Monthly Archives: April 2017

Civic Theatre’s ‘Fancy Nancy’ features Kentwood resident in lead

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Kentwood resident Amelia Moody (in the middle with tiara) rehearses with Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s cast of “Fancy Nancy the Musical.”

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Being fancy isn’t about what you have or how you move, according to Kentwood resident Amelia Moody. It’s about making the community you are in, and even the world, a better place.

 

“And that is what is cool about Nancy,” said Moody, who should know since she plays Fancy Nancy in the musical of the same name at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre this month.

 

“This show is a lot of fun,” Moody said. “The imagination and the excitement is amazing and the crowd interaction is over the top.”

 

Based on the beloved children’s book “Fancy Nancy” by Jane O’Connor, Fancy Nancy is excited to audition for the school play, but her fancy world crumbles when she is not cast as a mermaid but rather a tree. Through the help of her friends, Fancy Nancy discovers not everything has to always include tiaras and sparkly shoes.

 

Amelia Moody is Fancy Nancy in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of “Fancy Nancy the Musical.”

“I was very surprised to get the role as I wasn’t expecting it since there are so many talented people in this area,” said Moody, who is a seventh grade homeschooled student. Her past credits include the Homeschool Performing Arts production of “Jane Erye” and Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s 2015 production of “The Hundred Dresses.”

 

“Getting this opportunity is so amazing. It is really very exciting being Nancy because there is a lot of imagination, which is endless. ”

 

Familiar with the book series, Moody said she likes Nancy because she is about creativity and that fancy is state of mind to bring a level of joy and entertainment to everyone.

 

“And its not just for girls, but boys too,” she said, adding that the inspiration behind it is just to enjoy the moment and to have fun which is what the show does.

 

“It’s a lot of fun for everyone,” Moody said. “It’s not just sitting around watching a show but that imagination can grow though this experience and we can all make it a happier and fancier place.”

 

Rounding out the cast is Elizabeth Foster as Bree, Lucy Boswell as Wanda, Theresa Landis as Rhonda, Drew Smith as Lionel and Carolyn Peterson as Mom.

 

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of “Fancy Nancy the Music” starts April 21 and runs through April 30 at the theater located at 30 N. Division in downtown Grand Rapids. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets for the show are $10 – $16 and are going fast according to Grand Rapids Civic Theatre staff. For more information, visit www.grct.org.

Adoptable pets from Humane Society of West Michigan: Pete & Adalyn

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Pets/Animals, , ,

Each week, WKTV features an adoptable furry friend (or few) from various shelters in the Grand Rapids area. This week, we focus on Humane Society of West Michigan, located at 3077 Wilson Dr. NW in Grand Rapids.

 

Humane Society of West Michigan’s mission is to rescue hurt, abused and abandoned animals and find them a new forever home. The 501(c)3 non-profit organization helps over 8,000 animals annually and is 100% donor-funded by caring individuals and businesses in the community. Additional programs help reduce pet overpopulation, provide assistance to low-income pet owners, behaviorally assess animals and reunite lost pets with their owners.

 

Meet Pete!

Pete – Male Domestic Short Hair

I’m a sweet 11-year-old cat looking for my forever home. I’m a quiet, laid-back boy who loves attention. I’d love to have a relaxing home where I can spend time curled up with my favorite people. Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan. My adoption fee is waived due to generous grant funding.

Adorable Adalyn

 

More about Pete:

  • Breed: Domestic Shorthair/Mix
  • Age: 11 years
  • Gender: Male
  • Size: Small
  • Neutered
  • Animal ID: 34806488

Adalyn – Female Pit Bull

I’m an affectionate 2-year-old dog who loves people. I am very sweet and loving, and I’m also wiggly when I get excited! I’m a young girl with lots of playful energy. I get along best with male dogs. I’m ready for my forever home! Please come meet me at Humane Society of West Michigan.

 

More about Adalyn:

  • Breed: Terrier, American Pit Bull/Mix
  • Age: 2 years, 7 months
  • Gender: Female
  • Size: Medium
  • Color: Bronze/Black
  • Spayed
  • Animal ID: 34596195

 

To adopt, call 616.453.8900 or email adoptions@hswestmi.org.

 

Adoption fee includes:

  • A physical done by the staff veterinarian
  • A test for heartworm disease (if six months or older)
  • A first series of vaccines including DHLPP (distemper combo), Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccine, and rabies (if older than 14 weeks of age)
  • Spay/Neuter Surgery
  • Treatment for internal parasites
  • One dose of flea preventative
  • One dose of heartworm preventative

The organization automatically microchips all adoptable animals using 24PetWatch microchips, which include FREE registration into the 24PetWatch pet recovery service. For more information visit www.24petwatch.com or call 1-866-597-2424. This pet is also provided with 30 days of FREE ShelterCare Pet Health Insurance with a valid email address. For more information visit www.sheltercare.com or call 1-866-375-7387 (PETS).

 

Humane Society of West Michigan is open Tues-Fri 12-7, Sat & Sun 11-4.

Kent County gets ‘Smart911’ with the goal of improving emergency response

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Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma, Grand Rapids Central Dispatch Communications Manager Karen Chadwick, Kent County Dispatch Authority Chair and Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt, Kent County Sheriff Department Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser, and RAVE Customer Success Manager Kevin Hatline.

 

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

“Where is the emergency?” has become the first question area 911 operators ask as more and more emergency calls come from cellphone users.

 

This is because within a minute the call is answered the cellphone will relay a location back which can be anywhere from where you are actually standing to a mile or more away, said Kent County Sheriff Department Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser.

 

“Often the case is the person calling is in a very intense, stressful, panicky situation and being able to relay details such as location can be difficult,” said Karen Chadwick, communications manager for Grand Rapids Central Dispatch.

 

Various local law enforcement at today’s press conference for Smart911.

Today, at the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, the Kent County Dispatch Authority — chaired by Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt — announced that it would be adapting the Smart911 program where individuals can create an online safety profile for their household. When a citizen makes a call that profile will automatically display the citizen’s Safety Profile to the 911 call taker.

 

“This profile provides key details about you and your family to those taking our 911 calls during an emergency,” said Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma during the press conference that representatives from various law enforcement agencies throughout Kent County including the Kentwood Police Department and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety attended. “These things might include physical descriptions of your house, your family members. It might include the type of vehicles you drive. It also might include special medical conditions that you or your family might have.”

 

Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen (far left) at the Smart911 press conference.

Other details residents may provide are the pets in the home, the layout of the home and shut off for gas and electricity. It is the type of information that various emergency responders might need, Stelma said.

 

Area residents should go to Smart911.com, click the “Sign Up Today” button and proceed to fill out the information. Sign up is free, private and secure with 911 call takers and responders only able to see the information when a call is made. Once the call is complete, the information disappears from the call taker’s and/or responder’s screen.

 

Powered by RAVE Mobile Safety, Smart911 is currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities. Last November, Lt. Governor Brian Calley and other Michigan government officials announced a statewide initiative to make Smart911 available to all residents. While free to residents to sign up, the cost to Kent County for the service is around $40,000 which is being paid for by a grant for the first year.

 

Holt said he sees the City of Wyoming doing similar promotions as the state on its Facebook page, website and through other media. Officers throughout the county will have materials available to distribute with the goal of encouraging residents to sign up. Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll said he already is planning to include Smart911 information that he provides to residents, especially older citizens.

 

“It’s a good idea,” said Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen. “Having that type of information such as a pinpoint of location is quite a big help in responding to an emergency.”

 

“The additional information provided in a Smart911 safety profile can save critical minutes in an emergency and help responders offer better services,” Holt said. “All information is optional and each citizen has the ability to choose what they would like to include.”

 

Multiple phones can be connected to one address as well as a single phone line can have both home and work addresses assigned to it. Also, the program works with all types of phones from traditional land lines, VOIP, cable and mobile.

 

For more information about the program or to enroll, visit Smart911.com.

Kishi Bashi’s multi-layered music in concert at Calvin College

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,

 

Kishi Bashi will be in concert at Calvin College Wednesday night. (Supplied)

WKTV Contributor

 

Kishi Bashi — singer, songwriter, beatboxing violin player; to just scratch the music surface — will bring his unique sound to Calvin College’s Covenant Fine Arts Center for a concert Wednesday, April 12, at 8 p.m.

 

General admission tickets are $18 and tickets are available.

 

 

Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Kaoru Ishibashi, who was born in 1975 in Seattle, grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where both of his parents were professors at Old Dominion University, and studied film scoring at Berklee College of Music were he perfected his violin work, all according to his website.

 

He has recorded and toured internationally as a violinist with diverse artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and most recently, the Athens, Georgia-based indie rock band, of Montreal. He remains based in Athens. He is a founding member of the New York electronic rock outfit, Jupiter One. In 2011, he started to record and perform as a solo artist, and soon debuted his full-length solo album “151a”.

 

As Kishi Bashi, he has played major festivals such as SXSW and Austin City Limits and gone on an extensive US tour with supporting acts such as The Last Bison. In 2016, released his latest recording, “Sonderlust”.

 

For a video of Bashi, watch/listen here: https://youtu.be/_Dc4IlAcnVs

 

Other Calvin College concerts coming up include: An Evening with Sandra McCracken, Calvin College Chapel, April 20 at 7 p.m. $5 general admission; Explosions in the Sky w/special guest, Covenant Fire Arts Center, April 27, 8 p.m., $38 reserved; Overcoats, w/Yoke Lore, Covenant Fire Arts Center, May 3, 8 p.m., free; and RY X, w/Jens Kuross, Covenant Fire Arts Center, May 10, 8 p.m., $15 general admission

 

For more information visit calvin.edu/boxoffice

 

Kentwood 50: Easter Egg Hunt set for Saturday at City Hall

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

This year, Kentwood City Hall lawn will be speckled with color as thousands of Easter eggs will be placed there for the city’s Easter Egg Hunt set for 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15.

 

Every year for the past several, the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department has hosted an Easter activity. Last year’s event was a breakfast with the Easter Bunny and in years past, there have been Easter egg hunts at the Kenwood Activities Center, said Kentwood Parks and Recreation Event Coordinator Laura Barbrick. This year, with the city’s celebrating its Golden Anniversary, it was decided to have an Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn at the Kentwood City Hall, Barbrick said, adding it is the first time the egg hunt has been at city hall.

 

“Being that this is city’s 50th anniversary, it only made sense to have the Easter Egg Hunt at city hall, since it is the hub of city activities,” Barbrick said. “We are going to hid thousands of eggs. Kids always have a great time collecting them. It’s a perfect family event to kick off spring.”

 

And to mark the Kentwood 50, among those eggs will be a few special golden ones that will contain a certificate to redeem for prizes. “Everyone who participates will get something whether that is candy or a prize,” Barbrick said.

 

The event is open to children 10 and younger. There is no registration, but participants must bring their own bag or basket to collect eggs.

 

The Easter Bunny also will be making a special appearance and will be available for photos.

 

For more information, visit www.ci.kentwood.mi.us. The Kentwood City hall is located at 4900 Breton Road SE.

 

The next Kentwood 50 event will be the Kentwood Parks and Recreation Gala, The Vibe, set  for May 19. This year’s event will highlight the Adaptive Water Ski Program, the only one of its kind in the state of Michigan. Tickets for the event are $75. For more information about The Vibe, visit www.kentwoodvibe.com.

 

 

Access of West Michigan Annual Hunger Walk celebrates 40th year of supporting good food

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Non-Profits,

 

By Ellie Wahlburg, Access of West Michigan

 

Tie up those shoe laces and grab your friends, the Access of West Michigan 40th Annual Hunger Walk is coming to downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday, May 7. Registration and food festival — including live music, a food truck, activities for kids and more — begins at 1:30 p.m. at Park Church, 10 E Park Pl NE, Grand Rapids. The walk begins in stride at 2:15 p.m.

 

Since 1977, the Hunger Walk has raised over $6 million for local and international organizations promoting a thriving food system through the support of thousands of individuals, businesses and congregations.

 

This year, the goal is to extend that support by raising $110,000 and have over 1,000 walkers. Participants, whether individual or in teams, collect financial pledges for walking the 5K to celebrate and generate awareness for the mission of organizations working to reduce poverty and food insecurity. The focus is on the dual themes of celebration and solidarity.

 

“We walk to celebrate the good that we have done in the last 40 years, we also stand in solidarity with those still facing issues of systemic poverty, inequity, and disparity,” said Access of West Michigan Co-Director, Emma Garcia. “The Hunger Walk is a way that our community members can show public support for economic justice, health equity, and the need for a food system that provides good food to all people.”

 

Join the legacy of promoting a thriving food system through donating, sponsoring, volunteering or walking. Learn more here.

 

For more information on this exciting community event, please contact: Savion Sanford,
Hunger Walk Coordinator at 616.774.2175 x 2 or email savion@accessofwestmichigan.org

 

Access of West Michigan is located at 1700 28th Street in Grand Rapids.

 

On the shelf: ‘Bloodmoney: A Novel of Espionage’ by David Ignatius

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , ,

By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

 

When is revenge fulfilled?

 

Bloodmoney is a masterful spy thriller that zips along like a bullet train. Although fiction, the plot eerily echoes several recent news stories involving the CIA in Pakistan. The authentic touch comes from the author’s in-depth knowledge garnered as a journalist covering foreign affairs for decades.

 

Interesting characters inhabit his novel, and we are never sure till the end how many sides they are playing. Their moral ambiguities, woven into the plot, often reflect back our own conflicted foreign policy. A key player, the duplicitous General Malik, head of Pakistan’s ISI, articulates an ongoing thread when he remarks, “Americans did not like lying to others. It made them uncomfortable. Their specialty was lying to themselves.” 

 

The story is modeled on the archetypical Death Wish/Mad Max type. A good man, who does everything right, suffers an unspeakable loss, and out of his despair and outrage a new creature is born; one who will avenge his family. This man becomes known to his friends and enemies alike as “the ghost”.

 

By the end, I found myself wondering, as the ghost does, “When is revenge fulfilled?”

Jazz, Concert Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble all part of the GVSU line-up for this week

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Music and Dance
For more information about all Music and Dance Department events, call (616) 331-3484. All events are free and open to the public.

 

 

Recital for International Guests of Grand Valley State University
April 12, from 1:30-2:15 p.m.
Sherman Van Solkema Hall (room 1325), Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
The Recital for International Guests promises to be a celebration of diversity at Grand Valley State University as several music majors from the U.S., South Korea and China will perform, including Da sol Um, Yushan Ying, Aileen Chung, Jinah Lee, Bryce Kyle, Anna Vander Boon and Grace Brylinski.

 

GVSU Concert Band Concert
April 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
During this April 12 performance, the Grand Valley State University Concert Band will perform “Euphoria” by John Frantzen, “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise” by Harry Alford, “Chester” by William Schuman, “Lights Out” by Alex Shapiro, “Four Scottish Dances” by Malcolm Arnold and “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa. The ensemble will be joined by Dan Graser, assistant professor of saxophone at Grand Valley, as a solosit for “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (La fille aux cheveux de lin)” by Claude Debussy.

 

GVSU Jazz Concert
April 13, at 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
The GVSU Large and Small Jazz Ensembles will perform during this free concert that is open to the public.

 

GVSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert
April 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus 
This Grand Valley State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert will feature this year’s Concerto Competition Winners with Morales’s “Concerto for Two Trumpets” played by a euphonium duo. The concert will also include “English Dances Set II” by Malcolm Arnold, “Sketches on a Tudor Psalm” by Fisher Tull, “Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite” by Karl L. King, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pineapple Poll.”

 

Piano and Clarinet Studios of Helen Marlais and Arthur Campbell Recital
April 15, from 2-6 p.m.
Sherman Van Solkema Hall (room 1325), Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
Grand Valley State University students of Helen Marlais, associate professor of piano, and Arthur Campbell, professor of clarinet will perform during this free concert. This event is free and open to the public.

 

GVSU Symphony Orchestra Concert featuring Concerto Competition Winners
April 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
During this performance, Grand Valley State University will present its finest solo work with the Symphony Orchestra. The final concert of the season will begin with Nicolai’s delightful “Merry Wives of Windsor Overture” and will conclude as Henry Duitman, GVSU Symphony Orchestra director, conducts the ensemble in one of Richard Strauss’ monumental tone poems, “Death and Transfiguration.”

Local high school sports schedule: April 10-17

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports, ,
High school baseball and softball seasons are in full swing. Check out a ball game. (WKTV)

By Mike Moll

sports@wktv.org

 

Spring weather, and spring high school, sports are now in full swing —  “Play Ball! So, if you are looking for a Wyoming and Kentwood area high school varsity sports event to get out to, here is your weekly list.

 

Monday, April 10

Boys baseball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights

Girls softball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH

 

Tuesday, April 11

Girls Tennis 

Cookie Invite @ South Christian

Jenison @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH

Tri-Unity Christian @ Potter’s House – DH

West Michigan Aviation @ Bloomingdale – DH

Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian

Grandville @ East Kentwood – DH

Girls Softball

South Christian @ FH Eastern – DH

Coopersville @ Godwin Heights

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming – DH

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Kelloggsville @ Tri-Unity Christian

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming

Hope Academy @ West Michigan Aviation

Potter’s House @ Zion Christian

Caledonia @ East Kentwood

Boys Golf 

Kelloggsville @ Hastings – Scrimmage

Boys/Girls Track 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Water Polo

Portage Central @ East Kentwood

 

Wednesday, April 12

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Calvin Christian

East Kentwood @ Grandville – OK Red Jamboree

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ FH Eastern

Union @ Kelloggsville

Middleville T-K @ Wyoming

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Christian

Boys Lacrosse

South Christian @ Zeeland

Boys Baseball 

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

Godwin Heights @ Belding

FH Central @ Wyoming

Girls Softball 

Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian

Godwin Heights @ Belding

FH Central @ Wyoming – DH

Girls Soccer 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Water Polo

Grandville @ East Kentwood

 

Thursday, April 13

Boys Golf

South Christian – Kent County Classic @ Thornapple Pointe

East Kentwood – Kent County Classic @ Thornapple Pointe

Boys Baseball  

FH Eastern @ South Christian

Wyoming @ Middleville T-K

Covenant Christian @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand Rapids Crusaders @ Zion Christian

East Kentwood @ Grandville

Holland Calvary @ Wyoming Lee – DH

Girls Softball

Caledonia @ South Christian – DH

Wyoming @ Grandville

Unity Christian @ East Kentwood

Boys Lacrosse

Muskegon Reeths-Puffer @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

Wyoming @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Union

Potter’s House @ Tri-Unity Christian

Grand River Prep @ Zion Christian

Boys/Girls Track 

Wyoming Lee @ Kelloggsville

Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

Rockford @ East Kentwood

Girls Tennis

@ East Kentwood – EK Quad

 

Friday, April 14

Boys Golf 

Wyoming @ Kelloggsville

Girls Softball 

Western Michigan Christian @ Kelloggsville

Girls Soccer 

West Ottawa @ Wyoming

West Michigan Aviation @ Wyoming Lee

Northview @ East Kentwood

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Jenison

 

Saturday, April 15

Boys/Girls Track

South Christian @ Unity Christian

Kelloggsville @ Coopersville – Bronco Classic

Wyoming @ Comstock Park

West Michigan Aviation @ Lakewood – Lakewood Invitational

East Kentwood @ Mansfield/Mehock Relays

Boys Baseball

South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Wyoming Tournament

Godwin Heights @ Wyoming – Wyoming Tournament-

Wyoming Lee @ Union – DH

Girls Softball

South Christian @ East Kentwood – EK Invite

Girls Tennis

South Christian @ East Kentwood

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming – Wyoming Invitational

Girls Water Polo

East Kentwood @ Jenison

 

Sunday, April 16

EASTER SUNDAY

 

Monday, April 17

Boys Golf

South Christian @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

East Kentwood @ Forest Hills Invite – Egypt Valley

Girls Tennis

Wyoming @ South Christian

Kelloggsville @ Calvin Christian

East Kentwood @ Byron Center

Boys Lacrosse

Comstock Park @ South Christian

Girls Soccer

South Christian @ Wayland

Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee

Hopkins @ Godwin Heights

East Grand Rapids @ Wyoming

Boys Baseball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

West Michigan Aviation @ Tri-Unity Christian – DH

Potter’s House @ Kelloggsville – DH

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee

Girls Softball 

Godwin Heights @ Calvin Christian

NorthPointe Christian @ Wyoming Lee – DH

 

Two local historians receive Gordon Olson awards at GVSU event

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The Kutsche Office of Local History at Grand Valley State University presented two local historians with the Gordon Olson Award at a recent gathering.

 

Wallace “Wally” Ewing and Margaret (Peg) Finkelstein each received the award at the Local History Roundtable last month. The Olson Lifetime Contribution of Local History Award recognizes individuals for using history to give voice to diverse communities. It is named for Olson, former Grand Rapids historian.

 

  • Ewing has dedicated more than 20 years to researching and writing about the history of West Michigan, particularly the area between Holland and Muskegon and east to Coopersville and Grand Rapids. He has written 14 books and continues a bi-weekly column in the Grand Haven Tribune.

 

Ewing joined the board of the Tri-Cities Historical Museum in 1994 and was appointed its curator of education, and has since devoted his time to research and writing.

 

  • Finkelstein has conducted lifelong research on logging, and is the keeper of her family history, which can be traced to the New France settlement of Quebec. She is the director of the Peg & Mort Finkelstein Archives at Temple Emanuel in Grand Rapids, with a goal to preserve the Jewish history within the Grand Rapids communities.

 

Finkelstein was invited by the director of the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan to work on its current project, Michigan Women Who Have Made A Difference, Jewish Voices Project.

 

The Kutsche Office of Local History sponsors the Local History Roundtable annually for librarians, archivists, community members, educators and others who share a passion for local history. Learn more at www.gvsu.edu/kutsche.

Wyoming Department of Public Safety warns of recent telephone scam targeting elderly

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , , ,

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety and the Metro Fraud and Identity Theft Team (MFITT) are warning the public of a recent telephone scam targeting the elderly. There have been two reports of a subject identifying himself as “Steven” and targeting elderly victims by advising them that their grandchild is incarcerated in a local jail, or a jail facility in Florida. The suspect is requesting that the victim purchase gift cards from national retailers where then instructions are given to have the victim provide the suspect the security codes from the cards. The suspect states that these purchases will fund attorney services so that the incarcerated family member can be bonded out of jail.

 

In both cases, the suspect requested multiple card purchases in increments of $2,000. So far, this scam has a resulting loss of more than $20,000.

 

Again the Wyoming Department of Public Safety wishes to advise the public that these telephone calls are a scam to fraudulently obtain money and if they receive calls such as these, to hang up on the caller.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, or MFITT at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.

Review: Outlaw alt-country woman? Margo Price defies expectations

3-bottom, Beer, Local Entertainment, Reviews
Margo Price and band were at St. Cecilia Music Center on April 6. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org 

 

60-second Review

 

Margo Price and band, April 6, at St. Cecilia Music Center, Grand Rapids, Mi. 

 

Diving blind into the deep end of Margo Price’s music, as myself and many in the audience did Thursday night at the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café concert, there were expectations, uncertainty and, ultimately, satisfaction — an experience not unlike first dates.

 

The expectations? That comes from pre-concert research revealing Price has not only played with Jack White (White Stripes) — and is the only country act on his Third Man Records label — but just last month was a prominent presence at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion alt/outlaw country concert in Austin during SXSW (South by Southwest). … Is there two more diverse musical mentors that White and Nelson?

 

The uncertainty? At St. Cecilia, Price comes onto the stage wearing a pretty pink little dress perfect for the stage of the Grand Ole Opry but with her exposed shoulders showing off a big ole tattoo. Then she kicks off the night with three songs off her newest recording, 2016’s “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter”: the beautifully modern sound of “Hands of Time”, the classic country sound of “About to Find Out” and the definitely oldie sound of “Tennessee Song”.

 

The satisfaction? Just watching Price and her five-piece band breeze through an 18-song, 90-minute set with a setlist equally leaning on her 2016 debut solo recording — a rough-edged if not intentionally alt-country collection of often introspective, intimate songs — and covers of the who’s who of classic and outlaw country.

 

The songs off the new recording were clearly the focus of her music, including my favorite, “Since You Put Me Down” — “I killed the angel on my shoulder with a bottle of the Bulleit, So I wouldn’t have to hear him bitch and moan, moan, moan” … Dylanesque lyrics and my favorite bourbon; what’s not to like?

 

But she also paid tribute and high compliment to classics such as Loretta Lynn’s “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven”, Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” and even Waylon Jennings’ honky tonk anthem “Ain’t Living long Like This”.

 

Price, clearly, is not backing down from her past or her future.

 

May I have more, please?

 

Price, coming up to her 34th birthday on April 15, is one of those classic country music tweeners, immersed and comfortable in the past but bringing a fresh sound to the genre — sort of a female version of Jason Isbell, whom I also really like. And, if there is any justice in the world, Price will be following Isbell into the world of bigger audiences and sales.

 

She was also greatly aided at St. Cecilia by the solid sounds of her band; especially deserving note were  Luke Schneider’s work on pedal steel and dobro and Micah Hulscher’s keyboard sounds — especially perfect was the honky-tonk piano sounds on several numbers.

 

The only complaint I have with Price’s concert was that I did not have a beer in my hand. There is something about a great country music concert that just begs for a hot summer day, a impending farmer’s tan line, and a cold one in one’s hand. But considering it was snowing earlier in the day in Grand Rapids, I was glad for what I did have on hand.

 

St. Cecilia’s Royce Auditorium was not full, but as evidenced by a show of hands asked for by music center director Cathy Holbrook, there was a large contingent of fans who had never been in the theater. Already known as an outstanding chamber music venue and a fine jazz stage, the Acoustic Café may have the makings of a up-and-coming country music destination.

 

Price certainly liked it: she pointed out at one point at the concert that her current small venue tour has seen a lot of big drinking establishments and it was nice to play to a little more focused audience.

 

Of course, I reiterate, the next time I see her I want it to be 80 degrees and a beer in my hand, maybe with Isbell.

 

Government Matters: Week in review April 3-7

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Stabenow, Peters urge President Trump to keep promise to Michigan workers in meeting with Chinese President Xi

The Senators urged President Trump to hold China accountable for currency manipulation and other trade violations

By Miranda Margowsky and Allison Green

In advance of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI), joined by Senators Robert Casey Jr. (D-PA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) wrote to President Trump asking him to keep his promise to American workers by calling on China to stop its harmful trade practices including overcapacity, currency manipulation and industrial espionage.

“Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China has consistently failed to comply with its international trade obligations. And workers across the U.S., including workers in our home states, have paid the price,” wrote the lawmakers. “We urge you hold firm on your promises to workers in our states and across the country and advance our mutual goal of holding cheaters accountable, bringing home better paying jobs, and fairer markets in which U.S. businesses and workers can compete.”

Senators Peters & Ernst launch Motorcycle Caucus

By Allison Green

U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) announced the formation of the first-ever Motorcycle Caucus in the United States Senate. The life-long motorcycle riding senators will serve as co-chairs of the caucus, and will advocate for a multitude of issues on behalf of both motorcycle riders and manufacturers.

Senator Gary Peters

“I’ve loved motorcycles since I was a kid, and I started a newspaper route to buy my first motorcycle at age 11. To this day, I believe there is no better way to see Michigan’s beautiful scenery than by bike, whether I’m riding to meet with constituents and small businesses or taking my bike out on the weekend,” said Senator Peters.

“Motorcyclists come from all walks of life, and I can’t think of a better way to bring together a diverse and dedicated group of advocates to discuss everything from safety concerns to manufacturing. I’m looking forward to working with Senator Ernst as co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Motorcycle Caucus to foster these important discussions and find common ground with motorcycle lovers across the country.”

Last year, Peters traveled 833 miles through 26 counties on his #RideMI Motorcycle Tour. On the five day tour, Peters made 12 stops where he discussed his efforts to help grow Michigan’s small businesses, bolster our manufacturing sector and expand critical infrastructure. He also met with Michigan veterans, visited Camp Grayling, one of Michigan’s key military installations, and toured Wolverine Worldwide, which makes footwear for the U.S. Military.

Stabenow, Peters lead bipartisan delegation letter to Trump Administration urging funding for dredging of recreational harbors in Michigan

By Allison Green and Miranda Margowsky

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters led a bipartisan delegation letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney requesting that funding for dredging

of recreational and commercial harbors in Michigan be included in the fiscal year 2018 budget.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not included operation and maintenance funding to dredge Michigan harbors over the last several fiscal years.

U.S. Senator Gary Peters

“These harbors are critical to commercial and recreational navigation, public safety, and the economies of our state and local communities” wrote the lawmakers.

“We hope to see funds set aside for this long overdue work in the FY2018 U.S. Army we hope to see funds set aside for this long overdue and much needed work in the FY2018 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget proposal.”

The letter was also signed by Representatives John Conyers, Sander Levin, Fred Upton, Bill Huizenga, Dan Kildee, Dave Trott, Debbie Dingell, Brenda Lawrence, John Moolenaar, Jack Bergman and Paul Mitchell.

 

 

Huizenga to hold Town Hall in Wyoming tonight

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Politics, Upcoming Events, , ,
By Brian Patrick
Congressman Bill Huizenga announced that the next stop on his listening tour will take place on Tuesday, April 11th in Wyoming. The town hall-style listening session will be held in the auditorium of Godwin Heights High School and begin at 7 p.m. This event is open to all residents of Michigan’s Second Congressional District.
  • Who: Congressman Bill Huizenga
  • What: A Town Hall Listening Session
  • Where: Godwin Heights High School Auditorium located at 50 35th St. SW in Wyoming
  • When: Tuesday, April 11th. Doors opening at 6:15 p.m., Town Hall from 7-9 p.m.
Signs will not be permitted in the auditorium. Those who would like to display signs are welcome to do so outside the high school prior to the event.
Congressman Huizenga’s first listening tour stop took place in Baldwin on February 25th and was attended by over 300 people. Congressman Huizenga’s second listening tour stop took place on March 6th in Grand Haven with over 1,000 people in attendance.
Since January, Congressman Huizenga has held telephone town halls, Facebook town halls, and in-person town halls.

Grand River rising causes Emergency Management to monitor potential flooding issues

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The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids issued a Flood Warning for the Grand River until Tuesday morning. The County could have some of the highest levels seen in quite some time, but a repeat of the severe flooding seen in April 2013 is not anticipated. Kent County Emergency Management reminds everyone that spring flooding can quickly become dangerous and in some cases, deadly. There are some areas where flooding is already occurring after the rain received over the past week. While no emergencies are expected at this time, there are areas that historically have seen flooding. If you live or travel through these areas, being aware is important.

 

Health and safety are still the top priorities for residents and County personnel. River and creek waters can move fast and carry debris that can be dangerous. Just six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock people off their feet, and two feet of flood waters can carry a car. Do not try to walk, swim, or drive through flood waters. If you see flood water in the road, or barricades posted on roads, please turn around and take a different route. “We ask that residents be aware and cautious as river levels rise,” said Jack Stewart, Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator. “The National Weather Service says flooding is likely along nearly the entire stretch of the Grand River and its associated tributaries. We will monitor the situation throughout the weekend.”

 

This morning, the Grand River was measured at 13.8 feet; flood stage is 18.0 feet. The River is expected to rise above flood stage Sunday before midnight and continue to rise to near 18.1 feet by early Monday morning. Residents in low lying areas of Grand Rapids may see basement flooding, and moderate flooding could happen for homes and structures in Comstock Park as well as Robinson Township (Ottawa County). The River should return to below flood stage by Monday night.

5 ways to save some dough on your food bill

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, ,

 

By ACSET Community Action Agency

Households in the U.S. reported spending about 12% of total income on food in 2015. That’s nearly $600/month spent on groceries and eating out. For the many Americans who live paycheck-to-paycheck, saving on their monthly grocery bill could make a big difference.  The extra cash could be used to start an emergency fund or pay off debt. Here are five ways to get started:

Eat at home. Sitting down for a meal can be difficult for busy families. Eating out is much more convenient, but it comes at a price. Try to plan and prep meals ahead of time to make eating at home easier. You’ll save money and probably make healthier choices, too.
Plan your shopping trips. Avoid multiple, small trips to the grocery store. They can add up quickly! Instead, do all your shopping for the week at one time. Make a list based on your meal plan and stick to the list to avoid unnecessary purchases.

Check out the weekly ads. When you plan your grocery trip, check your weekly ads before you go. See if any of the items you need are on sale. If you have more than one store near you, compare prices to see where you can save the most money.

Look for the best deal. Grocery stores tend to put the most expensive items at eye-level, where you will see them first. Look to the top and bottom of the shelves to find less expensive options. Taking a few extra seconds to compare prices at the shelf can save you a lot at checkout.

Consider generic brands. Many generic brands are nearly identical to their brand-name counterparts but cost much less. Check the ingredient labels to ensure you are getting the same product and save a lot when you switch to generic brands.

If you or someone you know is having trouble putting enough healthy food on the table, ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) can help. ACSET CAA works with community partners around Kent County to provide food assistance to low-income households. To learn more about qualifications, distribution dates and locations, visit CAA’s website.

Upcoming distribution locations and dates:

 

SECOM Resource Center
1545 Buchanan Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or while supplies last

North Kent Community Services
1075 Northland Dr NE, Rockford, MI
Thursday, April 13, 2017
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. or while supplies last

Kent County Human Service Complex
121 Franklin St SE, Suite 110, Grand Rapids, MI
Thursday, April 13, 2017
1:00 to 7:00 p.m. or while supplies last

 

 

After exciting winter of high school sports, WKTV’s spring coverage starts

Area Education, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Kentwood Public Schools, Sports
High School girls water polo is on the schedule for WKTV coverage this spring.

By Mike Moll

WKTV Sports

 

The winter schedules wrapped up in March with a couple of our local teams showing very well in the state tournament. In the boys Class D tournament, Tri-Unity Christian made it to the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual state runner-up Buckley by 11 points. The girls side had the East Kentwood Lady Falcons getting into the championship game in Class A before losing for just the second time all season, to Flushing, also by 11.

 

The WKTV truck and the crews will continue to bring various events to the airwaves this spring and including, for the first time, in addition to baseball and softball, we will be covering girls water polo.

 

The tentative April schedule for WKTV coverage is:

Tuesday, April 11: Baseball, Grandville @ East Kentwood

Wednesday, April 12: Water polo, Grandville @ East Kentwood

Tuesday, April 18: Baseball, Wyoming @ South Christian

Thursday, April 20: Softball Union @ Godwin Heights

Tuesday, April 25: Water polo, Grand Haven @ East Kentwood

Thursday, April 27: Water Polo West Ottawa @ East Kentwood

 

Each game will be broadcast that night on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 at 10:30 p.m. throughout the Grand Rapids Metro Area and repeat on later in the week — the Tuesday games will be rebroadcast Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and the Wednesday and Thursday games will be rebroadcast Saturdays at 11 a.m. — on  WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.

 

Local high school sports events are limited this week due to spring break. They are as follows:

 

Saturday, April 8

Girls softball

Godwin Heights @ Comstock Park

 

Monday, April 10

Boys baseball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights

Girls softball

Hopkins @ Kelloggsville – DH

Wyoming Lee @ Godwin Heights – DH

 

For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week in April, and any changes to the WKTV feature game schedule, see now.wktv.org/sports/

 

Children’s Assessment Center takes action to protect children of Kent County

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Crime Prevention, Health, Non-Profits, , ,
The Children’s Assessment Center of Kent County is designated as a Darkness to Light ‘Partner in Prevention’.
Staff members are trained in award-winning Stewards of Children® Program for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention.

By Misti DeVries, Children’s Assessment Center

 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, as well as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is estimated that one in 10 children will be sexually abused before the age of 18. That means here in Kent County thousands of children are victimized every year —but national statistics tell us that only 14% of those cases are ever reported to law enforcement.

 

Committed to “Hearing the Story and Healing the Pain” of child sexual abuse and also “Halting the Cycle”, the Children’s Assessment Center of Kent County has been designated as a Partner in Prevention which is awarded by the international Darkness to Light organization whose mission is educate responsible adults  to reduce child sexual abuse. The Partner in Prevention program was created as a national standard to help communities take child protection seriously by parents and caregivers to prevent child sexual abuse.

 

The recent sexual abuse allegations by numerous MSU and Team USA gymnasts, that went unheeded for years against Dr. Larry Nassar, makes it clear that every adult in the  community needs to take a strong stand against the routine behavior of silencing and shaming victims and allowing perpetrators of status in our communities to escape accountability.

 

The CAC now offers the highly recognized program, “Stewards of Children”, to parents, community youth groups, sports organizations, medical personnel, faith-based communities as well as others which would benefit from this award-winning training. Stewards of Children will guide adults in understanding the issue of child sexual abuse, identifying unsafe situations and practices, and reacting responsibly in the best interest of the children they serve and care for.

 

This evidence-informed program is scientifically proven to help participants prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. To learn more about child sexual abuse prevention training in Kent County or to enroll your organization in a Darkness to Light training through the CAC, please email Community Advocate, Misti, at mdevries@cac-kent.org .

 

About The Children’s Assessment Center (CAC)
The only agency in Kent County providing child-centered comprehensive services to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse all under one roof: forensic interview, investigative reporting, medical examination and therapy, the agency sees 800 children annually.

 

The CAC created the KIDZ Have Rights © “Your Body Belongs to You” prevention program and offers it to over 20,000 students in Kent County annually.

In addition to CAC staff, GRPD and the Kent County Sheriff’s department each have three detectives stationed full time at the Center to investigate suspected child sexual abuse cases. Four Child Protective Services investigators also work out of the CAC.

 

To learn more about CAC’s services, community events and trainings, or information on how to report, please visit the website.

 

About Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light (D2L) has championed the movement to end child sexual abuse since its founding in 2000. With affiliates in all 50 U.S. states and 16 additional countries, D2L provides individuals, organizations, and communities with the tools to protect children from sexual abuse. To date, the D2L network of 7,000 authorized facilitators has trained over 900,000 parents, youth serving professionals, and organization volunteers in D2L’s award-winning Stewards of Children® child sexual abuse prevention program.

Reaching for the great beyond might lead to the next big thing according to Senator Peters

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“SPACE: A Journey of our Future” at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum through May 29.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

So what does the Black & Decker Dustbuster vacuum have to do with the exploration of space?

 

It actually has to do with drilling. Black & Decker was tasked with creating a self-contained drill capable of extracting core samples for the Apollo program. The company later would use the drill’s computer program to develop the cordless miniature vacuum cleaner.

 

It this type of “spin-off” technology that the space program has on everyday life, said U.S. Senator Gary Peters, who made a stop in Grand Rapids to celebrate the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum’s current exhibit “SPACE: A Journey of our Future,” which runs through May 29.

 

Check out a piece of the moon in the “SPACE: A Journey of our Future.”

“We know that when we invest in science, we will get a higher return for taxpayers,” Peters said.

 

And as the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, that higher return is something Peters and the Subcommittee are banking on with the mission to Mars.

 

“Similar of what you think about President Kennedy — I am sure you have studied this in that President Kennedy made the claim that we would get to the moon by the end of the decade and really set this goal, this bar of which everyone one was trying to achieve,” Peters said to a group of high school students during a lecture at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

 

“The same thing is happening to the Mars mission in it is in the process of moving forward.”

 

While the Mission to Mars is still about 15 years away — the target year is 2030 — the work toward making that happen has lead to innovation not only through out the United States, but right in Michigan, Peters said, adding that several Michigan companies are involved in developing technology and even constructing the SLS rocket that will carry the astronauts to Mars.

 

In the “SPACE: A Journey to Our Future,” there is an up-close look at NASA’s new Constellation Program with a model of the Ares I launch vehicle and the Orion crew capsule, which is planned to be used in in the Mission to Mars. Other highlights of the traveling exhibit including a Lunar Habitat, where visitors can experience what it would be like to live and work on the Moon, a look at the Hubble telescope, an illustrated timeline 0f NASA’s 50 years of space exploration, and the multimedia 360-degree “Future Theatre.”

 

Peters discussed some of these items in the lecture such as it being a costly venture to have people living on the moon, but that NASA is looking to use the moon as sort of a laboratory by pulling an astroid into the moon’s atmosphere so as to be able to study it and its components.

 

Learn how to pack for a trip into space.

“It is believed that astroids that slammed into the earth brought the basic building blocks for life,” Peters said, adding it is exciting to be able to study those “seeds of life.”

 

The Hubble Space Telescope has served the United States well bringing incredible images, but soon the James Webb Space Telescope — scheduled to be launched in 2018 — will study the phases in history of the universe. “It is said that if the James Webb telescope was on earth, pointing to the moon, it would be able read the heat signature of a single bubble bee…that’s how powerful it is,” Peters said.

 

All of these advancements lead to new technology such as autonomous or self driving cars, which could impact space programs on a variety of levels, Peters said.

 

“We do not know what the next big thing is,” Peters said as he talked about research and advancements. “We know that if we continue to invest in the basic chemistry, basic biology, basic physics, that kind of basics that are being done in our research universities, of which Michigan has several in Grand Rapids and throughout, that it will lead to the next big thing that will transform life as we know it know.”

 

“SPACE: The Journey to Our Future,” which explores the past, present and future of space exploration, is at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW, through May 29.

On the shelf: ‘Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?’ by Armon B. Neel, Jr.

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , , , ,

By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

 

Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?: How to Prevent Dangerous Interactions, Avoid Deadly Side Effects, and be Healthier with Fewer Drugs

 

Hopefully not! But there’s trouble in Pillville, and the author has penned an incredibly useful and lively book addressing the problem. Armon Neel, PharmD., has been a “consulting pharmacist” for over 30 years, helping institutions, caregivers and patients with medication reviews. Many meds that might be ok for a younger person can cause havoc in those over 60. Why? Well, no matter how “healthy” we are, our internal organs experience a natural “decline in physiological reserve” over time.

 

So by 60, we have a lot less capability in our liver, kidneys, digestive system, than we had in our twenties. This natural diminution in enzymes etc., effects our bodies ability to take in, use and eliminate medications. Some meds don’t mix well; some may be causing more problems than they are supposedly fixing; and worst case, many deaths are caused by medications each year.

 

A realist who has lived through decades of  medical history, Neel goes into some of the statistical tricks that are used to “sell” new (and expensive) drugs and explains terms like “medication cascade”, “exponential effect of polypharmacy”, NNT (number needed to treat). A writer for AARP, Reader’s Digest and Prevention, Neel sorts out complex material and presents it in a commonsense way.

 

Filled with anecdotes from the author’s long experience, I found it absorbing enough to read cover to cover. His message is not that we should forgo medication (he’s a pharmacist after all), but that we need to be be careful. Neel’s book is also a timely read, as our country faces a health care crisis, and we are all looking for answers to create better care at less expense.

5 ways to keep cool and save money this summer

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By ACSET Community Action Agency

 

Most people think about weatherizing their home when the weather gets cold. But what about when it gets hot? Weatherization can keep hot air out, trap cool air in and lower your energy costs in the summer months, too!

 

Here are five tips to keep your home cooler and your bills lower this summer:

  • Dehumidify. Humidity makes your home feel hotter. Use exhaust fans when showering and cooking to decrease the humidity in your home.
  • Avoid the oven. Using indoor appliances, like the oven, will make it even hotter in your home. On very hot days, use an outdoor grill to cook hot meals.
  • Let cool air in. If the nighttime brings cooler air, open the windows overnight. Close them in the morning to trap the cool air inside. Close the blinds to keep the sun out during the day.
  • Turn fans off when you’re gone. Fans cool people by moving heat away from our bodies. However, fans do not cool rooms. Don’t waste electricity — turn the fan off when you leave the room.
  • Get a professional energy audit. An energy audit is an assessment of your home’s energy use and loss. Weatherization specialists look for drafts, check the home’s insulation and evaluate appliance efficiency. Once the home has been assessed, a specific plan can be developed to decrease energy loss.

ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) provides professional energy audits and weatherization services for low-income households through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The average home saves around 30% on their energy costs after receiving weatherization services from ACSET CAA.

WAP services are provided at no cost to eligible households. To find out if you qualify contact ACSET CAA at 616.336.2228.

 

Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org

County Action Agency to merge with Kent County

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In an effort to provide efficiencies and better serve residents, the Board of Commissioners authorized staff to move forward with a plan to merge two programs with similar goals. The Area Community Services and Employment Training Council’s (ACSET) Community Action Agency Division (CAA) will merge with the Kent County Community Development/Housing Commission Department to better serve the community.

 

ACSET’s CAA provides weatherization services, utility shut-off protections, food distribution, senior services and more to low-income clients in Kent County. The Kent County Community Development staff have been working on similar projects with agencies such as Home Repair Services, Dwelling Place and others. “The County staff did its due diligence in looking at how a proposed alignment of CAA and Community Development/Housing Commission could improve the delivery of services to low-income clients,” said Matthew VanZetten, Interim Director of Kent County Community Development/Housing Commission. “As Kent County continues to grow and change, government needs to be responsive. The merger allows us to streamline services and reduce silos so we can better serve our residents.”

 

Over the past year, County staff researched and evaluated the potential of combining and aligning resources of CAA and Kent County’s Community Development/Housing Commission. Once the merger is complete, employees will be housed in the Human Services Complex at Franklin and Sheldon in southeast Grand Rapids. “This alignment of resources provides the best possible environment for CAA and the County to continue to deliver essential services,” said Jacob Maas, Chief Executive Officer for ACSET. “It’s an exciting opportunity to better serve low-income individuals and families in Kent County.”

 

The CAA Advisory Committee and Kent County Housing Commission provided input during the process, and a community forum was held last month to receive comments or concerns. To date, all feedback has been positive. The State of Michigan has provided a letter indicating its support for Kent County to assume the Community Action Agency designation from ACSET. “Our County staff has once again demonstrated that collaborating with an external agency can provide needed services in a cost-effective manner,” said Chair Jim Saalfeld. “I applaud and thank the County staff for seeking creative and innovative ways to help our low- income residents.”

Marc Cohn walking in from Memphis to St. Cecilia Acoustic Café stage

3-bottom, Local Entertainment, Upcoming Events, ,
Singer/songwriter Mark Cohn will be bringing stories about his songs and songs about his stories to the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café. (Supplied)

WKTV Contributor

 

Singer/songwriter Mark Cohn has survived success, sabbatical and a shooting, and has the stories to tell — and he will be bringing stories about his songs and songs about his stories to the St. Cecilia Music Center’s Acoustic Café series later this month.

 

The Grammy Award winning Cohn — he of 1991’s Grammy winning ballad “Walking in Memphis” — will offer music from his 2016 release “Careful What you Dream: Lost Songs and Rarities” as part of a tour focused on a 25-year retrospective of his career.

 

Cohn and his songs, new and old, will close this season of the St. Cecilia Music Center Acoustic Café series Thursday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available.

“We will be in the presence of one of the best singer/songwriters of our time on April 13 during Marc Cohn’s concert,” said Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia’s executive director. “His newer work is magnificent and his earliest songs are treasured classics.”

 

Cohn was nominated twice for his hit song, “Walking in Memphis”,  at the 1991 Grammy’s, for Best Pop Male Vocalist and Song of the Year. He ultimately won the Grammy award for Best New Artist. His debut album, with the hit song, was later certified Gold in 1992 and certified Platinum in 1996.

 

Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Graham Nash and Patty Griffin all made guest appearances on Cohn’s early records for Atlantic, as his reputation as an artist and performer continued to grow. In 1998 Cohn took a decade-long sabbatical from recording, ending in 2007 with a new album called “Join The Parade” — inspired by the horrific events following Hurricane Katrina and his own near fatal shooting just weeks before, “Parade” is his most moving and critically acclaimed record to date. He followed that up with the album “Listening Booth: 1970” in 2010.

 

In March 2016, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his debut album, Cohn released “Careful What you Dream: Lost Songs and Rarities” and the bonus album, “Evolution of a Record”, featuring never-before-heard songs and demos dating back to years before his debut album and the Grammy Award that followed.

 

For a video of his recent musical work, visit here.

 

There will be a post-concert “Meet-the-artist” reception open to all ticket-holders with the opportunity to meet Cohn and obtain signed CDs of his releases.

 

For more information visit scmc-online.org.

 

Feedback Concert at Founders to raise support for Access of West Michigan

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Health, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,

 

By Ellie Wahlburg, Access of West Michigan

 

What better way to support the community than through listening to local artists, enjoying delicious food and drink and having the opportunity to win prizes.

 

On Sunday, April 9 from 4-10 p.m., Access of West Michigan is hosting the annual Feedback Concert, held at Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids.

 

The evening will feature three great local artists who also call Grand Rapids home. The Legal Immigrants, Conrad Shock and The Noise and the Honeytones will light up the stage with their unique sound and high energy.

 

Founders Brewing Co. offers a venue full of atmosphere and fun.

 

Access of West Michigan will be there with a 50/50 raffle for prizes to win. A silent auction, featuring cool merchandise from some great area organizations, will also raise support for Access of West Michigan.

 

Access of West Michigan is a nonprofit organization serving Grand Rapids in developing holistic solutions to poverty by cultivating equitable systems through education and collaboration. Since 1981, Access has been committed to serving those in need and promoting opportunities for access to good food.

 

Tickets for Feedback 2017 are $5, with all proceeds going to Access.

 

Come join Access and the community in celebrating and supporting holistic solutions to poverty!

 

Learn more about the event, go here.

Catherine’s Health Center gets $35,000 grant from CVS Health Foundation

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Health, Non-Profits, , ,
At Catherine’s Health Center

By Mary Alfieri

 

The CVS Health Foundation has awarded Catherine’s Health Center $35,000 to support chronic disease management and prevention for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma, improved care coordination and increased access to care programs.

 

As the need for access to affordable care and improved health outcomes continue to weigh on the U.S. health care system, the CVS Health Foundation is providing grants, ranging from $20,000 to $35,000 this year.

 

In all, 33 free and charitable clinics nationwide are receiving more than $1 million in grants from the CVS Health Foundation as part of a multi-year grant program with the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC). Over the past four years, the Foundation has donated nearly $5 million to NAFC to increase access to quality care and support the management of chronic disease.

 

For more information on how the Free and Charitable Clinics will be utilizing their grants to improve community health, please go here.

 

About Catherine’s Health Center
Established in 1996, Catherine’s Health Center is a 501(c)(3) safety net medical clinic serving more than 6,000 patients annually. Using a small core of paid staff and many dedicated volunteers, Catherine’s mission is to provide free or low-cost medical services to low-income, uninsured, underinsured and newly insured residents of Kent County. Support for the mission is provided by generous friends who share our belief that access to health care should be provided for all people, businesses, foundations, religious groups and others. Catherine’s Health Center does not discriminate; services are available to the broader community. Learn more at www.catherineshc.org.

About the CVS Health Foundation
The CVS Health Foundation is a private charitable organization created by CVS Health that works to build healthier communities, enabling people of all ages to lead healthy, productive lives. The Foundation provides strategic investments to nonprofit partners throughout the U.S. who help increase community-based access to health care for underserved populations, create innovative approaches to chronic disease management and provide tobacco cessation and youth prevention programming. To learn more about the CVS Health Foundation and its giving, go here.

Employment Expertise: Common, yet avoidable, résumé blunders

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By West Michigan Works!

 

You may have a long list of accomplishments and years of experience, but a formatting or spelling error can send your resume straight to the wastebasket or delete folder. Your résumé shows an employer the kind of work you’re capable of producing.
Don’t let a careless mistake make a bad impression. Watch out for these common, yet avoidable, résumé blunders:

  1. Spelling and grammatical errors. Spelling and grammatical errors tell employers one of two things: “This person can’t write.” or “This person just doesn’t care.” Spell Check isn’t foolproof, so ask someone to review your résumé before you send it off.
  2. Incorrect or missing contact information. You’ve got a strong résumé, but you’ll never get contacted for an interview if your email address is missing a letter or you’ve switched digits in your phone number. Triple-check your contact information for accuracy.
  3. Using “fancy” fonts. These fonts not only make your résumé harder to read, but studies show that the reader will absorb less information. Stick to one standard font like Arial.
  4. Crowding too much information on one page. A crowded page can also make your résumé hard to read.  It’s okay to go beyond one page if you need to, but make sure the information is relevant to the job.
  5. An unprofessional email address. “Catluver63@hotmail.com” might seem clever and fun, but it doesn’t convey a professional image. Use a simple email address that includes your name.

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

Cat of the week: Flora

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Fabulous Flora has special needs, but that shouldn’t stop you from adopting her

By Sharon Wylie

Crash’s Landing

Each week WKTV features an adoptable cat from Crash’s Landing or Big Sid’s Sanctuary. Both cat rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Petrovich, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).

When a Belmont resident stumbled across this bedraggled old girl at the Madison Square Sportsman Club, she did the ONE thing that saved the kitty’s life: she took her home and brought her inside.

 

Weighing in at only 4.7 pounds, this senior citizen whose age can only be estimated at older than 8 (a birthdate of June of 2007 has been given) was in such dire straits, it was painful to look at her. The rescuer took her in to a vet for a quick once-over and testing, then called us to ask if we could help; we welcomed this beyond skinny, scrawny kitty into our program on June 23, 2016.

 

Upon kitty’s arrival, Dr. Jen had her work cut out for her: Flora was emaciated with significant muscle wasting, her gums were pale due to a non-regenerative anemia, had broken canines and dental disease, was ravenously hungry but literally everything she ate ran out of the other end, had a puncture wound on chin that abscessed and caused a significant odor AND was bugged by fleas as well! Needless to say, frail little Flora and Dr. Jen spent a few days at the clinic righting all of the wrongs that we could; by the time she headed down to Crash’s her stools were solidifying, she was up to 5.7 pounds and she was totally loving her new life.

 

For the next four weeks Dr. Jen had Flora on a course of oral antibiotics that would target a blood parasite if that was the cause of her low red blood cell count, but although she continued to gain weight (she was up to 6.9 pounds a month after her arrival), her anemia didn’t improve, meaning it simply is one of chronic illness.

 

In time, as she grows stronger and healthier, this may change, but given all of the problems this abandoned girl was plagued with for so long, it may take quite awhile. We will continue to monitor her closely for symptoms of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) as that chronic condition certainly could be the root of the majority of her presenting issues.

 

It took several weeks of R and R at our facility before Flora had energy to do more than sleep, so now that she is getting three squares a day (ok, in her case it is unlimited snacks and meals) she is making her rounds about the place and is quite happy to see you when you arrive. She learned her name very quickly and will saunter on over to you if you ask her to (if she isn’t contentedly napping), relishing the gentle fur-strokes and face rubs given to her in return.

 

Overall, Flora is a fabulous, mellow, laid-back, even-tempered gal who would adore a home that would provide for her all of the ‘cushy’ things in life she was missing for so long. If you have a warm lap, designated snuggle spots and a bed or two she could claim as her own, then Flora feels she is the right cat for you! Her needs are simple and her gratitude is endless; she will be a loving, loyal companion who will repay your kindness with never-ending devotion.

MORE ABOUT FLORA

  • Anemic
  • House trained
  • Spayed/Neutered
  • Current on vaccinations

Want to adopt Flora? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.

Interested in volunteering at one of the cat shelters? Email volunteer@crashslanding.org.

Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!

Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.

Kent County to start testing of tornado/high winds warning sirens in April

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Damage from the 2016 tornado in the City of Wyoming.

By Lisa LaPlante

Kent County Community Liaison and Communications Director

 

In 2016, the August 20 tornado outbreak across West Michigan caused more than five million dollars in damage. The National Weather Service determined that six tornadoes touched down in a matter of hours, including two EF0 tornadoes in Grandville, Wyoming and Grand Rapids. The State of Michigan was hit by 16 tornadoes last year, just slightly higher than the average 15 per year. Kent County has a system of sirens to alert residents of high winds or tornadoes. Starting Friday, April 7, and continuing on the first Friday of every month at noon through October, tornado alarm testing will be heard in Kent County homes and businesses.

 

Ideal Park was loved for its dense tree canopy now lost from the 2014 tornado.

It is important to plan in advance for disasters to know how you and your family will get to a safe place, how to contact each other and what to do in different situations. “Traffic was a dilemma in the initial hours after the tornadoes hit Kent County last August,” said Kent County Emergency Management Coordinator Jack Stewart. “Trees and debris in roadways made getting around difficult. Determine a location where you will meet your family during an emergency, both near your house and further away, in case your neighborhood streets are closed.”

 

If a disaster occurs, it may be easier to make a phone call to a designated out-of-town contact, as phone lines may be overwhelmed. Make sure that person is aware that he or she is the designated contact. Pet owners should have a disaster plan for pets as well. This is a great time to review severe weather plans, refresh supplies and make sure preparations are complete. Check flashlights and stock up on fresh batteries. Homes should have enough fresh drinking water and canned food items for three days, a can opener, an all-weather radio, and a first aid kit.

 

If you don’t hear the sirens April 7 at noon, please contact your local township or city office. Be vigilant whenever severe weather is in the forecast. While no location is completely safe from a tornado or severe thunderstorm, it is important to seek all possible protection. For more about severe weather, go to http://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/SWApacket_554981_7.pdf.

Smartphone apps are available that will provide notification of weather watches and warnings. Severe weather watch means the potential exists for the development of storms/tornadoes, so be mindful of changing conditions. Severe weather warning mean that storms are imminent or occurring. Move indoors to a place of safety. If it is a Tornado Warning, take shelter in a location on the lowest level of the building, such as the basement, or in a small, windowless room at the innermost part of the building.

American Airlines starts nonstop service from Grand Rapids to Reagan National Airport

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By Tara M. Hernandez

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

 

Nonstop service from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) began today with a celebratory press conference, water canon salute, and capitol building-themed cake.

 

American Airlines announced the service in December, which is operated by American Eagle. The service features 13 weekly round trips.

 

“Nonstop service to Reagan National Airport has been a target market of ours, and we are happy to see American Airlines continue to invest in the Grand Rapids market,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport President & CEO Jim Gill. “American has grown 74 percent at the Ford Airport since 2015, nearly tripling its seat capacity – that says a lot about American’s desire to expand here, and our community’s response to supporting new routes.”

 

The flight schedule for the new service includes departure times from Grand Rapids twice daily at 7:20 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and one daily departure at 9:40 a.m. on Saturdays. Service departing DCA and returning to GRR is twice daily at 10:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Sunday through Friday, with a 4:00 p.m. daily departure time on Saturdays.

 

American Airlines has served Gerald R. Ford International Airport passengers for over 25 years, and also has nonstop service to Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas Fort Worth, Charlotte, and Philadelphia.

On the shelf: ‘Things I’ve learned from dying: a book about life’ by David R. Dow 

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By Lisa Boss, Grand Rapids Public Library, Main

 

Before counselor Dow sees a new client, he reads through the case carefully. Six years back, four young men went on a week-long crime spree that ended in the murder of an 84-year-old woman in her home. One of the gang shot Miss McClain in the head, and Dow’s client took the gun and shot her again, stating, “That’s how you smoke a bitch.”

 

Dow’s clients are all on death row in Texas. Many are not sympathetic types. Discussing his new case with his father-in-law, Peter asks him, “So, why do you want to save this man?”, and Dow answers that he doesn’t know yet.

 

There are a lot of surprises in this book, starting — but not ending — with Dow. Although he’s a professor, a death penalty lawyer and the founder of the Texas Innocence Network, he tells us that, “It’s important to understand that people who defend murderers aren’t necessarily opposed to killing.”

 

An avid shooter, known as “Grudge” at the range, due to his habit of pinning photos on his targets, Dow’s wife convinced him to give most of his guns to a friend after their son was born. 

 

“But I kept the shotgun. I’ve got a family to take care of. If anyone ever climbs our stairs at night and doesn’t turn and run when he hears the whoosh of the pump chambering a shell, I’ll know that if the dog doesn’t kill him I’m going to have to.”

 

OK, so he’s not a pacifist. We have to piece together his reasons for his strong commitment to his clients as the book goes along, but he isn’t shy about revealing the legal and political machinations that go into a death case, and his opinions on them.

 

“Anybody who tells you the criminal justice system is an even playing field has no idea what she’s talking about. Rich people can make it close to even. Poor people—which is to say, everyone on death row—don’t have a chance.”

 

It’s not all about death row though, and what sounds like a depressing treatise, Things I’ve Learned… reads more like a medical, legal and psychological thriller, shot through with dark humor and hope.

 

The book intertwines three lives and deaths as part of a whole, pulsing web of life, where each twitch ripples out to affect the immediate family, friends and finally the whole ecosystem of society. There are no “minor” characters in these true stories. The themes of mortality are deep as the wise friend, beloved dog, even the remorseful client, confront our oldest mystery.

 

It is, as the title promises, a book about life, and a strangely beautiful one.

 

World Affairs Council offers ‘Peace’ talks at KDL’s Cascade branch

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WKTV Contributor

 

The World Affairs Council of West Michigan will be hosting a series of talks on the subject of peace in modern times. (Supplied)

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan and the Kent District Library will hold a series of three discussions titled “Give Peace a Chance” at the KDL Cascade Township Branch starting Thursday, April 13.

 

The Cascade library is located at 2870 Jack Smith Ave SE, Grand Rapids. The lectures, scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. each day, are free, open to the public and free parking is provided.

 

The April 13 discussion, “Peace in Action”, will be led by Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Public Education for the United States Institute of Peace. The discussion, according to supplied information, is described as follows: “Today’s world poses a dizzying and often depressing array of challenges, and violent conflicts seem to dominate our international headlines.  But work for peace persists, even in the most difficult circumstances, in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and beyond. What does it mean to be a peacebuilder today? How do we pursue peace in practice? What role can everyday people, and especially young people, play in building peace in our world?”

 

The Wednesday, April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh Professor of Peace Studies, Emeritus, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. Description: “Many pundits and professional politicians suggest that our era of global violence, and especially terrorism, makes peace a fantasy.  This presentation will challenge that claim and will illustrate the new pathways to building peace, particularly on ways in which individual citizens and larger civil society groups can play important roles in building peace in their local communities and especially in outreach to the wider world.”

 

The Thursday, April 27, discussion, “Perspectives on Peace in the New Administration”, will be led by Dr. Frederic Pearson, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Wayne State University. Description: “With the presidential elections so recent, it is unclear what direction the new administration will take. Dr. Pearson will outline President Trump’s first 100 days in office. Given the trends in his presidential policy thus far, he’ll assess what that means for the prospects of peace worldwide.”

 

For more information visit worldmichigan.org/peace-series .

Summer brochure now available at the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department

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Soccer coaches still needed for the spring youth soccer program.

Although spring has just arrived, the Wyoming Parks & Recreation Department is already thinking about summer.

With the release of the summer brochure, registration for summer programs has begun. To see what opportunities are available, take a look at the summer brochure online or pick one up at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. There are summer concerts, participate in a fitness class (or two), or sign your child up for one of the camps. There are many more offerings. Don’t forget, registration is also open for fall soccer and football programs.

 

Register for any of these programs online or by phone at 616-530-3164.

Also, for the spring season, the Wyoming Parks and Recreation is still in need of a few volunteer coaches, head and assistant, for the spring youth soccer program. If you or someone you know would be interested, please contact the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department ASAP at parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or 616-530-3164.

 

Do you like what you see? Do you have an idea for a new program? The Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department invites residents to send feedback to parks_info@wyomingmi.gov.

WKTV features several Easter specials over the next couple of weeks

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So while the weather may be a little iffy, with snow predicted for the end of the week, spring is unfolding with Easter only a couple of weeks away.

 

In preparation for Easter, WKTV will be featuring a number of Easter specials this week and next. Programs will be aired on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99.

 

Children’s Easter cartoons will be running at 3:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday this week and next.

 

This week’s Easter cartoon is “.” Springtime in New Bristol brings new adventures for Christopher, Korina and Alex. Buzz, a classmate of Alex, disappears while searching for his missing cat. It’s up to the young detectives to find the missing boy without their trusted friend and mentor, Tobias, who is rushed to the hospital. Join the Puzzle Club on its search for Buzz and discover, along with the trio, the message of hope that Easter brings.

 

For the week of April 10 is the children’s film “Easter Is.” How do you draw Easter? In this animated special Benji is chosen by his class to draw an Easter poster. Then Benji’s dog Waldo is kidnapped and they want a $5 ransom.  Benji soon discovers how much he’s willing to give up just to get his dog back. Realizing the true meaning of Easter, Benji now knows what to draw for his school poster.

 

The Easter concert “Shout for Joy: An Easter Celebration” will air at 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, and 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15. There will be a special Palm Sunday Community Service program airing Thursday, April 13, at 12:30 a.m.

 

On Good Friday, April 14, the special “3 Days” will air at noon and 7:30 p.m. “3 Days” is a dramatic representation of events that might have transpired among the disciples during the time that was the utmost test of their faith. “3 Days” portrays the often-told Easter story with a “you are there” feel and is 30 minutes in length.

 

To check out the WKTV schedule, visit wktk.org.

Angel on a pin: Catherine’s Health Center helps Kentwood native become pain-free

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By Ron Rozema, Catherine’s Health Center

 

“I’m an angel person,” said Sharon Esterley when asked about the pin she wore. It featured the image of an angel centered in a heart. “I really believe in angels and I have lots of them in my life looking after me. Some are from my church, some from Catherine’s [Health Center], and there are lots more.”

 

For the past three years or so, Esterley has relied on Catherine’s for her primary medical care.

 

“Dr. Jack first and now Dr. Jon, they’re great!” she enthused, adding that she’s had good experiences with everyone she’s met at the Center.

 

Esterley’s life story starts and stays in the Grand Rapids area. Raised in Kentwood, she worked for 32 years as a nurses’ aid. When her parents needed help, she left that job to become their caregiver, an arrangement that lasted for nine years until they both passed away. It was during that time she lacked any health care coverage and, through the urging of a friend, began to get her health care through Catherine’s.

 

In addition to her medical care, she got medication through Catherine’s Medication Assistance Program, attended diabetes management classes, participated in the Community Walking Program and more. While arthritis and a pre-diabetic condition were focal points of her care, she was essentially healthy and able to return to paid employment. Around age 59 and thinking it was time to try something different after years of paid and family caregiving, Esterley took work as a custodian with Goodwill Industries.

 

Sharon Esterley

Things seemed to be going well when, in 2014, a spontaneous, non-work-related fall at her work setting left her with unbearable pain in her left leg. Esterley’s care at Catherine’s included physical therapy after the injury. When it did not bring relief, she was referred to Mary Free Bed. Using a walker, not sleeping at night, generally feeling miserable and unable to do the tasks required for work, her pain and distress just didn’t subside.

 

Looking for a new option, she was seen by Dr. Jon Reitzenstein not long after he arrived at Catherine’s. Trained in acupuncture, the doctor believed some relief was possible through the administration of auriculotherapy — simply put, treatments involving key points in the outer ear that, when stimulated, provide relief from pain. Esterley was willing, and, just as Dr. Reitzenstein expected, it worked!

 

After only two treatments she noticed a substantial reduction in her pain. Now, after seven treatments, Esterley says the pain is mostly gone, her walker has been replaced with a cane and she is sleeping again. She uses no medication to manage her pain and the acupuncture treatments are being reduced in frequency.

 

“I haven’t taken a sleeping pill in six weeks,” she said, “and I’m sleeping!”

 

“People at Catherine’s have really helped,” Esterley continued. “Since I had no insurance, I worked with one of the navigators” (trained volunteers who provide objective information on insurance options and help people access information and applications). “They helped me and now I’ll have Medicaid coverage.”

 

When Esterley is even more fully recovered she looks forward to volunteering, perhaps in a caregiver or support role.

 

“I have so many angels in my life, I hope I’m an angel for others too,” she beamed.

 

Located at 1211 Lafayette Ave. NW in Grand Rapids, Mich., Catherine’s Health Center offers primary medical care to people who meet certain income guidelines. Go here for more information.

 

WKTV to broadcast Golden Gloves boxing action this week

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Michigan Golden Gloves Boxing action will again be covered by the WKTV sports coverage crew. (Supplied)

WKTV Contributor

 

WKTV is again in the ring, bringing viewers the excitement of local boxing with our coverage of the Golden Gloves Boxing Championships.

 

Viewers can catch all the action on Live Wire Comcast Channel 24 with a tape delayed airing of each evening’s bouts the following day.

 

The West Michigan Championships will be held at The DeltaPlex Arena and Conference Center, 2500 Turner Ave., Grand Rapids.

 

The schedule for WKTV’s West Michigan Championships will have the Wednesday, April 5, bouts airing Thursday, April 6, at 8:30 p.m.

 

The schedule for WKTV’s state championships will have the Saturday, April 8, bouts airing Sunday, April 9, at noon; the Friday, April 21, bouts airing Saturday, April 22, at noon; and the Saturday, April 22, bouts airing Sunday, April 23, at 6 p.m.

The DeltaPlex will host more Golden Gloves boxing events that WKTV will cover. For complete schedule see michigangoldenglovesboxing.com . For information about The DeltaPlex, visit deltaplex.com