-designated water trail along the lower Grand River, which Ogilvie said might become a reality this year. 

A water trail is similar to a bike/walking trail. It is a designated route on a navigable waterway such as a river like the Grand River, or other waterways like a lake or canal. The trail is implemented and managed to foster educational and recreational experiences.

The upper and middle Grand River watersheds have already been designated by the state as water trails. The addition for the Lower Grand River, which runs from about Ionia west to Lake Michigan, would complete the 252-mile trek from its origination point at the headwaters of Hillsdale County to where to it pours out onto Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Michigan’s longest river runs along the border of the City of Wyoming as it travels from the City of Grand Rapids to the City of Grandville and on to Ottawa County.

A map of the many public and private access points along the Grand River. (WKTV)

“Water trails are becoming the new parks,” said Andrea Irland, an outdoor recreational planner for the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service. “You travel down a river and discover the untouched areas that are not easily seen from a trail or road.”

Irland was involved in the creation of the Cuyahoga River Water Trail which helped to change the reputation of the river, which was known to catch fire, to being a place to see wildlife. She said she could see the same happening for the Grand River, which was once used for logging to help get wood to the furniture factories in Grand Rapids.

“Water trails such as the one proposed and the one on the Cuyahoga River do not need to be in national parks,” Irland said. “They can provide a way to connect different communities that are along the river.”

A community also benefits in the creation of a water trail as it provides outdoor recreation, education, stewardship, quality of life, and conservation and protection.

To discuss the pros and cons of having a water trail, LGROW hosted a public meeting in February at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman Center seeking input from residents on what they would want to see to help encourage the development of a water trail. There was input on a variety of topics such as access points and amenities like signage, bathrooms, and other items that would be needed to help design and maintain the water trail. There also was discussion on water safety and the sharing of the waterway with larger boats and other river crafts.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the public to provide ideas on how we can enhance access and recreational opportunities tied to one of our region’s most valuable natural assets,” Ogilvie said. “It will encourage tourists and outdoor recreation while promoting watershed stewardship and showcasing Michigan’s incredible water resources.”

There were six stations at the event that lead participants through learning about what a water trail is to amenities and what they thought would help to make such a plan successful. Another aspect of the meeting was to encourage tourism ventures such as canoe and kayak rentals along with restaurants and other possibilities to develop along the river to make the water trail a successful destination spot.

Through the development process, Ogilvie said LGROW has met with various stakeholders such as kayaking clubs, owners of access points, municipalities where the river has run through and other community members. In fact, the process has taken a couple of years but the recent Restore the Rapids movement to restore the lower river to a more natural state has made creating a water trail more of a viable opportunity, Ogilvie said.

The goal will be to have similar public input meetings in Ionia and Ottawa counties. From there, the group will review the plan and then submit it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for approval.

To review the plan or learn more, click here. 

March is Reading Month: Toxic Charity and Women Who Run With the Wolves

3-bottom, Books, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Recreation, Senior Living, West Michigan, , , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March has been designated as Reading Month. To celebrate and encourage reading, we are asking local officials, residents and WKTV staff and volunteers to tell us about a book that they enjoy. Happy Reading!

Today’s reading selections comes from Starla McDermott, who for the past six years has been serving as the development director for Guiding Light Mission. Since 1929, Guiding Light has been serving the Greater Grand Rapids area with a focus on offering safe and secure shelter for men looking to engage with society. The mission offers the following programs: the Back to Work Program, a short-term housing facility for men who are working or looking for work so they can save for permanent housing; and New Life in Christ, a program for men who are suffering from addiction, homelessness, loss of employment and other issues and they are looking for a new way in life. For more on Guiding Light Mission, visit www.guidinglightworks.org.

Book: Toxic Charity: How the Church Hurts Those They Help and How to Reverse It
Author: Robert D. Lupton
Genre: Christian Literature

Book: Women Who Run with Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Author: Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Genre: Self-help

For a work-related book, “Toxic Charity” is a good one. Published in 2011, “Toxic Charity” takes a look at traditional charity models and new ways to help, not sabotage, those that charities are trying to help. My personal favorite is “Women Who Run with Wolves,” which unfolds rich intercultural myths, fairy tales, folk tales, and stories, many from her own traditions, in order to help women reconnect with the fierce, healthy, visionary attributes of this instinctual nature.

West Michigan Aviation Academy advances to state Science Olympiad competition

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Tech Trends, West Michigan, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

About 700 middle and high school students competed in 46 different events for the Regional 12 Science Olympiad competition which was at Grand Valley State University. (Supplied)

West Michigan Aviation Academy beat out 46 other teams to snag one of six high school spots to advance to the Michigan Science Olympiad state competition.

Around 700 middle school and high school students from Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties displayed their STEM-related work during the competition. at the Regional 12 Michigan Science Olympiad which was held Saturday, March 19, on the Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus. Six middle school and six high school teams qualified for the state tournament, said tournament co-director Chelsea Ridge.

Besides West Michigan Aviation Academy, the other five high school teams were Grand Haven High School, Hudsonville High School, East Grand Rapids High School, Allendale High School and Forest Hills Central High School.

The middle school teams that qualified were Grand Haven’s Lakeshore Middle School, Forest Hills’ Northern Hills Middle School. Hudsonville’s Riley Street Middle School, Grand Haven’s White Pines Intermediate School, Chandler Woods Charter Academy in Belmont, and Allendale Middle School.

 

“The team dynamic helps students to foster a community at their school where they can dig deeper in STEM areas they are passionate about that may not be covered in a traditional science class,” Ridge said. “The tournament is an opportunity for them to showcase all they have worked so diligently to master throughout the season.”

Hosted by the GVSU’s Regional Math and Science Center, the 46 scheduled events included competitions involving airplanes, indoor bottle rockets, vehicles and more.

The state competition is set for April 30 at the Michigan State University campus, which is located in Lansing. 

Local YMCAs, including Wyoming’s, seeking lifeguards, offering training — and not just for young adults

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Local Business, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Recreation, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
  • YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
  • YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)
  • YMCA lifeguarding training, and work, is for all ages. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)

By WKTV Staff

With many employment opportunities across the city and region, the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids invites current and “future” lifeguards to join their team and launch a fulfilling career, according to a recent announcement.

And while most lifeguards are high school and college students, the ranks are also made up of professionals, retirees and stay-at-home parents.

Maybe the Y’s greatest lifeguarding success story is YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids CEO Scott Lewis. Lewis began his tenure at the YMCA as a lifeguard at a New Jersey YMCA in 1986 where the organization “invested in his leadership potential,” according to the announcement.

“The role of lifeguard is one that can launch a great career, and I know from experience,” Lewis said in supplied material. “Providing a safe and exceptional experience, working with a diverse customer base, problem solving, and having an exceptional attention to detail are all skills that serve professionals long term.”

YMCA lifeguard training at an outdoor, summertime venue. (Supplied/YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids)

The organization has increased wages, according to the announcement, now offering $14.61 to $16.44 per hour, opened free training opportunities, and “invested in creating year-round, flexible hours for these aquatic leaders to develop life-long professional skills.”

 

However, maybe the most rewarding work as a YMCA lifeguard is the satisfaction of knowing you actively make an impact in the lives of others, while working with and guarding a group of diverse individuals.

“Becoming a YMCA lifeguard provides you a support network to be successful from the day you decide to pursue the opportunity,” YMCA Human Resources Director Peter Reiff said in supplied material.  “What’s more is that at the YMCA you are part of a larger team of leaders and health and wellness service providers that work together to meet the needs of the community year-round, every year.”
  

For more on the Y’s four lifeguard training classes planned between now and May, visit https://www.grymca.org/aquatics-careers/#training. For those already trained and wish to apply, visit www.grymca.org/careers. For more information on the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids visit grymca.org.

Lead marketer for Site 36 purchases 74 acres of the property

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local Business, Our Cities, West Michigan, , ,
It was announced that a large portion of the former GM Fisher Body stamping plant has been sold to Franklin Partners LLC. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Mayor Jack Poll hinted at it in his Feb. 7 State of the City address and today, Franklin Partners LLC made it official: Site 36 has been sold.

Franklin Partners, which is based in Grand Rapids and Oak Brook, Ill, has purchased a large portion of the site, 74 of the approximate 92 acres, from the City of Wyoming. The purchase became official at the end of February.

“Wyoming thriving business community continues to grow as well,” Poll said in his Feb. 7 address. “Nicole Hofert, director of planning and economic development has lead serval exciting initiatives.”

One of those initiatives has been the sale of Site 36, located at 300 36th St. SW, just east of Clay Avenue on 36th Street with an eastern border of Buchanan Avenue. The property has been vacant since 2009, when General Motors closed its stamping plant.

“The developer hopes to be announcing businesses that will be coming to Wyoming in the coming weeks,” Poll said.

City staff indicated the city has retained the northern portion of the site which includes the former parking lot which is separated from the main property by 36th Street. This is where Godwin Heights Public Schools recently added its new athletic entrance which was completed last year.

Franklin Partners, which has been the main marketer for the property, said in a news release that the firm is looking to build manufacturing plants on the site, ranging in size from 150,000 square feet to more than one million square feet. City officials stated that the site will be broken into four or five parcels for development.

 

The former GM plant, which started as the GM Fisher Body stamping plant, also known in its early days as Plant No. 1, was built in 1936 on the former site and helped to push the construction of much of the city’s infrastructure. At one point, more than 2,000 people were employed at the plant. After 72 years of operation, GM decided to close the plant in 2009 citing the plant was too far away from GM assembly plants, driving up shipping and related costs.

 

The site was cleared of the two-million-square-foot plant a few years after the plant closing, but much of the infrastructure was retained including onsite utilities and the railway. The proximity of the site to US 131 is another added bonus.

“The day has been a long time coming, and we appreciate the confidence and faith Don (Shoemaker) and his team Franklin Partners have shown in Wyoming, in manufacturing and in our greater West Michigan community,” Wyoming City Manager Curtis Hold said in a statement. “We have long recognized what a jewel this property is – and what tremendous potential it has to attract manufacturers looking for a place to expand or consolidate operations.”

Climb of lifetime; gift of lifetime: Michigan woman, team of kidney donors, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

3-bottom, Community Health, Sports, Travel, West Michigan, WKTV Projects,

As part of WKTV’s special coverage of World Kidney Day, March 10, we are presenting a series of stories, first about a Michigan donor leading an active lifestyle; a West Michigan recipient living a lively future thanks to another; an adventure of a lifetime, for a cause — a climb of Africa’s tallest mountain; and finally a first-hand story from a Michigan woman on the climb. In this third story, a photo essay of the team of donors scaling African peak.

  • Mount Kilimanjaro viewed from Moshi (Wikimedia Commons)
  • The entire planned climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • It takes quite a village to take an American team of climbers, in this case the Kidney Donor Athletes team, up Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • The progress of the Kidney Donor Athletes team’s climb as of March 7. The summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro is represented by #2 on the right. (Supplied)
  • Kidney Donor Athlete team of American kidney donors and climbers in progress in their climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • Kidney Donor Athletes team advances to base camp on Wednesday, March 9, for planned final push to summit of the mountain at sunrise, March 10. (Supplied)
  • Night falls on the camp of the Kidney Donor Athletes team of American kidney donors and climbers in progress in their climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • A beautiful sunrise as the Kidney Donor Athlete team reached their goal — the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • On the morning of March 10, in Africa, on World Kidney Day, the Kidney Donor Athlete team reached their goal — the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)
  • On the morning of March 10, in Africa, on World Kidney Day, the Kidney Donor Athlete team reached their goal — the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org


They climbed for a cause: to bring awareness of the plight of those in need of a donation, awareness of the need for donors, and the awareness that a donor does not need to radically alter their lifestyle, even an athletic lifestyle.

That is why a team made up of the One Kidney Climber group climbed Africa’s Mt. Kilimanjaro, reaching the top today, on World Kidney Day, March 10.

WKTV is following the African adventure of one Michigan woman, Emily Polet-Monterosso, who is part of that climb. And, with us, you can see their adventure in photos.

The climb was the first coordinated event by Kidney Donor Athletes (KDA) to bring attention to the need for living kidney donors and that those who donate can be “healthy and thrive” with one kidney.

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 97,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for kidney transplants. Over 3,000 new patients are added to this list every month. With fewer donors than there are those in need, 13 people die every day waiting for a kidney.

More information on KDA

For more information on the Kidney Donor Athletes climb, and other resources, visit kidneydonorathlete.org.

Founded in 2018, Kidney Donor Athletes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to promote the gift of life through living kidney donation among active individuals and athletes by building a community that inspires, supports, and educates people about the experience.

Women’s History Month: Financial advisor finds success in ‘man’s world’ by staying true to herself

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Finances, Local Business, Our Cities, West Michigan
For Abby Lininger, remaining true to herself has been the key in being successful. (Supplied)

By Sheila McGrath
WKTV Contributing Writer

When you’re a woman working in a male-dominated field, it helps to have a strong sense of self.

After practicing as a financial advisor for more than a decade, Abby Lininger has definitely acquired one. But it wasn’t something that happened overnight.

“It wasn’t a short journey,” she said.

Lininger, 34, runs the Drake Financial Group office at 2034 84th St. SW in Byron Center. She helps young people open their first investment accounts, manages accounts for retirees, and meets with clients of all ages who seek her help getting their financial lives in order.

Although she believes things are changing for the better, the world of finance is still a man’s world, Lininger says. Even in 2022, men are often the financial decision-makers in a family. And when it comes to seeking help from a financial advisor, they’re likely to look to another man for advice.

 

According to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc., women make up about 23 percent of financial advisors in the U.S.

Abby Lininger with her family. (Supplied)

But there are still a lot of clients out there for someone who doesn’t quite fit the traditional mold, she said. She loves the opportunity to serve a different clientele, whether it’s single, professional women, or young couples who got the brush-off from another advisor because they didn’t have a big enough bank account.

“I don’t look like most advisors you might have met before, but I’m OK with that. I don’t need everybody to be my client. I am looking for people who don’t want that stereotypical financial advisor,” she said.

 

Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 after studying international relations and Spanish. Although her father was a financial advisor, she didn’t see herself going into the same field.

 

But with the Great Recession making it hard for new graduates to find jobs in 2009, she decided to go to work for her father’s business after all. Her father, Mark Drake, started Drake Financial Group in Portage, where Lininger grew up.

As a new college grad who was also a woman in a male-dominated field, she struggled to gain credibility at first, she said. It’s a field where there’s a lot for anyone to learn – male or female. But she was also very aware of not looking the part of a typical financial advisor. She didn’t wear suits. She didn’t have straight hair. She jokes that she didn’t even sound like a financial advisor. People on the phone would ask her “How old are you?”

She made it through the early years by consulting with others in her office who had more experience, and always continuing to learn. And in time she learned to leverage her laid-back style into a strength. When she’s dealing with clients, she likes to be casual and relatable, using plain language to describe complex topics.

 

“I think the biggest thing was the realization that I don’t have to be someone else to be successful,” she said.

Lininger graduated from Hope College in 2009 and then joined her father’s business, Drake Financial Group. (Supplied)

She said that she does think things are changing. More women are taking charge of their own financial lives, and she thinks that she definitely has more female peers than her father did when he was starting his career.

Lininger opened the satellite office of Drake Financial  Group in Byron Center in 2014 after she and her husband, Brad, moved to the area from Portage. Opening her own office has helped her pave her own path and establish her own credibility, apart from her father’s, she said.

 

“I’m here creating my own reputation, and I think that is a beautiful thing,” she said.

Gift of Life: West Michigan kidney recipient celebrates ‘transplant-aversary’ looking back, forward

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Recreation, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, , , ,
Heather and Todd Luchies just before their surgeries in 2017 (Supplied)

As part of WKTV’s special coverage of World Kidney Day, March 10, we are presenting a series of stories, first about a Michigan donor leading an active lifestyle, then a West Michigan recipient living a lively future thanks to another, and also an adventure of a lifetime — a climb of Africa’s tallest mountain — to bring awareness to the need for more people will to share the gift of life. In this second story, West Michigan donated kidney recipient Heather Luchies.

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org


Heather Luchies, who grew up in Grand Rapids and has lived in Howard City since 2001, is one of the lucky ones, and maybe a bit blessed. And she knows it. In 2017, she received a living-organ donation of a kidney, from the love of her life, her husband.

But she also knows others are not so lucky, so blessed. And as she celebrated her 5-year “transplant-aversary” in January, she continues to advocate for those who, like her, need a kidney to live, and urge those who can to give the gift of life.

Heather and Todd Luchies celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary in October 2021 (Supplied)

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 97,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for kidney transplants. Over 3,000 new patients are added to this list every month. With fewer donors than there are those in need, 13 people die every day waiting for a kidney.

“I love talking about my experience. I am doing so well overall and love to give hope to those who are struggling,” Luchies said to WKTV. “I have been a volunteer with Gift of Life Michigan for the past three years, teaching others about organ donation is so important. Signing even one person up is life saving to many others.”

One of her favorite quotes, she says, is: “When you stand and and share your story in an empowering way, your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else”
 

The awareness of the plight of those in need of a donation, awareness of the need for donors — and the awareness that a donor does not need to radically alter their lifestyle, even an athletic lifestyle — is part of what is driving a team of the One Kidney Climber group planning to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro on World Kidney Day, March 10.

Mount Kilimanjaro viewed from Moshi (Wikimedia Commons)

The climb, now in progress, is the first coordinated event by Kidney Donor Athletes (KDA) to bring attention to the need for living kidney donors and that those who donate can be “healthy and thrive” with one kidney. WKTV is following the African adventure of one Michigan woman, Emily Polet-Monterosso, who is part of that climb.

Emily met the person who received her donated kidney, they actually became friends. Heather knew her donor even before her surgery was needed — her husband, Todd.

“The fact that I went through this whole process 5 years ago with my husband being my living donor is so humbling,” Heather said. “I was by his side throughout the whole testing process as he was by mine. We recovered together and would argue who had the more ‘painful’ surgery. I still think me, while he thinks the other. Donors are so special, a true gift.”

Heather’s story

Heather Luchies had known for years that she would, eventually, need a kidney transplant. She was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a disease which causes scarring (sclerosis) of the kidney, when she was in her 20s.
 

Doctors told her it would eventually lead to kidney failure, but could not provide a timetable, and for a while she “stayed pretty stable … I was one of the lucky ones.”

But “I knew I would need a kidney one day; I just didn’t know when,” she said in a 2021 interview with Gift of Life Michigan. Her husband, Todd, also knew it was just a fact of life, dating back to when the couple first met more than 25 years ago.

“We always knew it was the eventual outcome. It was always on our mind,” Todd said.

Her kidneys gradually got worse. In late 2016, they were bad enough to have her put on the transplant waiting list — and at that time Todd said he wanted to see if he was a match.

“I called the next day,” he said. “We started getting tested a few days after that.”

After a series of tests, it was determined that he was a good match — something that Todd said was “a tremendous sense of relief” — and the transplant was scheduled for Jan. 7, 2017, and occurred at Mercy Health in Grand Rapids.

Heather and Todd Luchies, with son Cayden. Cayden is a senior at Grand Valley State University. (Supplied)

The couple had been married for about 18 years at the time. And now they have been given five more years together, five more years of watching their son, Cayden, now a senior at Grand Valley State University, grow into a man.

And, hopefully, they will have many more years.

As a donor, Todd recovered well and his “life has not changed,” Heather said. “He is 100 percent, physically, the same as before donating.”

Heather Luchies’ meds right after her kidney transplant surgery; they have greatly diminished since then. (Supplied)

Life is not exactly “normal” now for Heather, she does still have to take medications. But nothing like she did immediately after transplant.

“You start anti-rejection meds also called immunosuppressants. These meds weaken your immune system decreasing your body’s ability to destroy the new kidney,” she said. “I will be on these the rest of my life (or the duration of the transplanted kidney) … I have a love/hate relationship with them.

“The downfall of these meds is your weakened immune system and fighting off other viruses, infections … as well as some lovely side effects. But overall I am so thankful for these meds. Without them I would be on dialysis or not here today.”
 

Heather Luchies meds today, some continuing due to her kidney transplant and some just regular supplements. (Supplied)

And here, today, is pretty good for Heather.

“I had my 5-year ‘transplant-aversary’ on January 9. Just over 5 years. Time sure does fly,” she said. “Since my transplant I have lived a pretty normal life. I work part time for an electric company in Rockford. 99 percent of the time I work by myself (aside from my dog Wyatt who comes with me) which has been a huge blessing the past two years with COVID.

“I am very active. I work out daily (cardio and kickboxing are my favorite) this is something I could not do before my transplant, I just got too tired. I love hiking with our dog, being with family and just doing normal everyday things. I became vegan a few years ago, I love making new, thrown-together vegan meals.”

She also loves being involved with groups which support kidney donation.
 

“I have been a volunteer with Gift of Life Michigan for the past three years, teaching others about organ donation is so important. Signing even one person up is life saving to many others,” she said. “I am also a kidney mentor at my transplant center.”

Heather Luchies at Donate Life Day, a living donor informational event, at Grand Rapids Zoo. (Supplied)

Heather is also a “kidney mentor” at her transplant center, and with her friend and fellow transplant patient, she started a West Michigan Kidney Transplant/Disease Facebook group about two years ago “with hopes of meeting everyone in person. But COVID has set us back a tad. We hope to be able to meet up this Spring. I call it therapy.”

She also, strangely enough, has a connection to the group of donors currently in Africa, preparing to climb a mountain to advocate for kidney donation.


“Another cool thing is my Dad summited Kilimanjaro about 12 years ago,” she said. “So I have a slight connection to these climbers, aside from kidney stuff.”

More information on KDA

For more information on the Kidney Donor Athletes climb, and other resources, visit kidneydonorathlete.org.

A videographer is set to accompany the group to document the climb and WKTV plans to produce a story and video using supplied material after the climb. (We are told cell service is not great on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.)

Founded in 2018, Kidney Donor Athletes is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to promote the gift of life through living kidney donation among active individuals and athletes by building a community that inspires, supports, and educates people about the experience.

University of Michigan Health-West shows support for people of Ukraine

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, West Michigan, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Last night, the University of Michigan Health-West changed its beacon lights from white to blue and yellow, showing its support for the people of Ukraine.

“As an organization dedicated to health and the well-being of all people, University of Michigan Health-West stands against violence in all of its forms,” in a released statement from the hospital.

The beacon lights will be blue and yellow 24 hours a day going forward with the hospital stating “with this symbolic gesture, we add our light to others around the world, showing support for the people of Ukraine.”

Women’s History Month: Local businesswomen sees advantages in catering business

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Food, Local Business, Local Food, Recreation, Restaurants, West Michigan, , , , ,

NOTE: For Women’s History Month we are featuring local female business leaders. We start our series with Nancy Jacob, who with her husband Mike own Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering Co.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Nancy Jacobs is co-owner with her husband Mike of Apple Spice Box Lunch Delivery and Catering, Co. (WKTV)

When you meet Nancy Jacobs, you can’t help feel she is the neighbor you just want to have a sandwich and soda with while discussing the day’s ups and downs.

If that does happen, Jacobs can definitely supply the sandwich and beverage of choice as her and her husband Mike are the owners of Apple Spice, a box lunch delivery and catering company located off of 68th Street.

“We often joke that when Nancy goes out our sales go up,” said Mike Jacobs.

Nancy Jacobs is the face of the operation. She is the one who will load up with samples and then head out to visit with local businesses, encouraging prospective clients to try what Apple Spice has to offer.

“I think because many of the people I meet are often women who are the gatekeepers when it comes to planning events at the business, it is a lot easier for me to get connected with the right person,” Nancy Jacobs said, adding that about 80 percent of her contact is woman-to-woman.  Jacobs’ husband agrees that for their business, Nancy Jacobs’ ability to network has helped to make Apple Spice successful.

Nancy Jacobs noted that teachers love the heavy duty box that Apple Spice’s box lunch comes in, using the boxes for a variety of purposes. (WKTV)

The Dream of Having Your Own Business

Mike and Nancy Jacobs started Apple Spice just before the pandemic. Mike had been laid off from his aerospace job and through a seminar his former company offered, came home with the idea of the couple starting a franchise.

 

“It was something that we had talked about in the past, starting a business,” said Nancy Jacobs, who was a nurse. “However, after the seminar, Mike thought that a franchise made for a reasonable way for us to do that since with a franchise the start-up work of creating the business had been done.

“Basically it is like starting a business but with training wheels.”

Through coaching, the couple narrowed it down to two possible franchises and after visiting both companies, opted for Apple Space, which is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Food seemed like a natural fit for the couple, Jacobs said as the reason for the choice.

A peek inside one of the Apple Spice box lunches. (WKTV)

The couple selected its 68th Street location, in the same mall as The Dollar Tree and Blain Farm and Fleet, because of the space it provided for their business needs while being close to US 131.

Apple Spice offers primarily lunches, through box lunches and catering. Jacobs said they do offer breakfast and some late lunch/early dinner service. Delivery is available for five or more box lunches and catering. Those wishing to order four or less box lunches may pick up from the store front on 68th Street. She noted that it is the Apple Spice team that delivers the food, not an outside service. This is to assure that items are set up to the customer’s expectations, she said.

And things were going pretty well with the couple even adding their own sandwich, the Michigan Cherry Chicken, to the menu and coming up with a “bread flight” that features three of the catering company’s breads.

Then, the pandemic hit.

“We just watched as our catering business went from steady to zero,” Jacobs said. But the business had a second side, box lunches, which offered a solution to providing individual meals for groups.

“People wanted to help hospital workers or police and fire and they would call up to have box lunches sent to a certain floor staff or department,” Jacobs said. The heavy duty box, which Jacobs said teachers find all kinds of creative ways to use, includes a sandwich, pickle, cookie, and a choice of salads, chips or fresh fruit in the classic box. There are other options as well including salad box meals.

The box lunches helped the business through the pandemic, making up almost 95 percent of its business. The business is now seeing more of a 60/40 spited between its box lunches and catering. Of course, there have been supply demands, with the couple adding a storage container in the back parking lot which has allowed them to stock up on items when they do find them.

It takes two

“I like going to Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce events such as the B2 Outlet opening because it gives me the opportunity to network and meet new people,” Jacobs said. “The Chamber is a good resource for me.”

And while Jacobs maybe good at networking and marketing, she does have her weaknesses.

“I can’t work the computer,” she said looking hesitantly over at her work station. “I just learned one system and they changed it on me. I have to rely on Mike, my general manager and staff to help me.”

That is where having a partner has been key to the business’s success, Jacobs said, adding that Mike handles a lot of the operational needs while she focuses on promotions and networking.

“Sometimes I get a call from a customer and I just know it would be better if a man handled it,” she said. “That is when I can ask Mike if he can take it and sometimes, he gets a call and knows it would be better if a woman took the call, so he gives it to me.”

As for challenges of being a women in the catering world, Jacobs admits she has not had many. Husband Mike said he feels it is because the business they are in, food and catering, is fairly diverse.

“I think there would be more challenges if Nancy was say in something like manufacturing which is more male dominated,” he said.

 

Apple Spice is the couple’s retirement job as they look toward the future. Jacobs said they hope to get a recreational vehicle someday and travel. They currently do some travel as certified Kansas City Barbecue Society judges.

As for now, Nancy Jacob said the couple’s goal is to continue to build Apple Spice and on that note, as the promotions person, she didn’t hesitate to add to encourage people to connect and check out Apple Spice’s offerings.

Apple Spice is located at 701 68th St. SW. The phone number is 616-805-3288 or visit the website at www.applesauce.com.

Featuring 15 emerging artists, the stage is set for The Stray’s first-ever Battle of the Bands

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, West Michigan, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

March is Reading Month. March is Women’s History Month. And March 2022 is Battle of the Bands month at Wyoming’s The Stray.

The Stray Cafe, located at 4253 Division Ave., Wyoming, will host its first Battle of the Bands, running every Friday in the month of March. (Supplied)

Starting this Friday, March 4, and for the next two Fridays, Wyoming’s The Stray Cafe will be hosting its first-ever Battle of the Bands which will feature 15 Michigan bands, most from the Grand Rapids area with others coming from Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo and Allen Park.

“We wanted to give young and emerging artists a chance for exposure, networking, and some compensation within a high-quality listening environment,” said The Stray’s Music and Arts Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg. “We generally value collaboration over competition, but we hope in this case that the premise of friendly competition will help gather audience excitement and will bring out the best in the performers.”

When looking for performers, VanKlompenberg said there were a number of factors the venue considered, quality being the top one along with diversity in genre, gender, age and background.

“Finally, we looked at the effort put forth in their application/online presence,” he said. “Overall, there’s a balance between looking for quality and looking for artist that this would be a great opportunity for. We weren’t necessarily looking for huge touring acts because it wouldn’t be as much of a growth opportunity for them.”

Five bands will compete each Friday by performing a 20-minute set. The winner from each of those preliminary rounds will advance to the final round which will be March 25. In that round, each of the remaining three bands will before a 45-minute set. There will be a populous vote and judge’s vote that will be combined to determine the winners. The winner of the March 25 event will receive $300 and a free photoshoot and an opportunity to record at Dogtown Studio, a Grand Rapids-based studio that specializes in live sessions for bands and musicians. Second and third place will each receive $100. All three finalists will be featured on the WKTV Journal in the month of April.

This Friday’s line-up includes Tink and the Lost Boys, The Dead Lennies, Sebastian and the Mood, DaisyBox, and The Polyphonic Element. Guest judge will be Andrea “Dre” Wallace, a West Michigan native who is a music producer/DJ, entrepreneur and technologist.

The Stray’s Music and Arts Manager Hunter VanKlompenberg said they hope “friendly competition will help gather audience excitement and will bring out the best in the performers.” (Supplied)

On March 11, Bond Girl, Shnkool, Grace Thiesen, Josh Graveling and the Epitones will perform. Guest judge will be Elle Lively, who is the owner of Crooked Tree Creative, a Michigan-based management and consulting company geared towards empowering up-and-coming artists.

On Mach 18, the performers will be Ficus, Whorled, Painted Friends, Low Phase, and Dalmatian Stone. Guest judge will be Jake Rye, who is a producer, songwriter and mixer based in southeast Michigan, who over the past 14 years has mixed more than 1,000 songs including many billboard charting radio singles. 

The final night, March 25, will be judged by John Sinkevics, who is a career journalist, musician and founder of Local Spins, the state’s fastest-growing music website that covers the West Michigan music scene.

 

“We hope to provide opportunities for growth to local artists, put on a handful of incredible shows, and introduce audience members to bands they may not have known of before,” VanKlopemberg said.

The event is free with The Stray offering a range of food items such as flatbread pizzas, salads, and nachos along with a selection of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

 

The Stray Cafe is located at 4253 S. Division Ave. For more information, visit The Stray’s website or Facebook page. 

A piece of track at downtown GVSU connects to Wyoming’s past

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local History, Our Cities, Recreation, West Michigan, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Realtor Sam Wilson added a large roof and benches to his Wyoming Park office for the comfort of local residents (and potential buyers) waiting for the next interurban car. (Wyoming Historical Commission)

Recently, Grand Valley State University commemorated remnants of the interurban railway tracks on its downtown campus, rails that once connected to a station in the City of Wyoming that served as a key connector for those wishing to travel to the lakeshore or Kalamazoo.

Started in 1901, the electric transportation system, called the Grand Rapids, Holland, and Chicago Railway, started with a line to Holland and in the following year, 1902, added a Muskegon line. Delayed by politics, the line to Kalamazoo was completed in 1915 by the Michigan Railway Company. Passengers of the interurban could make the decision of if they were heading west or south at a station near Lee Street and Grandville Avenue (now Chicago Drive), located in the City of Wyoming.

“It was located by the old Kelvinator building,” said David Britten, who is with the Wyoming Historical Commission. This made sense since the home appliance manufacturer would open its doors in 1914 with the interurban providing an easy way for residents to get to the plant for work.

There were several stops in the City of Wyoming. If you took the route toward Holland, the interurban would stop at Beverly Hills, Wyoming Park, and Elmbrook neighborhoods. Businessmen took advantage of those route stops to promote bungalow-style homes, spurring growth within the City of Wyoming. Take the interurban to Kalamazoo, which ran along side Divisions Avenue, and it would stop on 50th Avenue in the Kelloggsville neighborhood and  54th Street before heading on to Cutlerville as the train made its way to Kalamazoo. Today Consumer’s Energy power lines follow the old Kalamazoo route.

An ad for the Elmbrook community located between Porter and 28th Street west Byron Center Avenue. (The Street Railways of Grand Rapids by Carl Bajema and Tom maas)

Britten said you can see the interurban route through a Google map overview, but that little remains of the actual tracks.

“In many places, they just paved right over the tracks,” he said, adding the tracks would have run behind the current Godfrey-Lee athletic fields. Some years ago, owners of the property dug up the remaining tracks and pieces, which Britten said he did salvage a few items.

But the tracks contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on GVSU’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus, are more than likely the last stretch of any interurban tracks in West Michigan, according to a GVSU historian.

The exhibit placed above the tracks uses images and text to explain the interurban system and its impact on the region. The piece also gives related historical context for the time, such as how the Grand River was a “working waterfront.” According to Britten, the interurban would travel across the now cement bridge that is a pedestrian crossing for residents to and from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. From there it would make its way south along Grandville Avenue, passing through the car holding area that is now where Grand Valley State University’s downtown campus is located.

At the heart of the commemorative project is a core narrative that is important to the community, said Nathan Kemler, GVSU director of Galleries and Collections, who helped lead the effort to create and install the piece.

The remaining interurban track is contained within a brick inlay on the Mount Vernon pedestrian pathway on the Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids Campus. (GVSU)

“One reason this project is so impactful is that it was an early sustainable transportation method that was rooted in equity,” said Kemler of the themes captured in the exhibit that is part of the GVSU Art Gallery. “Anybody could ride the Interurban, and it would take you into the city or outside of it to Lake Michigan, Lake Macatawa, or farms.”

Kemler noted that someone could take the Interurban from Grand Rapids to Lake Michigan, then board a steam ship for Chicago, and it was all done through electric power.

Learning about the prevalence of such green technology long ago is eye-opening for students, said Matthew Daley, GVSU professor of history, who was the key researcher on the project.

“Students are stunned that there was this huge integrated network of electric freight and passenger service that then tied into a citywide network of street cars,” Daley said. “You could take an interurban that produced no soot, no dirt, and at some point on West Michigan lines reach over 70 mph.”

In fact, reporters who road the Kalamazoo route noted that the train could cover 47 miles between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in 44 minutes, according to the book “The Street Railways of Grand Rapids,” by Carl Bajema and Tom Mass.

“It ran really well until Americans discovered in the 1920s that they liked cars,” Daley said.

A GVSU employee puts the finishing touches on the outdoor exhibit about the interurban which is now located at Grand Valley State University’s downtown Pew Campus. (GVSU)

The paving of roads would help to establish the American car industry. By 1926, the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railway was sold at auction. Britten noted that in 1927, the United Suburban Railway was organized to restore car service from Jenison to Grand Rapids.

 

“It was called the shortest track with the most stockholders,” Britten said with a laugh. The seven miles of track had 700 stockholders. The United Suburban Railway would last until about 1932.

Daley and Kemler both said the story of the interurban gives important insight into fleeting economic conditions, how people come together, the environmental impact on the Grand River and how the community has evolved.

“This is about the changing landscape of Grand Rapids itself and understanding this location before the Grand Valley campus was here and before downtown was revitalized,” Kemler said.

There are no markers in Wyoming of the former interurban, which Britten said it would be nice if a marker was placed. There is only a small portion of the interurban that is part of the walking/bike trail Oxford Trail, which is in Grand Rapids. The Oxford Trail does cross over the old swing bridge the interurban once used, according to Britten.

New Ford bobblehead offers reminder of the contributions of those who served as president

3-bottom, Local Faces, Our Cities, Recreation, Sports, West Michigan, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The recently released bobblehead of Gerald R. Ford is the second one to feature the 38th president. (Supplied)

He has an elementary school, amphitheater, post office, gardens, airport and numerous roadways named after him and now Grand Rapids’ favorite son, Gerald R. Ford, has his likeness on a bobblehead.

Actually, the newly release bobblehead in honor of Presidents’ Day is not the first time the 38th President of the United States has been memorialized on a bobblehead, but it is the first time a complete series of United States presidential bobbleheads have been released. Milwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum — think Madame Trussauds’ wax figures only in bobbleheads — released the series today, the day designated to celebrate the U.S. Office of the President.

“We’re excited to release this complete collection of bobbleheads featuring all 46 U.S. Presidents to celebrate Presidents’ Day,” said Phil Sklar, CEO and co-founder of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. “Each president played an important part in our country’s history, and we think people will enjoy this new series of presidential bobbleheads.”

Presidents’ Day started in 1879 by an Act of Congress to honor the nation’s first president, George Washington, whose birthday in the Gregorian calendar is on Feb. 22. (Washington was born on Feb. 11 under the Julian calendar which because it did not account for leap days, was about 11 days  behind the Gregorian calendar, the calendar that had been adopted by the countries tied to the Catholic church. In 1752, the British Empire switched to the Gregorian calendar.)

Miwaukee’s National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum released the first complete set of presidential bobbleheads. (Supplied)

There was a movement in 1951, to have a “Presidents’ Day.” It wasn’t until 1971 that the official holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which was a move to shift many federal holidays to a three-day weekend. The act also combined the birthdays of Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on Feb. 12, into a single holiday that honored all of the U.S. Presidents.

This change took effect with an executive order from the President Richard Nixon whose vice president at the time was Spiro Agnew. In 1973, Agnew resigned with Nixon choosing Ford as his new vice president. As Ford and his wife Betty prepared to  move to the new vice president’s residence, Ford received a call to be ready to become the next U.S. President, which he did on Aug. 9, 1974.

Ford is the only person to serve as U.S. president without ever having been elected to the office. He would lose his bid for reelection to Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Today, Ford’s museum is in Grand Rapids, his childhood home, and his library is in Ann Arbor, where he attended the University of Michigan. Over the years, several other places have honored Ford by bestowing his name on several buildings such as the Gerald R. Ford Elementary School in Indian Wells, California; the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Post Office in Vail, Colorado; the Gerald R. Ford Birth Site and Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska; and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There are also several roadways in Tennessee, California, Texas, Nebraska, and Michigan, such as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, I-196, that are named after the former president along with the Gerald R. Ford Fieldhouse at Grand Rapids Community College as well as several books about his life.

The Ford bobblehead, along with the other 45 presidents, is available individuals or as part of the set through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store. The museum is located at 170 S. 1st. St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is open seven days a week.

Watch for it — Ford International Airport to have commercial run on Super Bowl LVI telecast

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Going Local, Local Business, Local History, Recreation, Sports, Travel, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
The new statute for Gerald Ford has become hot spot for selfies. (Supplied/Ford Airport)

By WKTV Staff

The entertainment and sports world — and an estimated 1 million West Michigan viewers — will be focused on their televisions this Sunday as Super Bowl LVI plays and everybody attention is on the game, the halftime and, of course, those advertisements.

And it is not just beer and soda commercials either. Getting in on the action, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport has announced it, too, will air its first Super Bowl spot, a 30-second ad, which “leans on a football theme to underscore the ease of travel through Ford International Airport – complete with yellow flags over a penalty.”

The commercial was created by Extra Credit Projects, and recorded and produced with Taproot pictures in Grand Rapids.

“We are excited to unveil this new ad to our fans during the game of the year,” Dan Koorndyk, chair of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, said in supplied material. “… The Super Bowl felt like a great opportunity to showcase the Airport to our community.”

Travel numbers grew steadily during 2021 for Ford International Airport, reaching 2.9 million passengers – 82 percent of its pre-pandemic numbers, which were records.

“The Airport has experienced tremendous growth and continues to advance plans for additional development, making it a huge economic driver in the region,” Rob Jackson, principal at Extra Credit Projects, said in supplied material. “The scale of the Super Bowl felt right … at the end of the day, it’s just exciting to be part of the big game and connect with such a broad audience in the region.”

The football connection also seems fitting for the airport’s namesake.

“The Ford International Airport has an undeniable connection to football as former President Gerald R. Ford helped lead his Michigan Wolverines to two undefeated seasons on the gridiron nearly nine decades ago,” Tory Richardson, president and CEO of Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, said in supplied material.

What can be recycled in Kent County, and how to do it — COVID-19 at-home tests

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  • Box containing COVID-19 home test kit. (WKTV)
  • “Medical” pieces of a COVID-19 home test kit. (Chicago.gov)
  • Plastic holder for COVID-19 home test kit parts. (Kent County)

By WKTV Staff and Kent County Department of Public Works

ken@wktv.org

What can and cannot be recycled in Kent County, and how do it. And what happens to everything else? WKTV Journal, working with Kent County Department of Public Works Resource Recovery Specialist Lauren Westerman, are working to look at specific consumer products and other items and give you the answers.

In this post, we look at those at-home COVID-19 rest kits — part plastic, part cardboard packaging and paper instructions, part that nasty stick you stuck up your nose and other medical materials. Maybe you want to just toss everything in the nearest trash can, but should you? Here is the lowdown from an expert:

(If you received the kit in the mail, remember to look for a recycling label on the mailer.)

Does your mailer envelope have a recycling label? (Kent County)

Remove the test supplies from the paperboard box. Flatten the box and place it into your curbside recycling cart. The paper instructions can also go into your curbside recycling cart. The box and paper will head to the Recycling Center where it is sorted out from non-paper items, baled, and transported to a local paper mill to be processed into a new paper product that can be used again.

After performing your COVID-19 at home test, throw away the swab, the wrapper from around the swab, the test card, the test card’s soft plastic pouch, and the empty plastic dropper bottle.

The only piece remaining is the hard plastic piece that (possibly) held all the various test pieces. If this hard piece of plastic has a recycling symbol on it, then it may be placed into your curbside recycling cart. The plastic will be sorted with similar rigid plastics at the Recycling Center, shipped to a facility where the plastic is flaked or pelletized, and eventually remolded into a new plastic item.

Do you have a question about a specific consumer product or other item? Contact WKTV at ken@wktv.org. Please send a photo of the product and the recycling label if available.

Local non-profit Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services launches capital campaign

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This video, produced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, as shown at the kickoff of the group’s “Expanding Equal Access: A New Home for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services” fundraising campaign.

By Phil de Haan

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

The first-ever major Capital Campaign for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services was publicly launched on January 24, 2022.

“Expanding Equal Access: A New Home for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services” is a $266,000 fundraising campaign that will allow D&HHS to become part of a large non-profit center being developed at the old South Christian High School on 68th Street in Grand Rapids, just west of a major bus line on South Division Avenue.

The project is being headed up by Special Olympics of Michigan and will see the 127,000 square foot building (which includes two gyms and a 735-seat auditorium) become home to 10 non-profits, all of which have advocacy and empowerment at the heart of everything they do.

D&HHS will join Special Olympics of Michigan, Autism Support of Kent County, Brody’s Be Café, Disability Advocates of Kent County, Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, Far Out Volleyball Club, Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan/be nice, MOKA, and Thresholds in this new space.

The public launch event included remarks by Tim Hileman, president and CEO of Special Olympics of Michigan, who said: “I love days like today. It speaks to what really good organizations can do both individually and collectively. What they can do together.”

Hileman commended what he called the “great, great leadership” of D&HHS, including the staff and the board.

He added: “I love the name of your campaign. This new non-profit center truly is multiple organizations coming together to create access, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services is an important part of this project.”

D&HHS Board President Rowan O’Dougherty agreed.

“Deaf people need our agency,” he said. “And Deaf people need community. That’s why I am so excited about the move here. We currently have such limited space, but when we move here those limitations will go away. We can draw our community together to socialize, to play sports, have coffee at the Café. Our Deaf senior citizens could make this a weekly activity. It’s going to be great.”

For Mary Andringa, step-mother to Chad, now a Deaf adult, the new space will continue a long legacy of D&HHS service to her family.

“D&HHS has been a rock on which Chad could build his core values and see himself as a unique individual with talents and abilities,” she said. “The people here (D&HHS staff) were pivotal to his growth and mine. He has had the advocates he needed to protect his rights, and he has been called to grow. This agency has been a conduit. Or should I say a can-do-it place. This agency always feeds back truth.”

Board Treasurer, Mickey Carolan, asks for support of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services capital campaign. (D&HHS)

Mickey Carolan, the treasurer for the D&HHS board, spoke not just about money (though he did that too!) but also about his experience growing up as the child of Deaf adults, a CODA.

“I was born into a majority Deaf community,” he said. “It’s the reason I am here today. I remember growing up and the access my parents had to communities in Detroit and Flint and Saginaw. There hasn’t been a place on this side of the state for that kind of community. Until now. This is the spot. And I hope that the energy everyone here today brought inspires you, whatever that is. Maybe it’s a gift of $1. Maybe it’s $50,000 I don’t want to limit you. But whatever it is, we are grateful.”

Earl Howell and Dr. Robert Hohendorf of Lions Club International District 11-C1 present a check. (D&HHS)

Indeed, Carolan was grateful at the event to accept a check for $15,000 from Earl Howell and Dr. Robert Hohendorf of Lions Club International District 11-C1. That gift brought the current fundraising total to just over $133,000, just over half of the $266,000 total goal for the campaign.

D&HHS hopes to start the renovation of an old science lab into its new space in March 2022, pending fundraising. If all goes well it would move to the new non-profit center in the summer of 2022.

Images of the D&HHS space and the entire facility, plus the campaign video and photos from the campaign event, are online and available to media at: deafhhs.org/capital-campaign.

Meijer Gardens’ Michigan’s Farm Garden carries on the humble legacy of Lena Meijer as replica of early home

3-bottom, Area Education, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Faces, Local History, Our Cities, Recreation, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Michigan’s Farm Garden, a reproduction of Lena Meijer’s home early in life near Lakeview, Michigan. The windmill is actually from that farm. (Supplied/Dean VanDis)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

ken@wktv.org



The legacy of the late Lena Meijer — community advocate, philanthropist and so  much more — lives on in her family, in many ways in the Grand Rapids community, and, of course, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

And while Lena played a large role in the success of her family’s Midwest grocery super-center business, her life began on a humble farm near Lakeview, Michigan. And that humble beginning is on full, if slightly miniature, display at Meijer Gardens’ Michigan’s Farm Garden.

“She always spoke so lovingly of her upbringing and cherished that experience in her life,” David Hooker, President and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, said WKTV.

Fred and Lena Meijer. (Supplied/undated)

Both Lena and her husband, late grocery entrepreneur Fred Meijer, grew up on farms. A daughter of German immigrants George and Mary Rader, Lena was born and raised on the farm her parents acquired after settling near Lakeview, while Fred’s family farm was located in Greenville.

Lena and Fred never lost the desire to share their knowledge and love of the land with their community.

“They wanted people to really understand that food comes from a farm, it doesn’t come from their grocery stores,” said Hooker.

Through this desire, the Michigan’s Farm Garden was born.

“The idea for creating Michigan’s Farm Garden was so people could understand what the farming life was like, especially in the era of the 1930s when they both grew up,” said Hooker. “The fact that they wanted to recreate that experience for people is a testament to how Lena felt about it.”

Milking cows, fresh carrots … and that windmill

At the Michigan’s Farm Garden, visitors can find a three-quarter scale replica of the farmhouse where Lena was born and raised, a barn, vegetable and flower gardens, animal pens, and bronze sculptures of farm animals scattered throughout. Patrons are invited to sit in rocking chairs on the wraparound porch, and visit and relax.

Fred and Lena Meijer at the dedication of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s Michigan’s Farm Garden. (Supplied)

Another piece of Lena’s heritage she chose to share with the community is the windmill visitors see while visiting the Farm Garden. “That actual windmill came from her family’s farm,” Hooker said.

“She (Lena) learned at a very young age how to milk a cow and work the fields, and do everything that farmers do,” said Hooker.

One of Lena’s favorite stories involved milking cows. Hooker said Lena liked to joke about being so skilled at milking a cow that she could feed their cat at the same time.

“She could squirt the milk into the cat’s mouth from six feet away,” said Hooker.

Lena’s antics as a young farm girl didn’t end there.

One of the farm scene sculptures from the Michigan’s Farm Garden. The girl riding the pig, reportedly, is taken from Lena’s childhood. (Supplied/William J. Hebert)

“As a young girl, she’d ride the pigs,” Hooker said. “In fact, we have a sculpture of Lena as a little girl riding a pig out in Michigan’s Farm Garden. It’s classic.”

When it was mentioned that it seemed like Lena had some “spunk” in her personality, Hooker agreed — “Oh, she had a ton. Absolutely.”

Lena died at the age of 102 on Jan. 15. She will be buried beside her husband at Michigan’s Farm Garden, laid to rest in a place they both loved to visit in their twilight years.

“If it was the right time of year, they would pull a carrot right of the ground, wash it off, and they’d eat it,” said Hooker.

Children, learning and lots of beautiful plants

Lena’s love of gardening and plants is also revealed in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and, especially, the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.

“(Lena) loved kids and loved the idea of a garden dedicated to children learning about gardening and learning about how life itself would not be possible without plants,” Hooker said.

Lena Meijer at the 2017 groundbreaking of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park’s expansion projects. (Supplied/Anthony Norkus Photography)

The Children’s Garden promotes interactive learning and the use of all five senses with various hands-on activities for children and their families.

“Meijer Gardens is a gift to all of us as a community,” said Hooker. “This is what Fred and Lena were interested in and they gave this to us as a gift. For this gift to mean anything, come on out and visit! It’s here for everyone to enjoy.”

For more information about Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park visit meijergardens.org.

Winter fun — Gilmore’s Winter Motoring Meet, vintage snowmobile show set for Feb. 5

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Local History, Recreation, Sports, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects,
(Gilmore Car Museum)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org


The second annual Winter Motoring Meet will return to the Gilmore Car Museum Saturday, Feb. 5, with a day of outdoor family fun in Michigan’s winter weather, plus full access to the museum’s indoor collection of more than 400 classic vehicles.

Access to the Winter Motoring Meet and related activities will be included in standard daily admission to the museum, according to an announcement from the museum.

The Gilmore Car Museum’s Winter Motoring Meet will include winter machines of all kinds. (Supplied/by Lew Verburg)

“The Gilmore Car Museum’s Winter Motoring Meet is for folks who appreciate Michigan’s Winter Motoring season, whether in their cars, 4×4 trucks, Jeeps, or snowmobiles,” Josh Russell,  executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum, said in supplied material. “It’s a fun way for us to get outside and enjoy the winter season, in an outdoor environment with plenty of space to spread out and enjoy our 90-acre campus.”

The Winter Motoring Meet will include scenic rides around the snow-covered Gilmore campus in several of the museum’s antique cars and trucks, a special exhibit of vintage snowmobiles, a professional ice carving exhibition, and outdoor games.

The Gilmore Car Museum’s Winter Motoring Meet will include classic snowmobiles. (Supplied/by Lew Verburg)

A special 1-day-only exhibit of antique, vintage, and racing snowmobiles (from 1992 and older) will be on featured display at the Winter Motoring Meet. The indoor and outdoor snowmobile exhibit has been coordinated with help and support from Vintage Snowmobile Michigan — snowmobile enthusiasts from across Michigan and the Great Lakes region (facebook.com/VintageSnowmobileMichigan).

Guests will also be able to warm up by an outdoor fire, with available food and beverage options to include homemade soup, gourmet hot chocolate, winter beer, a glass of wine, or a favorite cocktail.

“If we’re lucky enough to have fresh snow on the day of our meet, guests are welcome to bring their own snowshoes or cross-country skis for a trek across our beautiful 90-acre campus,” the announcement states.

The Gilmore Car Museum’s Winter Motoring Meet will include tours in antique vehicles. (Supplied/by Josh Russell)

Free “glorified sleigh rides” through the snow-covered Gilmore campus will also be offered to museum guests, riding on bench seats in the bed of a classic Ford Model AA pickup truck, and in other classic “open air” cars and trucks from the museum’s collection.

“Guests should consider bringing their warm coats, hats, gloves, and perhaps even blankets,” the announcement states.

For general questions or more information, visit GilmoreCarMuseum.org, call 269- 671-5089 or email info@gilmorecarmuseum.org.

Local student named runner-up in Governor Whitmer’s State of the State art contest

3-bottom, Education, Recreation, West Michigan, ,

By Cory Olsen
National Heritage Academy

Cross Creek eighth-grader Audrey Wieringa finished as a runner-up in the Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State art contest. (Photo Courtesy of National Heritage Academy)

Cross Creek eighth-grader Audrey Wieringa finished as a runner-up in Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State art contest with a painting of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula.

Artistic talent runs strong in the Wieringa family, so when approached about the opportunity to enter a state-wide contest, Audrey was up for the challenge.

“My mom heard of the contest on the news,” Audrey said. “She suggested I should enter. I thought it would be fun to try something different.”

Wieringa’s mother, Nicole, is the K-8 art teacher at Cross Creek, and her father, Eric, is a full-time artist. She draws inspiration from both.

“It’s pretty cool (to have mom as an art teacher) but she can’t take all the credit, my dad is a professional fine artist,” Audrey said. “He teaches me a lot of techniques and advice on how to get better.”

The art contest challenged K-12 students across Michigan to come up with a creative design for the 2022 State of the State program cover following the theme “Why do you believe in Michigan?” Students were encouraged to be as creative as possible and were welcome to use crayons, markers, paint, or any other materials.
 Gov. Whitmer announced the results of the contest by video Jan. 18.

“Michigan is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, but it’s also home to some incredibly talented students who turned those backdrops into amazing works of art,” Gov. Whitmer said. “I want to thank every student who took the time to create these masterpieces and submit their interpretation of why they believe in Michigan. It’s inspiring to see the passion and potential in all of the gifted and creative students in this state.”

As the governor sorted through the top five selections, she stopped to praise Audrey’s work.

“Oh my gosh, this is so beautiful, it’s got to be in the Upper Peninsula, it’s just gorgeous,” she said. “This is really spectacular.”

Audrey said Pictured Rocks holds a special place in her heart.

“My family visited there for the first time two summers ago,” she said. “I found the landscape to be a spiritual and peaceful experience. It has a lot of different elements in one site and brings together several elements that you can draw.”

Seventh-grader Grace Murtha of Hemlock Middle School was selected as winner by the governor for her piece depicting multiple postcard-like images on a tree trunk-like background. Nearly 800 students submitted their artwork for the contest. The winning art piece will be featured on the 2022 State of the State program cover.

About Cross Creek Charter Academy
Cross Creek Charter Academy, located in Byron Center, Mich., is part of National Heritage Academies (NHA), a charter school management company in Grand Rapids, Mich. with 98 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Migrant Legal Aid supports migrant agricultural workers, educates community — before, during and after pandemic

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Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

ken@wktv.org

West Michigan has a thriving agricultural economy with miles of apples and other crops that often need to be picked by hand each fall. Thousands of migrant workers travel to Michigan each year to harvest these crops for local farmers and growers, filling approximately 100 migrant camps to capacity in Kent County.

With that influx of workers and nomad-style workforce, issues can and often do occur — not the least of which was dealing with the recent and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Local non-profit Migrant Legal Aid has been an advocate for those workers, their health and their rights, for many years, and they continued to do so in 2021.

MLA defines a migrant worker as a person who lives and works at the same place and travels seasonally according to which crops are in season. Due to poverty, language barriers, and discrimination, seasonal workers often find it hard to protect their basic human rights and dignity. This is where Migrant Legal Aid say they step in.

Many migrant workers come from such severe poverty that when they are treated unfairly, most don’t speak up, Molly Spaak, attorney for MLA, said to WKTV. “Culturally, they say they can’t complain. They don’t realize they have a voice … There is also a definite fear of deportation if they come forward.”

Problems and solutions

Undocumented workers make up approximately 50 percent of the agricultural work force. Because of this, there is anxiety among the workers that deportation would occur if they come forward when treated unfairly. A way to eliminate this apprehension is found in case law.

Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)

“MLA has good case law that protects undocumented folks from irrelevant immigration questions and retaliation in the workplace,” Spaak said. “This helps them feel more comfortable coming forward with their concerns.”

Young children have often been found in the fields with their parents, helping to harvest the crops so their parents meet the daily quota mandated by the growers.

“Child labor laws absolutely apply to migrant workers and their families,” said Spaak when asked if Michigan law extended to seasonal workers. “There are now migrant daycares and Head Start programs parents can utilize. These are free to the families. Because of this, there has been a drastic decrease of children in the fields.”

Migrant Legal Aid also provides help for those suffering from domestic violence.

“The Hispanic community is very patriarchal,” said Spaak. “Because of this, DV (domestic violence) cases are always popular.”

MLA offers special visas for victims who come forward. These visas help in many ways, providing social security numbers to the victims so they have the opportunity for steady work among them.

“This gives women and men more justification and incentive to come forward,” Spaak said.

Communication, community awareness

Educating the migrant workers on their rights and the services Migrant Legal Aid offers is a daunting yet necessary task. MLA produces many social media campaigns, newsletters to the community, and press releases to the media in an effort to raise awareness.

However, there are still challenges.

Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)

“Social media helps build community awareness, but not our clients’ awareness because our clients don’t always have access to social media like the general population,” said Spaak.

To develop this knowledge, MLA sends migrant advocates into camps two to three times a week during the summer and fall to pass out Migrant Legal Aid information and speak with the workers personally.

Over the past year, advocates also handed out information on COVID-19.

“Migrant housing is jam-packed with people with one kitchen and one shower—it’s impossible to social distance,” said Spaak. “New COVID-19 regulations are not always followed, and the migrant camps were a hot bed for Coronavirus. Even when the vaccines rolled out, myths about the vaccine stopped a lot of people from getting it because they were worried about what it might do to them. We had to dispel those myths.”

Though MLA does have cases of mistreatment that require court appearances, Spaak said that many issues “can be resolved extremely quickly by speaking with the growers. A lot if it is communication and language issues with the workers.”

Migrant Legal Aid works hard to educate the community about migrant workers’ needs and situations but still needs help from the public. Being a self-funded organization, MLA relies on grants, private party donations, and fundraisers to subsidize their work. Two of their largest fundraisers are annual events — Cup of Justice, a golf outing in the spring, and Harvest of Justice, a luncheon in the fall.

While seeing so many cases of injustice against migrant workers is emotionally hard on the MLA attorneys and advocates, personal migrant success stories give them hope.

“Rene Rodriguez was a migrant worker from several years ago. His parents emigrated to the United States and were a farm worker family,” said Spaak.

Rodriguez went to school, worked hard, and became a professional website designer and marketing designer.

“We (MLA) bought several photographs from him that are now hanging in this office,” Spaak said of Rodriguez. “Rene also helps us with marketing, brochures, and photos.”

To find out more about Migrant Legal Aid and how you can help MLA protect migrant workers’ legal rights, visit here.

Farm workers at a local growing location from fall 2021. (Migrant Legal Aid)

Last-minute shopping — local, small bookstores offer selection from well-known as well as debut writers

3-bottom, Books, Going Local, Holidays, Kids Activities, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Our Cities, Pets/Animals, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, , , ,
Shoppers at epilogue bookstore in Rockford. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

By D.A. Reed, WKTV Contributing Writer

ken@wktv.org

Booklovers, and those with lovers of books on their last-minute shopping list, are in for a treat as several new releases from well-known authors, as well as debut writers, are available just in time for the holidays.

And how better to get that last gift than by buying local, or making a holiday roadtrip out of it?

“There are a ton of really solid, interesting books by well-known authors, as well as those who haven’t written before,” said Tim Smith, Operations Manager for Schuler Books.

Schuler Books on 28th Avenue is a big bookstore with a small bookstore feel. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Founded in 1982 by Bill and Cecile Fehsenfeld, Schuler Books includes locations in both Grand Rapids and Okemos. The Grand Rapids location on 28th Street “offers a wide array of new and used books for adults and children, an extensive selection of book-themed gifts, and a café where shoppers can enjoy coffee and a bite to eat,” they say. And a “friendly, helpful staff contribute to the welcoming feel shoppers experience.”

And if you’re really into last minute Christmas shopping, Schuler Books invites all ages to come and enjoy the live reindeer that will be outside the store Christmas Eve.

Adding to the inviting atmosphere is the knowledge that the staff at Schuler Books have personally hand-picked each book lining the shelves.

“We have a team of buyers that meet with publishing reps (representatives),” Smith said, “and over time have curated our stock. There are core items, of course, but also items specific to each store and its location.”

Changes in readers’ tastes

Schuler’s Smith also mentioned a shift in what buyers are looking for in reading material.

“Over the past couple of years, but especially this year, it has been different because people are looking for books connected to particular current events that people are trying to understand,” said Smith. “People see the world is changing, that there are large changes happening, and people are looking to books to understand these things.”

Popular titles at Schuler Books this holiday season substantiate Smith’s observation, with several books addressing current topics prevalent in society today:

“Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

“How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America” by Clint Smith speaks to racial understanding.

“Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Michigan author Angeline Boulley concentrates on the indigenous community.

“Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem” by Amanda Gorman incorporates a call to action for people of all ages to use their abilities to make a difference.

Other popular titles offer inspiration, humor, and a connection with nature:

“Taste: My Life Through Food” by Stanley Tucci; “The Impossible Mile: The Power in Living Life One Step at a Time” by Johnny Agar; “All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings” by Gayle Boss; “Where the Deer and the Antelope Play” by Nick Offerman; “A Carnival of Snackery” by David Sedaris; “Get Untamed” by Glennon Doyle, a companion journal to Doyle’s 2020 release, “Untamed”; “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich.

Maybe make a day-trip shopping

If you like to do a little strolling around a small-town downtown with plenty of shopping,  epilogue books, founded in July 2018 by Pat and Valerie Burkholder, is celebrating their fourth holiday season in Rockford.

Some of the staff picks at epilogue books in Rockford. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Tucked into a strip of stores just off East Bridge Street, epilogue books features a comprehensive selection of new books for readers of all ages, including several by Michigan authors.

“We try to support local Michigan authors and artists,” said Cindy Coats, bookseller at epilogue books.

Coats also said that the staff at epilogue books hand-picks each book that is placed on the shelves.

“We look at what books are projected to be top-sellers,” said Coats said, “as well as what people are asking for.”

 

And the staff also looks at trends: “People come in asking for books that are being made into movies, like ‘Dune’ (Frank Herbert) and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ (Liane Moriarty),” said Coats.

Biographies and autobiographies have also proven to be a rising trend.

“People have been out of work, or not in their normal realm of work, for a year and a half and used that time to write their stories,” Coats said. “(Readers) like hearing where people came from, and especially about overcoming adversity.”

Several new releases on epilogue’s shelves cater to this topic, including “Will” by Will Smith, and “The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music” by Dave Grohl.

Pick one; all are worth reading. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

“Atlas of the Heart” by Brené Brown, a self-help book that focuses on how to develop meaningful connections with the people in our lives, is another popular title this holiday season.

Cookbooks are also a top seller this year. “Lots of celebrities are now writing cookbooks,” said Coats. “Pop culture is really interjecting into food.”

The bookseller pointed to “An Unapologetic Cookbook,” written by TikTok sensation Joshua Weissman. “We can’t keep these on the shelf,” Coats said with a laugh.

Other popular titles offered by epilogue books include: “Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone” (Outlander Series, Book 9) by Diana Gabaldon; “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides; “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid; “Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives” by Dav Pilkey.

A new reproduction of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling is also dazzling shoppers with its full color illustrations and eight interactive paper craft elements.

“They are stunning,” said Coats, touching the cover as she passed by.

And say ‘“Hi” to Tommy

epilogue books’ Tommy the Bookstore Dog. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)

Visitors to epilogue books will most likely be welcomed by the store’s most popular member, Tommy the Bookstore Dog, a mild-mannered golden retriever who loves to interact with customers.

“People come in just to see Tommy,” said Coats. “One woman drove all the way from Lansing after seeing him on a TikTok video, just to meet him.”

And after the holidays, an upcoming event that booklovers will want to mark on their calendars is a book signing with ABC’s chief meteorologist, Ginger Zee, featuring her upcoming release, “A Little Closer to Home.” A Rockford native, Zee will be at epilogue books Jan. 15 to meet fans and sign books.

Messages from West Michigan U.S. Navy sailors serving our country overseas this holiday season

3-bottom, Holidays, Local Faces, Our Cities, Travel, Veterans, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), with a little bit of holiday lights lit, is the home of West Michigan’s Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King, serving active duty in the U.S. Navy. (U.S. Navy)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

In peacetime and in wartime, American serviceman and women often spend their Christmas Holidays far away from home but allowing those from their hometowns to enjoy the season safe and secure.

The U.S. Navy recently sent WKTV information on two such U.S. Navy personal from West Michigan, including their well wishes for family, friends and everybody they serve yet do not know.

Sailors help maintain America’s strategic advantage at sea, everyday, including the holidays. This means they do not always get to celebrate holidays with their loved ones.

U.S. Navy Seaman Breana Leonard. (U.S. Navy)

Seaman Breana Leonard, a Hastings native serving overseas will celebrate the holidays with shipmates in Guam.

“The holidays are a time to take a break and enjoy time with friends and family,” Seaman Leonard said in supplied material. And she wants to make sure her family back home know that they are loved and missed.

“Thank you for standing by me,” Leonard said. “I love you and I miss you all.”

Leonard serves as a gunner’s mate aboard USS Emory S. Land. As a member of the U.S. Navy, Leonard, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of “a tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance,” according to the U.S. Navy announcement.

“Serving in the Navy means that I’m setting myself up for success in the future,” added Leonard.

Leonard’s brother in arms, Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King, a Grand Rapids native, will celebrate the holidays volunteering for Catholic services at the base chapel in Yokosuka, Japan.

But he remembers a special memory from a holiday past.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew King. (U.S. Navy)

“For me, the holidays represent birth and new beginnings,” Petty Officer King said in supplied material. “When I was 13, my house burnt down in the fall and when the holidays came a secret benefactor donated a home to my family. If you’re reading this, thank you!”

King, too, wants family back home to know they are missed this holiday season.

“I hope everyone back home has a merry Christmas,” King said. “Despite being in Japan, the Christmas spirit spans worldwide. I would also like to thank the students and staff of Meadowbrook Elementary School for sending us care packages.”

King serves as an intelligence specialist aboard USS Ronald Reagan.

“The Navy is about maintaining peace — especially for the holiday season,” King said. “That is all I could ask for.”

Stephanie Fox, of the Navy Office of Community Outreach, contributed to this story.

Wyoming Gives Back canceled as county health leader ‘deeply concerned” about rising COVID cases, urges vaccination

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Going Local, Hard News, Health, Local History, Our Cities, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, ,
A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV has been informed by the City of Wyoming that the planned Wyoming Gives Back event planned for next week has been cancelled due to health concerns for public gatherings.

This follows an announcement this week that the Kent County Health Department is alarmed by the rising COVID-19 cases which have led to local hospitals operating at “extremely high capacity.”

The health department is also encouraging residents to “do their part” and get vaccinated and take other measures to slow the spread of the virus. Among the statistics which have alarmed health leaders are current test positivity rate of 22.8 percent, as of early this week, as ell as a 7-day average for new cases is 645.

“This is a crisis for all of us who live and work in Kent County,” Dr. Adam London, KCHD Director, said in supplied material. “The capacity for hospitals to provide care, which is exasperated by staffing shortages, is at a tipping point. We should all expect increased wait times for emergency, urgent, and primary care as well as delays in ambulance transfers and some surgical procedures until we control the spread of COVID-19 in the community.”

Among the recommendations issued by county health officials are:

Get vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza. “Vaccines are widely available, safe, and effective. According to our local hospital leaders, most of the individuals who are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated,” according to the county health. “If more people get vaccinated, it will greatly help reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals. We also strongly urge residents to get the influenza vaccine. If you have questions about the vaccines, talk to your health care provider and visit vaccinatewestmi.com to find a location for a COVID-19, booster, or influenza vaccine location.”

Wear your mask in public settings. “While masks are not perfect, they provide an additional layer of protection by reducing the spread of virus laden droplets in exhaled air. Masks are especially important for people who are not vaccinated, not fully vaccinated, may be infected and do not have symptoms, or have health conditions that make them more vulnerable to becoming sick if they are infected with COVID-19.”

Get tested. “To help mitigate the spread of the virus,” it is important to get tested if you have been around someone who has COVID-19, experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, before attending indoor gatherings with people above the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions, or if you have been around someone with COVID-19, get tested five days after exposure.

“I am thankful to everyone who has been following our recommendations since the onset of the pandemic,” London said this Thanksgiving week. “The current problems would be far worse if not for your actions. We are now asking for your consideration once again as we look to slow the spread of the virus, regain access to our hospitals, and continue to work to get this pandemic behind us.”

Kent County, partners receive state refugee resettlement grants to assist local Afghan refugees

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Kent County Community Action has been providing meal assistance to local Afghan refugees. (Supplied/Kent County)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Kent County’s efforts to assist Afghan refugees being resettled in West Michigan gained a boost as the Kent County Board of Commissioners, at a Nov. 18 meeting, approved two grants to meet the health and nutritional needs of newly arriving Afghan refugees.

One grant is a $333,000 Refugee Resettlement Food Assistant Grant from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services which will be managed by Kent County Community Action (KCCA), according to an announcement from the county.

The second is a $180,000 Refugee Screening Grant from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity which will be administered by the Kent County Health Department (KCHD).

The health department will screen newly arriving refugees for contagious disease, review and document medical history, administer vaccinations, and provide referrals for primary care physicians, according to the announcement.

 
“Kent County is expecting more than 350 refugees from Afghanistan and the responsibility to provide health screenings and immunizations for these new residents falls on local public health,” KCHD Public Health Division Director Joann Hoganson said in supplied material. “These funds will allow us to provide screenings and other support services to the Afghan refugees and assist them in their transition to a new life in the United States.”


The KCHD will also provide health education services that include an introduction to the U.S. health care system along with information about nutritional healthy living and Medicaid health insurance coverage.

Kent County Community Action has been providing meal assistance to local Afghan refugees. (Supplied/Kent County)

The food assistant grant will assist KCCA in its temporary meal and housing assistance to refugees.

 
“I am glad that KCCA can help during this time of need,” KCCA Program Manager Rachel Kunnath said in supplied material. “I cannot imagine what these families have been through over the past few months, and it is my hope that these meals are a little taste of home that brings them comfort.”

Local resettlement agencies determine the needs of each family as meals are provided to those in temporary living quarters until permanent housing is established. To date, KCCA has prepared more over 1,000 meals which are packaged in boxes containing 20 culturally appropriate meals with four to five different varieties and pita bread.

Flying this holiday season? Ford Airport has good news, great travel tips despite expected big crowds

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Holidays, Local Business, Our Cities, Recreation, Travel, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, WKTV Projects, , ,
Gerald R. Ford International Airport Director of Commercial Development Stephen Clark talks to WKTV about one of the reasons to be relaxed — and healthy — this holiday season when traveling through the Ford. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

Yes, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is expecting passenger levels to equal or exceed 2019 pre-pandemic levels this Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year’s holiday season.

But there is good news on several fronts — from an “all hands on deck” workforce at the airport, to COVID testing being available for travelers, to the local airport bucking a national trend to have crew issues causing flight delays or cancellations.

However, patience, as always, will need to be packed in your carry-on along with your tooth brush and credit card.

A recent forecast by Ford Airport management of 33,000 people traveling in and out, from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Sunday after, may well rise and come close to the 35,000 travelers experienced in 2019. And it should be much the same return to flying norms form the Wednesday before Christmas Day Saturday possibly thorough New Year’s weekend Sunday.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening areas at the Ford are expected to be at full strength this holiday season. (WKTV.K.D. Norris)

But airport Director of Commercial Development Stephen Clark told WKTV there will be plenty of reasons to be festive and relaxed this holiday season at the Ford.

 

“When we look at the holiday season, and trying to celebrate that with our guests, it starts when you come into the facility, creating that sense of place that is West Michigan, so you will see the decorations out here,” Clark said. “But more importantly this year, we are still in the pandemic, so cleanliness is our number one priority.

“As a team, we are cleaning the areas more frequently. You are going to see a heavy emphasis on high-touch areas. And the facility feels different, we are moving the air through the facility more … certainly we are doing everything we can got create a good environment.”

And, Clark said, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA), and all the airports partners, are gearing up for the expected rush — TSA should have all security lines open during peak travel days, he said, and “that should ease one of the more anxious points for travelers, the security check point.”

Tips for travel, as always and due to pandemic

This holiday season is the first time the many people have traveled in a couple of years, Clark said, so, as a general reminder, the first tip for travel is arrive early and pack your checked bags and carry-on bags smartly.

The runway at the Ford International Airport. (Supplied)

“When you are packing your bags make sure you are keeping your medications, your car key and those items you will need right away he you get to your destination, or even come back home, with you,” he said. “Then when you come to the airport, make sure you get here at least two hours early — that is pretty common knowledge these days — but as we get to the holiday season, lines start getting little bit longer, folks start getting a little stressed out … That gives you plenty of time to get your bags checked, if you are checking them, and get through security.”

“Biggest thing we are asking is that people are packing their patience,” Clark added.

There are pandemic requirements to be dealt with as well, especially if you are traveling internationally — make sure you know the COVID requirements of your airlines and at your destination.

“We do have a COVID test site here at the airport that is available to the public, travelers or otherwise,” Clark said. “They can get that PCR Test, that is the gold standard that they will need … additionally when you come to the airport, we just ask that you pack a mask.”

And what about flight delays cancelations

While there has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about airlines needing to cancel flights due to scheduling and crew issues, and the Ford has not been immune to the problem. But there is a simple reason that it is not a big issue, even during busy travel  periods — Grand Rapids’ airport is not a huge airport.

“One of the things we started seeing in the later part of the year were flight delays and crew issues. Fortunately, here at the Ford airport, we really haven’t had a ton of that,”  Clark said. “That really speaks to the fact that we have so many non-stop destinations. As an airport, we have 30-plus non-stop destinations this holiday season … because we have so many non-stop flights were are not having as many crew issues because they are going right to that destination. … A lot of those issues (crew changes) are happening in major hubs.”

For more information on travel and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, visit grr.org.

St. Joseph kicks off the season with Luminary

Entertainment, Food, Great Lakes, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, West Michigan, ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The holiday season will begin with the warm glow of hundreds of luminaries lining the streets of downtown St. Joseph from 5-8 p.m on Friday, Nov. 19. Luminary, sponsored by United Federal Credit Union, creates a joyful atmosphere for all ages to enjoy sales/promotions, specialty items, drawings/giveaways, free gift wrapping and gift ideas galore from participating restaurants and shopkeepers.

“All ages are invited to head downtown for this festive event,” said Amy Zapal, executive director of St. Joseph Today. “Whether you’re looking to enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate, grab a sweet treat, or get a jump start on your holiday gift shopping, it’s a great way to kick off the holiday season.”

Additionally, St. Joe Today will kick off the holiday music in downtown St. Joseph during Luminary weekend. Zapal says, “SJT added holiday music throughout downtown in 2019 as part of Window Wonderland.” Zapal goes on to say, “Last year we wanted to start the holiday festivities a little earlier during the unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. We are excited to continue the tradition and to spread a little extra cheer this year!”



For more information on Luminary, visit stjoetoday.com/luminary.

Weekend event gave only a ‘taste’ of the diversity Grand Rapids has to offer

Beer, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, Local Business, Local Entertainment, Local Food, Recreation, West Michigan, , , , ,

By Amy Sherman
WKTV Contributing Writer

Jonathan Jelks, left and Willie ‘Willie The Kid’ Jackson, right, are throwing a party downtown Grand Rapids on November 13. “The Taste of Black Spirits” will be held at City Flats Hotel, and will feature Black owned beverage based businesses, with plenty of drinks to taste and try. (Courtesy Image)

Looking to break out of the box, or the bottle? The Taste of Black Spirits event that happened this past weekend expanded people’s tasting horizons, while also celebrating minority owned beverage companies. Hosted by two Grand Rapids-based entrepreneurs, this event is just one part of their vision to diversify West Michigan.

“The event is a fantastic way to spotlight, support and celebrate black owned brands in the market that people may not know exist,” said Nayana Ferguson, owner of Anteel Tequila, one of the Black-owned vendors that was at the Taste of Black Spirits which was held at the City Flats Hotel on Saturday.

The event had been put together by Jonathon Jelks and his business partner Willie “Willie the Kid” Jackson. Together with their company GR USA, a merchandising entity, as well as Lazar Favors, a Detroit-based marketing company, they pulled together about two dozen minority-owned beverage businesses for the one-day only event.

Jelks and Jackson participated in a similar event in Detroit, and were inspired to bring the energy and vibe back to their hometown of Grand Rapids.

“I’m from Southeast Grand Rapids, so this area is near and dear to my heart,” said Jelks during an interview.  “Being here in the ‘Rust Belt’ as they call it, and I’m proud to be part of the transformation.” The duo founded their own spirits company, Motu Viget, in 2019. They currently have three products in the market: ​​Motu Viget Brut, Eye Candy, and  Avani Supreme Vodka, with more than 200 placements in the Michigan market, which includes 70 Meijer stores.

For Jelks, it’s important to pass on both his knowledge and his success. “With us having our own spirits company, and having some traction and some success, we wanted to bring some of that to others,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that the small businesses could make the proper connections, and succeed as well. We are in a unique position to do this”.

Jelks’ background is in ‘serial entrepreneurship’. “Anything where I see there is a niche and we can contribute and service the community, those are the kind of things that float my boat,” he explained.

“We felt that the next thing that is going to help Grand Rapids become a world class community is by creating culture. Bars are a big part of that, live entertainment venues are a part of that.”

In addition to the Nov. 13 event, the duo has a whole host of other developments in the works.

Ambiance GR Kitchen & Lounge, which will be located in the former Raggs to Riches space,  should open by the end of 2021. “Ambiance will have live entertainment, events, and will have a kitchen component to it. We’ll be serving American and Cajun dishes, something unique for the restaurant ecosystem downtown Grand Rapids. We are super excited for Ambiance, everyone has been anticipating it, and we are really ready to share it with the community.”

Sip Coffee and Cocktails in Grand Rapids on Alger and Eastern is yet another place that they’ve invested in, along with other partners. This spot is a coffee shop/bar hybrid, and a spot that will welcome all, no matter the time of day.

The duo’s entrepreneurial spirit isn’t limited to just Grand Rapids, they also have two bars in the works in Muskegon. The Motu Lakeshore Wine Bar, named after their spirits company, and Prohibition, an event space, will both be housed in the same building right downtown on 8th Street and should open in the next year.

With no restaurant experience, it’s been a bit of a learning curve for Jelks. Coming out of the pandemic, he’s getting a baptism by fire into the industry. “Labor costs, hiring the right staff, staffing the kitchen is really brutal right now,” he said. “So many people just don’t want to be in the industry anymore, or feel underwhelmed by the pay, and where things are at. There’s a lot of things the industry has to address, and those of us who are invested in the industry are learning to navigate those things.”

Jelks clearly has a bigger vision than just owning a bar or two. And not that owning and operating those alone aren’t a big deal. He’s thinking all the time about Grand Rapids as a whole, and that is what sets him apart. “I look at how some people in Grand Rapids have built big businesses, being very forward thinking, by diversifying our economy,” he said.  “Our city has done a great job in figuring out how to problem solve, and keep people gainfully employed. As small business owners, you just want to continue to add to that DNA, add to that fabric, and create more opportunities. Despite the fact that we have one of the fastest growing cities here in the country, when it comes to black and brown folks, our ratings aren’t so high. There was a Forbes article that came out about 4-5 years ago that rated Grand Rapids as one of the worst cities economically for African Americans. One of the ways we can change these social inequities is through entrepreneurship. That’s very important. We want to not only create businesses where we’ll make money and be successful, but also where we’ll create that pipeline for other entrepreneurs and other folks that can be in leadership in Grand Rapids and Muskegon.”

Anteel Tequila (Courtesy Image)

One of the vendors that was at the Taste of Black Spirits was Anteel Tequila, a Michigan-based spirits company. “Anteel Tequila launched in August of 2018 only in Michigan, our home state and since then Anteel has won over 27 awards, expanded to 8 states, the Caribbean and received global attention for our world’s only Coconut Lime Blanco Tequila,” said owner Ferguson. “We have three additional expressions besides Anteel Coconut Lime that includes a Blanco, Reposado and a limited release Tarocco Blood Orange Blanco Tequila”.

“I think it’s slow, but I’m new to the spirits industry, but I’m having my eyes open to the business,” said Jelks. “It’s like having an epiphany. There are so many different avenues on how to make money in this industry. But also how to have a good time, how to curate. And once you have an internal knowledge of how the spirits industry works, you will find some kind of opportunity. And we just want to encourage people to do so. Knowing what is out there is half the battle.”

“The Black community is not only asking for more Black ownership, but they are also looking for the avenues to gain traction with.”  Mainstream following is the key to success, Jelks emphasized. “It’s our job as Black pioneers to make a way to put a magnifying glass on it, so everyone can see clearly that this is happening. That this transformation is on.”

Jelks doesn’t mince words. “Grand Rapids is suffering from a diversity problem,” he said. “Culturally, we need more events downtown that are culturally led. That is what makes you into a diverse, world class city that is a magnet for attraction and retention, in 2021.

What could young entrepreneurs of color do to move their vision forward? According to Jelks, “Utilize the tools and resources you have in front of you, study up on the position that you want to be in. There is a glamor side to having your own alcohol, but there is so much work. This is one of the more archaic businesses that is still around.” He stressed how hands-on this business is, and that it really isn’t too far off from Prohibition with many of the rules and regulations. “Relationships still mean a lot,” he stressed.

“The industry can be difficult to navigate in for emerging brands without immense marketing budgets,” said Ferguson. “Events like [The Taste of Black Spirits] allow brands to get in front of the masses in a fun, educational manner, allowing us to grow our audience.”

Events like this allow all of us to expand our range of what we taste and experience.

“We’re having the time of our lives doing this,” said Jelks. “We’re busy,”