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WKTV Voices from the Front Line: Part 2 of a look inside the life of a Kentwood firefighter

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
Kentwood firefighters Andy Biederman (left) and Jeff Bouwkamp at Fire Station 3. (WKTV/Cris Greer)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



EDITOR’S NOTE: WKTV recently spent an afternoon at Kentwood Fire Station 3 on Eastern Ave. as part of a documentary we produced called “Voices from the Front Line,” where we interviewed Lieutenant Jeff Bouwkamp and Engine Operator Andy Biederman. We talked about all the details of their job as a firefighter … from the most routine calls to the most dangerous, and everything in between. This is Part 2 of a two-part series on our very interesting and informative conversation below.

Let’s talk about the dangers of being a firefighter. When I walk through the doors at my office I don’t have to worry about saving lives or putting out fires. How often are you and the team put into dangerous, life-threatening situations? 

Andy Biederman, Engine Operator (a Kentwood firefighter for five years):

Every call we go to could potentially be life threatening or dangerous. We definitely don’t really know what we’re getting into once that alarm goes off. We’ve had times where we’ll get dispatched for a fall, and when we get there it’s a cardiac arrest. So, we have to be on our toes and be able to adapt to every different kind of situation. It’s no different if we get a burning complaint for somebody in the campfire in their backyard. And then when we get there, it’s a structure fire. Each call has its own different type of variables. It’s hard to pinpoint what’s going to be life threatening, or what’s going to be, you know, your run of the mill call, because I think these calls can turn into something that they’re not.






Talk about the physical and emotional toll. How do you deal with the stress and anxiety? Is there help or counseling available? 

ANDY:

Something that they’re trying to promote and push better is the whole mental health situation in the fire service. And with any kind of first responder or police officer they have seen a lot of suicides in this job, just due to the amount of stress and types of calls that we see, it starts building up. The older firefighters out there typically used to hold their feelings back, suppress them and not talk to anybody, when really that’s not beneficial. It’s easier to talk to somebody and get that information out to help you help other people. So it’s been a growing trend just to help talk to somebody and go that route.

Jeff Bouwkamp, Lieutenant (a Kentwood firefighter for 30 years):

We’re always watching each other … we’re that close. If somebody’s having a bad day you can tell. I pay close attention to the people that I’m working with because they’re very important to me. Because at one point or another we’re going to do something, we’re going to be out there together. I’m going to be relying on them, they’re going to be relying on me. We have to be there for each other. And I think the mental health aspect is a huge deal. So, I’m watching out for each one of the people here and each person is watching out for the other ones, because you may pick up on something and that’s huge, because yeah, that never used to happen. Or I can’t say never, but that really wasn’t in the forefront. People don’t talk about it.

Does the stress help you better manage your personal life stresses, if so, give an example?

ANDY:

I think the types of calls that we see here and having to think on our feet definitely helps at home. I tend to be a lot more relaxed, but I think that’s just a big factor from working here. Just seeing different things that happen and reacting to it. Because if you start freaking out on a fire scene or on a medical, you’re not helping anybody. You’re making things worse if you start running around or yelling; it doesn’t do any good. But if you remain calm, you can think clearer, you can figure out what’s going on and then go from there and make a plan.

JEFF:

The stuff that we see or the stuff that we come in contact with or the stuff that we train for, this definitely helps me when I’m out of here, because it helps me be like, ‘Oh, sorry, we’re gonna get through this, we can make this happen, we can make this work. It’s going to be okay.’ I don’t sweat the small stuff; not downplaying anybody’s issues outside of here, but it’s helped me out a lot. The firefighters that are here, the family that they have at home, I give them a lot of credit because I’m sure at some point or another they do take stuff home. And that’s what they have to deal with. I know what’s helped me out a lot is the crew that I work with because there are times I tend to get a little excited. And it’s really nice to be able to feed off these guys to where it helps keep me in check as well. And that’s part of where we all kind of watch each other. And last year, we ran 5,000 calls. You can take and divide that up between 365 days, and you can find an average, but there are days where maybe we run three or four calls. And then there’s days where maybe we run 10 calls. There are some times during the whole shift, the whole city may run six calls. And then the storm comes through, you know, and we run 25, there’s no routine. That’s one of the great things because you just never know. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve made dinner and it’s quarter to five, and we’re getting ready to eat and you end up running something and then you’re back at 10 o’clock at night, and okay, well, that’s ruined. There is no routine, but that’s just what makes this job so great.

Talk about the amount of hours it takes to put fires out and what’s the longest time you’ve spent doing so?

ANDY: 

Every fire call is different. I think on average you’re probably looking at around an hour, give or take from start to your last unit cleaning up. And I say this is a typical fire of about an hour, but not every fire’s typical. We’ve been on fires that have lasted eight hours, nine hours, you know, just the magnitude of the call.


Firefighter suits waiting in lockers for the next alarm at Kentwood Fire Station 3. (WKTV/Cris Greer)



JEFF:

We wear a suit that’s made of Nomex, which is fire resistant. During the winter, it’s nice because it’s a little bit warmer, and during the summer it gets hot. But it protects us from the heat, from the fires. So that’s the nice thing with technology. We get to a fire and we get a little protection. Gotta remember that we’re getting into a burning building, we have to be really careful that we’re not in there too long. We also have the SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) that we wear on our back. It’s been nice because with technology the bottles have gotten a little smaller, they’ve gotten a little lighter, but they carry about 30 minutes of oxygen in them and that helps out.









ANDY:

The thing that we have to remember, too, is we have all this equipment and the person that potentially is in the house fire doesn’t. So, it’s our job to effectively and efficiently search that house and try to find them to remove them as quickly as possible. Because not only do they not have any protection, there’s all that smoke and all those dangerous toxins in there and stuff that’s not conducive for life. It’s our job using that equipment to get them out. And it’s kind of scary on how good our equipment is and how much heat we can take without really knowing how much heat we’ll truly take. I don’t think there’s a statistic about it. I think it’s all situational. It’s all dependent on the fire, where they are in the fire. And there are a lot of factors that are just very endless because not everybody will survive a house fire. But it’s our job to give them the best chance that they have.

Can you give our readers some fire safety tips:

JEFF:

There’s a fire safety message that we push. 

*Have working smoke detectors inside bedrooms and throughout the house. There’s no reason to not call your local fire department if you don’t have them. Tell them, ‘Hey, my house doesn’t have enough smoke detectors or I don’t think they’re working.’ Call them and they’ll come out. And (you should) test them every month.

*Have working carbon monoxide alarms. 

*Don’t have anything near your stovetop. 

*Space heaters: Unplug them when you’re not using them and keep them 3 feet away from bedding, drapes and furniture, and combustible items. 

*Have exit drills in your home. We go into all these schools in October, November for Fire Prevention Month and we teach them about fire safety. We talk about exit drills in the home; have a plan to get out, have a meeting place.

Get Out, Call 911 and Don’t Go Back In!

ANDY:

Another thing, too, is to close your doors. It’s better to close your door at night in case you’re dealing with fire, you’re gonna have less fire spread to that room. And then when you’re leaving, try to close your doors as well, because that’ll help contain the fire in that room, ideally. Now, there are obviously circumstances where that doesn’t happen, but you’re usually in a panic, you want to get out as fast as possible, but closing your doors can help affect the limit and the spread of fire.



(WKTV/Cris Greer)

How often does it turn into a domestic situation?

ANDY:

There are situations where one person might be mad at the other … and now they’re yelling at each other. And so we have to attend to that emergency. But we also try to keep them apart and try to figure out what the best course of action is. We’re not police officers, but we’re also an advocate for patient care and advocate for them. It’s everything … from having a grandma or grandpa that falls all the way to a cardiac arrest. We are here for the citizens of Kentwood. If you call we’re going to come and help you out as best as we can. We’ve had kids who lock themselves in the bathroom, we go there and help them unlock it. It’s a wide variety of calls. 

Can you explain the certifications and training necessary to be a firefighter, and how much time you spend keeping up on that training and keeping equipment up to date?

JEFF:

We do a lot of hands on training, and a lot of it we do here. We can’t light a fire here, but we’ll practice pulling lines off the engine. Out behind the strip mall by the station there’s a hydrant we hook up to and we’ll practice pulling lines, we’ll practice stretching the lines, advancing them. A couple times a year we do what we call a block training where we’re off shift, we come back and do various strains. And during the wintertime, we do EMS training and codes. During the summer we’ll practice something that we can do outside. We’ll go to a training tower in the city of Wyoming or we can go to the city of Grand Rapids where they have some burn containers and we’ll do some fires there and practice. 

Fire Call Crossovers with other cities?

JEFF:

We have a mutual aid agreement. And there are areas where we’ll run a certain distance into Wyoming, and they run a certain distance into Kentwood. If we were to get a possible structure fire they would automatically be on that alarm. There are times we do that with Grand Rapids, we have it with Cascade, and we have it with Cutlerville and Dutton. We have all our neighboring departments, and it’s a good thing, because we help each other out. And then sometimes we actually will run into those municipalities and run calls for them when they’re tied up, and they don’t have the resources to get to them. So that’s kind of a nice thing, too, because they will reciprocate that to us. If we’re tied up somewhere, we have a fire or something and all of our equipment is in a certain area, and maybe we can’t get to it very quick … they’ll turn it over to a neighboring department, and they’ll run it as a mutual aid call. And they’ll cover that for us.

Talk about the calls that stick in your head?

ANDY:

I Think any kind of call that deals with children is a call that kind of sticks in the back of my head. Typically, we don’t like running calls that involve kids, because a lot of us have them. I think it hits home, and you know, all the pediatric calls that I’ve run, I remember them. But as long as you give your best and you do what’s right for the patient, I can sleep at night.

JEFF:

I’d have to say kids’ calls are the worst. A couple of things that just stand out in my mind are kids calls and just needless accidents that happen. People being careless.



EDITOR’S NOTE: To watch the entire program, click here: “Voices from the Front Line”

KDL summer hours are now in effect

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

KDL Kelloggsville Branch will only be open Monday-Thursday for the summer. (WKTV)

Summer hours are not in effect at all Kent District Library branches with all branches being closed on Sunday.

Summer hours for the branches in and near the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming are:

KDL Gaines Township, 421 68th St. SE, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday

KDL Kelloggsville branch, 4787 Division Ave. S., are 3-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday

KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton SE, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday

KDL Wyoming branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday

For a complete list of branches and hours, click here or visit www.kdl.org.

Sea lamprey control planned for Lake Michigan tributaries

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, ,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Rogue River and Crockry Creek in Kent and Ottawa counties. (Courtesy, Great Lakes Fishery Commission)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

June 6–14, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel will apply lampricides to the Rogue River and Crockery Creek in Kent and Ottawa Counties to kill sea lamprey larvae burrowed in the stream bottom.  The applications will be conducted in accordance with State of Michigan permits. Applications will be complete in about five days. Application dates are tentative and may change based upon local weather or stream conditions near the time of treatment.

Sea lamprey larvae live in certain Great Lakes tributaries and transform to parasitic adults that migrate to the Great Lakes and kill fish. Failure to kill the larvae in streams would result in significant damage to the Great Lakes fishery. Infested tributaries must be treated every three to five years with lampricides to control sea lamprey populations.

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency have reviewed human health and environmental safety data for lampricides, and in 2003 concluded that the lampricides (Lampricid and Bayluscide) pose no unreasonable risk to the general population and the environment when applied at concentrations necessary to control larval sea lampreys. However, as with any pesticide, the public is advised to use discretion and minimize unnecessary exposure.Lampricides are selectively toxic to sea lampreys, but a few fish, insect, and broadleaf plants are sensitive. Persons confining bait fish or other organisms in stream water are advised to use an alternate water source because lampricides may cause mortality among aquatic organisms stressed by crowding and handling. Agricultural irrigation must be suspended for 24 hours, during and following treatment.

Extensive preparations are required for a safe and effective stream treatment. Prior to treatment, personnel collect data on stream water chemistry and discharge.In addition, they may conduct on-site toxicity tests with lampricides and stream flow studies with dyes that cause stream water to appear red or green.

Lampricides are carefully metered into the stream for approximately 12 hours, and continually analyzed at predetermined sites to assure that proper concentrations are maintained as the lampricides are carried downstream.Applicators are trained and are certified by (state/provincial) regulatory agencies for aquatic applications of pesticides.

The program is contracted through the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The Commission initiated chemical control of sea lampreys in 1958. Since that time the highly successful program has contributed significantly to the maintenance of the $7 billion Great Lakes sport and commercial fisheries.

The Commission is committed to delivering a sea lamprey control program that practices good environmental stewardship. To support the continued safe use of lampricides the Commission recently conducted a series of studies at a total cost of $6 million to assess the effects of the lampricides on human health and the environment. In addition to these studies the Commission has implemented a research program to develop alternative control techniques. The Commission also is developing a strategy to increase the number of barriers on lamprey-producing streams, and is conducting research into barrier design, traps, attractants, and biological controls.

For additional information in the U.S. call 1-800-472-9212 and in Canada call 1-800-553-9091. TTY users may reach the Marquette or Ludington Biological Stations through the Michigan State Relay Service at 1-800-649-3777.

GM awards $75,000 in grants to local charities

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Environment, Our Cities, , ,

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

To help educate potential new drivers on the dangers of driving impaired, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be purchasing a distracted and impaired driver simulator thanks to a $25,000 grant from GM Motors Corporate Giving.

GM Grand Rapids Operations Plant Director Troy Comiskey (center) announces the 2023 GM Corporate Giving grant recipients from the Grand Rapids area. (WTKV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

The grant, which was given to the Wyoming Greater Resource Alliance for the public safety department’s use, was one of three grants awarded by the GM Grand Rapids Operations, which is located in Wyoming. The grants totaled $75,000 with the two other organizations also receiving $25,000 each was The Right Place and West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC).

“GM has made a concerted effort to bump up its local giving to the communities,” said Troy Comiskey, plant director for the Grand Rapids Operations. “They take corporate giving very seriously. They have upped it the last two years in a row with definitely a jump this year from the $10,000 mark to the $25,000 mark.” 

Through the GM Community Grant program, the company has donated around $3 million to a 157 charities over the last year in U.S. communities that surround GM manufacturing sites. Since its inception, GM’s Corporate Giving has investing has helped communities across the U.S. in a variety of initiatives focused on STEM, vehicle and road safety and community impact.

Comiskey noted that the giving has gone beyond just monetary but with many of the Grand Rapids Operations employees giving time to a variety of events such as Teach for the Watershed, the Mayor’s Grand River Clean-Up, and FIRST Robotics programs. He noted this is on top of employees working sometimes 40-plus hours a week and taking care of their own families that “they still find time for a couple of hours per week or month to help local communities.”

From left, Lt. Eric Wiler from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, UAW Local 167 Chairman Chris Newman, The Right Place Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Brad Comment, WMEAC Director of Engagement Marshall A. Kilgore, and GM Grand Rapids Operations Plant Director Troy Comiskey (WKTV/Joanne N. Bailey-Boorsma)

Educating the Future about the Environment

One of the beneficiaries of that volunteer support has ben WMEAC which among its programs host the Teach for the Watershed. which is an interactive watershed education program based on Michigan Science Curriculum Standards, and the Mayor’s Grand River Cleanup, the state’s largest riverbank cleanup.

“We are so thankful to GM for this,” said Marshall A. Kilgore, WMEAC’s director of engagement. “This grant started back a few years ago at $200 with them kind enough to extend their philanthropy from $200 to $25,000.”

Kilgore said WMEAC has seen growth in its programs and through the grant will be able to reach more students about how to better take care of their environment.

“So we plan to use this money for the water that connects all of us here in West Michigan and also teach our youth how to be better stewards of their land, water and soil,” he said.

Making the Roads Safer

Lt. Eric Wiler said his department is working to purchase the distracted and impaired driver simulator which they are hoping to debut at this year’s National Night Out as well as other events, such as Metro Cruise. Plans are also in the works to bring the simulator to local school districts to educate potential new drivers about driving with cellphones or while intoxicated.

According to the Michigan State Police, 16,543 crashes in 2021 involving distracted driving. Fatal distracted driving crashes increased by 14% from 2020 to 2021. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, 3,522 people died because of districted driving in 2021.

To help combat the issue, the Michigan legislature passed a ban on using phones while driving in May.

Building a Workforce Pipeline

Brad Comment, senior vice president of strategic initiatives for The Right Place, said the organization plans to use its grant funding toward growing Michigan’s manufacturing, technology and life science sectors, which Comiskey had commented is “very near and dear to our heart here at GM because we have such a technical workforce.” 

Through its programs, Comment said The Right Place will continue to work to bring students into manufacturing facilities and introduce them to careers in manufacturing and technology. 

GM was started in 1908 by William C. Durant as a holding company for the Buick Car Company. Within two years, Durant brought some of the biggest names in the automotive industry, including Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac and the predecessors of GMC Truck. For more than 75 years, the GM Grand Rapids Operations, which is at 5100 Burlingame SW, has been producing high prevision, high volume automotive components for GM products as well as non-GM products. 

Kentwood to host dance opportunities for all abilities in June

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan, ,
(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department is inviting individuals to join them on the dance floor for two adaptive dance events in June.

On June 1, Kentwood Parks and Recreation will host its annual Spring Fling from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE. The event will offer individuals with disabilities ages 15 and older and their loved ones an opportunity to celebrate the start of summer with dancing, food, prizes and more.

The event costs $12 per person, and participants are asked to pre-register by May 25 online at bit.ly/AdaptiveSpringFling or by calling 616.656.5270.

On June 9, Parks and Recreation will host an inclusive dance workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. Community members of all abilities ages 3 and older are invited to join the workshop, where experienced dancers will teach participants a choreographed dance. At the end of the event, parents and caregivers will be invited to watch the final production. All moves will be inclusive of individuals who use a wheelchair, walker, crutches or other mobility aide.

The event also will include games, snacks and more. Siblings and friends are welcome to participate. The workshop costs $12 per person, and registration is available online at bit.ly/InclusiveDanceWorkshop or by calling 616-656-5270. 



(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



“Our adaptive programs give individuals of all abilities a chance to connect, learn something new and have fun,” said Katelyn Bush, program coordinator with Kentwood Parks and Recreation. “Dancing is a great way to get active and build connections, and we’re looking forward to learning some new moves alongside participants.”

The Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department provides Michigan’s most comprehensive adaptive recreation programming. Programs are open to individuals of all abilities in Kentwood and beyond. To learn about current offerings, visit kentwood.us/adaptive.

Kentwood recently hosted Bark for the Park, a dog-friendly fundraiser at Kellogg Woods Park

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
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By D.A. Reed

WKTV Contributor



It was all fun and games for pets and their owners at the Kentwood Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Bark for the Park fundraiser at Kellogg Woods Park on May 18.

This free community event is a dog-friendly fundraiser for enabling the city to add amenities to Kentwood’s Dog Park at Kellogg Woods Park.

“We have a ton of great amenities in our park system for humans, but want our community members to know that if you have a pet at home we have fun, social, safe spaces for them, too,” said Spencer McKellar, Lead Recreation Program Coordinator for KPRD. “We welcome (dogs) in our parks … and welcome them to come out and have fun just like humans do.”

Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley agreed, telling WKTV, “We have 54,000 bosses, and what do they want as a service from the city? We heard loud and clear that one of the things that they want is a place where they can take their dogs to play with other dogs and let them run free.”

Kepley went on to say the city has done as the community requested.

“We’ve created dog parks where owners can go to a fenced in area to release their dogs,” Kepley explained. “It’s a way for dogs to play with one another and for their owners to meet other dog owners. Everything costs money and to be able to raise funds to help build new ones and to maintain the ones we have is what we’re doing.”

Due to previous Bark for the Park fundraisers, Kentwood was recently able to purchase and install a drinking fountain near the Kellogg Woods Dog Park.


Artemis, the winner of the Doggie Fashion Show. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



“This year, and moving forward, the funds raised will hopefully provide shade sails or some kind of shade structure,” McKellar said. “There is not a lot of shade for the dogs, and they get hot.”

Sponsorship dollars and donations enable KPRD to offer free admission to Bark for the Park, though donations are welcome via QR codes throughout the event if participants feel led to do so. Each attendee also was offered a goodie bag full of items from participating sponsors and vendors.

“We invite pet-related businesses and organizations in the area, but also anybody is welcome to sponsor and donate to our event,” McKellar said. “If they do, they are welcome to have a booth here and talk to our community members as they come through.”

Beastro, a restaurant designed specifically to cater to dogs and cats and owned by Jessica Ann Tyson, was one such sponsor at Bark for the Park.


Getting some dog treats at the Kentwood Bark for the Park fundraiser May 18. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



Offering fresh canine cuisine, Beastro’s recipes are created by a Michigan pet nutritionist. “We love making food that is fresh for the animals,” Tyson said.

Dogs are allowed inside the restaurant for dining, or customers can order take out as well.

Also the owner of The Candied Yam on 44th Street, Tyson said she got the idea for Beastro from watching her customers.

“We started this because our customers would come in and they would have to leave their dogs outside, and we watched their dogs while they got their Candied Yam (order),” Tyson said.

Other vendors included Sierra Marie Photography, CLJ Counseling, Kent County Animal Shelter, Dogtopia of Grand Rapids, VCA Animal Hospitals, and many more.

Treats were provided for the dogs at various stations, and Dune Buggy and Underground Cookie Club food trucks were on site to provide food for pet owners.

Various activities included pet craft stations, a dog agility course, photo booth, and a doggie fashion show featuring many costumes and colored hair and fur.


Amara, a 14-week-old Husky Great Bernese mix sporting a tutu. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



“They get really into it, and it’s fun,” McKellar said.

Attendees included Lainey Dennison, resident of Portage, Michigan, who heard about Bark for the Park through Facebook and attended with her one American Eskimo and four Husky dogs.

“I try to take them out and socialize them,” Dennison said of her well-mannered troupe of canines. “We go into stores and dog parks and stuff, so they are pretty used to this.”

To learn more about Kentwood and the city’s variety of parks, or to submit a donation, visit Kentwood Parks and Recreation.

D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Nurses play critical role in keeping older adults out of hospitals, nursing homes

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Senior Living, ,

By Care Resources

Julie Dekam, a medical assistant supporting the Care Resources nursing team, obtains a blood sugar reading from participant Dora in the clinic. (Courtesy, Care Resources)

Nancy Baker and Barbara Scothorn share a single mission as nurses: keeping seniors out of hospitals and nursing homes.

That mission is at the heart of their employer’s approach to health care. Both work for Care Resources, an innovative community-based program for people 55 years and older that promotes healthy and independent living for residents of Kent County and portions of Allegan, Barry, Ionia and Ottawa counties.

“We always know the nurse’s primary role is education,” explained Baker, who serves as clinic and day center manager for Care Resources. “Often a provider can be talking to a participant, but it’s really the nurse who can help them understand how to manage their diabetes or COPD.”

Scothorn agreed, adding: “Nurses are there to work with a participant and help them meet their goal, which is staying in their home and out of the hospital. It’s a partnership. We work with participants and their families to provide wrap-around services that supplement what they are able to do. Families play a huge role, and we take them into consideration in our planning.”

Scothorn serves as manager of home care and intake enrollment for Care Resources, which is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE®. Funded by Medicare and Medicaid, PACE services require no out-of-pocket payments for those who meet income requirements.

 

Care Resources offers a day center, clinic and pharmacy in its 36,000-square-foot facility in Grand Rapids that deliver a wide range of health care services as well as opportunities that promote socialization, build community and offer respite to caregivers. The nonprofit also provides home health services, including family and caregiver support, home care services and rehab and durable medical equipment, such as walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen and diabetic testing supplies.

All of this support, Baker and Scothorn know, is critical in keeping participants safe at home. They listed a host of reasons why people 55 years and older often wind up needing acute medical care:

  • Worsening medical conditions that go unnoticed when loved ones aren’t around.
  • Poorly managed medication, including skipped or doubled doses.
  • Unobserved changes to breathing, blood pressure or weight that signal larger health issues.
  • Poor nutrition and dehydration, which can cause a cascade of other health issues.
  • Social isolation, which can lead to rapid or steady decline in physical and mental health.

“My nurses in the clinic are great on triage and assessment,” Baker said. “They complement the work of Barb’s nurses and home health aides, who play a vital role in seeing what patients go through every day and addressing issues before they become problems.”

Baker and Scothorn highlight simple things loved ones can do to ensure older adults can be safe at home, including:

  • Ongoing education to help better manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes, or disease progression for illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and heart failure.
  • Medication assistance, such as setting up pills in a med box or med wheel so it’s easier to keep track of daily doses.
  • Home safety checks, such as removing throw rugs to prevent falls and installing grab bars instead of towel racks.
  • Meal preparation, such as stocking their freezers with meals they like and to improve their nutrition. 
  • Transportation support to ensure they can get to their medical and other appointments.
  • Social support and a safe place to go during the day, such as the Care Resources day center, for stimulation and engagement – and to give caregivers a needed break.

“These are great steps to help older adults stay healthy and remain in their homes,” Scothorn said. “Nurses can provide an additional layer of support. We are often the first to notice changes and issues – we’re trained to watch and take action to help community members age safely in place.”

For more information on Care Resources, visit CareResources.org.

Big trucks, food and fun; good times at the Kentwood Public Works Open House

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, Kent County, West Michigan, ,
  • (Courtesy, City of Kentwood/All photos taken by Ingrid Campos)
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By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



While making the rounds at the Kentwood Public Works Open House last Thursday, Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley said it best, “Little kids love big equipment.”

That was part of the appeal of the Open House, which was co-sponsored by the Kentwood Department of Public Works and the Kent County Road Commission. The event was held at the Kentwood Public Works facility at 5068 Breton Ave. 

It was not only kids taking part, but community members of all ages taking a look behind the scenes at how Public Works serves residents. 

“We’re here to celebrate the Department of Public Works and the staff who run it,” said Mayor Kepley, of the third annual event. “Kids light up when they see a big piece of equipment, and to be able to climb inside, feel the steering wheel and honk the horn. When I was a kid I was fascinated with excavators and bull dozers and I never got a chance to climb in one.


(WKTV/Vini Marconcin and Hayden Passig)



“It’s an opportunity for kids to see some big equipment, but also to educate the kids and the parents of what we do here in Public Works. People primarily focus in on police and fire, but they take for granted so many different things, for instance, our roads, our water, sanitary sewer, storm water, and also the Parks, and who maintains it all. When the Department of Public Works does its great job, it really goes unnoticed, because everything is working properly.

“When you turn on your water, do you get dirty water? No, you get clean water and that’s thanks to the Department of Public Works and their staff doing an excellent job.”

Mayor Kepley said he loves talking to students and classrooms about the different divisions at Public Works and how great the department operates, and jokingly apologizes to them about the lack of snow days.


“When I talk about roads and road maintenance (to students), I do apologize for us cleaning the roads really quickly and efficiently during the winter because chances are if you live in the City of Kentwood you have very few snow days because we do an excellent job of cleaning the road,” said Kepley with a grin. “If someone hits a deer who cleans that up? The Department of Public Works. They do so many different things.”


(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Kentwood Director of Public Works Chad Griffin talked about the opportunity the Open House provides for his staff to mingle with residents.

“We really love to have the community come out and see what we do,” said Griffin, who leads a staff of 37 full-time workers and 10 seasonal. “It’s a great chance for residents and employees to interact, meet one another and talk about the work that we do. 


“We had many families and kids attend the event … we are considering it a success. We counted nearly 300 in attendance.”


(Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



Griffin said complimentary grilled hotdogs, chips, freezer pops and bottled water was served and kids of all ages received coloring books, construction themed snap bracelets and construction equipment temporary tattoos. 


The Kentwood Department of Public Works has five divisions that work together to maintain the City’s infrastructure, which includes more than 150 miles of pipes underground and more than 155 miles of streets above ground, as well as parks and grounds, buildings and vehicles. The five divisions are building maintenance, fleet services, grounds maintenance, streets maintenance and utilities (water and wastewater) services. To learn more about Kentwood DPW, visit kentwood.us/DPW.

Kids’ Food Basket founder’s memoir about finding a purpose-driven life, inspiring others

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, West Michigan, ,
Mary K. Hoodhood (far left) with volunteers assembling dinners at the Kids’ Food Basket. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)


By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor


When you first glance at the book cover of Kids’ Food Basket founder Mary K. Hoodhood’s new memoir, you can read the title in at least two different ways.


You can see it as asking the question “What Can I Do,” as in resignation to the inability to tackle difficult social problems such as hunger among our youth.


But you can also see it as a call to action, personal action: “What I can do” to be part of the solution to such issues. The book was co-written with Lisa McNeilly, PhD.


The life story, so far, of “Mary K” as most people know her, is a testament to “doing what you can do” in one’s personal journey, even overcoming huge physical obstacles, to serve the community.


In Mary K’s life, serving the community, including founding Kids’ Food Basket (KFB), has been a driving force in moving her forward.  


“My upbringing and Catholic education helped me understand the importance of community and giving back,” Mary K. said to WKTV. “I was working at God’s Kitchen when I found out about kids not receiving an evening meal at home at the three GRPS (Grand Rapids Pubic Schools) schools KFB started with.





“I knew that this was an injustice, and it wasn’t the kids fault. I also knew that I could raise the money and get the volunteers to help.”



And raise the money, and get the volunteers/community/government support needed to run Kids’ Food Bank is exactly what she has done — this year, KFB sends 10,000 sack suppers to 60 schools across four counties every weekday.


Inspiring others to “Do what they can do,” that just came along naturally.



(WKTV/Katie Bogema)



Finding a calling after tragedy

In the introduction to “What I Can Do,” Mary K. dedicates the book to her husband, Jeff, with the words “My life is possible because of your love and devotion.”

And discussion in the book of her support network is an essential part of understanding her drive to serve the community as she overcame an automobile accident in her 20s that left her paralyzed from the chest down.


Instead of focusing on what she could no longer do, she states, she started repeating her mantra: “I will focus on what I can do.”


Successful before her accident, Mary K. Roach was born and raised in Grand Rapids and earned a degree in education from Michigan State University in 1973. One of her first jobs was working with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan, working with high school and community college counselors as well as the Michigan legislature.


But then came May 1980 and a car accident that left her in a wheelchair, but not idle. She got married, helped raise a stepdaughter, took in her teenage nieces and nephew, and began volunteering for the Meals on Wheels program at God’s Kitchen, a local food pantry.



Mary K. Hoodhood with one of the dinner bags distributed by Kids’ Food Basket. (Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)



There she saw the need to feed not only seniors and adults, but also school-age youth triggered by a 2002 phone call from a local school principal to say that students were regularly going into the cafeteria after school in search of food to take home.


With $3,000 and a handful of volunteers, she committed to seeking a solution to childhood hunger in our community and Kids’ Food Basket was founded.


“Many volunteers from God’s Kitchen followed me to KFB,” Mary K. said, and the group began feeding 125 meals a day. “What I didn’t anticipate is how much KFB has grown to increase access to good food for kids.”


The first big growth in 2008 and 2009

“There was a recession and we expanded our services outside GRPS to where there was need. I knew our numbers would increase and we would grow,” she said.


With the growth and recognition of Kids’ Food Basket, Mary K. has gained local, regional and national recognition, including being named one of The Grand Rapids Business Journal 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan in 2018.


(Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)


But KFB is and will always be closest to her heart. She is past Chair and current member of the Kids’ Food Basket Board of Directors, and volunteers many hours every week, focusing on fund development and public relations, but also sometimes just working the line putting together “dinner” bags. 


That growth has led Kids’ Food Basket to becoming one of the largest non-profits in West Michigan, with staff and leadership carrying it into the future.


“Mary K.’s motto to ‘Do what I can do’ is one of many driving forces behind everything that we have built at Kids’ Food Basket,” Bridget Clark Whitney, President and Founding CEO of Kids’ Food Basket, said to WKTV.


“Food insecurity is a very real concern, and breaking down the barriers to good food access can feel overwhelming. At KFB, we create a space where people can make a real impact, one step at a time. Packing a single Sack Supper is easy, and together across three locations, it adds up to 10,000 healthy evening meals each school day.”


(Courtesy, Kids’ Food Basket)


What can you do?

Community volunteering and financial support has been a key factor in the growth and success of Kids’ Food Basket. Many people, it seems, believe in the title of Mary K.’s book — doing “What I Can Do.”


To find out what you can do, visit the Kids’ Food Basket website.




So what’s the deal with recycling batteries?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Environment, How-To's, Kent County,

By Katelyn Kikstra
Kent County Department of Public Works

While batteries of any type should never go in your recycling cart or any recycling drop-off station, but what you should do with them instead oftentimes is not clear. Batteries can really trip folks up because the type of battery ultimately determines what we need to do with them. Read below to match what kind of battery/batteries you have to figure out your next actions.

Alkaline batteries

Alkaline batteries are typically the cell batteries (EX: AA, AAA, etc.) that are commonly used in a lot of household items, like toys, flash lights, radios, etc. Alkaline batteries are cell batteries that ARE NOT rechargeable.

Alkaline batteries should be taped on the ends and then placed into the trash. (Pxhere.com)

Alkaline batteries used to contain mercury, qualifying them as hazardous waste, so they would have been accepted through a household hazardous waste program for a really long time. However, around the mid- to late-90s, manufacturers changed how they made alkaline batteries (to no longer contain mercury) so these types of batteries no longer qualify as hazardous waste and cannot go to a hazardous waste program. Once taped on the ends/terminals, these batteries are OK to go in the trash because they are no longer hazardous.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of places that recycle them as the process is tedious and expensive. We do not know of any alkaline battery recyclers in Kent County. Instead, we encourage folks to use up their supply of alkaline batteries and make the transition to a rechargeable/reusable type of battery if possible.

These batteries should do contain hazardous materials and should be taken to a SafeChem location. (Pxhere.com)

All other batteries

“All other batteries” is a broad category but it includes (from left to right): button batteries, laptop/cellphone/electronics batteries, drill/weed trimmer/leaf blower batteries, lithium ion/cadmium batteries, auto/marine/ATV batteries, and RECHARGEABLE cell batteries (EX: AA, AAA, etc).

All of these batteries should never go in your trash, recycling bin or into any of our single-stream/mixed recycling drop-off stations as they contain hazardous materials and could easily start a fire at the recycling center, landfill or a garbage truck.

Instead they should be brought to any of the county’s SafeChem – Household Hazardous Waste drop-offs during designated hours for free recycling.

If you have any additional waste or recycling questions visit Kent County Department of Public Work’s Waste & Recycling Directory or email recycle@KentCountyMI.gov

WKTV Voices from the Front Line: A two-part look inside the life of a Kentwood firefighter

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan, ,
Kentwood firefighters Andy Biederman (left) and Jeff Bouwkamp at Fire Station 3. (WKTV/Cris Greer)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


EDITOR’S NOTE: WKTV recently spent an afternoon at Kentwood Fire Station 3 on Eastern Ave. as part of a documentary we produced called “Voices from the Front Line,” where we interviewed Lieutenant Jeff Bouwkamp and Engine Operator Andy Biederman. We talked about all the details of their job as a firefighter … from the most routine calls to the most dangerous, and everything in between. This is Part 1 of a two-part series on our very interesting and informative conversation below.

Andy Biederman, Engine Operator (a Kentwood firefighter for five years):

What are your duties as Engine Operator?

Basically, I’m in charge of this whole engine behind me; I have to know everything that involves the engine. From the engine itself; the motor to the water pump to all the tools that are on it … how much hose we have on it. It’s a pretty extensive job and I have to get water supply for the firefighters in the fire. We carry 500 gallons on it, so it goes pretty quick. We have a 1,500 gallon-per-minute tank or pump. So it’s a pretty fast-paced job.






Jeff Bouwkamp, Lieutenant (a Kentwood firefighter for 30 years):

Talk about your responsibilities as a Lieutenant and the breakdown of shifts?

As the lieutenant here, I’m assigned to Engine 53. We have five people at this fire station; two lieutenants, one equipment operator, two firefighters. I manage day-to-day operations. I make sure the calls get run appropriately, get handled, that we do our jobs, and everything’s done correctly … and that we have a good time and everybody goes home safe at the end of the shift.


We run three different crews through our three different shifts. Each shift consists of two lieutenants, one equipment operator and two firefighters. The three shifts makes 15 people. We’ll run Engine 53 and Medic 53 out of the fire station. We work a 24-and-a-quarter hour shift starting at 6:45 in the morning and get done at seven o’clock the next morning, that gives us about 15 minutes to overlap and do a little shift exchange. And then we get 24 hours off. Our second day is another 24-hour shift and we get the fourth day off, and then we work the fifth day. So, we work three out of five 24-hour days, and we get four off at the end. It comes out to about 10 days of work a month. 


Talk about the warning system of alerting firefighters for calls:

ANDY:

When you’re a new guy here, you don’t want to miss a call. So, it’s all important to hear that call when it goes off. If you don’t wake up for that call it’s a bad day. A lot of it is just being excited to be here. We have a lot of new guys here and they want to run the calls so they’re going to wake up for them. There’s a study about when the alarms used to go off, they’re very loud and like an abrupt alarm. But now they’ve realized with the study that a gradual tone is easier on your heart.


If you hear that loud tone at 3 in the morning, you’re automatically gonna start getting an increased heart rate, you’re already starting to kind of get some anxiety, if you will. So, the gradual tone will help reduce that which is beneficial for everybody.

JEFF:

We used to get a phone call from dispatch and now we’re on the 900 megahertz system. We have a station alert from the Kent County Communications Center, which is the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. They dispatch us; they hit a button and it transmits over our intercom. And then they’ll say Medic 53 or Engine 53 and tell us what we have and they’ll give us the address and then we just get up and go out.




Many youngsters dream of being a firefighter or police officer. What age were you when you thought of this as a career, and was there someone who sparked your interest? 

ANDY: 

I grew up in the Chicago area and I have a cousin that works for the Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Department, and ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to do that. We also had some close family friends who were firefighters in our local department where I used to live in Evanston. I would go there after school and the firefighters would basically treat me like I was one of their kids. After school, when my parents were still working, I would hang out at the firehouse until they were done working. I was immersed in that whole environment, my whole childhood. And that’s something I never wanted to leave.


When you see a fire truck go by, you think they’re going to a fire, and you don’t necessarily understand that they might be going to a cardiac arrest, or they can go into something else that isn’t necessarily a fire. In joining the fire service, you learn that. And it kind of adds a different perspective because every time you do see it, typically they are going for a true emergency. So, with that kind of in the back of your head, it changes your perspective about how it’s not always with just the fires that we change lives. It’s also the medical calls that we go through as well. You want to make a difference.


JEFF:

This is all I’ve ever wanted to do is be on the fire department. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I used to hang out with Brent Looman, we were buddies growing up, and now he’s the fire chief in Kentwood. His dad was on the fire department and we would see him going to calls and we’d hear about them and that just kind of caught me. As I grew up it never left me.

Kentwood Fire Chief Brent Looman. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)




I’ve had a few different jobs; worked as a plumber, worked in a factory. Nothing beats the fire department. This is the greatest job in the world. I still feel that to this day.


When you’re young, you see the big red fire engines, you see the lights, and you hear the sirens, and that’s what captures you. You work here and you start to see the impact that you make, and it kind of gives you satisfaction. It makes you feel good.


You’re helping somebody who’s in need, helping them with something that they can’t take care of themselves.



Talk about the tight-knit camaraderie you have here at the Fire Station: 


ANDY:

It’s kind of nice that everybody knows each other by their first name; they know their families. We’ve all interacted outside of work, which is huge, too, because that also helps build that camaraderie. At a bigger department sometimes you don’t necessarily know everybody. 

JEFF: 

We get together for different things. During the summer we get together for picnics and whoever can get together for our shift. And we also have a nice Christmas dinner together. We’ll do stuff like that off duty or on occasion we’ll go to a hockey game or a baseball game or whatever. And that’s a special thing because a lot of times the spouses and the families get involved. But what I would tell people is, even when I worked as a plumber, I worked at a good place. But we didn’t have near as much fun as what we have here.


The closeness that we have is just great. Other jobs, I didn’t know how many kids they had or how old they were. I know these guys, I know their kids and I know their families. They come in and we have a good time; we laugh, we joke around and that’s a special thing.


How does being a firefighter blend in with your family life?

JEFF: 

Last year, we ran almost 5,000 calls, and two years ago we ran over 5,000 calls. If you break that down for all of our shifts, we have half a day where we don’t run a call, and we can just be crisscrossing all over the place. So, we always have to be ready. In the beginning, it was a little difficult because my family was … ‘Well, you coming over for Thanksgiving? … uh, you’re coming over here for Christmas, right?’ If you have to work, they don’t quite understand that because people have Thanksgiving off, or maybe they have Christmas off. They don’t understand the schedule right away. That’s a little bit of a work in progress.


When your spouse needs help with the kids or whatever, and you’re not around, and you’re not going to be around until the next day, it makes it a little different. But you start to learn to adapt to that. One of the nice things is that we have days off during the week where my kids have done things with school, and I’ve been able to go on field trips with them. I’ve done things that some other dads aren’t fortunate enough to do. If I do work on their birthday, we’re going out on another day for their birthday. We’ve done Christmas almost a week early and a half a week late.



Kentwood’s Engine 55 at Fire Station 3. (WKTV/Cris Greer)



A day in the life…

JEFF: 

Our shift starts at 6:45 a.m. We get in our uniform, get our gear and put it by where we’re going to be for the day. We do a little shift exchange with the off-going crew and then we do our vehicle checks. After we do vehicle checks we have a shift meeting and a schedule comes out for the day. We get all of our errands run. We work three shifts, but what we’ll probably do is go grocery shopping the first day for the whole week, and get that out of the way.


We do our station cleaning: kitchens, hallways, bathrooms, showers, all of that. We do any training that needs to get done; a lot of online training, especially for our EMT license. The first of every month I get inspections so the lieutenants will go out and do inspections. We take the crews out; we get to go through buildings in the city. That’s really nice because you get into places that you don’t normally see. We see things that may become problematic and help them get that straightened out; it’s more of a safety inspection. After lunch, we finish up our daily duties. About three o’clock we work out for about an hour; we’ve got a treadmill and some free weights, elliptical and a whole host of things. We usually eat after 5 o’clock.


Some of us will finish up projects after five, but normally that’s our downtime. We’ll watch movies and play games or whatever. And then after 5 o’clock we have to make sure that throughout the day no matter what we’re doing we’re freed up for alarms or medicals or whatever may happen. At night, you really don’t sleep well here; it’s more resting between calls. You never know when you’re gonna get a call … that’s always on your mind. It’s really hard to just relax. Sometimes you run a couple calls at night, sometimes you’re up all night.

Can you explain the certifications and training necessary to be a firefighter, and how much time you spend keeping up on that training and equipment?

JEFF:

About 3 o’clock we work out for about an hour; we’ve got a treadmill and some free weights, an elliptical and a whole host of things. We do an annual physical agility test and that has eight different things that we have to accomplish within a set time. That has to do with swinging a sledgehammer a certain amount of times within a time limit, pulling some holes and hooking up pieces of equipment, carrying equipment up and down a set of stairs.


We make several trips to know your physical strength and your cardio. There’s another one where we use a mannequin full of heavy stuffing and we’ll drag that a certain distance around, in certain ways, and then come back. We do that annually. We’ll go to a doctor to make sure we’re physically fit to do the job. To work here we have Fire 1 and 2, which is the minimum that they would give you if you were to just apply at a department.


And then we’re also all EMTs. Certain people that we’ve hired have gone past that and have gotten a paramedic license. We do not operate as paramedics, but we’ve hired people who are paramedics. We also have a certification in hazardous materials. I have Ropes 1 and 2 for high and low rescue, and I have trench rescue and confined space.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Please look for Part 2 of this series on Friday. To watch the entire program, click here: “Voices from the Front Line”

Draft club helps local farms during plow day events

3-bottom, architecture, Citizen Journalism, Kent County, Pets/Animals, Recreation,

By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor

Paul Vander Laan grew up on a flashlight farm—his dad had a day job and worked the farm at night.

Dave Kamps Showing his 11-year-old granddaughter Libby Kleyn how to drive his team of Percherons. (Janet Vormittag)

“Mom wouldn’t let him get a tractor with headlights. She didn’t want him working all night,” said Vander Laan who lives in Walker.

When Vander Laan was 8-years-old, he recalls the last horse leaving the farm. Nostalgia of those long-gone days has turned into a hobby for him. Vander Laan owns two Percherons, a breed of draft horse that originated in France, and he is a member of the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, which has about 40 members.

One of the club’s activities is plow days where members bring their teams to a local farm and put them to work. Plow days are open to the public and signs are placed by nearby streets pointing the way for anyone interested in seeing draft horses pulling plows.

On May 13, the club met at a Christmas tree farm in Ottawa County and worked a field that will be planted with seedlings. A light drizzle didn’t stop club members from attending. By 9 a.m. several pickup trucks hauling horse trailers were already parked side by side, teams were unloading, hitched up and bring starting to plow. Both walk-behind and riding plows were used.

Owning Draft horses is An Expensive Hobby

Vander Laan estimated he spends $2,500 per horse annually and that doesn’t include a truck and trailer for hauling the animals. To offset the pricy pastime, he built a horse-drawn funeral coach. Last year, he was hired 21 times to be part of funeral processions, transporting the casket from church to cemetery. He handled the team and the minister or one family member can ride by his side.

Business card with a photo of Paul Vander Laan and his Percherons pulling a funeral coach. (Janet Vormittag)

Club member Dave Kamps compared the expense of owning a draft horse to not smoking. “If you don’t buy cigarettes, you can afford the feed for one of these guys,” Kamps said, adding that a pack of smokes is about $7 and that’s what it costs to feed one horse for one day—but it’s cheaper in the summer when the horses are pastured.

 

Kamps spent part of the plow day teaching his young grandchildren how to handle his Percheron team, Jasper and Sweet Pea. His daughter, Betsy Kleyn, said her kids enjoy helping with the horses.

“He’s always doing horse stuff and they always want to help him,” she said.

Besides spring plow days, the club offers wagon rides at special events and compete in draft horse shows including one at Michigan State University.

This year the Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show and Pull (www.mgli.org) is Oct. 12-15 and will be held at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. Included are competitions in halter, hitching, plowing, pulling and riding. The four-day event features 330 vendors, and 1,200 horses from 30 states and three Canadian provinces. More than 35,000 people attend the show.

Family Tradition

Martin Daling, one of the original members in the West Michigan Draft Horse Club, said he won the plowing competition last year at MSU. The year before he took second place. He explained that the dirt is judged, not the horses. Criteria include the depth and the straightness of the furrows.

Carrie Dalling plowing with her dad’s team of blond Belgians. (Janet Vormittag)

Daling owns a centennial farm in Tallmadge Township near Leonard Street and 8th Avenue and is the third generation to farm the land. Daling and his Belgian draft horse team work the fields and in the fall they harvest the hay, oats and corn that provide feed for the horses.

Daling’s daughter, Carrie Daling, said she’s been attending plow days with her dad for at least 30 years.

“Everyone is always here,” said Carrie Daling. “People I’ve known since I was a kid.”

When the plowing is complete, club members have a potluck.

Carrie Daling said she occasionally drives her dad’s team of blonde Belgians, Roy and Roger.

“Dad’s teams listens very well,” she said explaining that one horse always walks in the furrow. “You point him in the direction and he knows where to go.”

Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals in 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.

Volunteers needed for May 23 tree planting in Godfrey-Lee area

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Environment, Health, , ,

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

In the fall of 2020, the Wyoming Tree Commission (The Tree Amigos), with volunteer helped planted trees in the Godfrey-Lee area. (Courtesy, Wyoming Tree Commission)

Whether it be the shade from a hot summer day to the colorful leaves dropping that add nature’s beauty in the fall, trees can provide a natural respite for a community as well as improve air and water quality.

However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, underserved communities tend to have fewer trees than other city neighborhoods and local organizations working to add tree canopy to those areas can face unique challenges.

To help make a difference in one such area are  three organizations, the City of Wyoming Tree Commission – The Tree Amigos, the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, and ReLeaf Michigan. Tuesday, May 23, the groups will come together to plant 20 trees at the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, 961 Joosten St. SW, to plant 20 trees. Volunteers also are being sought to help with the project.

Building Shade Equity

“We are working in Godfrey Lee for two reasons,” said Estelle Slootmaker, who is a member and founder of Tree Commission (The Tree Amigos), which noted the group has planted trees in the Godfrey-Lee district in the past. “The area’s canopy has been disastrously decreased by storms and development.

“The neighborhood, like many U.S. neighborhoods experiencing income challenges, lacks shade equity. Shaded neighborhoods promote mental health, reduce crime, have cleaner air with less asthma and other breathing conditions, and higher property values.”

The other reason the commission has selected the Godfrey-Lee area was because of the advocacy of volunteers Susan VanBronkhorst and Rosemary Davis, who have advocated for planting in the neighborhood, and because of Godfrey-Lee science teacher Deb Truszkowski, who has been working to get The Tree Amigos active with the district.

Truszkowski said it was a National Geographic article that raised her awareness for the lack of tree canopies in underserved areas. She teaches a world disasters course at the high school which focuses on climate change.

“We are currently looking into areas that lack tree canopies and how that affects a community,” Truszkowski said, adding the classes have been discussing how redlining, where lenders refused loans to people living in a certain area, impacted a neighborhood and its environment, such as parks, green space and trees.

Students from two of Truszkowski’s classes will participate in the planting along with talking to volunteers and learning from ReLeaf Michigan.

Volunteer Opportunities

ReLeaf Michigan, a 35-year-old non-profit organization, partners with communities statewide to replenish community tree canopies through volunteer tree planting events. In 2022, the DTE Foundation granted $350,000 to ReLeaf for tree plantings in communities throughout the state.

Slootmaker said ReLeaf is providing the 20 trees and the organization’s forester helped select the planting sites. On planting day, ReLeaf representatives will be there to provide instruction and supervise the plantings.

 

“They will be providing information on the proper way to plant and for the trees,” Slootmacher said, adding it is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about planting and green spaces.

Those interested in volunteering — no planting experience is necessary — should wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing and bring a shovel, hard rake, and work gloves if they have them. The group will meet at Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center located, 961 Joosten St. SW, at 8:45 a.m. to sign in, enjoy refreshments, and watch a planting demonstration with ReLeaf Michigan’s tree experts.The event occurs rain or shine. 

Wyoming business expands, adds 27,000-square-foot facility

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Local Entertainment, ,
From left, RJ Billmeijer, from CopperRock Construction; Senator Mark Huizenga; RoMan Manufacturing President Nelson Sanchez; RoMan Manufacturing CEO Bob Roth; RoMan Manufacturing founder Robert Hoffman; RoMan Manufacturing Vice President Kurt Hofman; Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood, and Wyoming Kentwood Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Keith Morgan. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

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

While for some the COVID pandemic caused a stall in operations, for RoMan Manufacturing it was a time when the company discovered new opportunities in the semiconductor and data center industries that have now led to the Wyoming-manufacture adding a new 27,000-square-foot facility to its location.

On May 18, city officials and business leaders joined company officials and employees for a groundbreaking ceremony for the company’s future facility, which along with being a manufacturing facility also will house the company’s new training and development program, RoMan University, and its Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program. The new facility, which is expected to open in October, is predicted to create at least 50 new jobs in the next 18 to 20 months.

“The new facility will allow us to expand our overall capacity to serve our existing core business, which is what we grew up on, the markets of resistance welding, furnace and glass, and create space to serve these new markets,” said RoMan Manufacturing President Nelson Sanchez.

Along with that, the addition of RoMan University and the apprenticeship will help the company develop a talent pipeline, Sanchez said.

RoMan CEO Both Roth said the facility also enables RoMan to continue its focus on helping its customers to achieve their goals.

“It was always that vantage point I think that has been one of our north stars and has driven business forward is that we think about customers first and in doing that, we can help them succeed and when we help our customers succeed, it helps us succeed,” Roth said.

Growing and Evolving

Started in 1982 with an 8,000-square-foot building, RoMan — which is a combination of the founders’ names Dietrich Roth and Robert Hofman — the company in the past 40-plus years has grown to cover seven acres with two sites that has a combined square footage of 160,000. The main campus is located at 861 47th St. SW, which is where the new building will be located.

The group of RoMan Manufacturing and local officials help break grown on RoMan’s new facility. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

According to Executive Vice President Kurt Hofman, RoMan Manufacturing started as a niche business focused on low voltage, high current water cooler transformers.

 

“You can Google that today and you are not going to see a whole lot of people pop up on that Google search and I can tell you who is going to be on the top of that Google search, it is going to be us,” Hofman said.

Over time, RoMan Manufacturing expanded outside of welding and the automotive industry and moved into other industries, which led to the company building systems. This led RoMan being to be able to expand into the semiconductor and data center businesses. 

 

“On behalf of the entire city council, I want to congratulate RoMan Manufacturing on its new production facility and say thank you for choosing the City of Wyoming and for providing additional job opportunities for our residents and the West Michigan community,” said Mayor Kent Vanderwood at the groundbreaking ceremony.

High school students invited to apply for Kentwood Police Department Youth Academy; deadline extended to June 15

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
Last year’s Kentwood Police Department Youth Academy. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



The Kentwood Police Department is inviting high school students to apply for its youth academy set for July 24-27.

The academy is open to all graduating seniors and students who will be a sophomore, junior or senior in the 2023-24 school year. The program is designed to show young people who are interested in a career in law enforcement what it’s like to be a police officer. Participants do not need to live or attend school in Kentwood.

“Our youth academy allows us to connect with young people in our community and show them first-hand what a career in law enforcement is like,” said Chief Bryan Litwin. “Our officers are looking forward to sharing more about their career path, building relationships with students and helping answer questions they have about the profession.”



Last year’s Kentwood Police Department Youth Academy. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



The youth academy is free for participants and runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Kentwood Police Department, 4742 Walma Ave. SE. Each participant is provided a uniform and daily lunch.

Hands-on experience in police training

The program gives students hands-on experience in police training and operations. Participants receive instruction in various aspects of policing and participate in training scenarios, including:

  • Drunken driving enforcement
  • Building searches
  • Handcuffing
  • Special Response Team

Eligible participants must pass a background check and be interviewed before being accepted into the program. Participants also are required to attend an informational meeting with a parent or guardian before the academy begins.

The youth academy application is available at kentwood.us/YouthAcademy. Applications are due by June 15 and can be submitted online, by email to wierengat@kentwood.us, in person at the Police Department or by mail to Sgt. Tim Wierenga at 4742 Walma Ave. SE, Kentwood, MI 49512. 

More information is available at kentwood.us/YouthAcademy. Interested applicants who have questions should contact Sgt. Wierenga at wierengat@kentwood.us or 616-656-6561.

LaFontsee Galleries sold to new owners

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kent County, Local Business, West Michigan, ,

By McKenna Peariso
WKTV Contributor

A memory wall in LaFontsee Galleries shares its story. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)

For the first time in nearly four decades, new leadership is taking hold at LaFontsee Galleries.

This month, founders Linda and Scott LaFontsee announced that Jason and Kate Meyer have bought the business. Artist Kate Meyer will take the lead on running the gallery, with Linda LaFontsee assisting her with the transition over the next six months.

“We found the right people,” said Linda LaFontsee. “We started thinking about it several years ago and I finally got to the point where I could entertain the idea of letting go of my baby.”

The LaFontsees have overseen growth of the art-hub enterprise for more than 36 years. From humble beginnings in 1987 as a small framing business to the award-winning 24,000 square foot gallery now located at 833 Lake Dr. SE.

In that time, LaFontsee Galleries has received many state and national recognitions. In 2022, the American Art Awards named it one of the top 20 galleries in America. The gallery also received the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture in 2004.

“Initially when the gallery started, there was not really much of an art scene in Grand Rapids,” said new owner Kate Meyer. “It really just started with a small framing shop and Linda and Scott showing a couple of pieces on the walls where they had a little bit of space from local artists and it grew from there.”

Growing its Grand Rapids

The tiny framing operation run out of Scott LaFontsee’s basement was fittingly named Underground Studio. As the area’s art scene began to take shape, the business moved downtown into the North Monroe Business District and rebranded to LaFontsee Galleries in 1994. Then in 2012, the founders reopened the gallery in its current home on Lake Drive.

LaFontsee Galleries started a a framing operation. During the May 24 open house, visitors will be a behind-the-scenes look at the business’s iconic framing department. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)

“We have grown with the city for sure,” LaFontsee said. “It’s wonderful to be able to not only show their work but create a community with the artists as well.”

It’s estimated more than 60,000 works of art are stored at LaFontsee Galleries, with only a quarter currently decorating the walls. LaFontsee says the depth of the work the space holds for each of the artists is rather unusual, thanks to the building’s generous square footage.

The gallery’s entire collection including the current portfolio of more than 70 artists will be retained under the new leadership. Fifteen team members will also remain on staff.

An artist herself, Meyer has had her work displayed across Grand Rapids and has been featured at ArtPrize several times. She admires the gallery for its balance of a warm, welcoming environment with a professional caliber of fine art.

“It’s more than just a gallery,” said Meyer, “it really is a community space that has so many different facets to it.”

Just the Right Match

LaFontsee Galleries has a long history of involvement in local nonprofits and community events. Its list of collaborators include Frey Foundation, Gilda’s Club, Artists Creating Together and more.

LaFontsee Galleries has been an art-hub in Grand Rapids for 36 years. (WKTV/McKenna Peariso)

Connecting through non-profits is what originally brought the LaFontsees and Meyers together; Jason and Linda met while working with the Blandford Nature Center. Along with his advisory role with the gallery, Jason Meyer currently serves as executive director for the White Oak Initiative, a coalition addressing the decline of America’s white oak population.

Kate Meyer also has over a decade of experience in fundraising, event planning and leadership in environmental nonprofits and conservation. Her most recent role was associate director of development for the state’s chapter of the world’s largest conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy. She also previously served as the Kent County Parks Foundation’s executive director.

“They really hand-picked us and I think they see a lot of themselves in us and vice versa,” Meyer said.

Celebrating a New Era

Terms of the gallery’s transaction were not disclosed. The LaFontsees were advised by Calder Capital LLC on the deal. The Meyers used financial consultant DWH LLC as their advisors.

The gallery will host an open house on May 24 from 4 to 5 p.m. where the public can meet and greet with owners old and new. Attendees will also have the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at the business’s iconic framing department and learn more about the process of preserving art.

Senior Expo returns to the Meijer Gardens

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health, Senior Living,

By K.D. Norris
WKTV Contributor

The Senior Expo will take place on May 24 at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. (Courtesy, Frederik Meijer Gardens)

In many ways, a walk around the building and grounds of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is the perfect place for a bit of physical and mental health “me time” for local senior community members.

And what better time to visit than the return of the free-to-the-public West Michigan Senior Expo at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration to the expo also offers free admission to the Meijer Gardens indoor and outdoor art and gardens.

To pre-register for the event, visit here.

Local group attending focused on mental health

The range of senior — and senior caregiver — advocacy and service groups attending the Senior Expo is expected to include more than 50 Grand Rapids and West Michigan organizations that specialize assisted living, Alzheimer’s information, home care, Veterans benefits, mobility solutions, Medicare and much more.

More than 50 local and regional organizations will be present at the West Michigan Senior Expo at Meijer Gardens. (courtesy, Meijer Gardens)

For one local health-care organization, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, attending the expo and serving the senior community is a calling as much as a business opportunity.

“We view the seniors who turn to us for care as our friends, our grandparents, and our neighbors because that’s who they are,” Matt Hiskes, spokesperson for Pine Rest. “We value and offer a full continuum of services for seniors because they are an essential part of the community that makes West Michigan great.”

Hiskes also stressed that mental health is as important as physical health for seniors.

“Individuals often face some of the most challenging aspects of life during their senior years: housing changes, loss of family members and friends, individual medical concerns, loss of mobility, and changing family dynamics,” Hiskes said. “These issues can be incredibly impactful on a person’s mental well-being, yet many individuals never seek the help they need.

“It’s important for seniors to know that help is available, that there is no shame in seeking mental health care, and that people can live better, longer lives when they focus on caring for their mental health.”

Health care screenings and a stroll through art, nature 

The “rain or shine” expo will be held in-doors and will offer a variety of free health screenings — not to mention hourly prize drawings, giveaways and complimentary refreshments.

 

Among the groups and businesses expected to attend are BP Realty, Baldwin House, Battle Creek VA Media Center, Boichot Insurance Agency, Care Resources PACE (GR), Center for Vein Restoration, Eden Home Care, Estate Planning Legal Services, Grand Brook Memory Care, Health Alliance Plan, Hearing Life, Life EMS Ambulance, Lincoln Square Senior Living Holiday by Atria (GR), McDonald Hearing Services, National Benefit Plans, Neptune Society, Sentinel Pointe Retirement Community, St. Ann’s Home, United Healthcare, and Victory Financial Insurance Agency.

After the event, attendees can enjoy the recently opened indoor exhibit of “Cristina Iglesias: Under and In Between”. Running through September, the exhibition surveys 20 years of work from one of Spain’s most renowned artists. The exhibit includes the artist’s “Pozo XI”, recently installed in the Tassell–Wisner–Bottrall English Perennial Garden as part of Meijer Garden’s permanent sculpture collection.

And if you haven’t been on the grounds lately, a somber but powerful stop should be Jerusalem-born artist Ariel Schlesinger’s “Ways to Say Goodbye” located in the Holocaust Memorial Garden.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is located at 1000 East Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids. For more information visit meijergardens.org 

Kevin Brewster Quartet performs on WKTV Jazz Works show

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Entertainment, West Michigan, , , , ,





By Cris Greer

WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org



As a child, it was Kevin Brewster’s mom that helped steer him toward the saxophone.



The 2021 East Kentwood grad said his mom, Audrey Reed, often listened to gospel, R&B and soul music such as Fred Hammond, John P. Kee, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind & Fire. 



“I always wondered what the specific instrument I heard in those songs was until eventually I found out it was a saxophone which made me want to play it,” Brewster said. “I then began playing the saxophone at 11 years old.



“As far as I remember, growing up I was always into music, either if it was dancing, listening to music or singing. I grew up in the church which got me involved with playing the drums, saxophone and singing in the choir.”



Brewster, who just finished his second year of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University, was recently in the WKTV studio with his quartet taping a television program called Jazz Works, which will air soon on our station.

The other members of the quartet are Max Gage on piano, Judah Guerra, bass and Brian Allen, drums.



The Kevin Brewster Quartet recently performed on the WKTV Jazz Works program. Front, Kevin Brewster; from left; Max Gage, piano; Judah Guerra, bass and Brian Allen, drums. (WKTV/Cris Greer)



East Kentwood and MSU connection

Guerra also graduated from EK High School, while Allen went to Grand Rapids Christian and Gage, Northview. All members study music at Michigan State University.



Brewster said they all met while in high school and began practicing together.



“We had one of our first gigs at a restaurant and I knew ever since then I wanted to keep playing with these guys,” Brewster explained. “We formally got together in 2021, and then we gigged throughout the summer our first year of college.”



The quartet has performed locally at the Grand Rapids Foodie Fest, GRNoir Jazz Club, GR Festival of the Arts and the Kentwood Winter Concert Series.



While at East Kentwood, Brewster performed in the marching band, wind ensemble and jazz ensemble I.



He’s counting on his high school and college experiences to guide him through his career.



“After I graduate college, my goal is to attend graduate school to pursue my masters in jazz performance while continuing to put out music and eventually become a recording artist. I also want to tour around the world as a band leader and/or sideman, and then soon become a college professor to teach jazz saxophone.”

Local man’s memoir features never heard stories of WWII 1st Infantry Division

3-bottom, Books, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming,

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributor

Joseph Olexa, circa 1941 (Courtesy, GVSU Veterans History Project)

Grand Valley State University Professor James Smither will be the first to admit that you never know where a veterans’ interview will lead you.

Such was the case when Smither, who heads up the GVSU Veterans History Project, interviewed World War II veteran David Zylstra, who mentioned that he had a manuscript of a memoir composed in the 1970s by his second wife’s late brother-in-law from her first marriage. Zylstra have been given the manuscript because he was the family member interested in history.

Released this year by University of North Texas Press and edit and annoyed by Smither, Death and Life in the Big Red One: A World War II Soldier’s Journey from North Africa to Germany, a memoir of World War II 1st Division combat infantryman Joe Olexa, offers insights into the experiences of an ordinary soldier in extraordinary situations.

Dr. James R. Smither will talk about his book Wednesday, May 17, at 2 p.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW.

When Smither looked through the large pile of papers stacked on Zylstra’s dining room table, “I realized right away that it should be archived and could probably be edited for publication.”

Smither got in touch with Olexa’s two sons still living in the Grand Rapids area, and they agreed to donate the manuscript and letters Olexa had written home during the war to GVSU and the Veterans History Project.

Smither took a sabbatical to edit the memoir and get it ready for publication.

The Challenge of Fact-Checking

“The real challenge to this was the fact-checking,” said Smither. “(Olexa) wrote the memoir largely from memory. I had to follow the story and check it against both published histories of the campaigns he was in, as well as military records for the unit he served in.”

Grand Valley State University Professor James Smither, head of the GVSU Veterans History Project (Courtesy, GVSU Veterans History Project)

Matching dates and places where the unit traveled and particular events Olexa mentioned in the memoir took hours of research.

“In some cases, his memory was faulty,” Smither said. “He was remembering the incidents pretty well but didn’t always have them in the right times and places. So I had to sort that out.”

Another challenge was the pseudonyms Olexa used for a lot of his characters. Ordinary combat soldiers didn’t always know each soldier’s name, often only knowing them by their nicknames.

“In (Olexa’s) case, he was going further than that. He was giving them nicknames especially if he didn’t like them,” said Smither with a laugh.

One of the most memorable nicknames was given to one of Olexa’s company commanders who he referred to as “Captain Jitters.” Smither had to find the real name of “Captain Jitters,” and the point Jitters was removed and sent to a psychiatric hospital as mentioned in the memoir.

A Vivid Account of Enlisted Life

Smither said he was impressed by Olexa’s writing style and ease of storytelling. “(The memoir) gives you a much more detailed and vivid account of what it was like to be a combat soldier than you get from most memoirs written by enlisted men,” Smither said. “Usually, it’s the officers that write the better memoirs because they are better educated and have a better idea of what was going on.”

Part of the charm of Olexa’s account of WWII was that he enlisted before the war had even begun.

“Olexa enlisted before the war started and got into the fighting as early as anybody did, and the Americans did in the European theater,” Smither said.

In 1942, Olexa was part of the invasion of North Africa—a portion of the war where there are not many firsthand accounts at all, and none from Olexa’s regiment of several thousand men.

Some Interesting Accounts

Smither said there are many incidents of Olexa’s unit that didn’t make it into history books because they were a “sideshow” for quite a while as a battalion off on their own, conducting small patrols in the southern end of the front in Tunisia.

Soldiers of L Company in Aachen, Germany. (Courtesy, GVSU History Project)

During the invasion of Sicily in 1943, Olexa was part of a small group of men who were trained to swim onto shore and flash signals to guide the landing craft in. “I had never seen anything about that,” said Smither. “I couldn’t find anything in the records indicating an army personnel ever did this. When I was burrowing around in the unit records, sure enough, I found a report on the activities of the unit he was in, and there he is, listed on the unit roster.”

The more Smither researched, the more he found that “a lot of the crazier stories turned out to be true.”

One such story involved chasing the girlfriends of soldiers out of the woods near the base in England where Olexa spent the last five months of the European war training replacement combat soldiers. The women would camp in the woods near the base and sneak in at night, or the men would sneak into the woods to spend time with them. Olexa had to organize a group of military police and make a sweep through the woods, chasing the women out.

Looking to Add a Website for the Book

University of North Texas Press wanted Smither to focus on the combat and front-line experiences of Olexa’s tenure in the war, forcing him to leave out some of the more eccentric stories.

“The original manuscript was simply too long to go into a print edition,” said Smither. Sections where Olexa is training or in the rear, various encounters with French soldiers in North Africa, and civilians he encountered away from the front were all areas Smither had to cut back.

However, the Press is allowing Smither to set up a website where he will post deleted material and any other supplemental items that he deems relevant. The plan is to include those sections of the text with indications of where they fit into the larger story in terms of pages of the book. Smither also plans to post some of the letters and interviews that he has done with veterans in some of the same places or with similar experiences as Olexa.

Once published, this supplemental website will be accessible from the Grand Valley History Department website via a link on GVSU’s Veterans History Project, which also gives access to other veteran interviews as well.

After the book is in print for three years, the Press plans to publish an ebook version that will have Olexa’s entire memoir so readers can find the whole story in one place.

Giving back to our veterans

Smither has worked at GVSU as a historian since 1990 and has specifically worked with veterans for more than 20 years.

“I always had an interest in military history, and I was able to develop a course in it,” said Smither, whose time outside of the classroom has been spent largely on conducting veteran interviews for the Veterans History Project (VHP).

Even though he does not have a personal military background, Smither said, “As a historian, sometimes you study things that are very far from your own experiences to try to understand them. And military history is compelling because it puts people into very difficult and unusual circumstances, and they have to figure out what to do and how to handle it. I think there is something about that that captures people’s imaginations.”

Veterans History Project: More than Telling Stories

“It’s a way to give back to the people who serve,” Smither said. “Just by listening to them and taking them seriously, you are showing a certain respect for them.”

Smither believes his job is to help veterans tell their whole story, publishing the complete interviews on the VHP website instead of only releasing bits and pieces.

“It provides great raw material for future generations of historians, but it also does something for the veterans themselves,” Smither continued.

For many involved in conflict from Vietnam onward, Smither has found there is often a question of “Why were we there in the first place, and was it worth doing?” Recording their stories helps many veterans find clarity.

“What you see when you talk to (veterans) is (that) a lot of the experience for them is just with them and the people in their unit, and just trying to get by. They were not really as worried about the bigger picture of things,” Smither said. “Recording the stories helps validate the experience…and it helps them figure out what happened. Sometimes I interview a veteran and that’s the first time they actually tried to put their story together. Some of it starts to make sense a little bit better when they start to do that.”

Retired life

Olexa worked in a factory for a short time after retiring from the military but deemed it too noisy. The former infantryman was not squeamish about blood and became a meat cutter, with his last 10 years before retiring in 1981 serving as the meat manager at a Grand Rapids D&W supermarket.

“He was very much just a member of the community after that (military career),” said Smither.

Olexa married Agnes Van Der Weide July 23, 1945, and lived in West Michigan until Agnes’s death in 1993. Olexa passed away December 3, 2000.

D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Hospice surfaces as special gift on Mother’s Day

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health,

By Emmanuel Hospice

Bea Blasingame (courtesy, Emmanuel Hospice)

For Joan Mattson and her four siblings, it’s all about the subtle differences conveyed in such significant ways to define her mother’s journey with Emmanuel Hospice at her side.

Especially during this month, featuring Mother’s Day as a gentle touchstone.

“One of the Emmanuel Hospice aides, Tanya, always kisses the top of mom’s head before she leaves,” says Mattson, drawing a breath. “I mean, just that kindness. It means so much.”

Mattson’s mother, Bea Blasingame, is 87 and has been under Emmanuel’s care since late last year. Initially, it was difficult for Bea to accept and adjust, given her life-long sense of independence. She was also missing friends in rural Truman, Arkansas, where she and her late husband, Robert, spent most of their 67 years together.

These days, Bea resides in Mattson’s Grand Rapids area home following a series of seizures and discovery of a related tumor that have affected her speech, mobility and other aspects of her daily life.

With Mother’s Day coming up, Mattson relates that it’s bittersweet to wax nostalgic on how things used to be.

“My mom was a morning person,” Mattson recalls. “She might be up as early as four, and I can remember her going into the cold kitchen and standing on a rug by the register where the heat came up, saying her prayers and reading the Bible.

“And if you know how noise carries through those vents, well, her voice would come to me in my bedroom, and that’s just a very special memory.”

Mattson’s sister, Barb Raymond, says Emmanuel Hospice has been helping the family harvest and express those remembrances as they work to make their mother’s final months as comfortable as possible. In return, Bea personally thanks her Emmanuel Hospice care team – by name, when she can – during evening prayer.

One time, she couldn’t quite recall specifically one Emmanuel team member, but knew she was a spiritual caregiver. “The shepherd,” she managed to whisper. In another instance, she couldn’t conjure the name of a therapist who comes with her guitar and harp to sing hymns and more with her. “Bless the ‘music-maker,’” she offered.

Bea Blasingame makes a hand mold with the help of Emmanuel Hospice staff. (courtesy, Emmanuel Hospice)

Indeed, music and prayer have always loomed large in Bea’s life. She led songs at her church, sang solos and played the accordion. Her favorite Bible verse is from Psalms: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Losing her husband – whom she married at 17 (she fibbed her age up to 18 on the legal document) – was tough four years ago. COVID made the grieving worse.

When Bea fell ill last winter, her son and four daughters helped her battle back, but eventually, it was decided hospice care would be best. The whole family shares their mother’s gratefulness for Emmanuel Hospice. In addition to providing medical care, the nonprofit has prioritized making space for opportunities to create lasting memories and have joyful experiences as they cherish time together.

“We don’t know where we’d be without Emmanuel,” Mattson says. “I think honestly that God has had a hand in all of this, in having Emmanuel beside us.”

Raymond adds: “We’re just floored with the quality of people at Emmanuel. What they provide is just beyond what any one of us expected.”

To learn more about hospice care, visit EmmanuelHospice.org.

Cool off this summer with the Public Museum’s newest exhibits

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Entertainment, Kent County, Kids Activities, Recreation, , ,
“Ice Age: Michgian’s Frozen Secrets” features how Michigan landscapes looked thousands of years ago. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)

By Adam Brown
WKTV Contributor

Have you ever wished to go back in time to the dawn of the Ice Age? Or look at the impacts of snow on a global scale? Now you can, with the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s new exhibits Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact.

What Are the New Exhibits?

Set to run May 20 through Sept. 3, the new exhibits put a unique Michigan spin on global events. In addition, they continue the GRPM’s mission of educating the public through immersive and enriching displays. Of the GRPM’s new additions, Public Museum’s Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations Dustin Tyler noted, “Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact are two incredibly unique and exciting exhibits that we are thrilled to bring to our community. We believe both exhibits will provide visitors with unforgettable educational experiences and inspire curiosity about Michigan’s history and the impact of snow on our environment.”

Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets

Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets localizes the historical period, focusing on modern-day West Michigan when prehistoric animals dominated the Earth. The exhibit depicts how the landscape looked thousands of years ago, with a chance to interact with some of the area’s native creatures. In addition, patrons can enjoy tactile experiences where they can handle actual fossilized bones and teeth from the era. The available bones come from a selection of a recently discovered mastodon in the Grand Rapids area.

Visitors will be able touch mastodon bones that were found in Grand Rapids. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)

In August 2022, mastodon bones were uncovered during a construction dig at the Grand Rapids property of Michael and Courtney Clapp. Wanting to keep the artifacts local and accessible to the public, the Clapps donated their namesake Clapp Family Mastodon to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The recovered bones form the basis of the Ice Age exhibit. In this fully immersive experience, visitors are encouraged to touch and observe the bones and teeth, connecting them to the life of early humans in the area.

Though designed to supplement material learned in the classroom, Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets is geared toward all ages, per GRPM Marketing Manager Sara Olsen. People naturally question what their home state might have looked like in the prehistoric era. This exhibit is designed to answer those burning questions by allowing museumgoers to physically interact with what came before.

Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact 

Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact takes the opposite route, looking at snow globally and how it impacts worldwide climate systems. No matter where we live, snow impacts us all. In this exhibit, patrons can examine all the ways this natural weather phenomenon affects the globe.

“Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact” will look at how snow impacts worldwide climate systems. (Courtesy, Grand Rapids Public Museum)

While new to the GRPM, Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact was initially developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon. Like the GRPM, the OMSI is devoted to fostering learning and curiosity in its visitors through interactive experiments, exhibits, and demonstrations for a younger, school-age demographic.

In Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact, guests answer one fundamental question. What is snow? An immersive digital snowstorm enables visitors to interact with snow crystals, examining how each is truly unique. While all ages may enjoy the exhibit, the tactile games make the experience especially rewarding for the younger crowd by allowing them to take an interactive role in the process, per Olson. Guests can also listen to oral histories about snow from elders and culture leaders of the Inupiaq tribes to supplement the interactive game. These elements seek to educate the public about the importance of snow in the worldwide climate system and how each tiny crystal has a global impact.

Despite differing scopes and content, the GRPM designed Ice Age: Michigan’s Frozen Secrets and Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact to work in tandem with one another. Both offer glimpses into climate and weather patterns over time and allow patrons to interact with those patterns while building an understanding of the world around them.

 

Guests who purchase general admission tickets to the GRPM between May 20 and Sept. 3 can participate in the new exhibits, with free admission for those 17 and under. In addition, members can receive early access to the exhibits through an exclusive members only preview. Those interested may find information on museum hours and ticket prices at the GRPM’s official website.

KDL hosts free preview of Ebony Road Players’ ‘Alabama Story’

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , ,
WKTV/D.A. Reed

By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributor

Kent District Library (KDL) will be hosting a free preview event of Ebony Road Players’ production of Alabama Story from 6:30-7:30p.m. at the Grandville and Cascade Township branches May 17-18.

The Ebony Road Players will present a reading of “Alabama Story” May 17 and 18 at the KDL Grandville and Cascade branches. (Courtesy, Ebony Road Players, photo by Brian Greenleaf)

Founder and Executive Director of Ebony Road Players, Edye Evans Hyde, and cast members will share a reading from the play Alabama Story and discuss its relevance today.

“When we heard the story about the play (Hyde) was putting on, it just seemed like a natural fit,” said KDL Director of Engagement Randy Goble. “It’s a topic we hear about in the current day and time…(and) it’s seeing how something from the late 1950s is relevant today.”

The six-actor, one-set play written by Kenneth Jones gives voice to a little-known story about a librarian who was persecuted for protecting a children’s book titled The Rabbits’ Wedding.

The story of two rabbits

A children’s picture book written and illustrated by Garth Williams and published in 1958, The Rabbits’ Wedding depicts the love and wedding of two rabbits, one black and one white. The book was ridiculed as promoting interracial marriage, and Emily Wheelock Reed, director of the Alabama Library Service Division, became an advocate for The Rabbits’ Wedding.

KDL features a display about Loving Day, the anniversary of when interracial marriage laws were abolished. (Courtesy, KDL)

“We wanted to do (the preview) to support Ebony Road Players, but also because it is a very fascinating story that we want to help people and the community become more familiar with,” Goble said.

Alabama Story is being performed in conjunction with National Loving Day, an annual celebration held on the anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision Loving v Virginia, which abolished interracial marriage laws on June 12, 1967.

“Unfortunately, a lot of things during the Civil Rights movement and this particular court case in 1967 is rearing its head again,” Hyde told WKTV. “I was searching for plays, and this one came up. I thought, this needs to be shown so people have an opportunity to see what’s going on now is not new.”

Telling multi-cultural stories

Since its inception as a non-profit theater organization in 2013, Ebony Road Players has provided a platform for narratives like Alabama Story that are not normally heard about or discussed.

Over the past 10 years, Hyde has not lacked for participants in ERP or viewers for their productions.

“It is a very multi-cultural group of people coming,” Hyde said. “They are understanding the need for these stories to be told on a consistent basis. People have been really open to it.”

A participant and one of only a handful of African Americans in Grand Rapids theater during the 1980s-1990s, Hyde began Ebony Road Players when she “realized the talent that is supposed to be here for telling these types of stories was not here. It hadn’t been cultivated.”

Hyde continued to say that she realized the real need was to build a talent pool that could be part of productions and opportunities that are not always given to people of color, and Hyde has been appreciative of the reception from the West Michigan arts community.

“We (Grand Rapids) have a pretty vibrant arts community, and we all work together,” she said.

A natural fit

Goble urges community members to come out for the Alabama Story preview. “If you would like a sneak peek, please come to the library at either of the two locations,” said Goble. “It’s going to be a fantastic introduction to the whole story.”

The May 17 performance will be at the KDL Grandville branch, 4055 Maple Ave. SW. The May 18 performances will be at the KDL Cascade branch, 2870 Jacksmith Ave. SE.

Ebony Road Players will be presenting the full production of Alabama Story June 8-11 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW. Information and tickets can be found here.

ERP is also collaborating with the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave. NE, to host a Loving Day celebration for families on June 10 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. More information can be found here: Faces of Family: Growing Seeds of Love.

D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Kentwood, Wyoming show off their big trucks during Public Works open houses

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

By Tessa Schulz
WKTV Contributor

You might be able to climb into this truck during the Wyoming Department of Public Works’ open house on Monday, May 15. (WKTV/Tessa Schulz)

Have you ever looked outside on a snowy day, sipping a hot chocolate while flurries blow through the frosty air? On wintry days plow trucks keep us safe by providing salt for the streets and scraping snow from the roads.

The Public Works team is here for many seasons, whether it is the icy winter, leafy fall, or road construction.

 

The Wyoming Department of Public Works is hosting an open house this Monday, May 15, from 5-8 p.m. at the Public Works Facility located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW to educate the community on who they are and what they do.

The Kentwood Department of Public Works will be hosting its public works open house Thursday, May 18, 4-7 p.m. at the Kentwood Department of Public Works facility, 5068 Breton Ave. SE. The event is a joint venture with th eKent County

Both events are an early celebration of Public Works Week, May 21-27, which celebrates how public works connects a community through service and infrastructure.

Public Work professionals include engineers, public service, traffic, and fleet service workers. The Kentwood and Wyoming teams provide construction, maintenance, and repairs for streets, sidewalks, waterlines, sewer systems, traffic signs, city vehicles, and equipment.

During the events, community members will meet the public works team, check out demonstrations and climb into a public works vehicle.

Wyoming Public Works Day

“It’s a fun way to show off what we do for the city,” said Jay VanDyke, Wyoming Public Works assistant director. “It’s a great way for the community to come and meet the team who largely works behind the scenes. It’s a hands-on learning opportunity. It has something for every age. Many people never really grow tired of being fascinated by some of this larger equipment.”

The Wyoming open house will feature equipment, including a hydro excavator, dump truck, salt truck, boom truck, and street sweeper. In addition, guests may play games (hammer toss or Plinko) to win prizes or explore booths and displays, including the sewer jet flusher.

The Wyoming open house will serve hot dogs, chips, popsicles, and refreshments. In previous years, several hundred residents attended the city’s open houses.

“We hope that people walk away with a better understanding of the various responsibilities we have at the Public Works Department and the services we provide,” VanDyke said. “Some of these services include providing everyone clean, safe drinking water and a reliable, efficient sewer system. The nice thing about a reliable, efficient sewer system is if you never have to think about it, it’s working great!”

Kentwood Public Works Day

The Kentwood event will have hands-on activities, maintenance and repair demonstrations, and giveaways. All guests may take home free red maple and river birch tree seedlings. In addition, the event will have complimentary food and refreshments.

The Kentwood Department of Public Works will host an open house with the Kent County Road Commission on Thursday, May 18. (Supplied)

Semifinalists and finalists of the Work Zone Safety Poster competition will be recognized at 5:30 p.m. Sponsored by Kent County Road Commission and public works agencies throughout Kent County, the poster contest invited third-graders from across the county to design a caution sign focused on safety tips for driving through a work zone. A gallery of entries will be displayed during the event.

“The Kentwood Department of Public Works supports many aspects of our residents’ daily lives, from plowing roads to maintaining trails to repairing public safety vehicles,” Public Works Director Chad Griffin said. “We’re looking forward to connecting with the community to share more about what we do and display some of the equipment we use to get the job done.”

The Kent County Road Commission will also have team members and equipment on-site to share more about the department’s role in the community.

“Our team works collaboratively with public works departments throughout the county to serve residents by keeping roads safe,” said Steve Warren, managing director of the Kent County Road Commission. “We are excited to connect with community members and share more about our dedication to maintaining public infrastructure.”

 

The Kentwood Department of Public Works has five divisions that work together to maintain the City’s infrastructure, which includes more than 150 miles of pipes underground and more than 155 miles of streets above ground, as well as parks and grounds, buildings and vehicles. The five divisions are building maintenance, fleet services, grounds maintenance, streets maintenance and utilities (water and wastewater) services. To learn more about Kentwood DPW, visit kentwood.us/DPW.

The Rapid moves to being greener while expanding its route

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Rapid is going green with EPA-certified renewable natural gas from the City of Grand Rapids’ biodigester. (Supplied)

The Rapid is moving to become more green with renewable natural gas (RNG) while expanding its routes to aid in employment opportunities.

In April, The Rapid announced it has begun receiving EPA-certified renewable natural gas from the City of Grand Rapids’ biodigester, which is a major milestone in a multi-year effort to create a partnership that upholds a shared commitment to sustainability.

“The partnership speaks to innovative ways that local governments can work with regional partners and support their sustainability goals while also reinforcing the City’s commitment to building a safe and healthy community,” said James Hurt, Grand Rapids’ managing director of Public Services.

The Rapid has been working to transition its bus fleet away from diesel fuel to lower-emission potions since 2017, and the new partnership will create a renewable fuel source captures methane from the decomposition process, converting it into usable vehicle fuel and redirecting the waste away from local landfills.

 

“We’re fueling a cleaner fleet and significantly reducing our carbon footprint,” said Deb Prato, CEO of The Rapid. “This innovative partnership represents the creativity and collaboration that is necessary to develop strategies across multiple sectors to create better outcomes for the climate and the community.”

RNG fuel is considered carbon-negative, producing the lowest carbon intensity of any on-road vehicle fuel. The Rapid will be able to utilize this fuel immediately in the fleet without the need for massive infrastructure changes or investments.

The Rapid’s fleet currently consists of 133 buses, 102 of which will have the capacity to run fully on RNG. Diesel buses will continue to be retired and replaced by RNG vehicles, in a continued effort to reach zero emissions by 2023.

Starting this week, The Rapid announced its Route 8 Prairie/Rivertown will now have two weekday trips serving Michigan Turkey Producers.

 

“Our diverse workforce represents a large community of people in West Michigan with a wide range of transportation needs,” said MaryAnne McCaffrey, Vice President of Human Resources at Michigan Turkey Producers. “A stop at our location will ensure a safe and reliable commute for our employees.”

 

Route 8 will have two weekday trips, the first trip departing from Rapid Central Station at 6:45 a.m. and the second trip departing from Michigan Turkey at 4:58 p.m. The 6:45 a.m. trip will follow its regular route to Rivertown, continuing to Michigan Turkey Producers on Chicago Drive. The 4:58 p.m. trip will take a left on Burlingame and travel directly to Michigan Turkey Producers, before returning to Godfrey and then to Rapid Central Station. All previous stops along Route 8 will continue to be served.

“We are dedicated to improving the lives of our community across the six cities by offering reliable transportation options that improve access to employment opportunities and effectively remove barriers,” said Deb Prato, CEO of The Rapid. 

Kentwood to host Bark for the Park May 18 to benefit Kellogg Woods Dog Park

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Last year’s annual Bark for the Park event. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)



WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org


The City of Kentwood’s Bark for the Park event is set for Thursday, May 18 to raise funds for new amenities at the dog park at Kellogg Woods Park. 

The dog-friendly event takes place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kellogg Woods Park, 275 Kellogg Woods Park Drive SE. Admission is free, and financial donations are accepted throughout the event. No registration is required. 

Pet vendors, vet clinics, Wyoming K9 unit and more

Attendees and their canine companions can explore a variety of local pet vendors and community booths, including veterinary clinics, the Wyoming Police K9 unit and more. The event also will include a pet craft station, photo booth and dog agility course. A doggie bag filled with dog treats and other favors will will be available for participants to take home.  


The Wyoming Police K9 unit will be at Bark for the Park. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)


At 6:30 p.m., attendees will have a chance to show off their pup’s style by participating in a doggy fashion show. The crowd favorite will receive a gift basket.

Dune Buggy and Underground Cookie Club food trucks will be on-site with burgers, fries, ice cream sandwiches and beverages available for purchase. T-shirts also will be for sale at the Kentwood Parks and Recreation tent.

“The dog park at Kellogg Woods Park is a unique amenity we’re proud to be able to offer the dogs and dog lovers in our community,” said Spencer McKellar, the City of Kentwood’s lead recreation program coordinator. “This event is a fun opportunity to gather together to showcase this space to the community and raise money to ensure it remains a premier canine hangout for years to come.”






Funds raised at this year’s event will go toward the purchase of a shade structure at the park.  Champion sponsors include Beastro Fresh Canine Cuisine, Bloom Sluggett, PC, Consumers Energy Home Energy Analysis, Metronet, VCA Woodland Animal Hospital and Whiskers Resort & Pet Spa. Advocate sponsors include Red Barn Veterinary Clinic, Simply Pet Cremation Services and Sinclair Recreation, LLC. 

For more event information, visit kentwood.us/BarkForThePark.


Last year’s annual Bark for the Park event. (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)

Wyoming investigates crash, Sheriff recovers stolen vechiles

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Kent County, , , , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Wyoming

On May 9, at approximately 7:30 a.m., police and fire personnel from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety and Grandville Police responded to the area of 28th Street near Clydon Avenue on a report of a head-on collision involving two vehicles.

When officers arrived they located two patients, an unresponsive 7-year-old female and a 31-year-old male both with serious injuries. The uninjured driver remained at the scene to speak with police. the injuries driver and child were both transported to an area hospital in critical condition.

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s Accident Investigation and Forensic Services Units are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.

Kent County Sheriff’s Department

At 2:30 a.m. this morning, a homeowner called 911 stating three suspects were checking car doors in the neighborhood along South Park Drive SW. Deputies arrived in the area and located the vehicle described by the homeowner and attempted to stop it. The vehicle fled from deputies but ran over spike strips just down the road. A pursuit continued up Kalamazoo Avenue nail the driver lost control and came to a stop along Kalamazoo Avenue near 52nd Street.

One occupant ran away and a second was arrested in the vehicle. The vehicle itself was stolen form Plainfield Township on May 3. Inside the deputies located two pistols along with cash and other items stolen from vehicles. An 18-year-old Grand Rapids man was arrested on charges related to the case. The other suspect remains outstanding.

This follow a similar incident Monday morning in Byron Township. At 6 a.m., KCSO dispatch received multiple calls of suspects breaking int o cars in the area of Marshwood Court SW. Two vehicles fled from deputies, which were later found at 68th Street and Clyde Park Avenue. As deputies closed in they located four suspects running form the cars, who were all apprehended (ages 15, 16, and two 17-year-old males from Grand Rapids). Three stolen vehicles in total were recovered.

According to a statement released by the Kent County Sheriff’s Department “We continue to see the brazen action of these suspects continue. Please keep your firearms, keys, and cash out of your vehicles. All areas of Kent County are being targeted.”

Kentwood Announces Summer Road Projects on nearly 28 miles of roads

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan



By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood has announced its tentative road construction and maintenance schedule for the summer.

The $9.7 million reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program has been approved by the City Commission and includes improvements to approximately 27.5 miles of major and local roads. Work is expected to begin this month and be completed by the end of October. 

Planned street reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance projects

  • Full reconstruction of 52nd Avenue SE from Kalamazoo Avenue to Breton Avenue. 
  • Full reconstruction of Meadowlane Drive SE. 
  • Other preventative street maintenance work throughout the city, including routine street marking, crack sealing and patching.

Message boards on major streets will give drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists advance notice of when closures will begin.

“We are committed to ensuring Kentwood has quality roads, which contribute to public safety and sound city infrastructure,” City Engineer Brad Boomstra said. “We know construction can cause disruptions to daily life, so our contractors will work diligently to minimize the impact felt by our community.

“We appreciate the support of our residents and businesses as we complete this critical work to improve our roads.”

The full reconstruction project on 52nd Street will begin this month and include a new water main on the north side of the street, new asphalt pavement surface on the roadway and a new traffic signal at the intersection of 52nd Street and Stauffer Avenue. 

During construction, 52nd Street will remain open to one-way traffic in the eastbound direction only. Westbound traffic will need to follow a posted detour using Kalamazoo Avenue, 44th Street and Breton Avenue.

Meadowlane Drive project

The Meadowlane Drive project also will begin this month and include a new concrete curb and gutter, new concrete sidewalks and concrete driveway approaches, asphalt pavement surface on the roadway, storm sewer installation, water main installation and sanitary sewer installation. Meadowlane Drive will remain open throughout construction to residents and their guests. At times, access to properties may be from a single direction on a one-way gravel lane. There will be times throughout the project where driveways will be inaccessible and residents will need to park on the street.

Property owners affected by the 52nd Street and Meadowlane Drive projects were informed by letter. Mail delivery and trash pickup will not be disrupted.

Patching and sealing in June

Patching and crack sealing work will take place on several neighborhood streets in June to prepare them for cape sealing in August. Cape sealing is designed to create a smooth surface with increased durability. Cape seal projects take two non-consecutive days, with the cape seal treatment requiring up to a few hours to dry before being ready for traffic.  

Homeowners in the neighborhoods where these projects will take place will be informed by letter. Residents are asked to drive slowly during the road work and follow the crew’s instructions for the best access to their homes. On-street parking will not be allowed during cape sealing.

The City’s road maintenance decisions are based on a variety of data, including ratings from the annual Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, or PASER. This rating system provides a basis for comparing the quality of roadway segments and assigns a rating of 1-10 for road pavement conditions based on visual inspections, with 10 representing good and 1 poor.

Kentwood maintains one of the highest-rated major street networks in Kent County, according to data compiled by the Grand Valley Metro Council that is based on PASER ratings.

Last year, the City invested in improvements to 30 miles of major and local roads. Major streets included in the 2022 reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program were:

  • East Paris Avenue SE from 28th Street to 36th Street
  • Jefferson Avenue SE from 44th Street to Montebello Street
  • Burton Street SE from East Paris Avenue to Patterson Avenue

For more information, including a map of street resurfacing and repairs, visit kentwood.us/construction. Community members can sign up to be notified when construction updates are added to the City’s website and receive updates via Facebook and Twitter.

Trinity Health first in the area to offer Aquablation Therapy

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Community Health, Health

Maggie Carey
WKTV Contributor

Trinity Health Grand Rapids, a leading medical facility in West Michigan, has become the first and only hospital in the area to offer Aquablation therapy, a new and innovative treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign enlarged prostate.

Dr. Navneet Mander

BPH is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate grows larger than normal, causing difficulty urinating and putting pressure on the bladder, which can lead to irreversible bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence if left untreated. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, benign prostatic hyperplasia affects about 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80.

Aquablation therapy is a minimally invasive treatment that uses imaging, robotics, and a heat-free waterjet to safely remove prostate tissue. This innovative therapy is supported by clinical studies that show long-lasting relief and lower rates of irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, for prostates of all sizes. It also provides significant symptom relief for men with large prostates.

 

Aquablation therapy is the first and only FDA-cleared, surgical robot using automated tissue resection for the treatment of LUTS (Lower urinary tract symptoms) due to BPH. It combines real-time, multi-dimensional imaging, automated robotics, and heat-free waterjet ablation for targeted, controlled, and immediate removal of prostate tissue.

Navneet Mander, MD, a urologist at Trinity Health Grand Rapids, expressed excitement about this new treatment option for his patients, stating that “Aquablation therapy is a new and exciting option for these patients and the next step to furthering our commitment to men’s health. This solution can provide significant, long-lasting symptom relief with lower risk to their sexual function or continence.”

Aquablation therapy offers a safe and effective alternative to existing surgical treatments for BPH, which may have potential adverse effects on sexual function and continence. For many men, the negative side effects of BPH medications can be a significant concern.

 

Aquablation therapy provides a safe and effective alternative to allow these patients to minimize, and potentially discontinue, the need for these BPH medications. The medical community has embraced Aquablation therapy for its many benefits, including the potential for fewer irreversible complications, faster recovery times, and shorter hospital stays.

Trinity Health Grand Rapids is leading the way in West Michigan by offering Aquablation therapy as a new and exciting treatment option for men with lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH. 

Power of love underlying theme in ‘Hadestown’

3-bottom, Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events,
Maria Christina Oliveras plays Persephone in the national tour of “Hadestown,” which comes to Grand Rapids this week. (Photo by T. Charles-Erickson)

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributor


Maria-Christina Oliveras, who plays Persephone in the Broadway national tour of “Hadestown,” said the premise of the musical is life changing:

 “Love is the greatest force of the universe and can recalibrate (us)!” she said in a recent phone interview with WKTV while on a tour stop in Milwaukee.

As the Greek goddess of the underworld ruled by Hades, Persephone may know a little bit about the universe, especially as it pertains to “Hadestown,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that tells a modern retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Overall it won eight Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic, Depression-era America, where the world is plagued by poverty and despair. Orpheus, a talented musician, falls in love with Eurydice, a young woman who is struggling to make ends meet. As they navigate their relationship and the challenges of their world, they are drawn into the dark underworld of Hadestown, ruled by the charismatic but ruthless Hades.

It’s that storyline of “love” and its power to “recalibrate” the universe that makes the musical so powerful, Oliveras said.

“(Love) is the biggest force of reckoning in the universe, and I think we do that through our music and through the story we tell,” she said. “We all need to reconnect again.”

In this Greek tragedy, the story explores themes of love and sacrifice, as well as temptation, and the power of music to inspire hope and bring people together.

Written by Anaïs Mitchell, the score blends elements of folk, blues, and jazz, and features memorable songs such as “Way Down Hadestown,” “Wait for Me,” and “Why We Build the Wall.”

Because it’s based on a Greek tragedy, Oliveras said “we all know how the story ends,” but it’s their goal as a cast “to tell it again with hope, in hopes that it may turn out a little different.”

“Hadestown” is a musical presented primarily in song with the ensemble performing as a Greek chorus and the three Fates, the mythical personifications of destiny, to assist Hermes in telling the story. Most of the show’s seven-member band performs onstage on risers, perched on a setting that resembles New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Hannah Whitley as Eurydice and J. Antonio Rodriguez as Orpheus with the company in “Hadestown.” (Photo by T. Charles Erikson)

Oliveras, a classically trained actor, singer, educator and activist from the Bronx, New York, said it’s the show’s innovation, especially in staging, that has resonated with audiences and made it a Broadway hit.

Also, its wide range of music from New Orleans jazz to folk has made it appealing “even to people who don’t like traditional musical theater.”

A graduate of Yale University, with an M.F.A. in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory, Oliveras said the show is also relevant to today’s audience, weaving in themes of “immigration, community and climate change.”

“It’s got this depth, and it really hits where we are at this moment in the world, and in America specifically,” Oliversa said. “The combination of all of that…. you can’t resist.  It’s really a phenomenon.”

It also captures what it is like to be human, in the spirit of “we’re in it together,” she said.

Overall we are inspired by these young lovers, in song and creativity.

“It’s about the power of art to really transform and change, and reginate and reinspire, particularly in those moments where we’re disconnected, which is really prevalent in the world today.”

Tickets are available online at BroadwayGrandRapids.com or at the Broadway Grand Rapids box office located at 122 Lyon St. NW. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 616-235-6285.

Upcoming: FROZEN, July 11-24, 2023

More info, including season ticket information for the 2023-2024 season, at https://broadwaygrandrapids.com.

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

Meet Ray, an advocate for special needs pets

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Pets/Animals, , ,

By Janet Vormittag
WKTV Contributor

Fig and Friends founder Julie Beukema with Ray (courtesy, Janet Vormittag)

Julie Beukema monitors Michigan Urgent Cats on Facebook, where cats in desperate circumstances are posted with the hope someone can assist. Last November, she spotted a listing regarding a tiny kitten with infected eyes and knew she had to help. A volunteer drove the six-week-old kitten from the Detroit area to Grand Rapids.

Beukema is the founder of Fig and Friends Pet Rescue, a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit that relies on foster homes, volunteers and donations. The rescue takes in owner surrendered pets as well as cats and dogs from crowded shelters. The nonprofit works closely with the Calhoun County Animal Center and shelters in Southeast Michigan.

When the black and white kitten was delivered to Beukema, he was immediately rushed to a veterinarian. The diagnosis wasn’t good—both eyes were ruptured and tissue was becoming necrotic. Surgery to remove the eyes was recommended.

Other than his eyes, the one-pound kitten was healthy and purred up a storm.

“We felt we had to give him a chance,” Beukema said.

The total vet bill for Ray including surgery followup, neuter, vaccines, and microchip was close to $2,000. A Facebook fundraiser was created.

Ray, the Entertainer

Beukema named the longhaired kitten Ray Charles after the blind singer. Being blind didn’t hinder the entertainer and it hasn’t hampered his namesake.

“He’s the most social and curious kitten I’ve ever seen,” Beukema said.

At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes are not noticeable as the fur on his face is black. (Courtesy, Janet Vormittag)

At first glance, Ray’s missing eyes aren’t noticeable. The fur on most of his face is black and his longhair gives him a shaggy look as if his eyes are merely hidden.

Ray is now seven-months-old and is the official greeter at the Happy Cat Café, 447 S. Division Ave. Beukema recently partnered with the café, where cats from Figs and Friends are featured in the café’s adoption room.

Happy Cat Café has collaborated with numerous rescues since they opened and have adopted out close to 700 cats.

The Socialite

Ray is not available for adoption. He had been adopted, but allergies forced his return. Beukema then decided to adopt him herself. Because the blind kitten was so social, she thought to try him at the café. It turned out to be a good fit.

Ray is thriving at the café. He interacts with people, plays with toys and was the first cat to figure out how to run on an exercise wheel — picture a carpeted, four-foot tall hamster wheel.

Ray navigates through sound, scents and his whiskers. He chases and bats around toys like any sighted cat and leaves guests in the cat room amazed at his abilities.

 “He’s doing phenomenal. He’s an advocate for special needs cats,” Beukema said. She added if she ever notices Ray isn’t enjoying himself at the café, she’ll bring him home.

Janet Vormittag started Cats and Dogs, a Magazine Devoted to Companion Animals in 2006 as a monthly publication. It’s geared towards West Michigan readers and features pet-related advertisers, animals available for adoption, and articles about animal rescues and pets. In 2018, Cats and Dogs transitioned to a quarterly publication. The print edition is free and can be found at local libraries and businesses.

Circle Theatre spells success with its opening production

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Recreation, Upcoming Events, , ,

By Colleen Pierson
WKTV Contributor

Circle Theatre presents the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” through May 20. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)

How do you spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S?  One only has to be in the audience for Circle’s musical comedy to find out. The season opener is successful with tremendous audience appeal, superior talent, innovative staging and musical delights.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee follows six nerdy and eclectic tweens who are definitely quirky, interesting and share their life stories with effortless humor and emotion.  It’s a small cast with big voices.

  

“What is the language of origins?”  “Can you use that in a sentence?”  “What’s the definition please?” These phrases take us back to some of the spelling bees of our school days. But what is the most memorable are the life stories of every cast member. The stories emotionally connect us throughout.

Kudos to co-directors Chris and Jenna Grooms for directing what seem to be young characters, but has a cast of all ages portraying that specific age group. They all try to spell their way through words like “capybara,” qaymaqam” “Cystitis” and other words I have never heard of.

Who will win the spelling championship of a lifetime? Audience members are on the edge of their seats just waiting to find out. There is no intermission which just adds to the suspense of the plot.

The show was a winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book. Well-deserved as the jokes, storylines, and content are relatable, emotional, funny and as clever as the characters themselves.

 

Zachary Avery, in the role of Leaf, doesn’t know how to spell, but when he goes into a trance, the results are correct and humorous. (Courtesy, Circle Theatre)

Another interesting aspect of the show is four audience members are called upon to compete in the bee. This provides an audience immersion delight and tests the casts’ improvisational techniques.

 

Each cast member has their own unique way of competing to win the spelling bee. Braden Bacon, portraying the role of Barfee, spells the word out on the ground with his foot. He gets the visual and then speaks it. Zachary Avery, in the role of Leaf, doesn’t know how to spell, but when he goes into a trance, the results are correct and humorous.

Usually there are stand out performers in musicals. This cast are all stand outs. Impeccable comedic timing, excellent voice and diction skills, in depth characterizations and gifted singers make this show one of the best I have seen in a long time.

Choreographer Mary Lohman and Music Director Scott Patrick Bell should also be commended on their creative efforts and in-depth talents.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs at Circle Theatre through May 20. Tickets and information available at circletheatre.org.  The show runs May 4-6, 10-14 and 17-20, with May 14 being a matinee showing. Tickets are available for $26 – $30 at circletheatre.org. This season, Circle Theatre will present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Blithe Spirit,” “Pippin,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”  Definitely a winning season and one that we have just come to expect from Circle Theater.

Kentwood elected officials celebrate National Law Day with Q&A and panel discussion Monday

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, West Michigan,
Kent County Office of the Defender Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy (left) and retired Judge William G. Kelly during Kentwood’s National Law Day on May 1. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



By D.A. Reed

WKTV Contributor

The Kentwood Justice Center opened its doors to the community to celebrate National Law Day with a panel discussion and Q&A session with elected officials on May 1.

Law Day, a national day dedicated to celebrating the rule of law, was celebrated at Kentwood’s 62-B District Court with a theme of Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration.

Envisioned by American Bar Association president Charles S. Rhyne in 1957 and put into practice by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day provides an opportunity for community members to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.


Judge Amanda Sterkenburg (left) talks to DCA/Magistrate Michele White during National Law Day Monday at the Kentwood Justice Center. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



The panel was moderated by 62-B District Court Administrator/Magistrate Michele White, with panelists including 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg, Kentwood City Commissioner Ron Draayer, Kentwood City Commissioner Clarkston Morgan, Deputy City Administrator Shay Gallagher, Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Courtney Panter, and Kent County Office of the Defender Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy.

One topic discussed was racial disparity in the justice system and how to eliminate that inequality.


“It all starts with equal protection,” McCarthy said, “and it all starts with everyone being treated fairly.”

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) ensures the state’s public defense system is fair, cost-effective, and constitutional while simultaneously protecting public safety and accountability.

“What (the MIDC) is intended to do is to bring more dollars into the criminal justice system so that people that are appointed counsel are getting a fair shake and they are getting the same type of resources that prosecutors have,” McCarthy said.

“Inequity in the justice system is really tied to historical inequalities within our communities,” Sterkenburg said. “We need to look at it as a holistic problem and take the approach that economic, environmental, educational elements all play into what we see as disparities within the justice system.”



Kentwood Commissioner Clarkston Morgan answers a question (far right) as Kent County Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy and Judge Amanda Sterkenburg listen. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



Translation services have helped eliminate language barriers and helped individuals feel they are being heard as counsel represents them.

“There is a real desire on the part of those of us within city government to do as much as we can to ensure that it is a fair justice system … for people who live and work within the City of Kentwood,” said Draayer. “I take real pride in that, but also as a challenge that we still have a lot of work to do.”

Also discussed was the importance of citizen collaboration and interaction with all branches of government in addressing challenges facing the community.

Your voice matters

Morgan said citizens need to understand their voice matters. “You own the community you live in. You also own the community we all engage in … be the voice of change.”

That change comes with engaging with the local community leaders.

“The best vehicle to engage with the government is to engage with your representatives,” McCarthy said. “Because that engagement then drives policies, it drives statutes, it drives ordinances that we officials work with and react to.”

Draayer agreed.



“We try to do everything we can to stress to citizens that you really do matter, and when you come and speak, we are paying attention to you.”

Demystifying the counsel chamber and rebuilding trust

Maintaining public access and using language easily understood to create transparency within the counsel chamber also was brought into the conversation.

“For my part,” said Sterkenburg, “if they are coming in to me, I am talking to them … with language that is understandable and respectful, and not from a position of authority, but from a position that we can really lift up those whom the court is here to serve.”

Digital and physical access to the courtrooms, in-person engagement with citizens via schools and community events, providing easy access to the Freedom of Information Act, and updating citizens via eblasts, e-newsletter, and Facebook helps elected officials maintain transparency.



Deputy City Administrator Shay Gallagher (left) at the Kentwood National Law Day. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)



“We try to reach folks where they’re at,” Gallagher said.

 

Surveys also have been a productive tool in striving to find better ways to communicate with and serve residents.

“In Kentwood, our leaders make a point to talk with the community, to try and make sure there is always open communication,” Sterkenburg said.

Restoring civility

Realizing that everyone comes from different backgrounds and how that shapes their perspective—and allowing their perspective to have a voice as equal as his own—is how Morgan believes civility can be restored.

“I think if we come out recognizing that we want more people whole than just what it is to be right, we can actually change things,” Morgan said.

McCarthy agreed.



“If we allow that airspace for other people to be heard, solutions will appear.”

“I think listening is key,” Sterkenburg said. “I think empathy is key. And I think that we (elected officials) have to lead by example in modeling those behaviors.”


D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author

Area school districts get individual proposals approved

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, Election, , ,

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

Along with the passage of the Wyoming Public Safety millage, districts in and around the cities of Wyoming and Kenwood also had positive outcomes on individual ballot proposals.

Kelloggsville Public Schools – non-residential operating millage

Kelloggsville Public Schools, which is in both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, was seeking a renewal of its non-residential (non-homestead) operating millage, would generates about $3.7 million or 13% of the district’s annual operating budget. The request was renewed for two more years with 544 to 340 in favor.

Kelloggsville Public Schools’ non-residential millage request was approved by voters for another two years.(WKTV)

“On behalf of the Board of Education, Kelloggsville Administration, and all of our staff members, we sincerely thank you for supporting this millage,” said Kelloggsville Assistant Superintendent Eric Alcorn to a letter to the community. “Your support demonstrates a commitment to our schools and the education of our students. We are fortunate to have such dedicated staff and community members who value education and understand the importance of investing in our schools.”

The money will be used for the day-to-day operations of the Kelloggsville schools such as staffing costs, instructional programs, instructional materials, transport and maintenance. 

Grandville Public Schools – non-residential operating millage

Grandville Public Schools, which includes the Wyoming panhandle, also was seeking a renewal of its non-residential (non-homestead) operating millages. The proposal was for the 18-mills on non-homestead property plus one additional mlll, for a total of 19 mills, for four years.

GPS has had a “Headlee Rollback” for the past seven years, with its millage now 16.8 mills. The additional mill will offset up to one mill of Headlee Rollback and make up the different over the four years to keep the district as close to 18 mills as possible.

The proposal passed 3,422 to 2,112.

Caledonia Community Schools – supplement bond proposal

Caledonia Community Schools’ supplemental bond proposal for $61 million pasted by a small margin, 2,790 to 2,715. The funding will be used to complete the 2020 vision that voters approved a bond issue on in that same year. Due to construction costs, the district needed to seek the supplemental bond issue.

The funding will be used for construction of a new Dutton Elementary, football stadium renovations, repairing roofs, upgrading parking lots, and providing parking and youth athletic fields at Calplex.

“We want to thank the voters in our community for supporting this bond proposal,” said Dr. Dedrick Martin, superintendent of Caledonia Community Schools. “Our continued investment in our schools will help Caledonia stay competitive and enable our students to receive real-world, hands-on experiences in upgraded facilities so they can better compete in the global marketplace.” 

The Caledonia School Bond, which is located south of the City of Kentwood, will not raise tax rates for residents. It is a fiscally responsible investment in which all funds will be available on CCS’ website to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently. All bond funds will be subject to regular independent audits to promote accountability and the best fiscal practices. 

Wyoming voters pass public safety millage

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Hard News, , , ,

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

Left, Mayor Kent Vanderwood and Chief Kim Koster, chat in front of the city’s retired aerial fire truck. Through the millage that was passed Tuesday, the city will be able to purchase a new one. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Wyoming Public Safety Chief Kim Koster admits there is a lot of work ahead for her department — postings, recruiting, and the purchase of a new fire truck — and it’s thanks to the city’s residents who by 64% approved a public safety proposal on Tuesday.

“I’m extremely grateful to our community for their support,” Koster said during a press conference at the city’s Division Avenue Fire Station. “They really looked forward and could see how an increase in personnel would have an impact on community safety.

She added that this is especially true for the fireside as increased personnel will help decrease response times and allow the city to fully staff its Division Avenue fire station, which has never been open on a regular basis.

Voters showed their support

In a vote of 4,987 to 2,803, Wyoming voters approved a 1.5 mill increase that would be dedicated to the public safety department. The millage would raise about $4 million annually allowing the city to maintain 17 public safety positions and add 10 more. 

“I believe the key this time around is that we kept the message very simple,” said Mayor Kent Vanderwood, who recited his slogan throughout the campaign. “Ask the residents for only what is needed and for no longer than needed.”

Vanderwood said the city asked for the right amount making it clear it would be dedicated to the public safety department for staffing and the purchase of needed equipment. He also felt putting a time frame of five years on the millage gives residents the control over whether they see the need or not to continue with the millage. Vanderwood added that the five years gives the city time to explore other options for funding.

“I am grateful to the business community who came forward and supported this,” Vanderwood said. In fact many, such as the 36th Street Palermo Pizza, handed informational flyers.

As the vote rolled in on Tuesday, Vanderwood said the tallies came in two groups. The first was the absentee voters, which were around 4,800. Absentee ballots showed 68% in support of the millage.

 

A total of 7,700 of the city’s approximate 58,000 registered voters cast a vote in Tuesday’s election. This is about 15% of the city’s registered voters, which is on par for the entire county and usually the percentage for a May election.

Remodeling and Recruiting

The press conference was in front of the 1994 aerial fire truck that has been out of commission for about a year and half, Koster said. Through the new bond proposal, the city will purchase a new aerial truck, which she noted is needed as the city has more multi-floor buildings along with allowing firefighters to safely reach the roof of a home during a fire. Since the trucks are made to specifications, it will take about a year for the new truck to arrive.

Through the millage and for the first time in the city’s history, the city’s Division Avenue Fire Station will be fully staffed. This summer it will be renovated and updated. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Koster said postings for six fire positions went out the day after the election and that they will begin recruiting for the four police officer positions. Because it does take time to find the right candidates, Koster said they hope to have some of the positions filled by fall.

Through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the Division Avenue Fire Station will be remodeled which will include five bunk rooms for staff along with other updates. The station was primarily operated by volunteer/paid-on call and does not currently have sleeping quarters. This remodeling is scheduled to take place this summer, Koster said.

“I can only echo what the mayor and Chief Koster have said in that we are grateful to the community and we will follow through on the commitments we have made,” said Interim City Manager John McCarter.

The Spring Nature Makers Market returns to Blandford

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Solistice Handmade by Dayna Walton (Courtesy, Blandford Nature Center)

The annual Spring Nature Makers Market at Blandford Nature Center returns this weekend, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the Blandford Nature Center, 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW.

The Nature Makers Market highlights local artists and vendors from the Grand Rapids area who create products inspired by nature or use natural, sustainable materials. This year’s spring market will feature 25 local artists who will be selling textiles, prints, ceramics, glassworks, jewelry, stationery, stickers, and more. There will be a variety of styles and a wide selection of items available — all of which are created with nature in mind.

Vendors include: Jillian Braid Stained Glass, Jewel of the Forest, Birds of the Air Gifts, Red Hydrant Press, Querkus Creative, Runaway Press, Smiling Bird Studio, Knot Ur Mothers Macrame, Wildship Studio, Lucky Shoe Arts Collective, Busy Hands Studio, Nature Walk, Ghost Forest Resin Works, Silverthorn Pottery, J6R6 LLC, Redbriar Studio, My Lovely Muse, Sue Van Dame Jewelry, E-Scape Art Glass, PsyanoForest Cyanotype Studio, Solstice Handmade, Gathered Botanicals, Wendy Erin Withrow, and Honeydew Wood Working.

“We’re so happy to be hosting another Spring Nature Makers Market just in time for Mother’s Day,” said Camilla Voelker, community programs coordinator at Blandford Nature Center. “But whether you’ll be celebrating the holiday or not, this is a great opportunity for our community to connect with local artists and appreciate the natural world.”

Shopping will include the Blandford Nature Center Gift Shop, where guests can purchase limited edition Wildlife T-shirts with all proceeds going towards supporting more than 40 rehabilitated wildlife ambassadors. Visitors can also check out the R.B Stilwill Blacksmith Shop and request custom projects from Blandford’s volunteer blacksmith, Lori Beck. Coffee from Lazy Dazy Coffee Camper will be available for purchase for guests to enjoy while shopping.

Admission to the Nature Makers Market is free and no registration is required to attend. Visitors can learn more about the vendors and see a preview of what might be available by visiting Blandford’s Community Calendar at: www.blandfordnaturecenter.org